Construction National Spring 2023

NEW GUIDE HELPS DEVELOPERS KEEP UP WITH LATEST CRIMINAL TRENDS

The latest guidance for designing-in security in housing developments has been issued by Secured by Design – the police initiative for helping developers to incorporate security features into both individual properties and developments.

Homes 2023 has been designed to cater for the security of all new and refurbished homes. It includes references to Building Regulations and other statutory requirements in the UK.

Secured by Design (SBD) is part of the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives portfolio. Since its inception in 1989 over one million homes and commercial properties have been built to SBD standards.

Find out more on pages 8-9.

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[THIS ISSUE of Construction National has somewhat of an international feel – specifically within our regular round-up of work at height issues. The trade body for the access and scaffolding industry, NASC, and its training and qualifications arm CISRS have been busy taking their collective experience in working at height safely to fellow organisations as far afield as Qatar and Australia.

• It’s more than a tad ironic, then, that the very regulations those trade bodies have relied upon to ensure safe working at height are at risk of being jettisoned as part of a ‘Bonfire Bill’ of EU regulations. If the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill passes as proposed, the Work at Height Regulations will join thousands of other EU laws to be automatically repealed at the end of December.

The NASC expresses its opposition and explains why. It is just one health and safety body to be alarmed at the Cavalier attitude of the government to rules that have seen fatal falls decline from 67 to 29 per year, as we reported in the last issue.

• The Work at Height Regulations are just a few of the health and safety laws that stand to be ‘sunsetted’ – as the process is being dubbed – if the rearguard action in the Lords fails. Although the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act will survive, as it predates EU regulations in the UK, a host of ancillary measures will cease to be law. They include the CDM Regulations and COSHH, as IOSH explains.

• One of the regulations that may survive is the Duty to Manage Asbestos. That, however, is a regime that is itself in urgent need of overhaul, according to a report from the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association (ATaC) and National Organisation of Asbestos Consultants (NORAC).

Over one million instances of suspected asbestos in buildings were recorded, of which around 80% contained asbestos. Worryingly, two thirds contained damaged asbestos –potentially causing a hazard to anyone working or living in the building.

• As if the accidental exposure of the public to asbestos were not enough to worry about, the case in Greater Manchester of a so-called contractor carrying out asbestos removal in domestic premises with neither the appropriate licence nor any regard to the lethal consequences of such activity is positively frightening. Fortunately, the HSE has taken one such ne’er-do-well off the streets.

• Criminal activity of another kind was also brought to light recently – this time in Lancashire – with the sentencing of a gang involved in the theft, disguising and resale of over £1m worth of plant. The deception was so successful that most of the stolen plant was passed off as legitimate to buyers with established reputations in the business. They even charged VAT!

• The police are not inactive in helping to preserve the rule of law within the industry. Developers can now access a new version of the guidance for housing developers from Secured by Design. From lighting schemes to road layouts, the scheme has been helping cut crime in new developments since 1989. The new guide was launched at a joint conference between Secured by Design and ATLAS, the specialist access and lightning protection trade body. q

Chris Stokes Editor, Construction National

NEW GUIDE HELPS DEVELOPERS KEEP UP WITH LATEST CRIMINAL TRENDS

[THIS YEAR’S Secured by Design (SBD)/ATLAS national training conference and exhibition saw the launch of Homes 2023, SBD’s updated guidance for domestic properties. Homes 2023 has been designed to cater for the security of all new and refurbished homes, including those for disabled and older people. It incorporates the latest security standards, developed to address emerging criminal methods of attack, and includes references to the Building Regulations and other statutory requirements across the United Kingdom.

Michael Brooke, deputy chief operating officer at Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, commented: “There have been some major changes from the Secured by Design Homes 2019 guide, with significant areas that have been changed – including bicycle parking, doorsets and windows and their fitness for purpose (BS 6375), lift security (BS EN 81) and the introduction of PAS 24:2022.

“The requirements and recommendations within this guide are based upon academically-sound research findings that have enabled SBD to deliver significant crime reductions and cost efficiency savings for a wide range of stakeholders, including local authorities, housing associations, landlords, residents and the police service. The police service continually re-evaluates the effectiveness of Secured by Design and responds to emerging crime trends and independent research findings – in conjunction with industry partners – as and when it is considered necessary and to protect the public from crime.

“The police service places great importance upon the need to build sustainable and inclusive communities and to raise awareness of the significant impact that low crime makes to the on-going and long-term sustainability of a development. Should you wish to contribute to this or any of the SBD guides, please contact Secured by Design by email at sbdconsultations@police-cpi.co.uk.”

The new iteration of Secured by Design Homes is applicable to all SBD applications as of 1 March. The guide can be viewed and download for free from www.securedbydesign.com/images/HOMES_GUIDE_2023_web.pdf

SBD Design Guides

Homes 2023 is part of a series of authoritative Design Guides produced by SBD to assist the building, design and construction industry incorporate security into developments to comply with the Building Regulations in England, Scotland and Wales and meet the requirements of SBD. The guides have been updated over the years to keep pace with changing patterns of criminal behaviour and

advances in building design and new technology. They are a valuable source of reference to architects, developers, self-builders, local authority planners and police officers and cover a range of building sectors, including residential, education, health, transport and commercial.

SBD Development Awards

Developers around the UK can receive SBD awards for incorporating crime prevention measures and techniques into their developments in all kinds of building sectors. That includes residential, education, health, transport, commercial, retail, sport and leisure. The awards are gained by working with SBD’s specially-trained police designing out crime officers (DOCOs), who advise architects, developers and local authority planners long before construction begins – and continue to provide advice and guidance until the development is complete. That service is provided free of charge.

Secured by Design

Secured by Design is owned by the UK police service with the specific aim of reducing crime and helping people live more safely.

Part of the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives portfolio, SBD was created in 1989 following the housing boom of the 1960s-80s, when there was a huge and urgent demand for housing. Estates were being built quickly and often cheaply without any basic security. That resulted in a significant rise in burglary; and in response the police service set up SBD to combat it.

SBD works closely with builders, developers, local authorities and registered housing associations to incorporate its police crime prevention standards into developments – from initial concept and design through to construction and completion. Police forces throughout the UK have specially-trained DOCOs, who offer police designing out crime and SBD advice free of charge.

Over one million homes and commercial properties have been built to SBD standards – that’s 30% of all new homes built since 1989 – resulting in reductions in crimes such as burglary of up to 87%. Those are sustainable reductions each and every year – which is significant, as most SBD homes are in social housing, many in deprived and higher crime areas. A number of local authorities have even gone so far as to introduce SBD standards as a planning requirement. q

• Find out more at www.securedbydesign.com

EXPO’S THREE DAYS HELPED THE FUTURE HAPPEN NOW

[ FUTUREBUILD, the event dedicated to building a better future for the built environment, took place over three days on 7-9 March. Trailblazers from across the entire built environment came together to ‘Take a Stand’ through innovation, knowledge-sharing and networking.

Across the three days Futurebuild hosted over 17,800 visitors who joined forces in creating a more sustainable future. They heard 500 speakers at 135 sessions and visited 400 exhibitors. With sustainability a more relevant topic than ever, Futurebuild's expansive exhibition was specially curated to drive change across the entire supply chain through showcasing the best in innovative bioproducts and sustainable solutions throughout the whole event.

In addition to celebrating innovation in sustainable products, Futurebuild wanted to offer solutions which create a quantifiable, positive impact on the environment. As many products claim to be sustainable, Futurebuild placed an emphasis on providing accurate factual reporting about the green credentials of its offerings.

One of Futurebuild’s speakers was architect and environmental researcher Dr Tom Woolley, author of Natural Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality and chair of the UK Clean Air Steering Committee. He observed: “There were enough really green stands there to make it worthwhile and not too much greenwashing!”

The exhibition showcased groundbreaking feature builds, including the truly innovative ZEDPower Micro Home. The Micro Home is a flatpack, self-build and zero-bills eco-home that requires nothing more than a rubber mallet and a drill to assemble.

Bill Dunster OBE, founder of ZEDfactory, remarked on the value Futurebuild offers: “Futurebuild is the best possible platform to launch a big idea – and has a value to society way beyond any conventional trade show.”

Additionally, Duncan Baker-Brown –architect, academic and environmental activist – remarked: “I thought that the show was

different to recently, inasmuch as there were lots of climate and carbon-aware products and companies supporting the normal excellent array of debates.”

Macro debates take centre stage

Across the three days Futurebuild’s renowned seminar programme covered key themes delivered by industry partners from a wide range of disciplines who are passionate about instigating change. Likewise, Futurebuild’s conference put the industry's most pressing problems at the forefront of the sustainability conversation, helping to spark debate and formulate solutions to problems.

Futurebuild’s organisers were overwhelmed by the turnout; those attending displayed a genuine enthusiasm and actively participated in the question-and-answer sessions, leading to some great debates. Throughout the three-day event, seminars proved so popular that many sessions had standing room only.

On the main Conference Arena, each day began with a rousing keynote address from an expert industry speaker to help define the theme of the day. Sarwjit Sambhit, chief executive officer of St Modwen, kicked of Day One's theme of Looking Forward. Sarwjit discussed the importance of technological innovation in engineering and the wider built environment industry, remarking how every business in the sector has the opportunity to make a difference going forward.

After the first day set the scene for an optimistic outlook for the built environment industry, Day Two focused on how professionals can drive ‘change’ in the sector. It opened with an eye-opening keynote address by Pascal Smet, Secretary of State for the Brussels Capital Region, who discussed circular construction and its positive impacts. Brussels is considered to be Europe's laboratory for sustainable construction and the Belgian capital is making circularity the new normal. Pascal discussed how Brussels is future-proofing construction and looked at how this could set the stage for international construction standards.

After outlining ideas for change, Day Three focused on Taking Action. Trudy Harrison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, gave the Ministerial keynote address, stating that the time is now to make change.

Commenting on the event, Trudy said: “Futurebuild really focuses on sustainability, innovation and bringing people together. It’s absolutely critical.”

Staying true to its roots, sustainability and innovation ran through every aspect of the show and saw the team at Futurebuild launch its Walk the Talk campaign that led to a significant reduction in the event’s carbon footprint. Removing the aisle carpet alone – just one of the changes – reduced the event’s carbon emissions by 27,707kg. Over the next 12 months the team will assess what impact the changes had and what more changes can be made to drive even further reductions in 2024.

Stay tuned for more

Futurebuild 2023 ended the same way it began, with an optimistic outlook for the future of the built environment. Visitors left with renewed excitement and new knowledge of sustainable solutions and innovations in the sector. Although the annual live event is over, Futurebuild works on providing content all year round. To relive the event, the full programme will be available in the coming weeks.

Martin Hurn, event director of Futurebuild, said in his closing remarks: “Futurebuild 2023 has come to an end and what an amazing three days we have had! Today’s theme was action, and there's been a huge amount of action from the built environment to driving sustainability and innovation. A massive thank you to all of our sponsors, our hundreds of speakers and thousands of visitors that have come to the event. We appreciate all of our exhibitors and visitors getting involved with the Take a Stand campaign and we can't wait to discuss this more in the coming months.”

Next year’s event will take place on 5-7 March 2024. q

LANDMARK ECO-WORKSPACE IS TOPPED OUT

[THE TRANSFORMATION of a landmark building in the heart of London's Covent Garden reached a significant milestone in March with the topping out of The Acre. The hugely complex project will see a 1980s office building transformed into the district’s largest, healthiest and greenest workplace.

The dramatic transformation of the building involves a series of interventions that retain over 80% of the existing structure while transforming its identity and performance. That work includes replacing the current building’s corner block with a taller structure, infilling two existing forecourts where there was previously unused space with two 10-storey blocks and adding two extra storeys onto another block.

The primary purpose of the building will continue to be to provide workspace, alongside new retail units at street level. The retention of the structure will reduce the embodied carbon emissions by half compared with new-build proposals and save 4,250 tonnes of CO2. When construction is complete

The Acre will boast 240,000ft2 of workspace and 20,000ft2 of amenity and retail space.

It will be net-zero in operation with the fullyelectric building being supplied from renewable energy sources. Rainwater will be collected on the rooftop and re-used, reducing water consumption by half compared to a typical building of its type.

Designed with modern occupiers in mind, The Acre will also have fully openable windows to give tenants greater control of the environment, increasing natural light and ventilation. Over 350 cycling spaces will be available to take advantage of The Acre’s position on Quietway 1, the main cycle route north to south through central London. Eight large terraces will offer green spaces, with spectacular views across the skyline of central London.

The Acre project is being delivered by Lendlease Construction and advanced by development manager Platform on behalf of Northwood Investors. Gensler are the architects.

The project aligns with Lendlease setting itself stretching carbon targets, including a commitment to becoming a 1.5°C-aligned company and achieving absolute zero carbon – with no excuses and no offsets – by 2040.

Lendlease Construction’s MD Simon Gorski explained: “The Acre promises to be a cutting-edge workplace, designed to the highest standards of sustainability and offering unparalleled levels of wellbeing for its future tenants. I’m proud that we’ve been able to work together collaboratively with our partners Platform, Northwood Investors and Gensler to retain so much of the existing structure and are helping rethink the future of workplace in central London.”

Northwood Investors’ senior vice president of asset management Richard Strachan added: “We’re proud to see The Acre reach this milestone. As Covent Garden’s largest workspace it will not only provide tenants with the highest-quality office space in the heart of the city’s cultural quarter, but the retention of the existing structure contributes significantly to London’s net-zero targets by reducing embodied carbon to that of half a new build development. The team is delivering a new healthy and green landmark for Covent Garden.” q

BOOK CELEBRATES THE HISTORY OF THE TCC AT 150

[ AS PART OF THE Technology and Construction Court’s 150th anniversary celebrations, Sir Peter Coulson – the president of the Society of Construction Law –and renowned construction barrister David Sawtell have edited a collection of original essays and studies by current and retired senior judges, renowned academics and leading construction and technology lawyers on the past, present and future of the court. The History of the Technology and Construction Court on its 150th Anniversary – Rewriting the Rules will be published by Hart in April.

Its contributors include Lord Dyson, who was instrumental in the transformation of the Official Referees’ business into the modern TCC; Sir Rupert Jackson, who presided over the TCC in the early years of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996; Sir Peter Coulson, who writes about Sir Brett Cloutman – a Senior Official Referee who was awarded the last Victoria Cross in the First World War; Dame Finola O’Farrell, who describes the practice of the TCC today; and Professor Renato Nazzini, director of the Centre of Construction Law and Dispute Resolution at King’s College, London, who describes the contribution of the TCC to arbitration and ADR.

