UK Construction V16N10

Breathing new life into the Connaught Tunnel

Crossrail

PAGE 113

V16 N10

ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

NEWS, REPORTS, COMMENTS, PROFILES AND SITE PROJECTS LONDON UNDERGROUND Celebrating 150 years p40

LONDON ARRAY World’s largest wind farm blows into action p70

ROYAL NAVY MUSEUM Hear My Story exhibition coming to Portsmouth p96

SCOTSWOOD Creation of a sustainable community p98

The face of Britain changes every day. Are you up to date?

By making sure that your Ordnance Survey licensing is up to date, you can keep abreast of up to 10,000 changes to the British landscape which we record each day, thereby not only reducing risk to your organisation but also safeguarding your professional reputation.

To find out more, including the legal implications of not being correctly licensed, please contact your supplier or visit us online: www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/licensing

HI WAY

SERVICES LIMITED When your reputation is on the line…

Your reputation is forged by the work you do. The care you take and the attention to detail you demonstrate.

To deliver for your clients, you rely on contractors who can be trusted to live up to your promise.

Contractors who are professional, innovative and trustworthy. Contractors who can deliver great results, on time and on budget.

Call Hi-Way Services now on 01227 714 380 Or visit our website www.hi-way.co.uk for more information Road Marking

Extrusion • Rib Line • Screed • Spray • Paint MMA • Removal

High Friction

High Friction Surfacing • Decorative Surfacing

Cats Eyes

Cats Eyes: Halifax, Solar, Glass, Stick On, Temporary, Pedestrian Crossing

Car Parks

Car Park Bays • Disabled Bays • Parent and Toddler Walk ways • Crossing Points

Interior Marking

Warehouses • Factories • Underground Car Parks Multi Storey Car Parks • Bespoke

Specialist

Schools • Sports Courts • Runways Bespoke and Designer

Traffic Management

Lane Closures • Road Closures • Stop/Go Temporary Traffic Lights • IPV • Events

Road Surfacing

Tarmac • Speed Bumps • Resin Bound • Imprint Pothole Repair

Road Furniture

Bollards • Safety Fencing • Signage

Painting by numbers took on a mindboggling new meaning for Hi-Way Services Limited, one of the UK’s leading road marking companies.

Hi-Way, based in Canterbury, won a prestige £112,000 contract to paint navigation signs at Bluewater, Europe’s leading retail, leisure and events destination, to help its 28 million annual visitors to find the way back to their cars left in Bluewater’s 13,000 free parking spaces, in 18 different sites.

The statistics for the job are eye-watering. Contracts assistant for Hi-Way, Danny O’Reilly, reeled off some of the numbers involved:“Our brief was to repaint 11,379 square metres of walkway in anti-slip surface. This involved painting 1,675 letters, using the words ‘shops’, ‘Marks & Spencer’, ‘John Lewis’ etc. We also created 260 directional arrows and used over 12,000 litres of paint for the whole job.”

The marathon paint job, called the Wayfinding Project, was done at night and took teams of three 12 weeks to complete.

Bluewater enlisted the help of design consultants, Lacock Gullam, to update its sign system and colour scheme in the centre’s multi-storey car parks. Architect Sam Gullam explained: “With the number of annual guest visits continuing to increase, (over 28 million per year) and with the development of the new events venue Glow, Bluewater decided it was time to undertake a major overall of its wayfinding information.

“Lacock Gullam has been assisting Bluewater in developing intuitive ways of guiding guests, both as drivers, and when navigating their way around the malls. This includes directing guests to appropriate car parks, helping them to find the mall entrances via safe paths and, perhaps more importantly, helping them to remember where they parked, so that they can find their way back to one of the 13,000 free spaces within the 18 different car parking areas.”

Sam added: “People lose their cars on a surprisingly frequent basis, often thinking they have been stolen – when in fact they are just looking in the wrong car park. In the multi-storey car parks especially, it can be a challenge to see both the entrances to the mall and establish where you parked when you return. Parking in an empty car park and returning when it’s full can be very confusing.”

Tim Hollands, assistant general manager at Bluewater, added: “Hi-Way Services was selected to undertake the work at Bluewater for three key reasons. First, and most importantly, the company is committed to safety. From the outset, Hi-Way Services embraced our global minimum requirements, which are the Lend Lease safety standards that go over and above statutory health and safety guidance.

“Second, our previous experience of Hi-Way Services is that it completes work to a very high standard and is flexible in its approach and planning. This is particularly important, as our objective is to minimise disruption to the guest experience, which means working outside of trading hours. Hi-Way Services has gone even further, however, with its commitment to ensuring that areas are ready for guests at the beginning of core trading hours the next day.

“Finally, Hi-Way Services’ pricing was competitive, and it added value to the design process and methodology.”

The Wayfinding Project has introduced a colour-coding system for car parks, with appropriately painted pathways guiding the way back. Sam said the aim was to make the visitors’ experience pleasant and stress-free, allowing them the maximum time to enjoy shopping, while not worrying about getting back to the car safely.

PROFILE 32 33 34 39 39 54 58 60 66 74 86 88 89 90 97 98 100 101 104 112 118 120 122

Brick Market Ltd Eric Wright Construction Ltd Kier North Tyneside Huws Gray Hobson & Porter Crossrail GB-Sol Japanese Knotweed Diocese of Leicester The Concrete Pipeline Systems Association Jupiter Play & Leisure NHS Property Services Ltd Marl International Combined Heat & Power Association Fielding & Beaumont PLC Scotswood Concrete Block Association UKRHA Darlow Lloyd (Construction) Ltd J Greenwood (Builders) Ltd Construction Fixings Association SMC Drylining National Outdoor Events Association

COMMERCIAL 36 59 63 77 99 117

CIVIL 38 40 70 78 84 92 94 108 113

Skinners Academy Sheffield University Technical College The University of Manchester Birkdale Primary School Pilkington Library Loughborough University

20 22 23 25 26 28 29 30

NHBC Pride in the Job Awards Michael Draper – Sheridan Gold Mark Clinton – Thomas Eggar John Acres – Turley Associates Lex Cumber – Mi-Space (UK) Ltd Edward Moore – Resolex Mike Hawlings – Saint-Gobain PAM UK The Green Skills Alliance

Yorkshire Water with Balfour Beatty London Underground London Array Aldwarke Waster Water Treatment Works Humber Gateway Basingstoke Railway Station University of Liverpool CHP Plant Cheney Manor Industrial Estate Crossrail Connaught Tunnel

HOUSING 81 Lake Road , Stalybridge 82 Abbey Mills, Leicester 93 Crosshall

EDUCATION 35 68 79 102 121

Barrow & Cotham Street Leyton Mount Canary Wharf Group PLC James Durrans & Sons Ltd Ericsson Television Fit Out Leighton Centre

COMMENTS

RETAIL 34 67 80 106 111

Sturdee Road, Leicester Aldi Stores Crown Centre Westfield Shopping Towns Sainsbury’s

200 COMMUNITY 96 Royal Navy Museum

NEWS

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Editors Victoria Lee Gareth Trevor-Jones Staff Writer John Train Editorial Raimy Greenland Robert Atherton

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Studio Manager SĂŠamus Norton Designer Richard Gill ISSN 1461-1279

Proof Reader Matthew Brown Approvals Remi Wilson

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Credit Control Carol Ryan

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227 Environmental

- a leader in water engineering design, water management, environmental engineering and water conservation services in the UK.

227 Environmental provides water engineering services to the water industry and commercial organisations. We provide feasibility, design and project management services for water and sewerage projects. We have streamlined our processess in order to provide a fast and flexible response to our customers’ requirements. We respond to customer needs within days not weeks.

information. Survey for, and allocation of, NVC type classes provides essential information on the value of wildlife resources found at a particular site, and importantly, places this information in the context of other resources to be found in the immediate vicinity. Such information is often helpful when considering potential development or mitigation strategies in an area.

Based in Leicester, 227 Environmental has been set up as a centre of knowledge, capability and experience in feasibility, design, management and operations of water infrastructure. 227 environmental has ready access to additional management and operational services through its partner network.

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Water Our services are undertaken by experienced qualified staff whose knowledge and practical understanding of problems and solutions has been drawn from many years of operating experience across the utility and commercial services sector. We have a wealth of knowledge enabling us to provide integrated client services, delivered ontime, within budget and with professional integrity you would expect from a leading organisation.

Services and Consultancy form part of our integrated environmental solution packages. These can be deployed on an individual basis or bundled together to provide a one stop solution. Our outputs have a proven track record and are successfully delivering operational, financial and environmental benefits to our customers.

Sewerage 227 environmental provides across the range sewerage design services including complete sewer renovation design, sewer upgrade design, shaft tanks and pumping systems, online / offline storage, foul flooding solutions and flood alleviation schemes. We provide tailored innovative solutions using our sewer engineering design team. Our projects are delivered on time at the right price.

We undertake CFD studies and develop bespoke pipeline solutions that promote asset efficiency and product measurement and accuracy through our unique metering and pipework design service.

227 provide a wide range of technical engineering and management services for water companies and commercial organisations.

We're committed to improving and developing water and environmental assets for the benefit of all, increasing efficiency and providing sustainable assets for the future.

Current Projects • Distribution Booster Station and Watermain Reinforcement • Flow meter and Verification Point Installation • Strategic Meter Feasibility Study • AMP5 Strategic Meter Installation • Trunk main resilience schemes • Computational Fluid Dynamics Study on Treatment Works

Ecological Habitat Surveys & Protected Species Phase 1 Survey (Initial baseline) Phase 1 Surveys are very regularly undertaken, providing a basic ecological audit technique and valuable information when making decisions about an area e.g. conservation management and planning decisions.

Phase 1 Surveys provide a relatively quick technique for recording the wildlife habitat and basic vegetation information for an area. Target notes are used to highlight particularly important features. Phase 1 'habitat' Surveys can be 'extended' to include scoping work for protected species at the same time.

Timings of these surveys are crucial in order to get good data and not hold up a project, as consents and licences may be needed for any mitigation procedures.

Phase 2 Survey [NVC] Phase 2 Surveys often follow on from Phase 1 and are more detailed. They are used when more detailed vegetation information is required for selected areas and are defined in terms of the plant communities, ideally as defined by the National Vegetation Classification (NVC). Phase 2 Surveys can also include animal

Leatherline House Business Centre Office 8, 71 Narrow Lane, Aylestone, Leicester, Leicestershire LE2 8NA tel. +44 (0) 116 283 0664 mob. +44 (0) 7712 187 189 fax. +44 (0) 5601 163 691 sales@227environmental.co.uk.

www.227environmental.co.uk

UKC NEWS

Northcot Brick features in pioneering art installation Bricks from UK independent manufacturer Northcot Brick are being used as the centrepiece in the exhibition by award winning Argentinian artist Adrián Villar Rojas at the new Serpentine Sackler Gallery in Kensington Gardens, London.

The exhibition, “Today We Reboot The Planet”, is the first of a number of cultural events taking place as part of the opening of the newly restored and expanded Art Gallery.

Northcot Brick has supplied 45,000 facing bricks from its popular Multi Red Rustic range, for an original site specific art installation, which will see the entire interior floor of the Gallery covered in bricks. In this installation, the artist re-imagines the architecture of the Grade II listed building,

formerly an 1805 ammunitions store known as The Magazine, and responds to the original brick vaulted Powder Rooms that sit at the centre of the building.

Renowned for his large scale sculptural works, made in predominantly clay and brick, Villar Rojas draws much of his inspiration from the rawness and immediacy of traditional handmade brickmaking, which takes place on the brick farm in his hometown of Rosario in Argentina.

This return to age-old and traditional practices, similar to that of returning to clay as material and sculpture as a form, is the artist’s path for inventing a symbolic world that speaks to the imagination.

Chosen predominantly for their form and

character, Northcot’s bricks embody an engaging warmth of tone and variation of texture. The Company produces not only wirecut bricks, but also manufactures handmade bricks, using bench mould techniques that have hardly changed over the centuries and are fired in the traditional way in one of the last remaining coal fired kilns in the UK. Michael Brown, Managing Director of Northcot Brick Ltd said: “We are delighted to have been involved in such a prestigious project. As a company, Northcot is passionate about making traditional characterful bricks, which have aesthetic value and appeal. As such, we feel a natural synergy with the work of Adrián Villar Rojas, whose exhibition we are keen to support.”

Snap-on Industrial adds Solihull College to its Excellence in Education programme Kettering based Snap-on Industrial – global innovator, manufacturer and marketer of tools – has added Solihull College to the 200 plus colleges in its Excellence in Education programme. The partnership will see students supplied with top of the range tools at the college’s £8.5M motor vehicle and construction facility at the Woodlands Campus.

The new facility, which opened in September 2013 houses twelve new workshops in the new state-of-theart engineering and construction development to add to the current engineering and aeronautical facilities.

Motor Vehicle, MOT testing and Motorcycle Engineering also feature as part of the new provision. Construction also has new dedicated workshops for decorating, brickwork and plastering.

Snap-on Industrial is engaging with the College through its Excellence in Education programme, providing the College with the best tools and workshop equipment available in the market, ensuring that anyone training with the College is using industry recognised tooling.

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Commenting on why the College has partnered with Snap-on Industrial, Andy Hatchwell, Senior Director at Woodlands said: “In essence the College wanted to partner with a globally recognised, reputable brand who would mirror the College’s aspirations for Motor Mechanics and Motor Sport given the significant investment the College has made into the new Woodlands, state-of-the-art Motor Workshop development.”

Bill Glover, Regional Sales Manager at

Snap-on Industrial said: “The new facility at Woodlands is fantastic and offers both students and the private sector wanting to update their understanding and skills the opportunity to do so in modern facilities, using superb equipment that mirrors what is commonly used within the commercial sector. This new facility is probably the best Motor Vehicle facility in the Midlands and certainly ranks among the very best in the UK.”

New housing scheme to get underway Development work is due to commence on a brand new housing scheme in a County Durham village.

Housing developer, Keepmoat Homes is building 86 two-, three- and fourbedroom homes with a mix of house types that are ideal for first time buyers, professionals and families.

The development, which will be called The Homesteads, is located on land directly off Front Street in Shotton Colliery and will include 77 homes for sale, three for shared ownership and nine affordable homes for rent.

Keepmoat Homes purchased the five acre land from Durham County Council after plans were approved in July.

The £9M scheme will not only help to regenerate the area but it will also breathe new life into the village. As part of the plans, Keepmoat has also agreed to offer £43,000 for recreation space and £5,000 for off site ecological works.

Access to the development will be directly off Front Street and all homes will be energy efficient with 10% of the overall energy demands of the scheme being supplied from photovoltaic panels located on the roofs of the dwellings. The new homes are to be laid out in a circular road network, which will include pedestrian links to the neighbouring surroundings.

Ian Prescott, Land and Partnership’s Director at Keepmoat, said: “We are delighted that work has commenced on the development of these high quality, new and affordable homes. This is the eleventh new housing project that Keepmoat Homes has started in the North East this year.

Collectively, these schemes will see the construction of over 2,100 new homes representing an investment in the region

by Keepmoat in excess of £250M.” The Architect for the development is Queensbury Design.

Interserve wins prison extension contract Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has been awarded the contract to Design and Build an extension to HMP Peterborough.

The original prison was designed and constructed by Interserve Construction under a PFI contract and opened in 2005. This new project for the Ministry of Justice is Government funded, and is being handled through the SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle), Peterborough Prison Management Limited.

Work has commenced on site, with completion scheduled for December 2014. HMP Peterborough is a privately operated category B prison, and is the only one in the UK to hold both male and female prisoners.

Interserve’s new contract follows on from an Early Works contract, and comprises a new four-storey 292-bed adult male house

block consisting of a mix of double and single cells, together with prisoner and staff facilities within a hub, plus adjacent exercise yards. A nearby new two-storey activities building will include education and training facilities for prisoners.

Interserve will also deliver the provision of additional amenities within the existing prison to support the increased capacity, including exercise facilities, an extension to the main prison kitchen, a new staff dining room, further administration space and modification works within the entry building.

A new, extended prison wall, sterile zone and fencing will create the secure perimeter. Additional external car parking and landscaping will complete the scheme. The house block and activities building are being built on land adjoining the existing prison.

Hats off to school’s £1M refurbishment A newly opened music suite and sixth form centre built at a historic county school by a leading Midlands construction firm is music to the ears of fundraisers who raised an “amazing” £1M in less than a year to pay for the project.

Adams’ Grammar School Headmaster Michael Barratt praised the teamwork of the Campaign Board – a group of willing volunteers of parents, governors, expupils – in raising the funds and contractors McPhillips (Wellington) Ltd for completing the four month development on time for the start of the new school year.

The construction team from McPhillips converted a disused 17th century Coach House into a much needed music centre with classrooms, four practice rooms, and an ensemble room

with built-in acoustics for recording.

The school’s original Performing Arts Centre was converted into the new sixth form centre with a bistro, soft seating social area, office, tutor room, learning space with tutorial rooms and a lecture theatre.

A second phase of further improvements to the school is planned in January 2014 with campaigners aiming to raise further funds for a second wing, foyer and auditorium in the Music and Performing Arts Centre.

The Shropshire construction Company’s joint Managing Director Peter McPhillips said: “We carry out a lot of construction work in schools but we are very proud to have played our part in providing such up to date facilities in one of our county’s most historic schools. My hat goes off to them for their amazing fundraising.”

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Call 01926 818770 to discuss your perfect doors.

www.stairways.co.uk Doorsets | Door Kits | Staircases | Bespoke Joinery

Stairways Speeds Up Stairways Group, working in partnership with Eastman Cerfis and Balcas, present their ResiDor internal door set finished with KOTA ‘Paint No More’ mouldings.

KOTA is the latest innovation in MDF mouldings, a fully finished product requiring no priming or painting. Stairways offer ResiDor with KOTA linings, door stops and architraves.

Complete with revolutionary concealed fixing clip system RapidFix, this eliminates the need for face filling, making it the ideal partner for KOTA. ResiDor and KOTA improve procedural efficiencies significantly, reducing the time and costs of installation and finishing.

Providing a smooth, silky, ready-painted finish that is both tough and elegant, KOTA enhances Stairways’ internal door set portfolio, available with many door finishes and lining options.

KOTA is also available in skirting and window board to complement the ResiDor with an ‘easy fit’ KOTA Fill and KOTA Krayon to achieve the desired finish.

Contact Stairways directly for samples and further advice: www.stairways.co.uk

We specialise in subcontract machining work, making door & gate hinges, locking spindles, bushes, special bolts and pig nose glass fixings. Anything can be made to your sketches or drawings using 20 CNC machines and 10 manual machines on site. W & K Precision can offer a wide range of finishes to our customers using approved production agencies.

Heat treatment and various other coatings can be done. We do all types of repair work to avoid buying new parts.

Unit 37, Cranswick Industrial Estate, Driffield, East Yorkshire YO25 9QE

Phone : 01377 271041 Fax : 01377 271856 E-Mail : wk@wkprecision.co.uk www.wkprecision.co.uk

Grilstone House, South Molton, Devon EX36 4EG Tel: +44 (0)1769 579040 +44 (0)1769 579224 eMail: Info@PilkingtonMarineSolutions.eu Commercial website: www.jptensilefabricstructures.co.uk Marine website: www.PilkingtonMarineSolutions.eu

UKC NEWS

Planning awarded for Reading Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge As part of a number of ambitious development plans by Reading Borough Council, this important new bridge designed by Design Engine in collaboration with engineers Peter Brett Associates, has been awarded planning by Reading Borough Council.

Located to the east of Fry’s Island, between the existing Caversham and Reading Bridges, the bridge will provide an important new link for pedestrians and cyclists across the Thames. The route then connects through to the impressive new Railway Station redevelopment and onwards providing a through route

for journeys into the Town Centre.

In order to keep the bridge simple but graceful the design incorporates a single masted cabled stayed structure. The deck is supported by paired cables which reach up to the top of the mast in a vertical fan formation, creating an elegant and balanced solution. This formation has enabled the mast as it reaches upwards to remain as thin as possible by each cable zig zagging between each other.

At the base of the mast where it penetrates the deck there is the introduction of two seats that run parallel with the direction of travel. These not only ensure that people

cannot unexpectedly ‘appear’ from behind the mast causing concern for cyclists but most importantly offer a perfect place to sit and relax and enjoy the views along the river. It is also a useful place for the ambulant disabled or elderly to take breath before they move further along the bridge.

The bridge will be funded through Reading Borough Council’s successful bid from the £20.7M Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) which aims to create an additional 7,200 daily bus trips, 12,050 daily walking trips and 2,300 daily cycle trips across the town, whilst cutting congestion by up to 10%.

DIO delivers new vehicle workshops to Royal Marines in Devon Royal Marines in Devon now have purpose built workshops and garages to help them maintain military vehicles in top condition, thanks to the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).

Working with its industry partner Debut Services, DIO has delivered new Motor Transport (MT) Workshops to enable more efficient management of the vehicle fleet at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) Lympstone.

The new MT facility provides vehicle bays for servicing up to eight vehicles, with associated lifts and overhead gantry crane, as well as garages, offices and welfare facilities.

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Lieutenant Colonel Simon Chapman, Commanding Officer Base & Support Wing said: “This facility will allow us to maintain our new vehicle fleet properly and support training delivery more effectively. It’s a step forward in the unit’s capability and I’m grateful to the project team on-site for their excellent work and cooperation over the last 18 months.”

New garages create a consistent temperature that keeps atmospheric moisture low and helps prevent deterioration of sensitive communications equipment stowed onboard the Signals Troop vehicle fleet. This area also incorporates storage and parking

facilities, as well as a wash-down section with ramps and trenches allowing easy cleaning of vehicles.

The facility was officially opened

by Colonel Rupert Prince in his final official engagement, after 36 years service, prior to his retirement.

Colonel Prince, who works in the Navy’s Headquarters, and has close links with the Royal Marines, commented: “I have been involved with this exciting project from a very early stage and I am delighted to see that, what began as an initial spark of an idea has now turned into bricks and mortar, which will provide indispensable facilities for many years to come.”

Prestigious award for Clugston Group CEO Stephen Martin, CEO of Clugston Group has been named Property Entrepreneur of the Year at the influential Yorkshire Property Industry Awards.

Mr Martin was presented with the award in recognition of the outstanding work the Clugston Group has undertaken during the past 12 months to support growth across the Yorkshire & Humber region.

The Yorkshire Property Industry Awards recognise achievements across the commercial property community including developers, architects and agents. More than 370 professionals and investors gathered at the Royal Armouries in Leeds to celebrate a year of resurgence in the region’s property industry.

The judges said Mr Martin had enjoyed a “spectacular year” and deserved praise for pushing ahead in a challenging climate. Having delivered record profits and a variety of commercial and residential schemes, he was the “standout candidate” for the award.

Mr Martin said: “It is an exciting time to be involved in the property industry in the Yorkshire and the Humber region, as there is real progress occurring with several major schemes we have been involved with finally securing planning permission or becoming a reality.

“I am absolutely thrilled to have won this award and I would like to dedicate it to everyone who has been part of the Clugston property development team, both now and in the past.

It is testament to their hard work, enthusiasm and professionalism.”

Mr Martin, who earlier in the year won the Institute of Directors (IoD) East Midlands Director of the Year award, was also shortlisted in the large company category at the IoD Director of the Year Awards UK final.

Shadow Housing Minister visits landmark Wolverhampton development New Shadow Housing Minister Emma Reynolds viewed a flagship NHBC insured development in her constituency that will eventually provide more than 350 new homes for the area.

Ms Reynolds MP, who was elected to represent Wolverhampton North East in 2010, attended the Persimmon Homes West Midlands Akron Gate development being built on the former Goodyear factory site to meet with developers, NHBC representatives and homeowners.

The development, just off Stafford Road near the city centre, has also included the construction of a brand new public house and Aldi food store and consists of a mix of two-bedroom houses, two-bedroom apartments, three- and four-bedroom family homes.

Director in charge at Persimmon Homes West Midlands, Tim Brickley, said: “Persimmon is currently working on two Black Country locations, the former Goodyear Wolverhampton site now being transformed into Akron Gate, and at Ettingshall Place in Bilston. Both

developments are major regeneration projects, bringing much needed homes and employment to areas of the city that would otherwise have been left derelict.”

Emma Reynolds MP for Wolverhampton North East and Shadow Housing Minister, said: “There is a shortage of affordable homes across the country, with young people and families struggling to get on the property ladder. I am delighted to visit the former Goodyear site with NHBC to see some of these affordable homes being built in my own constituency

by Persimmon. It is great news that in Wolverhampton new affordable homes are being built so that young people and families can get on the property ladder.

“If Labour wins the next general election, we will aim to build 200,000 homes a year by 2020 to tackle the house building crisis in this country. Housebuilding plays a vital role in boosting the local economy by providing jobs and boosting skills as well as increasing places for people to live. This is why visits such as these are so important.”

Annis Hill Farm brought to life by Worsley Roofing Solutions TATA Steel Colorcoat Urban standing seam metal roofing demonstrates its flexibility in design, application and building use. Conventionally metal standing seam roofing has been conserved for commercial or industrial buildings that require high performance and an attractive finish. Worsley Roofing Solutions Ltd (www.worsleyroofingsolutions.co.uk) has applied the system to a residential development and holiday let in Annis Hill Farm in Milnrow and has demonstrated that a standing seam roof system can be an attractive and cost effective solution for any building type. The metal roof has been executed in anthracite grey to provide a beautiful contrast to the natural wood cladding. Although Colorcoat Urban roofing components are post formed from colour coated stock, the client requested traditional finishes and the addition of sky lights. These details were carefully crafted by Worsley Roofing Solutions Ltd to meet the client’s vision.

Worsley Roofing Solutions Ltd is a specialist lead sheet, hard metal roofing company, working to the LSA guidelines.

The Company is also an approved installer of TATA Steel Colorcoat Urban roofing and cladding systems, taking on the more challenging projects to provide traditional finishes to modern roofing systems.

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• consultancy • design and planning • manufacture • project management • bespoke solutions • delivery • installation

TRANSFORMING YOUR IDEAS INTO A STUNNING REALITY If you’re looking to source a design led furniture manufacturer offering pioneering solutions, then choose British Thornton.

‘British Thorntons’ design team continually supplied feedback to support the academy in its choices and ultimately delivered a superb environment for students to learn in.’

Steve Evans, Senior Vice Principal, Trinity Academy, Halifax.

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UKC NEWS

Brett Martin shine light on Rotherham’s New York Stadium Central to any football club is the fans’ match day experience and pitch quality, and it was with these factors in mind that the spectacular roof of Rotherham United’s £20M New York Stadium was designed and built using over 4,800sq m of Brett Martin’s Marlon CS profiled polycarbonate sheet.

As well as protecting spectators from inclement weather, it was important that the roof design of the new 12,000 seater stadium allowed natural light to penetrate both the pitch and the stands.

This ensures fans are able to enjoy a light, bright and airy environment and will also aid pitch maintenance, encouraging

grass growth in warmer months, and helping to defrost the pitch in the winter.

The New York Stadium – named after its location in the area of Rotherham in which fire hydrants were made for shipment to New York, USA – is the new longterm home for the Millers.

Designed by S & P Architects, the ‘bowl shaped’ stadium design meant the 2mm thick Marlon CS sheets were supplied in varying lengths. The architecturally inspired stepped roof of the north and south stands also feature vertically glazed sections of the clear Marlon CS allowing the roof to step down towards the river and let

more natural daylight into the stands.

The project was managed by Gleeds and building was undertaken by GMI Construction in collaboration with roofing contractors, Roofdec; all companies that have impressive histories of working on stadium projects.

Showing that natural light can improve the atmosphere of even the largest of buildings, Brett Martin, the only European company to manufacture all the main plastic rooflight materials - polycarbonate, GRP and PVC, added New York Stadium to an already extensive stadia portfolio.

Flexible financing from Siemens helps Baldwins expand mobile crane fleet to grow business Enabled by a flexible financing arrangement from Siemens Financial Services (SFS), Baldwins Crane Hire Ltd (Baldwins), one of the largest crane hire companies in the UK, has acquired a high quality Liebherr LTM1500-8.1 mobile crane. The seven year finance lease of approximately £2.6M takes into account a significant residual value of the asset at the end of the financing period.

Baldwins already operates two of these mobile cranes and this latest acquisition allows them to expand and update their fleet, taking on more work around the country in the burgeoning heavy lift sector.

The eight-axle all-terrain mobile crane is equipped with a 7-section, 84m telescopic boom and has a maximum lifting capacity of 500 tonnes. The lattice jib, reaching lengths of up to 91m, extends the operating range of the 500-tonner to 142m hoisting height and 108m reach. The wide application of the mobile crane ranges from lifting bridges into position, through industrial plant installations and refurbishment of oil refineries or power stations, to lifting large boats out of water, as well as a range of large civil engineering projects.

Richard Baldwin of Baldwins commented:

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“With the financial support of SFS, we are able to grow our crane fleet’s profile in order to meet the diverse needs of our customers as well as to expand our business. We are more than pleased with the competitive funding,

excellent services and the efficiency of the account team at SFS.” In July, Baldwins also concluded another finance lease deal with SFS for the acquisition of three Nooteboom trailers costing £340,000.

Major fundraising campaign launched for £11.2M Inspirational Discovery Centre Marking the dawn of a new era for the Great British countryside, the team behind Northumberland’s planned £10.5M Landscape Discovery Centre, launched a £3.7M fundraising campaign, backed by polar explorer, Conrad Dickinson.

In order to make the vision for the new national flagship Landscape Discovery Centre and YHA Youth Hostel a reality, the team from Northumberland National Park Authority and YHA (England and Wales) launched the effort to encourage investors and sponsors to pledge their support for this once-in-a-generation opportunity.

If successful, the initiative will see the transformation of the current 1960s Once Brewed National Park centre into an iconic destination of international significance, and gateway to the stunning landscape of Northumberland and North East England.

Coming together at the awe inspiring Steel Rigg site in Northumberland, the project team were joined by explorer, Conrad Dickinson, and representatives from the community, to unveil their fundraising ‘totaliser’ which will become a feature of the current site as the campaign gathers pace.

Speaking about the project and its importance, Conrad said: “The Sill will become an emblematic location which will engage a wide selection of the population, encouraging them to explore the beauty of Northumberland National Park and transform how they engage with, experience and learn about landscapes and conservation. I particularly hope it stimulates young people to expand their horizons and engage in the wide variety of outdoor activities within the National Park. An opportunity like this only comes around once-in-a-generation and I support the project and its exciting ambitions 100%. It is really important that people get behind The Sill, to help raise the vital funds needed to make it a reality.”

National recognition of the significant investment potential of the concept came from a successful bid for funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), to develop plans for The Sill. HLF have funded the development phase of the project, and they have earmarked an additional £6M should match funding be achieved.

From Cornwall to Kenya The Director of a new £10M luxury hotel development in Kenya has specified Marley Eternit fibre cement slates to replicate the traditional slate roofs of the Cornish countryside where he was born.

Marley Eternit shipped 50,000 Garsdale fibre cement slates from the UK, whilst contractors Bracknell Roofing provided training and support, to the complex roof installation at the new Hemingways Hotel in Nairobi.

The roof itself was a challenging design featuring several valleys, a hipped end and a number of gables. The fibre cement slates were nailed to the battens and Bracknell Roofing sent one of its most experienced roofers to demonstrate correct fitting to the construction team on site, as well as providing supervision during the initial stages.

