Northern Powerhouse: Reigniting the Furnace

James Crawley from natural and built asset design & consultancy firm EC Harris, part of Arcadis, told UK Construction Media he sees an opportunity for infrastructure investment to be a stimulus to drive economic growth.

The ambition to create a ‘Northern Powerhouse’ will undoubtedly be welcomed by the construction industry, which has for some time recognised the significant scale of opportunities that the north has to offer.

This is not only a game changing moment for the north but is also a once in a generation opportunity that, if done well, will have a significant impact on UK business and the economy as a whole.

Across the UK, in the order of £100Bn is reportedly planned for investment in large infrastructure projects and programmes across both public and private sectors during the next decade and beyond. This will include supporting much needed and overdue projects such as HS2 and HS3, plans for which were backed by Prime Minister David Cameron last year and which promise to bring regions and cities closer together.

Investment that brings growth and jobs is why Chancellor George Osborne has placed such importance on regional renewal – particularly in the north.

However, it’s not just greater financial benefits and additional votes that a ‘Northern Powerhouse’ will deliver. Devolution was the key word at the heart of the Government’s first legislative programme following the General Election. As outlined in the Queen’s Speech, a number of the bills will deliver more powers to the regions.

Significantly, cities that choose to appoint directly-elected mayors will gain more control over their own housing, transport and planning policies – a move which should help to ensure that new infrastructure projects are more closely overseen and influenced by the relevant local communities.

Greater Manchester is arguably leading the way towards the creation of the Government’s proposed Northern Powerhouse and the city is now set to be an exciting blueprint for the rest of the UK, with powers being given over housing, transport and health, and more currently under discussion

Powerful city regions such as West Yorkshire will doubtless be watching Greater Manchester’s next moves with a close eye. With Leeds at its heart as the UK’s largest financial centre outside London and hosting the largest workforce in northern England, new investment and greater autonomy would enable the city to both enjoy increased access to growth opportunities and allow it to play a greater role in further stimulating the UK’s much needed return to economic prosperity.

However, the assets and positions of strength that areas like Manchester and Leeds possess aren’t found within all UK towns and cities and this is a problem that cannot simply be solved by devolution and investment in infrastructure alone.

Infrastructure is the first movement towards economic development. Although it is positive that steps are being taken, consideration needs to be given to local markets where in many cases development viability remains marginal and how infrastructure can be best used to stimulate long-term economic growth in these locations.

One of the challenges is that by its very nature, infrastructure delivery takes time. The Government’s decision to make this investment in infrastructure will have been made in the expectation of some tangible economic outputs being delivered in the short to medium term.

Early successes will need to be demonstrated in order to provide confidence that this approach continues to be the right one.

To do this, some of these viability challenges will need to be overcome, and quickly.

Additionally, a serious concern is whether elsewhere in the north, those areas that choose not to elect a mayor find themselves severely disadvantaged with a reduced prospect of new infrastructure projects. Furthermore, with increased numbers of stakeholders and regional autonomy, it has not been made clear how each area will work with national agencies while ensuring all voices are engaged and heard equally.

Nevertheless, these are exciting times for the regions and a significant opportunity to ask ourselves what sort of infrastructure is required and how we can seek to influence long-term planning, in particular regarding HS2 and HS3.

We have a fantastic opportunity to use this infrastructure investment as a stimulus to create investible propositions for people living, working and investing in the north and thereby delivering positive change and lasting benefits. Long may it continue.

The post Northern Powerhouse: Reigniting the Furnace appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Committee on Climate Change says Parliament must act to meet targets

New report sets out a number of suggestions and recommendations.

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) says the Government must act to “shape climate policy” if emissions targets are to be met.

In a three-part report submitted to Parliament, recommendations are made which if implemented, will ensure that not only emissions are reduced, but costs to people and the country are reduced through adapting properly to climate change and its needs.

The report – Reducing emissions and preparing for climate change: 2015 Progress Report to Parliament, says that many policies set out by the Government have made progress, including protecting homes from floods, while planning national infrastructure better.

But it asks important questions about the long-term planning to tackle climate change, and specifically, about putting steps in place that go beyond this Parliament.

The CCC says that some issues have not been addressed; flood risk on some households is actually still increasing. The report says: “Higher temperatures pose risks to health and productivity that are not being properly addressed. Action will be needed in this Parliament to respond to these priorities.”

Covering progress towards meeting carbon budgets and the process of adapting to climate change, this is the CCC’s first report which is under sections 36 and 59 of the Climate Change Act.

Under the Climate Change Act, the Government must reduce the emissions from 1990 by 80% by 2050, in line with actions required across the world.

The CCC advises Parliament under this Act, on the best path to take in order to meet this and whether changes being made are appropriate.

Progress has been made, with an 8% drop in greenhouse gas emissions recorded last year when compared to 2013.

Emissions are 36% lower than the levels of 1990 and crucially, are within the annual average set out in the second carbon budget 2013-217.

However, the CCC feels that more can be done in this Parliament and beyond.

With that in mind, the Government is being advised to set a carbon objective in the power sector and extend the funding under the Levy Control Framework that stretches to 2025 and provides annual updates.

In terms of buildings, the CCC would like to see policies developed to deliver low carbon and energy efficiency but also address the key issues of heat stress and flooding.

The CCC wants the Government to ensure any infrastructure decisions made result in an increased resilience in networks and services during extreme weather, while also ensuring emissions are reduced.

Electric vehicles are rightly seen as an efficient mode of transport but as it stands, the costs are expensive. The CCC wants to see commitment to investing in these though because of the long-term benefits to reducing emissions.

Meanwhile, the Government is being advised to safeguard the numerous economic and amenity benefits provided by the natural environment throughout the country.

Lord Deben is the CCC’s Chairman and he explained why the Government must act and how this will be of benefit.

He said: “The Government has a unique opportunity to shape climate policy through the 2020s. It must act now to set out how it plans to keep the UK on track.

“Acting early will help to reduce costs to households, business and the Exchequer. It will improve people’s health and wellbeing and create opportunities for business in manufacturing and in the service sector.”

All three parts of the report can now be found on the CCC’s website.

The post Committee on Climate Change says Parliament must act to meet targets appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Biggest plan in 50 years for North West roads

Highways England has today announced plans to invest £1.5Bn over the next five years in the North West’s roads, including the creation of 80 miles of smart motorway.

Highways England is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintain and operating England’s motorways and major A roads. The five-year plan was set out at a regional launch event held at the Macdonald hotel in Manchester earlier today.

In addition to the upgrades currently taking place on the M62 and M60, work will commence on seven new smart motorway projects by 2020 that will cut congestion and shorten journey time for drivers.