The book gathers together a range of perspectives and professional and academic backgrounds, looking at the court, the Official Referees and its judges through a range of different tones and methods – from close doctrinal analysis and archival research to individual personal recollection. The collection offers a unique insight from the judiciary, practising lawyers and academics into the birth, significance and development of the court.

To find out more about the book visit www.bloomsbury.com q

OUTDATED EDINBURGH OFFICE BLOCK TO BE REDEVELOPED

[PROPOSALS FOR A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT at 20 Haymarket

Yards have been given the green light by City of Edinburgh Council. The approved planning application, granted subject to conditions, includes the demolition of the low-rise and outdated Elgin House office building, which lies close to Haymarket Station and the tram link, and the construction of a sustainable mixed-use development.

It will comprise a hotel with a ground floor café and a separate modern office building with associated public realm plaza, in an extremely wellconnected city centre location. It is being brought forward by Stamford Property Holdings and potential occupiers are now being sought, with construction set to start in 2024.

Designed by award-winning 7N Architects, the new 10-storey, 183,000ft2 office and nine-storey hotel of approximately 197 rooms is highly accessible by public transport, reducing car dependency and enhancing and improving the vitality of the area.

The office building will be net-zero in operation, responding to the shift in occupier demand for more sustainable workspaces that are focused on the positive wellbeing of future occupants. It will have shared internal winter garden spaces and extensive landscaped roof terraces offering amenity space and views south to the Pentland Hills.

Located near a major transport intersection, it will also play an important role in the reinvigoration of the former goods yard into a new business district clustered around this public transport hub.

The development responds to the climate emergency through adopting extensive energy efficiency measures and renewable energy strategies, by virtue of a highly-insulated build fabric, solar PV array and air source heat pump low-carbon heating system. The development is aiming for a minimum BREEAM Excellent rating, WIRED Platinum rating, Gold Smart Score and a NABERS minimum target of 5.

Located at a major transport hub close to Haymarket Station, the office proposal includes four parking spaces with electric vehicle charging

capability and one accessible parking bay. The hotel is parking-free.

Stamford Property Holdings’ Uri Goldberg said: “Our development will regenerate and intensify a current brownfield site in Edinburgh city centre, meeting a significant demand for a new kind of workspace that is sustainable and enhances the wellbeing of occupiers, designed to be amongst the highest standards of ESG compliant developments coming forward.

“Addressing a growing demand for modern office workspaces in this historic city, this will help to retain and create jobs in the city centre. Additionally, our hotel offering serves to address a clear need for bed spaces. This will allow people to work and stay in the city centre, supporting local businesses.

“Located at a key public transport hub at Haymarket, and with highquality public realm on offer, this net-zero development will adopt extensive energy efficiency measures and renewable energy strategies, playing an important role in helping to achieve Edinburgh’s drive towards becoming a net-zero city by 2030.

“We are keen to discuss the opportunities on offer with any potential occupiers.”

The offices are being marketed by Mike Irvine of Savills and Chris Dougray of CBRE. q

CONSTRUCTION EXPO TAKES TO THE WATER

UK CONSTRUCTION WEEK LONDON – the annual construction industry expo – has teamed up once again with Construction Sport: this time in the form of a boating regatta with a difference!

The aim is to show how team sports can help improve the mental health of those working in the construction industry, where work characterised by limited-term contracts, long hours, long commutes, time away from family and the pressure to complete on time and within budget can negatively impact on mental wellbeing.

Working with London’s Royal Docks and waste management and recycling service provider Powerday, four teams will be invited to build a boat from construction waste materials, to race across Royal Victoria Dock on the opening morning of UK Construction Week (UKCW) London on 2 May.

In 2016, architect and TV presenter Kevin McCloud sailed to the Grand Designs Live show at ExCeL in a houseboat made entirely of cardboard (pictured). For this year’s UKCW London challenge, teams must build a similar vessel.

As well as earning respect and plaudits from their peers, the winning team will also open the show alongside George Clarke and a host of industry movers and shakers.

UKCW event director Nathan Garnett commented: “Working collaboratively, the teams will highlight one of Construction Sport’s key aims: showing how

team sports and activities can improve the day-to-day mental health of construction workers. Not only that, but by using waste materials from Powerday’s waste management centres, the teams will be able to illustrate how the sector is taking sustainability to heart.”

Steve Kerslake, the founder of Construction Sport, added: “For us, construction is all about teamwork, passion and camaraderie. As an industry we build for the future: the future of our environment, the future of our community and the future of our workforce. The UKCW London Boat Challenge has it all!”

The winning boat will be on display at UK Construction Week London. This year’s regatta follows on from last year’s overnight mission to walk from Twickenham to ExCeL London to open the show.

Walking the route of the Thames Tideway, Steve Kerslake and his team from Construction Sport were followed by This is England, the BBC documentary that focused on the mental health challenges faced by construction workers – and the work Construction Sport and others are doing to help.

UKCW London, which runs from May 2-4, will feature sessions and seminars led by industry experts across the six stages. The show will feature 300 speakers, with over 150 hours of CPD seminars available.

• To find out more and to register for free visit www.ukconstructionweek.com

NEW REGULATOR HAILS ‘LANDMARK MOMENT FOR BUILDING SAFETY’

[THOSE RESPONSIBLE for the safety of high-rise residential buildings in England have six months from April to register with the new Building Safety Regulator. The Building Safety Regulator is an independent body established by the Building Safety Act 2022 in response to the Grenfell Tower fire. It forms part of the Health and Safety Executive and is led by Chief Inspector of Buildings Peter Baker.

Under the Building Safety Act high-rise residential buildings which are 18 metres tall or higher, or at least seven storeys, with two or more residential units, are defined as ‘higher risk’. Across England there are approximately 12,500 such buildings and the new regulator will require all of them to be registered from April 2023, with a named person responsible for maintaining their safety.

A new campaign aimed at owners and managers of high-rise residential buildings will highlight their new legal duties. It will call on those responsible for the safety management of higher-risk buildings to prepare for a new wave of regulatory change to ensure that they are ready to step up and comply.

The registration process is a crucial stage in setting up the new building safety regime. Registering buildings in scope will be a legal requirement and owners and managers who fail to comply by October 2023 will be investigated and may face prosecution.

HSE chief executive Sarah Albon commented: “This registration process is an important step towards building a safer future for residents of high-rise buildings. We want it to be clear where responsibility for safety in these buildings lies.

“As the Building Safety Regulator, we will draw from our experience to provide guidance and oversight for the industry and lay the foundation for a world-leading building safety regime, which is a part of our mission to protect people and places.”

Chief Inspector of Buildings Peter Baker added: “Our message is clear – industry must raise its standards and residents of high-rise buildings in England must be kept safe.

“This is a landmark moment for building safety; the information provided through registration will be an invaluable part of our crackdown on unsafe building practices. Those who are responsible for high-rise residential buildings must register; failure to do so will be against the law.”

Building registration is part of a package of measures to ensure high-rise residential buildings are safe for residents and users. It follows the introduction of Planning Gateway

One in August 2021 and will be followed by more robust building control of highrise developments, and the certification of occupied high-rise buildings by the new regulator.

A campaign ran throughout March to help owners and managers of high-rise residential buildings prepare for their legal responsibilities. For more information visit buildingsafety.campaign.gov.uk . q

MEMBERS SOUGHT FOR BUILDING INDUSTRY COMMITTEE

THE BUILDING SAFETY ACT 2022 has enabled the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to establish an Industry Competence Committee (ICC) with a number of functions, including monitoring industry competence, advising the BSR and industry, helping industry to improve competence and producing guidance to the public about assessing the competence of people in the built environment industry.

The BSR is now looking for a chair and members to join the ICC. Members will be required to:

• Attend and actively contribute to six main committee meetings a year – combining in-person

• and virtual – of approximately two to three hours duration. One to two hours should also be

• set aside to read papers.

• Participate in committee work that extends beyond main committee meetings, including

• workshops and the work of technical working groups: approximately eight hours per month.

• Technical working groups will include additional members in specialist fields who will share

• the workload.

• Use personal industry experience and up-to-date knowledge to improve competence in the

• built environment.

• Provide advice and assistance to the ICC on the basis of the wider public interest without

• personal, business or sectoral gain.

• Follow the standards of behaviour in public life: the ‘Nolan Principles’.

The deadline for applications is 28 April. q

BRITISH LIBRARY’S EXTENSION PLANS GET THE GREEN LIGHT FROM COUNCIL

[ THE BRITISH LIBRARY has had its plans for a £400m extension approved by Camden Council’s Planning Committee. The plans were submitted last year by the library and its development partners Stanhope Plc and Mitsui Fudosan UK Ltd (SMBL).

The development, designed by RSHP led by senior partner Graham Stirk, will extend, reorientate and open up the St Pancras site, enabling it to respond to the changing needs of the library’s users by creating new spaces for culture, learning, research and business, which will invite anyone to come in and explore in ways that suit them.

In a statement issued following approval of the plans at a meeting on 30 January, the museum said: “Alongside our work to open up the library online and through public libraries across the UK, this transformation will enable millions more people to access the library and to make their own space for thought, connection or discovery.”

The extension will provide approximately 100,000ft 2 of new space for the British Library, including new exhibition galleries, a bespoke new learning centre and additional event spaces. New, more informal, entrances will open up the library and, at the heart of the extension, a new foyer will host events with local communities and businesses.

The new spaces will also allow the library to celebrate local culture and heritage and

develop events, exhibitions and opportunities for and with the local community, and it will create new outdoor green courtyards and walkways for everyone to enjoy, as well as a dedicated community garden at Ossulston Street.

The library will be able to offer commercial space to organisations and companies of all sizes looking to make their base within the Knowledge Quarter, creating a thriving ecosystem for local and global businesses alike. It will also establish a permanent home for The Alan Turing Institute

Roly Keating, chief executive of the British Library, commented: “We are thrilled that our plans to extend our site at St Pancras have been approved by Camden Council’s Planning Committee. The proposals will enable us to provide a brand new public space for London that’s connected to our local community and open to the world.

“This long-planned extension will make it possible for even more people to access and enjoy the library, with a host of flexible new spaces including a new bespoke learning centre and spectacular new exhibition galleries. Working with our partners, we look forward to collaborating with our neighbours in Camden and beyond as we develop our site for everyone.”

David Camp, chief executive of Stanhope – representing SMBL Developments Ltd –

added: “We are delighted with the decision made by Camden Council’s Planning Committee, who have resolved to approve the planning and listed building consent applications for the extension of the British Library.

“These proposals, submitted in partnership with the British Library, will deliver much needed new space for the British Library, significant areas of new public realm and new lab-enabled commercial space for businesses and organisations wanting to locate in the Knowledge Quarter: especially those in the life sciences sector. It will also provide a significant number of benefits and opportunities for the local community.

“The next step is for the GLA to consider the application, and we will work with officers to finalise the necessary legal agreements.”

Tomoo Nakamura, chief executive of Mitsui Fudosan UK, said: “We welcome Camden Council Planning Committee’s decision to approve our proposals. The decision recognises the importance of this scheme both for local people and for users of – and visitors to – the British Library. It also represents a great opportunity to contribute to the area’s economic success and to enable the delivery of key infrastructure. We look forward to continuing to support this project as it moves ahead.” q

HEALTH FACILITY MAKES MOST OF HALL’S HISTORIC SETTING

[THE HISTORIC RED HALL HOUSE in Leeds has found new life as a pioneering private health facility, with plans under consideration to expand.

Phase One of the £8m development is complete, with the multi-disciplinary Leeds Private Hospital now fully operational. It is being operated by husband and wife team Dr Fas Arshad and Ms Sommiya.

Red Hall House dates from the 17th century, with the impressive main range dating from the late 18th century. It was latterly the headquarters of the Rugby Football League – that most Yorkshire of sports – before being acquired by Dr Arshad and his wife, who is also his business partner.

Dr Arshad commented: “The stunning transformation of Red Hall House itself has seen us achieve Care Quality Commission approval, enabling us to use the building as a first-class medical facility.

“We have invested £3m of our own money already in Red Hall House, turning the old and rather neglected headquarters of the Rugby League into the one of the finest private hospitals in the north of England. This is a long-term investment in the Leeds region, creating new and sustainable jobs and providing a timely boost to the region’s economy.”

Planning permission is now being sought for a new, single-storey

extension to extend the services the new Leeds Private Hospital will offer.

Jonathan Erkulis, director of Yorkshire-based E3 Architecture, is working very closely with Dr Arshad on the transformation of the Red Hall House estate.

He explained: “Our detailed plans have secured the restoration, sustainability and longevity of this important Grade Two-listed building while creating sensitive and high-quality designed additions to create a prestigious state-of the-art medical facility.

“It has been a pleasure working with

Dr Arshad to secure the stunning redevelopment of Red Hall House itself and of the 6,500ft2 annexe. The project is an example of where conservation and commercial aspirations can work together through major investment.

“E3 Architecture have also worked closely with Leeds City Council planners, ensuring a unified approach to maintaining the setting and integrity of Red Hall, via careful and innovative design: preserving the landscaped grounds and approach and securing the Red Hall Estate’s long-term preservation, enhancement and future viability.”

The founders of Red Hall Private Hospital have strong links to the region, having both graduated from the University of Leeds. q

COMMON ASSESSMENT STANDARD AND PAS 91 BECOME BEST PRACTICE FOR PUBLIC SECTOR PROCUREMENT

[CONTRACTING AUTHORITIES in the public sector must prepare to assess their supply chains using the Common Assessment Standard (CHAS Elite) or PAS 91 (CHAS Advanced) following the release of Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 03/23 which updates the Selection Questionnaire and replaces PPN 08/16.

The change, which came into effect on 1 April 2023, means that contractors looking to win public sector contracts will need to show compliance not only with SSIP and health and safety requirements but with a broader range of standards as covered in the Common Assessment Standard (CHAS Elite) and PAS 91 (CHAS Advanced) accreditations.

The Common Assessment Standard (CHAS Elite), launched in 2019, is a comprehensive industry-approved questionnaire that has quickly become the elite standard for prequalification in construction procurement. Specifying the Common Assessment Standards means, via a single assessment, organisations can assess the capability of their suppliers across 13 pertinent compliance topics, including Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Building Information Modelling (BIM), Data Protection, Equality & Diversity, Financial Information, Modern Slavery and Quality, Corporate Social Responsibility, Information Management and Information Security.

