Building Scotland V13N05

V13 N05

NATIONWIDE EXPANSION FOR WALKER CLADDING LIMITED

! !

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Milestone Flooring have many years experience working in all aspects of Education and Public Buildings, from Canteen areas to Classrooms and even Swimming Pools, we make sure that you have the right floor to match your timescale and budget.

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Editor Victoria Lee Editorial Robert Atherton Designer Richard Gill Proof Reader Matthew Brown Approvals Sarah Smith Credit Control Carol Ryan

NEWS - 6 COMMENTS 14 The Guild of Buildings and Contractors – E A Goddard 23 Turley – Michael Gordon

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Managing Editor Gareth Trevor-Jones

PROFILE 16 schuh 19 eight2O 22 The Society of British Water and Wastewater Industries

RETAIL 26 The Crossed Peels 28 Rosewell Road

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ISSN 1461-1279

Nationwide Expansion for Walker Cladding Limited At the beginning of 2014, Bill Reid and Iain Sweden founded Walker Cladding Limited, a company which specializes in the installation of metal roofing and cladding systems in Scotland. A short 10 months later, Walker Cladding have secured and completed substantial contracts throughout the UK, and Building Scotland finds out why.

Walker Cladding was a trading subsidiary of WG Walker (Ayr) Limited, an established flat roofing business based in Prestwick, since 1811. The cladding division had been created to focus away from the core business of flat roofing, and develop project opportunities within the pitched metal roofing and cladding markets, which it had achieved with good success.

At the end of 2013, the division had developed substantially from a roofing and cladding division into an ‘Envelope Contractor’ and it was at this stage that Bill Reid and Iain Sweden started and successfully completed an MBO, establishing the new business Walker Cladding Limited, and since, the company has gone from strength to strength.

In January 2014, the business relocated into new premises, a purpose built office pavilion near Prestwick Airport, which has provided the environment to recruit a full complement of staff, and allowed the business to expand its scope of operations, Bill Reid explains, “As a trading arm of WG Walker, the business had a series of shared resources, but no real focus towards core development, so it made commercial sense for Walker Cladding Limited to be formed as a new and separate company, and in doing so we were able set out clear directives for the future development of the business.

Crucial to this was the development of a team of personnel, properly resourced and working with clear leadership”

Within 6 months the team had been formed, with dedicated personnel providing technical design, estimating and surveying resources for building envelope solutions, with the support of a contractual team, all under the leadership of Director, Iain Sweden.

“The intention from day one was to form a team not just of the best and most skilled people in the industry, but to create an environment where everyone wanted to work to their maximum potential for the benefit of our clients. Our vision is not to become as good as the market leaders; we want to set a new benchmark for our customers, through all the stages from concept to completion”.

It is apparent from the work completed by Walker Cladding Limited that they have gone some way to achieving these goals in a critically short period of time.

The recently completed Premier Inn Hotel on the Clyde Waterfront at Pacific Quay in Glasgow perhaps best exemplifies this ethos. Iain explained “The hotel development was a challenging project, working closely with Lawrence MacPherson Architects, this project required substantial design input by our team to achieve the concept required by Whitbread plc in a critically short construction period to ensure completion in time for the Commonwealth Games.”

Working closely with our Supply Chain, we were able to improve on the logistics of the project which allowed us to meet the expectations of Ogilvie Construction Limited, and ensure that the hotel was completed ahead of schedule and in advance of the Games”.

Communication is seen as the vehicle to success and continued expansion, “We

operate in a critically tough market and whilst there are encouraging signs, there is no room for complacency” explains Bill.

“Walker Cladding Limited operates within a very select and controlled customer base, with over 70% of our business being developed through repeat customers. We value our customers, and in return they value the service that we provide, it really is that simple!”

As well as working with a strong client base, Walker Cladding has also developed an excellent Supply Chain with construction product manufacturers, and has selectively aligned themselves with manufacturers of quality roofing and cladding systems and ancillaries. “It’s important that our Suppliers understand our values” explained Iain, “our success is reflected by their share of our business, and we have no desire to dilute the quality of our offering, by aligning with the wrong suppliers”.

The list of completed projects grows on a weekly basis, residential projects in Glasgow, healthcare projects in Edinburgh, schools across Inverclyde and a variety of retail and commercial developments across the UK extending from London to Thurso, and almost every other major conurbation between.

“We are confident in ourselves, we listen closely to our clients, we provide cost-effective solutions which never compromise the project specification and are setting new levels of service in the delivery of the building envelope, and that keeps us happy!” concluded Iain.

It appears from the completed project images on their office walls that their clients wholeheartedly agree with their approach and continued success would appear guaranteed.

Walker Cladding Limited

Tel: 01292 692130

NEWS BS

Miller Homes announces 750 new homes coming to market in Scotland in 2014 Leading housebuilder Miller Homes has announced plans to create 750 new homes in Scotland as the Company prepares to start building on a further five sites across the country before the end of 2014.

This is in addition to 58 luxury homes launched at Polofields, Colinton Village, Edinburgh in September.

The new developments to launch in Scotland this year builds on the strong figures reported for the first six months of 2014, where Miller Homes completed 855 units, of which 294 were in Scotland.

Stewart Lynes, Managing Director of Miller

Homes Scotland said: “We are delighted to have such a strong build programme which reflects the needs of discerning new home buyers who are looking for our high quality, sustainable family homes, in some of the best locations across Scotland.

“With a track record spanning 80 years, Miller Homes has listened carefully to feedback from our customers and invested heavily in making sure that the journey to buy the perfect new home is as hassle free as possible. “‘Our recent independent customer satisfaction survey of our home

buyers, revealed that in over 90% of our Scottish developments, 100% of our customers would recommend Miller Homes to their best friend.

“We are very proud of that independent feedback, however in all aspects of the new build process, from identifying available land through to handing over the keys to a new owner, we will continue to strive to deliver excellence in house building.”

Miller Homes currently has 29 developments available in Scotland ranging from one-bed apartments to executive family homes.

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Taylor Wimpey recruits two new apprentices in Midlothian Taylor Wimpey East Scotland has confirmed that two young apprentices have each secured a four-year Modern Day Apprenticeship following their participation in the ‘Get into Home Building’ pilot programme that ran at Edinburgh College in August earlier this year.

‘Get into Home Building’ is a partnership between Homes for Scotland, The Prince’s Trust and the Construction Industry Training Board, and it is designed to help unemployed young people into careers in the home building industry.

The two apprentices, who are already enjoying their first few weeks in the construction industry, are Jed Smith from Easthouses in Dalkeith who is an apprentice bricklayer at Cameron Gardens in Bilston, and Riley Simpson from Bonnyrigg who is an apprentice joiner at The Scholars in Dalkeith.

14 young people participated in the five-week pilot ‘Get into Home Building’ course at Edinburgh College, developing skills across a variety of trade disciplines (including carpentry, plastering, brickwork and painting and decorating), and they gained hands-on experience with some of Scotland’s leading home builders including Taylor Wimpey East Scotland.

18 year old Riley lives in a Taylor Wimpey home in Bonnyrigg and he’s really thrilled to have secured such a fantastic start in

the construction industry: “Getting an apprenticeship with Taylor Wimpey gives me a sense of security and I’m really looking forward to working through my full apprenticeship to learn as much as I can. And when I’m at home in Bonnyrigg, it’s really strange to think that I’m learning a new skill that will help Taylor Wimpey to build more great homes just like mine!”

Being part of the ‘Get into Building’ programme has been a very positive experience for Taylor Wimpey too as Brian Welsh, Office Manager adds: “Being part of this programme has allowed us to

work directly with Edinburgh College in order to identify potential apprentice candidates who have had the benefit of trying out the different trades as part of their taster sessions in the Get into Home Building programme.

“We also had the chance to see how the candidates perform out on our sites during the work placement phase, which gave us a brilliant insight into how we think they will perform as the four-year apprenticeship progresses. Of course, this means that we can select the very best talent to secure the future of the industry.”

