UK Construction Journal V17N10

V17 N10

Making Concrete Plans?

Looking at the benefits of choosing a Stetter batching plant - page 4

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Minded to Make Concrete?

It’s worth looking at the range of Schwing Stetter batching plants With the UK and London in particular enjoying a sustained period of development, fuelling demand for the world’s most widely used building material, it is not surprising that people are thinking of investing in concrete production.

The UK and London in particular has for the last several years been experiencing a sustained period of building, particularly in the high rise sector. New high rise developments have been sprouting up across London since just before the turn of the century, in stark contrast to the decades before that.

There seems to be no sign of this current building trend abating.

The Guardian1 lamented in March 2014 that over 230 towers, each more than 20 storeys high were currently in the planning stages for London. The Daily Mail2 went on to point out that 55 of these would be over 40 floors high with 22 of those at more than 50.

With this current building boom, the demand for fresh concrete production looks set to continue.

Why Concrete?

Back in 1957, the industry was changed forever by the introduction of the first fully hydraulic twin cylinder concrete pump. Introduced to the world by Friedrich Wilhelm Schwing and his German company Schwing GmbH, this innovative concrete pump design is still the standard adopted by almost all manufacturers worldwide today. Ironically, the technology was so innovative at the time that it encountered considerable market resistance. However, the benefits in terms of time and money saved were so apparent that the industry did, soon after embrace the idea.

“Stetter also specialises in mobile plants that can be operational in just over a week.”

What this meant was, instead of a crane hauling up a maximum of 12m3 an hour, you could now pump far greater volumes of concrete directly to point of placement, leaving your crane free

for other uses. This resulted in concrete becoming a much more economical building material particularly in terms of time saved. As pumping volumes improved over time, especially since the introduction of the patented Schwing Rock valve in 1982, concrete became not only a contender for the most economical building material but the single most widely used material in the world3.

There is, of course, no concrete industry without concrete production and it was in 1982 that Schwing GmbH took over Stetter GmbH, the company that had been specialising in concrete production and transportation since the early 1950s.

The result was Schwing Stetter, a company dedicated to providing a complete range of concrete production and handling equipment.

What Options does a Stetter Batching Plant Offer?

There are various options available from a Stetter concrete batching plant regarding the mechanics of the production process. Often the space available will dictate the best one to choose. For instance, one major factor will be aggregate transfer.

This can be done using a skip or with a belt conveyor. An aggregate belt should be inclined between 16° and 24°. Any more that this and the aggregate will start to fall back on itself.

Therefore, if you have very high bins you might require aggregate belts 20-30 meters long. If the site does not offer this much space then a skip system affords a much smaller footprint.

Also important to decide is the type of mixer. There are two main types of mixing systems available with a Stetter Batching Plant: Pan mixer and Twin shaft trough mixer. Both offer short mixing time, produce a consistent mix of homogenous concrete and have long lifetimes with Pan Mixer easy access for maintenance. Pan mixers are ideal for smaller volumes and are particularly suited to produce a wide range of concretes including screeds and shotcrete. Having a large diameter, pan mixers also come with a double discharge facility. Twin shaft mixers’ central axis allow the mixing of much larger quantities of concrete. All mixers handle aggregate with a grain size of up to 63mm. Most can handle up to 80 or 90mm. Stetter twin shaft mixers also come

www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/mar/29/london-skyline-lack-of-consultation www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2579770/St-Pauls-risks-rubbed-London-skyline-forever-nearly-250-high-rise-developments-planned-capital.html 3 www.rsc.org/images/Construction_tcm18-114530.pdf 1 2

with an optional special mixing unit for coarse grain aggregates up to a size of 180mm which may be used in the production of dam concrete.

Another consideration is whether a concrete recycler will be used Twin Shaft Mixer on site. A Stetter Concrete Recycler can recover aggregate from unused concrete and also saves on water when washing out mixers trucks and equipment. It also demonstrates a commitment to sustainable practices which is now being regarded much more positively.

Choosing the right Stetter Batching Plant Over 600 Stetter concrete batching plants are sold worldwide each year. These range from compact CP 30 TZ plants producing 30m3 per hour up to the H6 and V-AG plant which represent over 50 years of Stetter experience in mixing plant technology. The H5 and H6 plants are designed for mass requirements and can be customised to individual demands by adapting the design. A single basic H6 can produce 184m3 of concrete per hour. A double tower V-AG plant can produce 260m³ an hour. The larger Stetter plants also offer the possibility of 8-10 different aggregate types and 6-7 different types of cement.

Stetter also specialises in mobile plants that can be operational in just over a week. They can be transported on low-bed semi-trailers from site to site, and not needing foundations can be erected in only eight days thanks to pre wired electronics and modular design. These Stetter M-Series mobile batching plants come with a 1.25m3 pan mixer producing 56m3 of concrete per hour or a 2.5m3 twin shaft mixer supplying 114m3 an hour.

The choice of which Stetter batching system is right for a customer will depend on many factors. Site area and the preference for skip or belt aggregate conveyance will play a part in that decision although in many Stetter plants, both are available. Likewise, the choice of pan or twin shaft mixer will influence the decision but both are available in many of the Stetter models. Required production volume will feature heavily in the decision as well.

concrete mixing plants are part of the total production turnover, then networking, a common data stock and transparent control, being among the most important factors, are all offered

by Stetter – customised exactly to the customer’s specifications.

In fact whichever Stetter batching plant a customer chooses, Schwing Stetter will tailor the plant to the customer’s requirements.

What to do next If you are considering a concrete batching plant, the best thing to do is to talk to a Schwing Stetter representative early in the process. There is no advantage to anyone if you do not have the optimum system for your business. If you are looking at setting up a concrete batching plant, Schwing Stetter want to sell you exactly the right product for your needs and will ensure you get the right advice and training on how to get the best out of it.

Schwing Stetter have built up a hard won reputation for excellent products and customer service over many years and will continue working hard to ensure they keep it. That means ensuring that you get the right product with all necessary backup service.

See the Schwing Stetter website, www.schwing-stetter.co.uk for more details on all Schwing Stetter products and services.

For any more information or to discuss your requirements please call Schwing Stetter on 020 8997 1515 or email them on batchingplantinfo@schwing-stetter.co.uk

Start mixing concrete in just eight days with a Stetter Mobile Batching Plant.

No matter which Stetter plant a customer chooses, purchase of a Stetter computer control system will include the latest up to date technology that knows where their trucks are and can manage production as well as the preparation of quotations, the planning of orders, overall fleet management and invoicing. If several

Talk to us about your requirements! e: batchingplantinfo@schwing-stetter.co.uk w: www.schwing-stetter.co.uk t: +44 (0) 20 8997 1515 Unit 11 Perivale Park, Horsenden Lane South, Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex, UB6 7RL

UKC NEWS

Brett Martin plays a part in mind-bending architectural illusion Taking residence on the East Piazza at Covent Garden in London is a new and unique artwork which sees a section of the building magically levitate – with one of the key structural elements of the illusion provided by Brett Martin plastic sheets.

Modelled on the original architecture of the 184 year old market building, the artwork ‘Take my lightning but don’t steal my thunder’, has been designed by London artist Alex Chinneck and built by a 100-strong team who have conjured up the illusion that a 40ft long building has broken from its stone base and then floated 10ft into the air with bewildering weightlessness.

With this unusual engineering marvel designed around both weight and aesthetics, the building had to be as light as possible but still look like a stone and brick building. Built from a steel and timber frame, the walls were created using Brett Martin’s Marlon ST Longlife, a structurally strong, lightweight multi-wall polycarbonate sheet. Polystyrene was then intricately carved using robotic hot-wire cutters, and glued to the polycarbonate sheet prior to the application of the plaster and granite sand finish to match the existing market building.

Alex Chinneck said: “As a young sculptor ambition is a necessity for the

evolution of my practise and growth of my career. My ideas however are always considerably beyond my means and capacity to produce them and limited resources are forever an obstacle.

“With the incredibly generous support of Brett Martin it has been possible to realise my largest and most challenging project to date, a hovering building on Covent Garden Piazza. I think it’s fantastic that Brett Martin has been chosen to sponsor, champion and celebrate this project and the art world would be a more exciting place if more companies followed their lead.”

Work begins on £250M Hampshire defence college Work has begun in Hampshire on a £250M redevelopment to deliver world class training facilities for key support personnel from each of the UK’s armed forces at a single location.

The Defence College of Logistics, Policing and Administration (DCLPA), at Worthy Down, will cover areas including catering, supply, transport and military human resources. It will enable the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to train personnel more efficiently and effectively so that they can provide the best possible support for military operations.

Demolition work is now underway to prepare the site, as the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) works with industry partner Skanska UK plc to deliver purpose-built training

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facilities and living accommodation for up to 2,000 students and staff.

Air Vice-Marshal Elaine West, DIO Director of Programmes and Projects, said: “DIO’s priority is to build a better estate for our armed forces – delivering the right buildings in the right places to the standard that our personnel deserve and require. The new college at Worthy Down will ensure our servicemen and women have state-of-the-art training facilities with living accommodation to match” DIO expects construction to be completed by late 2018. Training will continue at the site throughout the build period.

The developed site will deliver high quality accommodation in a series of ‘villages’ – one for junior ranks, one for officers and

one for SNCO’s. Trainees will also enjoy sports and recreation facilities, bars, officer and SNCO messes, as well as other supporting amenities. There will also be a Royal Logistics Corps (RLC) museum.

Commandant DCLPA Brig Allan McLeod commented: “The college new build at Worthy Down offers a fantastic opportunity to move out of aging infrastructure and into modern, fit-for-purpose facilities.

These will allow us to exploit modern learning technologies and concepts, whilst enhancing even further the support to the frontline that the training footprint provides. As well as being good news for the three services, this is also really positive for trainees, for the instructors and permanent staff, and for the local area.”

First phase of new science centre opens to students The University of Wolverhampton has opened the first two floors of its new £25M science centre as part of a phased opening.

The ground and first floors of the Rosalind Franklin Building in Stafford Street have been completed by contractors Kier.

The first phase completion means the main entrance and lobby area and outreach lab, aimed at getting local schools and colleges more engaged with science, are now open.

The first floor houses new chemistry labs for the first cohort of BSc Chemistry, the course having been re-introduced at the University after a ten-year absence.

The lab features bench space for up to 90 students, flexible power and water supplies, and touch screen tablets so lectures are interactive for students.

The remaining four floors will be completed as part of the second phase of work and are due to be handed over to the University by the contractors in December with a view to them being open to students from early 2015.

The redevelopment saw the demolition of much of the former MB Building and a new six-storey building built around its frame.

Covering 6,000sq m it will be home to new, state-of-the-art science and research laboratories covering the areas of chemistry, forensics and biology, pharmacy, biomedical, microbiology and polymers and biotechnology and will be home to around 2,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, Professor Geoff Layer, said: “This is a fantastic facility and we are delighted to have opened the first phase.

“It is a real statement and investment in science by the University and provides first rate labs for our students to learn in. Not only that but now we have an outreach lab available so we can engage with local schools and show pupils the magic of science too.

“We now look forward to the second phase being completed and the whole building being available to staff and students. We feel it is a very welcome addition not only to the University but to Wolverhampton.”

Osborne awarded redevelopment work in Covent Garden Osborne has won the £19M redevelopment works of Mercers’ Yard in Covent Garden, London for the Wardens and Commonality of the Mystery of Mercers in the City of London with Development Management by Hanover Cube.

Set to further enhance the already lively Covent Garden experience, the Ian Ritchie designed scheme will comprise the refurbishment of 13/14 Langley Street, an original Covent Garden warehouse, for a future flagship retail store. The Mercers themselves have a rich history dating back 700 years, and work alongside charitable trusts to support education, arts and heritage, and the church.

Three new mixed-use stand-alone blocks will be constructed with retail and restaurant space at ground and basement levels. The new blocks will open out to

the new public space, which provides pedestrian walkways to link Mercer Street and Langley Street via a new piazza. The upper floors of the blocks will form 24 apartments, offering potential residents with the opportunity to live in a vibrant and popular area of London.

Demolition works have commenced on the project with completion of the whole scheme in late summer 2016. As such this will allow sufficient time for the retail fit outs, ready for the Christmas shopping season.

Simon Parham, Commercial and Healthcare Director for Osborne, explained: “We’re very proud to have been chosen to carry out this refurbishment of Mercers’ Yard, with the new streetscape adding another dimension to the intrigue and excitement that surrounds Covent Garden.”

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The course is highly interactive and includes presentations, notes, syndicated exercises, delegate discussions; and an examination to ensure learning outcomes.

Shaping and sharing best practice in construction health and safety risk management

Association for Project Safety CDM2007 DESIGN RISK MANAGEMENT 2 DAY COURSE The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM2007) require a cultural change in the management of health and safety by the construction project team, but particular emphasis is placed on the requirements for competence of designers, design co-ordination and communication of design information.

The designer is a fundamental member of the project team and has a significant input throughout the lifecycle of the project, from feasibility design through to construction. CDM2007 makes specific demands on the designer to consider health and safety risks associated with the construction, commissioning, use, maintenance, repair, testing, cleaning, de-commissioning and demolition of their designs and attempt to eliminate or reduce those risks by their design decisions.

The Association for Project Safety (APS) and Callsafe Services Limited (Callsafe) believe that the full benefit of CDM2007 can only be achieved by meeting the philosophy implied within CDM2007 that requires that Designers are proactive and fully integrated members of the project team.

This two-day course is designed to provide Designers and Design Risk Managers with the necessary knowledge and confidence in the performance of the task to ensure compliance with the designers’ duties under CDM2007.

An individual who successfully completes the accredited course in CDM2007 Design Risk Management may claim 3 points (as detailed in the Qualifications and Experience table on the APS website) towards meeting Full Membership of APS. An individual who meets the above criteria will also be exempt from sitting the Examination for admission to the APS Register of Designers for a period of three months from the date on which APS issues a certificate confirming successful completion of an accredited course.

This course is also recognised by RIBA as CPD for architects.

Intended For

This course is aimed at design team members and managers who wish to ensure effective design risk management and compliance with the CDM2007 designers’ duties to a professional and benchmarked standard as set by APS. The course will also benefit other construction and health and safety professionals with an interest in the values and philosophies of risk reduction by design.

Entry Requirements

Delegates should have a basic understanding of CDM2007, associated construction related legislation and the ways in which construction projects are procured and managed.

The Tutors

The Callsafe tutors are widely experienced in the understanding and practical application of the regulations and are practicing CDM Co-ordinators. All of the tutors are Registered CDM Co-ordinator Members or Fellows of the APS, RFaPS or RMaPS.

Course Objectives:

On completion of the course, delegates should: • understand the designers’ duties under the CDM regulations 2007; • know how to effectively reduce risk by design; and • be familiar and confident in the supply of information and production of evidence.

Course Content:

• Design Risk Management and Project Risk Management • Construction Related Health and Safety Legislation • Personal Safety & Professional Responsibility • Role of the Designer in Construction • Design Risk Management Services & Systems • Advising the Client • Demonstrating and Assessing Competence and Resources • Hazard Identification and Working within the Team • Contractor Related Issues and Design During Construction • Designer Input into Information (PCI, CPP & HSF) • Examination

Maximum number of course delegates: 16

Public Courses

This course is offered as a public course, for individuals to book and attend.

Course Cost: £600.00 per delegate, plus VAT (Discounts for multiple bookings) Currently programmed public courses are: • Wednesday & Thursday, 21 & 22 January 2015 (Staffordshire) (Ref: ADRM150121)

In-house Courses

This course is also offered as an in-house course, where an organisation can book the tutor for the 2 days and the course is presented within the organisation’s own premises.

A lump sum price can be provided for in-house courses.

Further details of this, and other, courses can be found at: www.callsafe-services.co.uk, or by contacting Gemma Esprey at: gemma.esprey@callsafeservices.co.uk or by phone on: 01889 577701

Course Content:

Institution of Occupational Safety and Health MANAGING SAFELY IN CONSTRUCTION 5 DAY COURSE This is the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Managing Safely course, amended to make the subjects and content more specific to the construction industry, and separately accredited by IOSH. It is highly interactive and is presented by qualified and experienced construction health and safety professionals, who also are appointed to projects as CDM coordinator.

Intended for:

Anyone who supervises or manages designers or contractors in the construction and allied industries. Also relevant for client representatives and CDM coordinators.

Course Aims:

To ensure that managers/ supervisors: • Understand their responsibilities for health and safety as an integral part of their construction and other management/ supervision roles; • Are able to recognise a sound health and safety management system, including effective construction risk management; • Are able to recognise the key risks in the construction industry and understand the precautions to be taken.

Day 1 • Introduction and Setting Course Objectives • Principles of Good Safety Management • Legal Foundation for Health and Safety • Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide • Safety Management on Construction Projects Day 2 • Understanding the Legal Framework for Safety and Health at Work • Accident Causation and Accident Prevention • Applying Management Principles to Health and Safety Day 3 Key Legislation, Commonly Occurring Hazards and Their Controls: • The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 • Working time • First aid • Reporting of accidents • Fire • Safety signs and signals • Electricity • Display screen equipment • Manual handling • Chemicals/Hazardous substances • Personal protective equipment • Work equipment and Machinery • Traffic management Day 4 Construction Related Legislation, Commonly Occurring Hazards and Their Controls: • Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007, Part 4 • Lifting operations and equipment • Noise • Vibration • Lead • Asbestos • Confined spaces • Pressure systems • Radiation • Elevated working places • Safety in earthworks • Flammable liquids and gases • The construction working environment Day 5 • Human Behaviour in Accident and Ill-Health Prevention • Effective Communication • Control of Contractors • Training

• Course Assessment (A 30 minute test paper, similar in format to mock assessments performed during the course) • Course Discussion and Completion (Including the introduction to the Course Project, which is an inspection and risk assessment performed by the delegates of their workplace. This is performed subsequent to the course and submitted to the course tutor for marking)

Maximum number of course delegates: 16

Public Courses

This course is offered as a public course, for individuals to book and attend.

Course Cost: £820.00 per delegate, plus VAT (Discounts for multiple bookings) Currently programmed public courses are: • 3, 4, 5, 11 & 12 February 2015 (Staffordshire) (Ref: IMSC150203)

In-house Courses

This course is also offered as an in-house course, where an organisation can book the tutor for the 5 days and the course is presented within the organisation’s own premises.

This option can reduce the course cost and the travel/accommodation costs where the organisation has a number of their staff requiring this training.

A lump sum price can be provided for in-house courses.

Further details of this, and other, courses can be found at: www.callsafe-services.co.uk, or by contacting Gemma Esprey at: gemma.esprey@callsafeservices.co.uk or by phone on: 01889 577701

UKC NEWS

£7M investment project tackles railway reliability The Network Rail-South West Trains Alliance has announced a £7M upgrade to the railway through Wimbledon, improving reliability and punctuality for hundreds of thousands of passengers each day on one of the busiest parts of Britain’s rail network.

More than 72 South West Trains per hour pass through Wimbledon at peak times and as a result, the railway around the station has a critical impact on punctuality across the network.

The project will replace a dozen sets of points - which allow trains to cross between different lines - to the west of Wimbledon

station. Work will take place over weekends from Christmas through to February, with no South West Trains able to call at, or run through, Wimbledon on those weekends and an amended timetable in place at many stations. Thameslink services will continue to run to Wimbledon from London via Tooting during the affected weekends, however there will be no services from Wimbledon to Sutton via St Helier.

John Halsall, Infrastructure Director for the Network Rail-South West Alliance, said: “This vital project will significantly improve one of the most important sections

of railway on our route, which will boost reliability and punctuality for passengers travelling through Wimbledon and from many other stations and locations.