Meanwhile, PAS 91 (CHAS Advanced) is a standardised prequalification questionnaire (PQQ) developed by the British Standards Institute (BSI), that goes beyond SSIP to cover some of the topics included in the Common Assessment Standard.

The changes are good news for the huge number

of CHAS contractors already qualified to CHAS Elite and CHAS Advanced who will now have access to an even wider range of work. It also gives those who still need to pass these assessments an even greater incentive to raise their compliance standards. Whether it’s via CHAS’s expert team, or through the 100s of free resources and templates available to support contractors in upgrading to new levels of accreditation, CHAS is committed to helping contractors work towards greater levels of accreditation.

Contracting authorities and private sector companies alike who are looking to source responsible contractors can do so via the CHAS jobs board, a free resource that allows clients to quickly and easily find accredited contractors and includes the facility to search by specific

or multiple trades, desired assessment level, location and radius.

CHAS managing director Ian McKinnon (pictured) commented: “The updates to PPN 08/16 are a clear signal of the government’s commitment to responsible public procurement and a further incentive for contractors to strive for greater levels of compliance.

“We are proud of the huge number of CHAS contractors already accredited to the Common Assessment Standard (CHAS Elite) and PAS 91 (CHAS Advanced) and of the many more who are currently working with CHAS towards reaching these standards.

“At CHAS, we believe the industry must work together to raise levels of supply chain risk management and, as ever, we are ready to support organisations looking to source responsible suppliers via our free CHAS client portal.” q

• To find out more about qualifying for, or specifying, the Common Assessment Standard or PAS 91 visit www.chas.co.uk or call 0345 521 9111

ASBESTOS CAMPAIGN TARGETS YOUNGER WORKERS

[ MILLENNIALS, gen Z workers and other younger people who work as plumbers, electricians and in other trades in the construction industry need to take the risk of asbestos much more seriously, according to the HSE.

The regulator has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the risks associated with the substance. The campaign, Asbestos and You, will focus on construction workers who started their careers after the use of asbestos was banned in 1999.

HSE is concerned that the length of time it takes for symptoms to develop after asbestos exposure could lead to a perception among today’s younger workers that it is something that only impacts older people who were working before the ban. However, 5,000 people a year still die from asbestos-related illnesses and asbestos can still be found in buildings built or refurbished before the year 2000.

Asbestos containing materials were used extensively in the construction and maintenance of buildings in Great Britain from the 1950s until the ban. That means construction workers of all ages could still be exposed to asbestos fibres today.

HSE’s chief executive Sarah Albon said: “Asbestos exposure in Great Britain is still the single greatest cause of work-related deaths. We are committed to protecting people in the workplace and reducing future work-related ill health.

“Everyone working in construction today, of any age, must take the risk from asbestos seriously. Asbestos is dangerous when not maintained in a safe condition, or if physically disturbed without the right measures in place to avoid fibres being released into the air.”

If asbestos fibres are inhaled, they can cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis and pleural thickening. Construction tradespeople of any age are at significant risk if they disturb materials containing asbestos during repairs and refurbishment.

HSE’s head of health and work policy Mike Calcutt added: “These diseases often take a long time to develop and it can take 20 to 30 years for symptoms to appear.

“It is crucial that all workers know how to recognise the dangers and take the right actions to protect themselves and those around them from being exposed to asbestos fibres.” q

REPORT PROVIDES INSIGHT IN THE DUTY TO MANAGE

[A REPORT INTO ASBESTOS in UK buildings has been published by the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association (ATaC) and National Organisation of Asbestos Consultants (NORAC) after collating and analysing over one million lines of data.

The report was produced in response to a recent inquiry into asbestos management in the UK by the Work and Pensions Committee, which highlighted that little evidence exists about the current extent and condition of asbestos in UK buildings. That information is perhaps the most important indicator of effective asbestos management, a measure of the ‘Duty to Manage’.

Given that a large proportion of asbestos surveys are carried out using electronic data collection and report generation, the collation of data would be possible. So ATaC and NORAC formed their first collaborative project. As ATaC and NORAC represent the asbestos surveying sector, they decided to combine efforts to provide a factual based review of the Duty to Manage.

The report analyses anonymised data provided freely by 20 UKAS accredited organisations. That was over one million lines of data derived from over 128,000 asbestos surveys of premises across the country: making that data set statistically significant on the condition of asbestos in UK buildings.

Key findings

Of the 1,016,783 items reported, 79% either contained asbestos or were presumed to contain asbestos. The data was from 128,761 sites, of which 78% contained asbestos. Of those sites, 94,116 were domestic properties, of which 85% were found to contain asbestos, and 63% of sites visited contained damaged asbestos.

The initial report focused on the extent of damaged materials within the UK property portfolio. Given that the underlying premise of the Duty to Manage requirements is to maintain asbestos in a good condition, the quantity of damaged asbestos containing materials does not make good reading.

Also, nearly 78% of the asbestos items identified in the survey data, if removed or worked upon, would represent unlicensed work. If the data is representative of the proportion of unlicensed work versus licensed work in general, then there is a large proportion of work with asbestos that, while regulated, is largely unenforced by regulators.

The ATaC and NORAC report highlights some concerning asbestos management failings in the UK. The causes of ineffective management can be complex; however, the report shows that, even after 20 years of the Duty to Manage regulation, there are major issues in the management of asbestos in the UK.

The data also illustrates the extent of the asbestos problem within social housing – an area largely ignored by regulations to date, yet an area that does need to be examined with some urgency.

According to ATaC: “Good asbestos management is about protecting the health and safety of employees, workers and the general public. What the data indicates is that the UK is not yet at this stage. The legacy of asbestos-related disease deaths, currently at 5,000 a year, has the potential to continue for many generations to come.

“The publication of this report has shown the value of collaborative working. ATaC has played a leading role in this initiative and going forward will be asking all ATaC members, and the industry at large, to work together to provide more information on the state of asbestos management in UK buildings.” q

“WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS IN STOCKPORT” –

COUNCILLOR WARNS ROGUE ASBESTOS TRADERS

AN ASBESTOS REMOVAL COMPANY has been convicted and its director given a prison sentence after failing to ensure the safe removal of asbestos. Asbestos Boss Ltd, also known as Asbestos Team, and its director Daniel Luke Cockcroft advertised as a licensed asbestos removal company and removed licensable material from domestic properties throughout Great Britain.

An investigation carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Asbestos Boss Ltd had never held a licence and their poor working practices resulted in the large scale spread of asbestos and exposure to homeowners and their families. Little to no precautions were taken by Asbestos Boss Ltd and so their own workers, as well as anybody at the premises they were working on, were at serious risk of exposure to asbestos. The company and their director also breached a prohibition notice on several occasions.

The prosecution coincides with the launch by HSE of its campaign highlighting the dangers of asbestos and guidance on the safe working with asbestos.

At Manchester Magistrates’ Court on 10 March, Asbestos Boss Ltd of Old Gloucester Street, London was found guilty of breaching regulations 8(1) and 11(1)(a) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. They were also found guilty of one charge relating to the failure to comply with a prohibition notice at two separate addresses, which prevented

them from working with licensed asbestos materials. The company are awaiting sentence.

Company director Daniel Luke Cockcroft of Halifax pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in relation to the company’s failing to observe regulation 8(1) and 11(1)(a) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, as well as the charge for breach of a prohibition notice. He was immediately imprisoned for six months and ordered to pay victim compensation.

HSE inspector Matt Greenly said: “Asbestos is a killer. Companies and their directors need to recognise the dangers of removing asbestos by themselves, both to their employees and others. Asbestos removal should only be carried out by trained personnel who understand the risks and how to control them.

“Asbestos Boss Ltd have deliberately removed a highly-dangerous material, resulting in a significant risk of exposure to cancer-causing asbestos. They not only have put their customers at risk but have also undoubtedly put themselves, their workers and their families at serious risk.

“By undertaking asbestos removal work himself, Mr Cockcroft has also chanced his own life and the life of his family by working unsafely with asbestos, despite knowing full well what the risks were.

“This case should serve as a warning to any other companies who think they can make a quick

profit by cutting corners and risking lives. I also hope that potential customers will be able to avoid rogue companies like Asbestos Boss by carrying out simple checks to ensure that any company they employ is legitimate and competent to prevent them and their families being put at serious risk.”

Asbestos Boss Ltd and Daniel Cockcroft were also prosecuted by Stockport Trading Standards, in a case jointly run with HSE. Daniel Cockcroft and the company were both charged with fraud in relation to falsifying training certificates, a business insurance document and unauthorised use of trade association logos. That gave the impression that the business was credible and that workers were adequately trained and competent in relation to asbestos removal.

Daniel Cockcroft pleaded guilty to fraud and the company was also convicted. Daniel Cockcroft was sentenced to an additional four months in prison.

Cllr Helen Foster-Grime, Stockport Council’s cabinet member for communities and housing, said: “Our Trading Standards team work closely with other agencies and will do our utmost to ensure offenders like this, who carry out work with no regard for the safety of our residents, are brought to justice.

“I am delighted that these criminals have been held to account. The message is very clear – we will not tolerate this in Stockport and will take robust action wherever possible.” q

MANAGEMENT BODY TO HOLD FIRST AGM

[THE ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE (AMI) will be holding its first Annual General Meeting on 6 April. The meeting will elect the AMI's first council of management, including a president, vice president, treasurer and ordinary council members.

A range of presentations are lined up from speakers from the Institute of Demolition Engineers, Mesothelioma UK and two speakers from the Health and Safety Executive.

The meeting will be conducted via Zoom Video Conferencing and is free to attend. CPD certificates will be issued to those attending.

The Asbestos Management Institute is the professional body for the asbestos management industry, formed to recognise and promote best practice in asbestos management.

As a professional institute the AMI’s aim is ‘to advance the knowledge and practice of asbestos management through supporting, regulating and promoting professional standards for technical and ethical competence’. It also aims to raise standards across asbestos management. q

LANCASHIRE PLANT THEFT GANG SENTENCED

[ THREE PEOPLE, including a pair of brothers, have been jailed and four others given suspended sentences for their parts in the handling and sale of in excess of £1m worth of stolen plant.

A total of 46 machines were stolen – mainly from across the North West of England –between 2015 and 2018. They were then sold on to a gang who operated out of an industrial unit in Nelson, Lancashire, where the stolen goods were modified to hide their original identification numbers.

The gang in Nelson then sold the machines on to buyers across Europe, and in some cases as far away as Australia. They were valued between £8,000 and £105,000 each, with the total value thought to be approximately £1.3m.

Those who went on to purchase the machines believed they were buying from legitimate businesses and only became aware they had bought stolen goods when the equipment was seized as part of the police investigation.

Two buyers lost more than one machine each and in victim impact statements described how they suffered significant financial losses and anxiety about the loss of their professional reputations.

The members of the gang all appeared at Preston Crown Court on 7 March to be sentenced.

The court heard that one of the brothers, Max Wynn, was the ‘driving force’ behind the operation. He was the director of the company

that bought and sold on the stolen machines and his name was on the lease of the industrial unit in Nelson where the work was carried out to get rid of identification numbers.

In total he is believed to be connected to the handling and sale of all 46 machines. The money from the sales was then laundered. Paperwork revealed that he charged all of his customers VAT but never submitted a return, instead pocketing the extra money himself.

He was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison. The other members of the gang were sentenced to terms ranging from eight-and-ahalf years to 10 months suspended.

One of the men who bought several of the stolen machines, believing he was buying from a legitimate company, said: “I have been trading in the plant machinery business for over 20 years and my business has been built on trust and goodwill. Immediately on receiving the information from the police I have felt like my good name has been tarnished, and helpless to do anything about it.”

PC Neil Goodison of Lancashire Police said: “We linked the high-value thefts of plant machinery to Max Wynn, and our investigation then led us to the other six men and the industrial unit in Nelson.

“The group’s audacity was staggering, with stolen machinery sold on to unsuspecting buyers locally and as far away as Spain, Sweden and even Australia.

“We welcome these sentences and hope they serve as a warning that we take criminal activity like this very seriously.”

The case is the latest in a series of highvalue plant theft cases reported over the past year. The rise in theft of construction plant illustrates the challenges faced in keeping construction sites secure. q

SECURITY AWARDS FIND NEW VENUE AND HONOUR DECEASED COMRADE

THE BRITISH SECURITY AWARDS are to move to a new venue and date for 2023. The awards, now in their 26th year, will take place on 21 June, a week earlier than previous years, at the iconic Grand Connaught Rooms, Covent Garden, London.

Entries for this year’s regional security personnel categories closed on 29 March, with winners to be announced on 18 April; but those for national business categories close on 7 April and national finalists will be announced on 2 May. There will also be a new category in 2023 which will cover equality, diversity and inclusivity.

Mike Reddington, chief executive of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), which organises the awards, commented: “The British Security Awards is fast becoming one of the key industry events, and after our most successful year in 2022 we have decided to move to a bigger venue. We have been receiving increasing numbers of entries and ticket enquiries since 2018 and, lockdown aside, the number of attendees has grown each year, meaning we were at capacity at our previous venue in 2022.

“The Grand Connaught Rooms is the venue we feel meets the requirements of our prestigious awards event and will provide a welcoming and high-quality environment for our members and

stakeholders in which to come together to celebrate security excellence.”

The Best Newcomer category at the awards has been renamed by BSIA in memory of security operative Gaby Hutchinson, who was killed in the course of duty in December. Gaby, who worked as a dog handler for BSIA member firm County, was on duty with their dog Coco on the night of the Asake concert on 15 December and was caught up in the ensuing incident, tragically losing their life on 19 December.

The Best Newcomer category will now be renamed The Gaby Hutchinson Award (Best Newcomer). q

PEST CONTROLLERS ENJOY YEAR’S BIGGEST EVENT

[THE UK’S biggest pest control event of 2023, PPC Live, saw huge numbers of visitors when it landed in Harrogate, Yorkshire in March. More than 500 visitors came along to the British Pest Control Association’s event on 22 March, beating attendance figures from 2020.

With a showcase of more than 55 exhibitors and a range of seminars and demos to attend, there was never a dull moment for the crowds of pest professionals at the Yorkshire Event Centre.

The indoor demonstration area proved popular once more, as visitors got a chance to see hands-on talks about application equipment, insect identification, bird netting and more. For outdoor demonstrations there was a walk-around with two of BPCA’s technical team, Natalie and John, plus a working at height demo and a talk on bioacoustic bird management.

All were well attended, and Simon Whitehead’s talk Old meets new: traditional tools for modern rural pest management was a particular hit, with the stands overflowing.

During the day the winner of the Best Pest Pic 2023 competition was announced, with Justin M Lisney taking the £500 prize for his photo of a mouse stuck in a car vent.