Smart motorways include all sections of the motorway network that utilise technology to control congestion, add extra capacity and improve journey time reliability. This included controlling speeds to improve traffic flow through the use of variable mandatory speeds and alerting drivers to information by use of overhead signs. The main feature of smart motorways is its ability to use technology to open hard shoulder lanes at peak demand times or permanently convert the hard shoulder to a traffic lane, with emergency refuge areas provided.

A link up will be created between two of the schemes on the M62 and existing projects that will cover 60 miles between the North West and Yorkshire, forming the largest single stretch of smart motorway in the country.

The North West has other major schemes planned that include bypasses on the A556, A585 and A57, junction upgrades undertaken on the M6 and new motorway junctions on the M55 and M56.

Other work to be carried out during 2015/16 will see the resurfacing of 130 miles of motorway lanes and major A roads, the installation of 40 miles of safety barriers and the upgrade of 2,900 lighting columns.

Where possible, as much of this work will be carried out at night when roads are less busy in order to keep more lanes open during peak driving times.

North West Regional Director at Highways England, Alan Shepherd, said: “We’re investing £1.5 billion on improvements to the North West’s motorways and major A roads over the next five years, creating the biggest increase in capacity on the road network for 50 years.

“That includes nearly 80 miles of smart motorway where the hard shoulder will be converted into extra lanes and variable speed limits will be used to keep traffic moving. New bypasses and new and improved motorway junctions will also all help to tackle congestion, benefitting both businesses and local residents.

“It’s vital that we continue to improve the existing road network as well, which is why we’re investing £90 million this year alone on resurfacing, safety barriers and other maintenance projects.

“The North West’s motorways and dual carriageways form the backbone for the region’s economy and this huge investment will ensure they remain healthy for many years to come.”

July 2014 saw work on the North West’s first smart motorway commence on the 17-mile stretch of the M60 and M62 in Greater Manchester. The £202M scheme is due for completion in autumn 2017.

At a cost of £192M, construction of a new A556 link road between the M56 near Bowdeon and the M6 near Knutsford began last year and is expected to be finished by winter 2016/17.

Autumn of this year will see the start of a new £233M smart motorway along an 18-mile section of the M6 between junction 16 at Crewe and junction 19 at Knutsford.

Other major projects scheduled to begin construction before 2020 include new bypasses on the A585, to get rid of a major bottleneck on the main road to Fleetwood, and on the A57, to combat congestion near Mottram and Hollingworth in Tameside.

Access to the Port of Liverpool will be improved along the A5036, new motorway junctions will be created on the M56 (junction 11a) and M55 (junction 2) near Preston, and major upgrades will be carried out to the M6’s junction 19 near Knutsford and junction 22 near Newton-le-Willows.

Highways England’s Major Projects Director for the North, Jeremy Bloom, said: “These schemes will bring significant long-term benefits to drivers on motorways and major A roads in the North West, as well as to the economy as a whole.

“The construction work will, of course, bring some disruption in the short term but we will ensure that we keep this to a minimum to keep traffic flowing.

“When the schemes are completed, road users will experience safer, more reliable and less congested journeys.”

The M62 will see two new smart motorway schemes run on a nine-mile section between junctions 10 at the M6 interchange near Warrington and junction 12 at the M60 interchange near Eccles, and on a 19-mile section between junction 20 at the A627 (M) interchange near Rochdale and junction 25 near Brighouse, West Yorkshire.

A seven-mile stretch of smart motorway will be created on the opposite side of the M60 to the current scheme, between junction 24 at the M67 interchange near Denton and junction 4 at the M56 interchange near Cheadle.

A ten-mile section of the M6 between junction 21a at the M62 interchange near Warrington and junction 26 at the M58 interchange near Skelmersdale will also become a smart motorway, along with a four-mile section of the M56 between junctions 6 and 8 near Manchester Airport.

Finally, a six-mile stretch of smart motorway will be created on the M53 between junction 5 at Queensferry and junction 11 at the M56 interchange near Ellesmere Port to ease congestion.

For more information on Highways England’s five-year plan please go to http://ift.tt/1GMb7iU

The post Biggest plan in 50 years for North West roads appeared first on UK Construction Online.

ONS figures show increase in business investment

New interim construction price deflators mean previous figures upwardly revised.

New figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that business investment was on the rise in the first quarter of 2015.

Compared with the same quarter of last year, business investment has increased by 5.7%, which equates to an estimated rise of £0.9Bn.

Now up to £46.5Bn, business investment is also higher than it was in the previous quarter, with the figures reporting a 2% increase.

The figures, which are estimates of seasonally adjusted chained volume measures, seem to bode well for the construction industry, with transport equipment and dwellings also reporting increases.

Going into more details, the figures show transport equipment has shot up by £0.6Bn, which represents its highest level since the final quarter of 2010. Meanwhile, dwellings rose by £0.5Bn – which equates to 3.2%.

Today’s figures show these figures are asset breakdowns of total gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), and this particular figure also makes for positive reading.

Compared with the corresponding quarter of last year, GFCF rose by 5%, and by 2% when judged against the previous quarter.

This 2% upturn means GFCF is now £76.1Bn – an increase of £1.5Bn from the final quarter of 2014.

Significantly, this level is at its highest since records for this began back in 1997.

The figures from the ONS now have new interim construction price deflators incorporated, which have been good for the construction industry because not only does it make the figures reported more accurate, but this release in particular has led to upward revisions to those levels of GFCF from the first quarter of 2014.

ONS also released its index of services results today for April 2015, which is important given it is the biggest contributor to the output approach of GDP.

Overall, the index of services went up by 2.8% in April, compared with the April before.

When broken down into the four main areas, business services and finance is up by 3%, and Government and other services rose by 0.6%.

In the month-to-month comparison, these two areas did not make any progress, but overall, between March and April 2015, the index of service also increased by 0.2%.

 

The post ONS figures show increase in business investment appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Exclusive Interview: Trade Staff Direct

Seven months ago Barrie Hicks launched Trade Staff Direct – an innovative free-to-use recruitment website and app with the potential to revolutionize the procurement process. Offering unparalleled flexibility, Trade Staff Direct allows contractors to search for and employ skilled workers at a moments notice, without the need for cumbersome CVs or full-time commitments.

UK Construction Media spoke to Barrie about the origins and advantages of the platform and how his own experiences in the industry helped to shape the website.

Could you provide our readers with an introduction to Trade Staff Direct? What specific services does the Company provide?

Trade Staff Direct is a free recruitment site that enables contractors and subcontractors to work directly with one another. It works using a live calendar which is very useful, even in my business. I manage a landscape gardening company, Hollyoaks Gardens, and it can be difficult to commit to staff when you have jobs of differing size. We have three part-time staff working for us and, by using the live calendar, they are able to look at the remaining two days that they are available and find another company to work for. This benefits both businesses as we can have a member of staff without having a full-time commitment, while the member of staff is happy because they have a full-time job.

How can the Business benefit contractors, sub-contractors and clients in the construction industry?