Keepmoat Scotland secures best quarterly figures in five years Western Commercial goes for growth in Dundee Truck and van operators based in and around Dundee have received a welcome boost with the opening by MercedesBenz Dealer Western Commercial of a fully equipped workshop in the city.

The development on Ainslie Street, West Pitkerro Industrial Estate, represents a £750,000 investment by the manufacturer’s franchisee for Scotland’s Central Belt.

The development has created 10 new jobs initially, with more set to follow as business takes off. Crucially, the facility is open into the night, which means customers can get their vehicles maintained and repaired outside normal hours, so they are always available for work when needed.

One of Britain’s biggest and most successful truck and van dealers, Western Commercial was awarded its Mercedes-Benz franchise for Dundee in the summer of 2012, in recognition of its impressive performance in the sales and particularly after sales arenas. Since then Western has been serving local operators from the vehicle maintenance unit which it manages for high profile customer Brakes

Group, at the Riverside Distribution Centre.

However, as Dealer Principal Andrew Smith explained, this was only ever a stop-gap measure: “We’ve been searching since the day we won our Dundee franchise for the right location at which to open a fully equipped after sales facility in the city. Our new Dundee depot is perfectly sized and ideally located, and we’re very excited about the potential it offers to grow our business in the city.”

Western purchased the one-acre site, which was formerly used as a distribution centre by logistics giant Kuehne + Nagel.

The dealer has completed an office extension and refurbished and equipped the building to make it ‘fit for purpose’ in line with Mercedes-Benz standards.

It has also recruited Jamie Wotherspoon, a seasoned professional with 30 years’ industry experience, as Service Manager.

Jamie spent most of his career with a rival manufacturer but worked more recently for an independent specialist, on contracts in Afghanistan and Liberia.

New investment in school buildings The first wave of schools to benefit from the expanded Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme has been announced

by Learning Minister Alasdair Allan.

A further £330M funding, confirmed by Finance Secretary John Swinney, brings the total investment for the programme between the Scottish Government and local authorities to £1.8Bn. The first 13 local authorities to receive funding to allow them to either rebuild or refurbish some of the poorest condition schools in their estate, was announced by the Minister for Learning at Waid Academy in Fife, one of the schools which will be replaced.

Dr Allan said: “The Scottish Government places a huge emphasis on high quality learning and is committed to delivering high quality, well designed, sustainable schools through the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme. The additional funding is testament to this aim.

“We originally aimed to build or refurbish 55 schools across Scotland and we have already exceeded this by funding 67 projects. This extra

funding will now allow us to almost double our original target.

“The new facilities being built are fantastic environments for our young people to learn in and often provide amenities for the wider community that will be enjoyed by generations to come.

“The projects are also a welcome boost to the local economy, creating apprenticeship opportunities for young people and construction jobs across the country.”

Since launching Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme in 2009, all 32 local authorities have received funding to improve their school estate. 17 new schools are already open to pupils with 50 more due to open by March 2018.

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Keepmoat’s regeneration team in Scotland has secured £23M of contracts in the last quarter - its most successful period of tendering to date.

The new business wins include work programmes aimed at improving the energy efficiency of social housing properties on behalf of councils in Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire and East Lothian.

A £10.9M contract with South Lanarkshire Council will deliver loft, cavity and external wall insulation improvements to 3,000 homes in the next 12 months, as well as the installation of new air source heat pump heating systems to properties in rural areas.

The contract is the second that Keepmoat has secured with South Lanarkshire.

Two additional phases of work worth £9M have also been secured by Keepmoat with Renfrewshire Council, as part of its ongoing programme to upgrade the external fabric of local housing blocks.

Keepmoat has already secured six phases of the ‘Common Blocks’ programme, with the latest two contracts covering 126 blocks.

Meanwhile, East Ayrshire Council and East Lothian Council have selected Keepmoat to deliver energy efficiency improvements to hundreds of council and owner occupied homes over the next six months.

Keepmoat Scotland Regional Director Eamonn McGarvey said: “These four contracts, and a number of smaller wins recently, bring the total value of contracts secured by Keepmoat in Scotland during the second quarter of 2014 to £23M. That’s the best quarter we have had since starting to pitch for regeneration work in Scotland in 2009.

“The major contract wins in Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire are especially pleasing as they demonstrate how we are gaining repeat business with clients. We have now established a solid reputation in social housing refurbishment based on building strong relationships and high service delivery levels.

“Keepmoat is delighted to be delivery partners for local authorities in Scotland and to play our part in improving the energy efficiency of people’s homes which reduces energy bills for our client’s customers.”

Keepmoat’s business in Scotland continues to grow with revenues for 2014-15 forecast to hit £40M. Further expansion is planned in 2015 with increased focus on refurbishment of schools and public buildings, as well as the construction of new affordable homes and care homes.

ESTIMATING & VALUATION SOFTWARE

“I save around 3-4 days per tender” David Barbour, Estimating Manager David Barbour is the Estimating Manager for akp Scotland Ltd. Having been in the industry for many years, he has used a number of different systems to price all kinds of work.

Within akp, they work in 3 main areas; Healthcare, Refurbishment and General Contracting. They work on a lot of hospitals, fit outs of offices/shops and then general contracting that can cover anything. His department has won between 150 and 200 jobs on ConQuest with a value of between £20k and £4m each.

“I am working on a job at the moment worth about 2 million but there is no bill of quants. The library match feature in ConQuest lets me put in the client’s headings but then use my library descriptions and resources to create lots of build ups behind their headings. I can have 10 separate build ups for each item but they are hidden, when we win the job all that information is there in the background.” akp Scotland Ltd send 90% of their enquiries out via ConQuest’s cloud based enquiry system. David explains that in the past they have done everything manually, they have designed special CD’s with headings in for subcontractors, they have looked at other non integrated and non construction cloud based systems but he considers ConQuest to be the best: “Prior to the On Line system, sending enquiries could be laborious, with hundreds of drawings to go out. When we introduced ConQuest’s enquiries system we had much less resistance from our subcontractors than when we had with CD. We can get enquires out very quickly.

“I save around 3-4 days per tender by using ConQuest On Line. So, if we price 150 tenders per year, this will give

approximately 500 man days longer for our supply chain to price the enquiry. Half of this time is either by emailing out separate enquiries or copying CD’s, the rest is by not using royal mail, thereby taking 1 to 2 days delivery.

“The time saved allows my sub-contractors 3-4 days longer to price my enquiry. It also reduces the support from our admin staff on copying letters & CD’s as well as enveloping and franking. It also allows myself and Phil to spend more time on each tender (equates to around 200 days per year between us, as well as pricing more projects).

“The number of projects we manage to tender each year has increased by about 15% since we have started using the On Line system.

“I like the tracking system; if subbies say they didn’t get the documents we can see if they have downloaded them. You can see who has priced the enquiry you sent or if they have priced someone else’s which is important on a lot of design and build stuff.”

It is clear that akp have taken full advantage of the On Line module which ConQuest gave akp, and all of the customers running the Enquiry Management module as a free update. We asked David if he could say anything else about his experience with ConQuest: “It’s just very stable; it doesn’t crash, I work with it at home and there are no problems whether I’m using Citrix or working locally.

“It is very accountable and auditable. The information is clear and concise.”

David Barbour Estimating Manager

01204 669689 sales@conquest.ltd.uk

THE ESTIMATING SOFTWARE PEOPLE

NEWS BS

Fire crew scale new heights thanks to Robertson It was all in a day’s work when local firefighters tackled a number of highly challenging rescues at the construction site of the new Harris Academy in Dundee.

Although performed under ‘live’ conditions, firefighters from both Blackness Road Fire Station and Kingsway East Fire Station were, in fact, undertaking a series of functional training exercises in partnership with the infrastructure, support services and construction group, Robertson, the Main Contractor on the build.

The exercise was delivered as part of Robertson’s key strategy to deliver community engagement throughout the geographical regions where they operate.