On the BPCA stand visitors were treated to a first glimpse of the new BPCA Registered CPD app. Plus there were lots of donations for BPCA’s 2023 charity of the year, Mind.

There were also several new exhibitors at the event, who were blown away by the interest in their products. One of those was WowNow Hire, who commented: “It was an outstanding

day; we’ve been busier than any other event this year. We’re already looking forward to seeing everyone at the ExCeL next year!”

Lauren Day, BPCA’s events manager, declared: “The whole BPCA team had a brilliant day, seeing many familiar industry faces as well as lots of new ones. We couldn’t have asked for a more fun, productive day and the feedback has been wonderful.

“This industry is packed with incredible people who know that pest management is more than just a job. It’s a dynamic profession and they’re passionate about staying informed. Events like PPC Live and our larger show, PestEx, are the place to do that.

“We were also delighted to be back in Harrogate again, after receiving great feedback about the venue at our last PPC Live show in 2020.

“We can’t thank everyone enough for their support in making this event happen, from exhibitors and sponsors to venue staff and, of course, visitors. We look forward to seeing everyone again at PestEx in 2024!”

Planning for PestEx 2024 is already well underway. It will showcase the best in pestrelated products and services at the London ExCeL. q

• For more information visit bpca.org.uk

ANTICOAGULANT RESISTANCE INTENSIFIED IN MICE AND RATS

[SURVEILLANCE BY the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) UK has found genes for resistance to anticoagulant rodenticides in 78% of rats and 95% of house mice. According to CRRU chairman Dr Alan Buckle, they include ‘small but troubling numbers’ with two or more such genes, labelled ‘hybrid resistance’. In both rats and mice, the geographical distribution of both single-gene and hybrid resistance continues to spread.

In UK house mice for the first time, the latest annual study, published in December, also identifies a new four-component ‘spretus’ resistance strain in Hertfordshire.

“This was acquired by house mice in Spain through interbreeding with the Iberian mouse species, mus spretus ,” says Dr Buckle. “The Hertfordshire spretus mice have almost certainly come in from the continent. More generally, London is now a clear hotspot for mice with both single-gene and hybrid resistance.”

In rats during the two sampling years 2020-22, the surveillance also found a proliferation of one resistance gene in particular, Y139C, to 30 widely-spread

new sites in England. It is one of the three most severe rat resistance genes, each of which is now being found in previously low incidence or resistance-free areas.

Dr Buckle warns that these latest findings suggest there are now few places in England with pest rodent populations wholly susceptible to anticoagulants.

“Continued use of anticoagulant rodenticides against resistant rats or mice has serious downsides: incomplete control with consequent ongoing threats to human and animal health; faster geographical spread of surviving resistant individuals; and lengthy survival of resistant pests carrying persistent anticoagulant residues that could be taken as prey by predators.”

CRRU’s urgent guidance to farmers, gamekeepers and pest controllers is to monitor the resistance status of their own locations.

Under contract to CRRU, annual DNA testing for rodenticide resistance genes is carried out by the government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency, with data analysis and reporting by the University of Reading. The report is available at thinkwildlife.org/downloads q

CONSTRUCTION NATIONAL WEBSITE AtoZ

Welcome to our A to Z guide of the websites of some of the industry’s leading players. If you are one of our many online readers simply click on any of the logos listed below and you will be automatically directed to that company’s website.

To get your company’s website listed on this page just give us a call on 0161 710 3880 or email ian@dmmonline.co.uk

Flexible finance options and quick lending decisions

Commercial Canopies and Shelters from the Canopy Experts. www.ablecanopies.co.uk

Speak to us today, we’re here to help. closeasset.co.uk/cn

We’re here to offer flexible funding that works for your construction business aldermore.co.uk/businessfinance

Huck Tek has the experience and expertise to design and install netting solutions to meet your specific requirements. www.hucktek.co.uk

Manufacturer and supplier of top quality scaffold towers www.aluminium-scaffoldtowers.co.uk

Manned Construction Site Security Service. We can provide an integrated, fully insured security solution for your construction, redevelopment or demolition site. www.knight-owl-security.co.uk

The UK’s leading health and safety compliance and accreditation provider www.chas.co.uk

Cream Rises to the Top

www.nasc.org.uk

The recognised UK scaffolding qualification for over 50 years www.cisrs.org.uk

Working within the Construction Industry

• Health & Safety Training • Roofing Training www.nimrod-training.co.uk

Contact Cleankill for

Online Tradesman Search Facility & Directory www.stockporttradesmen.com

TRAILBLAZING MODULAR CHAMPION REFLECTS ON HER 50-YEAR CAREER

[AS THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY looks to address the gender imbalance, Jackie Maginnis was certainly ahead of her time: not only as a highprofile woman in construction but also in promoting the benefits of advanced building technologies. With a long and illustrious career – more recently in the modular and portable building industry – for over 50 years she has been involved in construction-related businesses.

Jackie started her working life at Scaffolding Great Britain (SGB) in the plant hire division, later transferring to SGB Rovacabin – the hire division which is now part of Wernick Group. In 2005 she was invited to join and take up the position of chief executive of the Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA): a role she still holds today.

With a mission to develop a wider understanding of what can be achieved using volumetric modular construction, Jackie gives credit to the public sector.

She explained: “As an early adopter of modern methods of construction (MMC), councils and local authorities were using volumetric modular technology across all sectors in the 70s and 80s, particularly to cope with a rapid increase in the need for education buildings as a result of the post-war baby boom. This was very much the development ground for MMC – backed by thinking way ahead of its time.

“We cannot yet claim to be ‘mainstream’, but we have seen a dramatic uptake in volumetric modular technology, which is now considered as category one in the MMC Framework.

“The support for government projects, particularly in healthcare and education, has come from lobbying over the years from the MPBA and our members, to get specification and procurement changes in place. In the wake of more backing from Westminster, we have witnessed an increase in investment and modular construction frameworks across all public sector projects.”

Jackie states that, as the industry association, the MPBA has a mission to educate and dispel misconceptions: “A few years ago, there was a mistaken belief that a volumetric approach stifles design capabilities; but then new architects came to the fore and not only embraced modern methods of construction, but proved without doubt the design potential of modular technology.”

She agrees that we have since moved on and most understand the predictability, productivity, quality and safety gains achieved in volumetric manufactured buildings. But when asked if she had any frustrations, Jackie said: “As ever, the devil is in the detail and there is still an element of confusion, particularly in some areas of government and wider trade bodies, which is naturally causing some disconcert within the MPBA fraternity.

“This is predominately driven by a lack of understanding of the different requirements between the modular commercial and residential sectors. Policy is being dictated by the perceived growth in residential markets and then applied to the mature commercial sector: the pitfalls surrounding this approach are obvious. Then there are the global markets, particularly in the US and EU where construction methods are totally different and we cannot apply the same protocols as the UK, which is a world leader in not only volumetric modular technology but building standards.

“The term ‘modern methods of construction’ was reintroduced in 2019 by Communities and Local Government following a specific commitment made in the 2017 white paper Fix Our Broken Housing. The MMC Framework that followed as a result was specifically written for large-scale housing projects, but has been continually implemented across the wider non-domestic sectors where modular construction techniques have matured over several years.

“There are significant differences in the supply chain, design factors, risk profiles and – significantly –terminology used. The MPBA has released a Non-domestic Guide to Modern Methods of Construction Categories to raise awareness.

“Modular construction quite rightly has to conform to Building Regulations; so, for example, combustible materials have been banned for use on the external walls of new buildings of at least 18 metres containing one or more dwellings since 2018. To our dismay, a brochure promoting a trade body in the building safety arena has an image of a timber module being craned onto about the 10th storey. Clearly not a UK development; but this lack of attention to detail, particularly by those who are involved in setting the standards, is disappointing to say the least.”

After all these years in the industry, Jackie is still totally committed and fiercely passionate about representing the MPBA and its members. But when asked ‘what’s next?’ Jackie said: “We need to ensure policy decisions are evidence based, not only for the good of the modular industry and the wider construction sector, but most importantly to ensure the best outcomes for building owners and occupiers. There is still much work to be done, so I intend to continue on my mission to promote modular for some time to come!” q

• To discover how volumetric modular technology can benefit construction projects visit www.mpba.biz

MPBA chief executive Jackie Maginnis

The factory line at Wernick Group in Port Talbot

NASC RESPONDS TO GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSED SCRAPPING OF THE WORK AT HEIGHT REGULATIONS

The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, which seeks to remove approximately 2,400 EU-derived laws that currently remain on the UK statute book following Brexit, is currently passing through Parliament. If the Bill passes, the Work at Height Regulations 2005 will be automatically revoked. Here, the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) outline their opposition to the proposals.

[ WE BELIEVE that the Work at Height Regulations are not only fundamental to the scaffolding and access industry, but equally important to anyone who is required to work at height during the course of their job. It is estimated that some one million companies and 10 million personnel are required to carry out operations involving work at height each year. This encompasses everyone from construction workers and steeplejacks to teaching assistants and shop workers.

Whilst historically falls from height remain one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries within the UK, the introduction of the Work at Height Regulations in 2005 provided a positive ‘stepchange’ in safety standards. The year before the regulations were introduced (2003-4) 67 fatalities occurred due to falls from height. Last year the number was reduced to 29 and whilst it is appreciated that there is still progress to be made, the effectiveness of the Work at Height Regulations is clearly demonstrated by these statistics.

The current regulations set out the essential requirements for managing risks and provide simple rules to prevent people and objects falling from height. They provide life saving principles such as the need to eliminate work at height where this is reasonably practicable and prioritise measures for fall prevention over personal protection.

The Work at Height Regulations have provided levels of safety which have stood the test of time, being active for some 17 years now, without the need for any fundamental amendment.

What will happen if the Bill passes?

If the Bill passes without excluding the Work at Height Regulations, this legislation could be automatically repealed on 31 December 2023, without any consultation or parliamentary scrutiny. There are options to postpone the repeal, but only until June 2026, or a new set of regulations could be introduced. However, by law, these cannot be more burdensome than the current requirements and the likelihood is that the new requirements will offer less protection to workers.

That is why it is so important to act now. It is a crucial time for anyone involved in work at height or with an interest in workers’ safety to speak up for the protections that have been afforded to us for so long.

What can we do to save them?

With grave concerns for workers’ safety, the NASC have written to the Government urging them to exclude the Work at Height Regulations from the proposed Bill and retain the existing regulations. Please help us and others within the industry by joining the campaign to save the Work at Height Regulations. Write to your MP and ask for the Work at Height Regulations to be assimilated into UK law and to exclude them from the EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.

Share this news with colleagues, customers and your social media network to help raise awareness of what could be coming our way. The message is clear: we must save the Work at Height Regulations and prevent needless falls from height occurring in the future. q

SPRING REGIONAL MEETINGS GO GREEN

[ THE NASC has run its spring regional meetings virtually over a series of five Zoom webinars in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint of the organisation – in line with one of new president David Brown’s objectives, sustainability.

The decision to run the green meetings virtually has led to at least 300 peoples’ journeys not taking place – including the NASC staff having to travel the length and breadth of the country from Exeter in the South West to London, Liverpool, Coventry and up to Perth in Scotland. The reduction in carbon emissions from the organisation and its members is significant.

And, as the meetings are virtual and less time consuming, NASC president David Brown and acting MD Dave Mosley were able to attend all five meetings – tapping into the issues of the regions with live webinar Q&A sessions.

The NASC regional meetings included two presentations. The first was on mental health awareness and support by Tom McConkey of The Lighthouse Club charity. The second was given by David Apparicio of The Chrysalis Programme on helping to provide an engaging way to help prisoners think differently, change attitudes and in turn change their lives, possibly through a career in scaffolding.

As usual, there were reviews of the NASC standing committees including ASITO training; membership and compliance; health and safety; technical; marketing and current affairs; contracts; hire, sales and manufacturing; and the ePortal.

The standing committee reports also included another boost for David Brown’s green presidential mission – the launch of the NASC SE1:22 Becoming Net Zero Carbon. This guidance note is now on the ePortal for members to download, with more guidance set to follow this year, such as SE4:23 A Guide to the Reduction of Transport Emissions

Additionally in the meetings, two member polls were conducted on What are the main brands and models of system stair towers alongside tube and fitting scaffolds? and The possible merits of audio guidance notes. Combined results from all five meetings will follow in due course.

Finally, arrangements for the 2023 NASC Awards and Ball were discussed, along with plans for the next round of face-to-face regional meetings.

Dave Mosley said: “Whilst we fully appreciate the importance of meeting the members face to face – and the important networking that goes on directly after the regional meetings – these virtual meetings have been a great success, saving our busy team and the members lots of time, as well as radically reducing the organisation’s carbon footprint.

“To strike a good balance, the NASC autumn regional meetings will remain on location and in person, but this is a good step in the right direction towards greater sustainability.”

David Brown added: “Improving the organisation and membership’s sustainability all starts with small steps here and there and this decision to hold the spring regionals virtually is one of those small steps. The carbon emissions saving has also contributed to a significant cost and time saving,

for NASC staff and members alike. These are little wins in the big picture, but wins none the less. And it all helps in our mission towards net zero.” q

NASC AND CISRS ADVISE AUSTRALIAN MINING COMPANY EXECUTIVES

[ THE NASC held a meeting with an international flavour in March – spreading the ‘safe scaffolding through regulation & publication’ #ItHasToBeNASC message across the globe to Australia – as they welcomed Stephen Easterbrook, managing director of Breight Group, and Cohen McLeod, their contracts manager.

Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) compliance manager Tony Barry and NASC health & safety manager Steve Kearney held the meeting with the two Australian mining company executives at their HQ in London. Agenda items included the prevention of dropped objects, tethering, and scaffolding and access safety.

Mr Easterbrook said: “We came to the UK some 10 plus years ago and I was so impressed with the NASC/ CISRS documentation framework that I wanted to discuss it in further detail and talk matters relating to the international scaffolding industry collectively.

“The scaffolding industry in Western Australia has a reputation for being below average and we are on a best practice mission, looking at what is out there to improve things. Thanks to the NASC, the education is out there and their help is sincerely appreciated.”

This is just one way the NASC and CISRS are representing the high standards set here in the UK scaffolding sector by their members, across the globe. q

• The NASC now has International Information Membership available. Find out more at nasc.org.uk/ membership/international-information/

L-R: Cohen McLeod, Breight Group contracts manager; Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) compliance manager Tony Barry; Stephen Easterbrook, managing director of Breight Group; and NASC health & safety manager, Steve Kearney.