For the contractor, its zero hours. There are no contracts and everyone is rated by their previous employer, which enables the contractor to find good quality staff whenever they need them, all without the need for CVs.

Trade Staff Direct also cuts out age and race discrimination. If a worker has good ratings and they are verified then why shouldn’t they be hired? These are issues that persist today. Companies can often be quite funny about taking on foreign workers or the young and old. Here the proof is in the pudding – you know that you are going to get a good member of staff irrespective of age or race.

Trade Staff Direct marks an innovative new approach to construction employment. How did you identify the potential for a web/app-based service that allows employers to look for skilled workers?

I’m a problem solver. I have been that guy walking the street, looking for work. People would say ‘Listen Barrie, I know you’re a good worker but I can only give you a couple of days’ and I don’t think that’s good enough when you have bills to pay.

I’ve also been the guy who runs quite a respectable business but is unable to find staff when they are needed. It was just a matter of putting two and two together to come up with the idea and I’m very surprised that it hasn’t been done before because it is a very simple and effective solution.

Approximately how many organisations are currently registered with Trade Staff Direct?

We’re doing very well – it’s actually averaging 300 per day. It’s all about brand awareness at the moment however as it is such a new thing and people might otherwise think us another recruitment agency. We have to get the idea across because it is such a great solution.

Given Trade Staff Direct’s success, do you think the construction industry has been guilty of over-complicating the employment process in the past?

I think it’s quite black and white really. Recruitment companies often take the Mickey with people like me – small businesses. I was after a worker for one of my gardening teams some months back and I was quoted £1,000 for a single ad. You then have to scour through tens, possibly hundreds of CVs – a time-consuming process that might ultimately prove pointless if the applicants aren’t suitable.

Recruitment companies also charge 15% – 25% of an employees annual salary, which I find incredible. I think enough is enough, the greed has gotten too much and I’m hopeful that Trade Staff Direct will be able to help companies in a similar position to myself.

The post Exclusive Interview: Trade Staff Direct appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Increasing use of robots and sensors expected in civils construction

Civils contractors will increasingly use robots and sensors to create structures in futuristic offsite factories, according to the author of recent research.

TFL reveals how ECI contracts boost delivery

Transport for London (TFL) has revealed how early contractor involvement (ECI) has helped it to deliver its most difficult programmes of work.

Future technology: Breaking new ground

Building information modelling and big data are throwing up new opportunities for civil engineering firms.

Finalists announced for Institute of Water’s National Innovation Awards

The Institute of Water has announced the eight regional finalists for the 2015 National Innovation Awards – a celebration of innovation and excellence in the UK water and sewage sector.

The award winners will be announced during the President’s Dinner, held on 9th -10th July at the Institute of Water’s Annual Conference and Exhibition.

The conference, which will take place at the West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge, will invite industry experts from across the country to share their views on ‘Business in the New World’. How will the water sector continue to strive for innovation, collaboration and transformation amid the challenges of climate change and population growth?

Peter Simpson, President of the Institute of Water and Chief Executive Officer of Anglian Water Group, will chair the event alongside such industry leaders as Liv Garfield, CEO of Severn Trent Water, Chris Newsome, Director of Asset Management for Anglian Water, and Cathryn Ross, Economist and CEO for OFWAT.

MWH has also announced its sponsorship of the National Innovation Awards. This high-profile endorsement recognises the Institute of Water’s pivotal role in fostering talent and cultivating innovation industry-wide.

As a member of the judging panel, Paul Gledhill – Managing Director of MWH – was keen to extend his congratulations: “It has been a privilege to have been a member of the judging panel for this year’s Innovation Awards. The quality of the submissions was of the highest standard, making judging a very fulfilling experience. I congratulate each of the finalists. My involvement in judging has re-affirmed a confidence in the depth of talent we have across the Industry and our ability to constantly innovate to improve the service we provide to the customers we serve.”

Finalists include:

• APEM
• Cranfield University, Severn Trent Water, and WRAP
• United Utilities Business Services in conjunction with EEIP Kelda Water Services Alpha Limited
• Clancy Docwra
• Southern Water
• Dynamic Flow Technologies Ltd, Wessex Water Services Ltd, and Elster Metering Ltd
• Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

The post Finalists announced for Institute of Water’s National Innovation Awards appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Business funding available for wave energy convertors

Wave Energy Scotland is inviting companies to apply for a share of up to £2.4M for SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative) contracts to develop innovative wave energy convertors, which will provide up to 100% of project costs.

During the first stage of the competition, up to £300,000 per project will be available. Projects that are successful at stage 1 can then seek to compete for funding at stages 2 and 3.

The deadline for applications in noon on 13 August 2015.

Wave Energy Scotland is part of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and was created to provide support and accelerate the technical development of wave energy in Scotland.

The devices should focus on the structure and prime mover that harnesses the energy of the wave.

World-renowned wave energy developers have been drawn to the waters that surround the Highlands and Islands of Scotland as estimates suggest that somewhere around 10% of Europe’s total wave resource flows there.

Ambitious targets have been set by the Scottish Government for electricity generated from wave and tidal resources to contribute to the delivery of securing 100% of Scotland’s electricity demands from renewable sources by 2020.

For further information about this SBRI competition and apply click here

The post Business funding available for wave energy convertors appeared first on UK Construction Online.

17 things the rail industry must act on

The rail industry has come under heavy fire this week after transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced that Network Rail was unable to deliver on its five year spending plan. Here are 17 things that the industry could and should act on, at least according to speakers at NCE’s UK Rail 2015 conference.

Increase in housing registrations indicates renewed growth for new homes

Figures, newly released by NHBC, indicate that new home registrations for 2015 have remained consistently higher than the previous year, with strong growth experienced in May.

The figures are also indicative of a potential resurgence for the public and affordable housing sector which saw registrations increase by 8%.

The private sector has risen from 28,216 in 2014 to 33,046 – an impressive 17% increase for the period – while the public and affordable sector is up from 10,031 in 2014 to 10,941.

During May, 14,392 new homes were registered – 11,162 private sector, 3,330 public sector – which marks a 9% increase on the 13,194 homes – 10,198 private sector, 2,996 public sector – registered in May of last year.

Commenting on the latest statistics NHBC Chief Executive Mike Quinton said: “So far in 2015 we have seen new home registrations remain consistently ahead of 2014 levels, which is clearly encouraging news for the industry.

“There have also been signs that the public and affordable sector is continuing to improve while the uncertainty predicted by some around the period of the General Election failed to materialise, with steady growth a constant feature throughout the year to date.”

The post Increase in housing registrations indicates renewed growth for new homes appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Port of Dover appoint contractor on £120M Western Docks project

Port of Dover have agreed a deal with contractor, Graham, that could see work on the £120M Western Docks revival project commence in early 2016.

Graham, working alongside the port team as part of a re-construction agreement, will finalise marine civil engineering design and budget planning on the new project, including the pier walls, quays and the reclamation work on land within the port.