Arriving at the site, the firefighters were faced with a number of scenarios:; a crush injury, a spinal injury at height using an aerial

rescue platform and a line rescue from the first and third floors. This included a setup where two large concrete columns had been laid over a dummy and a rescue that necessitated a firefighter being lowered with the ‘casualty’ off the building.

Mark Dalziel, Project Manager at Robertson, said: “Community engagement is at the heart of our business and this was an opportunity for us to interact with the local community and provide Scottish Fire and Rescue Service with a clearer understanding of our construction site and the environment they would be facing should an incident occur. Internally that also involved discussions with subcontractors to ensure they were happy to work under unusual conditions to progress the build.”

The fire and rescue crews, who have been working closely with the Robertson site management team from an early stage of the construction process, have visited the site on two other occasions but this was the first time it had been used as a location for a training exercise.

As well as an initial walkthrough detailing the different phases of construction and highlighting potential risks, the local fire and rescue service were also on-site to undertake a thorough risk assessment to identify the best access points and means of escape, as well as any hazardous materials being stored.

The next major milestone for the Harris Academy site will be the completion of the concrete frame, which is expected to happen by the end of autumn.

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Breedon Aggregates to expand into south west Scotland Breedon Aggregates, the UK’s largest independent aggregates business, has agreed terms with Barr Holdings to acquire Barr Quarries, the market leader in aggregates in south west Scotland, for £20.8M in cash.

Barr Quarries employs approximately 130 people and is headquartered near Cumnock. The Company operates 11 quarries, five asphalt plants and six ready-mixed concrete plants extending from Dalry in the north to Stranraer in the south and east to Moffat. It has approximately 57 million tonnes of mineral reserves and resources, enough to last approximately 70 years at current rates of extraction. It also operates a successful contract surfacing business.

Commenting on the planned acquisition Peter Tom CBE, Breedon’s Chairman, said: “Scotland has played a vital part in Breedon’s success and we have made significant investments there over the past four years. With the uncertainties surrounding the independence issue now behind us, we believe our prospects north of the border have never been brighter and we can look ahead with renewed confidence. Our acquisition of Barr Quarries is a clear demonstration of our long term

commitment to this important market.

“Barr Quarries represents a great opportunity to secure some rare assets in a brand new region, which perfectly complements our existing operations in Scotland. It’s an excellent business with a fine heritage, and great people – all of whom we look forward to welcoming to the Breedon family.”

Philip Cheevers, Chairman of Barr Holdings, said: “I am pleased with the sale of our quarry interests to Breedon. This will give the quarry business the opportunity

to further grow and develop under the umbrella of a major aggregates company and we wish them every success.

“At Barr we will continue to focus on our core construction business which is performing well and on our environmental business which has made significant progress over the last few years and is trading very strongly.”

A further announcement will be made on completion of the acquisition of Barr Quarries.

Barratt Project Manager wins big at Consent for offshore wind development industry awards A Project Manager in Edinburgh has been recognised for his hard work at the Scottish house-building industry’s most prestigious award ceremony.

Phil Hadley, from Stirlingshire won the Regional Award in the Multi-Storey Category at the National House Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job awards lunch in Glasgow for his work on Barratt Homes’ City Haven development in Leith.

Having worked with Barratt Homes for the past four years, Phil has previously won the Pride in the Job award for his work at City Haven, which started in June 2013.

Regarding his win, Phil said: “It’s a major achievement winning the Pride in the Job regional award. But this success is the result of the hard work of my team and I want to say thanks to them for their individual efforts.

“City Haven is a fantastic development in the heart of Edinburgh which is perfect for those who like the buzz of the city.

Each home has been designed with this in mind with contemporary kitchens, great storage and ensuite facilities.”

The Pride in the Job Awards is the most coveted in the house-building industry.

They are awarded after the construction standard setting body National HouseBuilding Council (NHBC) carries out a series of spot check site inspections to select the best-organised and bestquality housing developments.

Brian McCalmont, Construction Director for Barratt Homes in the East of Scotland, said: “Phil and his team have done an amazing job at City Haven. Winning this award is a real testament to that and the fact that Barratt East is building quality homes in desirable areas across the country.”

Phil will go through to the final round of the NHBC’s Pride in the Job Awards, the Supreme Awards in London, to compete with regional winners for the UK Pride in the Job title.

Four offshore wind farms that could provide enough energy to power over 1.4 million Scottish homes have received development consent, Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has announced.

Once completed, the developments in the Forth and Tay region - Neart Na Gaoithe, Inch Cape Offshore Limited, Seagreen Alpha and Seagreen Bravo - could be capable of generating up to 2.284 GW of electricity.

The consents are granted subject to strict conditions which will mitigate and monitor a range of potential impacts including those in relation to birds and other environmental considerations.

It is estimated that these four developments combined will produce carbon savings estimated at 135 million tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime.

The Scottish Government aims to move to a low carbon society generating the equivalent of 100% of Scotland’s gross annual electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020, as part

of a wider, balanced, energy mix.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “Renewable energy is extremely valuable to Scotland’s economy, to reducing our carbon emissions and in providing low carbon energy supplies as well as jobs and long term investment.

“These wind farms alone could generate a combined gross value added of between £314M and £1.2Bn in Scotland over their lifetime and generate between 2,567 and 13,612 jobs within Scotland during the construction period.”

The Minister continued: “I am determined to ensure communities all over Scotland reap the benefit from renewable energy, which will help to reduce climate emissions.

“I also want to see the right developments in the right places. The design and location of any onshore and offshore wind farm should reflect the scale and character of the landscape or seascape and should be considered environmentally acceptable.”

Jackie Bird breaks ground for the new Ronald McDonald House House is an excellent charity providing a critical life line to families in need of support. Here at CCG we are delighted that our first development in the health sector is such a worthwhile cause.”

The charity has a house at the current Royal Hospital for Sick Children which opened in 1996 and has supported 10,000 families. Due to the closure and relocation of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill as it moves to form part of the new South Glasgow Hospitals Campus, Ronald McDonald House will relocate along with them in summer 2015.

CCG is the Main Contractor for the project and will be aided by the diverse structure of the Group utilising the Company’s flagship off-site manufacturing facility to significantly reduce build time and minimise waste on the £4.5M project.

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The ground was broken by BBC newsreader Jackie Bird to mark the start of leading charity Ronald McDonald House’s new facility at the South Glasgow Hospitals campus. The development will provide modern ‘home from home’ accommodation for families of children being treated at the new children’s hospital.

Developed by leading Glasgow construction and manufacturing company CCG, the new 30-bed facility will offer free accommodation to enable families to stay close to their child throughout their time in hospital. The development is designed to maximise the comfort of visiting families and includes Wi-Fi, secure parking and a garden with picnic area to enjoy some outside space.

Jackie Bird on-site at the new Ronald McDonald House ground breaking ceremony said: “The House is looking amazing because you can see the potential. To know that such a facility will be ready and waiting for a family that needs it is such a great thing to have. And I can’t wait to see it when it’s finished.”

Speaking at the ceremony alongside Jackie Bird, CCG Chairman and Chief Executive Alastair Wylie said: “Ronald McDonald

Energy King In only six years, Stuart King has established the SK Group as Scotland's leading one-stop-shop provider of energy solutions for domestic and commercial buildings.

With an ever-growing client base covering both private and public sectors, and boasting developers and contractors at national, regional and local levels (not forgetting self-builders and homeowners), this multi-faceted organisation is rich in talent and expertise, and one of which Stuart is rightly proud.

Comprising Stuart King Architecture & Design, SK Energy, SK Airtightness, Environmental Audio Recorders Scotland (EARS) and WJS Design, the comprehensive range of services offered by the Rosyth-based practice addresses all stages of the design and construction process, providing specific technical solutions to designers, contractors, developers, self-builders and homeowners, amongst others.