NEW OSTS TRAINING FACILITY OPENS IN QATAR

[ UK CISRS PROVIDER AIS/Survivex and Qatari-based Vibrant Consultancy have joined forces to open a brand new CISRS Overseas Scaffolder Training Scheme (OSTS) centre in Doha, Qatar – meeting demand for scaffolders in the region boosted by an expanding liquified natural gas (LNG) sector.

CISRS auditor Trevor Donoghue recently visited and successfully audited the centre – allowing the new partnership to gain accreditation to deliver Level One and Two Scaffolder CISRS courses, plus Basic Scaffold Inspection and Supervisor CISRS programmes.

CISRS MD Dave Mosley said: “Demand for qualified scaffolding and access professionals in the expanding LNG sector in Qatar continues to increase. This is now the fourth CISRS OSTS centre in the region – which is the most in any region outside the UK. It’s great news for the region and for the CISRS OSTS scheme. We wish AIS/Survivex and Vibrant Consultancy the best of luck with their training provision in the region.”

Trevor Donoghue added: “It was a pleasure to approve CISRS OSTS accreditation at the recent initial audit of the AIS/Vibrant training centre in Qatar. The centre has constructed excellent training facilities that cater for the delivery of CISRS OSTS training and has the capacity to increase its CISRS approved training portfolio in the future.

“It will be a valuable asset for the further development of a skills base within the Qatari scaffolding industry. I wish the centre every

success in this new venture.”

Jithin Chakkooth, operations director of Vibrant Consultancy W.L.L, said: “This was a long due project – years in the planning and months in its execution. We are so glad to see our vision and dreams come true and are really thankful and looking forward to working with AIS/Survivex.” q

• Find out more about the two brands who have brought this together by visiting ais-survivex.com, www.facebook.com/VibrantConsultancy/ and cisrs.org.uk/overseas-scaffolder-training-scheme/

RICHMOND BRIGHT SUCCESSFULLY GAIN CISRS CORE SCHEME ACCREDITATION AT NEW CENTRE

[CISRS HAS RECENTLY carried out a successful accreditation audit with existing training provider Richmond Bright, at their new facility just off Dunnings Bridge Road in Liverpool.

To meet client requirements and expand their scaffolding training delivery to include the CISRS core scheme training courses, Richmond Bright have invested in the new facilities and equipment. The training facilities are modern and welcoming, and convey a friendly and professional environment in which to deliver CISRS courses.

The centre is ideally situated with great transport links to all motorway networks and Aintree train station is on the doorstop.

The centre has gained accreditation to deliver CISRS COTS, CISRS Part 1 Tube & Fitting, CISRS Part 1 System, SSPTS, BASE, Basic Scaffold Inspection, Supervisor and Scaffold Awareness. Level 2 & Level 3 NVQ in Accessing Operations and Rigging are also offered.

During the visit, CISRS auditor Trevor Donoghue observed a group of scaffolding operatives take the next step in their scaffolding careers by attending the CISRS Part 1 course delivered by director and

scaffold instructor Steve Odger.

Steve – pictured above (right) with Trevor Donoghue – has been in the scaffolding industry for 40 years. He said: “In 2021 we opened our first CISRS centre on the Wirral and due to this success and the support of

our customers, we have been able to move to larger premises to expand the suite of CISRS scaffolding training courses we can offer. Currently, the new centre will allow us to add the delivery of CISRS Part 1 and System courses to our training delivery to scaffolders in the North West region and across the country.

“This is the next step in our plans for CISRS scaffolding training and we look forward to progressing our plans in the future and working with CISRS to provide a quality, reliable, responsive training experience for the access sector”.

Trevor Donoghue said: “It was a pleasure to grant CISRS accreditation to the newly constructed Richmond Bright scaffolding training centre in Liverpool.

“The centre will benefit from the management expertise provided by its directors who have considerable experience in CISRS scaffolding training delivery. It has plans to expand upon its CISRS training portfolio and will become a valuable asset to the scaffolding industry within the Merseyside and wider North West regions.

“I wish the centre every success in this new venture.” q

NUCLEAR PLANT FINED AFTER WORKER’S SCAFFOLD LADDER FALL

SELLAFIELD LTD has been fined £400,000 after admitting a health and safety breach that resulted in a worker sustaining serious back injuries when he fell from a scaffolding ladder at the nuclear site. The company attended Carlisle Magistrates Court on 6 March following a prosecution prepared by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).

An employee of Sellafield Ltd was carrying out repair work in a low active cell, or chamber, at the Magnox Reprocessing Facility at the site in Cumbria when the accident happened. The maintenance fitter had been tasked with fixing a leaking pipeline within the former reprocessing facility, which used to receive and process thousands of tonnes of spent or used nuclear fuel from power stations in the UK and abroad.

On 12 October 2021 the fitter and a colleague entered the chamber, which was slippery due to the leaking acid, to carry out repair work. The workers had to climb through pipework and up a scaffolding ladder to reach the leaking pipe, while carrying heavy equipment in challenging working conditions. While attempting to leave the cell and climb down the scaffolding ladder, one of the workers suffered a fall of approximately 10ft, which left him badly injured and he was taken to hospital. He sustained fractures to his vertebrae, with injuries that have been described as lifechanging with his mobility still significantly affected and him not yet having returned to work.

Sellafield Ltd pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for failing to ensure the health

and safety of its employees, in relation to the risks arising while undertaking maintenance and repair work.

District Judge John Temperley ruled they must pay a fine of £400,000 and pay prosecution costs of £29,210.64.

After the court hearing ONR’s director of regulation Paul Dicks said: “A thorough investigation by the Office for Nuclear Regulation identified multiple and significant failings by Sellafield Ltd during a prolonged period. There was a failure to adequately plan, organise and deliver this task to repair a leaking pipe. The risks were not adequately controlled and there were failures in the risk assessment. We concluded that there were several missed opportunities that could have prevented this accident occurring.

“Sellafield Ltd co-operated fully with the Office for Nuclear Regulation during this investigation and we welcome their prompt guilty plea.” q

ACCESS TRAINING HITS NEW HIGH

FEBRUARY SAW the highest monthly total ever receive a PASMA card: more than 7,500 delegates passed the necessary training. PASMA (Prefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturers Association) offered its congratulations to all the operatives and managers who are now out there working safely with towers after either getting trained for the first time, renewing their card or qualifying on a new tower configuration at one of its approved training centres.

The association pointed out that it shows how far they’ve come since May 2020 – at the height of lockdown – when fewer than 400 cards were issued. Since then, not only have COVID measures eased, but there is also a greater selection of revamped PASMA courses available to suit the needs of any workforce.

Announcing the achievement, PASMA said: “Safe working at height is vitally important, so it’s great news all round that demand for training has not only bounced back but is looking stronger than ever.”

One of the instructors leading those courses for the first time was Andrew Ingle, the newest PASMA instructor. Andrew passed his training, mentoring and final assessment in February and is now a freelance instructor who can run training courses for any of PASMA’s approved training centres.

Andrew started his career in arboriculture, where he unfortunately had a 13m fall from height: landing on concrete and breaking his back. It proved to be the inspiration for a career change further down the line, as he’s now a trainer who specialises in work at height. q

SPECIALIST SEIZES CHANCE FOR GREEN TRANSITION

[STUART LAMBERT, head of access at Contract Plant Rental, has added lithium electric LGMG boom lifts to the company’s fleet to help access clients transition smoothly to a carbon-neutral future.

The contract hire specialist, based in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, has invested in new LGMG T20JE telescopic boom lifts for rental clients to use flexibly as they pivot to zero-emissions operations.

Stuart said: “The rise of lithium is here. We want to provide practical assistance for clients to move to this new technology.

“The UK infrastructure construction and maintenance sector is going green to reduce carbon footprint at an aggressive speed. Make no mistake, lithium is no passing love affair. It’s here for the next generation. Our new lithium LGMG booms are a key part of that process.

“For many rental customers, all-electric platforms, and lithium machines in particular, are a key concern for fleet development, but many are cautious about how to implement their investment strategies.”

Contract Plant Rental wants to play its part in the transition to electric power for working at height across all environments, said Stuart.

He added: “Contract hire is the ideal way to bridge the gap between conventional technologies, like diesel, and new ones, like lithium electric.

“By offering these hugely impressive LGMG platforms we give our new fleet customers a zero-risk option to take all-terrain lithium MEWPs into their fleets so they, and their customers, can see and experience their clear advantages first hand.

“This process will help them to flexibly implement fleet development plans that are cost-effective and 100% focused on customer needs and expectations, as well as regulatory requirements.”

The LGMG T20JE is one of a range of four lithium electric stick booms launched in 2022 that deliver near-zero emissions and low-noise operation for 2-3 days on one charge, with multiple standard and fast-charging modes.

It has a larger 2.44m basket, with an unrestricted capacity of 300kg and a restricted capacity of 450kg. The LGMG T22JE has a maximum working height of 23.8m and a maximum outreach of 17m.

The lithium boom lifts were supplied to Contract Plant Rental by Access Platform Sales (APS), the UK and Ireland distributor for all LGMG platforms.

APS major accounts director Linda Betts said: “We’re delighted Stuart and the team at Contract Plant Rental has selected APS and LGMG to support customers as they reconfigure their fleets for a carbon neutral future.

“The proven qualities of LGMG platforms – ease of use, sharing of control systems across models, quality, reliability and an industry-leading diagnostic system – make them perfect for the task ahead.”

Contract Plant Rental believes the advantages of lithium platforms over traditional diesel power are becoming clearer by the day, not least because of the growing number of low and ultra-low emissions zones being introduced in towns and cities across the UK.

Many contractors and end-use clients are also stipulating that low and zero emissions working at height options must be used on their sites and projects to help them meet their own carbon reduction targets.

The LGMG T20JE has four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, with three steering modes: four-wheel steering, front-wheel steering and crab steering. It also has one-touch wheel alignment, for safer and faster platform set-up.

Oscillating, full floating axles maximise grip and traction across uneven and soft terrain, while the platform can be operated at a maximum tilt angle of five degrees and has 45% gradeability.

Sealed electric motors minimise hydraulic components, reducing the risk of faults and oil spills. Also, as an electric platform, the high cost of diesel fuel and the need to store it on worksites are eliminated.

The four lithium electric telescopic LGMG boom lifts in the range are: the LGMG T20JE, with a working height of 21.8m and an outreach of 16.6m; the LGMG T22JE with a working height of 23.8m and outreach of 17m; the LGMG T26JE with a working height of 27.9m and an outreach of 22.3m; and the LGMG T28JE with a working height of 29.8m and outreach of 22.5m.

Contract Plant Rental offers flexible short and long-term hire packages for a wide range of construction machines, including excavators, dumpers and material handles. It is also rapidly expanding its access fleet, with a third of its MEWPs having either hybrid of electric. q

• For more information visit www.accessplatforms.co.uk

Contract Plant Rental head of access Stuart Lambert with one of the company’s new LGMG T22JE lithium RT boom lifts

INVESTING IN THE SKILLS AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE

NEWCASTLE AND STAFFORD COLLEGES GROUP (NSCG) are looking forward to welcoming students to their brand new Skills and Innovation Centre at Stafford College this autumn.

Work on the £28m facility (above left) is set to wrap up over summer in time to welcome new and existing students to the state-ofthe-art extension to the main campus on Victoria Square, Stafford. Construction and skills programmes, which are currently run from the Palmbourne campus, will move to the main site and will benefit from leading-edge equipment including industry-standard construction, engineering and motor vehicle facilities. The 7,500m 2, three-storey facility will also include a 300-seat auditorium, a four-court sports hall and high-spec gym.

NSCG currently offers a variety of pathways in construction and engineering with courses including bricklaying, carpentry, painting and decorating, design, surveying and planning for construction, electrical installation, hybrid motor vehicle technology, engineering in motorsports and HNC/HND’s in engineering with practical, technical and academic qualifications at all levels.

Learners can choose from A Levels, T Levels, BTEC’s, City & Guilds and Apprenticeships and from September 2023 a number of Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) at levels 4 and 5 will also be launching in the specialisms of digital technology.

Rated Ofsted ‘Outstanding’, NSCG also benefits from strong working

relationships with a wide range of employers across Staffordshire to ensure their learners are equipped with higher-level futurefacing skills and the knowledge to enable them to close the skills gaps in important sectors including construction, engineering and manufacturing. Adding to this, the college is excited to announce plans are beginning to move at speed with the development of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology (IoT).

With a consortium of partners, led by NSCG, the £16m IoT (above right) will bring together key industry, education and research opportunities to the county and will see employers and academia working together to widen participation in targeted STEM areas.

With a proposed completion date of December 2024, key education providers and employers – including Keele University, Burton and South Derbyshire College, Shrewsbury Colleges Group, Axia Solutions, Siemens, Moog Aircraft Group, Dell, Hitachi Energy and St Modwen Logistics – will work collaboratively with NSCG to deliver a curriculum focused on developing education and technical training in the construction, engineering, manufacturing, digital and health sectors.

• For more information visit www.nscg.ac.uk or call 01785 223 800. To discover more about the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology and how you can get involved, email iot@nscg.ac.uk

BUILDING COLLEGE JOINS ‘MIND THE SKILLS GAP’ LOBBY OF MPS

[THE PRINCIPAL of Leeds College of Building – West Yorkshire’s specialist construction college – joined colleagues from Yorkshire and across the UK on 1 March to lobby MPs at Westminster as part of a national campaign to bring skills to the forefront of the government’s agenda. The Mind the Skills Gap event issued a call for fairer funding, a right to lifelong learning and support for local skills shortages.

Following 12 years of declining funding for adults and young people, a 2022 report from the Open University and British Chambers of Commerce found that more than 68% of SMEs are currently facing skills shortages, rising to 86% in large organisations.

Nikki Davis, Leeds College of Building’s principal and CEO, commented: “Colleges are vital in addressing significant skills gaps across the economy, including the next generation of skilled construction professionals. Research shows that around a quarter of a million extra construction workers will be needed by 2026 to meet growing demands on the UK sector, and to counter an ageing workforce.

“Without additional investment in further education we will not be able to fill critical shortages in priority areas – such as net-zero carbon emissions and modern methods of construction – and deliver the diverse labour market the country needs.”

The executive principal at Leeds City College, Bill Jones, added: “Education, particularly further education, has been central to the skills agenda for some time and the sector has been tirelessly campaigning in order to get the necessary support from government to successfully close the skills gap.

College leaders from across the country gather for the Mind the Skills Gap campaign outside Parliament, calling for additional investment in further education and skills.