“We have scheduled the work in order to minimise disruption to passengers as much as possible, but if you, friends or family are travelling during these times, I strongly suggest checking travel details first.

“This work will have a significant impact on our services and we apologise for the inconvenience caused, but they are a vital part of improving our network and our service to passengers.”

Whitechapel Vision wins ‘silver’ at national Planning Awards Ambitious plans to regenerate the Whitechapel area were ‘highly commended’ at the 2014 national Planning Awards in the face of stiff competition from some of the country’s biggest planning projects.

The prestigious award for strategic planning was recognised by a panel of 21 expert judges, and the Whitechapel Vision masterplan was recognised alongside the overall winner (Birmingham HS2 masterplan).

Whitechapel Vision will rejuvenate the area with new and vibrant uses for the town centre including a brand new civic hub and seven new public spaces alongside the construction of up to 3,500 new homes

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and creation of 5,000 new jobs by 2025.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, said: “I am proud that our ambitious scheme has been highly commended at the Planning Awards. Whitechapel Vision is an exciting and innovative regeneration project that will bring huge benefits to those living and working in the area.”

Cllr Rabina Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing and Development, said: “It’s fantastic to hear that our vision for Whitechapel is being recognised as one of the leading regeneration projects in the country. What is so brilliant about Whitechapel Vision is that residents are so on board with this project. We want to capture

their enthusiasm for these plans and ensure that, by 2025, Whitechapel is even more of a thriving, cohesive and vibrant community.”

The awards ceremony was held at the Royal Society of Medicine, and celebrated the outstanding achievements in planning work by local authorities, consultants, developers, lawyers, voluntary and neighbourhood groups and all other key players working in the built environment.

The Whitechapel Vision plans, developed with BDP, were launched in March 2014, and have generated a huge amount of support and excitement from residents and businesses, along with strategic partners involved in the delivery of this project.

ISG prepares innovative restaurant facility at Styal Prison ISG has been awarded a two-part, £1.5M contract by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to create an innovative rehabilitation and training facility, and additional inmate accommodation at Styal Prison in Greater Manchester. The project represents ISG’s latest win as part of the MoJ’s Strategic Alliance Framework.

The first element of the scheme sees ISG convert and upgrade a former chapel building, which will become ‘The Clink’ the fourth restaurant of its type to open at HMP establishments across the UK. The Clink will serve food to the public, prepared and cooked by prison inmates. The building remains part of the MoJ estate and will be fitted out and operated by The Clink Charity, which aims to reduce re-offending rates by training prisoners and placing them in hospitality sector jobs following their release.

The fast-track 18-week programme also includes the conversion of an existing building, currently used as staff offices, a locker room and meeting space, into the new Bollinwood Accommodation for 24 Category D inmates. The twostorey building will be remodelled to create bedroom accommodation, along with a prisoner lounge, kitchen facilities, treatment rooms, staff offices and bathroom facilities. ISG will install new modular accommodation at the prison to replace the staff facilities that are being converted.

Phil Brown, Managing Director of ISG’s UK Construction business, commented: “This innovative project highlights the ongoing success of the MoJ’s capital works and maintenance framework, which has seen ISG deliver the purpose-built Coroner’s Court facility for the Hillsborough Inquests in Warrington earlier this year. The Clink is a forward thinking initiative by the MoJ and represents a progressive approach to rehabilitating offenders - providing them with the training, confidence and practical skills that they need to rebuild their lives following release.”

Hope Construction Materials awarded industry’s highest health & safety award Hope Construction Materials, the UK’s leading independent supplier of construction materials, has won the industry’s most prestigious health and safety award - the Mineral Products Associationís (MPA) John Crabbe Award.

The trophy, which was presented to Amit Bhatia, founder and Chairman of Hope Construction Materials, during a ceremony at the impressive 30 Euston Square venue in London, is awarded for outstanding excellence in health and safety.

Coincidently, this news comes one day after Hope reached the milestone of 300 days without an LTI (lost-time incident) to any of Hope’s employees or business partners, an unprecedented benchmark in safety at the Company and across the industry.

The annual awards, which aim to inspire and help the industry to achieve the highest standards in health and safety, attracted hundreds of entries from both large and small companies in the sector.

To be eligible for the John Crabbe Award, Hope had to demonstrate excellence across four areas; leadership & engagement, worker involvement, management of contractors and health, stress & wellbeing.

Hope’s top safety performance was also achieved during a period of major change as the Company established itself as the UK’s leading independent producer of concrete, aggregates and cement. The business was formed in 2013 following the acquisition of over 170 sites that were being sold by other companies.

Nigel Jackson, Chief Executive of the MPA says: “Congratulations to Hope Construction Materials on a safety performance that would be impressive for any company, let alone a business less than two years old that’s still in the early stages of development. On behalf of the MPA we applaud the safety spirit and ambition of everyone at Hope and wish them well for the future.”

Amit Bhatia, founder and Chairman of Hope Construction Materials says: “The journey towards safety excellence is long, and not always straightforward, but every step along that journey is an important one. Today’s success is a reflection of our progress on that journey and I am immensely proud of each and every one of my colleagues. I look forward to the next milestone on our journey.”

Multi-million pound marine renewables business park is created in Cornwall Building work has started on the multi-million pound Hayle Marine Renewables Business Park, which is being created to strengthen Cornwall’s growing marine renewables sector.

The Devon & Cornwall division of Midas Construction won the contract to build the business park, which forms the central part of a £24M investment by Cornwall Council, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Government in the regeneration of Hayle Harbour.

Hayle is already home to Wave Hub Ltd, which operates the world’s largest marine energy test site ten miles from the North Cornwall coast, as well as three marine energy demonstration zones.

The new business park is designed to accommodate companies in the growing marine energy sector and is being built on the site of a formal coal-fired power station at North Quay in Hayle.

It will offer 2,500sq m of managed workspace including 900sq m of modern office accommodation over two floors with superfast fibre broadband and seven light industrial units varying in size from

200-250sq m. It is expected to open in summer 2015 and create 120 jobs.

The Cornwall division of The Midas Group, one of the largest independent construction companies in the UK, won the contract for the project through Cornwall Council’s contractor framework.

Mike O’Neill, Divisional Director for Midas Construction in Devon and Cornwall, said: “We are delighted to be Cornwall Council’s chosen developer for this cutting edge new business park. It is fantastic news for Cornwall that a local construction firm is delivering the work as it enables us to provide apprenticeship schemes, create jobs in the local area through our sub-contractors, and to offer vital local training opportunities to help people to explore career opportunities in the construction industry.”

John Pollard, Leader of Cornwall Council, said: “This new business park will cement Cornwall’s position at the forefront of the development of marine energy, and as the local councillor I am proud to see Hayle – which is already home to Wave Hub – playing such an important part in this fast-growing industry.”

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British Gypsum off-site solutions With off-site manufacturing showing continued growth within the UK, British Gypsum continues to develop its off-site solutions range to meet the exacting manufacturing and assembly requirements whilst ensuring that sustainability remains key.

British Gypsum highlights the latest product and system innovations it has to offer for the off-site industry.                                                                                                                                            "With the UK construction market coming into recovery and concerns regarding labour availability, any method of project delivery - such as modular or panellised - that can accelerate project completion and therefore ROI, whilst meeting the highest levels of build quality and performance levels, has to be taken seriously. Many of our existing customers are developing their own off-site strategies. We have recognised this trend and have worked extensively with them to ensure our products, systems and associated services are developed to add value to their new methods.

“The growth in off-site - as with any shift in building technology brings new challenges and performance requirements for products and systems alike. British Gypsum offers a range of innovative off-site solutions and associated services whilst maintaining focus on the next generation of intuitive innovations to meet our off-site customers' evolving needs.”                                                                   “Construction professionals are under pressure to demonstrate sustainable practices and procurement whilst maintaining cost efficiency,”          “Sustainability is a priority for almost every building project. As the first in the industry to achieve BES 6001 'Excellent' for a plasterboard and metal partition systems, we are able to further support our customers in achieving the required BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes standards.”

British Gypsum’s off-site solutions range includes:

 H

 H                                                       H                 

ACTIVair

ACTIVair                      ’                       ACTIVair            

  TILEBACKER

  TILEBACKER                                                    

  F

  F                 ’                                     ‘  ’           

  

                                                                    www.british-gypsum.com/about-us/sectors/offsite

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  TILEBACKER

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ACTIVair 

High performance solutions for off-site applications                    H                    TILEBACKER                  F     fi          ACTIVair               For more details about our complete off-site solutions range covering products and systems, technical services and plasterboard recycling to Timber Frame, Closed Panel, Sips, Modular and Pods, please visit our website.

british-gypsum.com/sectors/offsite Email: bgoffsite.enquiries@bpb.com

UKC NEWS

Interserve secures place on £5Bn highways agency framework Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has been awarded a place on the Highways Agency £5Bn Collaborative Delivery Framework (CDF), the largest ever framework for the improvement of England’s motorway and trunk road infrastructure.

The Company is one of five contractors that will be selected to undertake schemes with values of up to £25M, which may be extended to £50M, within the total £450M indicated spend allocated to Lot 2 of the CDF. The CDF will last for four years, with the option to extend for a further two years,

and will enable the Highways Agency to invest in England’s major roads through four separate Lots encompassing 26 suppliers.

Graham Dalton, Highways Agency Chief Executive, said: “It is not just the scale of this framework that is important but the way it is designed to bring the agency, designers and contractors together in one large collaborative team. We expect to deliver this major investment programme efficiently, speedily and with real effort to minimise disruption to road users while we build.”

Ian Renhard, Managing Director of Interserve Construction, said: “This award highlights our strong track record in

delivering complex construction projects across the UK and we are delighted to be able to use this expertise to provide sustainable and longterm improvements for the country’s strategic road network.

“We have worked with the Highways Agency on numerous projects over the past 20 years including several major ECI schemes where innovation helped provide delivery improvements. We look forward to enhancing this skillset by working collaboratively with the Highways Agency, the CDF partners and our supply chains to deliver the exciting challenges that lie ahead.”

Exhibition Centre Liverpool reaches key milestone with topping out ISG has reached a key construction milestone at its £66M Exhibition Centre Liverpool and Pullman hotel development.

A ceremonial event held at the prominent ACC Liverpool waterfront site, which is already home to BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena, saw the signing and installation of a specially commissioned steel beam at the highest point on the striking building – acknowledging the key roles of the major project stakeholders.

To mark this important project milestone, the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, was joined by David McDonnell, Chairman of ACC Liverpool, along with representatives from contractor ISG, hotel operator Branded Hotel Management and representing Pullman, Jonathan Sheard, SVP Operations, Luxury, Upscale and Midscale brands, Accor UK and Ireland.

Scheduled to open in September 2015, Exhibition Centre Liverpool will more than double the existing 7,125sq m capacity at ACC Liverpool to 15,225sq m of flexible exhibition space. It will link to the existing arena and convention centre, making the building the only purpose-built arena, convention and exhibition centre in Europe.

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The centre, designed by architects Denton Corker Marshall, features a glazed atrium, which offers stunning vistas looking out across the River Mersey and the city’s UNESCO World Heritage site. The integrated 216 room four star upscale hotel features an off-set, rectangular ‘tube’ design, which includes extensive glazing and a spacious double height atrium at its lower levels.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “The new exhibition centre will help secure Liverpool’s place as one of the top visitor destinations in the UK. This great new facility will become the jewel in Liverpool’s expo crown and will further enhance the city’s global events and conference reputation. It will bring a huge economic

boost to our city and create jobs. It’s a great example of how we are investing to grow demand for the benefit of the people of Liverpool and the businesses which depend on the visitor economy.”

Frank Joyce, ISG’s Project Director, commented: “Reaching this milestone on one of Liverpool’s largest construction projects is a key moment to celebrate and reflect on the long-term legacy of this important development. The economic benefit derived from our focus on using regional supply chain partners, allied to the creation of our Social Investment Group has resulted in a project that will create and support job opportunities and growth in the region for years to come.”

Flagship Walney offshore wind farm one step closer to expansion Walney Extension Offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea has been given consent from the Government to go ahead, which if built could triple the size of Walney Offshore wind farm, already one of the biggest wind farms in the world.

The wind farm is expected to create 230 new jobs over the four-year construction period and around 185 jobs annually during the expected 25 year lifespan.

Once built, the wind farm would generate enough electricity to power over half a million homes.

The decision underlines how the Government’s policies have made the UK the best place in the world to invest in offshore wind.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said: “Another large wind farm is now closer to being built – and each one gives us more home-grown, clean and secure energy supplies.

“This Government has worked tirelessly to rebalance the economy and create more green jobs. This project alone is expected to create 230 new jobs during the construction phase and many more opportunities throughout the UK economy.

“Driving investment in energy has made us the top country in the world for investing in offshore wind.”

The Walney Extension project is one of five offshore wind projects that signed an early Contract for Difference under the new system for low-carbon electricity generation. As well as being the first contracts awarded under the system, they mark a new stage in the growth of the sector, bringing green jobs and growth across the UK and supporting cleaner and more secure energy.

Irwin Mitchell Goes For Gold National law firm Irwin Mitchell’s Construction Department is advising a joint venture between Delancey and Infinity SDC – ‘Here East’. The 1,200,000sq ft project will transform the former Press and Broadcast Centres on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park into a unique cluster, providing a range of versatile spaces for the UK’s flourishing creative and digital industries.

Here East will be a dedicated place for start-ups and established companies to co-exist and collaborate. It will feature a new campus for Loughborough University, alongside Hackney Community College and one of Europe’s largest and most efficient data centres. The development will include shared workspaces, a public

square, a landscaped canal side and artisanal cafes, shops and restaurants. Here East is already home to BT Sport, who launched its new sports channels in 2013.

The joint venture has recently entered into a significant construction contract with Laing O’Rourke to deliver the revamped buildings.

David Parton, Partner and Head of Construction in London at Irwin Mitchell, is leading the team, assisted

by Associate Vanessa Greaves.

David Parton commented: “This is an extremely exciting development which will take forward the spirit of the Olympics into the 21st century: innovation, enterprise and flair. We are delighted to be involved in such a forward looking scheme and to make sure the legacy of the Olympics continues.”

WRBC Development’s 52 Lime Street development achieves a BREEAM first A new City of London office tower, 52 Lime Street, has been awarded the first ever BREEAM UK New Construction 2014 certificate for building design. It has been awarded a BREEAM Excellent rating.

Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), and engineered by Arup for WRBC Development, the Lime Street tower will be approximately 190m tall, with 35-floors of offices above ground and mezzanine levels, with an additional two basement and two roof plant levels.

The tower will provide approximately 400,000sq ft of office accommodation. Floor plates will range in size from 6,500sq ft to 16,000sq ft and are arranged around a side core located to the south of the building, which maximises available floor area, limits solar gain and offers views of London to the north, east, west and south-west.

Public space created by the development will include a ‘square’ of approximately 11,000sq ft which will complement the existing precinct between the Willis Building and Lloyd’s of London.

The tower, which is due for completion in 2017, will be the new European headquarters for global insurance company, WR Berkley Corporation, who will occupy one-fifth of the building, bringing all of its London employees together. The remaining office space will be available for lease.

Andrew Reynolds, Managing Director, WRBC Development Ltd, comments: “We are delighted that 52 Lime Street has

received the first BREEAM UK 2014 New Construction certificate, which demonstrates our commitment to creating one of the finest buildings in London. Our team is determined to deliver a high performance building that is not only architecturally superb but creates a pleasant and productive environment for those who will be working there.”

Gavin Dunn, Director of BREEAM, said: “The BREEAM UK New Construction 2014 scheme represents the latest and highest standard of sustainability. This achievement demonstrates a genuine commitment by the project team to deliver a high quality development that will benefit the building owners and occupiers into the future.”

High design stage scores were achieved for BREEAM’s transport, land use and ecology, water, waste and management categories.

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UKC COMMENT

When omission of work is a breach

By Peter Sheridan, Partner, Sheridan Gold LLP Under many standard forms there is provision empowering the contract administrator to instruct any variation to the works, which may be by way of addition, modification or omission.

On the face of it, this type of provision permits the omission of works to an unlimited degree. In the case of omitted work, the basis of the bargain could be drastically altered, if, for example, most of the work were omitted. The question then arises whether the law places any limits on what may be omitted.

The leading text books note that the contract usually gives the employer or the architect power to order part of the work to be omitted, but state that this does not give the employer the right to omit part of the work from the contract with the object of giving it to another contractor, for example to have the work done more cheaply. It is a proper exercise of the power to omit only where the employer does not intend to have the omitted work done at all.

These principles used to rest on authorities from other jurisdictions which support and establish the principle stated: the U.S. case Gallagher v Hirsch, the Canadian case Simplex Floor Finishing Appliance Co Ltd v Duranceau, and the Australian cases Carr v J.A. Berriman Pty Ltd and Commissioner for New Roads v Stuart.

These were cases in which there was a standard type of variation provision allowing omissions and a corresponding reduction in the contract price. Usually the contractual provision allowed any variation without vitiating the contract.

In all cases, the employing party was nevertheless held to be in breach in omitting work in order to have the work done at a more advantageous price.

It was generally thought on the basis of the persuasive standing of these cases from other jurisdictions that the same position applied here, although until relatively recently there were no reported cases in England and Wales. There are, however, now English cases, which do indeed apply the same principles.

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In Maidenhead Electrical Services Ltd v Johnson Control Systems Ltd (1996) (unreported), the contractor (Johnson) had a general power to make any alteration in addition to or deduction from the sub-contract work of a sub-contractor (Maidenhead). Maidenhead objected to the omission of roof plant room works and theatre plant room works, as they were given to third parties to execute.

Johnson accepted that generally A cannot omit work from his contract with B and engage C to carry out this work merely because it is financially advantageous to B. It was also the judge’s finding on a preliminary issue that these omissions were a breach of contract.

In AMEC Building Ltd v Cadmus Investment Company Ltd (1997) 13 Const.L.J. 51, an arbitrator had awarded loss of profit where work, which under the contract was covered by provisional sums, was omitted and later awarded to another contractor. On appeal the arbitrator’s findings were upheld. Judge Kallipetis followed the lead given in Carr v Berriman and Maidenhead.

In Abbey Developments Ltd v PP Brickwork Ltd (2003), the earlier authorities were reviewed with approval by Judge Lloyd, where again there was standard provision for variations, including omissions, which would not vitiate the contract and again omission of work was nevertheless found to be a breach on the same basis as in the earlier cases. The judge stated: “The justification for these decisions is in my judgment to be found in fundamental principles. A contract for the execution of work confers on the contractor not only the duty to carry out the work but the corresponding right to be able to complete the work which it contracted to carry out… …the cases do show that reasonably clear words are needed in order to remove work from the contractor simply to have it done by somebody else…The basic bargain struck between the employer and the contractor has to be honoured, and an employer who finds that it has

entered into what he might regard as a bad bargain is not allowed to escape from it by the use of the omissions clause so as to enable it then to try and get a better bargain by having the work done by somebody else at a lower cost…”

It is, therefore, clear that where there is a standard form variations provision, which on its face permits any omission, the use of that type of provision to omit work which it is intended will still be undertaken, but on more advantageous terms commercially, is a breach of contract.

For more information, contact Peter Sheridan Partner at Sheridan Gold LLP T: 01737 735088 E: psheridan@sheridangold.co.uk www.sheridangold.co.uk

Peter Sheridan

46 site managers have now been named as Regional Winners in this year’s NHBC Pride in the Job Awards, with each now staking a claim to become one of the best house-builders in the UK when they compete at the competition’s gala final in January.