At design stage, SK Energy prepares SAP assessments for domestic properties and SBEM calculations for commercial properties, both of which not only give an indication of a building's energy consumption and carbon emissions, but demonstrate compliance with Building Standards (Section 6 in Scotland and Part L in England and Wales). As an Approved Certifier of Design (Section 6 - Energy), SK Energy is accredited and registered to provide Certificates of Design to support Building Warrant applications, simplifying and shortening the application process and resulting in a 10% discount on the Warrant application fee.

Working with the design team and developers, SK Energy prepare and review the SAP and U-value calculations, analysing the heat loss through each element of the building (floors, walls, roof, windows, etc.), and thereafter offering practical, cost-aware value-engineering to avoid any over-specification.

The company's linear thermal bridging calculations examine heat losses at construction junctions (floor/wall, eaves, jambs, etc.) and the SK technical advisers can propose detailing improvements based on Fabric First principles. Clients wishing to achieve the higher "levels of sustainability" (e.g. bronze active, silver, etc.) especially benefit from the SK Energy team's significant knowledge and experience in this area.

Proof of a building's performance is demonstrated by permeability/airtightness testing, a non-invasive method to assess and identify air leakages... less draughts equals lower heat loss. The SK Airtightness technicians are experts with

vast knowledge and experience; few companies, if any, have conducted as many tests since they were introduced in 2010.

The company offers nationwide coverage, and encourages pre-test inspections, comfort testing and toolbox talks to assist site management and contractors in achieving compliance first time. Where sources of failure are not obvious, the company can carry out thermal imaging analysis to identify cold spots.

Detailed airtightness reports are issued post-testing, to support applications to Building Standards for completion/habitation. It is at this time that the company can also provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), which are legally required to be displayed in all new buildings.

In order that the company can guarantee its output and maintain its professionalism, it is subject to rigorous auditing by the BRE (Building Research Establishment), STROMA and the BINDT (British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing), who provide the necessary recognised certification.

The end of 2013 saw the Group integrate local architectural practice WJS Design, principally to extend the construction detailing and graphics/visualisation potential, and to focus on small-to-medium projects, and continued investment will shortly see sound testing and 3D printing/prototyping added to the Group's range of capabilities.

Under the Umbrella brand of the SK Group, Stuart has created a company which addresses all stages of the design and construction process. The range of services offered by the Fife-based company includes specification analysis, detailing advice, thermal bridging calculations, SAP and SBEM calculations, air tightness testing, thermal imaging, energy performance certificates, condensation risk analysis, psi-value calculations, architectural draughting, CAD & Revit modelling, 3d imaging for presentations, general advice throughout your project, project management, renewables advice.

To find out how the SK Group can help you to deliver your next (or current) project, please visit their website at www.stuartkingarchitecture.com, or contact them for more details.

Telephone: 01383 435996 Email: stuart@stuartkingarchitecture.com

www.stuartkingarchitecture.com/bcdsm

COMMENT BS

CDM 2015 – HSE

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You cannot be serious!

Surely the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) cannot be serious about issuing revised CDM Regulations in 2015 that are seriously flawed and will have a detrimental effect on the number of fatal and serious injuries in the building industry.

The HSE issued a draft of the proposed new regulations with a consultation document earlier this year and they have reviewed the submissions that they received. Their latest proposals make little sense and will produce unsatisfactory regulations.

The CDM Regulations 2007 are powerful and workable and substantially protect the health and safety of all who work in the construction industry. The only intelligent revision necessary is to include domestic clients as duty holders as required by the EU Directive.

The HSE were required to review the CDM Regulations by the incoming coalition government as directed by David Cameron to reduce “red tape” and reduce misused health and safety law. This obsession of the prime minister has resulted in the proposed, but not yet implemented, new CDM Regulations being not fit for purpose.

The HSE initially proposed removing all together the Approved Code of Practice and substituting “a suite of guidance” in its place. We believe that regulatory requirements create the motivation for achieving higher standards and continuous improvements in health and safety leading to innovation and best practice.

Omit regulation and standards will fall

and fatalities and serious accidents will increase. Guidance should assist in the understanding of regulations not replace them. Guidance can never have the same impact or standing in law as an Approved Codes of Practice. It would appear that the HSE has seen the stupidity of its original proposal and will now issue a revised Approved Code of Practice.

The intentions of including domestic clients as duty holders was initially seen as honourable and progressive but in practice the proposed responsibilities and legally binding requirements are hopelessly inadequate. The HSE state that “two thirds or more of fatalities now occur on small sites – sites where fewer than 15 people work”. The EU Directive requires the UK regulations to include building work for domestic clients much of which constitutes “small sites”. It is totally illogical to change the requirements for notification of a project to one that will have more than 20 workers working simultaneously at any point in the project as well as lasting longer than 30 working days. The current requirement of 30 working days or 500 person days is more logical and likely to be more effective in ensuring competent management of smaller projects. In addition there are no specific and expressly defined responsibilities for the domestic client similar to those of the commercial client included in the proposed new regulations.

All domestic client responsibilities are forced on to other duty holders, principally the

designers. The requirements of notifying the HSE of a project are so watered down for the domestic client as to make the point of including domestic clients a total waste of time. Domestic clients should have the same legal standing and responsibilities as commercial clients.

The most significant and unwelcome proposed change to the regulations is the removal of the CDM Co-ordinator from the list of duty holders and replacing the role with a Principal Designer. The CDM Regulations were originally introduced in 1994 and created the role of Planning Supervisor. The Regulations were then redrafted in 2007 and these changed the Planning Supervisor’s role into the current role of the CDM Co-ordinator that is a familiar part of the construction industry today. The CDM Co-ordinator is a trained and competent health and safety professional and is the principal advisor on health and safety matters to the entire design and construction team. The proposals to remove this role and incorporate the responsibilities in the new role of Principal Designer will mean removing the independent and professional role in health and safety planning and the continuity of responsibility from initial planning to practical completion of the construction process. The costs of instructing an independent CDM Co-ordinator are grossly overstated in the consultation document and the benefits are appreciated and acknowledged by architects and clients. This

remains a high risk industry. Although it accounts for only about 5% of the employees in Britain it still accounts for 22% of fatal injuries to employees and 10% of reported major injuries.

However it is a fact that the annual rate of fatalities on construction sites has reduced by 62% since the introduction of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994. Over the same period the rate of major injuries on construction sites has reduced by 38%.

In the light of these facts, why is the Government about to make fundamental changes to the CDM Regulations? It is undoubtedly a grave error to remove the “competence� requirement from the Regulations. There is overwhelming evidence that the lack of training and experience and pure incompetence is the root cause of the majority of accidents. It is not acceptable for the HSE to refer to the balance between costs and benefits in the competence arena as a reason for omitting a requirement for a high level of competence of all individuals and corporate bodies involved in the construction process. Proof of competence need not be excessively bureaucratic if it is engrained in the policies of corporate structures of any size. It is untrue for the HSE to say that competence is most effectively promoted through cultural change and leadership in the industry rather than regulation.

Anyone involved in small and medium size building projects will have seen evidence

of a lack of training and knowledge and simple incompetence resulting in avoidable and unnecessary accidents and injuries.

When it comes to the lives and well-being of workers on building sites what should be the criteria of Government represented by the HSE? Should it be to do as much as possible or as little as they can get away with? We hope that the answer is clear.

The construction industry has worked hard to reduce the appalling rate of accidents in construction we hope that Government does not accept the current proposals by the HSE and set the construction industry back 30 years in terms of the number of fatal and serious injuries. We owe it to the hard working men and women working on construction sites to do all in our power to keep them from preventable and sometimes fatal accidents.

Removing the CDM Co-ordinators role, or the competence requirements will be a disaster and will be seen as throwing the baby out with the bath water.