“All the industries where skills shortages are being felt most acutely are bridged by Level 4 or 5 skills and qualifications, which are delivered in further education colleges. We will continue campaigning collectively to keep FE front of mind and to remind government of the important role it plays.”

His sentiments were echoed by Palvinder Singh, principal and chief executive at nearby Kirklees College, who commented: “Adult education is essential to local and regional skills needs and for the social mobility of thousands of learners. Insufficient funding for our adult provision limits opportunities for adult learners to gain the vital skills to support the future workforce and economy. This provision is essential for economic growth and productivity.”

As part of the campaign on 1 March the principals were involved in a panel discussion, organised by the Future Skills Coalition, that focused on how the lack of funding for colleges is having a direct impact on the sector’s ability to deliver the skilled workers the economy needs. q

BOOST FOR APPRENTICESHIPS AT FIFE COLLEGE’S NEW DUNFERMLINE CAMPUS

[FIFE COLLEGE is delighted to announce a boost for local apprentices due to a pledge from construction partner Balfour Beatty to offer over 200 weeks of work for them on the build phase of the college’s new Dunfermline Campus.

The commitment will see apprentices play a key role in the construction of the new £130m state-of-the-art campus in the eastern expansion area of Dunfermline.

Part of the new Dunfermline Learning Campus, the college’s new campus is expected to deliver a huge boost to the region with 80 per cent of contracts awarded to local businesses and tens of millions of pounds spent in the Fife area.

The project will employ approximately 400 people at peak construction, including a number of apprenticeship and graduate positions.

The role of apprentices in the new campus build was highlighted during the Scottish Apprenticeship Week in March.

Duncan Gardner, social impact manager at Balfour Beatty, said: “There

are a huge number of opportunities for young people in Fife to join the construction of the new Dunfermline Campus.

“Through several different apprenticeship programmes, the build phase offers young people in the region a special opportunity to take the first steps on their construction career on a cutting edge, sustainably led build right on their doorstep.”

John Lewthwaite, director of estates at Fife College, said: “We are delighted that apprentices have the chance to play a key role throughout the construction of our ambitious new Dunfermline Campus.

“The first net zero tertiary education building in Scotland, our new campus will provide state-of-the-art facilities for students.

“With millions set to be invested locally, and hundreds of job opportunities created, this world-class place of lifelong learning will provide a huge boost to the whole Fife region.” q

• Find out more at business.fife.ac.uk

SUPPORTING THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR THROUGH SKILLS AND TRAINING

BRIDGWATER & TAUNTON COLLEGE is home to the Construction Skills and Innovation Centre (CSIC), located in Cannington, Somerset. CSIC was built in partnership between the college, Heart of the South West LEP and EDF Energy. Training and up-skilling the construction workforce and civil engineers, the centre replicates a real-life construction site, with industry-standard plant, machinery and equipment. Construction site behaviours and standards are embedded into specific learning around technical knowledge and skills.

The centre provides critical skills training and apprenticeships for infrastructure construction, including nuclear new build, specialising in groundworks, steel fixing, formwork, water utilities, slinging and lifting, lifting supervision and appointed persons site supervision and management courses as well as many CPCS plant categories. CSIC is the UK’s leading civil engineering training centre, offering bespoke training products to employers across the UK. It has proved to be life-changing for many candidates who have progressed through the skills set offered.

CSIC is also home to Construction Live – an exciting and unique experiential programme offering groups of delegates the opportunity to experience what it is like to work on a construction site. Now recognised as a vital work experience component to those on degree and apprenticeship programmes, Construction Live sees delegates experiencing first hand how to plan, manage and build a construction project, aligned to any outcomes required for their studies.

It reinforces health and safety expectations and high project values and behaviours, preparing candidates for the exacting requirements on real construction projects. q

• For more information about CSIC’s apprenticeship programmes, courses and training at Bridgwater & Taunton College call 01278 655004, email CSIC@btc.ac.uk or visit www.btc.ac.uk

IS YOUR WORKFORCE READY?

HEREFORDSHIRE, Ludlow and North Shropshire College (HLNSC) is set to offer the very best training in sustainable technologies – including electric vehicles, solar, ground and air source heat pumps and more.

As part of The Marches Education Partnership, the college will be making a raft of changes to ensure they can support local industries by identifying skills gaps, upskilling the current workforce and tailoring courses to meet the changing landscape.

Thanks to funding recently secured by the partnership, HLNSC, alongside partners Telford College and Shrewsbury Colleges Group, will be making extensive changes on site to enable them to offer training in a range of technologies including electric vehicles, solar PV, solar thermal, ground and air source heat pumps, underfloor heating, water harvesting and more.

HLNSC’s business development manager Mike Coakham said: “Anyone involved in the heating or vehicle repair industries will need to engage with these technologies if they want their businesses to survive.

“This is why we’re excited about supporting the training and upskilling needs of the current and future workforce, developing and

delivering accredited qualifications and putting The Marches area on the renewable technologies map.”

The Marches Education Partnership is a collaboration of education and training organisations working together on ambitious new skillsboosting projects. q

• To keep up to date about the courses on offer please follow @TheMarchesEducationPartnership on Facebook and Linkedin. For more specific information or enquiries, please email a member of the team on projects@hlnsc.ac.uk

Up-to-the-minute training in low carbon, renewable technologies is coming soon to The Marches

UK STUDENTS FEATURE IN GLOBAL FIELD

CONTESTING STUDENT CHALLENGE FINAL

[THREE UK UNIVERSITIES are among the 10 finalists in this year’s CIOB Global Student Challenge. In this, the 10th year of the annual competition which sees teams running their own virtual construction company, the CIOB has announced a genuinely global line up of finalists. The teams from Nottingham Trent, Sheffield Hallam and University of Wales Trinity Saint David are up against opposition from China, Malaysia, Indonesia and the USA in the final stage of the competition.

The winning team will be invited to attend part of the CIOB’s Members’ Forum meeting to present their project in front of some of the world’s finest construction professionals and leaders from the CIOB community. There is also a cash prize for the winning team of £2,000.

The Global Student Challenge is a true test of construction industry know-how for teams made up of students studying on built environment HNC, HND or degree courses, taking place in stages over a number of months. This year also saw the move to a new virtual platform for the competition: SimVenture Validate.

The online platform is already currently used by a wide range of universities to build employability and enterprise skills. It is also well suited to helping develop an individual’s creative thinking, business planning and communication skills and aligns more closely with CIOB’s corporate plan themes, as it encourages focus on sustainability, quality and the users of the built environment.

The finalists will now develop the work they have done so far and present detailed project proposals to an international panel of judges online. The final stage requires teams to provide, among other things, a completed design and build programme, together with costs for each aspect of the build. They will also need to share a payment statement, listing what payments will be required – and when – together with details of the key environmental and sustainability benefits, which demonstrate a long-term community legacy for the project.

The winner of the 2023 Global Student Challenge will be announced by CIOB in April. q

CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW IS INSPIRED BY WATES INDUSTRY DAY

[ NEW CITY COLLEGE’S next generation of construction professionals, site workers and engineers were inspired during an Industry Day with Wates Construction.

Held at NCC’s Construction and Engineering Centre in Rainham in January, the day involved presentations for the students on future careers and how to access apprenticeships, as well as question and answer sessions, small group forums, workshops and practical tasks overseen by the Wates professionals.

As well as managers and directors from Wates, a large number of the company’s sub-contractors and former NCC students also gave up their time to visit the campus and speak to students, giving advice and guidance on what it is like to work in the industry.

Students on courses such as Construction & the Built Environment, Bricklaying, Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, Painting & Decorating, and Multi-Skills really engaged with the sessions and got so much out of the day.

Many were offered work experience and further industry placements with the contractors and they had the chance to network and build connections with possible future employers.

Jane Nugent, work placement and work experience co-ordinator at New City College, said: “The students had a day they will not forget. They were given so much insight into the real world of site work and the expectations of this career pathway.

The practical carpentry workshop

“I hope this fantastic partnership between Wates and NCC continues to grow even stronger. I can’t thank the company enough for their support and for setting up all the exciting workshops and successful sessions and also for offering work experience opportunities for our students.” q

C&G QUALIFICATIONS BRING RETROFITTING TO THE FORE

[ RESEARCH HAS REVEALED that houses in the UK lose heat up to three times faster than houses in Norway or Germany. Our homes are typically older and less energy efficient, with limited insulation and single glazed windows: requiring more gas or electricity to heat them to a liveable temperature. That has presented an economic and environmental challenge for households, pushing many into fuel poverty and leading to increased carbon emissions, contributing to the on-going environmental crisis.

According to research from the UK Green Building Council, shared by The Guardian, despite lofty promises laid out by the Conservative Government in the Green Deal in 2013, the number of installations of both cavity wall and loft insulations have fallen from more than two million per year to around a tenth of that number in 2022. Energy needs to be invested back into retrofitting these energyleaky homes if we are serious about lowering the heating costs of UK homes, and also making an impact on reducing the carbon emissions from these buildings.

City & Guilds have developed Retrofit qualifications in collaboration with industry specialists to ensure that the qualifications are fit for purpose in upskilling the workforce with the knowledge they need about the evolving retrofit industry.

The Level 2 Award & Certificate in Retrofit are designed to be delivered as a stand-alone qualification, or run alongside other programmes of learning, for example a study programme. The purpose of the qualifications is to raise awareness of retrofit in a general way, while focusing on PAS 2035. The content allows learners to gain knowledge on the key topic areas to do with the retrofitting of buildings q

THOUSANDS OF JOBS TO BE CREATED AT NEW ENFIELD CONSTRUCTION SKILLS ACADEMY

[ A NEW Enfield Construction Skills Academy is set to open in 2023 to create thousands of new jobs to support the £6bn Meridian Water regeneration in the London borough.

Capital City College Group (CCCG) is working with Enfield Council and Countryside Partnerships to bring forward Meridian One – the first 300 homes of this major regeneration scheme, which in total will deliver 10,000 new homes.

The academy will provide opportunities for at least 500 people a year to gain the skills and qualifications needed for jobs on the site and beyond.

Training will be provided by College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL), which is part of CCCG, with a focus on sustainable construction methods including retrofitting and higher energy insulation.

The academy will tie in with CONEL’s Mayor of London Green Academy Hub, which was set up to support London’s economic recovery from the COVID pandemic. Apprenticeships will be available in plumbing, electrical installations, carpentry, brickwork, thermal insulation, assembly and installation, design and build, floor laying, roofing, groundworks, site supervision and engineering.

The academy will also run free introductory short courses in carpentry, plumbing, plastering, window fitting, sanitation, heat pumps, solar energy, computer-aided design, environmental technologies and employability skills. q

• Find out how you can work in partnership with CCCG to deliver the skills needed for your business by calling 0208 442 3055.

SCOTTISH PLANT APPRENTICES SCOOP AWARDS

[THE Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) has announced its Apprentices of the Year 2022/2023. Deklyn Feather and Andrew Manson were given the accolade at the SPOA’s annual dinner on 3 February.

Deklyn, who works for EMN Plant Ltd in Shetland, was awarded Plant Operator Apprentice of the Year and Andrew, who works for A & D Sutherland Ltd in Caithness, was named Plant Mechanic Apprentice of the Year.

The awards, co-sponsored by JCB and CITB, recognised the achievements of Deklyn and Andrew as they progress through their CITB apprenticeships.

As well as the recognition – a complete surprise on the night – Deklyn and Andrew were also given a fantastic package provided by JCB. The package includes a two-day redcarpet VIP experience where the apprentices will visit JCB’s world headquarters in Staffordshire to learn about the history of JCB and see how the iconic JCB Backhoe is built. They will stay at the JCB Golf and Country Club and on the second day will be given the opportunity to learn some extra skills relating to their roles.

Jason Wyatt, global aftersales and technical training manager at JCB, commented: “JCB is delighted to sponsor these awards. It is so important to inspire more young people to consider a career in construction and initiatives like this by the SPOA deserve to be supported. Deklyn and Andrew are worthy winners and I hope that their time with us at JCB later this year will help set them up for a successful future in the industry.”

Deklyn was humbled by the award win. He said: “I think it’s fair to say that this has been emotional for me. I’ve never experienced anything like this before; so many people have taken the time to congratulate me since it was announced. It means a lot. The apprenticeship training with the CITB at the college at Bircham Newton is so good it is mind blowing.

“At 31 I am an older apprentice, so I am grateful to my manager Ellis Nicolson for giving me the opportunity and believing in me. I hope to do my bit

to encourage young people to join construction by doing some school visits.”

Andrew was also totally surprised by the award. “I was buzzing to have been nominated and was absolutely shocked when I heard them call out my name on the night,” he said. “I’ve always liked fixing things; I’ve got uncles who are both mechanics and I was often found tinkering with cars as well. I actually started at the company as a stone splitter, so I’m very grateful to Mark Mancini [A & D Sutherland’s managing director] for giving me the opportunity to do this apprenticeship to become a plant mechanic.

“I enjoy the balance between time at the college at Inchinnan and learning on the job and hope to complete the apprenticeship within three years.”

The two Apprentice of the Year awards are now a permanent feature at the annual dinner of the SPOA, as president Callum Mackintosh concludes: “This is the second year we have featured the Apprentice of the Year awards at the SPOA’s annual dinner and people really look forward to it. Deklyn and Andrew are genuinely two of the nicest and most humble young men. They have both made a really good impression on the college team, their employers, me, and even the guests at the dinner. I cannot think of a better pair to win this year.” q

COURSES HELP TO MEET THE SKILLS SHORTAGE

[EXETER COLLEGE is working to meet the real skills shortages in the construction industry. They are proud to announce that the college is now an approved provider for the new Pearson's Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) for construction. The CITB is offering grants of £4,125 to offset the cost of these courses to employers, who can receive funding for all directly employed staff.

Exeter College was once again graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in their December 2022 inspection. They also earned the top score of ‘strong’ for their approach to meeting skills needs in their locality. The HTQs on offer were created in response to demand for skilled professionals in specific higher level job roles, particularly within the South West.

Courses currently offered include:

• Quantity Surveying

• Construction Management

• Architectural Technology

• Construction and the Built Environment (Building Services)

• Construction and the Built Environment (Civil Engineering)

These part-time courses will start from September 2023, running for two years with one day of study per week. Significant investment has been made into their Future Skills Centre to emulate the real workplace and offer industry-standard equipment in the classroom. Furthermore, the staff have a wide range of expertise in their specialist fields as well as excellent industry knowledge and links.