Now in its 34th year, the Pride in the Job Awards reward exceptional housebuilding site management in the UK, recognising site managers working on NHBC-registered projects for the unique contribution they make to creating high quality homes. They are judged

against comprehensive criteria based on NHBC’s New-Home Standards.

NHBC Chief Executive, Mike Quinton, commented: “The NHBC Pride in the Job Awards are the most sought after accolades in the industry, recognising site managers that build high quality homes. Site managers play a critical role in delivering any project, being responsible for overseeing everything that happens on-site from start to finish. Our Regional Winners build homes of a very high standard, and anyone buying a house

COMMENT UKC

Shortlist set for national new home competition built by one of our winners’ can do so with confidence in its workmanship and quality.”

Regional winners in the competition’s five builder-size categories are selected from around 15,000 site managers across the country, putting them in the top half a percent of their profession. Winning is a great personal achievement for the site manager, but also marks success for the company and the associated trades.

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

NHBC Pride in the Job Awards Regional Winners: West Geoff Hale Firstpost Homes Ltd Sunningdale House Single Home Builder Category

South East Geoff Dyer Peak Quality Homes Ltd Tracy’s Yard Small Builder Category

North East Rob Mitchell Taylor Wimpey North East Clarence Court Large Builder Category

West Geoff Hale Firstpost Homes Ltd Borrowcop Lane Small Builder Category

South East Aaron Parradine Wickford Development Company Limited Woodlands Park Phases 4 and 6 Medium Builder Category

Scotland Gavin Cumming Stephen Gardiner Construction Ltd The Lechkin, Plot 3 Single Home Builder Category

South East Dale Watmough Crest Nicholson Eastern Waterfront Multi-Storey Builder Category

Scotland Alan Robertson A & J Stephen (Builders) Ltd Balgarvie Farm Small Builder Category

South East Martin Harvey Kier Homes Limited The Waterfront Large Builder Category

London David John Fridd Riverdale Developments Ltd Grovelands Rd Small Builder Category

Scotland Stuart Gillespie Mactaggart & Mickel Homes Ltd Greenan Views Medium Builder Category

London Damian Bates Berkeley Homes (South East London) Ltd One Tower Bridge Multi-Storey Builder Category

Scotland Paul Cunningham Taylor Wimpey West Scotland Dargavel Village Large Builder Category

West Andy Shaw Taylor Wimpey Midlands Diglis Water Multi-Storey Builder Category West Simon Jones Barratt and David Wilson Homes Mercia Woodthorne Large Builder Category East Richard Wibberley Wibb Builders Newton Single Home Builder Category East Derek Ratcliffe Landex Living Park Gate Small Builder Category East Gary Davies Morris Homes (Midlands) Ltd Vista Medium Builder Category East Steven Cole Taylor Wimpey East Anglia NR1 Multi-Storey Builder Category East Adam Harrison Taylor Wimpey North Midlands Treetops Large Builder Category South East Dean Johnson A H Lyons Ltd Windsor House Single Home Builder Category

Scotland Phil Hadley Barratt East Scotland City Haven Multi-Storey Builder Category

North East Darren Brooke Mirfield Construction Ltd Boathouse Lane Single Home Builder Category

Wales Chris Owens Chris Owens Homes and Construction Ltd Pendref Single Home Builder Category

North East Andrew Dawson Risby Homes Ltd St Helens Garth Small Builder Category

Wales Mike Thomas South Meadow Homes Ltd Gibba’s Way Small Builder Category

North East Carl Lamb McCarthy & Stone Retirement Lifestyles Northern Mallory Court, Skipton Multi-Storey Builder Category

Wales Keith Parsons Bellway Homes (Wales) Prospect Place Multi-Storey Builder Category

Wales Rob Summers Redrow Homes South Wales Cwm Calon Large Builder Category

North West Shaun Forrester J J Lattimer Greensyke Lane Single Home Builder Category

Southern Indi Hothi SH Builders 9 Rambler Lane Single Home Builder Category

North West George Lattimer J J Lattimer James Duffield Close Small Builder Category

Southern Dennis Howard CALA Homes (Thames) Ltd Dixons Wharf Medium Builder Category

North West Gregg Taylor Morris Homes (North) Limited Edgewater Park Medium Builder Category

Southern Steve Meeking Linden Homes Chiltern Ltd Mosaic Multi-Storey Builder Category

North West Jim Thomson Barratt Manchester Elworth Gardens Large Builder Category

Southern Roy Kelly Barratt Northampton Stratford Park Large Builder Category

South West Andy Jones M G Contractors Ltd Laburnums Single Home Builder Category

Northern Ireland & Isle of Man Mark Patton Heritage Homes Ltd Phildraw Road Single Home Builder Category

South West Trevor Chick Harold Tottle & Son Ltd Sellicks Green Small Builder Category South West Steve Walker C G Fry & Son Ltd South West Quadrant Medium Builder Category South West Bob Burgess Barratt Bristol The Zone Multi Storey Builder Category

Southern Dave Littler D N Associates Ltd Craven Court Small Builder Category

Northern Ireland & Isle of Man Alan Lynas Porter & Co Farriers Green Small Builder Category Northern Ireland & Isle of Man Paul O’Neill Antrim Construction Co Ltd Lagmore New Phase Medium Builder Category

South West Paul Greenaway Redrow Homes West Country The Harringtons Large Builder Category

17

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19

UKC PROFILE

Taking Japanese knotweed seriously

Property Care Association Japanese knotweed has become increasingly well known in recent years, and is a growing commercial problem because of the challenges it causes in the urban environment.

Native to eastern Asia, the plant was introduced in the early 19th century to adorn gardens of Victorian England.

Along with Giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed is one of three non-native plants most commonly encountered in Britain that concern homeowners, landowners and developers.

As early as the beginning of the 20th century, it was widely recognised as an invasive species. Where the plant grows on development sites, it can cause damage to hard structures and surfaces.

Developers also often need to tackle the plant in order to avoid contravening the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

The Property Care Association (PCA) - the trade association representing specialists who can be trusted to resolve problems affecting buildings - offers advice to developers about the impact of Japanese knotweed and the risks posed by this invasive weed, and is continuing to help the UK property and land management sectors take control with a comprehensive training programme designed to normalise the problem.

It includes a two-day modular course, control and eradication of Japanese knotweed, which focuses on identification and control measures, but also briefly covers other invasive plants.

A training programme for technicians and field operatives working on the control of Japanese knotweed

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has also been devised by PCA. Steve Hodgson, General Manager of the PCA, spoke about the steps to eradicate the problem of Japanese knotweed.

He said: “Japanese knotweed is just a plant and we are taking all steps necessary to normalise it, so it is viewed generally as any other type of property problem, in that it can be identified and treated with minimal impact.

“The delivery of professional training is a major step forward in that process and this course shares the latest thinking and expertise to enable the UK to take control of Japanese knotweed and give reassurance to lenders that it can be remediated.”

checks give consumers the assurance that all members can deliver high quality service and peace of mind, supported by independently insured guarantees.

The origins of the Company go back to 1930, when the British Wood Preserving Association (BWPA) was founded for the industry with the key aim to ‘spread knowledge of wood preservation with a view to prevent wastage of timber and to standardise specifications for wood preservations and their application; to investigate all possible methods of wood preservation; and to afford members opportunities for the interchange of ideas regarding improvements in wood preservation’.

It is an important function of the PCA, whose members can investigate and provide solutions that involve damp, condensation, timber decay or insect attack, dampness and water penetration in basements, floodwater recovery and flood protection, structural defects, as well as invasive weed control.

The company works with government departments, responds to consultation documents and provides assistance with the department of new guidelines, all with the aim of improving outcomes and promoting best practice.

When choosing a member of the PCA, people can be certain that in order to become a member, these companies have undergone rigorous checks to achieve and retain membership.

All members are audited and the quality of their work already checked, and regular technical, operational and procedural

In 1977, the British Chemical Dampcourse Association (BCDA) was formed and 12 years later, the two Associations merged to form the British Wood Preserving and Damp Proofing Association (BWPDA).

Members of the BWPDA were instrumental in the formation of Guarantee Protection Trust in 1982, to offer insurancebacked guarantees to customers, which became Guarantee Protection Insurance on achieving FSA approval in 2002.

A year later, two divisions were created; the Property Care Association and the Wood Protection Association. In 2006, members of the BWPDA voted for the separation of these two divisions and shortly after, both became individual trade associations in their own right.

For more information about the Property Care Association please visit: www.property-care.org

LEADING THE WAY IN JAPANESE KNOTWEED ERADICATION

All IVM’s techniques for vegetation control have been developed with the environment at the forefront of thoughts

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UKC PROFILE

Network Rail Today more people travel by rail than at any point since the 1920s, when the rail network was around twice its current size.

Every year, 1.3Bn journeys are made on Britain’s railway and 100M tonnes of freight is transported by rail between ports, factories and shops.

A million more trains run every year than just five years ago, but the increasing popularity of rail means that, at peak times, there is no space for more trains on the busiest parts of the network.

Despite this, demand is still increasing.

Over the next 30 years, passenger demand for rail will more than double and freight demand is expected to go up by 140%.

In October 2002, Network Rail took over the running of Britain’s rail infrastructure with a mandate from the Government to improve the safety, reliability and efficiency of the railway.

Their immediate priorities were: restoring public confidence in the safety of the railway, reducing the number of late trains and bringing costs under control.

Network Rail introduced a massive and sustained programme of renewing track,

signals, power and telecoms equipment, while bringing this work ‘in-house’ also led to better communication and savings.

Between 2009 and 2014, Network Rail has invested almost £12Bn in the growth of the network. Projects such as the Thameslink Programme, the Reading redevelopment and the Strategic Freight Network mean more capacity on some of the busiest routes and make up the largest expansion of the railway for more than a century.

One of the main aims of Network Rail is to continually improve the railway network so that it delivers great value for taxpayers and users. In response to this, some £38Bn will be invested in the railway network by 2019 to deliver more frequent, more reliable, safer services and brighter and better stations.

Recent investment includes massive redevelopment projects at New Street Station Birmingham and London Bridge Station, as well as smaller improvements such as the new footbridge at Lincoln.

Work to transform Birmingham’s New Street Station is continuing apace, with October seeing the new atrium covering

put into place. Allowing the concourse to be flooded with natural light, the new atrium roof is made of the same high-tech material as the Eden Project in Cornwall and the Allianz Arena in Munich. The translucent roof covering will allow natural light to stream down through the atrium onto the huge new concourse below. Although demolition experts still have to remove some 6,000 tonnes of concrete over two floors of the old Pallasades Shopping Centre.

Chris Montgomery, Network Rail’s Project Director for the Birmingham New Street project, said: “As our work to transform New Street Station continues, excitement among our workforce is really starting to build. Piece by piece, the design and concept for the station is being brought to life and it’s great to see the last section of the new roof covering lifted into place.

“Completing the atrium structure and covering it in its Eden Project-like material is a real milestone but we’re already looking forward to the next step.

Demolishing part of the former Pallasades continued on page 24 > Lincoln High Street Footbridge

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New Street Station, Birmingham

will flood the new concourse with natural light from above, transforming the experience of millions of passengers who will use this fantastic new station when it opens in about a year’s time.”

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer said: “Birmingham needs a station that reflects the city’s growing reputation as a strong, vibrant and modern city and I am confident that New Street will deliver that.”

The new station will provide the light, bright concourse with better facilities and three and a half times more space, easier access to platforms with new lifts and escalators, new entrances better connecting the station and the Metro extension, new public space and improved pedestrian links, plus the development of a new shopping arcade ‘Grand Central’, which will bring a full line John Lewis and over 60 premium retailers and quality restaurants and cafes to the city.

Network Rail is completely rebuilding London Bridge – the capital’s oldest rail terminal – as part of the £6.5Bn Thameslink Programme, which will increase capacity and reliability on one of Europe’s busiest rail routes.

The new London Bridge station will give passengers more space and easier connections to the Tube thanks to a

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new concourse the size of the pitch at Wembley Stadium, as well as extra tracks and platforms so more trains can run through central London.

The work to rebuild the station is being carried out in phases to keep the station open for business and minimise disruption to passengers. September 2014 saw Network Rail open two new platforms, which were successfully completed on time following a nine-day closure. During those nine days, over 1,200 engineers worked around the clock through one of the wettest and coldest bank holidays on record, to bring the two new platforms into service, lay new track and install a complex, state-of-the-art signalling system.

At the same time a triple-track Victorian bridge on the approach to the station has been completely rebuilt, and a new connection to the East Coast Mainline to the north of St Pancras International has been brought a step closer.

Speaking at the opening of the platforms, Simon Blanchflower, Network Rail’s Major Programme Director, said: “The huge amount of work we have completed in the last nine days is an essential part of the jigsaw that will eventually give passengers new, more spacious trains running at tube like frequency through central London, and connecting them

to more destinations than ever before.

“We try our best to minimise the impact on passengers and do most of the work behind the scenes, but there are big pieces of work that can only be completed when the railway is clear of trains and people.

“We do this at the quietist times, such as the August bank holiday, but we understand the impact our work has on the daily lives of passengers.

We’d like to thank them all for bearing with us whilst we got it done.”

The team that helped passengers find their way around London during the London 2012 Olympics also helped passengers find alternative routes during the part-closure of London Bridge. Their focus now turns to raising awareness of the next period of service changes on 20 December when another part closure is needed to bring two more platforms into service. In January 2015 work to start the rebuild of the second half of the station begins with longer term service changes commencing.

David Scorey, Operations Director at Southern said: “We’d like to thank our passengers for their patience over the last nine days whilst the works continued at London Bridge. We had extra customer service staff and volunteers available throughout to ensure passengers continued on page 26 >

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could get to where they needed to.”

Rail Minister Claire Perry said: “Thameslink is a key feature of the record levels of investment we are making in our railways as part of our long-term economic plan.

“Last week I visited London Bridge and saw for myself how hard everyone in the Thameslink family has worked to reach this major milestone. I know this work has disrupted passengers’ journeys and I would like to thank them all for their patience while this important work was underway. Once the Thameslink project is completed it will transform travel across London and the South East for hundreds of thousands of passengers who travel into the capital every day.”

The redevelopment of London Bridge station has also proved to be exciting from an archaeological perspective.

Medieval floors, 16th century tobacco pipes and thousand-year-old timbers are just a few of the hundreds of artefacts that have been unearthed and preserved by Network Rail as work to rebuild London’s oldest railway station continues.

Archaeological work during construction of the new Borough viaduct uncovered remains from the Roman, Saxon, medieval and more recent periods that provide a fascinating insight into the formation and growth of the ancient settlement at Southwark.

A rare 14th century flagon, thought to have

been used to serve ale in the Abbot of Waverley’s town house, is now on display in The Wheatsheaf Pub in Stoney Street, close to where it was excavated during the installation of the Borough viaduct.

“We believe from its distinctive white clay that it was made in Cheam between 1350 and 1440,” said Jackie Keily, Curator at the Museum of London, which gave permission for the jug to be displayed in The Wheatsheaf.

Nicky Hughes, Head of Communications for Network Rail, London and South East, said: “As one of London’s oldest stations it’s not surprising that we are unearthing such a range of interesting finds shedding light on London’s development through the ages.

“Above us the station is still serving 52M passengers a year, but underneath them we are unearthing all this amazing archaeology as we construct a brand new concourse the size of Wembley Stadium. We are working hard to keep London’s oldest station open whilst completely rebuilding it”.

During the excavation of the original brick arches at London Bridge station, hundreds of historic items have been found which give an insight into the first settlement in the area. Timber piles constructed from trees felled between AD59 to AD83 were discovered and may have formed part of a substantial waterfront

building on the edge of the settlement south of the first London Bridge.

Fragments of medieval floors and walls have also been found. These could have been part large houses along Tooley Street, known to have belonged to important clerics such as the Prior of Lewes. More recent discoveries, dating from the 16th to 18th centuries, include evidence of industry in the area such as kilns for making clay tobacco pipes.

The results of the work are currently being analysed by archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology and preConstruct Archaeology for future publication. All the finds and records will be deposited with the Museum of London at the completion of the work.

Smaller projects, which are just as important, include the construction of a new pedestrian footbridge on Lincoln High Street. The development will mean that pedestrians and cyclists can cross the railway 24-hours-a-day, with no need to wait at the level crossing barriers. The remodelling work will see a lift provided at each side of the bridge, capable of carrying mobility scooters and pushchairs.

London Bridge Station

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UKC PROFILE

Yorkshire Water

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

At the same time Yorkshire Water also collect, treat and dispose of about one billion litres of waste water safely back into the environment.

To do this the Company operate more than 700 water and sewage treatment works and 120 reservoirs. Yorkshire Water look after 62,000 miles of water and sewerage mains - enough pipework to circulate the earth.

Yorkshire Water’s job is to keep the pipes in good working order and continually improve them. The Company is currently spending around £750 per household to maintain and upgrade their pipes and works to reduce the risk of bursts, low water pressure, incidents of discolouration, sewer flooding and odour problems.

Yorkshire Water uses water from reservoirs, rivers and boreholes and has a unique water grid system which allows the Company to move water around Yorkshire to where it’s needed most.

But Yorkshire Water is about much more than just water and sewerage services.

The Company is one of Yorkshire’s largest landowners and has opened a lot of land for customers to enjoy.

As one of Yorkshire’s biggest companies the Company works closely with local communities. Through its latest community campaign ‘Hands Up’ they’re creating

28

sustainable gardens and allotments in primary schools across Yorkshire.

The vision is “Taking responsibility for the water environment for good”.

This is to create a common vision that covers all that Yorkshire Water do across the whole of the Kelda Group.

Over the next five years, Yorkshire Water is investing in many of its wastewater treatment works to help create more natural river environments so a wider variety of fish and wildlife can thrive.

The work will help Yorkshire’s cities and towns rediscover their river heritage and benefit local people and tourists.

The Company is investing more than £100M to improve rivers in South and West Yorkshire, on top of the £227M previously invested between 2005-10.

The investment is part of the Freshwater Fish Directive which aims to protect or improve the quality of fresh water so that it can support fish life.

The work involves upgrading 11 of Yorkshire’s wastewater treatment works, including Blackburn Meadows, Aldwarke, Old Whittington, Caldervale, Sutton, Mexborough and Castleford.

Other sites included are Woodhouse Mill, Danesmoor, Darton and Cudworth This work will lead to a reduction in ammonia levels discharged from the works and try to put rivers back at the heart of Yorkshire communities and encourage people to get out into the great outdoors.

Blackburn Meadows Wastewater Treatment Works is one of the largest sewage works in Yorkshire. This huge 78 acre site is located on Alsing Road, next to Meadowhall shopping centre and treats wastewater from a population equivalent to over 800,000 people from the Sheffield area, including a number of key industrial sites.

Between 2012 and 2015 Yorkshire Water are investing around £78M in new treatment processes at Blackburn Meadows. Through this investment they will be improving the water quality in the River Don and preparing the site to cope with future predicted increases in Yorkshire’s population.

Earlier in 2014 saw the turning on of the new inlet works at Blackburn Meadows waste water treatment works, signalling a significant stage in the investment being made by Yorkshire Water. The second stage, which will significantly reduce ammonia levels in the water, was turned on shortly after The inlet works are the first stage of this sewage treatment and consist of a series of pipe bellmouths where the sewage enters the site and filter screens, which remove any solid material that could potentially cause blockages further in the treatment process.

Improvements at the site started in May 2012, will continue until the end of this year and include a new inlet works, a new continued on page 30 >

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activated sludge plant, improvements to the storm overflow system and a sludge digestion plant, which is a more environmentally beneficial way of recycling the waste end-product.