The new boutique hotel opened earlier this year and comprises 45 suites overlooking the beautiful Ngong Hills, close to the former coffee plantation where the true story ‘Out of Africa’ was based.

Charlotte Hughes, Campaign Manager from Marley Eternit, comments: “The fact our fibre cement slates have been used in Kenya to recreate Cornish roofscapes demonstrates their versatility as a roofing material. From luxury hotels to schools, hospitals and housing, fibre cement can be used to create the effect of a traditional slate roof anywhere in the world, in a more cost effective and sustainable way.”

Marley Eternit’s range of fibre cement slates can be used to create innovative and imaginative designs on roof pitches as low as 15 degrees. They also boast industry leading sustainability credentials, including a low carbon footprint and the ability to achieve the lowest environmental rating (A+) in the BRE Green Guide. Fibre cement also offers sustainability benefits throughout its whole life cycle, as it can be fully recycled at the end of its use. Waste fibre cement can be ground down and used to replace limestone and shale in clinker production, the essential ingredients for Portland cement.

Larkpoint joins Barchester & Cinnamon to deliver care home Work will start on site on a new, high specification care home in near Peterborough, which will be operated

by Barchester – one of the UK’s leading healthcare providers.

The care home will provide 60 en-suite bedrooms in a two-storey building. The accommodation will provide first class provision of residential and nursing care for older people including those with dementia.

The care home in Deeping St James is being built to Barchester’s high specification standards and will be complete in November 2014.

The scheme is being purchased by Cinnamon Care Capital, a UK healthcare investment fund specialising in senior care and senior living properties.

LarkPoint is a joint venture between Larkfleet Ltd and Charterpoint Developments Ltd. Charterpoint’s Giles Nursey said: “We are delighted to be working with Barchester Healthcare and Cinnamon Care Capital and look forward to starting the construction phase of what promises to be a ‘best

in class’ care home when complete.

“While this is our first development with Barchester and Cinnamon, it is clear from the extensive engagement to date that we possess a like minded approach to the delivery of high quality care accommodation.”

The care home will be constructed to a minimum BREEAM ‘excellent’ for energy and ‘very good’ for the remaining areas.

The design incorporates energy saving measures such as a combined heat and power unit for greater energy efficiency.

Kenneth Mackenzie, Development Director at Barchester Healthcare, said: “We are pleased to collaborate on this build with Cinnamon Care Capital and Larkpoint Ltd, which will meet Barchester’s exceptionally high standards. We are committed to providing person centred care and designing living spaces that are second to none for older people and those living with dementia. A home of this size will create about 100 jobs, giving the local economy a boost and is situated in a desirable part of Deeping St James.”

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A UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply is the key power protection component of any data centre or server room. UPSs are designed to provide back up and carry the load for short outages and fluctuation in the supply. These ‘intelligent batteries’ protect computers and critical servers, as well as a host of other electronic equipment, so it is vital that UPS systems are maintained to a high standard to ensure that they are effective when needed.

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With a network of expert engineers and sub contractors across the UK, RMD has developed a reputation for speed and efficiency, servicing many high profile clients including Amazon, Cairn Energy and the NHS. The company offers a wide range of maintenance and recovery packages including 24 hour cover, 365 days a year, and services such as full environmental checks, functional testing, battery health checks and advice for remedial work and improving system setups.

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UKC COMMENT

NHBC Pride in the Job Awards NHBC’s core purpose is to help raise the standard of new UK houses for the benefit of homeowners. This has underpinned NHBC’s work for over three quarters of century, and is achieved through various means – but, for over three decades, the lynchpin of that work has been the Pride in the Job Awards. Neil Jefferson, NHBC Business Development Director, discusses what makes the scheme so successful, and one of the hottest tickets in the industry.

NHBC has in recent weeks revealed the names of 42 exceptional site managers who have become the regional champions in the 33rd annual Pride in the Job Awards, which recognise the building of high quality UK homes across five builder-size categories. It is the only award scheme that is dedicated to recognising the role an individual site manager plays in delivering a successful project.

Site managers are pivotal to the success of any project, overseeing all aspects from start to finish, being uniquely placed to influence a build for the better. It’s all in a day’s work for them, dealing with employees, sub-contractors and suppliers, while making sure their sites run smoothly and safely. Better run sites are almost invariably also sites of better quality.

Pride in the Job accolades are highly prized in the industry, and are not easy to

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come by. Independently judged against stringent, comprehensive criteria based on NHBC’s Standards for new houses, all site managers working on NHBCregistered projects – around 13,000 of them – are automatically entered free of charge. These site managers are absolutely at the top of their game, building some of the best houses in the UK. Becoming a regional winner arguably puts the successful individuals within the top third of a percent of their profession.

We at NHBC believe Pride in the Job is one of the most important things we do. By recognising and rewarding site managers for exceptional work, we have introduced a competitive element to house-building which drives standards up year on year, as site managers strive to win. Each year, they raise the bar in their search for perfection and that exclusive Regional or Supreme Winner title.

It is easily evident as to just what a Pride in the Job Award, at any level, means to site managers. If you’ve ever attended a ceremony, the elation on winning is clear to see, as is the disappointment of those missing out.

That’s because a Pride in the Job Award is a definitive mark of success that can make careers – because the field of competition is so big, winners stand

out. Pride in the Job Awards are also by extension a recognition of the effort of the site teams, contractors and tradesmen involved, who all contribute to that particular individual’s achievement. There are big benefits at company level too, from the reputational boost and public relations opportunities a win brings with it.

Pride in the Job of course could not be successful without the many other facets of NHBC’s standards raising activity, such as our industry training, our research and innovation work, our customer satisfaction reporting and our in-depth analysis of claims data, from which we are able to identify key issues and develop specific campaigns to address them. It certainly wouldn’t be possible without our expert building inspectors and technical staff, who deliver thousands of hours of time on site each year advising builders.

Pride in the Job is an end product of all of that. It is the icing on the cake. Our regional champions now progress to the Supreme Gala final in London in January 2014, where the nation’s Supreme Winners will be announced – and you can bet your last pound that our site managers will be fighting hard to take the title home.

For more information, visit: www.nhbc.co.uk/prideinthejob.

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UKC COMMENT

Limitation and adjudication Section 5 of the Limitation Act 1980 provides that “an action founded on simple contract shall not be brought after the expiry of six years from the date on which the cause of action accrued”. In other words any claim has to be commenced within six years of the alleged breach of contract and this is referred to as the limitation period. There are other limitation periods for contracts under seal (12 years) and for latent or hidden defects (3 years from when the defect was discovered or ought to have been discovered). There is also a long stop limitation period (12 years).

Usually claims or disputes crystallise well within the limitation period and parties do not need to concern themselves with issues of limitation. However, sometimes time slips by and suddenly the limitation clock is not only ticking but about to strike midnight. In these circumstances the parties have little time to react and decide what to do.

Some contracts such as the NEC3 provide that the parties must refer the dispute to adjudication before that dispute can be referred to arbitration or litigation for final determination. The problem here is that the commencement of adjudication proceedings does not stop the limitation clock because it is only a temporary, albeit binding, resolution to the dispute.

By the time the adjudication process has been completed the limitation period may well have expired.

In the case of Jim Ennis Construction Ltd v Premier Asphalt Ltd [2009] Jim Ennis had to pay monies to its subcontractor Premier Asphalt pursuant to an adjudicator’s decision. Jim Ennis subsequently commenced court proceedings to recover those monies only for Premier Asphalt to argue that the limitation period had expired. The court held that the obligation

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to comply with the adjudicator’s decision gave rise to a new cause of action and the limitation period started to run again from that date and not the date of the original breach. Jim Ennis was therefore able to cover the overpaid monies outside the limitation period. The judge acknowledged that his decision would effectively mean that payment disputes could be referred to adjudication six years after non-payment and then litigated after another six years thus extending the limitation to 12 years.

However, more recently in the case of Aspect Contracts (Asbestos) Ltd v Higgins Construction Plc [2013] the court took a different view. Mr Justice Akenhead decided that the adjudicator’s decision did not reset the limitation clock. The court decided that the adjudicator’s decision did not change the parties underlying rights and expectations, i.e. that any dispute should be resolved within six years of the breach. The original cause of action does not disappear by reason of the adjudication process or decision and so the limitation period continued to run from the date of the original breach, not the date of the adjudicator’s decision.

Accordingly, a dissatisfied party cannot subsequently seek to arbitrate or litigate the dispute after the expiry of the limitation period; the adjudicator’s decision will be final and binding on the parties.

If adjudication proceedings are commenced close to the end of the limitation period then one way to ensure that the opportunity to have the dispute finally resolved by arbitration or litigation is to issue a Notice of Arbitration or a protective Claim Form before the period of limitation expires. The adjudication process can continue and the issue of a Notice of Arbitration or a Claim Form will stop the limitation clock from running.

Although there will be a cost associated with the issuing of a Claim Form or a Notice of Arbitration these costs should be relatively inexpensive. The issuing party may ultimately be satisfied with the adjudicator’s decision and can then discontinue those formal proceedings.

Commencing formal proceedings before the adjudicator has given a decision may fall foul of the procedural requirements of the NEC3 referred to above. However, on the basis of the decision in Aspect Contracts, it may be better to have to defend a procedural breach of contract rather than seek to override a substantive statutory provision relating to the Limitation Act 1980.

Michael Draper

COMMENT UKC

Construction contracts in disguise We reported recently on a case where a collateral warranty was held to be a construction contract to which the Construction Act applied, thus entitling the parties to refer disputes under the warranty to adjudication (Parkwood Leisure Ltd v Laing O’Rourke Wales and West Ltd). A similar position will often arise in the case of letters of intent.

When the subject of letters of intent comes up, the first question is usually ‘is a letter of intent a contract?’ The answer is that more often than not they do give rise to a contract, but it all depends on what the letter says and, possibly, the surrounding circumstances. It is perhaps surprising that parties are prepared to enter into contracts for very large projects in the form of a simple letter. Doing so has a number of consequences which should be considered before a letter of intent is issued.

First, if you do not intend the letter to create a contract you need to make that very clear. Such a letter is likely to be very brief because, if it is not intended to be contractually binding, there is not a great deal to say. If you do intend it to give rise to a contract a lot of thought is required.

First, have you agreed all the key points for the contract proper, if not a letter of intent is unlikely to be appropriate. Once the work starts, the balance of power in negotiations changes significantly.

Secondly, what will happen if agreement of the contract proper cannot be achieved.

You will face the unpalatable prospect of parting ways and starting again or risk completing the project with no more than a letter as your contract. It is not unknown for projects to continue through to completion under a series of letters of intent and that can have serious consequences.

See, for example, last year’s decision

in Ampleforth Abbey Trust v Turner and Townsend Project Management where a project was completed under letters of intent under which the employer could not recover liquidated damages for delay. He sued his project manager (successfully) for failing to do enough to ensure that the contract proper was entered into. It is essential that the letter of intent enables you to terminate the arrangement without having to show cause and that you are prepared to exercise that right if necessary.

Thirdly, the Construction Act will apply. That means that the regime of payment notices and pay less notices will be in play and either side may take disputes to adjudication.

Finally, consider all the issues and risks that a proper building contract deals with.

How will those issues be addressed and those risks be borne under the letter?

Letters of intent should be far less common than they are. They should only be used in exceptional cases. Too often they are used because there is pressure to start work and finalisation of the building contract has not been progressed quickly enough. When they are issued there is every expectation that the contract proper will be agreed and signed up in short order. As is often the case with good intentions, in many cases things do not turn out as planned.

There is every chance that issuing a letter of intent may avoid delay to starting on site but will bring with it a whole new set of problems that may be worse than a short delay to starting work. By far the best course is to make sure that contract negotiations are completed in good time.

Mark Clinton

Mark Clinton Thomas Eggar LLP

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COMMENT UKC

Labour Party ambitions for housing John Acres, Turley Associates Ed Miliband is to commit the Labour Party to building 200,000 new homes a year by 2020. He plans to reform a dysfunctional housing market and herald the building of new towns and garden cities – reminiscent of the ambitions (and indeed achievements) of the immediate post-war Labour Government.

In a keynote speech to the Labour Conference in Brighton, Ed Miliband proposed to set up a Commission led

by Sir Michael Lyons, the former Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council and previous BBC Trust Chairman. The Commission will recommend reforms in housing legislation, for example by using CPO powers to require owners to sell, so that local authorities can buy, grant consent and then deliver schemes on the ground. It could also give local councils a new ‘right to grow’ to prevent neighbouring councils from frustrating new development and may help to overcome the dilemma around Duty to Co-operate.

The plans may seem challenging, even aspirational. But the 200,000 per year dwelling target (by the end of the next electoral term) is still considerably lower than the current 240,000 per year growth in households. So although it will mean doubling the current building output, there will still be some catching up to do. Furthermore, the New Town and Garden Cities plans, although welcome, look very much like a re-launched Eco-towns programme pursued by the previous Labour Government.

More worrying is the initiative for local authorities to assemble and grant planning permission on land which the Labour Party says is being hoarded and is holding back

development. This looks suspiciously like a ‘land grab’ on private developers who may have sites which are stalled through problems of viability or stymied by planning conditions – which could delay rather than deliver new housing.

The gradual recovery in the housing market supported by new Coalition Government initiatives to stimulate growth in the first time buyer market, a relaxation on mortgage lending and a greater confidence in the economy is, so far, rather too biased towards London and the South-East.

Paradoxically, a more general stimulus in the market may not occur until the economic recovery gathers pace, and potential buyers detect a more general movement in the market – and that may mean modest house price inflation – which in turn will affect affordability.

Whilst demand is gradually returning, the biggest problem is housing supply.

Local authorities have been slow to bring forward and adopt local plans and a recent Turley Associates survey shows that the majority of planning authorities are falling well short of their five year housing land supply requirements. Unless councils can release sites and resist pressures from their electorate to turn down legitimate applications for sustainable development – either developers will have to fight for land through appeals or those badly needed homes just won’t get built.

It is good to see the Labour Party thinking positively about the need for more homes and considering where, when and how they might be achieved. But working positively with the development industry and creating relationships between the public and private sector is likely to be

more productive in achieving results.

Above all, bearing in mind the long lead-in time for new development, the housing sector needs sensible long term solutions which can deliver a mixture of housing of different types and tenures and doesn’t return us to the old trap of ‘boom and bust’.

John Acres

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UKC COMMENT

Can the South West be a pioneer for ECO homes?

Now that Bristol has been crowned European Green Capital for 2015, the city is perfectly placed to spearhead the delivery of energy efficiency measures to homes across the city - thanks to millions of pounds available right now from the major energy companies.

The Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) is a government energy efficiency scheme which has replaced the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target and the Community Energy Saving programme, and now operates alongside the Green Deal.

ECO places obligations on the six big domestic energy suppliers to deliver carbon savings by ‘retrofitting’ existing housing stock – in other words, adding new technologies to properties to make them more energy efficient.

The energy consumption of a property can be dramatically reduced by retrofitting, such as installing a more efficient boiler, loft insulation, double glazing and external wall insulation.

The energy companies have a budget of approximately £1.3Bn to fund improvements like these – and contractors are poised to deliver the work – so all that remains is to identify properties to start working on.

And with nearly 40,000 affordable homes, Bristol – especially now that it has been named the Green Capital – is ideally fixed to become a flagship city for the scheme.

In a bid to start the ball rolling, British Gas, Bristol City Council, Bristol City Mayor George Ferguson and a number of other interested parties including some city-based housing associations met at Bristol Docks in August (2013).

The meeting proved a very interesting and informative debate for all, with those attending enjoying the opportunity to speak freely about the complex issues involved.

The process is by no means straightforward. Properties will need to be retrofitted across all housing sectors, but starting with public sector homes means a high volume can be targeted quickly.

With the first milestone in a series of government deadlines fast approaching at March 2015, this is

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something the energy companies need to do sooner rather than later.

ECO is structured to ensure energy companies pay the majority of the costs as a grant, not a loan, which makes the scheme a prime opportunity for the cash-strapped public sector.

But the challenge to some degree lies in getting started – and it is here that local authorities and housing associations find themselves in unchartered waters.

Public sector bodies operate to very rigid procurement rules, needing to demonstrate best value, so even though these retrofitting measures are on offer largely for free, the procedure to accept them is complex.

The meeting at Bristol Docks sought to address this, airing these issues with a chance for representatives from Bristol City Council and Bristol Green Capital Partnership to talk freely about the complexities involved on their side.

Equally British Gas was able to make clear that it has the funding to invest in rolling out these measures now – and is keen to do so.

Contractors face different pressures as they will need time to begin identifying, employing and training people prior to the March 2015 deadline.

Whilst not simple, the solution is certainly achievable. Recent refurbishment works for Plymouth Community Homes in the North Prospect area of the city is a case in point.

In this case, the contractor has linked in with ECO, organising £1M of additional funding from an energy provider to pay for energy efficiency measures which it has installed at the same time as a series of traditional refurbishments.

Now in the second year of work, the project retrofits about 700 properties a year, and has created more than 300 jobs – 65 per cent going to local people.

Exactly the same could happen in Bristol – and on a much larger scale.

There are 28,000 properties belonging to Bristol City Council and 11,000 to housing associations that could be targeted immediately – in addition to the estimated 85,000 private homes – but this means the issues over procurement

need to be tackled head on, and quickly.

It is a tricky problem, but one that a host of organisations within the city are determined to solve - as was made clear at the meeting. And Bristol now has a great opportunity as the Green Capital to lead the way.

If the procurement processes can be adapted imaginatively and move with a sense of urgency, Bristol could be the trail blazer for the rest of the UK, showing cities – including London – how it can be done.

Bristol has a chance to become a great example of best practice for the ECO scheme, if everyone involved can work together to achieve this.

By Lex Cumber, Business Development Director for Mi-space (UK) Ltd, part of the Midas Group - www.midasgroup.co.uk

Lex Cumber

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UKC COMMENT

Building Information Modelling Without trust and transparent communication BIM projects will fail, says Edward Moore of ResoLex The Government is driving the BIM agenda hard and stipulating that all centrally procured projects must achieve BIM Level Two by 2016. It has, however, potentially underestimated the resistance it would encounter to collaborative working in an industry that has traditionally prided itself on its adversarial nature.

It may go against the grain of the construction industry, but the key to BIM is trust. Many believe that this can be achieved by creating the right project specific protocol to which all team members are legally bound. At its highest level, BIM protocol facilitates the pursuit of excellence right across the building process from design to operation. However it has to accept that communication is a big issue. This is even more evident with BIM projects as BIM is transparent. There is no hiding place - no concealing of late information and mistakes. Therefore, BIM project managers have to provide a method of project communication that makes people feel that they can share problems and be open and honest about mistakes.

This is the view of Charles Rich, principal of the Charles Rich Consultancy and former partner of a leading international architectural practice.

Edward Moore

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“Clear and effective communication is a key ingredient to a successful project and even more so in a BIM environment, where openness and transparency between all team members is essential.

The difficulty is that whilst we all hear the same words, each stakeholder can have a different understanding about what they mean, in both their own context and that of the project. What projects often need is a person, or organisation, which is able to ‘translate’ things into each stakeholders’ vocabulary.”

The question is what brings about integration for an industry where design, cost and construction are traditionally separate activities? Overwhelmingly, the answer is collaboration. For some time we have had partnering and, more recently, collaborative working for delivering projects. However, until the adoption of BIM, there was no protocol for modelling and repeating the ad hoc pockets of excellence on a regular basis.

An important factor when implementing BIM is the creation of the trust necessary for collaboration and access to the model by the project team. BIM, now understood as a method of working rather than just technology, succeeds or fails on its ability to communicate. The stated goals of BIM are enhanced project outcomes. The strategy for getting there is trust through collaborative working.

The main barrier to the all-important aligning of project goals across the team is the fear of transparent communication.

Frequently individual personal and individual corporate agendas and the project agenda are in conflict. Too often, this reticence to communication transparently results in focusing on dividing rewards rather than increasing the certainty of the overall team prize.

Whilst much effective work has gone into techniques for mitigating technical risks, there are less evidential advances in the area of mitigation of “soft” risks, those risks caused by poor relationships, adverse culture and non-aligned and conflicting agendas. These risks form the components of collaborative working. To mitigate these risks BIM, the management of intelligent information, needs the

best intelligent communication model it can get to support successful project outcomes for all the team members.

One method of achieving this is by horizon scanning service. After years of providing mediation services to projects after communication had broken down, we decided to approach the problem from a different angle. We have developed a tool called ResoLex; Avoiding Dispute, Avoiding Risk, or RADAR, to help our clients spot issues coming over the horizon long before they escalate into disputes.

As all feedback to RADAR is anonymised and the content analysed by a panel of industry experts it provides a concise and impartial report for the project team to focus on when meeting to discuss progress. Spotting issues very early in the process has led to cost and reputational savings for our clients.

There is a growing body of project professionals who see the shortfalls of traditional ways of information gathering and project reporting, particularly the use of workshops. Outcomes from workshops are subject to manipulation. Because of lack of anonymity and confidentiality, they often do not succeed in uncovering participants’ real concerns. The search is for a better way of communicating and obtaining project feedback that is confidential and gives anonymity to participants.

Project managers delivering BIM projects know that they need to engender trust and provide communication systems that give early warning of emerging risks so that action can be taken to resolve conflict and avoids disputes. They want to create the maximum project value by using BIM and ensuring that the BIM payback is realised to the full they need intelligent communication to support it. Perhaps then they will be able to sleep a little better at night!

Edward Moore is Chief Executive of ResoLex. He can be reached by email: edward.moore@resolex.com.

Visit www.resolex.com for further information.

Mike Rawlings of Saint-Gobain PAM UK discusses why specifiers should look well beyond initial purchase costs when specifying rainwater systems that can cope with the rigours of exposed and public areas When specifying rainwater and guttering systems for the exterior of buildings, it is very simple to base the purchasing decision purely on the initial cost of the components and installation.

However in areas where the system may be exposed to the public, or may be subject to other physical hazards, simply specifying based on initial purchase cost is not likely to deliver a long-lasting solution. As with almost anything, the old maxim that ‘you get only what you pay for’ invariably holds true and the cheaper systems on the market are invariably found to be the least robust.

Rainwater systems in public areas are almost invariably likely to come into physical contact from members of the public at some stage, whether accidentally or as a result of vandalism, meaning they must be able to withstand a certain level of impact and still perform their intended function.

Systems which sustain physical damage under relatively low impact will require immediate replacement if rainwater is not to end up where it is not wanted, with the costs of new materials and installation to say nothing of the inconvenience - all having to be considered. Regular impacts to pipes and their fittings have the potential over time to cause irreparable damage to weaker or less robust materials.

An excellent example of this is in sports clubs, where pipes on clubhouses or changing rooms may be situated close to pitches and so at the mercy of footballs, rugby balls or cricket balls struck with considerable force. And of course it is these organisations, who are so often having to watch every penny in order to keep going, that can least afford to make illinformed purchasing decisions which come back to haunt them within a few years.

A single impact on a rainwater pipe or gutter made from a weaker material could potentially mean that a considerable length of product has to be replaced,

eating up valuable cash. And of course, it is not out of the question that the same thing could happen the following year, month or even week at busy clubs where facilities are in constant use.

In these applications, systems made from materials designed for basic functionality at low cost, rather than strength, are clearly unlikely to stand the test of time.

The specification process should be about far more than just finding a system which will do the job for now – replacing a system within just a few years will create further cost, so finding a long-term solution should always form the core of the selection.

Generally the choice is between plastic and metal – either aluminium, steel and cast iron. Irrespective of where they are located, plastic systems typically only last 10 to 15 years before needing replacement, and this period can be drastically reduced if the system is subject to physical punishment.

Cast iron systems, however, typically have a service life in excess of 50 years and it is not uncommon to find them lasting 100 years or more, even in the most exposed areas. The proven strength and durability of cast iron means it can more than adequately resist even heavy impacts from sporting items and the majority of attempts at vandalism.

The long-term cost differential is illustrated through a simple cost comparison.

Including all products and the cost of labour to install the materials, a typical cast iron guttering and pipe configuration costs just over £1000 to install. The equivalent system in PVC-U amount to just under £300. On the face of it this looks a significant saving – if the plastic system will need replacement no more than three times during the cast iron system ‘s lifespan. However, given that the plastic system could require replacement on multiple occasions over that period, the long-term cost advantages of choosing cast iron from the outset become very apparent.

If further evidence were needed, it is worth noting that, on virtually all rainwater stacks in public areas in France and many other European countries, at least the first metre of the downpipe is almost always specified in cast iron because of its superior strength

COMMENT UKC

Tower of strength

Mike Rawlings

and impact resistance. A look around many town centres in the UK, where the lower parts of external plastic rainwater systems are frequently damaged or even missing, tells its own story. Meanwhile, there are many instances where a combination of plastic and cast iron have been used to create a system – almost invariably it is the plastic sections which collapse or split first.

Selecting cast iron for both rainwater and guttering will guarantee a longlasting, high-performing solution which looks good and required minimal maintenance over many decades.

The company was established in 1988 to supply high quality flooring and fitting services to the commercial sector in the North East of England.

The company quickly expanded, based on the quality of service and standards of customer care. Sian Flooring has always prided itself on its friendly and professional service and, above all, its commitment to the highest standards of craftsmanship.

Industrial and Commercial Flooring Specialists With over 40 years combined experience in commercial flooring, Sian Flooring offers the very best in professional services and product expertise. Offering the very highest standards in all aspects of flooring at extremely competitive rates.

Unit C20, Tromso Close, Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate, North Shields NE29 7XH

Tel: +44 (0)191 2728248 Fax: +44 (0)191 2575697 Email: info@sianflooring.com Web: www.sianflooring.com

The company has recently moved offices and is now based on the Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate, North Shields. The location is idealy situated to service the Newcastle, Gateshead, Northumberland, Middlesbrough and Teeside regions, however the company also operates on a regular basis across the UK. The company employs staff with experience and expertise in customer service, project management, technical expertise and an experienced fitting team.

Whatever the size or scope of project, Sian Flooring has all the necessary skill and expertise to meet the most demanding requirements.

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UKC COMMENT

Green Skills Alliance

Nigel Hollett from SummitSkills, part of the Green Skills Alliance (GSA), discusses the recent developments regarding the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and the work opportunities the scheme presents for contractors with the right skills and training...

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is the world’s first long-term financial support programme for renewable heat.

Since its launch in November 2011 to the non-domestic sector, it has enabled organisations in England, Scotland and Wales to earn money back on any heat they generate from renewable sources.

The benefits to the construction sector have been significant - latest quarterly statistics on take-up show that a total of 1,754 accredited installations have been carried out to 30 June 2013. For many contractors, the scheme has already created a valuable work stream. With the domestic equivalent set to be rolled out in spring 2014, contractors of all sizes should be looking to take advantage of the opportunities that may be created by the increased consumer interest that it plans to create. These include the installation of a range of technologies, such as: ••Biomass-only boilers and biomass pellet stoves with back boilers ••Ground and water source heat pumps ••Air-to-water heat pumps ••Flat plate and evacuated tube solar thermal panels

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But only businesses with the skills and qualifications to install technologies like biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps will be able to win RHI work. So what do they need to do?

The Government has set out that both domestic and non-domestic RHI installers must have Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation or equivalent certification.

Couple this with schemes such as the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) which are already underway, and the changes to Building Regulations Part L set for 2014, and the growth in low carbon work looks set to continue.

For those without low carbon skills and qualifications, the commercial incentive to upskill is all too clear and the Green Skills Alliance, a partnership between Asset Skills, ConstructionSkills and SummitSkills, is there to help.

Working together,

these organisations help businesses take advantage of the growing low carbon market by ensuring they have the skills and training needed to win work.

For information on training and qualifications available, as well as low carbon opportunities more broadly, information can also be found on the Cut the Carbon website (www.cutcarbon.info).

The Renewable Heat Incentive is indicative of a wider trend in the UK construction and built environment sector towards an increasingly low carbon future. This represents a significant opportunity for construction firms who have the right skills and training.

Those who don’t risk missing out.

Extensions. Conversions. Renovations.

Tel: 07761875081 email: info@ebuildjoinery.co.uk www.ebuildjoinery.co.uk

A David and Goliath tale You can't blame a man for trying or can you?

When Parliament introduced The Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 and its amendments thereto in The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, it did so in order to interfere with contracting parties’ rights to agree whatever terms they liked in relation to payment and the resolution of disputes under construction contracts. I suspect there would be very few people who would argue that this was a bad thing or that some form of reform was not needed.

At the risk of stating the obvious, when parties amend the adjudication terms in standard forms of contract or introduce onerous terms in their own forms, they do so in order to attempt to tip the commercial balance of that contract in their favour.

Attempting to make the Referring Party responsible for payment of the Adjudicator's fees regardless of the outcome of the reference and the introduction of trustee stakeholder accounts into which awards have to be paid, are just two examples of the sorts of tricks I have seen on countless occasions over the last 15 years. But we now know that such provisions will not be upheld by the Courts.

The latest example of a Contractor receiving a wrap on the knuckles from the Courts for attempting to thwart the will of Parliament can be found in Pioneer Cladding Ltd v John Graham Construction Ltd. Clause 21 of Graham's contract contained the following provisions: "(i) Should any dispute arise under this Sub-Contract, the same may be referred to an Adjudicator (to be agreed between the parties) or in default of agreement, in the manner hereinafter set out...

(v) In the event that the decision of the Adjudicator is the making of a monetary award ("Adjudicator's Award") in favour of the Sub-Contractor, the following provision shall apply:Graham shall place on deposit the amount of the Adjudicator's award with Northern Bank Limited in the joint names of the solicitors acting for Graham and solicitors acting for the Sub-Contractor within seven days from the date of receipt by Graham of the Adjudicator's decision."

Pioneer was successful in two adjudications brought by it against Graham but Graham refused to hand over the cash and the matter was referred to the Courts for enforcement.

The case was heard by His honour Mr Justice Coulson who, in relation to Graham's stakeholder provision, had this to say: "I am in no doubt that clause 21(v) is in breach of both the policy behind the 1996 Act and the Act itself. It is not in accordance with the Scheme for Construction Contracts introduced by the Act. Because it would deprive a claiming party of the money they had been awarded by the adjudicator, the clause is designed to discourage a party from exercising its right to take disputes to adjudication. In line with the decisions in Yuanda (UK) Limited v WW Gear Construction Limited [2010] PLR 435 and Sprunt Limited v London Borough of Camden [2012] BLR 83, such a clause is unlawful and cannot be enforced."

Although it is not as extreme as the provision in Yuanda, which made the referring party liable for the whole of the costs of the adjudication, it is still a provision which could discourage a claiming party from commencing adjudication and is therefore unlawful. For either of those reasons therefore, I do not consider that Graham can rely on that provision either."

So whilst you may be tempted to mess with the will of Parliament and tamper with a party's right to adjudicate, you are likely to end up in a David-and-Goliath-like battle with an outcome very unlike the version written in the Bible which ends with a win for David!

In other words, the Courts will simply not allow you to thwart the will of Parliament.

Peter Vinden is Managing Director of The Vinden Partnership. He can be contacted by email at pvinden@vinden.co.uk. For similar articles on construction, corporate protection and dispute resolution generally, visit www.vinden.co.uk

Similarly, when looking at Graham's contract in relation to the liability for payment of the Adjudicator's fees Mr Justice Coulson said:

(ii) The Adjudication should be carried out in accordance with the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 and the Model Adjudication Procedure ('MAP') published by the Construction Industry Council subject to the amendments set out in schedule 5 here to.