This announcement means that 600 new jobs will be created when the proposed Western Docks cargo terminal opens in 2017.

As part of its transport management plan, the port plans to fully utilise sea transport to bring materials to the Dover Western Docks revival site, which will see up to 200 construction workers on the site during its peak.

There will also be a review on junction improvements on the A20, as approved by Highways England, with the intention of providing the best solution for the port and town.

Port Chief Executive Tim Waggot believes that the huge level of investment will see Dover become a destination in its own right: “Dover Western Docks Revival is a key part of our vision to create the best port in the world for the benefit of our customers, the local community and the UK economy.

“Following today’s announcement, everybody in the town will be able to see that we are delivering on our promise to create 600 new quality jobs, and safeguard 140 existing port jobs, for Dover.

“I’m delighted to say that we have already signed a number of non-disclosure agreements with potential users of the cargo terminal and development partners.

“The team from Graham has a strong reputation for collaborative working and this will give the opportunity for Kent companies to tender for as many parts of the project as they feel able to deliver. We will be holding a series of joint ‘meet the buyer’ events later in the year.

“Dover is currently seeing an unprecedented level of investment and it is great to see that there is now a shared vision to take the district forward for the benefit of its residents, businesses and visitors.

“The Port is committed to playing its part in making Dover a place to shout about and celebrate.”

The post Port of Dover appoint contractor on £120M Western Docks project appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Government surpasses target of supporting 20,000 higher apprenticeship starts.

The government has announced today that it has broken its target of supporting 20,000 higher apprenticeship starts over the last two years. The figures released show that since the beginning of the 2013 to 2014 academic year, more than 22,000 higher apprenticeships have already been supported.

Higher apprenticeships provide young people with the opportunity to gain the high level skills required by employers through 12 months on the job experience, whilst simultaneously studying for a degree or higher education qualification.

The most popular apprenticeship subject areas in terms of starts since August 2014 are ‘Business, Administration and Law’ and ‘Health, Public Services and Care’.

There has also been a marked increase in traineeships in the first three quarters of this academic year with over 15,000 undertaken. These traineeships provide young people with work preparation training, English and maths and work experience to prepare them for apprenticeships and sustainable employment.

Statistics show that there were over 2.3 million apprenticeship starts across the country in the last Parliament and the Government hope to build on this by supporting a further three million apprenticeship starts by 2020.

Skills Minister Nick Boles commented: “We listened to what employers told us they needed and have invested in apprenticeships to ensure their workforce have the quality skills needed to grow the business. These figures show we are on course to create a modern and competitive workforce that boosts the country’s productivity and prosperity.

The employer-led demand for higher apprenticeships is yet another reminder of the great respect our apprentices command.”

One of hundreds of businesses that support higher apprenticeships, Rolls Royce run their programme at facilities across the UK.

Rolls Royce Learning and Development Manager, David Campbell, said: “We understand the value apprentices can bring to a business and look to attract people with real potential. We provide world-class training, working with industry leading professionals to help drive career ambitions and the company forward.”

One of Roll Royce’s Higher Technical Apprentices is 21 year old, Jessica Bestwick. Based in Derby, she started with the Company in September 2012 and is completing an apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering.

Jessica said: “Thanks to starting a higher apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce, I have been able to progress my career, earning a real wage and gaining a degree at the same time. My job involves working within the different civil aerospace product development teams to gain an understanding of what is involved in developing and manufacturing Civil Large Engines for our customers.

“I would never have dreamed when I left school after completing my A-Levels that I would be where I am now. I would recommend a higher apprenticeship to anyone.”

The post Government surpasses target of supporting 20,000 higher apprenticeship starts. appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Poplar Riverside to receive £51M investment

Tower Hamlets Council is to receive a sizeable £51M cash injection from the Greater London Authority (GLA) to develop Poplar Riverside as a Housing Zone.

Intended to deliver real and lasting benefit to both the environment and the community, the Poplar Riverside Housing Zone will see an approximate £2Bn invested into the area.

While the development will create an initial 3,034 new homes – of which 448 will be affordable – there is capacity enough to near double that provision over the lifetime of the zone. Future sites include Chrisp Street, Leamounth North and Aberfeldy.

A raft of additional improvements, intended to bolster connectivity throughout the region, will also be provided as part of the funding, including the creation of a number of new footbridges across the River Lea.

The Poplar Riverside development will also contribute to the local economy, providing up to 3,000 new jobs borough-wide.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs, said: “Over the years, Poplar and the Lea Riverside will be completely transformed. Receiving such a large amount of funding from the GLA to build much-needed housing in Tower Hamlets is a real achievement for the borough. Of course we need to get the detail, including the infrastructure, right.

“And connectivity between Tower Hamlets and Newham will be greatly improved by the work going on in the Poplar Riverside. This will place Poplar firmly on the map of London – and will deliver real benefits to the people of Tower Hamlets.”

Poplar Riverside is one of five such Housing Zones, each designated by the GLA. Housing Zones are areas identified as having significant potential to unlock and accelerate housing delivery in London, through targeted investment, engagement and planning.

With population growth a concern, Housing Zones are set to play an integral role in ensuring current rates of house building in London are doubled.

The post Poplar Riverside to receive £51M investment appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Work commences on £130M Heaps Mill apartment scheme in Liverpool

The final stage of preparation on Liverpool’s historical Heaps Rice Mill on Liverpool’s southern waterfront has begun ahead of its £130m transformation into apartments, with construction expected to begin shortly.

The site dates back to 1778 when Joseph Heap founded his milling business there, next door to the famous Baltic Fleet pub. The present buildings on site date by the mid-Victorian era.

Due to its listed building status, the mill cannot be demolished and the building’s historical façade will be incorporated into the aesthetics of the finished scheme.

Liverpool-based contractor CC Geotechnical will undertake the final ground investigations on the Heaps Mill site, which sits adjacent to Liverpool’s World Heritage zone after being awarded the £100,000 contract.

The development, by local developer Elliot Group, was granted planning permission in October 2014 and will see the creation of 800 new homes and 12,000 sq ft of leisure and retail units gathered around Baltic Square, the newly created public space.

There will be four new–build blocks that include a mid-rise 16 storey building that will sit on the corner of Park Lane and Liver Street. Also constructed will be three other 14 and 12 storey buildings, alongside the Heaps mill itself.

Developer Elliot Lawless commented: “This is an important step forward as we finalise the details of the full construction programme.

“We’ve come quite a way in a relatively short space of time thanks to the encouragement of Liverpool council and I’m looking forward to confirming final construction time-scales in the near future.”

The post Work commences on £130M Heaps Mill apartment scheme in Liverpool appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Highways England’s first supplier award scheme open for entries

Highways England is providing its suppliers with the opportunity to boost their profiles by putting themselves forward for a series of awards through the launch of its supplier recognition scheme.