Elsewhere, the water quality of the River Don received another boost as Yorkshire Water completed work on a £6.5M project to upgrade its ageing Mexborough wastewater treatment works.

Originally built in 1931, the works had received several upgrades over the years, and this latest investment will ensure that the treated water it discharges into the Don contains even lower levels of ammonia.

This will ensure the works meets and exceeds the new EU standards which are set to come into effect next year, as part of the EU Freshwater Fish Directive.

New additions to the site include a giant tank where naturally grown good bacteria breaks down the bad bacteria in the waste water. New screens have also been fitted at the site to remove the hundreds of tonnes of rags, nappies and sanitary products which are wrongly flushed into the works every year.

Matt Jenkins, Yorkshire Water’s Project Manager said: “As a water company, we don’t just provide clean drinking water.

C O N C R E T E

Form-It UK Ltd 30

“We also treat up to 11.5M litres of waste water per day before returning it back to the environment and we recognise we have a huge role to play in maintaining and enhancing the quality of the region’s water courses.

“Following these improvements, not only will this treatment works be better able to cope with future pressures such as population growth and climate change, but the quality of water we’re discharging back into the River Don will be of an even higher quality, boosting biodiversity and the environment as a whole.”

S P E C I A L I S T S

14 Peel Place, Barnsley, S71 1LU

Telephone: 01226 805009 Email: formituk@hotmail.com

PROFILE UKC

Tamar Energy

The UK’s leading developer and operator of anaerobic digestion plants In February 2012, the newly established Tamar Energy made an ambitious pledge – to generate 100MW of green electricity by developing a UK network of anaerobic digestion plants. With the third anniversary of the Company’s formation close at hand, Tamar Energy’s plans to deliver on this promise are well underway.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a technology that is still not widely known in the UK. Tamar Energy’s sizable investment in AD infrastructure has gone some way to asserting the technology’s importance in the UK’s energy roadmap. AD is a series of natural biological processes in which organic waste material – known as feedstock – is broken down by microorganisms and converted into energy, known as biogas. The resulting biogas can be used in a combined heat and power engine to generate electricity for local use or export to the National Grid, or cleansed of carbon dioxide and injected directly into the gas grid.

Tamar Energy’s current portfolio consists of four operational AD facilities in Basingstoke, Halstead, Holbeach and Retford, with an additional plant under construction in Hoddesdon and a further three plants with planning consent, in Bromley, Evercreech and Wardley. The operational AD facilities are a mix of solely owned and joint venture projects, showing Tamar Energy has a collaborative approach that may see the Company acquire existing infrastructure or work alongside other AD plant operators in the future. Such consolidation is indicative of the potential for anaerobic digestion in the UK. As the support tariffs from governments in places like Spain, Italy and Germany have diminished, the UK is being viewed as an attractive market by the AD process contractors. This is good news for AD developers like Tamar Energy, as there is plenty of competition among technology providers to build good plants.

While the majority of Germany’s anaerobic digesters are small scale agricultural

plants, it is the number of large-scale food waste plants that is increasing in the UK. Deploying AD plants of this size is a complex and time-consuming undertaking that requires careful management of a number of economic drivers. Only an experienced company – one in a position to leverage economies of scale, put in place the multiple feedstock sourcing agreements necessary and implement comprehensive digestate solutions – can move a project through development to financing and operation.

As each project is unique, Tamar Energy has a well-defined methodology for designing, building and operating AD plants.

A wide range of factors are taken into account when identifying potential sites, such as transport links, electrical or gas grid connections, potential feedstock supplies and applicable technology. Comprehensive feasibility studies are undertaken, including liaising with the local community and the Local Authority’s planning department.

The availability of feedstock is critical to a project’s viability. Typically, an anaerobic digestion plant has an approximate 30 mile radius from which all feedstock is sourced. As such, the strategic location of plants creates a ‘catchment area’, which naturally deters further AD development in the same location.

There is plenty of ‘feedstock’ around the UK for AD plants: UK households alone still throw away around 7.8 million tonnes of food waste a year.

As the number of AD plants increases, so does the technology’s potential as a

viable alternative to landfill for those with responsibility for the disposal of organic waste. With landfill ‘gate fees’ in the region of £100 per tonne, there is a strong commercial incentive to make use of alternative technologies such as AD, which offer very competitive gate fees.

However, many local authorities in England do not offer some form of separate food collection service to domestic households - and the investment needed to segregate food waste is constraining them from making use of AD as a cost-effective and sustainable waste management solution.

Tamar Energy’s clear-cut ambition and innovation in the field of anaerobic digestion has not gone unnoticed. In June 2014, the Renewable Energy Association declared Tamar Energy its ‘Renewable Energy Company of the Year’. Selected from a highly competitive shortlist that included six other industry-leading organisations, the award acknowledges the Company’s dedication to the advancement of the UK renewable energy industry.

Of the award Nina Skorupska, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association, said: “The scale of investment Tamar has made in mainstreaming food continued on page 32 >

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waste anaerobic digestion projects is very impressive. This is not just about the quantity of projects they are developing, but the quality too. Tamar’s commitment to outstanding health and safety practices sets an excellent example for others to follow.”

This recent honour is one of a number of such accolades accrued by the Company.

In 2013, Cleantech Group – the global clean

technology and sustainability intelligence company – presented Tamar Energy with the ‘Standout Fundraising Achievement of the Year’ award for its innovative approach to attracting an astounding £97M in green-tech equity funding.

With sustainability at the forefront of so many agendas, Tamar Energy’s commitment to delivering green energy is all the more commendable. While the

Company is making a valuable contribution to the UK’s energy requirement, it is also spearheading the importance of anaerobic digestion in the UK’s waste management strategy. In fact, the trio of environmental and financial benefits offered by AD – organic waste management, clean baseload energy and a natural fertiliser – makes it an obvious choice when it comes to tackling the issue of organic waste in the UK.

Specialist Environmental Planning Consultants for the Waste, Recycling, Renewable Energy and Mineral Sectors

We have recently obtained planning permission for Tamar Energy AD Facilities at Wardley and Evercreech and assisted with planning matters at sites in Bonby and Courteenhall.

We work with an established network of independent and experienced technical consultants across a range of disciplines including: • Abington Consulting Engineers [www.abingtonconsulting.co.uk]: provide Flood Risk Assessments and drainage strategies, Transport Assessments, Travel Plans, and resolving highway planning issues.

During construction, services include detailed design of highway works, drainage schemes, and Structural and Civil Engineering works.

• CgMS (Archaeology) [www.cgms.co.uk]: provide a range of archaeological services for development in historic environments, including Desk Based Assessment and the management of on site archaeological investigations to ensure that a balance is achieved between the often conflicting demands of profitable development and conservation.

• GF Environmental Ltd [www.gf-environmental.co.uk]: offers a range of specialist air quality monitoring and assessment services to support both the planning and permitting processes. This includes detailed atmospheric dispersion modelling of emissions from gas engines and other point sources, assessment of the impact of odour release, and the preparation of odour management and dust management plans.

• Vista Landscape Studio [www.vistalandscapestudio.co.uk]: provide Landscape Architectural Consultancy Services as part of the planning application process, including Landscape and Visual Impact Appraisals, Landscape Mitigation Strategies and Landscape Masterplans. To date, Vista Landscape Studio has had a 100% success rate on all planning applications.

“Tamar have worked with GP Planning Ltd on a range of projects to deliver AD Facilities across the country. They offer sound, pragmatic planning advice, and engage effectively and constructively with planning issues, delivering work and maintaining flexibility in meeting our deadlines. The team are a pleasure to do business with.”

“GP Planning Ltd were a natural choice due to their deep understanding of waste planning policy and practical experience of developing applications for anaerobic digestion plants in particular. Their greatest strength is their pragmatic approach; they knew exactly the level of detail that was required to satisfy the Planning Authority.”

With a particular expertise in the planning of anaerobic digestion and green waste composting facilities, energy from waste facilities, advanced recycling technologies, and renewable energy generation facilities.

Working proactively and in partnership with our clients and project stakeholders we provide creative solutions that promote sustainable development. Our professional and honest work ethic is coupled with a detailed knowledge of our industry sectors, to deliver a high value, cost effective, first class service.

The Stables Long Lane, East Haddon, Northamptonshire NN6 8DU T: 01604 771123 info@gpplanning.co.uk www.gpplanning.co.uk

We offer planning consultancy services, tailored to ensure the best fit for each development project: • Site finding, planning appraisals, pre-application planning liaison • Representations to the forward planning process • Preparation and submission of all types of planning applications • Co-ordination, project management and preparation of Environmental Impact Assessments • Ongoing planning compliance advice • Planning appeals

Tamar Energy

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EcoGenR8

www.uniflare.co.uk

UKC COMMERCIAL

Earls Colne Business Park Earls Colne Business Park is situated on the site of the former USAAF WW II airbase, next to the Marks Hall Country Park and arboretum, although it is unrecognisable today as a wartime base.

Instead it provides employment for over 1,400 people in modern, attractive buildings set in a true park setting, with large areas of grass interspersed with native and ornamental trees.

The Business Park has recently won Heritage Awards and Business Excellence Awards.

Earls Colne Business Park is a centre for innovative excellence, providing a modern and attractive working environment. New businesses moving to the Park will find themselves in excellent company, sharing the atmosphere of optimism and growth created by the many businesses which have made a major investment here.

Among the 17 highly successful companies which provide employment for some 800 people, are tenants like SVP - Ford, Gigawave, Milbank, Flight Timber and Baxters Foods - but there is still ample development land available for additional companies seeking efficiently designed accommodation in a profitable location.

Construction is currently underway at the Business Park to extend the Business Centre office village, which will result in two modern office buildings of 6,500sq ft and 7,500sq ft respectively.

Of traditional build, the new buildings will provide modern office accommodation

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of Grade A quality. The buildings will be finished with brickwork to one metre and insulated timber panels above that.

Slate roof tiles top the offices, and weatherboarding in ‘National Trust’ Olive will help blend the development into the surrounding countryside.

The single-storey buildings have been designed to disappear into the wooded background behind as the buildings border Marks Hall Country Park.

Each building has been made as energyefficient as possible, and to as high a spec as possible within the budget.

Construction is being undertaken

by E Hobbs (Farms) Ltd, to designs provided by Fenn Wright Architects.

Prior to 1940 the business park was split into several small farms.

In 1942 these farms were requisitioned by the MOD and the whole area was flattened to form an airfield. Construction of the airfield involved the laying of a main 6,000ft runway, two auxiliary 4,200ft runways and a perimeter track with hard standing areas for the aeroplanes. Also, two T2 hangers and various accommodation units were built for the planes and personnel.

This is important information as this infrastructure has provided the basis for the roadways, drainage and security for the business park today.

After the end of the war the airfield was de-commissioned and became derelict.

During the 50’s and early 60’s the land reverted back to farmland despite

brambles and scrub starting to take over.

The Estate has been under its current ownership, E Hobbs (Farms) Ltd, since 1965, at first as a farm.

From the early 1980’s the shift from agriculture to industry was starting, and by 1991 the golf courses and a large part of the industrial development was complete. Development has continued since then with a mixture of industrial unit and office development, and has received awards from Braintree District Council for sympathetic development style and also in recognition of the contribution the park and its owners have made to the local community and business sector.

As business parks go, Earls Colne Business Park probably has one of the best carbon footprints of any in England.

With many hectares of trees planted, together with the grass and water areas, the Airfield contributes large amounts of O2 into the atmosphere to help balance the CO2 emissions from the developed areas.

Earls Colne Airfield is an example to many in water efficiency: All the rainwater which falls on the airfield is collected in the drainage network (there is a drain every nine yards across the whole airfield) and is taken to a ‘sump’ pond. Also the stormwater drains around the business park are taken to the same pool.

This water is then pumped up to the reservoir for use as irrigation on the golf course and for use in the fire hydrant network around the business park.

Discover more about our range of prestressed and precast concrete products

Call us now... “Helping our customers achieve success�

Tel: 01787 223931 www.milbank.co.uk

UKC HOUSING

Putney Plaza

First class living for the modern age Emphasising a contemporary lifestyle, Putney Plaza is an effortless blend of luxury, privacy, security and convenience.

This state-of-the-art development, situated in the heart of Putney, consists of 112 luxurious one-, two- and threebedroom private apartments across three striking buildings. An additional block will house 24 shared ownership apartments, to be provided by Octavia Housing. A commercial element, consisting of eight separate units, will also be present at ground floor level, alongside a resident’s gym and concierge facilities.

The Putney Plaza development comes courtesy of Art Estates, part of the Royalton Group, a leading provider of major urban developments in London and the South East. With a portfolio £200M strong, Art Estates was quick to sense the potential of the site.

Indeed, Putney has long been one of South West London’s most desirable locations. A stone’s throw from Putney mainline station, Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park, the development is ideally placed with excellent public transport links into and out of the City.

Designed by Richard Partington Architects, Putney Plaza boasts a cosmopolitan

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and contemporary aesthetic in keeping with modern day Putney. Each of Art Estates’ three buildings – Capital House, Century House and The Beacon Tower – adhere to these same design principals to ensure an iconic and instantly recognisable development.

The Beacon Tower, an eye-catching ten-storey tower block, forms the most visible point of the development, while the central Plaza Gardens below provide residents with all-important communal space to spill out into. Two exquisite rooftop Sky Gardens will offer additional communal space alongside unrivalled views of the surrounding environs.

What differentiates Putney Plaza however is its unrivalled specification. The bespoke penthouse interiors, for instance, have been specified by the renowned designer, Louise Bradley. A wide variety of luxury finishes can be found throughout, each element carefully considered and hand picked. This attention to detail is indicative of the Art Estates ethos. Each individual aspect of the development must first be approved by the Company’s Chairman.

Such specification is refreshing in a world of ‘cut and paste’ design.

With parking a potential issue however,

Art Estates is also introducing a Car Club. A number of vehicles based on site will be available to residents on a first come first served basis to alleviate congestion and provide residents with an alternative mode of travel.

Delivery of this landmark development has been entrusted to Midgard, the main contracting division of the JRL Group.

Midgard’s commercial and residential expertise has made the Company a natural fit for a mixed-use development of this scale. Careful collaboration with London Underground was initially required to allow for access and to ensure a minimum of disruption. These early considerations have made for a painless construction period however and have allowed work to progress ahead of schedule.

Since the launch earlier in the year, Putney Plaza has been met with a great amount of interest and acclaim. And with 50% of the development sold off plan, apartments are disappearing fast.

Initial completion is on course for September of next year, with overall completion due for June 2016.

For more information please visit: www.putneyplaza.co.uk

E. info@squibbgroup.com F. 020 8594 5617

www.squibbgroup.com

UKC HEALTH

A beacon of excellence

Beacon Medical Centre Sid Valley Practice provides healthcare services for Sidmouth and Sidford. The Practice operates from two sites; the main surgery referred to as Sidmouth Health Centre and the Sidford Surgery.

The main surgery was constructed in 1969 initially for six doctors. Since then there has been an increase in the number of doctors, but especially an increase in the number of nurses from one to nine, along with a tenfold increase in clerical staff. It is therefore evident that the Practice has outgrown its current location and will soon be moving to purposebuilt, state-of-the-art facilities in 2015.

The Beacon Medical Centre will open some time during summer 2015 and will provide better facilities for both doctors and patients alike.

Dr Nicholas Read said: “The name was chosen by the Partners for several reasons: it is situated at the foot of Fire Beacon Hill; it is in an elevated position in the valley, like a beacon; but most importantly, we aim for it to be a beacon of medical excellence.”

The Practice Partners have for many years been looking at alternative options to the current sites, and have considered several sites along with redevelopment of existing sites; when the Stowford Lodge site became available, it helped to realise the Practice’s aims. Stowford Lodge was used as a Community Service Building by the Devon Partnership NHS Trust and was no longer fit for purpose.

The site is located towards the urban fringes of the town of Sidmouth, within

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the neighbourhood of Middle Woolbrook.

The site itself is particularly challenging to designers and builders due to its topography with the ground falling sharply down from Stowford Rise, dropping approximately four metres across the site.

The Stowford Lodge building was therefore sunk into the landscape with limited street presence. This will be addressed with the new building using a strong site boundary to the east and the dominant line of trees as a backdrop, leaving a light unobtrusive presence to the north.

This opens up the rest of the site to views south and west as well as optimising areas for parking and landscaping.

The building form seeks to compliment the residential nature of the area, with the main accommodation housed within a simple rectilinear form with pitched roof, which is then juxtaposed by a lightweight curved single-storey form of the waiting area and the slightly higher single-storey rectangular form of the pharmacy block, which contrasts in colour to provide a vibrant visual clue to the main entrance.

The internal layout is generally linear to provide efficiency of accommodation, and the associated cost saving benefits, but the massing of the building is such that a varied mix of levels and forms are provided. The main body of the building is formed into a part two-storey section at the northern end, a full two-storey section accommodating the administration rooms towards the southern end, and a singlestorey staff terrace at the south elevation.

This terrace helps reduce the building’s

impact and, with planting, will help soften the elevation’s impact.

Solar shading is provided to the ground floor waiting area and south-west facing ground floor windows with louvres and brise soleil. The first floor windows are shaded with overhanging roof eaves and the south elevation is shaded with a louvered canopy.

The exterior of the “Beacon’ is composed of three primary materials: fair-faced brickwork, through colour render and roofing tiles. Timber cladding is introduced to the terrace and to the underside of the overhanging eaves and a stone band course separates the brickwork to the ground floor from the render to the first floor.

Timber windows and louvres complete the exterior.

The new building is designed to satisfy the needs of doctors, nurses and patients over the coming decades. Rather than adapt an existing building, which is rarely satisfactory, it was decided with the blessing of the NHS and local planners, to demolish the building at Stowford Lodge and start afresh.

The new dedicated centre will provide: eight doctors’ consulting rooms, six nurses treatment rooms, a larger and more private reception area, a theatre for minor operations, a pharmacy and car parking for 29 including three disabled spaces and a cycle rack.

Soft landscaping will be undertaken with trees and hedges retained where possible and further planting undertaken.

Main Contractor for the project is Melhuish & Saunders, with designs provide by GVA Grimley.

BUILDING CONTRACTORS Celebrating over 90 years of turning construction dreams into reality, Melhuish & Saunders Limited is a well established and highly respected Somerset based Building Contractor with a good reputation. Founded in 1923, the company was bought by the current Managing Director, John Mitchard, in 1998 who has since built it into an award winning company with a multimillion pound turnover.

Melhuish - St Mary’s, Calne

They have their own Joinery Department which enables them to supply most of their joinery requirements, ensuring that it is of the best quality and available at competitive rates.

Projects undertaken range in value from £100,000 to in excess of £3m and vary between traditional contract procurement to design and build projects, often for individual homeowners, all undertaken by a specialist team of professionals. Much of their business comes from repeats and referrals following the successful project completion.

The company is very proud of its excellent record, which has enabled it to not only keep trading during the recent turbulent economic conditions when many competitors went under, but to win new projects in an extremely competitive marketplace.

Heathfield Community School Autism Centre & Library

There are two directors at the company, John Mitchard over sees all activities, Darryl Mitchard is the Contracts Director and Health & Safety Director and oversees all contracts undertaken, along with all aspects of Health & Safety within the company.

Holding ISO 9001 registration, they have the ability and resources to undertake all types of construction work, from complex refurbishments in occupied and unoccupied premises, extensive new builds in modern and traditional styles, extensions to occupied buildings, construction of commercial and industrial units, extensions to schools, and health care work for both Local Authorities and Health Authorities. They have completed a wide range of contracts across the south-west in recent years and offer a variety of services to an increasing number of clients.