E A Goddard, Executive Director of the Guild of Builders and Contractors and Fellow of the Association for Project Safety. For further information: Telephone: 0208 977 1105 Email: info@buildersguild.co.uk www.buildersguild.co.uk

15

is the most irresponsible proposal that the HSE has made in the consultation document and now appear to be incorporating in the final 2015 Regulations. Only people who are competent and experienced enough to act as CDM Co-ordinators could possibly carry out the role of Principal Designer effectively. However the title indicates that a person who is a designer is capable of performing the proposed duties. The training of an architect does not currently cover fully the duties envisaged in the consultation document. Many architects do not want to take on the role as it would involve additional training and increase their workload for which they may not be able to seek additional payment from clients.

The removal of the requirement for a competent duty holder to advise clients on the suitability of the Construction Phase Plan is extremely irresponsible. This requirement was effectively a final preconstruction check that ensured that the principal contractor had considered all of the risks associated with the project.

Under the CDM 2007 Regulations, the CDM Co-ordinator often identified omissions in the Construction Phase Health and Safety Plan and therefore the removal of this requirement will undoubtedly lead directly to an increase in accidents and injuries.

The HSE said in a statement published a short while ago: “There have been significant reductions in the number and rate of injury over the last 20 years or more. Nevertheless, construction

PROFILE BS

schuh opens bespoke distribution centre

Footwear giant expands operations ahead of future growth

16

Burgeoning footwear retailer schuh has recently opened a new European distribution centre in Scotland which offers over five times the distribution space of their previous facility. The move comes on the back or recent growth and future expansion plans for the schuh store estate and online offering.

Rob Bridle, Head of Logistics at schuh explained: “We have grown the schuh business significantly in recent years and have ambitious plans to expand our store estate in the UK and other parts of Europe over the next five years, as well as growing and developing our online business. We had outgrown our existing facilities and needed a new facility that could continue to provide fast and efficient service to both our internal customers (stores) and direct customers (online shoppers.” schuh considered a number of options whilst looking for new premises, but found the perfect solution within 10 miles of both their head office and existing distribution facility. The building had been completed in 2009 and had not been commercially occupied since that time, but it offered

the ideal layout and floor space for schuh’s requirements over the next five years. The number of delivery bays make it optimal for receiving, processing and shipping high volumes of products, whilst the height of the building afforded room to add mezzanine floors and vertical storage systems in future years. The floor space also meant that a super-fast cross belt sorter supplied by Vanderlande could be installed, thus speeding up processes and allowing schuh to target all parts of the UK and Ireland with a highly competitive next day delivery service – a vital element to the success of their online offering.

The building’s location in Bathgate was also key to the decision. As the name suggests J4M8 Distribution Park enjoys immediate access from the M8, Edinburgh to Glasgow motorway, at junction 4 - due south of Bathgate and approximately 20 miles west of Edinburgh. J4M8 is West Lothian’s focal point for large-scale logistics and distribution activity and offered one key benefit that others sites throughout the UK could not – it meant that the Company’s workforce didn’t have to relocate, thus retaining 75 jobs in Scotland

whilst also potentially creating a further 50 vacancies over the coming years.

Having worked with West Lothian Council and consulted with Scottish Enterprise during the search to find a new site, the Company was awarded a fund by the Bank of Scotland, to achieve the acquisition and fit out J4M8. “schuh’s latest development in Bathgate is great news for West Lothian and the wider Scottish economy, with the creation of new jobs and significant future expansion plans for the Company across Scotland,” said Relationship Director for Edinburgh & East Scotland at the Bank of Scotland, Andrew Clark-Hutchison.

Speaking about the challenges of creating this new development, Rob Bridle continued: “We had great confidence in the design team. Our architects (Oberlanders Architects) and the appointed contractors (Interserve acted as the Main Contractor) all made it look a lot easier than it probably was.

“Two of the biggest challenges were securing a building warrant for safe use of a single compartment building of this continued on page 18 >

SCHUH West Bromwich

SCHUH National Distribution Hub

size and relocating an inventory of over 300,000 pairs of shoes as well as the entire logistics operation, including staff, from our temporary site in Kingsthorne Park in less than 48 hours without any disruption to normal service levels.

We were able to overcome these by appointing excellent structural design and mechanical and electrical engineers, having a very good internal project team, some great IT support, and a relocation that was planned and executed by our logistics team with military precision.”

The second element of schuh’s overall strategy was to open a new southern distribution centre to cope with its rapidly expanding online business. By opening a smaller satellite distribution centre in the Midlands it allowed for a later last order time of 10pm for next

day delivery anywhere in the UK. Located behind a large retail store in the New Square shopping precinct, West Bromwich, the distribution centre organises the delivery of shoes ordered online and ensures a 24 hour delivery time for the whole of the UK. It was down to Complete Storage Interiors (CSI), an Approved Dexion Distributor, to make the most of the available space.

Separate storage areas were required, keeping the stock for the retail shop separate from the RDC’s stock for online purchases, while areas that provided for administration and packing also needed to be included.

To make the most of the available height in the storage area CSI designed a HI280 twotier shelving system six metres high, with open grid walkways and mezzanine flooring supported on back-to-back shelving.

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This provided the greatest number of storage locations and utilised a shelf supported mezzanine floor. The alternatives would have been, either a high bay shelving system which would have required expensive and time consuming access equipment or an independent mezzanine floor with shelving above and below, but this would have lost vital storage space to floor beams and services.

CSI also installed a goods lift, a chute for dispatches and packing benches on the mezzanine level.

Speaking about the strategy overall and the prospect of further expansion, Rob Bridle concluded: “We have ambitious growth plans, so as well as further investment in the existing site we may be looking for additional local facilities to support this beyond 2020.”

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BS PROFILE

eight2O AMP6 In spring 2013 Thames Water embarked on an ambitious new approach to AMP delivery – eight2O, an eight strong alliance of industry leaders working in concert with Thames Water to improve its now ageing infrastructure.

With AMP6 on the horizon, UK Construction Excellence spoke exclusively with Graham Keegan – eight2O’s Chief Operating Officer about eight2O and the challenges facing this newly formed alliance.

What would you identify as being the aims and objectives of the eight20 alliance?

In every other contract I have been involved in there has been a clear distinction between client role and contractor role. Here Thames Water is included inside the alliance and so we are treated a little more like a department of Thames Water rather than it being a traditional supplier/client relationship.

As a result, we are aligning our goals with the goals of Thames Water itself. Thames Water has just developed a new vision and which we have adopted as our own. The main objective of this is to deliver a safe capital programme with customer benefit.

As we are so closely embedded with Thames Water, operations is our partner and the customer truly is Mr and Mrs Smith.

Why has an alliance approach not been adopted previously?

A number of companies have tried an alliance to varying degrees. Anglian Water has an alliance that has proven a pretty successful model. The same is also true of Scottish Water.

The challenge for some is that you do need a fairly mature organisation and an understanding of the programme before you can open your business to bring an alliance alongside. It can take time for people to get comfortable with that. We are experiencing this now as we try to embed in the business.

Thames Water is a huge organisation and there is great leadership and direction and belief in this approach but as you get down into the business people are just beginning to learn about the way the alliance is going to operate and what the advantages might be. It takes time; you have to be brave and preserve.

Another challenge for alliances is that they can be seen to be commercially soft once in the delivery period. To that end, we are working alongside Thames Water to put together the business plan, which is a step beyond where water companies would ordinarily go. Here, the contractor is actually embedded into that process.

19

Could you provide a brief overview of your own experience in the water industry?

I’ve been in the water industry my entire career. I left Liverpool University with a Civil Engineering degree and joined what was then North West Water, more latterly United Utilities (UU).

I was with UU for 31 years and - for a five year period - the engineering team of which I was part was outsourced to Bechtel, an American project management company.

On my return to UU I was asked to lead the capital programme in AMP3 from the client side of the organisation – an approximate £3Bn capital programme over five years.

During AMP4 I had the opportunity to move to the other side of coin as it were. UU was looking for opportunities to work with other water companies, to bring their expertise of operated a large capital programme to

those about to embark on their own capital programmes. A joint venture organisation was created, 4Delivery, which was comprised of UU, MWH and Costain and I was the Chief Operating Officer of that organisation.