The scheme will highlight the vital contribution made by Highways England’s suppliers who help to maintain, modernise and operate the strategic road network in England.

Over 90% of work carried out on England’s motorways and major A roads is by the supply chain and Highways England are keen for as many of them as possible to nominate themselves across eight key areas:

• Building capacity and capability
• Customer experience
• Communities (new)
• Delivering sustainable value and solutions
• Inclusion
• Managing down cost/improving value
• Safety, health and wellbeing, which includes:
  – Public/road user safety
  – Road worker safety
  – Occupational health and wellbeing
  – Supply chain management

The new Communities category relates to suppliers able to demonstrate that through engagement with community groups from the outset, they have grasped the real issues that matter to them and have found ways in which these can be incorporated into their work.

Those suppliers who are eligible to nominate themselves for an award include those in direct and indirect contact with Highways England, including join ventures and the extended supply chain.

Simon Diggle, Chair of the judging panel, said: “Suppliers who demonstrate they can deliver benefits in a leading, innovative or efficient way, deserve as much recognition as possible – this is why we run our award scheme.

“I would urge them to take this unique opportunity, in the first year of Highways England, to put a marker down and show us they can be part of our five-year journey.

“We hope the certainty of a five-year funding cycle will enable them to plan ahead with confidence and develop the skills they need to deliver.”

This year marks the first time that the annual recognition scheme has been held under the new government owned company. Over the next five years, Highways England and its suppliers will deliver £11Bn of improvements.

At last year’s awards, there were up to three winners in each category, with small and medium enterprises taking 25% of the awards, a record since the scheme’s inception five years ago.

SME Recycling Lives, alongside EM Highways, won an Inclusion award for a scheme, which included helping two homeless people into work.

Steven Jackson OBE from Recycling Lives said: “Winning the award has helped profile our every-day work with vulnerable people and EM Highways’ positive approach to corporate social responsibility.

“It was also heartening, in receiving the award, to be shown that this responsibility is endorsed by industry and we hope many others will follow suit.”

Full guidance and entry forms can be found on the Highways England section of GOV.UK at http://ift.tt/1dg5p0f

Entries are open until 25 September 2015.

The post Highways England’s first supplier award scheme open for entries appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Government’s Connection Broadband scheme benefits over 25,000 small businesses.

Figures published today show that more than 25,000 small and medium businesses across the UK have taken advantage of the Government’s Broadband Connection voucher scheme. The scheme, which enables businesses to apply for grants of up to £3,000 each to cover the costs of installation for better and faster broadband, has seen a huge rise in demand in recent months.

The grant, which is issued as a voucher, is part of the Government’s broadband transformation across the UK to aid cities in creating and attracting new employment opportunities and investment.

As a result of this transformation, the benefits to smaller businesses will include increasing and accessing new markets through greater communication with customers and suppliers. Securely backed-up data will see an increase in online security, while faster upload and download speeds will also allow for increased productivity and improved customer service.

The Government has made available £40M in 2015/16 for the scheme, with the vouchers being issued on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. No ring fencing exists for individual cities and the Government is encouraging all eligible businesses to participate before the funds run out.

Ed Vaizey, Digital Economy Minister said: “The Government’s broadband connection voucher scheme is proving tremendously popular and we are now issuing around 1000 vouchers every week. Businesses need to be properly equipped for all the challenges of the digital world in which we live and I urge all eligible businesses to apply as soon as possible to make sure they don’t miss out on the fantastic offer.”

To date, over 25,000 businesses in the 50 cities across the UK participating have received grants, with thousands more companies currently going through the application process. The type of businesses to have benefited from the scheme so far are varied and include estate agents, caterers, cafes, architects, mechanics, graphic designers and event coordinators.

The post Government’s Connection Broadband scheme benefits over 25,000 small businesses. appeared first on UK Construction Online.

CDM 2015: How will the changes affect the Construction Industry?

The new Construction (Design and Management) Regulations brought in at the start of April this year look set to introduce a number of changes to the industry when the transitional period is complete in October 2015. Here, Safety Equipment Suppliers, Manchester Safety, highlight how the construction industry will be affected by the changes.

Definition of the Client

The new regulations have slightly realigned which parties can fall under the title of ‘Client’. The new regulations determine that all clients who are receiving construction work which does not further their business interests should be referred to as a ‘Domestic Client’. This brings the rights and responsibilities of non-profit organisations and charities in line with homeowners rather than for-profit business owners.

Definition of Pre-Construction Phase

The redefined pre-construction phase can now overlap with the construction phase – extending until all design and preparatory or design work is completed.

Increased Client Duties

The CDM 2015 has increased the responsibilities and duties of the client. The client is now responsible for ensuring suitable arrangements for the management of the project are completed. The client must also ensure that a contractor has drawn up a suitable and substantial construction phase plan.

The new regulations also dictate that the client must ensure that the principle designer has prepared a sufficient health and safety file for the project.

Appointment of Principle Contractor and Principle Designer

CDM 2015 also includes more clearly defined regulations for appointing the principle contractor and principle director – necessitating the latter is appointed at the very beginning of all design work, including feasibility.

Reduced Health and Safety Bureaucracy

The new regulations have been designed to try and reduce the bureaucracy attached to health and safety rules. Streamlining the process – the HSE hopes the new regulations will reduce the drain on funds and time.

Paul Manchester, Director of Manchester Safety Services, adds: “The new CDM emphasises the importance of genuine safety on construction sites without compromising the quality and accuracy of the reporting.”

Construction Phase Planning

The new regulations clearly dictate that the principle designer must assist the principle contractor in the preparation of the construction phase plan. The principle designer must also prepare the project’s health and safety file as the job progresses. However, if the principle designer does not continue until the end of the project, the principle contractor assumes this responsibility.

The principle contractor must liaise with the principle designer throughout the duration of the project – keeping the latter abreast of planning and management of the job.

Detailed Risks

The new regulations have specified additional risk concerns which must be considered by the principle contractor when developing the construction plan. The new risks specified include burial under earth falls, engulfment in swampland, risk of drowning and falling from a height. Additionally, the regulations stress the importance of health monitoring on sites which potentially put workers at risk of contamination from chemical or biological substances.

The new regulations have also been designed to protect workers who are working near high voltage power lines, in compressed air atmospheres and in wells, underground or in tunnels.

Existing Projects

Projects which were not notifiable under the previous CDM and no principle contractor has been appointed, must appoint a principle contractor as soon as practicable after 6th April. The newly-appointed principle contractor must then produce a construction phase plan and a health and safety file.

If the principle contractor has been appointed but the project is due to be completed before the transitional implementation stage concludes on 6th October 2015, there is no requirement to appoint a principle designer. However, if the project is due to continue past this date, a client must appoint a principle designer. If the client does not appoint a principle designer, they will assume all the latter’s responsibilities.