Melhuish - St Mary’s, Calne

They were delighted to be a finalist at the LABC South-West Regional Building Excellence Awards 2013 for a New Autism centre and Library at Heathfield School for Best Education building, and to be awarded the Chairman’s award at the LABC Southwest Regional Building Excellence Awards 2011 for the Best Building constructed within the south west of England that year. This award was for the construction of the Somerset Earth Science Centre.

This year the plan continues to be one of steady growth of the company in line with the economic climate, and to carry on completing projects to the highest of standards and above their clients’ expectations and requirements.

Visit the website www.mandsltd.co.uk Call 01458 831349 Somerset Earth Science Centre

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UKC EDUCATION

Maypole Primary School

Growing for the future

Maypole Primary School is a caring school where children are happy and enjoy learning. Having served the community since 1912, the school is well established and moved into purpose built accommodation in 2002.

The School’s vision is to create a healthy and safe environment, where every child is valued and can achieve his or her full potential. Through stimulating teaching and an enriched curriculum, a child’s curiosity, enthusiasm and enjoyment for learning will be nurtured and so enable them to successfully rise to the challenges of an ever changing world throughout their lifetime.

Located on the south-western edge of Dartford Heath and serving the local communities of West Dartford, Wilmington, Joydens Wood and West Bexley, Maypole School is very proud of its achievements and success and has been recognised as

40

a ‘Good’ school by Ofsted. A dedicated staff and governing board is committed to continuous improvement and even greater success as they hope to create an ‘Outstanding’ rated school in the future.

The School has embarked on an exciting time with brand new extended accommodation, creating a two-form entry school in 2014.

To allow for two-form entry, and up to 420 pupils, a number of changeshave been completed to allow for the extension of the School. These include four new classrooms, extended hall and secondary hall space, internal alterations to the administration area to allow for an enlarged staff room and additional toilet space.

Externally, the playground has to be extended and provide a new multi-use play area.

The project has been carried out in two phases, with the works initially

beginning in May 2013. By phasing and providing temporary classrooms, with some works carried out over the school holiday period, completion was achieved in November this year.

The first phase created a new wing to the east, followed by further classrooms to the west and a hall extension in the centre.

Construction is single-storey and comprises a timber frame and external brick envelope that matches the existing. The building is topped with a synthetic slate pitched roof.

Main Contractor for the development was Kier (South East) with designs and project management delivered by AECOM. AECOM Project Management team were able to provide multidisciplinary services to Kent County Council covering feasibility, planning, design and Project Management to ensure the successful delivery of the Maypole School expansion project.

THIS IS ALIVE

Dynamic design means a school building is part of the learning experience.

AECOM provided cost management services for the Langley Academy in Slough.

aecom.com

urs.com

UKC PROFILE

Bardsley Construction Ltd Celebrating 50 years in construction

Beacon Centre

With 50 years heritage, Bardsley has a solid foundation upon which a dynamic, innovative and creative multi disciplinary business has been built.

With a turnover of £50M+ the Company has grown from humble beginnings to be the byword in delivery and customer satisfaction.

This success has been secured through the Company’s commitment to partnership and collaborative working with public and private sector client groups, including local authorities, education bodies, and housing associations. Numerous Design and Build contracts have been undertaken with these types of clients, together with traditional contracts and partnering arrangements.

Bardsley has a diverse workload which includes the construction of residential properties, supported living and care provision, education buildings, leisure and sporting facilities, commercial offices, industrial and retail premises.

The Company also has a wealth of experience in refurbishment and conversion projects including work on behalf of local authorities to housing stock, schools and other civic and municipal buildings.

The Company was set up in 1964

by Roland Bardsley, a joiner at Manchester City Council, who was made redundant and decided to embark on a company of his own.

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With a Head Office in Manchester and a regional office in Leeds, Bardsley is very regionally focused and likes to operate with its own staff and trades-people within each area. The Company was established with a set of customer-focused values and an honest remit of doing the best job they could for customers, and these values still hold true today. Even through the recession, Bardsley has held on to these traditions in doing a good job for a Client, treating them with respect whilst remaining competitive.

This has resulted in many repeat customers and a well earned reputation as a trusted and valued contractor.

Bardsley is also immensely proud of its many apprentice initiatives. A continuous rolling recruitment plan sees apprentices paired with mentors to encourage growth and trained to a NVQ Level 3 standard.

Elsewhere, the Company has taken part in the Get Britain Working Initaive, through which 14 full-time positions have been filled.

Bardsley’s current portfolio consists of a raft of high profile projects, with over 80% of the Company’s workload being Abbeyfields

with repeat clients and their involvement in a number of partnering agreements with housing association consortia and education providers.

In June 2014 Bardsley began construction of The Edge, an X1 Developments project to provide 231 purpose-built studio apartments in Liverpool City Centre.

Due for completion in time for the 2015 student intake, The Edge is intended to bolster Liverpool’s beleaguered student accommodation provision while providing undergraduates with first class living facilities Contemporary in style, The Edge is a striking five- to seven-storey concrete and timber frame structure clad in facing brickwork, metal cladding with uPVC windows, and aluminium curtain walling. The £7.88M development will include ensuite bathrooms, shared communal kitchens, a resident’s gym and office support facilities. continued on page 44 >

Irmass Company Ltd are a long established family owned business trading in Hardwoods, Softwoods and Sheet Materials.

We pride ourselves on our first class service which we believe is unparalleled and so it seems do our customers.

We specialise in fast deliveries and quick turnarounds on collections.

From stock we can offer a comprehensive range of hardwoods, softwoods and sheet materials for customers at all trading levels.

We offer a number of in-house services which will make Irmass Timber your number one choice.

Machine Facilities Timber Treatment Regularising Stress Grading Priming Trafford Park Road, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 1AN

MANUFACTURERS AND INSTALLERS OF ARCHITECTURAL METALWORK We are a long established business with over 90+ years of combined experience in our senior management team with multi skilled employees in our manufacturing and site installation teams. Our expertise extends to all areas of our business from design to manufacture to installation.

The company has grown rapidly over the past few years due to our reputation for delivering a high quality service coupled with reliability and professionalism.

Based in the North West of England, we offer nationwide service covering the whole of the United Kingdom where our purpose is to meet customers’ individual needs with an enviable reputation for our completed projects.

We are pleased to be associated with Bardsley and wish them continued success

29a Baker Road, Weston Point, Runcorn, Cheshire WA7 4JL

Tel: (0161) 872 1369 sales@irmass.co.uk www.irmass.co.uk

Tel: 01928 565301 Fax: 01928 560936 Email: enquiries@leisurestructures.co.uk www.leisurestructures.co.uk

Run by one family, COD Electrical and AKC Kitchen Centre uniquely complement one another. COD Electrical was established in 1973 by Charles Warnes. His commitment to traditional customer service values, and competitive pricing, is why COD Electrical is now the largest supplier of kitchen appliances in the North West of England.

Brand Choice Real choice is a liberating experience. We have 35 brands of appliances and 15 kitchens on display at all times. Giving you the freedom to choose the exact features, design and style that suit your lifestyle.

Under Charles’ expert stewardship the company occupies an impressive site in the Cheshire town of Altrincham. With COD’s reputation for stocking quality appliances, it was a natural step to set up the sister company, AKC Kitchen Centre in 1983.

Living Kitchen & Experience Centre COD Electrical is uniquely placed to give customers a full experience of appliances before they buy. Because our appliance centre co-exists with our kitchen design centre, you can compare working appliances side by side.

AKC Kitchen Centre combines the great customer service values of COD with a passion for designing beautiful and technologically advanced kitchens.

We are one of a small group of showrooms in the UK where you can experience a living kitchen for Sub Zero & Wolf. Visit our Cheshire showroom to experience the brand of choice for chefs around the globe for yourself in our demonstration room.

With the two businesses working hand in glove, customers get the best of both worlds. Whether shopping for a replacement fridge, or turning dream kitchens into reality, we can help.

Trained Consultants Every COD and AKC consultant trains with the manufacturers in the latest technological innovations and advances in design. This means you are assured to receive the most up-to-date information on all our appliances. Giving you the information to choose your appliances and kitchen with confidence.

Our Cheshire showroom is also home to the Miele experience centre. Here you can see Miele products in action and our team is always on hand to show you every innovation and answer any questions you may have.

Boot Rooms and Wine Cellars As the demand for AKC Kitchen design has grown, so has the need to incorporate bespoke storage solutions. When speaking to our designers you can explore options such as boot rooms and wine cellars.

L & M Business Park, Norman Road, Broadheath, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4EP

Telephone - Appliances: 0161 941 2471 Kitchens: 0161 928 5261 Fax: 0161 926 9598 Email sales@codelectrical.co.uk sales@akckitchencentre.co.uk www.codelectrical.co.uk

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Dorset Court

The Edge is one of several X1 contract wins for Bardsley. Indeed, the Contractor previously completed a 160bed student accommodation block at Arndale House in Liverpool and a £3.45M 109 unit block at Chapel Street, Salford, while a £6.7M refurbishment of Salford Town Hall is ongoing.

In November 2014, Bardsley secured a fifth key contract with X1 Developments – The Exchange on Trafford Road, Salford Quays.

To be built on the site of a disused car park, the £13.6M scheme will see the provision of 140 one- and two-bed apartments alongside office space, a resident’s gym and basement car park. The 11-storey Exchange will be composed of a reinforced concrete frame with metal cladding, Trespa boarding and render. Overall completion of the scheme is expected in April 2016.

A similar partnership has been established with the Salford based social housing provider City West Housing Trust, with whom Bardsley has worked on a number of significant projects, most recently the third phase of the Amblecote development.

The £3.4M Phase Three works will see the construction of 34 new build two-storey houses, including 16 two-bed four person units and 18 three-bed five person homes.

Built to achieve a Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 rating, Amblecote will also include numerous sewer and statutory service disconnections and diversions, together with a new access road, hard and soft landscaping and new incoming service and drainage connections. Previous phases have also been undertaken by Bardsley, alongside several separate City West Housing Trust developments in the Salford region. This most recent phase is due for completion in June 2015.

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Elsewhere, Bardsley is working with The Abbeyfield Society – a St Albans-based charity specialising in the provision of housing, support and care for those at different stages of later life. This sizeable £10.4M development consists of 47 self-contained apartments and 30 dementia flats alongside a day centre for community use. An assortment of high specification care facilities will also be provided to ensure a comfortable living environment for all occupants.

The 7,800sq m structure spans seven separate storeys and incorporates a number of concrete retaining walls to accommodate the sloping site.

Aesthetically, the outer leaf of the building is stone and render with aluminium and composite windows and curtain walling.

The 87 week scheme was competitively tendered under a traditional single stage

procurement process and in competition with a number of national contractors.

The New Year promises a number of similar high profile projects for the Company. Bardsley was recently named preferred contactor for a West Yorkshire Archive Service scheme in Wakefield and will be begin delivery of Halifax Academy in January 2015.

With a rich and storied heritage 50 years strong, Bardsley Construction has gone from strength to strength, developing from a single joiner to a leading North West contactor with a programme of sustainable growth and a number of substantial projects planned for 2015, year 51 looks to be another successful year.

For more information please visit: http://www.bardsley.co.uk/ The Exchange

R.A.D. Mechanical Services Ltd Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Plumbing Engineers

Technical Engineering Design Solutions Ltd We are pleased to be associated with Bardsley Construction and congratulate them on their 50 year anniversary

Established for over 10 years and have over 25 years experience in the design, installation and commissioning of mechanical building services.

The Shippon ● Far Slack Farm ● Rowarth ● High Peak ● SK22 1EA

St Mark's House, 29 West Street, Dukinfield, Cheshire, SK16 4PL

Tel: 0161 830 0390 Email: info@tedsltd.com Web: www.tedsltd.com

Tel: 0161 426 0545 ● Fax: 0161 426 0544 Email: admin@radmechanical.co.uk ● www.radmechanical.co.uk

As one of the UK's leading Painting Contractors, B & J Painters & Decorators Ltd have been providing first class painting services since 1984.

We have the experience and expertise to undertake any type of electrical installation work.

Unit 6, Lee Bridge Industrial Estate, Lee Bridge Road, Shroggs Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 5AT Phone: 01422 321258 Fax: 01422 380904 Email: craig.forsyth@btconnect.com www.jandrelectricalhalifax.co.uk

algerfabrications

specialist in structural steelwork

Proud to be associated with Bardsley Construction and wish them continued success

B & J House, Howard Street, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL12 0LU

Tel: 01706 359 756 Fax: 01706 641 045 www.bjdecorators.co.uk

ASHTON’S

TOOLS AND FASTENERS LTD With our broad experience of the trade and industry, we have built up a reputation of

SUPPLIER OF STEEL SECTIONS, MANUFACTURE AND ERECTION OF STRUCTURAL STEEL BUILDINGS, FIRE ESC APES AND BALUSTRADING

TEL: 01663 734139 • FAX: 01663 732983 Bingswood Tr ading Estate , Whaley Br idge , High Peak SK23 9TT

excellent service and reliability and can supply everything from fasteners to hand tools, and also a full range of cleaning products and safety clothing.

We are pleased to be associated with Bardsley Construction for over 40 years and wish them continued success for the future

Unit 18 Corona Court, Newton Street, Stretford, Manchester M32 8LG

Telephone: 0161 864 4455 or 0161 866 8494 Fax: 0161 866 8309 Email: sales@ashtons-tools.co.uk www.ashtons-tools.co.uk

Vivalda Limited are happy to congratulate Bardsley on their 50th successful year in construction! As a company we’re proud to have supported Bardsley in the past, and we look forward to continuing this effective relationship in the future. Vivalda have previously supplied cladding for contracts awarded to Bardsley, such as the Wakefield College project (pictured left).

Vivalda Limited is the UK’s largest independent distributor of façade cladding, building boards, composite panels, frames and fixings. With 5 branches stretched across the UK, including; London, Birmingham, Manchester, Hull and Scotland; Vivalda is able to provide a fast and efficient service nationwide.

Vivalda also operates its own transport fleet, which guarantees products are delivered straight to site by Vivalda drivers. An increasing number of customers are also using Vivalda’s in-house cutting and shaping facilities, due to the short lead times and accuracy of cut. Vivalda supply all the leading façade and decorative cladding brands as well as technical back up, estimation and quotation services. For a customer friendly, one-stop shop, contact Vivalda.

Email: sales@vivalda.co.uk

Visit: www.vivalda.co.uk 45

UKC HOUSING

Bluebell Park, Huyton Bluebell Park in Huyton will provide 122 new one- and two-bedroom apartments for the over 55s.

Some 101 apartments will be available through this Extra Care Facility, which will cater for the needs of older people offering varying levels of care and support tailored to individual needs.

While 21 two-bedroom apartments will be available for the over 55’s, to help them live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.

Communal facilities will be available to residents, which will include a restaurant and lounge areas, a hairdresser, activity and hobby rooms and a guest bedroom.

Care and support facilities will include assisted bathrooms and a laundry as well as well-designed outdoor spaces.

The £14.4M project has been divided into two blocks, separating the Extra

Care facility from the apartments and is being built on the site of the former Wingate Tower flats in Huyton.

The three-storey blocks are of traditional construction, with brick and render finish and flat roofs. The finishes are unique to each block to create a sense of identity for the residents. A BREEAM ‘Very Good’ standard has been awarded to the development, with features such as solar panels and a CHP Boiler system creating a very energy efficient development.

Most of the apartments have a balcony, be it a Juliet or an external glazed balcony, so that the residents have a bit of personal and private amenity space, as well as the communal gardens.

Construction is very high spec for the development, with a sense of class and high quality finishes throughout the blocks. All blocks are

also wheelchair accessible and future proofed for the need for hoists, etc.

Included on site are seven dementia apartments, which have been designed to create independent living as far as possible, with partners as carers. These have different colour schemes to aid memory and photographs of historic events.

Construction has been ongoing on-site for two years and is due to complete in 2015.

Knowsley Housing Trust is delivering the Bluebell Park Extra Care facility in partnership with Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Bullock Construction.

The project has received £2.6M investment from the Homes and Communities Agency’s Affordable Homes Programme.

Designs have been provided by PRP Architects.

For more information go to: www. bluebellparkapartments.co.uk

MASONBARN LIMITED Building & Civil Engineering Contractors Hibbert Street, Whitehill Ind. Estate, Reddish, Stockport SK4 1NS TEL: 0161-480 2893 FAX: 0161-477 1671 E-Mail: info@Masonbarn.com We are pleased to be associated with Bullock Construction Ltd on the Bluebell Park development and wish all involved continued success 46

HOUSING UKC

Woodberry Down

Massive regeneration project builds on success Hackney Borough Council is leading the regeneration of Woodberry Down, which involves demolishing 1,980 homes on the estate and building more than 5,500 new ones, with 41% for social renting and shared ownership.

A range of new facilities is also being built, including: three new public parks, a community centre and library, a new children’s centre, plus retail and commercial opportunities.

The 25-year programme is one of London’s biggest, and is being delivered in partnership with the Woodberry Down Community Organisation (WDCO) resident steering group, Berkeley Homes, and Genesis Housing Association. The partners work with organisations including Manor House Development Trust to support community development projects at Woodberry Down, including those providing training and employment.

March 2009 marked the start of building work at Woodberry Down, the culmination of years of work from residents, planners, architects, developers and councillors.

It was deemed that the existing estate was not fit for refurbishment, so new

homes needed to be constructed.

With no Government funding, a mix of properties for sale would help pay for the new homes for social renting.

In 2005, Berkeley Homes was appointed to develop the first phase of the programme.

So far, the first phase has completed over 850 new homes and construction is underway on the next phase, which consists of one-, two- and threebedroom apartments and penthouses.

Set adjacent to the spectacular surroundings of two existing reservoirs, the development focuses on creating a sustainable community, with improved public open spaces and new community facilities.

Woodberry Down is perfectly situated for residents to enjoy the best the local area has to offer, while easy access to central London allows endless entertainment, shopping and dining options. One of the most unique regeneration projects in the United Kingdom, Woodberry Down encompasses a total of 64 acres sat alongside 42 acres of reservoirs and open spaces with breathtaking views over the London city skyline. Woodberry Down benefits from sitting within Zone 2 with exceptional links

Flatt Consulting is an engineering and design consultancy providing comprehensive services to meet the demanding needs for the sustainable design of building services systems.

into London via Manor House station just a short walk from the development.

Homes under the Woodberry Down development plan include River Gardens; sitting alongside Waters Edge, this phase offers stunning views across the tranquil setting of East Reservoir and consists of 152 apartments. Waters Edge is part of the regeneration project and comprises 95 apartments. The latest phase is Skyline.

Arranged over 30 floors and offering luxurious one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses, the Skyline tower will form the last part of the second phase, with apartments offering breathtaking views of London across the East Reservoir.

Commitment to the community is coming not just through the re-build, but also with a long-term investment. Some 20% of Berkeley Homes’ workforce is from Hackney: 90 people in total, with 19 apprentices from the borough working on site, half of the development’s total number of apprentices. Genesis Housing Association has assisted local businesses to get off the ground, as well as employing its own local labour.

A quality service does not prevent us from offering our clients superb ‘Value for Money’. This is achieved through cost effective, efficient design with technical innovation, whilst controlling project costs.

Our experienced multi-disciplinary engineering staff comprise of chartered and qualified engineers offering substantial expertise across all market sectors.

We are committed to providing a high quality, personal, truly client focused professional service. Continuous Director involvement is provided throughout the project, supporting our highly motivated professional engineers and maintaining an exceptional quality of service to our clients, through excellent customer relations.