"The conventional view is that if one part of the contract offends against the 1996 Act and/or the Scheme, the adjudication provisions in the contract fail in their totality, and are to be replaced by the Scheme. If that view is adopted, then the provision at clause 21(iii), which would make Pioneer liable for the entirety of the adjudicator's fees, must also fail.

(iii) Notwithstanding clause 29 of MAP the Adjudicator's fees are to be borne by the Party which refers the dispute to adjudication‌

Even if that is wrong, and clause 21(iii) can survive, I consider that that clause too is contrary to the 1996 Act and the Scheme.

Regent House, Folds Point, Folds Road, Bolton BL1 2RZ t. 01204 362888 f. 01204 362808 tvp@vinden.co.uk www.vinden.co.uk

UKC PROFILE

Brick Market Ltd

Large range of bricks from all leading manufacturers Brick Market Ltd is an independent, family-run builders merchant that provides a full range of products to builders, developers, landscapers and home improvers in the south of Manchester area.

Operating from its premises in Woodford, Stockport, the Company started trading in 1999, from beginnings as a road transport company that delivered building materials for customers throughout the country.

The business has grown rapidly in the 14 years since, and can offer customers a free brick matching service and a reliable next day delivery service.

Headed up by Directors Harry Jenkins and Liz Green, services are aimed at small/ medium building contractors, landscapers and gardeners, and home improvers. Brick

Market specialise in providing materials for refurbishing older properties.

There are seven employees, one of which is office based, while there are two delivery drivers, two who work on shop and direct sales, and two on yard sales.

The Company provides on site training for materials handling equipment and off site training provided by the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) on a wide range of subjects. There have also been two apprentices trained at the Company with the help of the BMF. There have been a number of large projects recently undertaken by Brick Market.

These include extensions in Wilmslow, apartments in Bramhall, an extension in Cheadle Hulme for

GB Builders and extension and landscaping work in Woodford on behalf of Buildmarks.

Over the last two years, the Company has invited a plumbers’ merchant to share its new shop and warehouse, and has also opened a cafÊ to serve customers, staff and public. The stockyard area has been resurfaced and new storage racking installed.

The future is bright for Brick Market, who is consolidating after a major expansion, and continues to increase the range of materials stocked, which now includes renders.

Brick Market Ltd, Moor Lane, Woodford, Stockport, SK7 1PL

S.M.H Commercial ltd.

Private, Light and Commercial repairs

Jordeson Timber holds one of the UK's largest landed carcassing stocks, servicing merchants nationwide with mixed full and part loads.

53 Grange Avenue, Cheadle Hulme, SK8 6JP

Tel: 07917 044403

Landed stock includes: C24 KD PAR Swedish Carcassing C16 KD PAR Swedish CLS BS5534 and Type A Treated Tile Batten

Manufacturers of Construction

AN

GLE F R

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T

Fixings

E

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EE ZON

The tangle free tie company

Please visit our website for further details www.jordeson.co.uk For all enquiries: 01904 633351

PROFILE UKC

Eric Wright Construction Committed to meeting client expectations

The Eric Wright Group is an established leader within the building industry, offering a wide range of services from construction and civil engineering to property development and facilities management.

Eric Wright Construction is the founder division of the Group, which has grown steadily from 1979 to establish its unique reputation for quality, value and dedication to understanding and delivering the needs of each client.

The main operations are concentrated in the region of Lancashire and North West England, although the Company also works nationwide for partner-clients.

Eric Wright Construction is also proud to offer its extensive resources as one of the largest and most experienced construction contractor organisations in the North West.

The project teams apply their expertise to contracts ranging from £500,000 to £50M in value, across a spectrum of procurement routes, which include design and build, traditional method, partnering, public sector frameworks and PFI procurement.

One of the projects that the Company has finished is Baron Road Primary School in Blackpool. The works included construction of the school, encompassing all internal and external works.

It is all part of the BREEAM accreditation scheme and the school has been designed with sustainability in mind.

The school will cater for up to 42 pupils and 60 staff, and has added 27 car parking spaces and 28 cycle parking spaces.

Following the first enrolment, classrooms will be filled on a year-byyear basis, meaning the school will not reach full capacity until 2020.

It was funded through a combination of government and council funding, and Eric Wright Construction completed work in time for the new school year in September.

Also within the education sector, the Company has commenced construction on a brand new £12.25M state-of-the-art engineering building at Lancaster University.

The decision to invest and build the

MIRFIN INDUSTRIAL CLEANING SERVICES LTD

Specialist Brick Cleaning Contractors to the Construction Industry.

new high profile centre of excellence is set against a backdrop of a thriving global engineering industry.

The university’s long established engineering department has grown substantially in recent years and the original facilities were unable to support any long-term expansion.

The new development will provide additional areas for future growth and recent new specialisms such as nuclear, energy and chemical engineering.

It will provide a world-class environment with specially designed workshops, teaching laboratories and office areas.

The two-winged development with central atrium will house mechanical workshops and laboratories on the ground floor, electronics and chemical engineering on the first floor, with levels three and four providing academic office space, study areas and meeting zones.

The new centre will be open for business by December 2014.

DESIGN, MANUFACTURE AND INSTALLATION OF SHEET METAL AND FABRICATED PRODUCTS

Unit 2, Waterloo Court, Waterloo Road, Stalybridge, Cheshire SK15 2AU Tel: 0161 303 2579 Fax: 0161 304 7713 Email: MirfinLtd@aol.com

P.O. Box 24, Darwen, Lancashire BB3 3EQ Tel: (01254) 776612 Fax: (01254) 776955 Email: enquiries@cooper-rigg.com Web: www.cooper-rigg.com

L & W Wilson, in Cumbria, are specialists in: aggregate supplies, civil engineering, demolition, excavation, waste disposal, plant and vehicle hire and, more recently, crushing and recycling.

Civil Engineering ● Demolition ● Excavation ● Waste Disposal Plant & Vehicle Hire ● Crushing & Recycling Aggregate Supplies ● Tipping Facilities

You can use us as a ‘one stop shop’ as we have all our own resources: labour, plant and materials. This helps us control costs on your behalf (unlike many of our competitors). L & W Wilson can also help you with any individual part of your project and will work with any other sub-contractors working on your project to form a cohesive and effective team.

Gatebeck Rd, Endmoor, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 0HL

Take advantage of our knowledge and professionalism. On-site experts will provide you with a comprehensive service, from initial advice through to completed project.

Tel: 015395 67601 Fax: 015395 67243 Email: office@landwwilson.co.uk

For a company who can provide virtually any type of construction service for your project, speak to L & W Wilson. We will do our best to help.

Fully Health & Safety compliant

33

UKC RETAIL

Sturdee Road, Leicester New retail units transforming the site

UKC PROFILE

Work is close to completion to transform the centre of an estate in Leicester.

The £800,000 project will see the redevelopment of the Invincible pub and the Exchange shopping precinct in Eyres Monsell.

Located on Sturdee Road, work is being undertaken on behalf of MF Strawson and will provide six retail units.

This comprises an anchor tenant, which is Co-op, who has a 5,000sq ft unit, and then attached to that will be five individual retail units, all at 1,000sq ft each.

The former pub on site was demolished three years ago to make way for the single-storey units that will all be terraced next to each other.

Designed by Siddle Grimley Hage, the units will be steel structures with brickwork external walls, and sloping was incorporated into the design to allow it to make maximum use of the contours. Roofs will be pitched, with metal insulated roof cladding, and windows will be double glazed on shop fronts.

Throughout the project, there has been a commitment to use renewable energy

sources as heating so that means air landscaping at the front, and approximately source heat pumps heat all the units, which 25 car parking spaces will be available. will improve efficiency, and lower CO2.

The Main Contractor is Maher In addition, the surface water run-off in Millard Construction. Work started the site has been reduced by 20%, which in April 2013 and will be completed is something the Environment Agency is at the end of October, with opening keen to do so attenuation has been added, scheduled for late November. which holds back the surface water on site and discharges it into the sewerage systems at a lower rate.

All units will have fully disabled access and some will have security shutters, while all will have security doors to the rear.

With our highly trained and dedicated staff, backed by the latest in CAD technology and traditional workshop practices, we can oversee all Both hard and soft structural elements of a contract from design, layout drawings, fabrication landscaping will details, material requisition, through to fabrication and erection. be incorporated. A concrete service Freeman Mills Partnership Ltd yard is being Unit 7, Stonebroom Industrial Estate, Stonebroom, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 6LQ created at the Tel: 01773 590 145 Fax: 01773 875 675 rear and a small Email: postmaster@fmp-ltd.com www.fmp-ltd.com degree of soft

Kier North Tyneside Celebrating four successful years A partnership established between Kier and North Tyneside Council to improve the area’s council housing celebrated its fourth anniversary last month with impressive results.

Kier North Tyneside was established in September 2009 to improve the repairs and maintenance service provided to more than 16,000 local social housing properties and 380 other public buildings such as libraries, schools and leisure centres.

Valued at £600M over a ten year period, it is one of the largest partnering contracts awarded in the UK to date.

As well as providing a high quality service to the Council’s customers, Kier is making a difference for residents, schools and the local community through employment and apprenticeship opportunities, and various community support initiatives.

Since its inception in 2009, Kier North Tyneside has carried out approximately 218 repairs per day to local homes, which is a total of 229,548 repairs, 49,428 of which were emergencies.

Nearly 5,000 homes have been fitted with new doors and more than 30,000 new windows, while 3,300 homes

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have received new bathrooms as partnership launched, Kier North Tyneside part of the Decent Homes project, has seen nearly 120 apprentices train improving the living standards of with the team and this commitment council residents in the borough. was recognised when it was named Kier North Tyneside is working to improve Large Employer of the Year by the customer service, including working to National Apprenticeship Service achieve faster response times to repairs at its recent award ceremony. and other enquiries. Since last year, average call wait times have improved by almost one third.

The joint venture employs 400 staff and recognises the importance of supporting the local community with more than 60% of staff coming from the local area.

COMMERCIAL WATERPROOFING SOLUTIONS This year saw Kier appoint nine Telephone: 0191 228 6057 new apprentices to complete their Fax: 0191 262 9234 training in local Unit 1E, Buddle Industrial Estate, Benton Way, Wallsend, NE28 6DL colleges and on Email: info@holme-asphalt.co.uk site alongside www.holme-asphalt.co.uk dedicated mentors.

Since the

HOLME ASPHALT LIMITED

EDUCATION UKC

Skinners Academy Learning facility in Kent

Pupils and staff at Skinners’ Kent Academy in Tunbridge Wells moved into their new £21M home back in April and are now settled in for the new school year.

Boasting seven science laboratories, a 3D lecture theatre, room for 1,150 students and even its own radio studio, the state-of-the-art Blackhurst Lane facility towers over where the old buildings were located before being demolished.

Funded by Government money, the design for the new school, which will admit 180 children a year, is inspired by the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Equipped with a drama studio and more than £1M worth of IT equipment, youngsters have been adjusting to life in the 10,000sq m building and its circular design.

An all weather pitch, gym and outside tennis and netball courts are all available for the local community as well as students.

Not everything inside the building is entirely new, a piano in the canteen as students eat lunch has survived the move, while equipment and furniture from the old school is being reused or given away to charities and primary schools.

The Skinners’ Voluntary Aided Grammar School, in partnership with co-sponsors K College and Kent County Council, used their considerable skills to establish the Academy that will be at the heart of its local community, offering a hub for family and lifelong learning and a centre for the delivery of a wide range

of essential services for families and local residents, within the context of Children’s Trust arrangements in Kent.

The Academy continues to build social capital and bring about a culture change that will raise aspirations within the community and provide educational, social and economic benefits for all.

The Academy is founded on the following key features: ••A culture of high standards and high aspirations.

••It is an exciting place of learning, offering an outstanding education tailored to meet individual needs.

A spirit of entrepreneurship is encouraged, in order that students gain an understanding of the benefits that business and social enterprise activities can offer to themselves and the local and wider community.

••A culture of active participation.

••Good citizenship and community engagement are encouraged, recognised and celebrated. Students develop confidence in their problem solving abilities. They also develop a sense of initiative, leadership skills and the determination to see ideas through to completion. The Academy encourages students to take risks, accept failures and try different approaches in order to help prepare them for a rapidly changing world and meet the expectations required for work in the 21st century.

••An emotionally rich learning environment.

••The foundations of a happy and fulfilled life is developed and nurtured by strong supportive relationships between students, staff and peers.

Students are balanced, articulate people who have a strong sense of self-worth and compassion for others.

••An inclusive environment where every child is known and every learner supported All who study, work or visit the Academy feel safe, welcome and valued, irrespective of ability, belief, gender or ethnicity. All students and their families have a sense of worth, identity, aspiration and belonging.

Building work at the site started in summer 2011 and final touches, including landscaping and rendering, delayed by poor weather, were completed during the summer. In that time, the disused classrooms were also demolished.

The landscape setting is inspiring but challenging because it was protected by planning designations including Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, pronounced changes in ground levels and many important mature trees. Despite this, everybody involved in the development worked diligently to ensure construction was completed without any problems.

The Main Contractor for the project was Willmott Dixon and the Architect was Studio E.

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UKC COMMERCIAL

Barrow and Cotham Street

Two apartment conversions by TJ Thomas Estates Group The conversion of a former court building and offices has resulted in two separate housing developments in St Helens.

Formerly the home of St Helens County Court, the building on Cotham Street now comprises a mixture of one- and twobedroom apartments and the offices on Barrow Street now features a combination of one- and two-bedroom apartments.

In total, there are 36 new dwellings and 14 parking spaces, all located in upper floors above shops that line both Barrow Street and Cotham Street.

These two sites were bought by TJ Thomas Estates Group, which is an established and active developer that has been for many years, holding a substantial portfolio of property in the north west of England.

The Group invests and holds properties in all sectors including hotels, industrial properties, office accommodation, licensed premises, student accommodation, executive apartments and general housing.

Development and construction work is undertaken in all sectors. Based on Wavertree Road in Liverpool, this family owned business is progressive and continues to acquire and develop quality properties both to let and for sale.

TJ Thomas Estates Group bought the Barrow Street property when it was a parade of shops with the vacant office above. Planning permission was subsequently sought and granted to convert the upper floors into 15 apartments that are being offered for rent.

It was an ideal opportunity for the Group, which has undertaken many mixed developments of residential above retail and therefore fitting with the ethos of the Group.

The two shops that were vacant in the retail part have been let out and the offices have been vacant for a couple of years before the work started. They were in need of considerable refurbishment in order to meet current standards.

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Comprising three-storeys, the Barrow concrete frame construction, flat roofed with Street project has a steel frame with a masonry external walls to the gable and rear. flat roof and included an internal strip The façade to Cotham Street contains out to make way for the apartments. a substantial area of lightweight curtain Some of the windows were opened up walling containing glazing and coloured infill to make Juliet balconies and enhance panels. The retail area at ground floor level the accommodation. There are 13 runs continuously below a canopy roof. two-bedroom and two one-bedroom The exterior of the five-storey Rexmore apartments in the Barrow Street scheme.

House required a significant facelift Like the Cotham Street project, due to the cladding breaking down and the Main Contractor on the leaking. Many of the panels have been Barrow Street development was replaced but in differing colours as TJ Thomas Estates Group. authentic replacements no longer exist.

The biggest challenge during development The overall appearance was slab sided with came due to the logistics of working in little interest by virtue of detailing, materials a town centre, which made it difficult to or articulation. Consequently its impact on coordinate deliveries, scaffolds and waste Cotham Street was a negative one, which removal from the site. Everything had to has also led to the exterior being changed. be delivered very early in the morning Contrasting materials and textures of prior to the town centre waking up. render and terracotta blocks were used Designed by Larrosa Marshall and with detailed balustrades and balconettes.

Associates, work on the £400,000 scheme A wet cast coping was also incorporated started in April 2013 and has just completed. to more firmly define the roofline.

TJ Thomas Estates Group has only just With this project also completed, it has started letting the apartments out but the given TJ Thomas Estates Group two reaction has been very positive and they high quality residential developments. have been very well received.

Currently, one third of the apartments have been filled and there has been a lot of further interest as well as positive feedback from those living in the apartments. ● Residential and Commercial skips Rexmore House ● 2yrd skips to 40yrd roll on roll off skips in Cotham Street is a prominent building occupying Abbotsfield Road, Reginald Road Industrial Estate, St Helens WA9 4HU the corner plot Tel: 01744 808924 Mobile: 07714 646465 at the junction of Email: info@sthelensskiphire.co.uk Cotham Street and www.sthelensskiphire.co.uk Claughton Street.

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UKC CIVIL

Yorkshire Water

Working successfully with Balfour Beatty Yorkshire Water continues to work alongside Balfour Beatty in a fruitful and successful partnership that is improving services in the area all the time.

Balfour Beatty returned to Pogmoor Road in Barnsley last month to complete the renewal of the water main.

This is part of Yorkshire Water’s £7M investment in the pipe network throughout Barnsley to maintain high standards of drinking water, and prevent discolouration of the water supply.

Temporary traffic lights were used on Pogmoor Road for six weeks from 7th October so the water main could be renewed safely.

From Sunday 27th October, a one-way traffic restriction was in place on Pogmoor Road, between the junctions of Summer Lane and Gawber Road, for a week.

Project Manager Mike Tunnicliffe explained in September: “This work will enable us to keep the water pipes clean and ensure the highest quality water supply for our customers.

“We would like to thank local residents for their patience and understanding while we complete our programme of work in Barnsley.”

Yorkshire Water manages the collection, treatment and distribution of water in Yorkshire, supplying around 1.24Bn litres of drinking water each day.

Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions was awarded the AMP5 Water Networks contract (south area) with work commencing in April 2010 for an initial five-year period.

The £70M contract includes the detailed investigation, feasibility, design, management and construction of potable water mains rehabilitation works throughout South and West Yorkshire.

The contract is part of Yorkshire Water’s £1.9Bn investment programme in the region to address water quality and discolouration, while securing the supply and reducing the risk of bursts.

Much of the region’s water network was laid in the early 20th century and natural

38

deposits have formed within the pipes, in some cases leading to discolouration.

Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions is working with Yorkshire Water to upgrade the network by replacing the mains that have come to the end of their life, and finding innovative ways to clean or reline others.

These have included a specialist pipe ‘cleaning brush’, purpose built by Balfour Beatty’s own Innovation Team and the winner of several industry innovation awards, as well as high-pressure pipe cleaning jets used to clear the concrete slumps that can form in pipes over time.

Having worked with Yorkshire Water since 1994, the water networks contract provides an opportunity to build on the existing strong relationship between the two companies and Yorkshire Water’s other service partners.

This includes the co-location of teams into a single building in Leeds, creating

an integrated capital delivery team that has allowed a more collaborative approach to develop across innovation, safety and customer service.

This summer saw Balfour Beatty announce a five-year extension to the water networks contract, which is expected to be worth around £70M. It extends Balfour Beatty’s work with Yorkshire Water into the AMP6 regulatory period, which runs from 2015 to 2020.

Balfour Beatty Chief Executive Andrew McNaughton, said: “We are delighted that our long relationship with Yorkshire Water will continue into the next AMP cycle.

“This is an important time for our clients in the water sector as they face more challenging regulatory requirements, and we are committed to supporting their objectives through continued investment in new technology and the delivery of exceptional service.”

PROFILE UKC

Huws Gray The perfect one-stop builders merchant Since being established in 1990, Huws Gray has built up its timber, plumbing and building supplies business from being a one-branch outlet to become North Wales and the North West’s largest independent builders merchants.

With turnover doubling every five years, the Company has been carefully developed, primarily through acquisition, and the branch network now ranges from Tywyn on the mid-Wales coast to Bolton in the North West.

Operating from an ever-growing number of locations, Huws Gray has opened a branch in Rhuddlan and acquired Ainscough Building Supplies in Wrightington, which for the first time will retain the original company name.

Barely 15 months after arriving in Llanidloes, Huws Gray was on the move again. The July move to an adjacent site may only have been a small step in terms of distance but is a huge one in terms of development.

The branch has doubled in size, with improvement in layout and increase in stock-holding, which has helped to make Huws Gray the true one-stop shop for all

building requirements in Montgomeryshire.

In addition, July saw the Company’s Wrexham branch in Rhostyllen refurbished to provide a brand new showroom displaying a range of products including bathrooms, tiles, flooring, doors, bricks and multi-fuel stoves.

Huws Gray acquired its first site in Derbyshire in August as well as increasing its Denbighshire presence.

This gives the Company 42 trading locations and further establishes Huws Gray as the largest builders merchant in Wales and North West England.

Terry Owen, Managing Director, spoke of his delight at the new acquisitions.

He said: “After bringing seven new branches into the

fold in the first seven months of 2012, we have been busy in 2013 with the renovation of our Wrexham branch and relocation to a much larger site in Llanidloes.

“However, we are extremely delighted to hit the acquisition trail again this summer and are confident that we will be in a position to make further announcements shortly.”

Established in 1971, Hobson & Porter is a family owned contractor based in Hull with a turnover of £25M. The Company is committed to growing the business while maintaining an excellent record of customer satisfaction that currently sits approximately 90%.

Hobson & Porter is ISO 9001 and 14001 quality assured and has projects ranging from small scale refurbishments to £20M new builds.

There is a major works and minor works division and the Company employs skilled operatives and apprentices, and is enjoying financially stability.

At Hobson & Porter customer satisfaction is a number one priority, and the Company believes that by retaining its valued customers, productive relationships are developed, as is a better understanding of customers’ needs.

The Company is currently working on a new 16,000sq ft health and social care development in Market Weighton, Yorkshire.

The state-of-the-art centre will include a minor surgery suite, training rooms, and specialist clinics for conditions such as asthma, COPD and diabetes with space for community services and visiting consultants.

It will replace the existing premises of Dr Webster & Partners and provide both a pharmacy and space for community services.

Dr Clive Henderson, lead GP at Dr Webster & Partners, said: “We are very pleased that construction has begun on our new programme, the scheme will address a premises. As our patient list continues number of maintenance requirements, to grow and expectations on medical improve the popular venue’s energy practitioners change we need more efficiency and bring a number of local facilities to develop our healthcare, and services under one roof, including Anlaby the new premises will help us to deliver Library and the customer service centre. a wider range of services in a more comfortable and safer environment.”

Another McCoy Engineering (Hull) Ltd development in Yorkshire that We provide a broad and comprehensive range of engineering based services including: the Company is • Structural Steel Design, Fabrication and Erection working on is the • General site fabrication work such as platforms, staircases, ladders, bridges, refurbishment tanks and much more and extension We offer a wide range of site services: of Haltemprice • Factory layout design • Plant and machinery installation • Machinery relocation • Site welding...to name but a few.

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PROFILE UKC

Hobson & Porter

39

UKC CIVIL

London Underground

Celebrating 150 years

On 9th January 1863, the world’s first underground train pulled out of Paddington station to make its 3.5 mile maiden journey to Farringdon.

This previous January marked the 150th anniversary since that first Tube journey took place, and a huge range of activities will be held this year to explore London Underground’s fascinating history and the vital role it continues to play – both in the lives of Londoners and to the economic life of London and the UK. The Tube has always played an important role in the success of London – from growth of the early network, which led to the expansion of the suburbs in the last century, to the development of Canary Wharf’s financial powerhouse

40

in the 1980s, and on to today’s system that successfully moved record numbers of people during the Queen’s Jubilee and London 2012 Games.

Over the next 20 years, London’s population is expected to grow by well over a million people, underlining the crucial importance of continuing to improve and upgrade the Tube network.

A massive Tube upgrade programme, one of the largest and most complex engineering projects in the world, is now delivering huge tangible benefits for passengers. Journeys on the Jubilee and Victoria lines have been improved through massively boosted capacity and faster journeys.

Stations like King’s Cross, Green park

and Blackfriars have been rebuilt. A fleet of new air-conditioned trains has been introduced on the Metropolitan line, and over the next few years will be introduced to some two fifths of the Tube network.

Reliability on the Tube is now 40% improved on 2007/08 levels and this is the best in the network’s history.

Further improvements to come this year include higher frequency services on the Victoria and Central lines.

By the end of next year, the Northern line will be completed, with higher frequency services and shortly afterwards key stations in central London such as Victoria and Tottenham Court Road will have been rebuilt. continued page 44 >

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The number of step-free stations is being expanded, alongside the use of ramps, platform humps and other accessibility improvements, an extension to the Northern line to Battersea is being planned, and Crossrail will be delivered – transforming travel across London.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “The arrival of the Tube was truly revolutionary and today it is still admired around the world. It annihilates distance, liquidates traffic and is the throbbing cardiovascular system of the greatest city on earth.

“Our massive upgrade programme builds on the engineering ingenuity of our Victorian forefathers and through new signalling, trains and track, millions of Londoners and visitors will continue to benefit from what is arguably the best and most iconic, underground transport system in the world.”

Mike Brown, Managing Director of London Underground, said: “As we mark the 150th anniversary of the world’s first underground railway we are also building for the future – transforming stations

44

and replacing trains, signals and track.

“Our passengers are already seeing the benefits, with more frequent and reliable services on the Jubilee and Victoria lines among many other improvements.

“This year will see even more – with a greater frequency of services on the Central and Victoria lines and more of the new air-conditioned trains, which will soon serve 40% of the Tube network.

“It is this sustained investment that will enable us to create a network able to support London’s growing population and maintain our city’s vital role in the UK economy for the next 150 years.”

As part of the events to mark the enduring role of London Underground, the first Tube passenger journey was recreated on Sunday 13th January, with a series of specially restored trains including the Metropolitan Steam Locomotive No 1 and the Metropolitan Railway Jubilee Carriage No 353 – the oldest operational underground carriage in existence, which was restored with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

A series of additional heritage rail trips,

including use of steam trains will be available, which will enable many members of the public to experience the Tube’s rich heritage, and a comprehensive new history of the Tube underground, How the Tube shaped London, co-authored

by Sam Mullins, Director of the London Transport System, has been published.

There will be new two pound coins issued by the Royal Mint that will go into circulation this year to celebrate the anniversary, and from February, Poster Art 150: London’s greatest designs, will be unveiled at London Transport Museum.

This exhibition will focus on the iconic poster art that has been a feature of London Underground for much of its history.

One of Britain’s great transport stories is the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), which carries more than 80 million passengers a year with consistently high levels of reliability and passenger satisfaction.

Since opening in 1987, it has extended to Bank, Beckton, Lewisham, London City Airport, Woolwich Arsenal, continued page 48 >

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Ensuring public safety Slips, trips and falls make up a significant proportion of all accidents. The reasons for these are many and varied, and can be difficult to eliminate, particularly in public areas.

However, implementing some basic floor safety management procedures can help to minimise risks.

One of the most safety critical aspects that need to be considered is how a flooring product performs with respect to slip resistance.

The type of flooring material (such as concrete, resin, ceramic, steel, wood, glass, rubber and vinyl) affects the achievable level of slip resistance. The surface roughness of the flooring has a significant influence on slip resistance, particularly under contaminated conditions.

Clean, dry floors are rarely a cause of concern. The majority of slip accidents occur on wet or contaminated surfaces. Therefore, housekeeping is often a major factor, along with the type and surface roughness of the underfoot flooring. Smooth surfaces have particularly low roughness and, consequently, can be very slippery when wet.

Rough surfaces may become smooth with age and wear or through layers of polish or other contaminants applied to the surface.

slider attached to the foot of the pendulum (figure 2). The device is designed for assessing hard, smooth surfaces under wet and dry conditions. The results obtained are given as ‘pendulum test values’ (PTV) which can be compared to the guidelines given in the UK Slip Resistance Group Guidelines (Issue 4 September 2011) – see table 1.

Micro-roughness measurements can be useful in quickly identifying differences in laid flooring’s wet slip resistance performances.

Micro-roughness should be used in conjunction with Pendulum test values wherever possible and ideally not be taken in isolation.

Like the PTV, a surface’s roughness value can be compared to the guidelines given in the UK Slip Resistance Group Guidelines (Issue 4 September 2011) – see table 2.

Although slip is an important factor when considering any flooring, it is not the only aspect that must be addressed. European standards for floorings also include requirements for physical and mechanical properties, chemical innocuousness and fire resistance.

BS 7976-2:2002+A1:2013 - Pendulum testers - Method of operation uses a machine which operates with a swinging pendulum (figure 1) and indicates the friction between the floor surface and a rubber

Flooring products supplied into Europe also need to conform to the requirements of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) and be CE marked. This may oblige manufacturers to use the services of a European Notified Body for testing and certification.

SATRA has considerable experience in this field – testing and certifying products through laboratory testing, on-site evaluation and factory audits. In addition, SATRA carries out slip testing in its laboratories in the UK and China as well as providing European customers with an on-site slip evaluation service using the pendulum. Please visit www.dontslipup.com

Table 1: Slip potential classification, based on pendulum test values (PTV)

Table 2: Slip potential classification, based on surface roughness measurements (Rz)

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0-24

High slip potential

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25-35

Moderate slip potential

10 - 20 µm

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36+

Low slip potential

20 + µm

Laboratory based testing includes methods based on the determination of coefficients of friction using slip rigs, the ramp method, and the pendulum.

However, if testing at the site where the flooring has been installed is required, the methods available are more limited. One of the most popular methods for on site assessment is that of the pendulum.

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and Stratford International.

DLR Ltd owns the railway’s assets apart from the Lewisham extension.

Part of Transport for London, its role is to oversee the operation of the railway and plan development that meets the needs of east and south east London.

DLR Ltd works with franchise operator Serco Docklands, a concessionaire responsible for building and maintaining the Lewisham extension and contractors for maintaining the Woolwich Arsenal, London City Airport and Stratford International network. Their aim is to deliver a safe, reliable and cost effective service for east and south east London residents, commuters and visitors.

During the Olympic Games, the DLR carried over seven million passengers – an increase of over 100% compared to the same period last year – and ran services with an average of 99% of trains running on time.

This was only possible after a programme of investment since 2007 ranging from new line extensions and additional rail cars to crucial projects including lift upgrades and improvements to real-time passenger information.

The DLR’s £850M project – ‘INVESTING IN…a better railway’ – has been the biggest package of work and is now complete. It is thanks to this and other behind the scenes work that the railway now has 45 stations, 40km of track and 149 rail cars and expects to carry an estimated 100M passengers by 2015.

The long-term benefits of investment in the

48

DLR for 2012 will be felt for years to come.

These improvements include 55 new rail cars providing increased capacity, which also provided more comfort during and after the Games, three car trains, extended platforms and upgraded stations that allowed the DLR to handle more passengers than previously, the new station at Woolwich Arsenal that provided access to the Royal Artillery Barracks for London 2012, which created a new river crossing and interchange with the national rail network.

Additional new stations like Langdon Park and Smith Quay help more passengers make the most of the improved DLR, and a new staircase and improved platform and concourse at Shadwell has increased comfort for passengers.

There is also an additional entrance at Bank, speeding up connections and improving platform crowding, two new escalators for Custom House for ExCeL that delivers a better, faster experience and more frequent services, a second entrance at Royal Victoria reduces passenger congestion and shortens the walk from the new Emirates Airline, and increased platform space at Canning Town helped to reduce overcrowding during the Olympics.