 

The post CDM 2015: How will the changes affect the Construction Industry? appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Confidence in Scottish construction industry at record high

An industry survey carried out by the Scottish Building Federation has shown confidence within the Scottish construction industry is at its highest level in at least seven years.

The Federation’s Scottish Construction Monitor survey found that confidence has reached a record high due to an influx of new work and the provision of training grants for new apprentices.

The survey asks employers how confident they feel about their company’s future over the year ahead in comparison to the previous year. The results show that Scottish building employers’ confidence has now been rated positive overall for the eighth consecutive quarter.

Scottish Building Federation Managing Director, Vaughan Hart commented: “It’s encouraging that employers’ confidence about their future prospects is continuing to rise.

“The results are particularly striking against the backdrop of recent reports that overall business confidence in Scotland has declined due to falling profits.

“In construction, there can be no doubt that margins remain very tight but there is at least a supply of new work out there now, which certainly wasn’t the case two years ago.

“As we’ve said before, certain sectors of the industry are faring better than others and we’re concerned that industry employment is lagging significantly behind output.

“I’m encouraged that employers view apprenticeships as a top priority for future investment from the industry levy.

“Hopefully, this finding will add strength to CITB’s arm in prioritising apprenticeship funding as it reviews the future training needs of the industry.”

The post Confidence in Scottish construction industry at record high appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Top Ten Tips for Vehicle Recovery Selection

Roger Williams, Director, AA Business Services

1: Does the cover fit your fleet?

There are a variety of breakdown cover types available and not all of these may be suitable for your fleet. Vehicle weight, length and height can all be a factor, particularly when European cover is required, and some cover is tailored to a specific type of vehicle, such as minibuses, motorcycles and HGVs. It is vital to find a breakdown cover provider who can respond quickly with appropriate resources in the event of an incident.

2: What are your vehicles used for?

If you’re running a fleet of specialist vehicles such as courier vehicles, ambulances, ice cream vans or taxis, look out for cover that has been specially developed to meet your requirements.

3: Basic cover v. comprehensive?

Depending on your company policy, you may be looking to cover your fleet as cost effectively as possible or conversely you may be under pressure to arrange the cover with all the bells and whistles! The right cover for your vehicles will depend greatly on a number of factors: how far from base are they travelling? Where are they garaged – on one site or at the drivers’ homes overnight? Will they be travelling outside the UK? Removing services you don’t need can help to keep costs down without leaving your drivers or vehicles stranded when they need assistance.

4: How can you tell whether the breakdown cover will live up to the hype?

With a plethora of breakdown cover options available, it can be difficult to assess how good the cover actually is – customer service, speed of roadside response and roadside fix rate are all areas that will make the difference between an excellent, satisfactory or disappointing service. There are independent and objective measures of breakdown cover quality – whether via consumer agencies (such as Which?), industry and supplier awards, comparison websites or social media recommendations. It is worth checking a variety of sources before making your final choice.

5: Do you qualify for any special deals?

Most breakdown cover providers have arrangements with selected trade organisations and business associations, offering preferential rates on breakdown cover as a benefit of membership. If your company is a member of a trade association, check with them whether they have such a scheme in place – or consider becoming a member. In some instances the breakdown cover savings can actually offset the cost of the membership.

6: Could you benefit from ‘whole fleet’ offers?

Some breakdown cover policies will allow you to add optional extras such as European cover or parts and labour cover to your whole fleet at a low ‘per vehicle’ cost. This is a cost-effective way of managing additional cover where you may not know in advance which vehicles may require these services.

7: Do you have a rapidly changing fleet?

If you think you may regularly need to add or replace vehicles during the course of your breakdown cover period, it’s worth checking with breakdown providers whether they apply any restrictions to amendments that can be made, or whether there is a charge for vehicle substitutions. You may also want to consider setting up a Direct Debit authority to facilitate easier and more convenient payment of pro-rata fees during the term of cover.

 8: Consider buying online.

Breakdown cover providers often offer special introductory deals to online buyers – and unlike buying over the phone, you can select and pay for your cover online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

9: Check the small print!

Unless you are purchasing your breakdown cover on a ‘pay-for-use’ basis, it will be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the same way as any other insurance policy. This is good news for business customers as you will benefit from statutory protection if something goes wrong. This includes a 14 day ‘cooling off period’ if you change your mind after purchasing cover, a commitment to provision of full terms and conditions of cover, and strict rules around response to complaints. Remember to keep all of your policy documentation in a safe place in case of any queries.

10: What about the future?

As technology brings new developments to the breakdown cover marketplace, look out for additional services either as part of the breakdown package or as a bolt-on. Smartphone apps, GPS live-time tracking, telematics, online account management and in-cab entertainment for recovery vehicles could all become an integral part of the breakdown cover offering in the coming years. Check when purchasing if you can benefit from any of these enhancements, either now or in the near future.

For more information and advice please visit the AA website.

The post Top Ten Tips for Vehicle Recovery Selection appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Aerospace industry receives boost

Business Minister, Anna Soubry, yesterday opened new state-of-art research facilities in Coventry and unveiled new technology projects to maintain the UK’s place as a world leader in aerospace.

The four projects announced are to be funded by a joint government and industry £2.1Bn investment for aerospace research and development, guided by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI). The projects include £7.2M for Airbus to research ways to remove imperfection on the surface of wings, which can result in drag, creating ‘slippery wings’.

Pioneering technologies such as the Internet of Things being applied to aircraft factory production, will also be researched with £5M to be given to five partners, led by Meggit.

£6.4M will be provided to Spirit AeroSystems, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Aeromet to research advanced automated assembly technologies to increase the cost competitiveness of the UK supply chain.

UTC Aerospace Systems, working with the ARMC, will supported to the tune of £4.4M to set up production lines to manufacture high volume, low cost advanced composite products.

The Minister made the announcements whilst opening the Aerospace Research Centre and National Centre for Net Shape and Additive Manufacturing, more commonly known as 3D printing. The aerospace centre will allow companies to develop new materials for use in planes, jet engines and civil helicopters.. The £D printing centre will help to create new products for aero-engines and aircraft landing gear, as well as automotive and medical devices.

Gary Elliott, Chief Executive of the ATI said: “Seeing the Aerospace Research Centre open and the launch of projects involving companies from within the heart of the supply chain are good examples of the collaboration between government and industry creating a more competitive sector of enriched capabilities and increased productivity. The ATI’s focus on technologies and manufacturing is ensuring investments are focused and economically sound.”

Also announced was the launch of the HITEA 3 (Highly Innovative Technology Enablers in Aerospace 3) £10M competition to find ground breaking aerospace technologies, aimed at small and medium sized enterprise, academia and research organisations. The bidding for this is due to open next week and will be organised by Innovate UK.