We aim to provide our clients with a sense of confidence and enjoyment in working with Flatt Consulting through clear, interactive consultation with the project team.

For more information contact us on +44 (0) 1883 331630 email: info@flattconsulting.com or visit www.flattconsulting.com

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UKC EDUCATION

Cruciform Hub The Cruciform Hub, one of a number of new student hubs across UCL’s Bloomsbury campus, is now open. Designed by leading architecture practice Burwell Deakins Architects, the new facility provides dedicated, open access social and collaborative learning areas, as well as a variety of student and academically orientated spaces from quiet study to project group areas; together with a computer cluster, a suite of teaching / seminar rooms and a reconfigured medical school library.

Originally designed as a hospital block by Alfred Waterhouse in 1905, the Grade II listed Cruciform Building accommodates teaching facilities for UCL’s Medical School.

The project reconfigures a large part of the lower ground floor, to open up the space and improve connectivity, orientation and space utilisation. Key to the scheme is the resolution of legacy issues, such as a lost staircase and entrance, Victorian masonry structure and blocked up windows.

A new staircase link enclosed within a stainless steel framed structurally glazed box, provides direct access from the ground floor entrance hall, and allows natural light to filter down into lower ground floor spaces. Light further penetrates the space through newly opened up windows and a number of roof light inserts, which offer framed views from lower ground floor level up at the building’s iconic gothic façade.

Located adjacent to the main entrance, open plan working areas feature multiple AV equipped group study modules that have been designed to further encourage collaboration in educational and cultural life, promoting the transfer of knowledge through both formal and informal learning environments.

The original library access corridor has been converted into a new loans collection area with an almost infinity vista. Glass exhibition cabinets are used as spatial dividers and provide animated

visual interest both through the display of medical objects and movement of users as they circulate through the spaces.

The library study desks, with carefully considered leg locations can accommodate increased numbers to provide more space to study during periods of peak demand prior to exams. The computer cluster has multiple projectors together with bespoke desks derived from molecular structures, and caters for both formal teaching and group learning.

Polished concrete surfaces, oak linings and bespoke joinery and furniture, create a rich palette of finishes and colours which complement the existing building fabric, as well as creating a contemporary environment conducive to learning.

Project Manager for the development is Parsons Brinckerhoff, with Main Contractor being Mulalley.

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Telephone: 020 8133 3827 or 0161 408 3112 Email: info@squiggleglass.com Website: www.squiggleglass.com 48

EDUCATION UKC

Cambridgeshire County Council Taking care of education Cambridgeshire County Council is continuing to improve its education facilities with a number of high profile developments.

One that is to start soon is based at Dry Drayton Primary School, which will see the demolition of existing mobile classrooms to be replaced with a new three-classroom permanent building complete with link corridor, main entrance, associated welfare facilities, hygiene room and ancillary spaces.

This new building will be constructed next to what is already existing and will be connected with a glazed link.

Internal works will improve the existing facilities too, providing a larger kitchen, a new special educational needs group room for individual and group-based learning, and relocation of staff room facilities.

Although the number of pupils in school will remain the same, the project was deemed necessary because the mobile classrooms had reached the end of their life.

With any project like this, there are always challenges, given that work will be undertaken while the school is open, temporary accommodation will be set up to ensure that there are no disruptions to classes.

The need to maintain natural light into the existing classrooms was also a challenge which has been overcome by manipulating the form of the building to ensure existing classrooms are provided with a comfortable environment. The remaining building form adopts the architectural language of the existing school which is transposed through site conditions, surroundings and brief requirements.

A playful twist has been added with an injection of colour to frame the gables to engage children with the new building.

The structure of the building was designed to reduce fuel consumption and heat loss whilst adopting the principles of passive ventilation. As a result, the building will use less fuel and the least amount of artificial light as possible.

LED light fittings will reduce the amount of energy consumed and enhance the longevity of the fittings, reducing energy and maintenance.

The main structure of the new primary school building will be steelwork, infilled with a timber frame. The external face will then be clad with brickwork and a metal profile cladding.

A steel supporting structure will be chosen as the preferred sponsor. used for the roof, which will also have The site will include a secondary school and infilled timber rafters and clad with the a special school which will have facilities same metal roof cladding on all walls. to accommodate pupils between two to The core of the timber frame will be 19-years-old, opening in September 2016. fully filled with insulation to enhance The secondary school will provide 120 the thermal properties of the building. places for Year Seven in its first year of Templeman Associates, the opening and will increase in size through Architectural Designer for the project, the addition of a new Year Seven intake has been integral to the development annually until the school is providing for all of this single-storey build. five year groups, a total of 600 places. The The Practice has provided the client special school will admit children based with a multi-disciplinary solution and on need, up to its capacity of 110 pupils. acted as lead architectural designer, There will be the potential to expand the planning consultant, mechanical designer, secondary school to accommodate 750 electrical designer and structural children if required, and projects like this engineer for the development. demonstrate the commitment of the Providing clients with a complete design Council to improving its education facilities. solution. Templeman Associates also procured specialist teams such as utility surveys and ecologists to fulfil the clients’ aspirations while minimising risk to them.

As a result of this service, Dry Drayton Primary School has not needed to appoint an array of consultants, therefore minimising expense.

Being built by Coulson Building Group, work started on-site in October 2014 and will be completed Street Works Registered next summer.

Cambridgeshire County Council We are pleased to be associated with has also found a Cambridgeshire County Council and wish sponsor to run and them continued success for the future manage a new education campus 25 All Saints Green, St Ives, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE27 3XH in Littleport.

After a process Contact Kevin where potential Tel: 01480 300402 sponsors applied and then were Mobile 07976 351079 interviewed, e-mail: kevin.page@ntlworld.com Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust was

Kevin A Page Street Works Register

Asphalt / Block Paving &

Concrete Supplied & Laid Local Authority Approved

49

UKC HEALTH

Leading Research & Development clean rooms Royal Free Hospital The Royal Free Hospital began as a pioneering organisation and is continuing to play a leading role in the care of patients. Its mission is to provide world class expertise and local care.

Established in 1828 by William Marsden, a newly qualified surgeon shocked that he could not find treatment for a penniless young woman, Royal Free was the first hospital to provide free care and the only London hospital to stay open during the 19th century cholera epidemics.

In the 21st century, the Hospital continues to lead improvements in healthcare and is proud to have some of the best clinical outcomes in the country. Its mortality rates have been consistently among the best in English trusts for many years.

With a vision to deliver world class healthcare, the Hospital is continually improving its facilities for healthcare and research.

One of its latest projects has provided a new suite of clean rooms, for University College London and Royal Free Hospital as cellular therapeutics laboratories.

Ranging in classification from Grade D to Grade B with Grade A isolators, the laboratories will be used for the growth of various organs for human transplant and provide gene therapy for cancer care patients. The 26-week development included the complete rebuilding of the old facilities with new state-of-the-art laboratories, where the Trust can increase its Research and Development productivity, creating world-leading clean rooms.

Valued at ÂŁ1.2M, demolition and

refurbishment of existing Cell Therapy Laboratories and storage areas has been undertaken; while a new extension into the adjacent lightwell forms a compliant laboratory facility and suite of laboratories, capable of providing essential cell therapy products and services.

The overall project was completed within three phases to facilitate specific sections of the facility to remain live during the works.

Lead designer for the scheme was AHP Architects and Surveyors Ltd, with construction services provided by Logan Construction.

Mechanical & Electrical Contractor, Stuart McCurry & Partners Ltd have been heavily involved in the project due to the complexity of the services needed and high degree of M&E work required.

The facilities have been completely replaced with new, larger units; while new M&E services have provided high levels of robustness on the ventilation system and power supplies. Including the use of seven different air handling units, so that the clean rooms could continue to operate if one unit failed. The ventilation system was also designed to provide the facility with the ability to set back the air volumes when the clean rooms were not being used, whilst still providing the required pressure cascade hierarchy across the various room classifications. High degrees of heat recovery have also been included in the ventilation systems, which, in conjunction with the set back capabilities, provides a very energy efficient system.

Construction of the new units was undertaken over three phases in order to create as little disruption to the hospital and ongoing manufacturing as possible. The phasing was a very complex part of the project as the operation of both the existing and recently handed over units, could not be disrupted.

Access was also difficult as the site was located in the centre of the Hospital.

The largest disruption was the connection of the sub-mains power supplies, which required controlled shut downs of three of the Hospital’s main risers.

The greatest challenge for the contractors was physically fitting the large ventilation services into the available space. This was overcome by working closely with the clients at the design stage to ensure room heights and resultant air volumes were correctly selected.

Another challenge presented to the team, was the ability to modify the clean room category in future, by down or upgrading the rooms, changing the air requirements for the unit.

As a result, SMP designed a complex constant supply air system with a variable extract ventilation system that modulates to extract enough to maintain the required leakage in each space.

CMR controls and dampers were used which proved to provide a very reliable pressure balance. Each room also has local reheat for individual room pressure.

Work on the ÂŁ2.1M project completed in August.

Stuart McCurry & Partners Limited Consulting Engineers ~ M&E Building Services Stuart McCurry & Partners Ltd is committed to providing a broad, comprehensive and flexible service embracing new technologies. In essence, a full spectrum of specialist knowledge and skills are fully utilised on every project, large or small, to develop a unique and optimum solution.

At the Royal Free London, the Cell Therapy Labs required the installation of sophisticated air handling units linked to a complex mechanical and electrical design, combining energy efficiency whilst maintaining close control of the pressure cascades across the facility.

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Tel: 01296 696780 Email: smp@stuart-mccurry-partners.co.uk

PROFILE UKC

Nordic Construction

Providing student accommodation in the heart of Liverpool Nordic Construction specialise in turnkey build solutions for high quality, multi-storey residential and mixed-use developments.

Established in 2009, the Company has bucked the trend and achieved more than a seven-fold increase in turnover in the five years since.

Despite forming at the start of the recession, Nordic Construction has been successful and is experienced at fulfilling all stages of a project, including the design, manufacture and supply of the structure, groundworks and all contractor duties to practical completion.

A prestigious project that Nordic Construction is currently working on is to provide new student accommodation in Liverpool.

The site occupies the former Josephine Butler House and is located on the corner of Myrtle Street and Hope Street with a combination of one-bedroom studios and clusters comprising four- to seven-bedrooms with shared kitchen and living rooms.

Designed by Hester Architects, the building will provide 339 student rooms with associate management suite areas for student amenities above six retail units, giving the ideal living space for student life and quality residents close to study areas and amenities.

Block A will have ground floor retail and four levels of student accommodation, which will be mirrored in Block B. Block C will have the ground floor plant/back of house and eight levels of student accommodation, while the final block will have six levels of student flats and a ground floor retail unit.

The floor area of the ground floor is 1,745sq m, and the floor area of all student accommodation is 9,740sq m.

All retail units and community space will be within the centre courtyard of the whole development, and comprise traditional construction. The first floor and above will benefit from timber frame pods.

Work has been undertaken in order to provide quality living space within the university areas where there is a need for quality living quarters to meet the demand of the local universities and the increasing intake of new students.

A steel frame concrete podium deck has been put in place and modules have been lifted in place and clad in brick slips to match existing facades. All modules have high insulation values, which make

them good for the environment.

Work on the project started in January 2014 and will be completed in July 2015.

This summer saw a project in Ascot completed by Nordic. Comprising 12 luxury two-bedroom two-bathroom apartments with underground parking for 17 cars, set within private landscaped grounds, Ascot Corner presented an opportunity for Nordic to demonstrate the flexibility of its construction techniques.

The development has made use of timber engineering, breaking down the architect’s drawings into modules which can be easily constructed whilst maintaining the structural and architectural integrity of the building.

The Ascot development involves a far greater use of off-site manufacturing than might be found on equivalent projects, modules fully kitted out in terms of plumbing, electrics and decoration, which saves time and guarantees very high quality finishes.

This approach has been used in another project in Battersea. The Cubitt is a fivestorey building on the south bank of the Thames made up of 29 private and nine affordable units. The building also contains 19 underground parking places and commercial space on the ground floor, as well as a roof top garden that steps down from the fifth and fourth storey.

From a construction perspective, the Cubitt is a truly hybrid development, representing just how easily Nordic Construction’s use of modern methods of construction can be married with more traditional forms.

The building

has a four metre deep concrete box to accommodate the underground parking, as well as a 900sq m, concrete shell at ground floor level to house the commercial space.

On top of the first floor slab, however, the building is being constructed using timber modules, albeit with the use of steel beams to provide additional structural strength.

The Cubitt may be built using ultraefficient modern methods of construction, but because the development is clad in brickwork local planners are satisfied that its appearance will be in keeping with the local area’s industrial heritage.

Nordic Construction T: 01483 233 347 E: info@nordic-construction.co.uk www.nordic-construction.co.uk

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UKC HEALTH

Brooklands Gardens

Seven Locks forge ahead with transformation project This time last year, brp architects helped Seven Locks Housing, which is part of Acclaim Housing Group, to obtain full planning approval for its Brooklands Gardens facility in Market Harborough.

The project will remodel the existing older person’s scheme and provide residents with accommodation and communal facilities of an exceptionally high standard.

Seven Locks Housing and brp architects obtained pre-application planning advice from the Local Authority during the design process, which ensured the planning process went smoothly and the decision was delivered within the statutory time frame. brp architects has over 30 years’ experience in a wide range of public and private sector projects, including healthcare, extra care and residential developments. The success of their building designs lie in the strong relationships that are forged with clients in order to fully understand the end user’s requirements and aspirations.

The sheltered housing scheme is situated off Walcot Road in Market Harborough and plans for the project were agreed in consultation with residents who live at the scheme.

The £6M project will see the flats and communal spaces completely remodelled to create light and accessible spaces.

The development will also include new facilities to promote active living and the grounds will be redesigned to incorporate a protected courtyard garden for residents to enjoy.

Borras Construction began work on site in May 2014, remodelling the current 50-bedroom site and creating a

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60-bedroom facility. The mix of one and two bedroom flats will be modernised with new kitchens, bathrooms, balconies and patio doors.

An existing singlestorey building has been demolished to make way for a new linked twostorey structure.

The link structure comprises a corridor, which curves around an existing walnut tree and features a flat sedum roof.

Work is being carried out over two phases in order to allow residents to move into the new building temporarily, while We are pleased to be associated with the second half is constructed.

Borras Construction and wish them A major part of the scheme has continued success for the future been the renewal of mechanical and electrical services, with some £1.5M spent on this alone.

Services have been Zen Commercial Interiors Ltd isolated across 122B Union Street, Dunstable, Beds LU6 1HB the large site to allow some to Phone: 01582 665607 Fax: 01582 969720 continue operating whilst other areas Email info@zen.uk.net are upgraded.

PROFILE UKC

North Cliff Construction In the work that North Cliff Construction (NCC) undertake for their clients they have one primary goal – to achieve for the client the vision that they started out with. This objective leads directly to the Company’s motto – your vision, our promise.

By working with this approach, NCC become a company who clients really enjoy working with and this has led to a good deal of their work coming through repeat business. This approach is always taken regardless of the size or difficulty of the project.

NCC are a highly competent company staffed by key personnel with a wealth of experience in the construction industry.

The experience is consistently being topped up through knowledge of the latest industry innovations and NCC has developed an enviable reputation for providing a proactive working environment.

Safety, health and welfare of their employees or other visitors to site is of paramount importance to NCC. The Company operate ISO 9001 and 14001 and register each of their sites with the Considerate Constructors Scheme.

NCC work across a broad range of sectors and following are a few examples of projects they have undertaken.

The Grand, Plymouth

The Grand scheme is the relocation of a Grade II listed building from a hotel into 26 apartments for client Devington Homes Ltd. The £5.6M redevelopment was started in February 2009 and performed on programme and to budget for its 21 month duration.

The refurbishment was complex and demanding for the team working on the project as many of the building’s original features were retained. The Grand is a significant building within the Plymouth area and NCC were proud to be involved in transforming it into an occupiable building.

The build was carried out under a traditional JCT contract with all design work carried out by the client’s professional team.

Petis Bois, Derriford

The Petit Bois scheme is a development of 103 micro living units for client Corylus Ltd. The units were built in three blocks as student nurse accommodation for Derriford Hospital. The client demanded a high quality finish on a tight budget and exacting time scale. The development was also constrained by the safety needs of the adjacent Plymouth Airport.

The contract value was £3.45M and the contract period was 18 months.

local authority and English Heritage.

The overall contract value was in excess of £18M and the contract period was 40-months.

NCC currently have a number of projects on-site and in the pipeline with 2015 set to be even better than 2014.

The Mansion House, Exminster

This restoration project for Devington Homes Ltd comprised the creation of 120 properties within the building which once formed the Grade II listed Exminster Hospital. This was one of the most comprehensive restoration projects of a Grade II listed building ever undertaken in the South West of England.

The project was so successful that Prince Charles made a special visit to commend the overall finished scheme. The main challenges of the project were the very poor condition of the building and the stringent demands of the

YOUR VISION, OUR PROMISE

We are pleased to be associated with South West Equine Protection and wish all involved continued success Suite 1 | Pryn Court | The Millfields |Plymouth | PL1 3JB

Tel: 01752 267855 www.northcc.co.uk

53

UKC EDUCATION

Ashbridge Independent School & Nursery Ashbridge School and Nursery offers a unique experience in education. Set in 11 acres of beautiful countryside the Nursery and School offers continuity of care and high standards of education for children from three months to 11 years.

The School is aiming to expand its services with the construction of a dedicated Nursery in Walton-le-Dale near Preston.

Director of Operations, Grace Carr, said the project, which has cost around £1M, is expected to meet the demand of existing parents who currently have to cross Preston to use the existing nursery facilities plus service would-be customers from the surrounding area.

She said: “A lot of our parents come from the South Ribble area and coming through town is a nightmare. We also want people from that side of the river to have the Ashbridge experience.”

Construction of the new building completed in September this year and has been developed on a site that housed the 200-year old Bridge Inn. The pub had been empty and derelict for some months and the decision was made to demolish the building.

An important aspect of the design of the new building was to provide all classrooms with direct access to the outside play space, and this has informed the main

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aspects of the design. A ‘hard’ edge has effect with visual reference to ship design. been developed to the busy Victoria Road Grace Carr commented on the design: and Walton Bridge, with glazing, openings “We are trying to make it look like a cruise and playspace located to the south-west, liner facing out over the river. There also making best use of natural light. will be a roof garden, with decking” The site is also set over a slope; to help Construction comprises steel frame, manage this, a play area has been designed with concrete floors and brick cavity at first floor and ground floor, with covered walls plus timber framed areas. outdoor play areas that provide a seamless Main Contractor for the project was John transition from indoor to outdoor play.

Robinson Building Contractors Limited and The scale of the new building reflects the designs have been provided by Bramleyscale of the demolished public house, Pate+Partners Chartered Architects. with three-storeys overall, but large flat roofs help reduce its appearance.

A modern and appealing design has been used, with large areas of glazing providing a welcoming aspect, including a naturally lit double height SML Painters and Decorators are proud to be associated with staircase/circulation John Robinson Building Contractors Ltd on area which leads The Ashbridge Nursery Project into the building.

The modern design 3 Bridge Row, Garstang Road, St Michaels, Preston, Lancashire PR3 0TJ features brick Tel: 01995 679793 at low level and smooth cladding Mobile: 07967 398516 / 07771 634173 panels above, Email: simonchands@btopenworld.com to give a layered

J.ROBINSON

“

!

Are proud to have been Main Contractors for Ashbridge Nursery, Walton-le-Dale and wish Stuart and Sarah every success for the future.