New stations and extensions, station enhancements, additional trains and improved passenger information have left a lasting legacy for everyone to enjoy now and into the future.

At the end of January, HRH Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall joined passengers to travel by Tube as part of

a visit to mark the 150th anniversary of London Underground and celebrate the important role that engineering and infrastructure plays in the UK. The visit celebrated the importance of engineering and transport infrastructure projects in London.

Their Royal Highnesses visited Farringdon station, which was part of the original underground network built in 1863, and can be seen as the “birthplace of the Tube”, before taking in some of the other important infrastructure projects in the capital.

Farringdon is currently being transformed in preparation for the arrival of Crossrail - the new east-west rail link - in 2018.

New ticket halls, lifts and other facilities have already been added, and now work is underway to prepare for the arrival of the Crossrail tunnels being dug from Royal Oak in the west and Limmo Peninsula near Canning Town in the east, with new shafts sunk to enable two new ticket halls to be constructed for Crossrail at Farringdon and Barbican. Farringdon station will become a major hub - one of the busiest rail stations in Britain.

It will be the only station to be served

by London Underground, Crossrail and Thameslink services and will enable passengers to travel in any direction around London and beyond.

Their Royal highnesses were given a brief overview of the history of London Underground and then visited the Crossrail site. continued page 50 >

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They met some of the apprentices and other young people engaged in building Crossrail and in upgrading and running the Tube network, before meeting London Underground staff and taking a ride with them between Farringdon and King’s Cross St. Pancras, part of the original 1863 route.

The journey enabled them to try out one of London Underground’s new S-Stock trains, which are being introduced to 40 per cent of the Tube network.

The spacious, walk-through, airconditioned trains are built at the Bombardier facility in Derby, which The Prince of Wales also recently visited.

At Network Rail’s King’s Cross station, The Prince and The Duchess were welcomed onto the construction site of London’s newest open space, King’s Cross Square, due to open in autumn 2013.

They saw the final pieces of the much unloved green canopy being torn down to reveal for the first time in over 150

50

years the magnificent Grade I listed Victorian station façade - a structure designed by Lewis Cubitt, the brother of Thomas Cubitt who is an ancestor of The Duchess of Cornwall.

After a walk down the newly restored train shed, they visited the spacious new western concourse.

Opened in March 2012, it is the largest single-span structure in Europe and features iconic design by John McAslan.

They also visited one of the most popular parts of the station made famous by Harry Potter, Platform 9 ¾, and took a look into the Parcel Yard public house, the largest pub on the railway network.

Mike Brown, Managing Director of London Underground & London Rail, said: “It was an honour to have The Prince and The Duchess visit us today and help us mark the 150th anniversary of London Underground and the enduring importance that the network has to

London and to the UK economy.

“As we mark the anniversary we are also building for the future - transforming stations and replacing trains, signals and track. Our passengers are already seeing the benefits, with more frequent and reliable services on the Jubilee and Victoria lines among many other improvements.

“This year will see even more - with Their Royal Highnesses today having experienced one of the new airconditioned trains, which will soon serve 40% of the Tube network.

‘It is this sustained investment that will enable us to create a network able to support London’s growing population and maintain our city’s vital role for the next 150 years.”

Terry Morgan, Crossrail Chairman said: “150 years on from the birth of the Tube and London is experiencing the biggest transformation to its transport continued page 52 >

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network in 50 years with the construction of Crossrail. Crossrail will increase London’s rail capacity by ten per cent, deliver new journey opportunities and bring an extra 1.5 million people within 45 minutes commute of the capital.

“Thousands of jobs have been created to deliver Crossrail with thousands more employed across the UK in regional based suppliers. Crossrail will move London

52

forward for the next 150 years or more.”

Today’s visit highlighted the importance of apprenticeships and training in engineering for young people.

TfL is an employer committed to developing and maintaining the skills and talents of its workforce and addressing the skills shortage within the transport industry for now and the future.

Within the last two financial years, 135

graduate roles have been created in TfL, with 86 graduates enrolling in September 2012. More than 400 apprenticeships are being created by Crossrail.

Many are being trained at the new Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy in east London where up to 3,500 people will receive training in the skills required to work below ground.

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53

UKC PROFILE

Crossrail

The new, high frequency, convenient and accessible railway Crossrail Ltd is a company, which was established in 2001 to promote and develop vital links to meet the needs of people and businesses throughout the South East and to ensure that London continues in its role as Europe’s leading financial and business centre.

It was a 50/50 joint venture company between Transport for London (TfL) and the Department for Transport (DfT) until December 2008 when it became a fully owned subsidiary of TfL. Crossrail represents a real commitment to the development of new services to tackle the lack of capacity and congestion on the existing network.

By bringing forward a scheme, which is feasible, practical and likely to achieve private sector partner funding, Crossrail will help to support economic growth and boost the region’s regeneration areas.

To achieve this, Crossrail has consulted with a broad range of stakeholders and the public at large. In July 2008, the scheme gained parliamentary approval with the passing of the Crossrail Act. Crossrail has awarded a joint venture comprising BAM Nuttall Ltd, Ferrovial Agroman and Kier Construction Ltd, a total of three contracts valued at over £700M. This joint venture between three of the world’s leading tunnelling, civil engineering and construction companies, is known as Team BFK. The contracts comprise two 6.2km tunnel drives between Royal Oak and Farringdon, a contract to construct early access shafts and sprayed concrete lining works for Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road

54

station tunnels and a contract for the main construction works at Farringdon station.

Paul Glass, Team BFK’s Project Director, spoke of his pride at being awarded this contract.

He said: “We are very proud to be the first contractor to begin tunnelling on this historic infrastructure project, where we expect to be tunnelling at the rate of 100 metres per week and removing one million tonnes of excavated material during the contract.

“The scale and complexity of this challenge demands proven tunnelling expertise and BFK provides this, alongside a collaborative style of partnering where teamwork is fundamental and safety standards are never compromised.”

These are the most significant tunnel contracts to be awarded in the UK since the Jubilee Line extension and Channel Tunnel Rail Link and will provide a much needed boost to the UK construction industry, as well as creating major employment opportunities.

Crossrail will run 118km from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21km tunnels under Central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It will bring an additional one and a half million people within 45 minutes commuting distance of London’s key business districts.

When Crossrail opens, it will increase London’s rail-based transport network capacity by 10%, supporting regeneration across the capital, helping to secure London’s position as a world leading financial centre, and cutting

journey times across the city.

In March, the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport revealed the giant 1,000 tonne tunnel boring machines that will carve Crossrail’s tunnels under the capital. Almost 40 years after the new railway was proposed, this marks a significant milestone in the delivery of this major transport infrastructure project set to add £42Bn to the economy and create thousands of jobs.

March saw the delivery of the first of eight enormous machines, each 150 metres long and weighing 1,000 tonnes, to the Royal Oak Portal in west London, where tunnelling has commenced 6.4km (four miles) east to Farringdon via Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road. The machines are equivalent to 14 London buses end-to-end, with enough force to lift over 2,900 London taxis.

When Crossrail opens in 2018, it will increase London’s rail-based transport network capacity by 10%, support regeneration across the capital and the South East, help to secure London’s position as a world leading financial centre, and dramatically cut journey times across the city.

More than 3,000 people are currently working directly on Crossrail, which is Europe’s largest construction project, and thousands more across the UK are working to provide materials and services.

Over the next three years, eight tunnel boring machines will construct a total of 21km (13 miles) of twin-bore tunnel under the capital. The Crossrail route continued page 56 >

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will pass through 37 stations and run 118km (73 miles) from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

More than 50 UK companies are supplying materials and services for the construction of Crossrail’s western tunnels between Royal Oak and Farringdon, 35 of which are based outside London.

Another 4,000 job opportunities are yet to be advertised, providing huge economic opportunities for London and UK businesses to get involved in CRL. The first tunnel-boring machine is named Phyllis after Phyllis Pearsall, who created the London A-Z. She walked 23,000 streets and a total of 3,000 miles to compile the map. The second tunnel-boring machine will be named Ada after Ada Lovelace who was one of the earliest computer scientists.

She worked with Charles Babbage on his ‘analytical engine’, and is regarded as having written the first computer program.

They were among the three winning pairs of names as voted by the British public.

The other winners were Victoria, Elizabeth, Sophia and Mary – names that will be used to name the next four boring machines.

The first tunnel boring machine is now underway on its journey from Royal Oak to Farringdon via Paddington, Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road, arriving at Farringdon in autumn 2013.

Further machines will be launched later in 2012 and beyond. The extent of the tunnels to be built under London are on a scale not seen for many years.

By late 2014, over 21km of twin-bore tunnel will have been constructed.

Another milestone was achieved in March, with the news that Canary Wharf Group Plc has completed construction of Canary Wharf Crossrail stations’ platform level, five months ahead of schedule, making it ready to receive the two giant eastern tunnel boring machines next year.

Construction of the Crossrail project began at North Dock in Canary Wharf less than three years ago. Since then, the construction team has driven over 1,000 piles and pumped nearly 100 million litres of dock water, which is the equivalent of 40 Olympic swimming pools.

Approximately 300,000 tonnes of material has been excavated from beneath the dock bed and almost 375,000 tonnes of concrete poured.

Canary Wharf Contractors Ltd, the construction arm of Canary Wharf Group, has created a station box that is more than 250m long and 30m wide, approximately the same size as One Canada Square, Britain’s tallest operational building, laid on its side. Twin 7.6m diameter rings are now in place 28m below the surface of the dock, at both ends of the station ready to receive the eastern tunnel boring machines.

Construction of the Canary Wharf Crossrail station box generated approximately 200,000 cubic metres of excavated material. About a quarter of this was reused on site and the rest was reused at regeneration areas including Pitsea and Hoo Island to create habitats for

flora and fauna. The majority of the excavated material was removed by barges rather than lorries, saving more than 29,000 lorry trips and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 780 tonnes.

Canary Wharf Crossrail station will be one of the largest stations on the Crossrail route. Crossrail will dramatically increase the capacity and resilience of transport services to and from Canary Wharf and the surrounding area, helping underpin further development and investment in this key business and shopping district.

Journey times will be cut to many destinations across London. It will take only six minutes to travel to Liverpool Street, eight minutes to Farringdon and 39 minutes to Heathrow. The Crossrail service at Canary Wharf will be 12 trains per hour in each direction during the peak times, and services will commence in 2018.

Canary Wharf Group has planning permission for four levels or 100,000sq ft of retail, topped up by a spectacular roof top garden, community facility and restaurant, semi-covered by a spectacular timber lattice.

Bill Tucker, Crossrail Area Director Central said: “Construction of Crossrail’s first excavated platform level is now complete and has been delivered five months early by Canary Wharf Group.”

The Canary Wharf Group handed over the station box platform level to Crossrail Ltd on 26th March 2012.

Who makes what decisions at what levels of complexity for your organisation?

Peter Taylor Bioss Europe, 33 St. James’s Square, London SW1Y 4JS Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7661 9387 | Fax: +44 (0) 20 7661 9400 | Email: peter.taylor@bioss.com 56

UNITED

BY OUR DIFFERENCE

UKC PROFILE

GB-Sol

Specialists in aesthetic PV mounting systems GB-Sol is a manufacturer of specialist PV modules and mounting systems, providing products that are more bespoke than the more architectural end of the market.

Standard panels are also produced.

Having developed the mounting system for the first PV roof in the UK back in 1994, the Company has great experience and has also installed many of the landmark PV buildings in the1990s and 2000s.

However GB-Sol does not install as five years ago they sold off their installations company and now the Company works with installers all over the UK and provides them with all the technical resource backup and wide range of experience accrued over the years.

GB-Sol was established after growing out of Energy Equipment Testing Service (EETS). This was started in 1980 as the UK test house for solar panels which was part of Cardiff University.

As well as running a test house, EETS manufactured test equipment for many other test centres all over the world.

In the early 1990s, the Company undertook a project with the DTI and the Centre for Alternative Technology to see if a PV panel could be used as the roof of panel required was unavailable but the necessary machinery was built to manufacture the panels, so the Company decided to actually do the manufacturing.

All of the first installations were undertaken while the standards and concepts were being developed, and the Company’s input contributed to all the PV guides later inputted.

Based in South Wales, but with one member of staff working out of the Midlands, GB-Sol has a varied workforce that ranges between 12-30 people.

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Training is important and the Company described the winning project as ‘superb’, provides a regular seminar to keep all with its ability to deal with a set of members of staff up to date with the latest complex requirements, multi-faceted developments as well as some background roofs and a solar array able to integrate on the calculations undertaken, and then with a number of other energy efficient there is a full-scale training roof in the technologies, the installer responsible really factory where hands-on training is given did maximise their experience, creating a for, fixings, mounting options etc. It is a truly bespoke system and, as described practical as well as a theoretical course. by the judges, ‘an out and out winner’.

Training sessions are also regularly run for Moving forward, the Company is interested the Company’s installers who are taken in working on more projects like this, through the roof integration aspects. where there is a challenge to mix all of the GB-Sol works with installers interested requirements and architectural features and in the more challenging projects who having worked in lots of novel technologies, are then able to go out and talk about GB-Sol is not put off by having to perform roof integration and façade mounting development work for a client project. systems to their client base, while they are supported technically by GB-Sol. GB-Sol, Renewable Energy Works, GB-Sol’s work was recognised in October Treforest Industrial Estate, Taffs at the inaugural Solar Power Portal Awards Fall Road, Pontypridd, CF37 5TF. for one of its roof integration systems.

Tel: 08455 218438.

This award was for the best domestic roof installation for the 10kW Treleigh House on the north Cornish coast.

It was a Zinc, Chrome, Tin, Silver, Anodising, complicated roof Polishing, Phosphating, etc. shape, full of trapezoids and Prompt, friendly GB-Sol had a lot of professional service different shaped and sized panels ISO 9001:2008 & Aircraft Approved to make. With its gray look, it merges seamlessly into We wish GB Sol continued success and are the normal roof delighted to be in association with them. style and also has some triple glazed roof lights built into Cae Mawr Industrial Estate, Treorchy CF42 6EJ it so it lets light Tel: 01443 442992 www.southwalesmetalfinishing.co.uk into the building.

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COMMERCIAL UKC

Leyton Mount Regeneration in Bournemouth The regeneration of Bournemouth town centre is going ahead at pace and passed a significant milestone earlier this year when the official turf cutting signified the start of building work on a five-storey apartment block overlooking Horseshoe House.

The £12M development is on the former council-owned surface car park at Leyton Mount and will house 64 flats and a 3,120sq ft commercial unit suitable for a café or restaurant.

Businesses, council leaders and project partners all welcomed the plan during its public consultation stages as a way of improving safety in and around the Common and rejuvenating nearby Old Christchurch Road.

The project is being led by The Bournemouth Development Company (BDC), Bournemouth Council’s delivery partner for its 20-year Town Centre Master Vision.

The project comprises the erection of a crescent shaped mixed use building comprising 62 dwellings distributed over five floors, together with projecting lower ground floor commercial space with mezzanine and café use, replacement public toilets and the formation of 54 parking spaces, a secure cycle store with

provision for up to 40 bikes, and bin stores.

BDC, a public-private partnership between the Council and Morgan Sindall Investments, secured planning permission last year.

The start of work was welcomed by Councillor John Beesley, Leader of Bournemouth Council. He said: “Leyton Mount is a central part of our coordinated approach to improving the town centre.

“The development will help increase the vitality of the area, make it a more pleasant place for people to visit and stimulate economic activity and employment.”

Funding for the scheme includes a £5M investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)’s Get Britain Building programme.

Building work is being carried out

by Morgan Sindall and the Architect is Terence O’Rourke Ltd. Paul Gale, Area Director for Morgan Sindall, said: “This regeneration project is an important investment in the future of Bournemouth and will increase the town’s commercial infrastructure and residential provisions, providing a vital boost to the town in a variety of ways.”

Work will be completed in May 2014.

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UKC PROFILE

Japanese Knotweed

Problems of a successful invader Japanese Knotweed was introduced into gardens early in the 19th century.

It was recommended as being suitable for wild gardens and shrubberies, but gardeners must have soon become fed up with its invasive nature and dumped it over the garden face.

It was first noted in the wild in London in 1900, and from there it has spread rapidly through Britain. It is now a serious threat to many natural habitats, especially watercourses and wetlands because of its vigorous growth that smothers less vigorous native flora. Once established it is also very hard to eradicate.

On a more positive note, it can act as a shelter for woodland species like Celandines, which flower and seed before the Japanese Knotweed develops in spring.

The flowers also come late in the season, and are likely to be a valuable nectar source for insects. However, conservationists are generally agreed that the harm caused by the plant to valuable wildlife habitats, especially along

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watercourses, outweighs these benefits.

Historically, intentional introductions have relied heavily on the role of the European botanic gardens, founded from the 16th century onwards, to propagate exotic ornamental plants, crops and medicinal plants. During the 19th century, for example, after Japan opened for trade to the outside world, European botanists were fascinated by the wealth and variety of the Japanese flora. A constant stream of plant material was collected in Japan and sent to botanic gardens including those in The Netherlands, Belgium and England.

A notable instigator of these collections between the dates of 1829 and 1844 was Philipp Franz Balthazar Von Siebold. During this time over 3,000 copies of Japanese plants had been collected and sent to Europe. A number of European botanical collectors were sent out to Japan by Von Siebold who by this time had opened a nursery garden and formed the Royal Netherlands Society for the Encouragement of Horticulture in Leiden. Many more plants

were collected than survived the journey with only an estimated one in seven plants arriving alive. The fact that any plants survived the poor conditions of boat travel from Japan to Europe is testament to Von Siebold’s unfailing efforts in collection.

Japanese knotweed named by Von Siebold as Polygonum cuspidatum was one of the many plants collected from Japan and was being sold from his nursery garden in Leiden in 1848 in groups of ‘one mother plant and 25 strong plants’. The plant was soon available for planting in gardens and was hailed in the horticultural journals of the time for its attractive foliage, late flowering and dramatic habit. The Cottage Gardener of 1851 suggested that it could be useful for fixing loose sand by means of its running roots.

The Garden (1879) described it as “one of the finest herbaceous plants in cultivation” and suggested it as a plant for the wild garden. However, by 1904, its aggressive nature had been continued page 62 >

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recognised and the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society was advising that it “cannot be recommended for shrubberies unless most carefully kept in check”.

The invasion of Japanese knotweed in the wider environment followed some time after its initial introduction to gardens.

Invasion studies of a range of plant species have identified a series of time lag phases between introduction and invasion. For Japanese knotweed, the first time lag (40 years) was between initial introduction and the first record of naturalisation outside the garden environment at Maesteg in South Wales in 1886 where the plant was recorded growing in abundance on cinder tips. There followed a pioneer phase of scattered primary occurrences and establishment in many places in and around London and throughout most of Wales.

By the 1930s, records had been collected from Scotland, Cornwall, south eastern England and the Midlands, Yorkshire and East Anglia. From 1940, a rapid expansion of the plant was seen with secondary spread from primary sites. This was the beginning of the invasion phase nearly 100 years after its first arrival in the UK. The final phase from the 1970s onwards can be described as a consolidation phase with infilling around previously recorded sites.

Intentionally introduced plants such as ornamental plants have an advantage over those accidentally introduced, as cultivation ensures that the initial stages of establishment are achieved successfully.

The time lag between establishment

and naturalisation is also more rapid as horticultural species have a number of established locations from which to spread. This has certainly been the case for Japanese knotweed in the UK. Since its introduction to the UK, Japanese knotweed has spread rapidly especially in the south west of England and Wales and around conurbations. Although the plant is rarely observed on agricultural land, the species has become established predominantly in man made habitats such as spoil heaps, railway embankments roadsides, cemeteries, on waste ground and brownfield sites. Japanese knotweed also occurs frequently in riparian habitats and is increasingly recorded in seminatural habitats and nature reserves.

An important factor in the initial stages of an invasion is the role of disturbance. In the urban environment disturbance by human activities such as redevelopment provides opportunities for colonisation. In semi-natural sites, the role of natural disturbance e.g. along river banks, is also an important feature in opening

sites for colonisation. Dispersal of Japanese knotweed has been aided along streams and rivers by the action of water, either by fragments of plant material being washed downstream or dispersed during flood events. In the past, Japanese knotweed was widely spread between environments by human activities due to the transport of stem and rhizome fragments in soil.

The transport and disposal of waste material containing Japanese knotweed is now strictly controlled under Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

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Modern retail and commercial space Canary Wharf Group Plc (CWG) is an integrated property development, investment and management group of companies.

It has achieved one of the greatest feats of civic transformation, developing previously derelict docklands into more than 16 million square feet of office, retail and leisure space across its iconic businesses and shopping district in inner London.

In the last two decades, it has developed more top quality office space in London than any other company, helping to position the capital as one of the best places in the world to locate a business.

Canary Wharf’s 35 completed buildings, including three shopping malls, are occupied by some of the world’s best companies employing 100,000 people in a diverse range of industries.

CWG has successfully delivered several projects away from Canary Wharf including in the City of London.

All design, construction and project management is undertaken by Canary Wharf Contractors Ltd – the UK’s foremost exponent of tall building design and construction.

CWG and its joint venture partners have planning permission to approximately double Canary Wharf’s working population over the next 20 years. These sites offer bespoke office buildings designed and constructed to the highest standards of architecture, infrastructure and resilience.

Through its subsidiary, Canary Wharf Management Ltd, the Group manages all of the external areas on the 97 acre Canary Wharf Estate, 20% of which is landscaped

parks, plazas and walkways with more than 1,000 trees and 70,000 seasonal plantings.

It also manages more than four million square feet of Grade A office space and approximately 690,000sq ft of retail space.

CWG has developed more than 240 shops, bars, cafes and restaurants at Canary Wharf – including many of the world’s leading brands.

It runs over 100 performing arts and events annually, most of which are free. More than 60 art works by 45 artists and designers are on public display throughout the Estate.

One of the projects currently underway is the Wood Wharf masterplan that will transform the area into a truly mixed use sustainable community with a range of homes, offices, shops and community facilities, set within a water space and public realm. The development will create in the region of 25,000 new jobs and will continue the growth of Canary Wharf and Docklands as one of Europe’s premier business districts.

The scheme features approximately two million square feet of net office buildings and over 1,600 homes including a proportion of affordable housing.

Integrated into the design are the public open spaces, shopping, restaurants, community facilities and a new canal linking South Dock with Blackwall Basin.

At the heart of the transformation of London’s South Bank will be the famous Shell Centre Tower.

Joint venture developers CWG and Qatari Diar have unveiled the plans that will revitalise the area with high quality architecture and

COMMERCIAL UKC

Canary Wharf Group Plc much improved public spaces.

A mix of offices, homes and retail space will integrate with open and attractive public areas, while new pedestrian routes will connect nearby Waterloo Station with the South Bank or the River Thames.

A widened Chicheley Street will open up the approach to the London Eye, while a ‘city square’ at the heart of the scheme will provide open space and help people move around the area.

The well-known Shell Centre Tower will remain the centrepiece of the new site, occupied by Shell which is taking a further 245,000sq ft of space. The Tower will be complemented by eight new buildings, one of which will incorporate new offices and trading floors for Shell.

Approximately 800,000sq ft of office space, including the Shell Centre Tower, along with around 80,000sq ft of new retail units, restaurants and cafes, will be accompanied by approximately 800,000sq ft of residential space incorporating up to 790 new homes, including affordable housing. The development is planned for completion in 2019.

The proposals for the development incorporate a highly efficient energy centre that will reduce the carbon footprint of the site. The system will be designed to interconnect with a district heating network being explored for the wider South Bank area.

Canary Wharf will be Construction Manager for the project.

Canary Wharf Contractors Ltd is also working on the project to convert part of the Jubilee Place basement

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car park into shopping space.

The project will delivery approximately 43,000sq ft of additional retail space within 26 new shopping units. The majority of new stores will be located below the existing mall, which opened ten years ago.

The new shopping level will connect directly into the concourse of the Jubilee Line Underground Station, with the majority of the new units accessed from the new mall.

New escalators will connect directly to the shopping level above and additional retail space will be provided at the centre of the existing shopping level by the re-planning of the area occupied by the existing escalators and stairway plus additional area at mezzanine level slab.

Modifications will be made to the existing structure, stair cores, delivery routes and flood defence walls.

The number of car parking spaces will be reduced and the circulation adjusted to facilitate the revised layout. Light wells will be formed through the existing mall floor to allow natural daylight to reach the new lower level mall.

Pedestrian links from the ground level garden will remain into the existing glazed pavilion with modified connections leading down in to the mezzanine and on to the retail levels below.

Jubilee Place will provide extended shopping facilities and maintain public access from the Jubilee Line and car parking to the adjacent office buildings.

The project is on track for phased openings this year and in 2014.

The whole area will benefit from Canary Wharf Crossrail station when it opens in

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2018. It will run from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twinbore 21km tunnels under central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

The station is being constructed to shell and core specification under a design and construct contract with Canary Wharf taking all the design, cost and programme risk.

Construction commenced with the relocation of dock silt in January 2009 followed by the formal commencement of the piling for the coffer dam in May 2009.

A top down method of construction was adopted so that the potential for ground movements was minimised and the plan area of the work site was kept clear for the piling works and subsequent activities.

Work will also be completed next year on the 37-storey landmark office building at 20 Fenchurch Street and

with 25/30 Churchill Place set to offer modern office facilities from next year, Canary Wharf will continue to be a major attraction for businesses.

UKC PROFILE

Diocese of Leicester The Diocese of Leicester represents the Church of England in Leicestershire, supporting over 300 churches including the cathedral, 237 parishes, 143 clergy, 99 Church of England Schools and one city academy.

The Diocese is continually looking to improve its services and facilities to parishes and the local community. A programme of development is ongoing, with projects such as the upkeep of parsonages, key to the Diocese.

Over the past few years parishes have been exploring ways in which facilities in their churches can be improved both for regular church users and for the wider community.

One such example of this continued improvement is the Diocese’s recent proposals for a new Cathedral Gardens space.

The proposals follow on from the creation of St Martin’s House, the home of the Diocese offices, which opened its doors in 2011. The original vision intended for St Martin’s House to be the first in a series of enhancements to the cathedral precincts.

The creation of the new Cathedral Gardens will unite the current cathedral precincts and St Martin’s Grounds, providing a safe, inviting garden space at the heart of Leicester for all its residents and visitors.

The £3M project will see the creation of an attractive, open space, framing the cathedral itself, matched to the east by the reflective churchyard gardens and the Wyggeston gardens to the west. There will be intimate garden spaces, hedged enclosures and weaving pathways which draw inspiration from the headstones and reference the heritage of Leicester. The stone walling currently surrounding the Cathedral and its visitors centre will be mostly removed, unmasking the visitors centre and allowing it to function as a café to serve the area. There will also be a newly created south facing outdoor dining terrace for the visitor centre.

There will be an open route at the level of

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Peacock Lane, across the space between St Martin’s House and the Cathedral to provide an accessible shortcut.

Half of the funding for the Gardens is expected to come from Leicester City council as it will include changes to the highways around the site. The Diocese of Leicester is currently raising the rest through fundraising and applying for grants.

The scheme was recently promised a £500,000 cash boost by local aggregates firm Lefarge.

This should be completed by next spring, in time for the opening of the King Richard III Centre at St Martin’s Place and the re-interment ceremony at Leicester Cathedral.

The remains of Richard III will be buried with honour beneath a raised tomb within a specially created area in the cathedral.

Leicester Cathedral will spend approximately £1M on the reinterment, which includes alterations to the building, preparations for the event and the actual ceremony.

Plans for King Richard’s final resting place will see a series of changes to the inside of the cathedral to create a significant space for

the raised tomb, with a new floor, special lighting and new stained glass windows.

The design of the tomb is carefully judged to provide a place of honour for a King, whilst considering fully the needs of the cathedral and its mission.

RETAIL UKC

Aldi

New store soon at Lytham St Annes Image courtesy of Ell Brown

After enjoying sales that soared 40% last year, Aldi is continuing with its expansion, with the St Annes development one of 50 new stores scheduled to open by the end of this year.

The three-storey scheme will comprise a 14,155sq ft Aldi foodstore and 70 parking spaces for shoppers, plus 34 contemporary one- and two-bedroom apartments with sheltered basement car parking for ten residents.

The development is situated on the site of a derelict five-storey building that was the former home of St Annes Conservative Club, which has relocated to new premises.

The 34 apartments will be spread across three floors and are being developed by Hollinwood Homes, which is the residential property division of The Marcus Worthington Group.

Construction work for the £5.5M development is on schedule after Aldi, the Which? Magazine supermarket of the year for 2013, was handed the keys to the property in August.

The store is expected to open its doors for trading before Christmas.

Mike Clarke, Property Director for Aldi, said: “We are committed to delivering an attractive, high quality store, which we believe will prove extremely popular with residents.

“We identified Lytham St Annes as somewhere we wanted to develop as part of our existing growth strategy and we are pleased that the scheme is coming together as planned.

“Worthington Properties (the Main Contractor) is delivering the construction phase of the build to the highest standards and we are certain the people of Lytham St Annes will enjoy shopping in this modern, purpose-built store for years to come.”

The one-bed apartments on site at what is known as St George’s Court are available from £100,000, while two-bed apartments are priced from £168,000.

Reservations on the properties are being

taken now with the first buyers expected Aldi is currently enjoying one of its most to move in to their homes later this year. successful trading years to date, and The properties are ideal for those continues to hold an all-time record market looking to downsize but also provide share of 3.5%, representing an incredible plenty of living space. Each apartment 31.5% increase from May last year. includes a large living room and spacious Tony Baines, Managing Director of kitchen with an upmarket modern Buying, Aldi Stores UK, said: “Winning specification adopted throughout.

Grocer of the Year is a real honour for Aldi, which sells a limited range of ownAldi and highlights the progress we are label groceries at low prices, has been making in offering UK consumers an grabbing market share from supermarkets alternative to the big four supermarkets.” such as Tesco, Asda and Morrisons and its popularity is continuing to grow.

The retailer opened its 500th store in September and after opening 34 new stores last year, which added a further one million shoppers, Aldi has looked to expand in order to increase its market share.

Aldi has taken first place on the winner’s podium at this year’s prestigious Grocer Gold Awards, beating Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose to scoop the highly coveted Grocer of the Year award.

How safe is The award follows your business? record market For a free consultation growth for the retailer, and at your premises, call us signifies clear today on 01952 585673 industry recognition or visit smpsecurity.co.uk of the moves Halesfield 24, Telford Aldi has made in Shropshire, TF7 4NZ challenging the retail sector.

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UKC EDUCATION

Sheffield University Technical College

Bringing education and employers together Yorkshire and Humber’s first University Technical College (UTC) – led by The Sheffield College – has opened its doors to students.

UTC Sheffield is one of only 19 technical colleges to be set up across the country, and one of only 12 that opened in September.

The UTC has been sponsored and led by The Sheffield College with Sheffield Hallam University and the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry as co-sponsors.

It was handed over in time to welcome 240 new students for the start of the academic year, which began on 9th September.

The three-storey facility provides specialist vocational learning within the engineering and digital sectors.

One of the reasons for this project was that in Sheffield, which is the catchment area for UTC Sheffield, there is a shortage of skilled workers for the advanced engineering and manufacturing and the creative and digital industries, which are areas for growth regionally and nationally.

UTC Sheffield specialises in training 14 to 19-year-olds in the technical skills that employers need within those two sectors.