Latterly, UU sold out their interest in the contract and that has been taken over by Veolia. When that happened, UU also sold out their interest in contracts outside their region and I therefore took the opportunity to lead the water team for Costain.

I’m one of the few people who have moved from client to contractor and for the last 18 months I’ve been looking after the eight20 alliance as the Chief Operating Officer.

A simple answer to the question is that an alliance doesn’t suit everybody. There is nervousness. You have to be willing to open up a lot of your business and you have to create an environment of trust but I think if you can get there, there are massive advantages to be had.

20

Thames Water previously embarked on an exhaustive ‘Listening Phase’ to help improve performance. How has this helped to shape delivery of AMP6?

Lawrence Gosden, who is now Wastewater Managing Director, thought it was necessary for Thames Water to listen to the supply community and take into account their feedback. To this end, Lawrence went on an exhaustive Listening Phase - he actually took himself and his team to the premises of all of the potential partners he might work with. This enabled Lawrence and his team to get a feel for that culture and environment. Thames Water believe as do I - that the culture and environment that you create is very important. They wanted to see if people could collaborate, as it’s incredibly difficult to get eight companies all aligned in one direction.

Has the alliance improved relationships between client and contractor?

I think we’re on a journey. Inevitably success will be dictated by our ability to get across

that boundary and clear the muddy water.

The relationships have been tested. We’ve had some issues already and I’m pleased to say that the behaviours have stood up.

We have looked at issues from each other’s perspective and responded accordingly.

We’ve had a really good start and I think the relationships are better that they would be.

A lot of us are new to the AMP arena. Many of us have worked with Thames Water before, though not necessarily in the AMP5 phase. As we approach AMP6 there are a lot of relationships to be developed and a whole culture to be created. For this, the two year Early Contractor Involvement phase has been absolutely vital.

What factors contributed to the appointment of the chosen alliance partners?

The challenges are significantly different from the previous five AMPs. Now we are embarking on the world of totex, a world of outcomes rather than outputs where the customer has an ever increasing voice.

Thames Water recognised that they needed to make a radical change. They identified three aspects that needed to be provided; innovation, sustainability and collaboration.

Those are our three watchwords and we have tried to engender these principles throughout everything we do.

When Thames Water was looking for

partners it seemed quite a simple step to introduce IBM. What we wanted from IBM was analytical data analysis capability.

Water companies aren’t short on data – there are masses of data wherever you look – but what you need to be able to do is take data and turn it into management information. You need some strong analytical capability and IBM brings that.

You’re looking for companies with a great track record, with size and balance sheets that can cope with the financial demands of this business. You’re looking for companies that can put forward people who can respond to the ISC (Innovation Sustainability Collaboration) challenge and tick the behavioural box.

That’s how you pick your eight partners.

What is the outlook for the future?

We’re all very pleased, though we’re aware that we haven’t done anything yet. But I would say that we’ve made a great start, we’ve laid a great foundation and we’re in a great position to go on and do some good work. I’m quietly confident.

Once the Final Determinations are in place we’ll be in good shape to hit the ground running on 1st April 2015.

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PROFILE BS

22

The Society of British Water & Wastewater Industries The Society of British Water & Wastewater Industries (SBWWI) is a trade association which looks to represent the best interests of its members to clients, regulators and Government bodies.

Martyn Hopkinson – Society Chairman and Managing Director of MH20 – discusses the role of the SBWWI with UK Construction Excellence and spoke about the impact AMP6 may have on the industries’ beleaguered supply chain.

particularly strong in terms of representing small businesses that wouldn’t necessarily have a voice otherwise. Membership also gives them the opportunity to network, not only with client organisations but also with our larger members. Through our seminars and our regular supply chain forums – we have four of those a year – our members can come and discuss the various topics of the day and, more importantly, network with other members.

What would you describe as being the current aims and objectives of SBWWI? The Society was initially set up to provide a forum for the supply chain to the water and wastewater industry. We have 100+ members and we’ve managed to retain if not increase our membership through some fairly difficult times.

Our main objective is to represent the best interests of our membership, to client organisations, regulators and the Government. We meet regularly with Ofwat, Defra, the Environment Agency and other Government and non-Government organisations to hopefully give the supply chain point of view and ensure that we are giving our members a voice in the wider industry.

We’re a company limited by guarantee. We have an Executive Director and a small staff in our Leamington Spa head office, but a lot of the work that goes on is voluntary.

We have a management committee, which is basically made up of individuals from different member companies. We rely a great deal on our members and their support to keep our subscription price low and ensure that smaller companies – even one man bands like myself – can afford membership.

What are the challenges facing the supply chain during AMP6?

There are a number of ongoing challenges, the biggest one being the cyclical nature of the industry. The five year AMP cycle has always been a problem, particularly for the supply chain. What tends to happen is that there is very little work in year one. Things ramp up in years two, three and four, only to then fall off a cliff in year five. In terms of being able to look at a long term investment strategy, it does create some real problems.

One of the things that we are involved is the Cyclicality Working Group, which was set up after the Treasury published the ‘Smoothing Investment Cycles’ document, and we have seen some progress on that front. We’re seeing some early release of funds for AMP6, which will predominantly be targeted at getting schemes designed in advance so that we’re ready at the start of AMP6 to hit the ground running. Whether that’s successful or not, only time will tell.

There’s also the move to totex and the impact that this is going to have. Clearly, the thinking behind this is good – a more holistic approach and outcome-based solutions to problems. Potentially this could be a very positive move.

SBWWI has a diverse and wideranging membership comprised of many different companies of varying size and skills. Why might a company become a member? What are the benefits of membership?

One of the main advantages of membership is networking opportunities. We are

Are water companies doing enough to foster good relationships and better lines of communication with customers and the supply chain?

One of the major problems we have had is that there has been a lack of cooperation and communication. Things are better but there has been recognition, certainly in

some of the conversations that I have had of late, that if we don’t start cooperating we are not going to achieve the kind of outcomes that we are looking for.

Another thing that water companies have recognised is that they have customers.

I think most water companies would admit that past customer service records have not been great. The regulator has pushed water companies towards a greater recognition that customers are key to all of their activities. Water companies are now investing a lot more to ensure that customer service is at the top of their agenda.

How can the strenuous procurement process be improved?

The procurement process has become strenuous and increasingly complicated.

You have an increasing requirement from the client to provide a high quality service, yet price is ultimately the driver. As a small business, you may look at what is on paper a five year framework but you need to look at that rather closely to see if it is commercially sustainable. In a lot of cases, certainly in previous AMPs, that has proved disastrous for a number of companies.

There is also an argument to be made about the whole procurement process and tender documentation, and whether there should be some standardisation in terms of the specifications of the water companies. There is so much time involved in actually submitting tenders.

It really is a costly process and I think there are a number of ways that it could be simplified and standardised.

More important is ensuring that collaboration and communication between the client and the supply chain is sufficient that the supply chain fully understands the needs of the client so that they can ensure that they are capable of delivering.

BS COMMENT

BMAP failure exposes flaws in plan making system market correction impressed them with falsely inflated housing supply figures.

Ten years is a long time, especially in terms of housing development. So, the harsh reality is that planning life has gone on without BMAP; from boom to bust, and now to recovery, albeit a tentative one.

As such the plan has become irrelevant to many and big planning decisions have been made without a great deal of reference to it. What’s more, development has carried on without, and in spite of, BMAP. Whatever happens, it will be our new planning authorities that will need to decide what they want to do with it. Belfast City Council always had an alternative vision for its future than could be found in the BMAP. Indeed, it is already well beyond it in its thinking. Lisburn City Council (joining with Castlereagh) is on record as being extremely unhappy with what the adopted BMAP says. Sprucefield has attracted all the headlines with the ruling out of a John Lewis site thanks to a bulky goods only rule.

But it goes beyond that.

There are other aspects of the Council’s long term strategy that BMAP has failed to deliver on, despite significant investment by the Council during the plan making process. Newtownabbey, North Down and Carrickfergus are all partnered with new geographies that extend beyond the boundaries of BMAP, so it won’t be entirely relevant.