CONTACT US: J ROBINSON Building Contractors Limited Three Oaks, Robinson Court, Claughton Business Park, Claughton-on-Brock, Preston PR3 0PZ

”

T: 01995 640619 M: 07793 894785 F: 01995 641019 E:enquiries@johnrobinson-building.co.uk

www.johnrobinson-building.co.uk

Summer 2014 saw activity begin on a project to extend the campus at King George V College. An extension plan was approved to the new Creative Arts building project.

The new extended building will replace all the temporary accommodation on the site with new purpose-built facilities.

The building will become the home of the Creative Arts subjects including Art & Design, Drama & Theatre, Media and Film, Music and Music Technology.

In addition to this, the extended building will now accommodate a number of other A-level subjects.

Numerous temporary portable structures have been used on-site for some time and this project will provide a home for these classrooms, leading to the demolition of the temporary accommodation plus an abandoned building and sports pavilion that is not being used.

Assistant Principal, Jan Regan, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have received further funding from the Building Condition Improvement Fund (BCIF) which has enabled us to double the size of the original project. It will make a tremendous difference to our College site and provide excellent state-of-the-art facilities for our

students and staff. We have been working very hard for several years to improve our accommodation and have managed to refurbish our learning centre, laboratories, canteen, toilets and classroom facilities on the air handling systems, plus in the main building, but this project will numerous photovoltaic panels to help significantly enhance our premises.” provide electricity to the building.

The new building, currently being Architect for the project is Ellis Williams built by John Turner Construction, is Architects, with WYG as the Mechanical due for completion next spring. & Electrical Engineers and Alan Johnston Works began with a ground works contract Partnership as the Structural Engineer. to improve the ground conditions with a lot of piling required to establish a power floated floor slab.

The new twostorey extension One of the leading electrical contractors in the North West comprises a steel frame construction We provide a comprehensive range of electrical services covering with a combination everything from system design and installation, through to testing, of brickwork and certification and ongoing maintenance. render panels Proud to be associated with John Turner & Sons externally. and wish them continued success Sustainability has been a feature of 124-128 Frog Lane, Wigan, Lancashire WN6 7DS the design, with Tel: 01942 247459 Fax: 01942 826367 heat recovery Email: info@aspullelectrical.co.uk www.aspullelectrical.co.uk units employed

EDUCATION UKC

King George V College

55

UKC HOUSING

Davidsons Homes

Building for a new generation

In the first half of the last century, Albert Wilson started to build new homes in the Leicestershire area. Over the next 60 years, this Company developed into a national homebuilder, building new homes in the East Midlands and nationwide, which was respected as one of the best names in housebuilding in the UK. After the brand was acquired by an international construction group, David Wilson and his family decided to start building their reputation for excellence again and set up Davidsons Developments Ltd. Certain things remain the same – like the family values and commitment to quality that David Wilson always insisted on. But Davidsons is a smaller and younger company, staffed by people who have worked for the big names in housebuilding and are passionate about building exceptional homes.

Davidsons is building for the generations to come. No fast answers or short-cuts, just new homes that have style, efficiency, sustainability and quality built in. The Company believe in their heritage and have

built the Company to reflect the same customer focused service and build quality that the Wilson family has developed over generations of master building.

Currently Davidson Homes are on-site at Heritage View, Nuneaton. Heritage View is a beautiful development of just 50 three-, four- and five-bedroom homes situated on ‘The Long Shoot’ in Nuneaton. This sought after area is the largest town in the borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and is situated in the county of Warwickshire.

With the M6, M42 and M69 motorways, rail links and fantastic schools and colleges such as Higham Lane School and North Warwickshire & Hinckley College nearby, Heritage View is a perfect development for young professionals and families alike.

The Darlington, a four-bedroom detached house with detached garage, is just one of the many properties available on the site.

It comprises of entrance hall, WC, lounge, kitchen/ diner/ family room, separate utility room and separate study to the ground floor. To the first floor there are four double bedrooms, ensuite and family

bathroom fitted with Roca sanitaryware and Porcelanosa tiles as standard.

Elsewhere, Davidsons Homes are developing St James’ Gate, which stands at the gateway to Charnwood Forest.

As you’d expect in such a picturesque location, Davidsons has gone to great lengths to ensure the beautiful three-, four- and five-bedroom homes at Anstey enhance the local landscape.

There is such variety in style and size here, one of which is The Denbeigh, a four-bedroom detached house with detached garage. The ground floor comprises of the entrance hall, WC, lounge, kitchen/ diner and separate utility room. Dependant on the stage of build, buyers can choose a brand new kitchen from the specially selected range.

To the first floor there are three bedrooms, ensuite and family bathroom fitted with Roca sanitaryware and Porcelanosa tiles as standard. The master suite then occupies the whole second floor alongside a separate ensuite.

360 Construction ltd are a Groundwork and Civil Engineering Company working within the leading house building sector.

We are currently contracting to Davidsons Homes, of which we are proud to start our 3rd large development.

This continuation has helped us grow to a reputable size of which you can trust, but still small enough to care.

Groundworks and Civil Engineering Contractors

Our continued level of expertise has helped us train our growing workforce to a competent level to allow us to do this.

21 Moira Road, Overseal, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE12 6JB

Moving forward with all aspects of necessary Health & Safety, we are happy to comply with all regulations.

01283 762783 www.360--construction.co.uk

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With over 20 years experience in this field, we are capable of meeting your needs.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION GARDEN, INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL MAINTENANCE CONTRACTORS We are pleased to be associated with Davidson Developments and wish them continued success for the future 26 Belvoir Drive, Syston, Leicester LE7 2EA Tel: (0116) 260 7262 ● Fax: (0116) 260 3779 Mobile: 07831 338605 ● 07703 561007

EDUCATION UKC

Ballet Theatre UK new dance studios Ballet Theatre UK, founded by Artistic Director Christopher Moore has rapidly become one of the UK’s most popular touring companies. An innovative classical dance company, with a bold and unique approach, it raises awareness of dance within the community by being accessible to people from all ages and walks of life, both nationally and internationally.

Since its foundation in 2008, the Company has achieved an incredible amount.

BTUK’s home base in Leicestershire features three huge studios, class/ lecture rooms, recreational areas and wardrobe space. The facility is also home to the newly launched and SQA Accredited School of Ballet Theatre UK. Completed this September, the school opened its doors for the first time to students from across the globe.

The idea for the school was developed following successful productions and Christopher Moore decided the time was right to open up a school.

The school takes over two and a half upper floors of Leicestershire House, which now houses a Nationwide Bank on the ground floor and was initially owned by HSBC. Conversion of the former Bank’s customer service areas has been

undertaken by Leicestershire-based Main Contractor, Colmar Construction.

Starting on-site in June 2014, the project involved striping out of all previous fixtures and fittings, although the bank’s original safe doors were left in place as a feature and used as the costume store.

Then the school’s three dance studios, changing facilities, offices, a costume store and classroom were constructed.

Specialist company, Harlequin Floors, have installed their world-leading dance floors in the studios, and will sponsor the dance company on its touring productions.

Established in England in 1979, Harlequin Floors’ experience and reputation are founded on the manufacture and supply of floors which are preferred by dancers and performers at the world’s leading venues, which include the Royal Opera House, the Bolshoi Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, Houston Ballet, Bejing Cultural Centre and Sydney Opera House.

Harlequin floors are versatile and durable and designed in close collaboration with the artistic, technical and medical worlds. Harlequin sprung floors offer a guarantee for better protection from injuries for dancers, providing them with a feeling of optimum safety.

Specialist Contract Flooring We are pleased to be associated with Colmar Construction on this project 13 Fallow Close, Broughton Astley, Leicestershire LE9 6WZ Fax: 01455 285699 Mobile: 07973 748144 Email: pdfloors17@hotmail.com

Christopher Moore said: “What is special about us is that we will take on students from 16 upwards, after they have done their GCSEs. It means dancers can start work earlier – the more youthful they are the more time they have to work.

“We are in a great location here in Hinckley and it will be a lot cheaper for the dancers to live here compared to the schools in London.

“Also all the dancers will be living in Hinckley within walking distance to the studio, in homes that have been left empty for a while because they have no garden and no parking so are not appropriate for families. We are going to employ a local lady who will cook and clean for them and act as their house mum while they are living away from home.”

“We will provide training at the highest standards at an affordable price and generate home grown talent.”

He continued: “The builders are a Barwell firm called Colmar Construction and they have started the transformation process of the new studios and all is going to plan.

They have been absolutely amazing.”

Painting Contractors working on this project Hilltop Road, Hamilton Industrial Park, Leicester, LE5 1TT Tel: 0116 2461587 Fax: 0116 2461695 Email: sales@cyriljohndecorators.ltd.uk Web: www.cyriljohn.co.uk

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UKC CIVIL

South Devon Link Road

Driving economic growth and environmental benefits The South Devon Link Road (also known as The Kingskerswell Bypass), worth £109.2M, received the go-ahead in May 2012 from the then Secretary of State for Transport, Justine Greening.

The scheme will see over three miles of dual carriageway linking Newton Abbot and Torbay and a flyover section at Penn Inn, bringing both economic and environmental benefits to the local area.

Justine Greening said: “The Department for Transport has invested over £76M in this scheme, which will cut congestion on Devon’s roads, as well as benefitting the environment and the local economy.

“This bypass will provide an alternative to driving through the middle of the village which currently sees very heavy traffic, particularly over busy holiday periods.

“The people of Kingskerswell will no longer have to put up with endless traffic jams, exhaust fumes and trucks thundering through the village and the road will really open up for Torbay, creating jobs while providing a more pleasant drive for locals and visitors alike.”

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, said: “The Government is determined to make Britain’s infrastructure fit for the 21st century,

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helping to rebalance the economy and environmental benefits and also improve drive growth in all regions of the UK.” safety. The link road is a great opportunity The scheme was one of 20 given initial for us to further strengthen our presence approval in the Chancellor’s statement in in the South West, a region where we autumn 2011. Preliminary work began in are established as a house builder.” summer 2012, with the main construction The A380 between Penn Inn, Newton phase following in the autumn. Work is Abbot and Kerswell Gardens, Torquay scheduled to complete in December 2015. is one of the most congested and The majority of the scheme is funded heavily used roads in the region, by the Department of Transport, with carrying over 35,000 vehicles a day. significant financial commitment from Running to the west of the existing A380 Devon County Council and Torbay Council.

Galliford Try, the house building and construction group, Painting and Decorating were awarded the contract to construct the We undertake domestic and commercial projects bypass. Greg including maintenance and insurance works.

Fitzgerald, Chief All work is guaranteed and carried out by highly Executive, said: skilled staff and is competitively priced.

“We are delighted to be awarded this major and 53 Winner Hill Road, Paignton, Devon TQ3 3BT Tel / Fax: 01803 521576 Mobile: 07714 103185 prestigious Email: enquiries@dwwebsterltd.co.uk contract, which will www.dwwebsterltd.co.uk result in significant economic and

and bypassing Kingskerswell, the South Devon Link Road will provide a safer, less congested and faster route for through traffic, with the existing road remaining to provide a quieter route for local traffic, buses, cyclists and pedestrians.

The highest profile phase of the South Devon Link Road project to date began in October 2014, as the first beams for the Penn Inn flyover were installed.

This highly anticipated and complex phase of the construction programme was carefully planned to ensure that traffic was unaffected during the day.

The beams were lifted into place in overnight operations during October with the final beam lifted into place in late November. During the entire operation, pedestrian access across the roundabout was maintained when possible.

Andrew Leadbetter, Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth at Devon County Council, said: “It’s hard to believe that it was just two years ago that the first turf was cut on the long awaited South Devon Link Road – the road is taking shape quickly and progress is good. The flyover is a huge milestone and demonstrates the scale and complexity of the project.”

Gordon Oliver, Mayor of torbay, said: “In a realtively short timesince work beagn, teh road is taking shape and becoming a reality, this will provide business opportunities for Torbay and allow its economy to grow.”

The Link Road will not only deliver

long needed transport links, but will also provide vital flood alleviation to Kingskerswell and the Keyberry area of Newton Abbot. The flood alleviation involves installing several culverts and more than 40km of drainage pipes to what is in effect a flood plain, containing many brooks, streams and water courses.

A significant part of the flood alleviation scheme took place in March this year, with the

installation of the new Keyberry culvert.

The improved access to Torbay and South Devon is expected to bring lasting economic benefits, leading to the creation of some 8,000 jobs in South Devon, with around 3,500 of these in Torbay. It is predicted that the new road will remove 95% of traffic away from Kingskerswell, restoring and revitalising the village.

Dudley Borough residents are benefitting from a new approach to the care and support of people living with dementia.

The gateways support people diagnosed with dementia, their families and carers.

Offering advice and support, the centres provide access to day time respite care, and, if a person is diagnosed, they can attend the gateways on a regular basis.

This one-stop-shop approach brings together experts from different professional disciplines to provide seamless, integrated care and support for people with dementia, as well as their carers and their families.

The three Gateways are based at: The Brett Young Centre, Halesowen, The Crystal Gateway, Amblecote and Roseville Centre, Coseley.

Work at the Coseley Centre was completed in 2012, while December 2013 saw

the Amblecote centre reopen following carefully designed extension and extensive refurbishment of the original 1970s building.

Work at the Brett Young Centre began earlier in 2014 and completed in September.

The Crystal Gateway now boasts a relaxing sensory room, themed 1970s and 1980s rooms and a garden with a designated circuit walk.

The new centres have been designed by DMBC in house architects in conjunction with experts from Stirling University and listening to the views of experts by experience.

The work was undertaken by IB Construction.

The extension and

HEALTH UKC

Improved Dementia Care in Dudley remodelling of the buildings has seen a dramatic change in their environment. The buildings are far more open than they used to be, with visibility across areas and no dead ends. All features have been designed with the needs of people living with dementia in mind, with the use of colours and signage to avoid confusion, and the promotion of a more homely environment.

In addition to the building, sensory gardens have been created to the rear.

COMMERCIAL FLOORING, CARPETS & VINYLS We are pleased to have been associated with IB Construction on this project.

We wish them every success for the future 639 Church Road, Yadley, Birmingham B33 8HA Tel: 0121 783 4337 Email: mandwflooring@aol.com

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UKC LEISURE

National Trust New roof for Attingham Park

UKC LEISURE

A £1.4M roof restoration at a historic property in Shropshire has reached new heights.

The two-year scheme has seen the roof replaced above the picture gallery at Attingham Park, outside Shrewsbury.

Completed in October this year, the protective roof will see the solution to a problem that has plagued the National Trust, which owns the 18th century property, as it has leaked ever since it was built by Architect John Nash.

Specialists have also refurbished glass domes over the grand staircase.

In 1805, Nash was asked to re-model Attingham’s original George Steuart design, to create an exhibition space.

Nash used cast iron to support glazed panels in a bid to increase the amount of light over the picture gallery.

A spokesman said the roof was ‘flashy but flawed’ with bills for damage caused by leaks dating back as early as 1807.

All work was done by Barr and Grosvenor who has an iron foundry and is a traditional iron-worker. After the lantern was removed, it gave access to the filthy stained glass below.

01827-892900

Wickford Swim & Fitness Centre £2.4M transformation completes The revamp of Wickford Swimming Pool was completed at the end of October with a special opening of the centre allowing local residents to enjoy the new facilities with a free open day including a splash party in the pool and free taster fitness classes.

James Dennis, Everyone Active General Manager at Wickford Swim & Fitness Centre said: “We are delighted to welcome local residents in Basildon to the centre to try out some of the amazing new facilities and equipment on offer as a result of the £2.4M transformation.”

The development of the 1970s pool has been underway since the beginning of the year and has been carried out in two phases.

The first phase was the refurbishment of the existing pool complex, which completed in March. The existing facility was terribly out-dated and required a renovation of the 25m pool, changing rooms, reception area and viewing facilities. Development of the pool area involved erecting temporary office, changing and shower facilities to enable the centre to remain operational throughout the works.

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The glass is now cleaner than it has glass roof and further conservation been for many years. A specialist work can progress internally now.

The new structure is awaiting final signconservator has been on-site to remove the stained glass piece by piece. off, while restoration work is expected to continue indoors, and is not expected It was cleaned and stored prior to to be complete for another year. reinstatement after the repairs to the wooden glazing bars took place The project has benefited from the expertise of ST Walker & Duckham – and and the new lead was laid.

In addition, the glass has been tested Main Contractor Norman & Underwood Ltd. for composition and age as there is a mystery as to when the Keeping Attingham’s stained glass was Picture Gallery protected installed – it was from the elements during not John Nash’s the restoration work. original lantern.

Once a temporary roof was set up, the construction team For a professional, compliant scaffolding service or some could remove the expert advice, please call: lead to investigate the construction of the Nash staircase 25 Marsett, Wilnecote, Tamworth, Staffordshire B77 4QU dome and lanterns.

Email: enquiries@tamscaff.co.uk The new structure www.tamscaff.co.uk will protect the original

While works included refurbishment of decks and concrete floors, which has pool hall (tiling, surrounds and ceiling), been rendered along with the existing refurbishment of the foyer and a complete building in order to create a cohesive makeover of the reception and wetand modern new finish to the facility. side changing rooms to create modern Work was carried out by Main Contractor, facilities that today’s users require.

Vincent Stokes, who has worked with Basildon Council has developed the facility SLM for a number of years. The Company working with its leisure partner SLM Ltd was brought in at an early stage, along (Everyone Active). Everyone Active is with Architect Hadfield Cawkwell the UK’s number one activity brand of Davidson, in order to assist with the SLM Ltd and is the longest established programme and design development. leisure contractor in the UK, having been formed in 1987.

The second phase of the programme was a twostorey extension, designed to include a 65 station gym We’re dedicated to providing clients with interiors that on the upper floor, reflect and enhance their style, personality, with group exercise company brand and market position. studio, group cycling studio, dry-side changing facilities and a new reception area on the ground floor.

Quattro Flooring Ltd Construction Marshall House, 124 Middleton Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 6RW comprises a steel Tel: 0845 5190442 Fax: 0845 5190443 office@quattroflooring.co.uk www.quattroflooring.co.uk frame with metal

Plans to create a £150M community at Uxbridge’s former military base are moving swiftly ahead with the first of the new homes now complete.

Regeneration specialist St Modwen is behind the transformation of RAF Uxbridge, now called St Andrew’s Park, where Persimmon and Charles Church are developing an initial phase of 500 homes.

Charles Church has completed a number of its 56 luxury properties at the north-east of the site and the first of Persimmon’s 451 new homes was completed in April.

St Andrew’s Park offers homes to suit every taste and budget, from onebedroom apartments to five-bedroom detached houses. Whether you’re a first-time buyer, a family ready for the next step, looking to downsize or considering buying as an investment, St Andrew’s Park covers all the bases.

James Stockdale, Development Manager for St Modwen, said: “The completion of the first new homes is an exciting milestone in the regeneration of RAF Uxbridge.

“With education and leisure facilities and a large public park to be developed alongside

regeneration of RAF Uxbridge is expected housing, a whole new community is to take ten years and ultimately comprise ultimately being created and we’re now one step closer to bringing that vision to life.” up to 1,340 new homes and over 155,000 sq ft of office and retail space. Plans also A new primary school has also been include a hotel, theatre, 40-acre public constructed at St Andrew’s Park and park and other community facilities which welcomed its first students in September. are all set to open in the coming years.

The school is called The John Locke Academy and sponsored by the Elliot Foundation, a charitable trust specialising in primary academies.

Access to The John Locke Academy is via a new road which completed in June. This was followed by the We are pleased to be associated with Persimmon Homes opening of a new and wish them continued success for the future entrance to St Andrew’s Park from the main road, located to the 120 Albert Street, Slough, Berkshire SL1 2AU north-west of the site, which opened Telephone: 01753 527808 Fax: 01753 554396 in September.