Students complete a technical qualification in one of those subjects as well as traditional academic qualifications such as GCSEs and A-Levels.

This year’s first intake comprises 138 year 12 and 102 year 10 students.

Next year the number of student places will increase to 600 overall.

The UTC Sheffield is fitted with £1M of specialist equipment including engineering

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mini factories, Arduino and Raspberry Pi workshops for creating and testing technology and advanced Apple Mac design suites with the latest hardware.

It also has high tech studios for digital and creative media projects including music and sound technology, film, animation and photography, and a rooftop sports pitch to maximise space at its city centre location.

The facility includes the refurbishment of the former Victorian Sydney Works building, formerly a silversmiths, and which will now house part of the creative and digital department.

More than 40 employers from both the advanced engineering and manufacturing, and the creative and media industries sectors are backing UTC Sheffield in a range of ways. This includes providing sponsorship and work placements, and shaping the curriculum and its content by setting industry based projects.

Key supporters include Siemens, Newburgh Engineering, Rolls Royce, Sheffield Forgemasters, Tata Steel, the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing, Performance Engineered Solutions, Team Cooper Games, Warp Films, Edumake technology, Resolve IT, Visionmix and many more.

When UTC Sheffield was opened, Andrew Cropley, who is the Executive Director for Strategic Planning and Business Development, The Sheffield College, and Chair of the UTC Sheffield Academy Trust, spoke of his delight.

He said: “This is a proud day for The

Sheffield College. Leading the UTC project to a successful opening is a tangible example of our commitment to meeting the region’s skills needs and providing young people with outstanding career focused educational opportunities.

“I’d like to thank the many people and organisations that have supported us in delivering this project including employers, universities, representative bodies and schools.

“I’d like to congratulate Nick Crew and his team for the excellent work they’ve done in getting everything ready and I’d like to wish all the students well in their new educational adventure – they have a remarkable opportunity and I look forward very much to tracking their progression.”

UTC Sheffield was also visited in September by Shadow Education Minister Tristram Hunt MP who saw how educators and employers work together to develop the skills that young people and the economy needs to grow.

Nick Crew, Principal of UTC Sheffield, said: “Working in close collaboration with employers such as The Glass Academy to deliver the curriculum and live projects will help to provide employers with a well-educated and skilled workforce for the future.

“We were delighted to welcome Tristram Hunt to provide him with an insight into the unique opportunities that the UTC offers our students.”

The Main Contractor for the project was Wates Construction and it was designed by HLM Architects.

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Telephone: 01494 866776 info@agripower.co.uk www.agripower.co.uk

Good grounding in sport

UKC CIVIL

World’s largest wind farm blows into action London Array Full capacity has now been reached at the 630MW first phase of the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the London Array. The commissioning of the 175th and final turbine took place just after 4pm on Saturday 6th April.

With all turbines now exporting power to the national grid, London Array is expected to produce enough green electricity to power nearly half a million homes a year.

Project Director Richard Rigg said: “This is the final major milestone of the construction phase and the culmination of more than two years’ offshore construction work which began in March 2011 with the installation of the first foundation.

“It has been a complex operation but I am delighted that the commissioning of the wind farm has now been completed on schedule, despite the worst of the winter weather.”

Turbine installation began in January 2012 and has been completed by MPI Discovery, A2SEA’s Sea Worker and Sea Jack.

Turbine installation was completed in December 2012, and since then the project has focused on fully commissioning and putting into operation all 175 of the 3.6MW Siemens turbines by this spring.

With all turbines in place and 55 connected and supplying power to the national grid, the wind farm is on track to be fully operational in spring this year. The wind farm itself has been generating

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energy since October 2012 when the first turbine began producing power.

The installation of the last turbine at London Array is the culmination of a huge amount of effort and coordination by everyone involved in the project. Last year saw 84 foundations, 175 wind turbines, 178 array cables and three export cables were installed at the project. London Array is now focusing on the commissioning and testing of the remaining turbines before the project is handed over to the Operations and Maintenance team this year.

Benj Sykes, Head of DONG Energy’s UK Wind business, said: “Having the final turbine installed is another landmark in this flagship project for the UK and for DONG Energy.

“The London Array will soon be the largest operational offshore wind farm in the world – building offshore wind farms of this size and larger in the future allows us to harvest the advantages of scale and is an important element of our strategy to drive down the cost of energy.

“Building London Array, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, is a great achievement.

“As we now look to our pipeline of future projects, DONG Energy is determined to drive down the costs of our offshore wind farms to e100 per megawatt hour for projects we’ll be sanctioning in 2020.

“What we have learnt at London Array, together with our continuing focus

on innovation in technologies and techniques, will help us achieve that.”

DONG Energy is one of the leading offshore wind farm developers in the world, with more than 20 years’ experience in the wind power industry and has built every third wind farm in Europe.

On the day it was announced that the final turbine had been installed, Tony Cocker, Chief Executive Officer of E.ON UK, said: “Today is another significant milestone for London Array and the UK as t he installation of the final turbine brings us one step closer to the completion of the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

“We are proud to mark this achievement and I pay tribute to all involved in the construction to date. I look forward to seeing London Array’s contribution to the UK’s low carbon energy mix for many years to come.

Mr Cocker continued: “London Array is a significant achievement in renewable energy. The world’s largest operational offshore wind farm will be capable of generating enough energy to power nearly half a million homes and reduce harmful CO2 emissions by over 900,000 tonnes a year.

“It’s been a tough time for the team working on site. The recent b ad weather and north easterly winds have whipped up the waves preventing access to the site so this milestone

is true reward for their hard work.”

E.ON is one of the world’s leading power and gas companies. With annual sales of more than e82Bn and around 79,000 employees, it is one of the world’s largest investor-owned power and gas companies.

E.ON is active in onshore and offshore wind, concentrating solar power (CSP), solar PV and biomass and currently has over 4.2GW of renewable capacity in operation, which makes it a leading global renewable player.

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, commented: “This milestone brings us a step closer to showcasing the economic, social and environmental benefits of clean energy.

“London Array is a testament to how collaboration, the right policies and a commitment to sustainability can advance the new energy industry.

Masdar is a proud partner, and we look forward to the completion of the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

“Just over two years ago, we celebrated the first of 177 foundation installations in this massive undertaking. Today, after overcoming challenges on both land and at sea, we celebrate the commissioning of the final turbine.

“As a partner in some of the world’s most sophisticated and large-scale renewable energy projects, Masdar recognises the value of robust collaborative efforts as exemplified by the London Array.

“Masdar is proud to be contributing to the United Kingdom’s clean energy mix and remains committed to growing offshore wind capacity in the UK and worldwide.”

Masdar is Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of clean energy technologies and solutions.

The Company serves as a link between today’s fossil fuel economy and the energy economy of the future.

Backed by the Mubadala Development Company, the strategic investment company of the government of Abu Dhabi, Masdar is dedicated to the Emirate’s long-term vision for the future of energy.

London Array is being built around 20km off the coasts of Kent and Essex. The wind farm is being installed on a 245sq km site in two phases. Phase I covers an area of 90sq km and includes 175 turbines with a combined capacity of 630MW. If approved, Phase II will add enough capacity to bring the total to 870MW. Of the project consortium partners, DONG Energy owns 50%, E.ON has 30% and Masdar has a 20% stake.

Once completed, there will be annual maintenance on each turbine, and if there are any breakdowns of turbines, preventative work and regular checks will also be undertaken.

London Array is the largest offshore wind farm in the world. On top of the sheer size and difficult marine environment, some of the turbine locations dry out at low tide, making access harder than normal. Fortunately, quality contractors and experienced owners are involved, so these challenges will be met.

There will be approximately 90 people working at London Array on an ongoing basis, with the majority of these being

local, and some local people are being trained on apprenticeships, ready to work on the site later this year.

The project has started handing over to the Operations and Maintenance Team. This will be completed in the summer when the last shallow array cable has been buried.

The EEW Special Pipe Constructions GmbH (EEW SPC) has been vital to the scheme at London Array, which is one of the largest the Company has had in its history.

Since 2008, its mill in Rostock has been engaged in the production of heavy steel pipes as well as the appropriate pipe components. The Company’s customers are mainly from the offshore wind industry sector.

Thick-walled, longitudinally welded large pipes, with diameters of up to seven metres, lengths of up to 120m and up to 1,000 tonne-piece weights can be fabricated.

The annual capacity is 144,000 tonnes per year. Considering the current order intake, EEW SPC has participated in the installation of almost 1,000 WTGs as manufacturer of foundations.

After a two-year production time, EEW SPC finished the manufacturing of 177 monopiles for the offshore wind farm in April 2012, using a total of 70,000 tonnes of steel.

With the construction of a new fabrication hall, which will be completed in 2014, EEW SPC is equipped for the production of XL monopiles with a diameter of up to ten metres and with unit weights up to 1,500 tonnes in the future.

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Iemants N.V. is an international steel construction company with over 50 years of experience in the construction, fabrication, supply and assembly of steel constructions.

Together with the sister companies Willems in Balen (B) and Spomasz in Zary (Poland) we dispose of a workshop surface of approx. 100.000 m². The annual production capacity of the three companies is approx. 55.000 tons.

We also dispose of a department Offshore Wind.

With a track record of more than 850 foundations for the offshore wind industry (delivery started in 2002), Smulders Projects Belgium can be seen as one of the most important suppliers worldwide.

All locations are supplied with a modern machine park with its own shot-blasting cabins and paint shops. The machine park of each division is completely computer controlled and linked to the different engineering departments. This causes the data to be streamlined and exchangeable.

The well-equipped factories are furnished in such a manner that internal logistics run as smoothly as possible. Large and heavy pieces are the standard rather than the exception, as there is sufficient space and a hoisting capacity of up to 120

tons. All handlings are controlled and executed by employees with a decent and qualified training, both in their area of skilled expertise and in safety. Meeting the required standards and having the necessary certificates are fundamental to Iemants.

In 2008 Iemants also created “Angus” in India, an Engineering Office with approximately 15 engineers (on top of the 55 engineers in Belgium).

On June 28th the four companies have been taken over by the French Group Eiffage.

This taking over will consolidate our position in the international market.

A few recent projects of Iemants NV: • Global Tech 1, Tripods • Amrumbank Offshore Substation • Butendiek Offshore Substation • West of Duddon Sands topside & jacket • EON Humber Gateway

UKC PROFILE

The Concrete Pipeline Systems Association

Serving the supply chain for gravity sewerage and sustainable water management systems The Concrete Pipeline Systems Association (CPSA) is the trade body for British manufacturers of precast concrete pipes, manholes and associated wastewater sewerage components.

Formerly the Concrete Pipe Association, CPSA was formed in 1932 by a group of manufacturers keen to pool their knowledge and experience in the development of precast concrete pipes for the benefit of the nation’s developing infrastructure.

Today, CPSA member companies account for almost 100% of precast concrete pipe and manhole manufacture in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

All product associations operating under the British Precast Concrete Federation Ltd (BPCF), including CPSA, are located at one office in Glenfield, Leicester.

The Association moved into this office in September 2013, after 40 years at its previous location in the city.

The aim is to provide information and support throughout the supply chain in order to enhance decision-making and to continuously improve performance through the introduction of winning innovations. CPSA became a full production association of BPCF in January 2006.

CPSA’s audience consists of the entire UK supply chain for gravity sewerage and sustainable water management systems. This includes industry clients and asset owners such as water

74

utilities, highways authorities and those responsible for the ongoing operation, management and maintenance of such assets. Also of significance are public and private sector developers, regulators, planners, consultants, specifiers, suppliers, distributors and contractors.

All CPSA members have signed up to the exacting standards of the British Precast Raising the Bar programme that is designed to ensure all members achieve minimum standards of health & safety and meet sustainability targets while providing customers with exceptional technical support and first class customer service.

The membership consists of CPM Group, FP McCann, Milton Precast, and Stanton Bonna Concrete.

Training is provided by the Association thanks to its three independently accredited CPD training seminars that cover a general overview of sewer design, installation and operation, embodied carbon, and surface water management and SuDS. Internal training is provided for members and external training is available inhouse and at public events.

One of the members, CPM, has joined forces with Carillion Civil Engineering to supply more than 400 precast concrete catchpits, manholes, gullies and concrete pipes to the prestigious A465 Heads of the Valley project in South Wales.

The £150M contract to upgrade the Bbrynmawr to Tredegar section of the

A465 includes the upgrading of the existing 7.8km thee lane road to a dual carriageway, a three kilometre surface cycleway and a rest area at Garn Lydan with extended parking, tourist information and viewpoints towards the Valleys Regional Park and Brecon Beacon National Park. The project is expected to finish in 2015, with the intention that the A465 will form part of the traffic management solution for South Wales, in parallel with the M4.

FP McCann has recently supplied large diameter precast concrete pipes and side entry manhole units for the construction of four storm attenuation tanks as part of a £450M programme to build a brand new recycling and energy resource centre in Cornwall.

The Cornwall Energy Resource Centre (CERC) has been commissioned by Cornwall County Council’s facilities management company Cormac.

SITA UK and its construction partner Vinci Environment UK are building the facility under a 30 year PFI initiative and once complete, the ‘waste to energy’ plant is expected to convert up to 240,000 tonnes of waste a year into enough energy to supply the equivalent of 21,000 homes.

The attenuation tanks are being constructed under the access haul road to the site by Cornish civil engineer Morcom Construction.

Due to the added engineering to install continued page 76 >

FP McCann’s Easi-Manhole – Simple, Quick and Cost Effective Speed , ease of build and the resulting increase in site safe practices, are just three things on offer from FP McCann's Easi-Manhole system. From Easi-Base base to cover slab and final backfill, a typical 3 metre completed manhole unit can be in place and secure in under 1 hour. In comparison, traditional methods of construction can take up to 48 hours. The precast concrete system incorporates the successful WRc approved Easi-Base with the recently launched 130mm wide-wall chamber ring available in three sizes (DN1200/DN1500/DN1800). The robust design provides a durable, water-tight installation with the requirement for a ready mix concrete surround eliminated.

The DN1200 Easi-Base system was launched in the UK in 2009 following a 2 year trial and approval programme with the Water Research Council (WRc).

FP McCann has sole UK franchise rights for the German patented polypropylene liner. The system is already well established in continental Europe with over 2 million units installed.

The Easi-Manhole is now the choice of many water authorities and contractors because of its speed of installation, its guaranteed long-life, low maintenance performance and the site productivity benefits it brings; but the advantages of using the system are numerous. Key to its success is the following:• An extremely fast, efficient and economical method of constructing a manhole.

• Significant Health and Safety benefits.

• An immediate secure watertight structure allowing for other trades to instantly follow on.

• Factory pre-fabrication of Easi-Base provides quality in channelling and benching and enables accurate combinations and variations for entry/exit pipes.

• 130mm wide wall chamber rings eliminate the need for concrete backfilling.

• Maintenance of channels and benches aided by clean access for inspection.

• Environmental benefits from re-using excavated materials.

• A guaranteed system, WRc approved.

To complete the drainage network, precast concrete pipes, flow chambers, catch pits, headwalls and storm attenuation tanks are on offer from FP McCann, a member of the CPSA.

manholes at junctions and for ease of build on such a large pipe work scheme, the adoption of side entry manholes was specified as part of the in-line storm attenuation tanks.

Stanton Bonna’s low carbon solutions contributed to the London 2012 Games and the Marks & Spencer’s Castle Donington distribution centre. Almost 7km of precast concrete circular pipes and manholes were supplied to provide a main drainage system under the Olympic Park, Olympic Village and Wetlands Area. Drainage from

the Park concourse feeds into ponds to support natural flood plains and a wetland area which will provide a habitat for wildlife. Stanton Bonna also supplied just over 2km of jacking pipe, 500m of cable troughs and 6,000 twin block sleepers as part of contracts worth over £1M. Marks & Spencer’s target to be the world’s most sustainable retailer by 2015 was key to the construction of its 900,000sq ft distribution centre at Castle Donington.

Winvic Construction selected Stanton Bonna’s precast concrete Perfect Manhole

System due to its low carbon footprint. 18 of the 1200DN and five 1500DN Perfect Manholes were supplied along with precast concrete circular pipes, rocker pipes, spigots, sockets and bends.

CPSA, The Old Rectory, Main Street, Glenfield, Leicestershire, LE3 8DG.

The Perfect Manhole System .....everything flows!

Drainage

T: 01179 812791 F: 01179 814511 E: perfect@cpm-group.com www.cpm-group.com www.perfect-system.co.uk

Build Greener Build Leaner Build Faster Build Safer Build Quality Manhole design and construction has remained unchanged for many years.

After an extensive research programme CPM introduce the perfect manhole system, to meet the challenges of modern day construction. This CPM off-site solution comprises of a monolithic precast concrete manhole base available pre-benched in any configuration within just days of requisition, and in addition, sealed chamber rings with a thicker wall, rubber joint and sealed cover slab.

This unique system of products combine to form the perfect manhole designed and manufactured from high quality durable concrete with a minimum 120 year design life that does not need a concrete surround unless specifically required.

Manufactured and tested to BSEN 1917:2002 and BS5911-3:2002

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Perfect Base

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The Perfect Manhole System Delivers up to 40% savings on GHG emissions compared with traditional build.

The Perfect Manhole System Configurator / Perfect Manhole take off tool Is available to download from our website.

Concrete for Life

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COMMERCIAL UKC

James Durrans & Sons Ltd New office development September saw the completion of the design and construction of the new contemporary office headquarters for James Durrans & Sons Ltd in Penistone.

Consisting of three-storeys of contemporary office accommodation, there is a new integrated basement garage facility and this office development will replace the existing buildings that currently occupy the site.

The result will be a sustainably designed building that is energy efficient, highly functional and of strong architectural merit.

Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, the Company appointed leading design specialists HTC Architects in March last year to design a state-of-theart headquarters that can symbolise the growth and development of the Company.

When completed, the development

will provide high quality office accommodation, staff facilities, meeting rooms and a feature full height entrance atrium and reception area.

HTC Architects has specifically designed the building according to the site constraints, ensuring it can be accessed from both the north elevation off Saville Lane at first floor level or from the south elevation at lower ground floor level and at basement level throughout the integrated basement facility.

The existing site has also been redesigned to enhance its functionality, and includes a renovation of the existing parking area to create a safer and more secure staff car parking area, the creation of dedicated pedestrian routes to ensure continued permeability through the site,

Watsons

and implementation of feature landscaping areas to enhance the look of the site.

The east and west facing elevations feature full height glazing to maximise natural day lighting, providing a contemporary feel to the development.

Utilising more stone and feature ‘punched’ windows provides balance to the north facing elevations while the contemporary sloped roof and secondary entrance canopy provide architectural flair.

The south elevation houses the main entrance into the office development and will boast high quality glazing and feature balconies.

Built by JF Finnegan, the building is on course to achieve a BREEAM ‘Good’ rating.

Work started in November 2012 and completed in September 2013.

Chartered Building Consultants; Project Managers; Development and Cost Consultants

BUILDING SERVICES LTD

Howell Goodfellow are delighted to support local Yorkshire businesses, successfully project managing the delivery of James Durrans & Sons’ iconic, cutting HEATING • VENTILATION • AIR CONDITIONING • ELECTRICAL • ENERGY CONSERVATION • DESIGN & INSTALLATION CONTRACTORS

Watsons Building Services Ltd Watson House, Howden Road,Silsden, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD20 0HD

Tel: 01535 652338 Web: www.watsonsbs.com

edge new corporate headquarters in Penistone.

Tel: 01484 722 777 Fax: 01484 722 555 admin@howellgoodfellow.co.uk

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UKC CIVIL

Aldwarke Waste Water Treatment Works

Helping to modernise equipment and cope with population increases Yorkshire Water is making essential improvements at Aldwarke Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW).

Aldwarke WWTW serves the vast majority of Rotherham’s population of more than 100,000 people and treats 26,000cu m of waste water from local homes and businesses every day.

With an investment of £7.7M, Yorkshire Water is providing new equipment and processes at Aldwarke. This includes alterations to the activated sludge plant (ASP) – which is where oxygen and bacteria react to draw out impurities from the effluent.

Refurbishments of the inlet to the works will see improvements to the grit system and an additional primary pump that will help to screen out grit and debris, while there will be construction of two additional sludge tanks, an additional

final tank and a new liquor balance tank that returns any leftover liquid back through the treatment process.

There will be increased storm tank capacity to ensure the site is more easily able to cope at times of heavy rainfall.

This project is being undertaken to improve the quality of water being discharged into the River Don, which should help to enable fish and wildlife species to thrive.

The level of ammonia output from the site will also be reduced, from ten milligrams per litre to three milligrams per litre.

Work will ensure compliance with the EU Freshwater Fish Directive, and this is one of many improvements being made in the Don Valley by Yorkshire Water.

Mike Hewison, Project Manager for Yorkshire Water said: “This investment will deliver substantial improvements at Aldwarke and marks a further

milestone in our commitment to improving the quality of the River Don. “The Don was once one of the country’s most polluted rivers, but now anglers regularly catch salmon. We’re pleased to have played a key role in this improvement but there is still much work to be done.”

The Main Contractor for the development is Earth Tech Morrison (ETM) who has been on site since the beginning of the year and installed the new underground pipework, constructed two new sludge transfer tanks as well as started building the new control panel units and final settlement tank.

Work will be completed by December 2013 and the improvements will modernise the equipment and enable it to cope with the predicted population increases in the area to 2025.

Pipeline Specialists & Civil Engineering 40 years of experience in the Pipeline and Civil Engineering industry, covering nationwide contracts with a team of approximately 30 operatives.

Working withYorkshire Water, Morrison Utilities, Laing O'Rourke, ETM and Byzak.

Leighton Grange, Leighton, Masham HG4 4LS Tel: 01765 689785 www.kenrodney.co.uk

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EDUCATION UKC

The University of Manchester Refurbishment of the Simon Building A completely underutilised building is well on the way to being transformed into one of the most important on the campus at the University of Manchester thanks to a multimillion-pound refurbishment.

Phase I, intended to be handed over in November, sees the conversion of some existing vacant laboratory space into lecture theatres along with adjacent areas such as toilets and corridors.

Mainly the creation of three large lecture theatres from redundant science workshops never intended to be lecture theatres has provided a challenge to the designers.

A lot of the Simon building is vacant and the university is using it as a key strategic part of the campus in order to use it to its maximum capacity, which the refurbishment will guarantee.

Part of Phase I also included the complete refurbishment of the sixth floor with the creation of an e-learning suite, completed in September 2012.

The Simon Building is one of the four buildings that form the Science Quadrangle.

It sits opposite the Williamson Building and can be regarded as a sibling building.

It was originally conceived as a laboratory building named after Ernest Simon who was an industrialist and later a politician, and was completed in 1966.

The conversion and refurbishment intend to improve the student experience and bring the campus up to the standards expected by students today, with all of the modern facilities they could wish for.

Large lecture theatres are always welcomed by universities and three such spaces have been created at the Simon Building with tiered lecture theatres seat 400, 336 and 198 respectively.

With any lecture theatre, it is important that the spaces where they are built have height. Therefore because these workshops were high in nature, it

was feasible to incorporate tiered Manchester and were the original Architect lecture theatres within them. for the project back in the 1960s.

With increased population being The two have been working side by added to the building, a new staircase side for decades and thanks to the has been constructed outside of the hard work and dedication of Fairhursts building with a new entrance area.

Design Group, the University will have a In order to incorporate the external fantastic and modern new facility when staircase, which is clad in matching all phases are completed in 2017. The materials to the original building. Major Main Contractor is Graham Construction. excavations were required adjacent to the building in order to create a new retaining wall for the staircase to serve the lower basement floors.

As part of Phase II there will be a new roof on the building that will upgrade the thermal envelope, while windows and doors will be replaced with modern thermally broken windows.

Also as part of Phase II there will be a brand new entrance to the building off Oxford Road and all general areas within the building will be Providing a flexible approach from intial design stage to project refurbished to bring completion, including co-ordination of independent and it up to modern associated professional consultants as required. student standards.

55 King Street, Manchester. M2 4LQ The Architect T: +44 (0)161 831 7300 F: +44 (0)161 832 9347 for the project is E: fdg@fairhursts.com www.fairhursts.com Fairhursts Design Group, who have Offices also in Southhampton and Associated a long-standing offices in Abu Dhabi and China relationship with the University of

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UKC RETAIL

Crown Centre

£50M redevelopment of Stourbridge The regeneration of Stourbridge is progressing well, which will see the emergence of a £50M development that includes a Tesco store, retail units and food court.

Planning permission was originally granted in 2008 for the conversion of the Crown Centre to include these new amenities, which will also include a new market hall and residential apartments.

A later proposal to incorporate a 120room hotel in place of the apartments was granted the following year.

The car park and the existing Crown Shopping Centre were demolished to make way for the development.

Built in 1967, the car park had been a landmark in the town. It was constructed using a lift slab technique – an economical construction form used in many multi-storey car parks.

The nature of this construction and the car park’s proximity to major arterial traffic routes meant that the safest and quickest form of demolition was to use controlled explosives – a ‘blow down’.

Six months of planning by the Main Contractor, Bowmer & Kirkland, and the demolition contractor DSM ensured that the car park was demolished without a hitch. It took four weeks to clear away the rubble, during which time the materials were sorted and recycled ready to be reused in the new development.

The new Tesco is rapidly taking shape and is starting to look like the modern supermarket it will be. Glass windows and panelling have been fitted to the building that rises up out of the ground by the ring road, catching the eye of motorists driving past.

An underground car park is being constructed, which will have approximately 500 spaces, and the shopping floors.

Lights will be installed on Stourbridge town hall as part of work to revamp the square to make it more attractive to shoppers. The side of the town hall will

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form part of the square along with the Stourbridge store will have measures such entrance to the new shopping centre, and as light sensors, fitting doors to fridges will have plenty of seating for shoppers. and freezers, low energy lighting and Tesco submitted an application for rainwater harvesting used to flush toilets. listed building consent to install The Tesco store will be open feature lighting on the town hall, which before Christmas. was approved by the Council.

The Tesco store will offer a wide range of quality foods including fresh food and deli ranges, a fish counter, wines and spirits and a bakery. The store will also offer a range of non-food items such as clothing, electrical goods, homeware, newspapers and magazines.

Saunders Partnership Architects It will provide a modern and Appointed as architects for this prestigious mixed use town centre spacious shopping regeneration scheme in 2009, planning permission was granted environment, a in February 2011. With a contract value £40m, The Crown Centre customer café, is due to open in November 2013. easy pedestrian links to the High Street, and 400 jobs for local people.

The store will be packed full of green design features to make sure it has a lower environmental impact.

The new offices and shops within the Town Square will consist of quality stonework with glass feature windows to respect the proportions of the adjacent town hall.

Tesco has a good ARCHITECTURE I URBAN DESIGN | MASTER PLANNING reputation for Welwyn Garden City | London | Manchester | Bristol sustainability www.saundersarchitects.com and the new

HOUSING UKC

Lake Road

Latest phase of work for New Charter Homes

New Charter Housing Trust, a social landlord that owns 18,700 homes, is adding to its portfolio with the development of 39 homes made up of 23 houses and 16 apartments.

Boasting affordable rent levels, the project at Lake Road is the most challenging site of the Trust’s in Tameside in terms of ground conditions, due to a culvert that runs through the site and which requires the construction of a bridge so that the culvert is protected from the weight of vehicles.

The New Charter Building Company provides a property repair, maintenance and improvement service working with a range of external partners and covering the whole of the North West, employing more than 200 people and achieving a turnover of £34M, while the Trust has a Group turnover of £90M and a workforce of 950 people.

Another strand of the Trust is New Charter Homes, which is a not for profit organisation with charitable status.

Last year, New Charter Homes obtained the Housing Quality Network Accreditation for its estates, which is a fantastic achievement and the Company continues to excel, and its revenues function focuses

on arrears prevention and support.

In March 2012, the Grounds Maintenance Service was brought in-house to offer the best service for customers through Green Charter. This has already resulted in positive feedback from tenants.

The Lake Road Phase II development is the concluding phase of a redevelopment of the Lake Road/Stephens Road area of Stalybridge that commenced in January 2008 with the completion of Beaumont Place on Stephens Road.

This comprised 25 flats and supported housing development built in cooperation with Tameside MBC to allow transfer of residents from Staley House to this purpose built facility. Phase II is on the site previously occupied by Staley House.

Phase II uses traditional materials to reflect and enhance the properties previously built during Phase I and the older surrounding properties.

The development preserves the existing street pattern and the facing brickwork and render specified to external facades reflect those traditionally used in the area.

The layout has been developed working within the constraints imposed by the

topography of the site, the Environment Agency requirement to maintain the open water course that crosses the site and Tameside MBC Highways Department requirement for a new access road to be constructed off Lake Road.

It boasts a design that fully incorporates the requirements of Secured by Design and has been developed following extensive discussions with Greater Manchester Police.

The new properties have been designed to be outward looking onto the access roads and additional windows have been provided to gables overlooking parking courts and pedestrian routes to provide visual security.

The project is designed by bluesky – an independent design consultancy established to deliver leadership and excellence across the interface between design, sustainability and quality built environments.

It has benefited from having Wates Living Spaces as its Main Contractor, one of the UK’s leading affordable housing construction providers.

Work started on the scheme in January 2013 and will be completed in March 2014.

Social Housing Re-furbishment ● Re-wires ● Upgrades ● Photo Voltaics ● Emergency Lighting Fire Detection Systems ● New Build ● Design & Build Industrial, Domestic and Commercial Contractors. Specialists in Domestic Rewires 2012 and 2013 Winners at the Rochdale Business Awards 71/75 Featherstall Road, Littleborough, Lancashire OL15 8JZ

Tel: 01706 378 995 Fax: 01706 376 902 Email: info@smart-electrical.co.uk

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UKC HOUSING

Abbey Mills

Landmark extra care building The historic Abbey Mills building in Leicester is being transformed into an £8.75M extra care development.

The former stockings factory in Abbey Park Lane will be turned into 78 flats that support a range of vulnerable adults, including people with learning difficulties, mental health problems and older people.

As part of the project, which is being funded by Leicester City Council, the building will retain its historic shell with a complete refurbishment taking place inside.

The site was visited in June by City Mayor Peter Soulsby, who joined partners of the scheme to mark the start of the canal side development.

Abbey Mill, the long disused late Victorian/ Edwardian building on Abbey Park Street in the Belgrave area of the city – once famous for providing South Pole explorer Captain Scott with warmth preserving clothing – will also link via a pedestrian bridge to the adjacent award-winning Wolsey building, redeveloped by William Davis on behalf of Asra in 2011.

This will allow people living in Abbey Mills to enjoy the Wolsey’s facilities. Wolsey contains 68 extra care flats and was rebuilt to ensure it kept its historic frontage.

The two buildings together will create a preservation hub near Leicester city centre.

William Davis is the Main Contractor for the project and its Managing

Director Guy Higgins and Asra’s Chief Executive Matt Cooney were also at the launch along with the Mayor.

Sir Peter said: “Not only will this redevelopment provide much needed supported living accommodation; it will be preserving an important building in Leicester’s architectural heritage, a shining example of how practical requirements and creative thinking can combine to provide a sustainable and efficient facility.”

Matt Cooney, Chief Executive of Asra Housing Group, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Leicester City Council to convert and refurbish the historic Abbey Mills building into a multi-million pound extra care scheme.