HTQs are a fantastic opportunity for employers and employees alike. Businesses can take advantage of this opportunity to retain and upskill employers, while professionals gain concrete career development.

The College has its sights set on becoming the forefront of education in civil engineering, construction and building services in the South West. Join them in making this vision a reality by applying today. q

• Find out more by contacting the Adult Advice Team at adultadvice@exe-coll.ac.uk or 01392 400170 .

(L-R) Deklyn Feather, Callum Mackintosh (president of the SPOA) and Andrew Manson

Construction training courses and/or apprenticeships are available at the following colleges:

Abingdon & Witney College

Tel: 01235 541 111

E: apprenticeships@abingdon-witney.ac.uk

W: www.abingdon-witney.ac.uk

126 Churchill Road, Bicester OX26 4XD

Accrington and Rossendale College

Nelson & Colne College Group

T: 01282 440319 E: apprenticeships@nelsongroup.ac.uk

W: www.accross.ac.uk and www.nelsongroup.ac.uk

Accrington and Rossendale College, Sandy Lane, Accrington BB5 2AR

Bolton College

T: 01204 482000

E: info@boltoncc.ac.uk

W: www.boltoncollege.ac.uk

Deane Road Campus, Deane Road, Bolton BL3 5BG

Bridgwater & Taunton College

T: 01278 655004

E: CSIC@btc.ac.uk

W: www.btc.ac.uk

Bath Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4PZ

Brighton Metropolitan College

Tel: 01273 667788

E: admissions@gbmc.ac.uk W: www.gbmc.ac.uk

Central Brighton Campus Pelham Street, Brighton BN1 4FA

Burnley College

T: 01282 733373

E: s.services@burnley.ac.uk

W: www.burnley.ac.uk

Princess Way, Burnley, Lancashire BB12 0AN

City College Southampton

Tel: 023 8048 4848

E: enquiries@southampton-city.ac.uk

W: www.southampton-city.ac.uk

St Mary Street, Southampton SO14 1AR

CCG Training

Apprenticeships

ccgtraining.ac.uk

East Sussex College

T: 030 300 12345

crawley.ac.uk 01293 442333

chichester.ac.uk 01293 812948

Exeter College

T: 01392 400500

E: info@exe-coll.ac.uk

W: exe-coll.ac.uk

Exeter College, Hele Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4JS

Fife College

Tel: 0344 248 0132

E: sales@fife.ac.uk

W: www.fife.ac.uk

Pittsburgh Road, Dunfermline, Fife KY11 8DY

Grantham College & University Centre

T: 0800 052 1577

E: enquiry@grantham.ac.uk

W: www.grantham.ac.uk

Stonebridge Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 9AP

Low-carbon Technology Training Centre of Excellence

Courses in EV, Battery Storage, Solar PV, Water Harvesting, Solar Thermal, Underfloor Heating, Air Source / Ground Source. Contact us to find out how we can upskill your workforce. To find out more: r.jenkins@hlnsc.ac.uk or coakhamm@hlcollege.ac.uk

Kirklees College

Tel: 01484 437000

E: info@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

W: www.kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Brunel Construction Centre, Old Fieldhouse Ln, Leeds Rd, Huddersfield HD2 1AG

Leeds College of Building

T: 0113 222 6041

E: info@lcb.ac.uk

W: www.lcb.ac.uk

North Street, Leeds LS2 7QT

T: 0330 135 9000

E: info@ncclondon.ac.uk

W: www.ncclondon.ac.uk

Epping Forest | Hackney | Havering | Redbridge | Tower Hamlets

New College Durham

T: 0191 375 4000

E: traninghub@escg.ac.uk

W: esctraininghub.com

ESC Training Hub, Hampden Retail Park, Eastbourne, BN23 6QU

E: help@newdur.ac.uk

W: www.newcollegedurham.ac.uk

New College Durham, Framwellgate Moor Campus, Durham DH1 5ES

CONSTRUCTION ATTRACTS MORE YOUNG PEOPLE AND WOMEN

[MORE YOUNG PEOPLE and women are showing an interest in construction-related careers, according to findings from Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

The strains on the economy are currently putting pressure on employers, who already face skills gaps and worker shortages; but CITB has recently seen a 45% increase in the number of people seeking information about a career in construction. It has seen almost one million visits to its Go Construct website so far this year. A recent survey showed a third of users were under the age of 18, while 33% were female.

The findings, published in the CITB's performance report, also showed a 13% increase in the number of employers accessing CITB training support – which is above CITB's target of 3% – and 11,020 work taster sessions delivered – again, above CITB's target of 4,600.

More than 700 additional employers have been supported, with around £59m invested in grants. Over 1,500 micro and small employers have received almost £8m from CITB's Skills and Training Fund – a 40% annual increase.

CITB’s short course grant scheme has supported over 6,600 businesses, mainly SMEs, with their core training requirements. With the number of apprentices supported by CITB funding increasing by 15%, plus a 10% jump in employers accessing grants, the appetite for apprenticeships remains strong.

CITB chief executive Tim Balcon said: “With a 45% increase in annual traffic – far above our target – we are reaching a wider, more diverse audience about the many opportunities available in construction.

“Encouragingly, the number of people progressing from Go Construct to Talentview to find a job or apprenticeship has continually grown month-on-month. This is further evidence of how Go Construct continues to cement its reputation as the home of reliable, engaging construction careers information.

“We hope to harness this interest to encourage more people into construction-related jobs, directing them to suitable training and apprenticeships, and putting them in touch with employers who are looking to plug their skills gap.”

A number of young people who have chosen construction as their career path added their views on the benefits the industry can bring.

Mimi-Isabella Nwosu is an assistant materials engineer. She commented: "Construction is fun, fast paced, challenging and a rewarding career. You will meet various people on all levels of businesses – and with that come amazing opportunities.”

Site engineer Ellie Shirley added: “Working in construction is a very exciting and rewarding career to go into. You get to work with a great variety of people to create something that will benefit society.”

Build manager Hayden Wills said: “The construction industry is a vibrant, exciting industry and is currently increasing its demand for workers. You reap the rewards with competitive wages and flow of work.” q

CITB BOOSTS GRANTS, REFLECTING EMPLOYERS’ NEEDS

[ MORE THAN £100M in grants is being invested by CITB to help construction workers train and get the skills they need. From this April CITB is doubling grant rates for short courses to help businesses offer more training and support employers delivering core skills training to their teams amid rising costs.

Grants of up to £240 will be made available to support employers with their training needs, including leadership and management courses. Last year CITB paid over £15m in grants for short courses to employers, with mental health and asbestos awareness courses being the most popular.

In addition, CITB is also increasing the grant rates for specific supervision and management qualifications. That decision has been made to support individuals impacted by the Industry Accreditation Card withdrawal. For Industry Accreditation Card holders to continue to work on-site, completing a qualification might be needed; because of that, grants for supervision and management qualifications will be increased from £600 to £1,250 and £1,500 respectively.

CITB chief executive Tim Balcon explained: “During this challenging time for the economy, the finances of businesses and workers are under pressure. Our increased grant rates address rising costs and support employers to secure high quality training to upskill their workforce.

“This uplift in grants is our response to feedback from employers, who told us increased costs are making it more challenging to invest in the training they need.

“We know investing in training can bring competitive advantage, helping businesses to retain and attract more workers and to ensure they have an upskilled workforce to win new work. We’ve listened to their concerns and responded by doubling our grant rates for short courses and increasing our grant rates for specific short qualifications.” q

North Hertfordshire College

T: 01462 424242

E: enquiries@nhc.ac.uk

W: www.nhc.ac.uk

Monkswood Way, Stevenage SG1 1LA

Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group

T: 01782 715111 / 01785 223 800

E: info.newcastle@nscg.ac.uk

E: info.stafford@nscg.ac.uk

W: www.nscg.ac.uk

West College Scotland

T: 0300 600 6060

E: info@wcs.ac.uk

W: www.westcollegescotland.ac.uk

Paisley Campus, Renfrew Road, Paisley, Renfrewshire PA3 4DR

Wiltshire College & University Centre

T: 01225 530150

E: info@wiltshire.ac.uk

W: www.wiltshire.ac.uk

Located in Chippenham, Lackham, Salisbury and Trowbridge

HBF ATTACKS NATURAL ENGLAND AND NIMBYS FOR STIFLING DEVELOPMENT

[ A NEW REPORT from Lichfields, commissioned by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and property development lobby LPDF, has precipitated an attack by the HBF on the government’s ‘antidevelopment approach’ – guided by what it calls the NIMBY lobby and Natural England’s ‘aggressive interpretation of an EU Court of Justice ruling relating to nitrogen levels in Dutch waterways’ – for what it warns could be a fall in housebuilding to its lowest level since the Second World War.

Planning for Economic Failure lays bare the implications of the Government’s anti-development approach to housebuilding, the HBF says.

According to the HBF: “As well as the much publicised reforms of the planning system that will see local authorities no longer required to plan for the housing needs of its communities, the report highlights the growing list of interventions by the quango Natural England that could see supply fall from 233,000 last year to below 120,000 homes per annum in the coming years – well under half the government’s frequently espoused target of 300,000.

“Such a fall has significant social and economic implications for the country and would deepen the housing crisis and intergenerational inequalities, and cost nearly 400,000 jobs –including 4,000 apprentices.”

Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of HBF, said: “The increasingly anti-development and anti-business policy environment poses a real threat to housebuilding and is inevitably at the forefront

of minds when investment decisions are being made.

“The government’s capitulation to the NIMBY lobby and its mishandling of water and drainage legislation could see fewer homes built than ever before. The social and economic implications are stark and threaten to widen the ever-growing intergenerational divide while costing hundreds of thousands of jobs.

“As we try to tackle the housing crisis during a recession, with tighter mortgage availability and no government scheme to assist buyers purchase new builds for the first time in decades, shortterm political decisions to appease backbenchers seriously threaten confidence.”

The research shows that the changes to planning policy proposed by the Housing Secretary as a result of the revolt by MPs led by Theresa Villiers could result in a drop of 77,000 homes a year. Although still subject to consultation, local authorities are already adopting the antidevelopment reforms, with 47 so far having paused their local planmaking processes.

The HBF concludes: “The proposed changes to the planning system, and the free rein afforded to Natural England to impose new requirements on development, are risking the progress in tackling the housing crisis made over the past decade. The combination of these factors has the potential to see net housing supply drop as low as 111,000 per year, around 10% lower than the previous lowest-ever annual net supply during peacetime. q

NHBC NAMES ITS PIJ SUPREME WINNERS

THE WINNERS of NHBC’s Pride in the Job 2022 Supreme Awards have been announced following a ceremony in London in January.

Organised by NHBC, the UK’s leading new homes warranty and insurance provider, Pride in the Job celebrates site managers who have achieved the very highest standards in house building. It is the most highly regarded competition in the house-building industry and a prestigious benchmark for exceptional site managers. A series of regional events took place throughout the autumn, to announce the Seal of Excellence and Regional Award winners and celebrate the achievements of the Quality Award recipients. January’s final ceremony saw the best of the best crowned the Supreme winners of the Pride in the Job Awards 2022.

Now in its 42nd year, judging for the awards is rigorous, with each site manager assessed across six key areas: consistency, attention to detail, leadership, interpretation of drawings and specifications, technical expertise and health and safety.

The competition is split between three categories: small, medium and large house builders, plus a multi-storey category for site managers working on projects of five storeys or more for multiple occupancy.

The 2022 Supreme Award winners are:

• Small Builder category – Sam Sayers of S & DS Construction Ltd for

• Mount Bernard Rise, Castlederg

• Medium Builder category – Steve Walker of C G Fry & Son Ltd for

• Poundbury Northern Quadrant, Dorchester

• Large Builder category – Kirk Raine of David Wilson Homes Mercia for

• Doseley Park, Telford.

• Multi-storey Builder category – Matt Smurthwaite of Berkeley Homes

• North East London for 250 City Road, London

Over more than four decades Pride in the Job has underpinned NHBC’s core purpose of raising standards in housebuilding by championing highquality homes and protecting homeowners. By recognising the very best

site managers across the UK, showcasing best practice and rewarding excellence, the competition celebrates the vital role that site managers play in ensuring new homes are delivered on time, on safe sites and to exacting construction quality standards.

Commenting on the awards, NHBC chief executive Steve Wood said: “At NHBC we believe that the calibre of the site manager and the way they inspire their site team has the greatest influence on the quality of the finished home. By promoting friendly rivalry, showcasing best practice and rewarding excellence, Pride in the Job supports the delivery of homes of the highest quality.

“Congratulations to all the 2022 Pride in the Job Award winners. The role of the site manager is more demanding than ever, with new methods of construction, new technologies and an increased pace of regulatory change. They are an inspiration to us all and should be very proud of the quality of new homes they are creating.” q

SOUTH WALES LANDMARK AWARDED LEVELLING UP FUNDS

[ THE GRAND PAVILION in Porthcawl, a much-loved seafront theatre complex in South Wales, has been awarded £18m Levelling Up funding from the UK Government. The award was made as a result of close partnership working by the local council, Bridgend County Borough Council and Awen Cultural Trust – demonstrating that the investment would make a visible positive difference to the local area and support the creative economy of the region.

The funding will be used to enhance and redevelop the Grade Two-listed Art Deco building, which celebrated its 90th anniversary last year. It features a ‘striking’ threestorey octagonal domed theatre and two single-storey loggias fanning out from the dome.

The restoration and improvement works, masterminded by Purcell, include addressing the condition of its concrete structure: it was one of the first Ferrocrete buildings in the UK. The aim is to preserve its unique heritage while also meeting the needs and aspirations of the community for extended and improved arts, culture and heritage services.

The proposed new facilities include new function spaces at the esplanade level, new rooftop function and café spaces offering panoramic sea views across the Bristol Channel and a new studio theatre and ancillary facilities. There will be increased and improved accessibility, including new Changing Places toilet facilities. At street level, new business incubation, workshop and office spaces will be created.

Richard Hughes, chief executive of Awen Cultural Trust, commented: “We have been working with the council on these ambitious plans

for the Grand Pavilion since 2016, so I am delighted that we have been successful in securing the funding to bring these to fruition. The redevelopment of the Grand Pavilion represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to safeguard this iconic building for many years to come and ensure it retains its position as a flagship regional arts and cultural venue of choice.

“Having managed the venue for over seven years, we know how much the Grand Pavilion means to local people and groups so we look forward to engaging with them as our plans evolve.”