Anna Soubry commented: “Government and industry are working together to keep Britain at the forefront of the global aerospace market. We are currently second only to the United States, but there is more to do and it is important that we continue to invest in R&D and develop ground-breaking technologies.
“Demand for new aircraft is at record levels – around 45,000 new aircraft and 40,000 helicopters are needed between now and 2032, worth over $5 trillion. This will provide billions of pounds of work to the UK economy given our leading capability in wings, engines, helicopters, advanced systems and services.
“Getting this right will deliver economic benefit through our large, mid-sized and small companies across the breadth of the country.”

The post Aerospace industry receives boost appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Construction industry celebrates National Women in Engineering Day

23 June 2015 is home to National Women in Engineering Day, a day devoted to raising the profile and celebrating the achievements of women in engineering, and encouraging more girls to consider engineering as a career.

National Women in Engineering Day (NWED) was launched last year to celebrate the Women’s Engineering Society’s (WES) 95th anniversary and proved a huge success with over 250 schools and 80 organisations getting involved and hosting events and activities in support for women in engineering. This year promises to be even bigger with more organisations, institutes and education establishments hosting larger and better events all across the country in the name of gender equality.

Currently women make up less than 10% of the engineering sector, and with a large skills gap looming, and the additional need for a more diverse workforce, it has never been more important to encourage girls to choose a career in engineering.

Here are some raw statistics:

1. Only 7% of the engineering workforce is female.
2. The UK has the lowest percentage of female engineering professionals in Europe, at less than 10%, while Latvia, Bulgaria and Cyprus lead with nearly 30%
3. 3.4% of engineering and manufacturing apprentices are female.
4. In 2013, the median basic income for male registered engineers and technicians (£55,000) is 19.7% higher than that of females (£45,941).
5. The UK needs to double the number of recruits into engineering to meet demand.
6. Companies with more women on their boards were found to outperform their rivals with a 42% higher return in sales, 66% higher return on invested capital and 53% higher return on equity.

The situation is, however, improving. The Institution of Civil Engineers Director General, Nick Baveystock, said: “Women represent 10% of ICE’s total membership and female applications to ICE are slowly rising, with graduate numbers at 18%. This is encouraging, but the reality is that there are still more male than female engineers, so we must do more, and collaboration between industry and institutions is critical to success.

“Engineering solutions are best delivered by multi-disciplinary teams of men and women working creatively together, so there is a commercial as well as a social imperative to right the imbalance, and industry must make its case. Schools also have a duty to lead the drive in overcoming outdated perceptions about careers in engineering and ensure they are accessible to all.”

To celebrate NWED, women from Network Rail’s South East region gathered at the site of a major rail infrastructure project. Bermondsey Dive Under, a key element of the government sponsored Thameslink Programme, hosted the get together of 32 female staff who make up 14% of Network Rail’s workforce. A target of increasing this number to 30% is already in place.

Network Rail’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Loraine Martins, said: ““The railway industry is a great place to work and I encourage all women, and particularly those young women who are choosing their topics to study, to see the railway and engineering  as exciting and rewarding environments.

“Diversity and inclusion is important in our sector particularly if you are serious about improving performance and its safety. We know that where you have a diverse workforce you get greater creativity and innovation, and where you are inclusive you attract the best people.  And we want the best people to join us to help deliver our ambitious plans for the future or our railway.”

The WES has come a long way since its inception in 1919. However, there remains much to do and many women still feel isolated at college or in their workplaces. It is still the case that girls are not taking up the fantastic opportunities that an engineering career offers in the numbers that they are intellectually capable of. So WES continues to be an essential resource to promote engineering to girls and women and to support and encourage women in their careers at all stages.

The post Construction industry celebrates National Women in Engineering Day appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Skanska secures sale of prime Bristol development

Skanska has today announced the £32.7M sale of 66 Queen Square – a purpose-built, city-centre commercial scheme in Bristol – to Aviva Investors Property Trust.

This innovative development – a previous recipient of the much-coveted BIM Project Application Award at the annual British Construction Industry Awards – provides 61,484sq ft of high specification office space and involves the integration of a newly built five-storey structure with a fully refurbished Grade II listed Georgian terrace building.

The high profile scheme is already 90% pre-let and has attracted such distinguished tenants as KPMG and Handelsbanken. Overall completion is expected in October 2015.

Andreas Lindelöf, Managing Director Development, Skanska UK, said: “This is a fantastic result for us. We started this speculative development in 2013, confident that the timing was right for the Bristol office market, and we have been proven correct. 

“We have secured an exceptional occupier – KPMG – for the majority of the scheme and we are delighted that Handelsbanken has taken a ten year lease. We are also close to letting the remaining space. The high quality of the development and great covenant have helped us to achieve a great result in the Bristol market and builds on the confidence in the UK’s regional office markets for developments like 66 Queen Square. 

“We are excited about reinvesting the proceeds of the sale into our target markets of Bristol and London, and continuing to develop market-leading, sustainable office buildings.”

JLL and Alder King advised Skanska on the sale of the investment, while Knight Frank aided Aviva Investors. Alder King and JLL are also letting agents for the development.

The post Skanska secures sale of prime Bristol development appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Exclusive Interview: Aurora

Aurora is a leading specialist developer of Facial Recognition systems. Renowned internationally for the unparalleled accuracy of its Facial Recognition algorithms, Aurora has emerged as the face of biometrics.

UK Construction Media spoke with Aurora about the Company’s experience and the many construction applications of Facial Recognition systems.

Could you tell us a bit about the company and its origins?

Aurora is a UK based world leader in Facial Recognition technology. With nearly 20 years’ experience and a unique approach to the technology, our solutions are in use worldwide in different applications, which include airport passenger management and access control. We carry out all development and support “in house” and offer a range of products that have been designed specifically for the construction industry. Our Technical Support team provides direct support to our customers, both on site and remotely.

Has your work always been within the construction industry and if not, how did that happen?

We work in different industries with this technology, but construction has always been a key part of our business. The construction industry was an early adopter of biometric technology due to the high incidence of wage fraud. Biometric verification eliminates these issues. Knowing who is on site is important to every industry, but in construction there are enhanced Health and Safety considerations and it’s also useful for management to know exactly how many individuals from each trade are working at any given time. 

Using Face Recognition for this task offers a number of advantages over normal biometric systems. For operatives, the main benefit is the hardware being non-contact and extremely fast. For management, the system eliminates buddy punching and ghost workers. Our systems save our customers many hundreds of thousands of pounds per year by eliminating fraud and making administration easier

Your biometric facial recognition system is used in construction. What does this involve?

ClockFace+ is our most widely deployed solution in this industry. Operatives enter a PIN code (or use a card) and look at the sensor to be verified, with the whole process taking a few seconds. Because ClockFace+ was designed for the construction industry, users can also receive Health & Safety graphics and even individual messages when they pass through. ClockFace+ can also control a turnstile for controlling access to site and we produce a rapidly deployable combination of these called the Integrated Biometric Turnstile, or IBT.