“The building used to be a stockings factory and reached nationwide fame when it provided Captain Scott with his warmth-preserving clothing when he attempted to be the first person to reach the South Pole. Our investment will mean the historic nature of this building is preserved and will now have a lasting legacy by providing groundbreaking care to the over 55s in Leicester.

“This development, when complete, will link our Wolsey Building next door, which also provides extra care to the over 55s – creating a landmark extra care hub in the East Midlands. Together they will ensure an area of great historical value in Leicester

is preserved for generations to come.”

Assistant City Mayor, Councillor Rita Patel, responsible for adult social care, said: “This really is a fantastic opportunity for us. We had already set aside money to remodel some of our own housing stock into supported living accommodation but by redirecting some of this money to Abbey Mill, we will be able to provide our service users with more extra care facilities much more quickly.

“Not only will this redevelopment provide much needed supported living accommodation, it will be preserving an important building in Leicester.”

The Architect for the project is rg+p, one of the largest and most successful multidisciplinary architectural design management and quantity surveying practices in the Midlands and South.

As one of the Midlands’ largest privately owned construction and development companies, William Davis work in a range of market sectors to deliver high quality properties.

Activities encompass partnership housing, commercial development, urban regeneration, land and planning, general contracting and private housing.

Work on the scheme in Leicester will be complete in March 2015.

Image courtesy of The Homes and Communities Agency

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UKC CIVIL

Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm A clean and efficient means of energy generation Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm will be located approximately eight kilometres from Easington, off East Yorkshire’s Holderness Coast and will consist of 73 wind turbines and an offshore substation.

Together, the turbines will have an installed capacity of up to 219MW. E.ON and TAG Energy Solutions announced in February that TAG had been awarded the contract to manufacture 16 monopiles and transition pieces for E.ON’s Humber Gateway wind farm.

The contract will see the Teesside based manufacturing firm become the first UK manufacturer to secure a substantial monopile and transition piece project for a wind farm in British Waters.

An additional 60 people are being employed to deliver the contract.

Preparation work for the manufacturing of the 16, 60m long, 650 tonne monopiles and associated transition pieces began immediately at TAG Energy Solutions’ state-of-the-art production facility on the banks of the River Tees.

The first steel arrived on site in March and the contract for the transition piece project will be completed by the end of the year.

E.ON’s £736M Humber Gateway wind farm, situated close to the mouth of the Humber Estuary, will generate enough energy to power up to 170,000 homes – more than one and a half times the number of homes in Hull.

Edward Davey, UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said: “Securing investment in clean energy that supports growth and jobs is an absolute priority. I want to congratulate TAG Energy Solutions on becoming the first UK manufacturer to secure a contract of this kind for a wind farm in British Waters. I hope they are the first of many.

“The development of a thriving UK supply chain is vital to support our rapidly-growing offshore wind industry. The Government is working with industry so it can source at least half of the content for offshore wind projects from within the UK. This will help build the lasting legacy of a strong domestic offshore wind manufacturing capability.”

Tony Cocker, CEO of E.ON UK, said: “We’re extremely pleased to be able to work with TAG on this very important next step in the construction of our Humber Gateway wind farm and to support local businesses in this way. I welcome TAG on board and hope that this is just the beginning of our organisations working together.”

Alex Dawson, Chief Executive of TAG Energy Solutions, added: “This high profile contract represents a significant achievement in TAG Energy Solutions development and the important role it plays in the manufacturing of components

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for the offshore renewables sector. We are very pleased to be working with E.ON and this award demonstrates we have the skills, products and capabilities to serve the offshore wind industry.

“We are in the unique position of being the first, fully prepared British manufacturer to provide volume monopiles and transition pieces for UK wind farm developments. E.ON has demonstrated its confidence in TAG Energy Solutions and British manufacturing and we are very proud to be part of one of the country’s flagship wind farm developments.”

During development, two marine export cables will connect the offshore wind farm to a cable landfall site – the point where the generated electricity comes to shore – just south of Easington.

From there, the electricity generated by the wind farm will travel 30km through underground cables to an onshore substation at Saltend, east of Hull. The electricity produced by the offshore wind farm will then be supplied to the National Grid for distribution around the UK. A key part of the project will be the connection of the offshore wind farm to the national grid onshore. The onshore cables will come ashore near Easington.

The easterly and southerly boundaries to the site are bounded by the shipping channels leaving the Humber estuary. The northern boundary runs parallel to existing pipelines running into Easington. The total area of the site is approximately 24.8sq km.

This site was selected after a lengthy consideration of a number of alternatives, but E.ON believe this is an ideal location for the generation of offshore wind energy for a number of reasons including high winds and good connections into the National Grid.

Work this year has continued with the installation of the onshore cables.

The contribution of renewable energy is critical to progressing towards lower carbon emissions. E.ON believes that the Humber Gateway project will provide a clean and efficient means of energy generation.

The scheme will also help to tackle climate change and make a significant contribution to the UK’s renewable generation targets.

The substation and cable spur are essential components of the project and are required to feed the electricity generated by the wind farm into the National Grid.

Plans for the Humber Gateway project originated in 2002 when the Government identified three strategic areas suitable for offshore wind farm development. This was part of a national strategy under a process called the Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA). One of the areas selected was called the ‘Greater Wash’ and includes the Holderness coast.

An example of an E.ON Windfarm - Source E.ON

The year after saw the assessment of Greater Wash and a bid was submitted to the Crown Estate – guardian of the seabed – for an offshore wind farm. The bid was accepted, enabling E.ON to develop an option for the Humber Gateway site.

In 2004, a consultation was carried out to understand the views of key statutory bodies on Humber Gateway. This formed the basis of an initial Scoping Report and contained all the responses received.

More detailed investigations and extensive surveys were undertaken in 2005 to understand the local environment. This also helped E.ON to determine that the offshore wind farm was feasible and the consultation continued into 2006 with key statutory bodies so E.ON could better understand their concerns and address them as part of the proposed design.

E.ON prepared the environmental report in 2007 to accompany the planning application. Five public exhibitions were also held to give the local community an opportunity to learn more about the plans – at Skettling, Partington and Hedon as well as Withernsea on the Holderness coast and at Cleethorpes.

The planning application for the onshore substation and cable spur were submitted and approved in 2010. Planning consents for the offshore works were received in 2011 and a year later onshore cable installation and substation connection to the National Grid started and the site was confirmed for the operations and maintenance base at Grimsby dock.

Significant progress has been made this year, with near completion of construction of the onshore substation at Saltend, more than halfway through construction of two underground onshore cables and completion of pre-construction offshore activities, which paved the way for offshore construction to commence in August 2013.

The point where the generated electricity comes to shore is called the landfall site and materials were delivered to site for this work in July, and the temporary site office was also set up.

Next year will see the installation of the offshore substation and the completion of foundation installation followed by cables to the wind turbine foundations and commencement of wind turbine installation.

The wind farm will be complete and generating energy in 2015.

TAG Energy Solutions is a project management and construction company with large facilities based on the River Tees on the North East coast of the UK. TAG Energy Solutions has extensive experience in the offshore energy industry and has expanded its capabilities to serve the growing renewable energy sector.

The company commissioned and constructed a world-class, state-of-the-art automated tubular production facility for the rolling and welding of large diameter tubulars and the construction of foundations – monopiles, tripods, jackets and transition pieces – for the renewables and energy industries.

An investment of £30 million has been made over the last 18 months to create the new facility.

TAG Energy Solutions secured vital investment from Platina Partners, the Environmental Technologies Fund (ETF), as well as grant support from the Department for Energy and Climate Change and regional development agency, One North East, which have all identified the company’s ambition to become a leading supplier to the global offshore wind sector.

TAG Energy Solutions’ production facility complements its existing facilities capability and has the initial capacity to produce up to 100,000te of rolled cans per annum with an ability to significantly increase this volume as demand grows.

Supporting oil & gas and leading the way in renewables

The location of the company's facility is ideal to serve the large planned offshore developments and provides the strong advantage of reduced transport costs and risk reduction due to the close proximity to North Sea developments.

T: +44 (0) 1642 565500 E: enquiries@tagenergysolutions.com

www.tagenergysolutions.com

In addition, the location enables TAG Energy Solutions to access the local skills base for offshore projects, which is world-renowned. Teesside still retains a major and specialist sub-contractor infrastructure covering all aspects of associated offshore work.

TAG Energy Solutions, through its investment and its growing position in the renewables market, is at the heart of the supply chain and has an exceptional reputation for skill, innovation and quality.

CIVIL UKC

Lincolnshire Energy from Waste Project Treating 150,000 tonnes of waste each year Following detailed research and an extensive public consultation, Energy from Waste (EfW) technology emerged as the solution to Lincolnshire’s waste problem. It will provide a sustainable, safe and affordable waste treatment solution and allows energy to be recovered from waste that isn’t recycled or composted in the form of electricity.

The contract between Lincolnshire County Council and Waste Recycling Group, now FCC, was signed in March 2011 after being appointed by the Executive Committee to design, build and operate a new EfW facility at the end of 2010.

Construction started in April 2011 at the site just off Whisby Road in North Hykeham, and it was officially marked by a special tree planting ceremony led by the Chairman at the time, Councillor Peter Bedford.

Work will develop facilities to treat, recycle and dispose of waste materials arising from the EfW facility.

The facility forms part of Lincolnshire County Council’s solution to meet environmental targets set by the Landfill Directive, which aims to recover 67% of waste by 2015.

As a key member of WRG’s bid to be stored within a large underground team for the project, CNIM Clugston bunker before being used as fuel to Lincolnshire Ltd was selected to power a hot water boiler. This in turn design and construct the facility. drives an 11-megawatt turbine.

Working in joint venture with process Electricity, which is generated, is partner CNIM, Clugston is working to then exported to the National Grid provide the £40M civil engineering works thus reducing the need to burn package incorporating structural work, fossil fuels to create electricity. associated offices, control rooms and a visitor centre to cater for the 150,000 tonnes per annum plant.

The EfW project will be fed from a series of new waste transfer stations strategically situated throughout Design ● Maintenance ● Fabrication and Machining the region.

Hydraulics/ Pneumatics ● Welding/ Pipework ● Electrical Household waste will be collected, sorted Unit 3, New Barns Farm, Hilton, and then sent to Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV15 5PB the EfW facility Tel: 01746 710555 Fax 01746 710666 for processing.

E-mail poconnor@hiltonindustrial.com Waste transported to the facility is

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UKC PROFILE

Jupiter Play & Leisure

Providing inspiring facilities throughout the UK Jupiter Play is an independent designled company with the goal of creating inspiring play spaces in public parks, schools, housing developments or within leisure facilities and attractions.

Jupiter Play has successfully delivered hundreds of supply and installation projects, across the UK. The key focus of Jupiter has always been customer service in all areas of operation and as such, its staff members are dedicated to customers all over the UK, boasting core competencies such as funding guidance, consultation, bespoke equipment design, play space design, installation and maintenance of outdoor play facilities.

Jupiter Play has been the exclusive agent in Scotland for Proludic SA equipment since its inception in 1999, offering excellent play value and challenge together with the confidence afforded to clients that this leading manufacturer brings from its design and manufacturing processes.

Jupiter Play is also the sole supplier for German manufacturer FHS Holztechnik’s range of stunning hand crafted and bespoke timber equipment within the UK. The range of equipment from FHS is extensive and utilises a variety of materials including Robinia, Larch, Pine and Steel.

Standard elements are complemented by the Company’s ability to deliver large, bespoke adventure play items to a client’s specification. This is something that Jupiter Play specialises in and often deals with client requests to create bespoke items – The Company’s ability to create the desired items sets it apart from many others.

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Robinia is not treated with anything as it is Class One Resistant and the densest timber on the market. Class One resistance refers to the density of the wood, which means it is resistant to rotting and degrading. Its unique characteristics and unmatched strength creating natural, sustainable playgrounds.

One of Jupiter Play’s recent prestigious developments is Clyde Park at Strathclyde Country Park in Lanarkshire – one of Scotland’s leading centres for outdoor recreation.

This park is set within surrounding footpaths and nature trails so the FHS Robinia range was perfect for the site.

The site was developed to suit the natural landscape of the country park surroundings and the equipment has created a natural play space alongside the upgrade of existing features such as the shelter.

New play equipment sits within a large grassy area in the park and is surrounded by trees. Some had to be removed while others were preserved to add to the landscape features alongside new mounding and logs.

Clyde Park features equipment including a 30m double cable way, pendulum swing with basket, seesaw, rope bridge, climbing logs and a large rope and timber unit named Ape’s Palace – which enables many children to play together while testing their balance.

Jupiter Play FHS Robinia was specified for the project by Culture NL due to its robust and sustainable features. It is put to the test through a tough pre-treatment process involving a three year rest time,

removal of bark, sap and knots and cross bolting to prevent the timber from splaying.

It has resulted in a very popular and successful park during the summer season, where children really enjoyed the new space.

Jupiter Play has also designed a large themed multiplay unit at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, which offers a wide variety of play experiences for users of all abilities.

The wheelchair accessible unit also features a range of sensory items that enhance the play experience, such as a suspended wobble bridge that will bring additional play value to those in wheelchairs as well as all of the standard gangplanks.

Walkways offer some variety of experience and movement around the unit.

Formal play features on the unit include a climbing ramp, scramble net and two double width slides that allow user and carer to play on the slide together.

The lower parts of the unit are focused around informal and imaginative play where the castle theme is further enhanced by windows and doorways.

Also incorporated is a range of sensory play panels from Inclusive Play, a partner company who are experts in inclusion and advise Jupiter Play how to best apply it to their spaces. At the client’s request, bespoke features such as bat and dragon sculptures and a musical wall carved out of Robinia have been created. www.jupiterplay.co.uk kkirkhope@jupiterplay.co.uk Edinburgh: 0131 445 7989 Nottingham: 0115 969 9859

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• Safety Grass Matting • Artificial Grass • Wet Pour • Installation Service • Rubber Bonded Mulch

Smart Products (WM) Ltd Hill Farm . Pig Trot Lane Danzey Green Tanworth-In-Arden . B94 5BJ T +44 (0) 1564 741 734 F +44 (0) 1564 741 771 www.smart-product.co.uk

Smart Products specialise in the installation of outdoor surfacing.

We are proud to be providing our services to schools, day nurseries, building developers, parish/town councils, domestic customers and some of the major playground manufacturers in the UK.

Rynat Limited have been trading for over twelve years working with numerous manufacturers, construction companies , landscape architects and authorities. We specialise in inspections and training of playgrounds and all personnel involved.

Offering only externally accredited courses through nationally recognised providers.

We are the sole provider of the BTEC Level 3 Advanced Award in Playground Operation, Installation and Maintenance.

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Post Installation Inspections | Accident Investigation | Equipment Procurement Maintenance and Inspection Systems | Equipment Procurement RPII Routine and Operational Training | CIEH H& S Training Risk Assessments of Play Areas | School and Local Authority Annual Inspections

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UKC PROFILE

NHS Property Services Ltd

Responsible for 4,000 buildings NHS Property Services Ltd has been London, as well as regional offices in the money, sustainable, high quality facility set up by the Department of Health to North (Manchester), Midlands and East that is fit for purpose and meets the manage all the ex-Primary Care Trust (Cambridge) and the South (Taunton). future needs of Bicester residents. estate not transferred to providers.

Each region has its own Local Area Development of the design has been It is a new company that launched in Teams, which mirror the arrangements carefully managed in conjunction with April 2013 and is an important part set up by other new NHS organisations Nightingale Associates to ensure NHS of the NHS family. It is 100% owned – to advise and liaise on local issues Oxfordshire are provided with a highly by the Secretary of State and in turn and developments in each area. functional building meeting the current owns the legal title to 4,000 assets, The South is led by Regional Director and future needs of patients and staff. valued at approximately £3Bn. James Wakeham, who is based in the The cost effective solution is easy to build, The organisation owns sites across regional office in Taunton, Somerset. maintain, adapt and manage, and meets all England but retains a local focus providing He leads a very experienced team of statutory requirements, building regulations strategic and operational management property, estates, facilities management and NHS design guidance and policies. of NHS estates, property and facilities. and finance specialists, who are based The proactive Kajima Mansell design The quality of the healthcare environment at a variety of offices across the region. team have engaged with the NHS at has a direct impact on how the The region services more than 13 million every opportunity, resulting in a unique, NHS delivers care, and its patients’ people, covering 15 counties and 31 functional design consisting of ambulance experience of it. The work environment former PCT catchment areas. It stretches base, first-aid unit, out of hours care and is also important for staff: the better from Cornwall in the West to Kent in out-patient areas on the ground floor along it is, the more efficient they can be. the East, from Oxfordshire in the North with 12 in-patient rooms arranged around NHS Property Services manages, to the Isle of Wight in the South. a central landscaped zone with all areas maintains and improves NHS properties The South excludes London, which having direct access to a therapy garden. and facilities, working in partnership is a self-contained region in NHS The first floor houses clinical with NHS organisations to create safe, Property Services. It has 678 accommodation, imaging and efficient, sustainable and modern employees divided between seven physiotherapy suites as well as healthcare and working environments. area teams, and works with 50 clinical offices and the community base.

It is a national Company with a local commissioning groups, more than 1,800 Opening in 2014, the hospital will be built structure, focusing its strategic and GP practices and 34 local authorities.

by Mansell Construction and maintained operational property management skills Costing £190M a year to run them

by FES FM, with Kajima Partnerships on supporting better health outcomes all, the South manages 884 NHS holding a 100% investment interest. and experience for patients. assets, supporting healthcare Once construction is complete, the surplus NHS Property Services has two main roles: delivery to the population. land, site of the existing hospital buildings, ••Strategic estate management – acting Facilities are constantly being improved in will be developed by County & Metropolitan as a landlord, modernising facilities, the area, and work at Bicester Community Homes to accommodate a sensitive, low buying new facilities and selling Hospital started in June 2013. density residential scheme, built in a style facilities the NHS no longer needs.

It will be the first new community hospital and at a scale appropriate to the location.

••Dedicated provider of support services to be built in Oxfordshire in the last 40 such as cleaning and catering. years. Kajima, working with construction The Company has a clear mandate to partner Mansell, share NHS Property provide a quality service to its tenants Services’ vision in delivering a value for and minimise the cost of the NHS estate to those organisations using it. Any savings made will be passed back to the NHS. Perhaps the biggest challenge facing NHS Property Services is to make this huge estate fit for the future. In partnership with its stakeholders, the Company intends to sustain the evolving NHS in buildings which are able to withstand the results of climate change and which have a positive impact on the environment as well as patient care.

NHS Property Services has teams that are dedicated to efficiently running the estate, buildings and facilities used by NHS patients across the south of England, recognising that the quality of environment in which people are treated plays a key part in www.addison-decorations.co.uk their recovery from illness.

For all enquiries please contact Mr Neil Richings - Contracts Director NHS Property Services has a small email: neil@addison-decorations.co.uk headquarters and regional office in

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PROFILE UKC

Marl International

Providing the best quality of product and service Established in April 1973, Marl International is still going strong and celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year.

Based at Marl Business Park in Ulverston, the Company focuses on the design, development, test and supply of LED based lighting systems for illumination and indication, while also providing a number of ancillary services to support this, and Marl has an EMA capability so it can construct to print electromagnetic assembly.

The current Managing Director Adrian Rawlinson joined the Company in 1977 just after the move to an old school premises in the middle of the town.

Originally, the Company distributed medical equipment and manufactured safety systems for the chemical industry.

Marl began design and manufacture, involving packaging of LEDs, in the late 1970s when it was realised that these products were required by the telecom and defence industries.

At this time the LED colour range was limited to red, green and amber and were only bright enough to be used as status indicators. By the end of the 1970s Marl employed nine staff, and by 1989 this number had increased to approximately 40.

In addition to panel lamps, the other core ranges were PCB mounting status indicators and some of the world’s first miniature LED bulbs to replace filament bulbs in switches and control panels.

The growth of the Company has continued and Marl now has 95 employees, and all are trained and educated – two absolutely vital elements.

Internal training is provided within departments and the Company also integrates with the local college for apprenticeships and electrical courses.

There is also a link with the engineering department, management school and the environment centre at Lancaster University, which is a key part of Marl’s staff development strategy.

Marl was always known for its work in the rail industry but has experience in all types of transportation, defence

and quite a few industrial segments including indoor and outdoor lighting.

Projects are wide ranging and varied, one of which was with Havells-Sylvania, particularly their concord range.

They have recently upgraded and added to their product range using Marl’s technology and expertise to help them through the design process.

Marl has also partnered with Marshalls and has an exciting range called Outdoor LED’s.

This includes illuminating paving, patios and driveways, and has been added to with wall lights and bollards.

Another interesting project is at Alnwick Garden. Lasting approximately 15 months, this included Phase I of illuminating for The Duchess of Northumberland in Alnwick.

Marl designed the lighting scheme, manufactured the special lighting systems, undertook all installation and software programming and the commissioning and after sales testing of the systems. A combination of RGB and white lighting with approximately 200 fittings, Marl undertook the whole project from start to finish.

The Company is proud of its values that radiate quality of service and product, flexibility

to the changing needs of customers, and integrity, which is a fundamental building block in the Marl success story over the last 40 years and will continue to be in the future.

Marl International, Marl Business Park, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 9BN.

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UKC PROFILE

The Combined Heat and Power Association Dedicated to energy efficiency The Combined Heat and Power Association (CHPA) is the leading advocate of an integrated approach to delivering energy services using combined heat and power district heating.

The Association has more than 100 members active across a range of technologies and markets, and is widely recognised as one of the leading industry bodies in the sustainable energy sector.

The CHPA works to promote a greater awareness and understanding of combined head and power (CHP) and district heating to create a strong, dynamic and sustainable environment for its members and the communities, businesses and households they serve.

Prior to the Government’s Heat Strategy being released, CHPA launched a report to set out a pathway for the decarbonisation of heat.

‘The Heat Revolution: Meeting Consumers’ Needs in a Decarbonised Economy’, focuses on the needs of all heat users and lays out the CHPA’s vision for reducing heat’s contribution to UK carbon emissions securely, efficiently and competitively, while facilitating the decarbonisation of wider energy use.

Heat provision currently accounts for over half of the UK’s energy demand and without a robust plan for heat decarbonisation, abating the UK’s overall emissions is likely to prove more costly for energy users at all scales.

The Government’s Heat Strategy, published at the end of March, identified pathways for the transition of the UK’s heat supply to low- and zero-carbon energy sources.

The strategy points the way to a major expansion of new district heating networks in the nation’s towns and cities, driving a multi-billion pound investment programme in green infrastructure and creating an additional 40,000 jobs in construction and engineering.

Former CHPA Director, Graham Meeks, said: “District heating is the key to decarbonising the nation’s urban heartland at a price that consumers can afford.

“It is already proving itself to be a practical and popular choice in new housing and property developments, but its greatest value will be in heating the ‘hard-to-treat’ buildings in our towns and city centres.

It is here where energy could spearhead a new era of urban regeneration.

“The Government now needs to throw its shoulder behind its vision, working with the industry to build capacity and attract investment into this vital infrastructure programme.”

Previous Government studies have suggested that eight million dwellings could be connected to

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district heating at reasonable cost, in combination with a major share of commercial and public buildings.

This level of connections could be achieved through a 25-year capital programme, investing £2Bn each year in new district heating infrastructure.

Through this programme, carbon emissions from heating would be halved and reduced to around nine million tonnes per annum.

The Heat Strategy announcement also highlighted the value of district heating networks in supporting the deployment and utilisation of a range of low-carbon energy sources.

Networks could adapt to obtain heat from gas-fired CHP plant, biomass and biogas, heat pumps, energy-from-waste, solar thermal, along with heat rejected from industrial processes and power stations.

This approach, which is commonplace in continental Europe and Scandinavia, delivers reliability and security to energy users and provides a credible and practical pathway to decarbonisation.

CHPA is heavily involved in calls for Government to incentivise CHP as well as drinking low-carbon growth, and in March, Graham Meeks, along with other manufacturing industry leaders, signed an open letter to Chancellor George Osborne and Energy and Climate Secretary Ed Davey, to warn that cuts to support for CHP will hit jobs and growth, especially in the manufacturing sector.

Graham Meeks commented: “Cuts to CHP will hit jobs and growth and manufacturing the hardest.”

The coalition of Chemical Industries Association, Food and Drink Federation, Confederation of Paper Industries, UK Petroleum Industry Association and CHPA includes a number of the UK’s largest manufacturing sectors.

August saw a significant change at CHPA, with Dr Tim Rotheray taking over from Graham Meeks as Director of the Company.

Dr Rotheray joined CHPOA at the

beginning of 2010 to lead on key areas of policy and in his role of Head of Policy and Communications, has been responsible for delivering the CHPA’s strategic vision of a more efficient and consumer-focused energy system throughout Whitehall and Parliament.

With his substantial experience in energy policy, Rotheray has played an integral part in the CHPA’s recent achievements, driving a new focus on the role of heat within the Department for Energy and Climate Change and securing a new commitment from Government to create a bespoke policy to support gas fired combined heat and power.

The CHPA’s Chairman, Dr Julian Packer, said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to say that we are delighted that Tim has accepted this position which comes at a time of both opportunity and challenge for the industry, especially so as heat is now firmly on the political agenda.

“Tim has an exceptional understanding of the issues faced by both our industry and the energy industry in general and has established an exemplary track record during his time at the Association.

“We are confident that Tim’s knowledge, enthusiasm and inspiring leadership will provide the continuity needed to realise the Association’s vision of an integrated approach to energy and the Board look forward to supporting and working with Tim and the team at the CHPA.” Dr Tim Rotheray added: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of Director at the CHPA. This opportunity comes at a time of significant transition in how we meet our energy needs, and a growing recognition of the major role which combined heat and power and district heating will lay in delivering more local, less wasteful heat and electricity.”

For more information, please visit www.chpa.co.uk

Sieman and UMP Caledonian Paper’s combined heat and power station

UKC CIVIL

Basingstoke Railway Station

Canopy renewal

A new development at Basingstoke Railway Station has helped to provide more modern facilities thanks to the canopy renewal that was completed earlier this year.

This project saw a full roof and glazing replacement, as well as full timber and structural steel coatings application to Network Rail approved specification.

Work was needed in this respect because the station platform canopies had exceeded their life expectancy.

Work on this scheme was undertaken

by Jack Tighe, who has great expertise in maintenance coating application.

Since the establishment of the first Tighe company in the 1950s to the present day, the Company is still a privately owned family business.

Jack Tighe is proud of this heritage and its ability to adapt to ever changing market and economic conditions, which enables the team of skilled and experienced personnel to be at the forefront of industry and ready to tackle any situation.

The scheme provided many challenges such as keeping customer disruption to a minimum, having to use winter grade materials that allow working at lower temperature, and completing the project during the winter period was a challenge, as well as meeting the contract programme.

Canopies were replaced on the existing canopy roof glazing panels on platforms one, and two and three of the station.

Scaffolds erected included an access staircase, two loading bay scaffolds, an independent access scaffolding, a large beamed crash deck at the Country End of platform one and a beamed crash deck scaffolding over the existing pedestrian staircases on platforms one, and two/three.

Basingstoke Station serves Waterloo and Clapham Junction mainline London stations, along with links to the west of Exeter, Portsmouth, Poole as well as serving Reading and Birmingham.

The station has five platforms, all of which can be used bi-directionally. They are above street level and are accessed via stairs and lifts from the booking hall and subway. The station has two entrances; the main entrance is located at the south side of the station with a large forecourt area of hard and soft landscaping.

The entrance to the rear of the station is via the main car park and goes through to a covered area to the rear of platform five and cycle parking via a small purpose built ticket office.

In addition to the

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canopy replacements on platforms one and two/three, platform four also saw rainwater goods cleared and glazing to the canopy deep cleaned, while damaged panes were replaced to match the existing, and redress flashings incorporated where required.

Platform five also saw rainwater goods cleared, together with the relining of the existing box gutter, a deep clean of the glazing to the existing canopy, a deep clean existing timber valance and the redecoration of timber gable ends.

The Architect for the completed scheme was Network Rail and the Main Contractor was Geoffrey Osborne Rail Ltd.

HOUSING UKC

Crosshall

New homes at the location of a former school A former school in Morley near Leeds has been transformed into a selection of spacious three-, four- and five-bedroom homes.

The 12 homes combine beautiful Victorian architecture with stunning, contemporary interiors that are the height of style in a great location.

Conveniently located for both Leeds and Bradford, this development is excellent for commuters who want to escape from the bustling city, but still be close to local amenities including schools, doctors and shops.

The building is the former Cross Hall Infants School situated within the Dartmouth Park Conservation Area and is generally single-storey, built in 1885.

It is a ‘T’ shaped neo-gothic structure and is constructed in traditional Yorkstone with a steeply sloping Westmorland slate roof.

The plan put in place has enabled this redundant building to be developed in a manner that would maintain its appearance as far as practical, and continue its major contribution to the conservation area.

The local planning authority and conservation section of Leeds City Council were also very keen to minimise any changes to the appearance of the building

while also keeping any changes in external openings to an absolute minimum.

Those requirements, in addition to the ‘T’ shape of the plan presented considerable design challenges for Tim Bennett Architects, especially in that the design sought to divide the structure into 12 two-storey houses.

It was considered very important that the large and ornate feature windows were returned to their original design where they had been altered to suit the requirements of an educational building and were unbroken by any first floor edges, and this was detailed out in the proposal.

Externally, what were playgrounds at the school have been divided into private gardens along with curtilage parking wherever possible.

The use of, in many cases, large living mezzanine areas on the first floor with the bedrooms and bathrooms located largely on the ground floor allows the existing ornate semi-circular timber trusses to remain fully exposed.

The site lies in an urban situation with little greenery and part of the design aim was to soften the open areas to provide areas of greenery within the two courtyards in addition to the required parking.

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This structure has been given a new lease of life, forming a new sub-community within the north Morley area.

The development is centred in private driveways with ample parking and delightfully landscaped gardens.

All spaces created in the design are generally larger than would normally be achieved in most new build speculative developments, which reflects the nature of the original structure.

The design emphasis on the internal spaces was to contrast modern forms, materials and detailing in order to highlight the extremely attractive forms and details of the host building.

A major contributor to the quality of this scheme has been the Architect, Tim Bennett, who has worked alongside developer Peter Baldwin. They have great experience in the conversion of sensitive listed and conservation area structures, working with a number of LPA’s over the past few years to deliver long-term futures for otherwise vulnerable buildings.

The Main Contractor was Aspect Building Solutions. Work commenced on the £1.5M project in August 2012 and was completed in August 2013.

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UKC CIVIL

University of Liverpool

Benefiting from two new Combined Heat and Power engines Work is well underway at the University of Liverpool to construct a new energy centre that will boost the heat and power on campus while breathing new life into a historic building.

It will see the installation of two new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) engines into a Grade II listed building that was previously the old infirmary boiler house.

As part of its carbon management plan and ongoing improvements, the University of Liverpool appointed Vita Energi, the sustainable energy specialist, to implement the improvements on the £6.02M scheme.

The basement area will incorporate the oil tank, pump sets and control panels, and there will be a new ground floor slab to house the two engines, which will be two megawatts thermal each.

The first floor is mainly used for ventilation, and the engines will be powered by gas and supply electricity to the university campus.

An impressive example of Victorian architecture, the 19th century red brick boiler house forms part of the original infirmary complex and was designed by Sir Alfred Waterhouse.

In 1978 the infirmary closed and was empty until it was bought by the university in 1994.