The overall

COMMERCIAL UKC

MIRA Technology Park continues to build July 2014 saw the first sod cut at a technology park in the Midlands.

GW Deeley began work on the £300M site off the A5 near Hinckley with the construction of a new 267,500sq ft building at the MIRA Technology Park.

The new building will house a range of vehicle manufacturers and global tier-one companies and includes office and workshop space.

Following successful completion of MIRA’s Control Centre, Deeley Construction competitively tendered for the latest scheme at the Technology Park.

A new facility, already let to tenant Haldex, will provide research and development space for the Company’s global products.

It includes laboratory facilities and allows Haldex engineers direct access to MIRA’s test facilities and its engineering expertise.

Associated external and off-site infrastructure works to service the new facility include cira 420m of new carriageway, drainage and incoming services.

George Gillespie, CEO MIRA, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce

HOUSING UKC

St Andrew’s Park takes shape

Construction, said: “It is a great testament Haldex’s forthcoming residency at MIRA to us that we are now working on a number Technology Park. We believe they are a of separate contracts which have been great addition to the developing technology cluster and to the region as a whole, this secured through partnering with MIRA. new Technology Park will bring an initial “The development of the technology park is going to have a huge, positive 44 high tech jobs to the Technology Park impact on the region’s economy and and we are very excited to be part of we are delighted to be part of that.” this significant milestone for Haldex.

“We initially worked with Deeley Construction to build our iconic Control Centre, which launched in 2012, and so we’re delighted to continue the partnership Boundary Fencing; Security Fencing; Playground Fencing; Gates; with this local Automation and Access Control; Barriers; Bollards; Sheds company as MIRA and all your Bespoke Steelwork requirements Technology Park moves into the PO Box 10187, Hinckley LE10 9EU next phase of its ron.bexley@eastmidlandfencing.co.uk development.”

Mobile 0780 117 2200 Fax 01455 233234 Martin Gallagher, www.eastmidlandfencing.co.uk Managing Director of Deeley

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UKC EDUCATION UKC HEALTH

Nansen Primary School Nansen Primary School was first established in 1926, having been named after the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen – who was also the League of Nations Commissioner for Refugees and a Nobel Prize winner.

Based in inner-city Birmingham and within close proximity to the city centre, the requirement for primary school places within the Washwood Heath Ward where the school is located, has increased greatly and the school was earmarked for an expansion programme by the Local Authority which has resulted in it becoming the largest primary school in Europe with six-forms of entry.

The school’s mission statement of ‘As one we succeed, Together we excel’ encapsulates the ethos of all stakeholders working together to achieve common goals.

The existing facilities were built around 1920 and the new buildings completed in August 2012.

The new site contains four playgrounds and a dedicated Forest School.

Following these major works, a new dining hall and kitchen facility has been constructed. The existing facilities were housed in an un-insulated concrete prefabricated building, which was not economical to upgrade and so

Newton Abbot Extra Care scheme A new 50-bed Extra Care scheme commenced on-site in summer 2013.

This forms part of a larger joint venture development between Galliford Try, Linden Homes and Aster Homes, who are constructing 56 new and refurbished open market and affordable homes.

Located on the former Newton Abbot Hospital site, the extra care scheme, which has government funding, was developed by Teignbridge District Council in partnership with Devon County Council, the Aster Housing Group and construction firm Galliford Try. The 50 self-contained flats will include ten specifically designed for dementia sufferers, a model that has been hailed by the Alzheimer’s Society as “an ideal model of care’ for supported, independent living.

Devon is facing an aging population, with over 165,000 people in Devon over 65, and this is expected to rise by nearly 40% by 2021. The Council has therefore put £10M into its budget to help provide nearly 100 extra care homes across the county.

The development is heralded as a real alternative to residential care, with residents able to look after themselves, but with on-site care and support available.

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measures were taken to create a new facility. The new development has also enabled the school to provide universal free school meals to the pupils at Nansen, but also supply hot meals to four neighbouring schools. single-storey, it has been designed to Construction comprises a traditional accommodate an upper floor if required masonry structure with a steel to house four more classrooms. frame covering some 556sq m.

Designs have been provided by The new building is located next to one Architect Baily Garner, with construction of the new buildings and has brought the completed in August by Main Contractor facility to the heart of the school space.

Harper Group Construction.

The design of the space has allowed younger pupils to have a separate area so that they could finish their dinners without being disturbed by older children.

M T Heating has been providing heating services to The new dining commercial, industrial and private sector clients since 1982. experience has We are a trusted contractor for the maintenance, service become a focus and installation of central heating systems and boilers. of the school and has helped to create and Heathlands, Kidderminster Road, Bewdley, Worcestershire DY12 1LJ Tel: 01299 400 131 Mobile: 07831 627 051 support an ethos Fax: 01299 400 177 Email: mark@mtheating.co.uk of healthy eating. www.mtheating-kidderminster.co.uk Whilst the new facility is

developed by LHC Architecture + Urbanism.

Construction comprises block work with The affordable homes are being constructed plank flooring, and an external envelope of for Teign Housing and to The Code for brickwork and render. Covering four-storeys Sustainable Homes Level 3, using a the building is some 5,000sq ft in total and incorporates a number of features which fabric first approach without the need will ‘future-proof’ the building as well as for solar thermal. Elevational treatment comprises rendered elevations, with accommodating dementia sufferers.

Accessibility is obviously a priority, with each featured stone to door entrances salvaged from the former hospital buildings. apartment boasting wet rooms, potential for hoists and enough space for wheelchair manoeuvres. While little touches, such as placing locks above door handles making them easily visible, are integral to the design as well as creating controlled entry and exit areas.

Externally, the garden has been designed using research based best practice to include C.J. Trading is a family run company, based in south east Cornwall specialising in pedestrian operated self erecting tower crane hire, city tower crane hire and sales, together with attachments and accessories. We features such as also provide comprehensive crane operator training, crane servicing and ongoing support. looping figure of Woodlands, Trenant Park, Duloe, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 4PR eight pathways.

Tel: 01503 265652 or 07853 090816 Designs for the Email: info@cjtowercranes.com www.cjtowercranes.com project haven been

PROFILE UKC

STAC Architecture Engaging Clients & design STAC (Snaith & Thrush Architect Collaborative) is a London based practice that specialises in Residential & Retail Design. The two founding partners, David Snaith & Paul Thrush, have known each other and worked together over the past decade. The time has now come for them to join forces and bring their individual skill sets together to create a fresh, design led practice that is constantly looking to innovate and find creative design solutions for every project.

Paul Thrush BAS, M.Arch, SACAP, was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He believes that the art of design requires a hands-on approach and that in order to attain a complete understanding of building, products and materials, one must physically

one involved in realising them. This has resulted in several projects that are not only his design but also a physical manifestation of his own hands. This approach results in every project receiving the utmost personal attention and involvement.

His aim at STAC is to bring art and architecture together; to awaken the senses, invite debate and most of all allow the uses of his designs to enjoy the texture, colour and life that considered design can bring to every project.

David Snaith BA (Hons) Dip Arch, Dip Prac, RIBA, started his architectural career working for small local practices and now has over 25 years of experience in all aspects of the architectural field.

David currently lives in London and has had

a keen interest in not only design but in the historic fabric of buildings and the building process and has managed several of his own residential projects, taking on much of the work himself, which has given first-hand experience of not only different construction techniques bit of the difficulties of working with historic buildings on tight sites.

2013 saw David start his own practice with long-term colleague Paul Thrush, and now concentrates on commercial projects for the likes of the British Transport Police and on high-end residential projects ranging form multiple flats and one-off house designs to tricky and thoughtful residential conversions.

A particular highlight is the current work in the field of Conservation and Listed Building continued on page 64 >

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work, bringing his knowledge and design to various projects around the country.

STAC Architecture Ltd is a company that is driven to produce site-specific design with an environmental consciousness at heart. With contracts ranging from £30,000 to £1M, the partners pride themselves on each project receiving the utmost attention and the result is a successful design at every scale.

The ethos of the Practice is to produce projects that are shaped by the Clients’ needs, environmental concerns and the context of which they are a part. The end project is therefore a synthesis of the Client’s personality, the conceptual approach and the close collaboration with consultants and contractor to produce a functional work of art that harmonises with its natural environment.

Each project, irrespective of size, results in innovative solutions that are beautifully realised with timeless simplicity and elegance.

One repeat Client that appreciates the ethos of the Practice is Nando’s, who have worked with STAC on a number of

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projects now, keen to take on their inspired design solutions. The partnership began with Paul while he worked at Buckley Gray Yeoman on a Nando’s at Sauciehall Street in Glasgow; with STAC becoming the delivery architect for the project.

The project epitomises STAC’s design led creativity; an entire unit was stripped out, exposing the original Scottish Stone walls and industrial steel columns and beams and the reinstatement of what was originally built in the 1920s. Historic analysis of past photos and original drawings has allowed STAC to take inspiration and reinstate the original timber and art deco glass shopfront. Internally a lot of reclaimed, recycled and upcycled materials have been used for the fit out.

Acting as delivery architect, with Buckley Gray Yeoman again providing initial designs, Nando’s Loughton is a second completed project with Nando’s.

The project converted an old car dealership and designs have been based in the car industry, with car bonnets, roof panels and car doors made into tables, wall cladding and other items, while bespoke

lighting is made from car headlamp bulbs.

A large rammed-earth wall was created in the middle of the restaurant, creating a circular enclosure that separates the dining area from back-of-house facilities.

Bespoke external seating has also been created helping to protect some trees and creating a lively public area that has been embraced by the local community.

The Practice is currently working on a refurbishment for Nando’s in Woking.

Rather than stripping out and replacing with new materials, STAC have looked to recycle as many elements as possible; so ceilings have become walls, and floors ceilings, timber table tops have been reworked to become a large feature wall, while granite is being crushed an mixed into concrete for the new servery counter.

Even beer bottles from other Nando’s restaurants (some 5,000) are being used to create an organic bottle ceiling! www.stac-architecture.com info@stac-architecture.com

Splitting Hairs and Adjudicating Disputes arising out of or in connection with a Contract Parties to a construction contract will invariably have a statutory or contractual right to adjudicate disputes that arise between them. Sometimes, however, a dispute may arise because of an alleged misrepresentation by one party made before the contract was formed, because of a mistake or even because of an alleged fraud. Can you adjudicate these types of dispute? Well, it depends on the operable adjudication provisions, if there are any, in your contract.

(6) For England and Wales, the Scheme may apply the provisions of the Arbitration Act 1996 with such adaptations and modifications as appear to the Minister making the scheme to be appropriate.

Hillcrest sought a declaration, amongst other things, that the decision was unenforceable because claims for misstatement and misrepresentation were outside the ambit of the contract’s adjudication provisions.

I have underlined the words "under the contract" because these words now have significant importance following the judgement handed down in the case of Hillcrest Homes Ltd v Beresford and Curbishley Ltd (2014).

A valid construction contract, that is one defined by The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 as modified by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 ("the Act") must contain operable provisions which comply with section 108 of the Act. The relevant provisions say:

Prior to this 2014 judgement, many commentators, myself included, believed that the law would interpret the words "arising under a contract" broadly and that disputes arising from misrepresentation, mistake and so on which would undermine the very existence of the contract itself could be adjudicated on.

His Honour Judge Raynor QC held that claims for negligent misstatement and misrepresentation were outside adjudication provisions as they did not arise “under the contract” but under the law of negligent misstatement or under the Misrepresentation Act 1967 and the adjudicator did not have jurisdiction to decide such disputes.

Adjudication

This belief stemmed primarily from an arbitration case which ended up in court concerning Fiona Trust and Holding Corporation and Others v Yuri Privalov and Others under the name of Premium Nafta Products Ltd (20th Defendant) & Others v Fili Shipping Co Ltd (14th Claimant) & Others ("Fiona Trust"), an English House of Lords judgement handed down by Lords Hoffmann, Hope, Scott, Walker and Brown on 17 October 2007 in which the House of Lords unanimously affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the same case, confirming that....

108 Right to refer disputes to adjudication (1) A party to a construction contract has the right to refer a dispute arising under the contract for adjudication under a procedure complying with this section.

For this purpose “dispute” includes any difference.

(2) The contract shall include provision in writing so as to (a) enable a party to give notice at any time of his intention to refer a dispute to adjudication; (b) provide a timetable with the object of securing the appointment of the adjudicator and referral of the dispute to him within 7 days of such notice; (c) require the adjudicator to reach a decision within 28 days of referral or such longer period as is agreed by the parties after the dispute has been referred; (d) allow the adjudicator to extend the period of 28 days by up to 14 days, with the consent of the party by whom the dispute was referred (e) impose a duty on the adjudicator to act impartially; and (f) enable the adjudicator to take the initiative in ascertaining the facts and the law.

(3) The contract shall provide in writing that the decision of the adjudicator is binding until the dispute is finally determined by legal proceedings, by arbitration (if the contract provides for arbitration or the parties otherwise agree to arbitration) or by agreement.

The parties may agree to accept the decision of the adjudicator as finally determining the dispute.

(3A) The contract shall include provision in writing permitting the adjudicator to correct his decision so as to remove a clerical or typographical error arising by accident or omission.

(4) The contract shall also provide in writing that the adjudicator is not liable for anything done or omitted in the discharge or purported discharge of his functions as adjudicator unless the act or omission is in bad faith, and that any employee or agent of the adjudicator is similarly protected from liability.

(5) If the contract does not comply with the requirements of subsections (1) to (4), the adjudication provisions of the Scheme for Construction Contracts apply.

"unless the language of an arbitration clause made it clear that certain questions were intended to be excluded from the arbitrator's jurisdiction, it was to be assumed that the parties, as rational businessmen engaged in an international commercial transaction, were likely to have intended any dispute arising out of the relationship into which they had entered, including disputes over the validity of their agreement itself, to be decided by the arbitrator rather than by a court.

Such an approach was now part of the law of international commerce and must be accepted as part of English law too (per Lord Hope)"

So where does all this leave us?

Well, pulling all this together, we can now say that if you are thinking of trying to adjudicate a dispute based on an allegation of misrepresentation or mistake, unless there is an operable adjudication provision in your contract which confers power on your appointed Adjudicator to decide disputes arising under, out of or in connection with your contract you will need to think again. Similarly, if your adjudication is to be based on the statutory regime you are unlikely to get past first base and you will need to think about arbitrating or litigating your dispute, depending on which option you have selected in your contract to finally determine your dispute.

Sorry, but this is one of the situations where it really is necessary to split a few hairs.

Peter Vinden is a practising Arbitrator, Adjudicator and Mediator, expert and conciliator. He is Managing Director of The Vinden Partnership and can be contacted by email at pvinden@vinden.co.uk

In Fiona Trust, although the contract was ultimately found to be void by the tribunal, the court found that the arbitrator still had jurisdiction to deal with the allegation because the arbitration agreement itself was separable from the parties’ contract and so the arbitral tribunal had jurisdiction to decide disputes arising under or in connection with the contract.

In Hillcrest Homes Ltd v Beresford and Curbishley Ltd (2014) the JCT Design and Build contract provided that "...any dispute or difference arising under the Contract..." could be adjudicated under the Scheme.

Work had started on site in 2011 with a structural engineer being appointed pre-contract by the employer, Hillcrest.

The employer’s requirements required the structural engineer’s appointment to be novated to the contractor, Beresford and Curbishley, and a draft novation agreement was attached. The engineer was initially reluctant to sign this document, but the novation agreement was eventually executed as a deed in October 2012. Adjudication was commenced by Beresford and Curbishley in November 2012 seeking declarations relating to the alleged failure to novate the engineer’s appointment. A decision was made in December 2012, in which the Adjudicator decided:• The employer had made a negligent misstatement regarding the novation which induced the contractor to enter into contract • The misstatement was a misrepresentation entitling the contractor to damages • The novation agreement dated October 2012 was void and the structural engineer’s appointment had not been novated

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

WYDER ENGINEERED TIMBER SYSTEMS Based near Preston in Lancashire, Wyder Engineered Timber Systems offers a comprehensive and first class national design, manufacture and supply service for I Joist Flooring and engineered wood products. Focusing on all aspects within the construction industry, the company specialises in new house building, timber frame and commercial projects, including mezzanine floors.

The company's expertise lies in the provision of fully engineered floors and roof structures, using I-Joists, Glulam beams and decking, and the manufacture of pre-fabricated floor, wall and roof cassettes, both pre-insulated and open frame types. Wyder supply both the independent builder and the national house builder, utilising the latest technology we can receive electronic files from engineers and architects and cut within a tolerance of just +/- 2mm enabling us to cut to any design and layout. We have a large stock holding to ensure a quick turnaround and can deliver engineered timber solutions anywhere in the UK. We are a leading Distribution Partner of Steico Beams.

Steico I-Joists provide an alternative to traditional solid timber, providing reduced weight, costs, and time-saving solutions for floors, roofs and wall construction projects

in private and public sector fields. I-Joist Flooring beams can handle spans of up to 10 metres within floor systems under certain applications. Traditional timber will warp, twist and shrink as it dries out, causing annoying floor squeaks, ceiling cracks and gaps that increase costs as builders are called back to site after completion. Steico I-Joists eliminates these problems, with improved stability and strength suitable for both residential and commercial applications.

Recently , we have expanded our facility with a further 12,000sq ft extension and the addition of more automated cutting machinery to increase both capacity and efficiency.

Included in the expansion are more Natural Wood Fibre Insulation products. These are more environmentally friendly forms of insulation and an investment in bespoke machinery to inject panels with natural wood fibre giving improved U-Values, breathability and better overall building performance as part of a total building solution.

Recent projects with this product and method have been several school classroom pods around the UK and a private house in Congleton, to be featured on ITV’s 'Building The Dream’ series in 2015.

Wyder Engineered Timber Systems Ltd Seed House Farm, Cumeragh Lane, Whittingham, Preston, Lancashire, PR3 2JB

Tel: 0845 194 8850

Fax: 0845 194 8860

www.ijoistflooring.co.uk

Based near Preston in Lancashire, Wyder Engineered Timber Systems offers a comprehensive and first class national design, manufacture and supply service for I Joist Flooring and engineered wood products. Focusing on all aspects within the construction industry, the company specialises in new house building, timber frame and commercial projects, including mezzanine floors.

Wyder Engineered Timber Systems Ltd Seed House Farm, Cumeragh Lane, Whittingham, Preston, Lancashire, PR3 2JB

Tel: 0845 194 8850 Fax: 0845 194 8860 www.ijoistflooring.co.uk

DEMOLISH SLAVERY IN CONSTRUCTION Most construction workers are employed legitimately. But in 2013, 53 potential victims of modern slavery were identified as coming from the construction industry, though the real number of victims is probably much higher.

Through threats, violence or coercion, victims of modern slavery are forced to work for little or no money, live in squalid accommodation and have their identity documents taken from them.

If you employ staff for the construction industry, ensure you are doing so responsibly: √ Check all workers have a written

employment contract and that they have not had to pay any fees to obtain work.

√ Make sure staff are legally able to work in the UK. Can the recruitment agency prove that appropriate checks have been made?

√ Make sure your workers know their

statutory rights, including sick pay and holiday pay.

√ Check the addresses of those working

for you. A number of people listing the same address may indicate high shared occupancy, often a factor for those being exploited.

√ Assess quotations and fees from

agencies charging suspiciously low rates against standard industry pricing.

To find out how to protect your workers visit gov.uk/homeoffice/modern-slavery-information To report any suspicions of slavery visit modernslavery.co.uk or call 0800 0121 700