The project at the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl is one of 11 projects in Wales that won support from the second round of Levelling Up Fund cash. q

ROYAL LANDING POINT UNDERGOES REFURBISHMENT

[ THE Port of London Authority (PLA) is investing £800,000 in replacing the roof and refurbishing the interior of Royal Terrace Pier in Gravesend, a Grade Two-listed building that dates from the 1840s. Work began in September and the roof replacement is due to be completed in April.

Royal Terrace Pier is the base for vessels in the PLA’s pilotage, hydrographic and harbour service operations. It is also home to Gravesend lifeboat station, which is manned 24 hours a day.

PLA’s civil engineer Nick Jordan explained: “This is a major refurbishment, which is being fully managed by the PLA’s civil engineering team. The project includes the use of local roofing specialists and uses Welsh slate, which is in keeping with the original materials used on this important and historic building. Once this is completed, the interior will be refurbished, which will secure the future use of the building.”

Royal Terrace Pier was given that name as it was where Princess Alexandra of Denmark, later Queen Alexandra, landed in the 1880s before her marriage to the then Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. The PLA purchased the pier in the early 2000s from Alexandra Towage. q

ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUNDING GETS THE THUMBS UP

[ THE NEWS THAT more than 115,000 homes across England are to get upgrades to improve their energy efficiency through the allocation of £1.4bn in funding has been broadly welcomed by housing bodies and green lobbyists.

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant will be used to fund energy-saving measures ranging from loft insulation to new windows. An additional £1.1bn in match funding for social housing provided by local authorities, providers of social housing and charities will bring the total investment to £2.5bn to upgrade social and private homes in England.

The money will go towards improvements to vulnerable households and off-gas grid homes with an EPC rating of D or below and could save tenants between £220 and £400 a year on energy bills.

Energy-cutting and cost-saving measures provided through the schemes include exterior wall insulation, cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, new windows and doors and draft proofing measures, as well as heat pumps and solar panel installation.

Tracy Harrison, chief executive of the Northern Housing Consortium, commented: “This latest wave of funding adds to the momentum already built around green home upgrades in the North. Retrofitting homes towards net-zero is a key priority for councils and housing associations across the North. Our members want to continue to scale their activity to support the development of the supply chain, and to deliver good, green jobs.”

The government also announced that over £400m has been allocated to public sector bodies across England to help reduce

their carbon emissions. That funding is being delivered through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which provides grants to public sector bodies to fund low carbon heating, renewable energy and energy efficiency measures such as heat pumps, solar panels and insulation. The scheme is being delivered on behalf of the government by Salix Finance.

Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said: “Reaching net-zero means considerable action from the public sector as well as private sector. Through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding allocation announced today, we are empowering public bodies to save the taxpayer hundreds of millions while packing a punch on our ambitious and necessary climate goals.”

The scheme aims to support the government’s commitment to reduce emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037, compared to 2017 levels, as first set out in the 2021 Heat and Buildings Strategy.

Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of Energy UK, said: “Improving the energy efficiency of Britain’s draughty homes and buildings is the best way to cut energy bills permanently, while also boosting the UK’s energy security and reducing carbon emissions.

“Today’s announcement will rightly prioritise those who need support the most like low-income households, social housing and public buildings.

“Industry will work with government to build on these vital schemes and to remove any barriers that prevent households and businesses from saving money on their bills by reducing heat loss and conserving energy.”

Louise Hutchins, head of policy and public affairs at the UK Green Building Council,

said: “This welcome investment in energy efficiency will deliver much-needed support for some of the poorest households in the coldest draughtiest homes and to public services struggling to pay bills.

“Significantly higher levels of government investment will be needed over the coming years to turn the tide on the country’s energy efficiency and climate challenge. The schemes will need to become much less complex to administer with sustained predictable funding in order for local authorities and others to plan the work and for industry to scale up and skill up. The economic prize is huge – worth £56m to the UK economy and 500,000 skilled jobs over a decade.

“The IPCC couldn’t be clearer that reducing energy waste is one of the biggest opportunities we have to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees.” q

HEAT PUMP BODY WELCOMES INSTALLER GRANT

THE HEAT PUMP ASSOCIATION (HPA) has welcomed plans announced by the Government in March for a £5m Heat Training Grant aimed at supporting 10,000 low-carbon heating installers over the next two years. Heating engineers will be eligible for grants of up to £500 towards training costs, creating new green jobs and helping to future-proof the heating industry.

The scheme echoes calls by the HPA for government to provide more help to kickstart the heat pump installer base to bolster the chances of the UK hitting its heat pump installation targets.

The grants will cover most of the cost of a Level 3 heat pump training course, while manufacturing members are expected to offer additional discounts to participating trainees – further reducing costs for installers and providing a more affordable route to becoming a heat pump engineer. Those additional benefits could be worth up to a further £500 in product vouchers, additional training and other support.

The HPA set out in its Pathway to Heat Pumps report that the

first pillar of transforming Britain’s heating industry would be to create a highly-skilled installer workforce. The report recommended more intervention from government to support adopters of low-carbon heating technology through compensation for training and loss of earnings while undertaking it.

HPA chair Phil Hurley commented: “Installers are the most important ambassadors of heat pumps to the consumer and the HPA warmly welcomes this scheme to support them build on their existing skill base to become the green heating installers of the future. This is exactly the sort of early-bird support we have called for.

“We already have the building blocks in place: our own training course and capacity among our members to train 40,000 installers per year. This government scheme will give the industry a real boost in helping installers upskill for heat pumps to take over from gas boilers as the go-to heating technology for new and replacement systems alike in the majority of homes.” q

FIGHT CONTINUES TO AVERT ‘SUNSETTING’ OF H AND S REGS

[FOLLOWING WIDESPREAD CRITICISM from the health and safety industry, the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill – dubbed the ‘EU Bonfire’ or ‘Sunset’ Bill – is facing lastditch attempts in the House of Lords to avert some of its more contentious consequences.

The government’s move to set an end-of-year deadline or ‘sunset’, after which retained rules from Brussels yet to be decided on by ministers would be automatically ditched, has been attacked as a way of making critical decisions, including those on health and safety at work, by default or – worse – by accident.

Liberal Democrat Lord Beith warned against ‘the washing down the plughole of things which have not been announced or discussed without any Parliamentary process’.

As it stands the Bill will lead to all UK secondary legislation derived from EU law and retained direct EU legislation to ‘sunset’ on 31 December 2023. In health and safety terms that means a significant number of occupational health and safety regulations, just leaving the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) in force.

Writing on the IOSH website, Mary Lawrence, a partner at law firm Osborne Clarke, said: “Ministers may decide to extend this date to 23 June 2026 – IOSH and others have been pressing for this extension and for an even later date of 2030 to enable due scrutiny, consultation, engagement and transparent process – or to exclude certain legislation from the Bill. However, for this to happen, an active decision will need to be taken by the end of 2023 or else the regulations will disappear.

“If the Bill is adopted in its current form, from what we have gathered so far, most health and safety regulations will fall away on 31 December 2023 because they are EU-derived. This includes the ‘six-pack’ and the framework requirements around health and safety which professionals will be very familiar with.

“Other regulations affected would be those that set specific obligations for particular activities – for example the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) and the Work at Height Regulations 2005 – or hazards, such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSSH).

UK TRADESPEOPLE ARE UNPREPARED FOR A FIRE AT WORK, SURVEY FINDS

[ ACCORDING TO RESEARCH carried out by IronmongeryDirect – the UK’s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery – 78% of UK builders wouldn’t know what to do in event of a fire on site, despite 10% having witnessed a fire while on a job. The study surveyed 500 UK tradespeople to reveal how prepared workers are for emergencies.

Moreover, fewer than one in eight (12%) say they always have access to an extinguisher and 85% say they don’t have one in their vehicle.

It appears that some trades are more likely to come across fires than others. Locksmiths encounter incidents the most often (56%), followed by joiners and plasterers (both 50%). Around a third of builders, 39% of electricians, 28% of plumbers and 28% of carpenters have encountered a fire.

The correct way to handle a situation depends on whether the fire is electrical, gas or chemical; however, almost seven in eight (86%) tradespeople say they are unaware of the differences between them.

With that in mind, IronmongeryDirect partnered with Edgaras Zilinskas, director of Fire Immunity, to share the safest ways to treat each type of fire.

Electrical fires: Electrical fires should be dealt with by cutting the power, and then spraying the area with a dry powder or water mist fire extinguisher.

Gas fires: For gas fires, turn off the gas supply, cover the flames using a fire blanket and utilise the appropriate fire extinguisher, such as dry powder.

Chemical fires: Chemical fires can be dangerous to tackle, but try to remove any sources of fuel, heat and oxygen by using carbon dioxide, foam or dry powder fire extinguishers.

Dominick Sandford, managing director of IronmongeryDirect, explained: “It’s clear from our research that many tradespeople are unprepared when it comes to fire safety, with worrying numbers not knowing what to do in the event of a fire or how to advise their customers on fire safety.

“We hope that by highlighting these issues, we can help to raise awareness and encourage tradespeople to take steps to improve their fire safety knowledge and preparedness.” q

• For more expert advice on how to make a work environment fire-safe, and how to react in different situations, visit www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk

“Some regulations go further than the HSWA by providing for regimes, such as requirements to prepare a safety report for assessment by competent authorities – under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015 – or obtain a licence – for example for work with asbestos. These would also be affected.” q

LEADING HEALTH AND SAFETY SHOW HEADS FOR ExCeL

[ THIS YEAR’S Safety & Health Expo will be taking place at ExCeL London on 16-18 May.

Safety & Health Expo has established itself as a leading event in the health and safety sector. It welcomes thousands of health and safety professionals to connect with peers, stay on top of legislation and best practice, experience the latest technological solutions and hear from industry trailblazers — all under one roof over three days.

Its seminar programme is second to none, with leading figures sharing experiences and promoting best practice at the Keynote Theatre.

Safety & Health Expo brings together over 13,800 visitors with 300 exhibitors to experience the latest products and expertise in the health and safety industry.

With the newest workwear, behavioural safety programmes, safety harnesses, PPE, occupational health products, e-learning, training solutions and more, visitors are able to source the perfect health and safety solutions for their business.

The show is co-located with IFSEC, The Facilities Show and Firex – all accessible with one free ticket. q

• To find out more and register for tickets visit www.safety-health-expo.co.uk

LEAD THEFTS FORCE CHURCHES TO TURN TO STEEL

[THE ON-GOING EFFECTS that lead theft is having on churches, and the damage to the heritage value of affected churches, have been emphasised recently in a parish in Lincolnshire, where a number of churches have opted to replace lead roofs with terne-coated stainless steel (TCSS) as being less attractive to thieves.

The problem is exemplified by the case of the Church of St Peter Ad Vincula in Threekingham, near Sleaford, which had most of the lead stripped from its roof over two consecutive nights in December 2019.

The current church can be dated to the 12th century, while the tower dates from the 13th. Various features in the chancel include the now-infilled north arcade and the east windows and Collyweston slates on the roof in addition to the lead.

As part of a planning application to North Kesteven Borough Council last year, an impact statement says: “In order to protect the historic roof structures it is proposed to install a terne-coated stainless steel roof covering; the sheets will be installed with round batten rolls to give the impression of a lead roof and the steel will, in a few months, weather to a light matt-grey colour.

“The parish is not able to afford premiums for buildings insurance for any of its church buildings, only for public liability, and so the theft value is not insured, despite the thieves having been subsequently caught thanks to the actions of the local community working with the police.

“Threekingham is one of six churches in the parish of 11 churches that have suffered significant lead theft in the last seven years and in all other cases, as the replacement of lead with lead is not a sustainable cost, it is proposed to replace the lead with terne-coated stainless steel which should have a lifespan in excess of 100 years.”

Significantly, both Historic England and SPAB have given their blessing to the replacement.

Historic England pointed to published guidance which states: “Historic England supports consideration of replacing lead coverings with TCSS,

when a particular roof slope has been the target of theft and there is a need for re-covering. The assessment of risk of further theft should include factors such as number of thefts in nearby churches, previous performance of roof alarms, and the extent to which the church is overlooked.”

SPAB stated in a consultation response: “We would not oppose the principle of replacement of the lead roof with one in terne-coated stainless steel as theft would remain a genuine risk if lead were to be employed. We have also taken into consideration the fact that the visibility of the roof from the ground is limited.

“We are satisfied that the technical specification for the works is largely appropriate, noting in particular that the use of an experienced contractor has been stipulated, that terne-coated stainless steel of sufficient thickness (minimum 4mm) will be employed, that a measure of insulation will be incorporated, and that round batten roll joints will be used.” q

WHY A GLOBAL COPPER SHORTAGE AFFECTS THE ROOFING INDUSTRY

ROOFING IS PERHAPS not the first industry to spring to mind as being impacted by a world copper shortage, but traditional metal roofers in particular, the current shortage and consequent high price of the metal is a real concern.

In a blog post, Trevor Corser of JTC Roofing Contractors Ltd, who is chairman of the Federation of Traditional Metal Roofing Contractors, writes: “As we attempt to navigate a post-pandemic world, there will be, naturally, a few bumps on the road. One unexpected consequence of the supply chain’s return to normal is copper’s rapid rise in price. In fact, copper prices have risen by 50-60% in the last six months alone, and due to the ongoing global shortage, these prices are predicted to rise even further.

“This comes after the three-year period of low copper prices, which was due to the recession that COVID-19 brought about in 2020. So, in a sense, the rapid shift in pricing is reflective of the global economy’s return to normal.

“There is a debate amongst specialists as to whether this is simply a shortterm post-COVID phenomenon, or whether the copper prices will remain high into the future.”

He lists some of the factors that are causing the shortages and high copper prices. They include:

• Supply chains returning to normal levels after the pandemic

• A decline in the discovery of new copper resource deposits

• A reduction in the quality of copper ore

• A rise in market demand for copper

• The on-going demand from property building and urbanisation

• The push for clean energy

The last point is particularly important, as copper is an imperative part of the global push for clean energy. The International Energy Agency has predicted that by 2040, 45% of global copper demand will be for clean energy technologies.

But what about the roofing industry? Trevor explained: “At JTC Roofing, one of our most popular specialist services is the supply and installation of copper roofing. Copper is a fantastic roofing material, which is renowned for its durability and eco-consciousness. We pride ourselves on only ever sourcing our materials from ethical and responsible suppliers.

“We work with some of the most trusted suppliers in the industry, including Aurubis and KME Copper – companies that are renowned for their quality and ethical practices. As a result, we can continue to deliver our same exceptional quality of service, even amidst the current situation.”

It is to be hoped that the supply chain for the metal roofing industry is, indeed, copper-bottomed. q

Image: Julian P Guffogg

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