This project is a key element in the university’s strategy to improve its energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

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It will add a further four megawatts of electricity to the existing plant that is already housed in the university’s existing energy centre in Ashton Street.

Vital Energi is working alongside the university within tight constraints to ensure all the original features of the boiler house are preserved during the restoration and conversion of this Victorian-era building into a contemporary energy centre and that noise levels are kept to a minimum.

It is also collaborating with the university’s design team to complete major structural alterations and adaptations of the existing building to create three floors to accommodate the pumping and electrical units, the two CHP engines and the best heat recovery system.

All plant and equipment is being carefully selected to ensure it fits into the limited space available and the roof of the boiler house is being partially removed to allow ventilation equipment to be installed.

This is the latest in a long line of improvements to the university’s energy infrastructure that have been carried out

by Vital Energi in the last six years.

In that time, Vital Energi has installed the university’s main district heating system, laying a total of 1,900m of superior pre-insulated district heating pipe.

In February, Vital Energi signed a new £4M contract to carry out additional district

heating installations across the University of Liverpool’s campus for a further five years.

Ian Whitelock, Joint Managing Director of Vital Energi, said: “This project is giving a traditional old boiler house a new lease of life and installing innovative new sustainable energy within its walls.

“Converting a listed building into an energy centre is challenging but we have extensive experience of retrofitting sustainable energy solutions into existing buildings and have the capability to handle this type of project in-house.

“We welcome the opportunity to continue to help the University of Liverpool transform its energy infrastructure.”

Ian Murray, Consultant Project Manager at the University of Liverpool, added: “Vital Energi was awarded this contract because its proposal achieved the highest score during the OJEU tender process in terms of its quality and overall financial offering including both capital and whole of life costs.”

Designed by AFL Architects, work will also see a new fire alarm system and intruder alarm incorporated, as well as hard and soft landscaping and parking facilities for delivery vehicles.

Work started in July 2013 and will be completed in June 2014.

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UKC COMMUNITY

Royal Navy Museum

HMS – Hear My Story exhibition coming to Portsmouth

The project to transform the Royal Naval Museum’s Storehouse 10 is now complete and will be opened in time to commemorate the centenary of World War I. It has seen the restoration of the 18th century building, one of the finest Georgian storehouses in the UK, which will provide new and innovative exhibition spaces for the museum’s vast collections.

A contemporary glazed link, the product of careful design evolution, will connect these spaces to the existing Storehouse 11 galleries, enabling the museum to showcase four centuries of important naval history property for the first time.

Previously, the building was a museum and maintenance workshop that was used as well as part of the building.

There were many old materials also stored here. Up in Storehouse 11 there are unseen artefacts that will eventually be displayed in the new museum.

The Main Contractor for the project was Warings, who undertook the work on the shell and core. Involved in that was external refurbishment that involved a company called Cathedral Works who came along and did repairs to the stonework.

An old bridge was taken out to make way for the new link between building 11 and building ten. Within this, a raised floor was installed right the way through Storehouse 10, which took all the cabling, data and the power supplies for all the fit-out crew.

A pit was also dug for what is called a torpedo bay and work incorporated all the new lighting, ductwork, fire alarm installation through the three floors of the building to bring it up to modern building regulations.

Some minor structural repairs were undertaken, but importantly, the character of the building has stayed the same.

Over the years, some of the joints

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have gone soft so these were repaired any problems to the timescale of work. and there were a couple of additional HMS – Hear My Story is a major exhibition windows that went in but also kept in situated in the brand new Babcock Galleries character with the existing building. at the National Museum of the Royal A fire board was installed, once Navy in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. again to bring the development up Opening in spring 2014, it will tell the to regulations, and a couple of toilet undiscovered stories from the ordinary blocks have been incorporated. men, women and ships that have made the Major restoration works to the ground Navy’s amazing history over the last 100 floor have been completed and the years – the century of greatest change. new glass link provides a fantastic HMS will bring visitors closer than ever entrance, with the converted gallery before to the Royal Navy as their heritage spaces revealing the magnificent is brought together for the first time. structure of this Georgian storehouse.

Through cutting edge interpretation, Work has now commenced to see and hear stories of the Royal Navy turn this brand new space into through war and peace; from the storms HMS – Hear My Story. of the Arctic to the heat of Afghanistan.

Converting such a storehouse for a HMS also allows people to share their contemporary exhibition brought its personal memories about themselves or challenges. Some of the original fabric such family, add these stories to history and join as the brickwork was in poor condition. the debate on what the future may hold.

Part of the timber floor that survived the Designed by Purcell, Storehouse fire was not level and required protection, 10 is undergoing fit-out and will and services that are essential for visitor be ready for March 2014. comfort had to be brought into the building.

Unexpected, less routine and less welcome problems experienced included hidden patches of asbestos and pools of mercury that had been leaked from equipment stored on the first floor and required specialist removal.

When the specialist company came All carpentry work undertaken in the Hampshire area in to remove the asbestos, it meant 105 Woolston Road, Butlocks Heath, Southampton SO31 5FN that people couldn’t Tel/Fax: 023 8056 2881 Mobile: 07803 271331 be on site during Email:jm.clare@btinternet.com that period, but this didn’t present

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ECA PROFILE UKC

Fielding & Beaumont Plc Leading the way in the property development sector Fielding & Beaumont Plc is a project management company working within the property development sector and was formed to bring together the diverse skills required by the property development and construction industry under one umbrella.

Property development is a complex and demanding sector. Finance, legislation, building design and environmental concerns demand a broad range of skill sets to manage the creation, funding and delivery of a scheme.

At Fielding & Beaumont, the Company works towards taking the stress away from its clients and delivering projects that adhere to the UK’s building standards, providing a positive impact on the local community, and meeting the financial returns required by all clients.

Whether the project is residential, commercial or a student development, for increase of land value or full site development, Fielding & Beaumont has the experience.

The main aim of the Company is to maximise returns for its clients, and a number of established and performance driven companies are employed to

ensure standards are always maintained hotel has been a fixture on the Coventry and volume of projects does not affect landscape for almost 60 years. Following either quality or focus in delivery. its sale, it will provide much-needed With a clear understanding of the broad and meaningful use as accommodation effects that the property industry has on for students at the local university.” shaping areas and social groups, Fielding & Thanks to the work of Fielding & Beaumont holds a high priority on ensuring Beaumont, this vision will be realised. the longer term success of any project.

Fielding & Beaumont, Avon House, The Company has recently obtained the Stratford Road, Shirley, West Midlands. necessary planning permission to convert a Coventry Travelodge into student accommodation.

The Coventry Leofric Hotel was sold by specialist property advisor Christie + Co on behalf of Cordial Hotels to Fielding & Beaumont. It was acquired by Phoenix Building Contracts Ltd, 1 High Street, Coleshill, Travelodge in 2009.

Warwickshire, West Midlands, B46 1AY Gavin Wright, Director of Christie + Co. said: “The

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UKC HOUSING

Scotswood

Creation of a sustainable community

Work commenced earlier this month on the first affordable homes on a 66-hectare site for a long awaited regeneration scheme.

Home to the £300M Scotswood project, the development will provide 1,800 homes, schools, retail, leisure, commercial and community buildings over the next 15 years.

The development received a £20M funding package in 2010 to prepare the ground for new homes, while Newcastle City Council also invested in excess of £20M worth of resources in the broader regeneration of the area over the longer term.

Work on advanced infrastructure started two years ago to prepare the site for future development, with earthworks and remediation of the site for housing, as well as the diversion of utilities and the creation of a modern sustainable drainage system.

When the development started earlier this month, a group of local residents were joined by representatives from the public/private partnership driving the regeneration project – New Tyne West Development Company (NTWDC) – to lay the first bricks of the 58 affordable homes that will be built at The Rise.

The creation of these sustainable homes will rejuvenate Newcastle’s West End. With backing from the Home and Communities Agency (HCA), the plan is to provide mainly family homes with over 60% being three- and four-bedroom homes.

A partnership between Newcastle City Council, Barratt/David Wilson Homes and Keapmoat, NTWDC is leading the project in which Phase I of development will comprise 377 homes – including the 58 affordable houses for rent and shared ownership, which will be available through Tees Valley Housing – part of the Fabrick Housing Group.

The design of The Rise provides green links through to the existing neighbourhood and tiered gardens across the sloping 66-hectare site.

All of the properties constructed will incorporate eco-friendly features, with hot water and heating supplied from a neighbourhood energy centre. The project will also include community and commercial facilities, parks and public open spaces.

Duncan Bowman, Development Director with NTWDC said: “This is a really exciting milestone in the delivery of this project.

“The start of work on the affordable

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homes at Scotswood supports our vision of the creation of a sustainable community and our aim to provide affordable housing in Newcastle’s West End.” Throughout the building project, NTWDC will continue to work with the local community, schools, training and employment providers, along with

business support agencies to increase opportunities for local people and firms.

Already, a commitment has been made to employ six apprentices during Phase I of building and workshops have been held to help small local firms bid to be part of the programme.

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COMMERCIAL UKC

Ericsson Television

Improved office space in Southampton The Southampton office and research currently has more than 2,000 facility of Ericsson Television Ltd has broadcast and TV service provider undergone a refurbishment along with the customers in over 100 countries fit-out of a newly completed extension. using its compression solutions.

Broken down to six phases, this meant The new office refurbishment and that the client could maintain use of the extension will help to service these building’s day-to-day business while customers. Throughout the project, the the refurbishment was ongoing.

Main Contractor Brymor transferred Extra care was taken to avoid disruption sensitive research and development to the 1,200 employees working in equipment to enable continued use the building. It was achieved through in other areas of the building. regular meetings with the building Brymor was also fully aware of and department managers, weekend existing services in relation to running working, information boards in reception equipment to ensure continuity of and by erecting segregation screens supply and no downtime for Ericsson. to section-off areas of work.

Work comprised of research and Ericsson has been a leader in advanced development test laboratory refurbishment, video compression technology solutions training area refurbishment, a fit-out to the for 20 years. And today, Ericsson is the new build extension, general office area worldwide leader in the broadcast satellite, refurbishment and restaurant, reception contribution and distribution markets. and toilet area refurbishment and upgrade.

Its offering spans the media value chain of It was carried out by Brymor, who content acquisition, creation, management, celebrated its 25th anniversary last exchange and delivery to consumers. year. The Company takes pride in Ericsson does this by combining an open-standardsbased portfolio that spans the entire TV value chain, worldleading systems (SOUTHERN) LTD integration and managed services Standing on our reputation! with extensive consumer insight Specialists in Floor Preparation, Coverings & Finishes and an awardCommercial & Domestic winning mindset that unites Tel/Fax: 02392 454697 ● 07928 388518 ● 07540 314243 the worlds of www.floorsure.co.uk ● email: info@floorsure.co.uk video and IP. 26 The Oakwood Centre ● Downley Road ● Hants ● PO9 2NP The Company

being one of the few independent contractor companies in the south that remains privately owned, allowing Brymor to enter all projects as a flexible consultative and construction partner.

Whether working on a traditional, design and build or partnering contract, Brymor’s strength is the ability to provide a flexible and personal approach to contracts, ensuring its client’s needs and wants are at the forefront of everything undertaken on a project.

This was certainly the case with Ericsson’s office in Southampton. Designed by Arch Tech, work was completed in July 2013.

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UKC PROFILE

Concrete Block Association

The best selling house building block in the UK

The Concrete Block Association (CBA) is the trade body representing manufacturers of aggregate concrete building block in Great Britain.

An industry of some 50 manufacturers are represented, who produce approximately 60m sq m of aggregate blocks per year from more than 100 block plants nationwide.

The Association’s members are committed to high standards of product and service, and CPA is highly active in lobbying Government agencies such as the Department for Communities and Local Government and The Health & Safety Executive to protect and promote the interest of members.

CPA makes representations to BRE, BSI, CEN and other major industry bodies and is a founder member of the Traditional Housing Bureau.

Highly respected programmes of ongoing product development, research and testing are implemented and the Association has and continues to be instrumental in the development of new design and construction solutions.

One of the key components for any association that is trying to get its message out to the general public is having a strong website. This is something CBA can confidently boast.

The website continues to receive 4,000 – 5,000 visits a month with the average visitor looking at three pages. The most sought after pages continue to be the 20 technical data sheets, u-value calculator and Part L 2010 Regulations guide.

With this in mind many of the technical data sheets have been updated over the last 12 months, for instance the one on sustainability has been comprehensively upgraded and contains more factual detail.

A members only area is now up and running and contains all the Spring Update and Monthly Newsround back issues along with the Technical Committee minutes.

A facility to trade plant and equipment

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member to member has also been is positive about the future. He set up so members can make sure said: “Despite the terrible weather their staff and customers are aware affected start I am more bullish. of the ease of access to information “The combined effects of funding for on concrete blocks on the website. lending, first buy and some Government Aggregate concrete blocks are useful stimulus to social housing should because they are strong, durable and start to increase housing starts. versatile, completely fire resistant, have “I am sticking with my bullish excellent sound insulation, have an ideal January newsletter forecast of a background for dry lining, wet finishes and six to seven per cent increase.” fixings, their inherent thermal mass acts as heat store, they are recyclable, come with no risk as a proven and familiar building method, are cost effective and widely and readily available.

CBA continues to represent over two thirds of all block Manufacturers of manufacturing in eco-friendly the UK with tarmac building products building blocks, and lignacite still for over 60 years noticeably absent.

Andy Littler, Chairman Sellite is an expanding of CBA, said of these and well respected two: “I continue to business with over 60 invite them to join, years service to along with all other national house builders block manufacturers. and builders “The Association merchants. The would be richer for not only their subs but Company specialises in also their marketing a range of lightweight and technical input.” concrete blocks using This year has been our own supply of the a tough one for the finest quality aggregates. industry with many Continued investment in the people unable to latest technology keeps borrow, and a record Sellite at the forefront of its wet year meaning market sector. that housing starts fell to a low of only 89,000 in England.

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PROFILE UKC

UKRHA

Dealing with the ‘wrong sort of rain’ The author

Anton Bolton is the General Manager of Anua, a member company of the UK Rainwater Harvesting Association.

It’s not all about carbon

There have been plenty of examples over recent years when the UK cycle of regular light rainfall has given way to extended dry periods which eventually give way to downpours of tropical proportions.

From a national water supply point of view, this is the “wrong sort of rain”, as it fails to penetrate the parched ground to replenish aquifers; it also poses an immediate flash-flood risk which needs to be averted by ushering the excess water out to sea, rather than being able to collect and use it.

According to Environment Agency reports, this changing pattern of rain results from climate change impacts that, whilst not altering the overall quantity of rain falling on the UK, does diminish water availability and exacerbate flood risks.

Allied to predicted population growth, this means that existing stresses on water supplies will reach a future crisis point.

Taking the long view

Inevitably, long-term strategic issues are unlikely to be resolved by shortterm measures, meaning that there is a need to start to take waterrelated action now to avoid future excesses and shortages of water.

Given that first priority must be given to economising on water use and avoiding waste of water, one of the most obvious - and sensible – ways of doing this is to substitute harvested rainwater for mainswater for the non-potable uses, such as toilet flushing, clothes washing machines, and outside tap, that account for around 50% of domestic water consumption.

In the workplace, this percentage can easily rise to more than 80%.

The key to achieving these levels of mains-water savings is the ratio between collection area (normally restricted to the roof for domestic systems but can include surface areas on commercial projects), and the building occupancy. In the relatively dry south east of England, for example, around 30sq m of roof will

meet nearly all the non-potable water use of one occupant; this comes down to only 10sq m in the workplace.

Keeping down costs

This means that on large commercial projects the inclusion of rainwater harvesting systems can often be justified on wholly financial grounds with the commissioning client aiming to achieve a three-year payback period; on housing and smaller commercial projects, more lateral thinking is required.

Quite apart from helping to reduce stresses on mains water supplies, rainwater harvesting systems take water out of the surface water management equation, and thus help to reduce flood risks.

The storage tank for a system on a single dwelling, for example, may well serve to retain all the normal surface water falling on the property at source, when allied to features such as permeable paving and a water garden.

To cater for the extreme weather events forecast, however, the storage tank would need to be able to overflow when necessary; this overflow in turn provides an additional source of water for communal rainwater harvesting systems serving higher density properties on the development.

An important key to achieving these benefits is to find ways of incorporating rainwater harvesting without significantly increasing the existing cost of meeting legislative requirements.

Caught in the Act

An important cost-driver on new developments is the need to meet the requirements of the 2010 Flood & Water Management Act. Still yet to take full effect, the Act adds to Developer’s existing commitments a raft of new obligations; alongside avoiding adding to flood risks, these include requirements to meet water quality criteria, and to make use of water features as an amenity on new developments.

Of particular significance, many new developments will in future need their surface water management infrastructure (ie SuDS) to be adopted by new

local Boards, in a similar way to road infrastructure. This could be a potentially costly requirement which places a premium on minimising the ongoing inspection and maintenance regime which the Boards will inherit, but for which the Developer will inevitably pay.

Taking an integrated approach Government-funded studies designed to identify future best practice have highlighted the need for Developers to take an integrated approach to the twin challenges of enduring pressures on water supplies, interspersed with occasional high risk of floods.

Inclusion of rainwater harvesting in the surface water management train helps with the water-quality aspects of the 2010 Act, and helps to alleviate flood risk.

Systems also have their own independent inspection and maintenance schedule, and collectively will make a significant contribution to national water supplies if consistently installed on all new projects.

The final piece of the water management jigsaw should ideally be visible, such as attenuation ponds, swales or streetscapes, to meet the joint requirements of adding amenity value whilst being easy to inspect and maintain. If calculated to be necessary, additional attenuation can also be designed into the rainwater harvesting storage tanks when needed.

You know it makes sense

National water supplies are already under severe stress, a situation predicted to deteriorate further under the twin pressures of population growth and climate change effects. At the same time, more intense rainfall patterns are exacerbating flood risks.

The need to avoid adding to flood risks has long been understood by developers, and the associated costs factored-in on new projects. Making use of this excess water to address water shortages at the same time must make perfect sense – the trick being to take an integrated approach aimed at minimising the cost of both.

For further information visit www.ukrha.org

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UKC EDUCATION

Birkdale Primary School

New classrooms, kitchen and library part of the extension work A Southport school is on course to have a brand new extension to move into before the end of the year, therefore alleviating the problem of not having enough space that the school has suffered from over the years.

The work will convert it from a 1.5-form entry school into a two-form entry school and many options were considered before the extension was agreed upon.

Because it is a Victorian building built in 1885, the possibility of installing a second floor was explored because of the high nature of the building. There were also a couple of spaces in the existing building that had been altered over time that could possibly be reverted to their former layout, which would have provided more classrooms. However, regulations meant that this was not possible.

The school was desperate to create some new space and another plan was to knock through a few walls, but again this wouldn’t have adhered to regulations.

It was eventually decided that the best solution was to build on the current infant yard, which would join up the junior building and the infant building by having classrooms on the junior yard, completely taking up the play surface but putting the playground on the roof.

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This has resulted in a new entrance to the building, with the old one now the entrance to the kitchen currently being built, and four new classrooms.

There are two stairwells going up to the play deck and a disabled lift, so it’s all very impressive.

The kitchen is still under construction, as is the library, but good progress is being made and the actual classrooms and play deck are completed and children have already moved in.

It has a very different façade to the old Victorian existing building and has ended up with a modern looking blue fronted square with other added features too, such as solar panels, and the playground on the roof has a very high wall around it and an acoustic fence to keep the noise in.

This is not overlooked by residents so nobody can actually see into the playground and the children can’t see out either. It has a special play surface with multicoloured squares.

A playground had to be built upwards because there is no space to expand outwards on the school ground, which has no green space within reach, so this was the best option.

Disruption has been minimised because the majority of it has been in the old yard

space. Having two yards, the difficulty has been getting the younger children to walk a distance to the other yard because the only thing that’s been out of bounds is the playground area while the contractors install the steelwork.

Currently, there is disruption because the school isn’t quite big enough for the increasing number of children because it’s only partially completed.

Over time, better feeding facilities are necessary. The school never had a cooking kitchen. Instead, the food was brought in and the new cooking kitchen that is being built is in the middle of the old school.

That is causing some disruption, but only because of the noise it is creating, which is unavoidable at times.

The Main Contractor is Carefoot Construction who has taken extra care to look after all the children and even volunteered and fixed a few parts of the school that were not part of the project.

Designed by Capita Symonds, the work started in January 2013 and the £1.73M project will finish in time for Christmas.

It signifies the intent of Birkdale Primary School to provide its pupils the very best facilities, and all involved are committed to upgrading other parts of the school as soon as possible in the future.

Electrical Contracting Services Ltd

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UKC PROFILE

Darlow Lloyd (Construction) Ltd

Successful growth in five years of trading Darlow Lloyd (Construction) Ltd (DLC) specialises in civil engineering, building works, design and build, refurbishment and maintenance works within a wide cross spectrum of industries.

The Company’s roots are within the heavy industrial sectors such as Tata Steel Strip products and it currently operates the Term Maintenance Framework Agreement at both Port Talbot and Llanwern sites.

Established in August 2008 as a member of the Darlow Lloyd Group, the construction company was formulated to complement the successful sister company Darlow Lloyd and Sons, which is a family run business that offers services such as landfill and recycling management, bulk much shifting, screening and grading operations, sea defence, irrigation systems and landscaping services.

The Company is currently based at its newly refurbished facility that was purchased by the Group in March 2013 – on Village Farm Industrial Estate, Pyle.

DLC can call on a wide range of experience. It’s working directors have more than 40 years of experience between the two of them, while having various site and project managers who have been within the construction industry for a minimum of 15 years each.

Currently employing 95 people, the Company specialises in sectors such as industrial manufacturing plants and factories, stone quarries and mining infrastructure, but also the light commercial sector.

One of the major projects that DLC is currently involved in is the Nantyffyllon RFC redevelopment.

The existing club was erected in 1964 and was a pre-fabricated structure with

an estimated lifespan of 30-40 years.

Development Fund have also assisted in Unfortunately, the building has now making the project become a reality. well exceeded its lifespan and is in a Once work is completed, it is very bad state of repair. The repair costs envisaged that the new social club were considered unpractical and the club declared the building no longer fit for purpose.

The club is also in close proximity to residential housing and with it being a busy social club, there are problems such as sound nuisance for the surrounding areas.

To help fund this very ambitious project, Nantyffyllon RFC committee has worked tirelessly to secure funding via grants and so over the past few years has been accruing small pockets of ● derelict land adjacent ● to the site with a view of selling ● it off for housing made possible by the redevelopment of the club.

Have a question or wish to book a free survey?

The South East Wales Please contact us on: Community Economic Development programme, Community Facilities CCTV Wales, 1A Europa Way, Fforestfach, Swansea, SA5 4AJ and Activities Programme and sales@cctvwales.co.uk www.cctvwales.co.uk European Regional

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Operating from over 260 fixed sites, - together with a number of specialist implanted facilities at client locations throughout the UK, Ireland and the Middle East – we are able to provide the largest fleet of rental equipment in the UK as well as a whole range of services including training, fuel management and expert technical support. In addition to equipment rental and support services, we also retail an extensive range of products, from tools and specialist equipment to PPE and safety kit.

Speedy has the newest and most innovative fleet of winter equipment available, with a full range of services to help both private and public sector clients get through the darker and colder months, whether that’s on-site or on the roads. Speedy is always on hand with a whole range of equipment to cover emergencies created by the winter weather, by providing a rapid 24/7 response with their Out of Hours support service that customers can use by calling 0845 609 9999.

and training barn facility will become the hub of the local community.

The social club will include a members bar, large function room available for events within the community together with catering facilities, match day sponsors bar and a community activities room for the youth.

The training barn will be finished in a G3 artificial grass covering suitable for rugby and football use. There is also a boxing club and gym area that will be made available for general community use.

There has been a full site investigation survey conducted along with desktop studies, trail pitting, windowless sampling and bore holes to confirm ground conditions.

Reptile, habitat and bat surveys have also been carried out prior to construction.

The site enabling works have commenced and site fencing, storage and welfare facilities have been within the existing club to mitigate site costs. The existing rugby pitch has been stripped and a temporary haul road has been installed as part of the enabling works to facilitate construction.

The building will incorporate a heat source pumping unit that will be installed as part of the new pitch construction, and the club also plans to install solar panels on the barn roof and possibly a rainwater harvesting

recycling system for pitch irrigation.

DLC is providing all the construction work for this scheme and began on site in November 2013, with completion expected in June 2014 for the main club as well as partial completion of the training barn.

It is another successful step in the journey for DLC, who has enjoyed organic growth, from just under ÂŁ2M turnover in 2009 to ÂŁ8.5M this year - quite an achievement

given the recent economic climate.

Far from standing still, the Company is pressing forward and seeking to improve constantly, with plans to break into new markets such as small housing development and local authority and housing maintenance works.

Significantly, DLC is on track for sustained growth again in the next financial year.

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FAIRWOOD ENGINEERING LTD Tel 01639 892117 mail@fairwoodengineering.com 105

UKC RETAIL

Westfield London

The future for Croydon

The £1Bn joint venture between Westfield and Hammerson to redevelop the Whitgift and adjacent Centrale shopping centre will transform retail in Croydon, re-establishing the area as a premier shopping destination for south London.

The redevelopment will add 51,000sq m of high quality retail, residential and mixed-use space to create an appealing townscape with a vibrant pedestrian quarter. The precinct’s new homes, shops and businesses will be a valuable addition to the community that lives and works in the White City Opportunity Area.

It will deliver 5,000 new jobs and in addition to key anchor stores, over 300 shops, restaurants and cafes will bring together a dynamic mix of high street fashion, food and lifestyle brands.

The scheme also benefits from improvements to the public transport infrastructure that includes a major bus, rail and taxi interchange.

The Croydon Partnership aims to address the issue of poor connections between the existing retail centres and the surrounding area to provide a cohesive and integrated town centre for the benefit of all local businesses.

New leisure facilities in the form of a multi-screen cinema, bowling alley and restaurants will be incorporated, as well as up to 600 new homes and new public realm improvements and solutions to the long-term road

106

access issues for Wellesley Road.

New car parking spaces will make visiting Croydon easier and safer for residents.

This will take the form of a new 3,500 space car park using modern technology that will make parking easier and safer.

For many years, the Whitgift Centre has suffered a decline through lack of investment and work is being undertaken because of this, as well as the centre having many vacant shops. The layout of the centre no longer meets the needs of modern retailers and doesn’t encourage pedestrian routes and connectivity to the wider town centre.

With Croydon being one of London’s largest boroughs, it needs to be reestablished as not only a prime retail destination, but also a leisure destination.

Croydon and its surrounding area have a large and expanding population with many people currently shopping in other locations. A modern redeveloped Whitgift Centre will attract these people back to Croydon town centre.

Evidence shows there is a clear demand from a range of retailers to locate in a modern Croydon, including a large department store. A successful town centre needs good transport links. This is something Croydon possesses and is improving them further with new trams and improvements at Croydon station.

By successfully regenerating the centre, there will be an increase in the number

of people and money spent in Croydon.

This will help breathe new life into local and independent businesses that have struggled to compete in recent years.

The new connections through the scheme will help people to explore the wider town centre and introducing new homes will help to sustain and grow the town centre to be a more vibrant location to live and work.

The development will be built to the highest sustainability and environmental standards. It is aiming to achieve an ‘Excellent’ rating for the commercial spaces and a Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 for the residential units.

Development will make use of previously built on land, while sustainable, energy efficient building techniques will reduce CO2 emissions.

Provision of water efficient toilets, including sanitary supply shut off and pulsed water metering will be used, as will best practice environmental design, including good daylight, ventilation and acoustics.

Low zero carbon technologies are being incorporated, such as a combined cooling system and power plant and PV panels that will further reduce CO2 emissions, and recycling will be maximised as well as implementation of the best practicable environmental options.

The end result will be a sustainable, high quality, retail-led mixed-use development with new homes for Croydon.

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UKC CIVIL

Cheney Manor Industrial Estate

New waste to energy facility in Swindon A pioneering £6M plant to turn Swindon’s household waste into fuel will be in operation at the depot of Swindon Council’s contractor, Swindon Commercial Services Ltd (SCS), this month.

SCS is setting up a fuel preparation plant at Waterside Park on Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, which will create solid fuel from rubbish left out in wheelie bins and blue sacks, which would otherwise cost thousands to bury in landfill.

Wholly owned by Swindon Council, SCS selected Machinex Industries Inc to provide the sorting technologies for the new waste facility.

The plant will treat 48,000 tonnes a year of residual municipal solid waste (MSW) as well as commercial and industrial waste (C&I) to produce a refuse derived fuel/solid recovered fuel at the site.

Fuel produced by this plant will be to a specified standard and will then be sold through a separately procured fuel use

108

contract. The Machinex custom-made sorting system was completed in autumn.

Jonathan Menard, Project Director at Machinex, said: “Machinex has developed similar facilities during the past year in the United Kingdom and that demonstration of our expertise contributed to establishing confidence in the equipment right at the onset of the project.”

Sean Magee, Head of Waste Solutions at SCS added: “After a rigorous procurement process, SCS concluded that Machinex has the technical ability to deliver the kind of system we require.

“Machinex has perfectly identified our needs and resources by offering us a reasonable approach that respected the limitations of the building and our budget.”

The system from Machinex can segregate a variety of materials from MSW and C&I to obtain a final fraction that meets the standards to produce solid recovered fuel and, depending on the market needs,

to also produce refuse derived fuel.

The material will first go in a shredder, and then after this the fine particles will be removed by a trommel.

Ferrous and non-ferrous metals will be sorted using a range of magnets. A heavy light separator will remove the heavies while a secondary shredder will assure that the material complies with solid recovered fuel and refuse derived fuel standards of 30mm or less.

Because solid recovered fuel standards requires between 15% and 20% moisture content, the material will be dried in a rotating drum dryer that will also recover 70% of the initial air.

The exhaust air from the system will be treated to remove contaminants before being discharged.

Due to the plant’s flexible design, a reversible conveyor will allow the operator to decide to send bulk material loose on a continued page 110 >

EXPERIENCE RESULTS WITH MACHINEX RDF/SRF SOLUTIONS After a rigorous procurement process, Swindon Commercial Services Ltd (SCS) has selected Machinex Industries Inc. to provide the sorting technologies for their new waste facility at Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, Swindon. According to Sean Magee, Head of Waste Solutions at SCS, they concluded that Machinex has the technical ability to deliver the kind of system they require. "Machinex has perfectly identified our needs and resources by offering us a reasonable approach that respected the limitations of the building and our budget."

Jonathan Menard, Director of Projects at Machinex says: "Machinex has developed similar facilities over the past years in the United Kingdom and that demonstration of our expertise contributed to establishing confidence in the equipment right at the onset of the project."

This plant, which starts this November 2013, will treat 48,000 tonnes a year of residual municipal solid waste (MSW) as well as commercial and industrial waste (C&I) to produce a Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) / Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF). The fuel that will be produced by this plant will be to a specified standard and will then be sold through a separately procured fuel use contract.

The system from Machinex segregate a variety of materials from MSW and C&I to obtain a final fraction that meets the standards to produce Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) and, depending on the market needs, to also produce Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). The materials first go into a shredder, and then, the fines particles are removed by a trommel. Ferrous and non-ferrous metals are sorted using a range of magnets. A heavy-light separator removes the heavies while a secondary shredder assures that the material complies with SRF/RDF standards of 30 mm or less.