We have ended up with something that looks very like what we had when the plan was published in draft ten years ago.

The investment of time and money since then has been grossly disproportionate to the relatively limited changes evident in the ‘final’ plan. No wonder fundamental changes to the plan making system are one of the signature features of planning reform.

BMAP by the numbers

••Work starts in 2000 ••2014 adopted… and then challenged ••13 years & 9 months later: ••Six districts with 671,559 people ••3,000 objections ••16th April 2007 – 1st May 2008 for Public Inquiry ••1,000 page PAC report ••£10M cost to DoE

Michael Gordon

23

Those expecting 2014 to be the year for Northern Ireland’s largest, most expensive and most protracted planning policy to finally be adopted would have been sorely disappointed when a legal challenge saw the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan go back to the drawing board.

Quite apart from not looking that dissimilar to the first draft published some ten years ago, Michael Gordon wonders if there are any lessons to be learned.

Minister Forster’s legal challenge to the Environment Minister’s decision to adopt the long-awaited BMAP without the full consent of the Northern Ireland Executive, has made it somewhat of a lost decade for BMAP. The fact that Minister Durkan was hoping to adopt a plan that had not undergone any significant changes since it was first aired in 2004 illustrates why an overhaul of the plan making system is needed.

After all, this is a plan that has emptied from the public coffers around £10M, a figure more than likely matched by the private sector resources that were injected into it at the peak of the boom. And to what end?

When the Planning Appeals Commission reports into the 2007/8 public inquiry were published in 2012 it was clear that anyone still interested in a development bonanza would be profoundly disappointed. Having considered all of the arguments presented over countless hours at the Inquiry, the Commission recommended a relatively modest level of change to the draft plan, which in many instances carried through zonings and policies inherited from earlier plans.

Careful analysis of the adopted plan indicates that, where housing – a key aspect of growth – is concerned, the Department has adopted even less generous development limits than proposed by the Commission. Clearly, the over dense yield from unbuildable planning permissions granted before the

CIVIL BS

Forth Replacement Crossing

24

Scotland’s biggest transport infrastructure project in a generation The Forth Replacement Crossing (FRC) is a major infrastructure project for Scotland, designed to safeguard a vital connection in the country’s transport network.

The FRC scheme includes construction of the Queensferry Crossing, a new threetower, cable-stayed bridge between Fife and Edinburgh, but the scheme is actually much larger than the bridge alone. It has a 13.7 mile footprint which also includes major improvements to the surrounding road networks on the north and south of the Forth.

Construction began in earnest in Autumn 2011 following the completion of a two-year procurement process that delivered significant savings on the scheme’s original expected cost.

The three main contracts that make up the FRC project were awarded in the spring and summer of 2011, with all three successful bids coming in under budget.

Lower than expected costs of these contracts means the total estimated cost range of delivering the FRC project is now £1.35Bn to £1.4Bn, a substantial reduction on the previous estimate of £1.7Bn to £2.3 Bn. Two of the three main contracts are now complete, delivering early benefits to motorists and local communities in Fife, Edinburgh and West Lothian, whilst the overall FRC project is on track to be delivered in 2016.

The new Queensferry Crossing is the most eye catching element of the project. The

new bridge will be the longest three tower cable-stayed bridge in the world and will also be, by far, the largest to feature cables which cross mid-span. It will be 207 metres above high tide (683ft), equivalent to approximately 22 London buses stacked end-to-end and 50 metres (25%) higher than the existing Forth Road Bridge (FRB).

The bridge deck will carry two general lanes of traffic in each direction and hard shoulders to ensure that breakdowns, incidents and any maintenance works do not cause the severe congestion which has been experienced on the FRB. The hard shoulders also provide the flexibility to carry buses displaced from the FRB during periods of high wind and other forms of public transport should it be required in the future.

Windshielding on the new bridge will protect the crossing from the effects of wind and provide a more reliable corridor, particularly for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

The bridge has been designed to complement the existing road and rail crossings and is the result of a rigorous assessment by an international team of architects and engineers.

Currently two separate phases of restrictions are required to allow the safe installation of the new B800 overbridge and ITS driver information gantries as part of improvements to the existing network being made by the FRC. The initial phase of the works will see a limited, localised section of the B800 to the south east of South Queensferry fully

closed overnight to allow the contractor.

Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC). to install the bridge beams for the initial phase. Local diversions will be signed via Winchburgh and Newton. Outside of these closures, temporary traffic lights will be in operation on the B800 in the area of the bridge for the final preparation works and crane set-up/de-rigging.

Then FCBC will fully close the A90 (south of Echline Junction and west of B924 Dalmeny Junction) and the M9 Spur overnight for three days in November for the installation of the new bridge beams and erection of gantries. Diversions will be signed via Kincardine and the A8/ M9. There will be no restrictions for local traffic using the B800 or the A904/B924.

Steven Brown, Transport Scotland’s FRC Roads and Infrastructure Manager, said: “The construction of new roads and the upgrade of existing infrastructure as part of the FRC project has been carefully designed by our contractor FCBC to minimise disruption as far as possible.

“These restrictions are required to allow installation of beams for a major new B800 bridge and ITS gantries which will bring benefits to road users when the project is open at the end of 2016.

“To ensure the safest and most efficient installation, the carriageways underneath must be closed to normal traffic. However, this work is timed at night to keep disruption to journeys to the absolute minimum.”

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RETAIL BS

JD Wetherpoon opens The Crossed Peels

26

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon’s push into Scotland is continuing apace with an estate of over 70 properties now in place. One of the latest pubs to open its doors is The Crossed Peels in Stirling, a town which JD Wetherspoon had been keen to find a venue in for some time.

Situated on the site of a former office block in a good, central location within

the city, JD Wetherspoon has spent £1.7M redeveloping the property to create a space which appeals to all. The final part of the last sentence is key to the JD Wetherspoon ethos – their aim has always been to provide a comfortable, attractive environment – a pub is in the community, for the community. They understand that people visit pubs for a variety of

reasons, each looking for something different, so it’s important to create broad appeal and welcoming surroundings.

In The Crossed Peels the Architect, Harrison Ince Partnership, has created a unique ambience through its use of light and navigation around the space. A grand central staircase can be seen from street level and forms a striking feature in the pub. On the

first floor a series of booths with individual lights, which can be seen from the exterior, create intimate and inviting elements.

JD Wetherspoon encourage measures which promote recycling and reduce energy consumption. It’s the Company’s policy to minimise the extent of the environmental impact where reasonably practical and to adopt efficient waste management strategies which reduce the amount of waste going to landfill or other disposal sites. Each of these factors has played a role in the design and how the Main Contractor, Sanderson, has gone about their work.

The pub group’s spokesman, Eddie Gershon, said: “Wetherspoon continues

to enjoy great success in Scotland and this is evident in the number of openings in recent months and the level of investment in those pubs.

“We are confident of future growth in Scotland regardless of its future direction and are looking forward to opening many more pubs in the coming years.”

Speaking prior to the opening of The Crossed Peels and a number of other pubs in Scotland, JD Wetherspoons Chief Executive, John Hutson, said: “We are looking forward to opening our four new pubs and two hotels in Scotland.

Our pubs and hotels in Scotland continue to be extremely popular and we are

confident that the new sites will be welcome additions to their respective areas. We will continue to look for new opportunities to open our pubs and hotels throughout Scotland.”

Alongside The Crossed Peels, which takes its name from the trade emblem of the city’s bakers - two bakers shovels, or “crossed peels” - and is a tip of the hat to the old craftsmen who gave their name to the street which is home to one of the pub’s entrances, JD Wetherspoon has opened The Auld Brig in Irvine, The Cross Keys in Peebles and The Saultoun Inn in Fraserburgh.