Because SRF standards requires between 15% and 20% moisture content, the material will be dried in a rotating drum dryer. The exhaust air from the system will be treated to remove contaminants before being discharged into the environment.

Due to the plants flexible design, a reversible conveyor will allow the operator to decide to send bulk material loose to a vehicle or send it to a baler and be wrapped in plastic film according to market demand.

Leader in Sorting Technologies For over 30 years, Machinex has used innovative recycling equipment solutions to design and produce custom sorting and recycling technologies for facilities in Canada, the United States and Northern Europe. As industry leaders in the design of profitable and reliable material recovery facilities, Machinex produces a full range of waste recycling equipment as well as state-of-the-art Sorting Systems to meet the processing needs of today and tomorrow including : RDF/SRF, Municipal Solid Waste, Single-Stream Recycling Collection, Commercial and Industrial Waste, Construction and Demolition Waste.

At Machinex, our engineers recognize that no two material recovery facilities are the same. Mastering the art of combining equipment and technologies, within a system, to meet the unique and individual needs of every customer is our goal. Consistently recovering the maximum amount of material and achieving unsurpassed purity levels has been our experience.

vehicle or send it to a baler and be wrapped in plastic film according to market demand.

Machinex has years of experience, meaning the Company was well placed to undertake this project. It became the first company in Canada to design machinery for material recycling facilities.

Machinex immediately established

itself as a leader in designing profitable, quality, recycling sorting systems.

Today, the Company is still a world leader in the industry, developing cutting edge sorting, waste management and recycling technology. Over the years, their experts have designed and installed over 250 turnkey facilities

in partnership with leading MRFs in Canada, the United States and Europe.

The plant will start operations this month and will take about six months to reach full efficiency when all black bag waste will be processed.

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RETAIL UKC

Sainsbury’s Expanding its presence in London and the South East

Sainsbury’s has continued to expand its UK presence this year with a number of convenience stores, supermarkets and distribution centres completed.

This summer saw Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg officially open Sainsbury’s new Thameside Distribution Centre in south east London.

The 250,000sq ft facility, which is operated in partnership with supply chain solutions specialist Wincanton, will support the growth of Sainsbury’s convenience network in London and the South East.

When fully operational, the £30M facility will support 200 convenience stores stretching from London to Brighton.

The opening of the new distribution centre has created 350 jobs, providing a real boost to the local community.

It will employ more than 600 people, making it one of the most significant employers in the local area.

Earlier this year, Sainsbury’s announced that it is accelerating the expansion of its

convenience store business in London and the South East, with plans to open 50 new stores by early 2014. This will create more than 1,000 local jobs.

In line with Sainsbury’s 20x20 sustainability targets, all Thameside depot’s general waste – including paper, cardboard and plastic – is recycled or put to positive use, such as being turned into fuel.

Other energy saving measures include LED light fittings in the chilled and frozen chambers, rainwater harvesting on the roof plus car charging points in the colleague car park.

Nick Clegg said: “I’m delighted to open the new Sainsbury’s depot and welcome the boost these jobs bring to the local economy. It’s a long-term commitment from Sainsbury’s and Wincanton and is a sign of their ambitions for growth.

“As well as the hundreds of jobs this depot creates, it supports the expansion of Sainsbury’s across the rest of the capital and the South East – securing greater

opportunities for people across the area.”

John Rogers, Sainsbury’s Chief Financial Officer, said: “Thameside is our second dedicated convenience depot and this state-of-the-art facility gives us superb support for our exciting plans to grow our convenience business.”

Earlier this year, a former tanning salon and metal fabricators workshop in Haslucks Green, Solihull, were converted into Britain’s most environmentally friendly convenience store after Sainsbury’s Local opened its doors.

The new store uses cutting edge technology normally not seen in a store of its size to minimise its environmental impact.

It boasts features such as 42 solar panels on the roof, natural refrigeration, new highly energy efficient LED lighting and signage made from recycled materials.

The target for Sainsbury’s is to have opened 50 new stores in London and the South East by early next year.

forward fenceline bringing fences to life

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111

UKC PROFILE

J Greenwood (Builders) Ltd

Offering excellent services to all customers For almost four decades, J Greenwood (Builders) Ltd has successfully delivered professional, creative solutions to the building needs of a diverse client base.

The Company undertakes maintenance work, major new build projects, cutting edge contemporary design to skilled restoration of listed features, in addition to which J Greenwood has a highly skilled, bespoke joinery service. The experience of the Company is wide ranging, with well established expertise and a flexible approach that allows challenging logistics to be undertaken.

With a head office based at Zebra Court in Chadderton, the Company also has a workshop in Oldham to produce bespoke joinery products. J Greenwood prides itself on being an efficient and effective building company offering excellent service to all customers.

The result of this has been long and sustained relationships with numerous clients in both the public and private sectors, striving to deliver high standards of service and consistently improve value to clients. While quantity of work is important, quality always comes first.

With 51 staff members, including groundworkers, joiners and bricklayers, J Greenwood can call upon a highly skilled

mentha

&halsall

workforce to undertake any project. The Company recognises the importance of training, and within its quality management system, has established procedures for the control and management of training staff and employees to ensure they have valid certification and sufficient training to undertake the role that they have been designated on site.

J Greenwood doesn’t specialise in one particular sector, due to the fact that the skills and experience of all staff means projects can be, and have been undertaken covering a broad spectrum of sectors for both public and private sector clients.

A number of projects are carried out in live environments, delivering traditional and new build projects. The maximum value of projects undertaken to date is £2.75M, which was the Francis House Hospice development, while the minimum value is £23,000, which saw the refurbishment of existing toilet blocks at the University of Manchester.

Every project undertaken is evaluated on an individual basis as regards to the exact requirements, and the Company ensures that the necessary resources are provided to deliver the works on time, to budget, and in accordance with the requirements of the client.

Clients of the Company included Xaverian College, Loreto Sixth Form, Manchester Settlement, Oldham Sixth Form College, Manchester High School for Girls, Manchester University, Staffordshire University, Salford University, Liverpool University, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, Chester Church of England Diocese, Salford Roman Catholic Diocese and Shrewsbury Roman Catholic Diocese, all of whom have benefited from a high quality of service over the years.

Work at Xaverian Sixth Form College was completed in three phases. Initial work comprised of a £400,000 contract to refurbish the canteen, convert the caretaker’s room into a café and construction of a new caretaker’s building.

It was delivered to a challenging eightweek programme in the summer holidays as the College had to be operational when the students returned. As these works progressed successfully and the client was satisfied with the work provided, a further two phases of work were negotiated, for a value of £2M. The whole project cost £2.4M. J Greenwood (Builders) Ltd, Unit 4B, Zebra Court, White Moss View, Greenside Way, Chadderton, M24 1UN. Tel: 0161 654 8435.

Quality Joinery manufacture and interior fit-out since 1958

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112

CIVIL UKC

Crossrail

Breathing new life into the Connaught Tunnel Crossrail’s race against the clock to complete a key part of its work to the Victorian Connaught Tunnel in east London has been completed ahead of schedule.

Earlier this year, dam walls were installed in a section of the Royal Docks that run above the tunnel to allow Crossrail workers to access the tunnel from above. However, this dam had to be removed in September to allow ships to pass through the dock ahead of a trade exhibition at ExCeL London.

Three months of working around the clock has resulted in completion, with the dam walls removed and the dock reopened.

A cofferdam the size of a football pitch was installed and 13 million litres of water were drained from the Royal Docks. This allowed workers to deepen, widen and strengthen the central section of the tunnel so that it can accommodate new Crossrail trains.

Sections of the tunnel were in poor condition and parts of it were narrowed

during the 1930s so that the dock could be deepened to accommodate larger ships with brickwork removed and steel segments installed.

During World War II, more than 40,000 explosive devices were dropped on London with the docks and rail lines particularly targeted due to their crucial role in delivering supplies to the British war effort.

Connaught Tunnel was hit by a bomb in 1940. Crossrail undertook further repair work to the damaged section of the tunnel.

Before the major work commenced on the tunnel, Crossrail undertook an extensive search of the wider construction area to identify any remaining undiscovered devices that failed to detonate on landing during World Wart II. The geology of the Royal Docks area meant that some devices that didn’t explode on landing sunk into the first few metres of soil.

A team of highly trained specialists used armoured vehicles with magnetic

equipment to investigate the ground around Connaught Tunnel, with their work involving sending probes into the ground in three metre intervals and analysing the results.

Crossrail has a detailed understanding from existing London-wide maps and ground surveys about where any potential devices could exist.

The dock floor above the Connaught Tunnel was searched by divers and given the all clear, as was the area under the Connaught Bridge, directly above the Connaught Tunnel.

After surveys for unexploded ordnance were completed, Crossrail archaeologists opened excavation trenches in an attempt to locate evidence of human settlement and farming in an area dating back nearly 6,000 years.

Crossrail worked with the Museum of London Archaeology to map the effect of the River Thames on the area continued page 116 >

113

Connaught Passage Project In late 2012, GPS Marine contracted with Vinci Construction to construct two cofferdams across the Connaught Passage that connects the Royal Albert and Royal Victoria Docks in East London.

The contract was associated with a part of the Crossrail Project, and specifically it related to the section of the project linking Custom House and Abbey Wood. The double skin cofferdams were constructed across the Eastern and Western ends of the Connaught Passage in order to allow the area between the cofferdams to be dewatered and so afford access through the dock bottom to the 134 year old Connaught Tunnel, which was last used by the North London Line in 2006. Following dewatering of the area between the cofferdams, the tunnel was accessed in the dry and enlarged (by others with support from GPS Marine) to facilitate the use of the new Crossrail stock, which is to be larger than North London Line stock, through the old North London Line Tunnel.

The heavy props between the walls of the Connaught Passage were floated into position and then fitted using air bags, compressed air boats and divers and this complicated operation had to be completed before the dewatering operation could commence. Also, prior to dewatering, a series of sensors were installed to monitor any movement of the existing walls and the cofferdams during the dewatering process. Dewatering was undertaken in stages until the necessary job of removing the fish that had become trapped between the cofferdams could be completed. It was truly astounding how many individual fish and different species were, in fact, removed at this time and entered back into the main bodies of the docks. When the dewatering operation was complete, both cofferdams were surprisingly water tight. Further attention to the few minor leaks that did present themselves rapidly delivered two extremely tight cofferdams with minimal leakage.

GPS Marine, as principle subcontractor, engaged closely with Commercial Marine and Piling to deliver this technically challenging project that was subject to some significant operational constraints and which was, also, highly time sensitive.

Upon completion of Vinci Construction’s works to enlarge the old Connaught Tunnel, it was time to commence the removal of both cofferdams so that the Victoria and Albert Docks could once more be linked and the Victoria Dock could again be accessed from the Thames. This was a programme milestone and was a contractual requirement to allow frigates to moor up at the Victoria Dock’s Excel Centre in time to take part in the prestigious Defence Show held there every 2 years. This required the full width of the Passage and the dock bed below to be returned to a condition where it once more afforded the minimum impounded draught through the cutting. Thus, the removal of these temporary works remained a time critical operation, but one that was still subject to all the constraints that applied to the installation phase. 24 hour working, once again, became an essential part of the cofferdam removal operation.

The piling operations themselves were constrained by limitations on crane use and jib heights dictated by the nearby London City Airport, the operations of which were not permitted to be affected in any respect by the works. The piles used in the project were 17m in length and both pitching and driving them with a 70 ton AB1 rig had to be completed with a restriction during airport operating hours that prevented any item of construction plant penetrating the airport’s air envelope. This air envelope was only 24m above the dock surface and this posed operational challenges that meant that there was no alternative to 24 hour working during much of the project. Piles could only be pitched after 22:00hrs and then driven sufficiently to depth with the AB1 rigs by 06:00hrs so as to allow re-driving without breaching the air envelope during day time working using C65 hydraulic hammers. As is to be expected, 24 hour working brought with it further challenges principally associated with noise and vibration levels.

Prior even to driving the piles, some significant reinforced concrete obstructions were discovered on the pile lines. These obstructions were so significant that they had to be broken out with a hydraulic breaker mounted on a 42 ton long-reach excavator with a maximum outreach of 22m. All obstructions on the pile lines were then dredged clear utilising the same machine.

As a result of the restricted number of bridge lifts facilitated by the Connaught Road Bridge and the fact that the Royal Victoria Dock was to be made inaccessible from the Thames by the works, almost all work associated the Western cofferdam was carried out from sectional pontoons built from Ravestein units within the dock prior to the works commencing. The Eastern cofferdam, however, could be built using more conventional crane barges and floating plant.

The sheet piles were driven to design levels. However, variations in the walls of the Connaught Passage as built compared with previously available information, meant that bespoke sealing joints had to be designed and installed. These seals were installed with assistance from divers utilising profiled steel sections and grout bags. Special closing piles were then fabricated and installed to ensure a tight fit for each sheet pile wall across the Passage. Upon completion of the piling work, the steel beam walings and tie rods were fitted, with the lower waling beams being installed and drilled underwater. Because only relatively small cranes could be used along each side of the Passage, a complex support structure for the Connaught Passage walls within the area to be dewatered was fabricated off site and installed prior to the dewatering operation commencing.

Cofferdam filling was achieved by importing granular fill material from local quarries by truck and stockpiling it on the north and south sides of the new cofferdams. The fill material was then transported by 10T dumpers to each end of the cofferdams, where because of the physical constraints, material to the West cofferdam was placed by conveyor and backhoes, whilst on the East cofferdam the material could be placed directly from the dumpers. The fill was then levelled by long reach excavators mounted on barges at the East and West sides of the cofferdams.

The first phase of the removal operation was to remove the fill material from within the cofferdams down to the top tie bar level. This was undertaken using long reach excavators mounted both on floating plant and on the shore at each end of the cofferdam. Both barges and lorries were used to remove materials in the early stages although subsequently, once the sheet piles had been extracted, this became a marine only operation. Once the fill had been removed down to the tie bars, these could be released by the use of divers with underwater cutting equipment, and the external waling beams could also be lifted out. With these removed, the excavators could then remove fill right down to dock bed level so as to release as much pressure on the piles as possible before extraction of the sheet piles commenced.

In an effort to accelerate the works, when all the tie bars and walings had been removed, an early attempt was made to extract the piles but this was found to be unsuccessful and further fill was required to be removed before piles could be pulled. The piles were eventually pulled singly up to approx. 6 metres when its neighbour pile was also pulled singly to the same height before both piles were then fully extracted as a pair. This technique was further developed allowing bundles of five piles to be withdrawn simultaneously, and so speed up the operation.

On the south side of the western cofferdam was a 25ton triangular support frame fitted with steel shear keys. This frame was attached to the crane on the barge GPS Boxer and, following a divers survey, the shear keys were cut by divers and the support frame was lifted clear.

Although all other piles could be pulled, the southern seal piles could not be pulled due to attempts to do so causing unacceptable readings from the tunnel’s sensors. These piles then had to be cut off underwater below final bed level.

Disassembly of the western cofferdam followed a broadly similar pattern to that for the Eastern cofferdam. One significant difference, however, was that the sheet piles making up the western cofferdam proved substantially more difficult to extract and numerous piles suffered structural failures before they were eventually extracted.

When the pile extraction had been completed, it only remained to remove any spilled fill that was present above the level permitted to allow 8.2m depth of water through the cutting at minimum impounded dock level. To achieve this, both backhoe dredging and ploughing methods were employed and this final phase was completed in time to meet the critical hand over date.

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during historic and prehistoric times.

Sitting above the Connaught Tunnel near Connaught Bridge is the tunnel pump house. This attractive Victorian Building was too small to accommodate the larger modern pumping equipment that was installed as part of the tunnel’s major refurbishment. After structural surveys, Crossrail offered to donate the structure to the SS Robin Trust.

The SS Robin is one of the world’s oldest steamships and was built in east London. The ship’s trust was seeking a permanent berth in the Royal Docks and the pump house structure now forms the quayside ticket office.

Tunnel material has now been removed and a larger, stronger structure has been put in place in preparation for the start of Crossrail services in 2018.

The tunnel was built in 1878 and has not been in passenger use since December 2006. It is the only existing tunnel that will be re-used for Crossrail.

Crossrail’s Chief Executive is Andrew Wolstenholme and he said: “In refurbishing this Victorian rail tunnel, the team at Connaught has had to think on its feet and overcome some unique challenges.

“It is a source of great pride that our engineers and everyone on the project continue to deliver, often in difficult and complex circumstances.”

Linda Miller, Connaught Tunnel Project Manager, said: “It was a race against the clock to get the work completed and the dock re-flooded, so it’s great news that we’ve got it finished ahead of schedule. It’s been a fantastic effort

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by the whole team to get the job done safely, quickly and effectively.”

When the south-east section of Crossrail opens, up to 12 trains an hour in each direction will run through the Connaught Tunnel, reducing journey times and supporting the wider regeneration of the Royal Docks.

With Crossrail, the journey from Abbey Wood to Bond Street will be around 20 minutes quicker and passengers travelling to Heathrow will be able to cut around 40 minutes off their journey.

As well as widening and deepening the central section of the tunnel, the work at the site will include laying new tracks, waterproofing, installing water pumps and cleaning the 135 years of coal and soot from the bricks.

When Crossrail opens in 2018, it will increase London’s rail-based transport network capacity by ten per cent and dramatically cut the journey times across the city.

Through the new transport links and significant over-station developments being delivered, Crossrail will support regeneration across the capital with economic forecasts suggesting the project will add up to £42Bn to the UK economy.

Crossrail outlined its key delivery milestones for this year back in January because between now and 2015 will be the peak years of construction.

The huge transformation at Crossrail sites in central and south-east London include flagship new stations in central London and Docklands at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court

Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Whitechapel and Canary Wharf.

Tunnelling sites on either side of the capital, where four huge tunnelling machines – Ada and Phyllis in the west, Elizabeth and Victoria in the east – were launched in 2012.

Work will create a new 1,500 acre nature reserve at Wallasea Island in Essex – one of the largest new wetland nature reserves in Europe for 50 years – using excavated material from Crossrail’s tunnelling programme.

Huge excavation works to create a 25 metre deep station box at Woolwich along with the completion of the Plumstead portal where tunnelling machines will burrow beneath the Thames to create part of Crossrail’s south-eastern section.

A purpose built temporary factory will be constructed at Old Oak Common in west London, which will produce 75,000 concrete tunnel segments to line Crossrail’s western tunnels.

By January, more than 20 million hours had been worked on the project with 7,000 people working at over 40 sites across London and the South-East. Also

by January, more than 1,000 people had passed through the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) in Ilford, east London – the centre of excellence for tunnelling set up in 2011.

As well the work already completed, the end of the year will see the completion of the six kilometre western section between Royal Oak and Farringdon.

COMMERCIAL UKC

Leighton Farm Site of a new stud farm

Work is well underway on the restoration project of the historic Leighton Farm Estate, which was acquired by the Potter family in September 2011.

Leighton Farm was a model farm where rational farming methods were employed using techniques derived from science and industry. It was characteristic of its period but especially notable for its scale.

Two years on after it was purchased, the Potter Group announced that the premises is to become home to one of the country’s fastest growing stud farms.

An agreement has been completed with David and Teresa Futter to switch their expanding Yorton Farm operation from near Shrewsbury to Leighton and the couple took occupancy at the start of October.

The formal transfer of the Victorian model farm, with seven houses and 300 acres of land paved the way for considerable investment by the Potter Group in the restoration of the Grade II listed buildings.

James Potter, Managing Director of the Potter Group, said: “The long-term proposal was to create an equine centre at Leighton.

“The opportunity to house one of the country’s most respected stud farms at Leighton was too good to miss. The move presents tremendous possibilities for future generation at the site, which had been falling into disrepair.

“The move not only protects the historic model farm buildings for

future generations but also brings new employment opportunities to the area.

“As a family and as a company we are absolutely delighted to have completed the agreement with David and Teresa Futter of Yorton Farm. We have lived in Leighton for many years and I consider it a privilege to be able to repair and restore Leighton Centre to something more akin to its former glory.”

Yorton Farm is recognised as one of Britain’s fastest growing breeding operations, with the standing stallion roster of Sulamani, Malinas, Librettist and Sakhee in big demand with endorsements from Britain, Ireland and France.

From humble beginnings foaling mares for nearby contacts less than ten years ago, the business has outgrown its Shropshire home, with 300 mares visiting the farm in the past year.

Mr Futter said: “We love it at Yorton but if we are to continue growing we need more room

Ltd. All Slates Ltd maintain a large stock of top quality, selected and crated reclaimed roofing slate.

and when the opportunity to move to Leighton Farm came along it seemed like the perfect one for us.

“We know the Potter family through their National Hunt interests and we are all very excited at the prospects ahead, though there will be family tears when we close the gate at Yorton for the final time.”

The switch to Leighton Farm will double the size of the operation, which will enable the Yorton stud to build on past successes and increase the stallion count.

The Architect for the project is Garner Southall Partnerships and the Main Contractor is Potters Waste.

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Tel: 07779 722881 117

UKC PROFILE

Construction Fixings – avoiding failures

A new British Standard will help contractors protect their liability and make connections safer. BS 8539, Mark Salmon of the Construction Fixings Association explains how.

Construction fixings don’t have a high profile with most contactors. Not until there’s an “accident” and people are hurt.

Then they get plenty of attention. We hear about the accidents that result in fatalities yet there are plenty more which may not hit the headlines but which do affect, not only those who may be injured, but the staff of specifiers, suppliers and contractors who installed the fixings involved.

The CFA has been monitoring such failures for years and has identified the following contributory factors.

••Wrong anchor selected – due to lack of knowledge or care by the person selecting the fixing; ••Poor communication of the anchor specification through project documentation; ••Fixing specifications being changed without adequate consideration; ••Poor installation through lack of training, manufacturers’ instructions not being followed and incorrect equipment being used ••Lack of supervision.

While poor installation practices may account for most fixing failures the changing of an anchor specification without reference to the specifier was responsible for the death of one construction worker and serious injury to two others, so must not be underestimated in importance. In fact it was that particular “accident” that led, indirectly, to the publication of a new British Standard BS 8539:2012 Code of practice for the selection and installation of post-installed anchors in concrete and masonry.

This code sets out the responsibilities of everyone involved in using fixings from the manufacturer through the specifier and distributor to contractor, installer and tester.

It includes some key recommendations: ••One person should carry overall responsibility for fixings throughout a project including the temporary works phase.

••If an anchor with a European Technical Approval (ETA) is available then such an anchor should be used.

••Anchor specifications should not be changed without due process.

••All stakeholders need to be competent.

••Preliminary tests need to be carried out on site when there is no performance data available from the manufacturer e.g. for masonry.

••Proof tests should be carried out on a sample of all jobs unless anchors with ETA have been used and installed by trained operators working under supervision.

••Completed installations should be certified by the contractor.

Recognising that the code is quite daunting in its scope the Construction Fixings Association has published its “8539 Toolkit” to help all stakeholders understand their responsibilities and implement them.

Poor selection, poor installation – a lady dies.

assist specifiers in deciding what sort of ETA they need an anchor to be qualified to and a presentation viewable in short form on the website and available as a CPD seminar from full members of the CFA. The forms help with the following tasks: One is for collating the data needed for the selection process, one can be completed by a supplier recommending a fixing, another is for the specifier to detail the specified fixing, one is a certificate format for the contractor to certify that the correct anchors have been installed in the correct locations to the manufacturer’s instructions and the last is a test request to ensure that testers can fulfil the test objectives.

Another important subject is on site testing. The code calls up testing regimes for two distinct conditions.

The first is required only when there is no manufacturer’s performance data available e.g. for use in masonry. Among the four possible test regimes which may be used is one designed years ago by the CFA - “Preliminary Testing”, and is described, along with all the details of how tests should be carried out, in the CFA Guidance Note: Procedure for site testing construction fixings – 2012 which is a normative reference within the standard i.e. effectively it’s part of it. The other condition is to provide assurance that anchors have been properly installed. Proof Tests. These should be carried out on all projects unless anchors with ETA have been installed by trained staff working under supervision.

The CFA has a scheme for “Approved Testers” to enable contractors to locate companies capable of carrying out tests to the standard.

All this and more at www.the-cfa.co.uk.

It comprises a set of four “How to guides” for specifiers, distributors, contractors/ installers and testers which summarise the responsibilities of each; a set of five forms to control information provision throughout the project; three guidance notes on the subjects of terminology, ETAs and testing; two flow charts which

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UKC PROFILE

SMC Drylining Ltd

Fast, efficient drylining services throughout the UK Established in 2001 by Shaun Crook, SMC Drylining Ltd is a specialist in drylining, metal stud partitioning, suspended ceilings, plastering, external render, floor screed, covering and metsac.

The Company is based in Shepton Mallet, which is where the office is based and there is a storage warehouse in Glastonbury where materials are stored and then delivered on site using the fleet of five vans.

This leading Company employs anywhere up to 100 specialist, skilled tradesmen, which allows SMC Drylining to complete a variety of large scale interior and exterior finishing projects on time and within budget.

As specialists in floor screeding, the Company understand that each floor screeding installation requires an individual approach, which will see an initial consultation to properly understand the requirements a client has for installation.

Floor screeding is a complex job requiring experience and expertise. At SMC Drylining, the track record speaks for itself.

With multiple successful contracts for various housing associations and independent builders, perfect floor screeding can be guaranteed first time around.

The Company is committed to completing work within the allotted timescale and paying due care and attention to its clients’ requirements.

With any dry lining being a quick drying process and with skilled tradesmen all possessing the ability to finish jobs with speed and efficiency, SMC Drylining ensures that a building is ready for the next step on the construction ladder on time.

Working relationships have been built up with several main contractors and builders, with regular work coming with Halsall Construction Ltd, Brookvale Homes, Mansell and E R Hemmings (Building) Ltd amongst others. Work is carried out on a whole host of different buildings such as houses, flats, schools, hospitals,

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medical centres and nursing homes.

SMC Drylining plans on building a A recently completed project includes larger client base and the long-term the 63-bed care home in Bradford ambition is to increase turnover and on Avon for Brookvale Homes. Work aim to be one of the largest drylining included M/F ceilings, metal stud, companies in the South West. plastering to walls and ceilings, coving, If the Company continues to provide high drylining and external render. quality plastering throughout the area, This was completed in 14 weeks, which while building productive relationships meant it was on time and on budget. with contractors, it is surely only a matter The Company is going to start working on of time before this aim is realised. the site of 41 homes in Chard, Somerset.

Again for Brookvale Homes, this work will involve floor screeds, drylining, metal stud partitions, suspended ceilings, coving and external thru colour render.

Work is also about to start o n a 55bed care home for E R Hemmings (Building) Ltd in Somerton, Somerset. It will incorporate suspended ceilings, drylining, coving, tape and joint finish.

Other projects currently ongoing are 16 houses THERMAL INSULATION FIRE PROTECTION ACOUSTICS in Melksham for Halsall Construction EXTERNAL FAÇADES FLOORING DRY LINING Ltd, seven homes in Somerset for CEILINGS ROOFING RENEWABLES a small building company, a new medical centre in Chard for Brookvale Homes, 14 flats at St George in Bristol for Mansell and nine houses in Baltonsborough, again for Brookvale www.minsteronline.co.uk Homes.

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Refurbished facilities at Loughborough University The Pilkington Library is the central library for Loughborough University.

Situated in the west side of the campus and built in 1978, the concrete framed building has seen a major refurbishment over the last six months.

The transformation of the library was undertaken by bluu Solutions of Birmingham who designed and built the new environment. The result is a spectacular new student learning environment, which has additional capacity, improved learning facilities, increased PC and media provision and new finishes throughout. A variety of newly installed furniture now supports the more relaxed communal approach to study, as well as traditional seating arrangements.

The new seminar room is equipped with laptops and state-of-the-art multimedia, and there are effective spaces for library staff to support optimum service provision. Further space has been allocated for the existing collections of books and periodicals. The library has also benefited from newly installed self-

EDUCATION UKC

Pilkington Library service machines and access to print facilities, while a new security alarm and areas and electronic learning resources. fire alarm and public addressable system The refurbished area is approximately improves day to day safety for the students.

98,000sq ft, and benefits from a newly Work on the refurbishment started designed and installed feature staircase, in March 2013 and development increased natural lighting using state-ofwas completed in October 2013. the-art solar glazing and a large feature rooflight. A significant amount of work has also been undertaken to the top floor of the building to reduce carbon emission and improve the u-values of the building by installing a new roof and perimeter cladding.

Specialist Suppliers of New and Recycled Raised Access Flooring Disabled facilities have been Nationwide Contracting improved and RMF Installation & Services Ltd increased, including Hangar One, Harbury Lane, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV33 9SA better public info@rmf-services.co.uk www.rmf-services.co.uk access to the lift Tel: 01926 425289 and further toilet

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UKC PROFILE

National Outdoor Events Association Educating and enhancing professionalism The National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) is the UK’s leading outdoor events trade association covering the whole of the UK. There is also a Scottish division, NOEA Scotland active north of the border.

It is dedicated to enhancing professionalism in the outdoor events industry through education, networking, lobbying, advice and creating business opportunities.

The NOEA membership comprises event suppliers, event production professionals, event and festival organisers, entertainment agencies, local authority events departments, venues, universities and freelancers.

Established in 1979, NOEA is the only trade association specialising in the outdoor events industry and has more than 500 member organisations.

NOEA’s policy to educate, advise and enhance professionalism and business opportunities clearly works. The regional workshops, conferences and annual convention & tribute celebration evenings offer opportunities to find out about the latest developments – to learn about topical issues such as the Licensing Act, Disability Discrimination Act, and the Security Industry Authority.

NOEA is involved in training event managers and working on the British Standard for the sustainability of event management. NOEA is represented on the business visits & events partnership, The Genesis Initiative, The Event Industry Forum and the International Festivals & Events Association – Europe. The purpose is to debate issues, share information, network, meet new business contacts, renew old friendships and have fun.

By becoming a member of NOEA, a company becomes part of a specialist ‘club’ of outdoor event professionals. The ethos of the Association is to bring together likeminded people for business-to-business networking, education, the sharing of

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problems and to enhance professionalism.

Benefits of NOEA membership include: ••Entry in NOEA’s annual yearbook.

••Entry on NOEA’s website.

••Attend/exhibit at the annual conference.

••Receive electronic newsletters.

••Network with all other members.

••Free legal advice relating to outdoor events.

••Discounts with the Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Crowne Plaza hotels.

••Discounts with Arnold Clark Van Hire.

••Access to All Parliamentary Group for events.

••Special rates for exhibiting at selected shows.

••Advice helpline.

••Use of logo for promotional purposes.

Last year was a successful one for most people working in events, with the Olympics showing how people excel when it comes to staging events.

Richard Limb, NOEA President, said it showcased creativity, attention to detail, and created valuable networking opportunities.

He is also looking forward to the rest of this year with excitement. He said: “2013 is looking good with more events being planned and promises to be a busy year for us all. The Purple guide will be completed and the National Stewarding council launched.”

Tom Clements, NOEA Scotland Chairman is pleased that the NOEA AGM will be held in Scotland in the autumn. He said: “This will give our NOEA Scotland members a chance to network with a wide range of industry professionals and to showcase the vibrant outdoor events industry in Scotland.” www.noea.org.uk

“Your Japanese Knotweed can be killed” INVASIVE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT LTD

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