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Aluminium Curtain Walling, Windows and Doors Automated Windows and Doors ● Ground Floor Framing ● Fire-rated Glazing Systems Bolted Glazing Systems ● Bespoke Glass Barriers and Balustrades

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Plane Trees Barn, Plane Trees, Wainstalls, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX2 7UF

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The Litehouse, Crocus Street, Nottingham, NG2 3DR

T: +44 (0)115 8820 280 E: info@investmaintain.co.uk W:www.investmaintain.co.uk

Invest Maintain provide a full range of property maintenance, improvement, & refurbishment services.

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Our services are designed to help you reduce your time and spend on undertaking works to your properties.

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We offer a rapid response to your reactive maintenance requirements to help minimise the disruption to your business, and offer considered, bespoke solutions to your planned maintenance and property improvements.

Our aim

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We aim to provide the highest quality workmanship, outstanding customer service, and a cost effective solution to your maintenance needs, designed around your business.

RETAIL BS

Tesco Express anchors Rosewell Road development Work is now complete on a six unit retail development on the site of the former Stateside Inn in Bonnyrigg. The scheme comprises a mixed-use commercial development offering Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 uses, and is anchored by a 4,240sq ft Tesco Express convenience store.

The layout has been designed to provide flexibility, allowing for units from 737sq ft through to 4,200sq ft, all designed to deliver genuine local shopping needs, in response to an ever expanding Midlothian population. With a resident population of 13,500, Bonnyrigg is situated within

Midlothian, approximately six miles to the south of Edinburgh city centre and easily accessible from the City Bypass, A7 and A1 Neighbouring the scheme is the new £37.1M Lasswade Centre development which opened in July 2013. The centre, which was built on the site of the former library, town hall, leisure centre and Lasswade High School, has brought all facilities together to incorporate Lasswade High School with a new state-of-the-art community hub. The school accommodates 1,480 pupils, and the site includes football, rugby and further sports pitches

to the north east of the development.

The new scheme fronts onto Rosewell Road, with access via Eskdale Drive, and benefits from 22 dedicated car parking spaces.

The development shares its access with the Lasswade Centre from Rosewell Road, complementing the existing neighbourhood centre, and will enjoy the synergy created from this vibrant community facility.

The design was created by Kenneth Reid Architects and the Main Contractor was Carlsson Properties, who has a wealth of experience in taking projects from inception right through to completion.

LEADING RETAILERS

TRUST WEATHERITE for the perfect entrance With a reputation for innovation, quality and service, Weatherite Shopfronts and Shutters Ltd is one of the UK’s leading providers to the retail, commercial and office sectors.

With thousands of successful installations completed for leading retailers and commercial companies, we can provide the complete solution for your business, including: • Shopfronts/Entrances • Retail / Commercial Shutters • Curtain walling • Automatic Entrance Doors • Security Steel Doors • 24 Hour Emergency Repair & Support

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For complete Shopfronts and Shutters solutions, please contact us on: 0121 665 2050 or email: sales@weatherite-shopfronts.com or visit the website: www.weatherite-shopfronts.com Weatherite Shopfronts & Shutters Ltd Weatherite House, Credenda Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands. B70 7JE

BS LEISURE

Travelodge Prime Glasgow location developed by Anglo Holt years of its existence and is currently Street, Edinburgh. We are now located using its capabilities to expand this perfectly for shoppers, business people part of the business to generate and tourists looking to visit either city.” work for construction activities.

Designed by Aedas, the new hotel will increase the Travelodge portfolio, which provides the smart choice for leisure and business travellers, consistently offering great value hotels in locations where they want to stay.

The Glasgow Travelodge, scheduled to complete in January 2015, will further increase the statistic that shows more than 80% of its hotels are located in major city centres, towns and popular holiday hotspots.

The new hotel is being built by Anglo Holt, who provide a comprehensive service of design, project management, cost management HTC Plant Ltd and construction Tower Cranes & Hoists through adopting We are pleased to be associated best practice with Anglo Holt and wish them standards to deliver continued success competitiveness.

The Company Head Office & Main Depot: HTC Plant Ltd. Grange Mill Lane, Sheffield S9 1HW has carried out Email Info@htcplant.com ; Tel 01709 559668; Fax 01709 557326 development 119 Hamilton Road, Glasgow, G32 9QW Tel 01417 785 530 projects for 9 Cromwell Road, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 2EU Tel 01480 475 377 the last 30

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The former Charlotte House office block in Queen Street, Glasgow, is being converted into a 12-storey Travelodge hotel that will also have a bar/cafe and parking for 18 vehicles.

It is the sixth and largest hotel to be built in Scotland’s biggest city by Travelodge, which plans to recruit 25 members of staff.

It will benefit from a new build as well, extending to 2,100sq ft. This is being built to the rear of the property at basement and first floor level.

When completed, the hotel will extend to 57,813sq ft and provide 171 beds.

The 1970s office block was previously used by Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Pension Fund.

Five shops will operate on the ground floor with offices using the first floor. The rest of the building will be bedrooms.

Paul Harvey, Managing Director for Property at Travelodge, spoke last year about this development.

He said: “We are very excited to be starting on-site to build a hotel in such a prime location in Glasgow.

“We have been looking for a new site in Glasgow for some time and our sixth hotel in the city will be a great addition to the Travelodge portfolio and offer consumers more choice for good value accommodation.”

The development is part of the Business Premises Renovation Allowance (BRPA) scheme that aims to encourage the conversion and renovation of empty business premises in targeted areas.

Tony O’Brien, UK Development Director at Travelodge, said: “Our new Queen Street site is in the heart of Glasgow’s central shopping district and is in a similar, fantastic location to the Travelodge above Top Shop on Princes

EDUCATION BS

Barnhill Primary School

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Increased teaching space for more pupils August saw the completion of an extension to Barnhill Primary School, which will allow increased enrolment at the school.

Located in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, the work is part of a £2M project that will be finished in time for the next school year and has provided four new classrooms, a new nursery as well as its own gym.

Barnhill Primary School was originally opened in August 1970, though the twostorey block only opened the year after.

Serving the educational needs of the east of Broughty Ferry, the school has continued to maintain a large role, increased further by the addition of a nursery class in 1996.

The existing school is on a confined site and there is a separate modular building that housed the nursery.

This modular unit has been moved to another location on-site, in order to accommodate the new extension.

Like the existing building, the extension is also two-storey, with a ground floor area of 777sq m and a first floor area of 440sq m.

On the ground floor, there is the new nursery area, split into two zones. There is also a staff area, staff toilets, nursery toilets and a link corridor from the existing building into the new extension, as well as the new gym.

The first floor has the four classrooms with its central activity space, while there are adjoining toilets and staff toilets.

Linking the extension to the building was an important part of the project. In order

to achieve this, an area between the two connected to the Red Care systems. These existing school blocks had to be infilled, go straight to the emergency services. which provided a bit more floor space. The A small area of additional car parking is end result was that it helped to integrate included at the main entrance, bringing an the existing school with the extension. extra eight spaces and three disabled bays.

Work started last year over the summer Dundee City Council was the Architect for holidays, when work took place to prepare the project, which started in October 2013. the school for the new development. This It was originally scheduled to complete included bringing diggers to the site to on the first day of August but was help put down drains and foundations. finally finished a couple of weeks Built on a sloping site, the extension is a steel after that, giving Barnhill Primary framed building with externally rendered School brand new teaching space. blockwork and timber frame infill panels.

It’s part of Dundee City Council’s The extension follows the same type of programme of investment in schools. building method used at all the other new schools across the city. It is different than the traditionally built original school.

The roof uses aluminium standing seam roofing, and externally there is rendered cladding.

Windows on the Builders Merchants Open to the Trade and Public extension are double glazed aluminium timber clad.

Longtown Street, Dundee, DD4 8LF Disabled toilets have been incorporated, Tel No: 01382 504088 Fax: 01382 504088 and safety features Email: sales@rembrand.co.uk include a fire alarm Website: www.rembrand.co.uk and intruder alarm systems that are

velux.co.uk/modularskylights

www.bafe.org.uk info@bafe.org.uk