There is an extensive suite of software modules for reporting on site attendance, hours worked, trades on site and each operative’s record can include comprehensive data such as HMRC details, scanned documents and safety records.

Which other of your products are useful in a construction environment and what do they do?

We also offer a phone and tablet solutions which keep photo records of individuals clocking in/out together with the GPS location of the device at the time. This is an ideal solution for semi-permanent sites or a small, mobile workforce. 

These mobile solutions link in the cloud to the same reporting and analysis software as the ClockFace+ biometric units, so we can offer a solution for any size of company across many varied locations.

What do you believe you can offer the construction industry that is different to what already exists?

We are the only company manufacturing a Facial Recognition based solution for this application. All other biometric systems are based on Fingerprint or Palm/Vein scanning technology and Facial Recognition offers a number of advantages over these. For example, we take an image of everybody using the system so anyone attempting to enter as somebody else, or enter when they shouldn’t, will have their picture taken. We also believe we have the most comprehensive reporting software available, having refined this over many years of working with some of the country’s largest construction companies.

How do you see these products further improving the industry in the future?

These are exciting times for us, as we have just deployed the world’s first Facial Recognition system for construction industry Time & Attendance use using Deep Learning, a form of artificial intelligence. This new method increases both the speed and accuracy of recognition and soon users will not even need a PIN number or card, this new breed of Facial Recognition will recognise them as soon as the present to the sensor and clock them in or out of site.

For more information on how Aurora’s Facial Recognition systems can benefit your business, please visit the Company’s website.

The post Exclusive Interview: Aurora appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Industry Leaders Meet to Discuss the Future of Construction

Key topics such as planning restrictions, skill shortages and the necessity for cultural change were discussed at a high level debate attended by the industry’s leading voices, as UK Construction Week’s expert advisory panel met for the first time.

Enthusiasm for the event has been growing massively and the advisory panel sees leading inspirational players from the spheres of architecture, construction and politics examine their thoughts and ambitions to help shape the future of the show. The seminar content will be guided by these discussions to ensure a programme of relevant and heartfelt material is delivered successfully.

During these discussions it was evident that the panel members, with their shared commitment to promoting construction growth, felt that UK Construction Week had come along at a crucial time for the industry. TV presenter and architect George Clarke commented: “We need a cultural shift in how we deliver construction in the next five years.”

One of the most fundamental issues from the debate was the urgent need to solve the problem of skills shortages and attempting to attract more young people into construction. Dr David Hancock, Head of Construction at the Cabinet Office, felt that now is the opportune time to invest in up-skilling young people to meet with the demand that will come from the £125Bn of upcoming public sector and infrastructure projects, which will require a workforce that is both ready and highly trained.

Mark Clare, CEO of Barratt Developments suggested that another way to deal with the skill shortage is to ‘build more with less people’, such as off-site and industrialised construction processes, especially if the industry is to meet the target of 200,000 new homes per year.

This idea was expanded upon by Redrow CEO, John Tutte, who drew comparisons between the future of the house building industry and the processes of the automotive industry. Mr Tutte envisaged a different skill set being required for the new generation of construction worker, seeing a shift from traditional trades such as plumbing and electricians to a more generalised ‘service installer’ role.

While there seemed general agreement that a step towards a more manufacturing based approach is vital to the industry’s future success, the panel pointed out that this move was very much dependent on local authorities, who tend to avoid standardised construction methods, showing a greater flexibility. Sir Terry Farrell, founder of Farrells architecture practice suggested that the rigidity and restrictive nature of modern town planning has seen planners become “the traffic wardens of the built environment.”

Universally concluding that UK Construction Week will give an indispensible space for the Industry to come together in a period where a combined approach is absolutely essential, the advisory committee will be meeting again at the show to help direct and form the future of construction.

Richard Morey, Group Event Director at Media 10, the company responsible for UK Construction Week said: “ It was a privilege to take part in this debate and to be joined by so many leading figures. Hearing them talk so passionately about the need for the industry to work towards a new future was really inspirational and certainly confirms our belief that the time is right for an event that brings the whole sector together.

“Our task now is to take the crucial feedback and insight we have gleaned from this panel meeting and translate that into the seminar programme for the show – this process is well underway and we are confident the event will deliver a schedule of content that is absolutely on the money for the current industry climate.”

UK Construction Week takes place at the Birmingham NED from 6th – 8th October and will combine nine shows under one roof, bringing together 1,000 exhibitors with an estimated audience of 55,000 visitors. Visitors will be able to attend the Build Show incorporating Civils Expo, Timber Expo, Kitchens and Bathroom Live, the Surface and Materials Show, Energy 2015, Plant & Machinery Live, HVAC 2015, Smart Buildings 2015 and Grand Designs Live.

For more information, please visit http://ift.tt/1N9jdXi or follow @UK_CW 0n Twitter.

The post Industry Leaders Meet to Discuss the Future of Construction appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Crossrail unveils proposal for West Ealing redevelopment

West Ealing railway station may soon house a new ticket hall if plans for a comprehensive overhaul are given the go ahead by Ealing Council.

The designs, recently submitted by Bennetts Associates on behalf of Crossrail, are for a contemporary glass and steel structure that prioritises space and natural lighting. If approved, the new ticket hall will be situated on Manor Road to the northwest of the existing West Ealing station.

A raft of additional infrastructure improvements will also be made, including a new footbridge to provide step-free access to each platform, a new bay platform for trains on the Greenford branch line, platform extensions to accommodate the new 200m Crossrail trains, and new lighting, customer information screens, signage and CCTV.

The improvement works will be undertaken by Network Rail and, from the end of 2017 onwards, the station will be run by Transport for London as part of London’s integrated transport network.

Crossrail is also working alongside Ealing Council and Network Rail to help improve the area immediately around the proposed building with a view to providing better connections to other forms of transport and improving the public realm.

Matthew White, Crossrail Surface Director said: “Crossrail will provide a step change in public transport for people in West Ealing – new trains, quicker journeys and a brand new station fit for the 21st century. Our proposals are for a bright, spacious, elegant new ticket hall that, along with the other improvements, will transform people’s experience of using the station.”

Councillor Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council, said: “Crossrail will bring with it huge economic benefits to our borough and accelerate the regeneration taking place. Only two London boroughs will have five Crossrail stations and Ealing is one of the them. It is very exciting to see plans come forward for yet another station, this time at West Ealing. The council has been working behind the scenes to ensure that we secure well-designed, modern, accessible stations that make travelling to and from our borough as easy, safe and comfortable as possible.”

David Laing, Studio Director at Bennetts Associates said: “The building will provide a new, fully accessible station on Manor Road incorporating clear, step-free access routes to all platforms. Its double height glazed concourse and canopied frontage will ensure the station is clearly legible within the surrounding townscape, while its modern ticket hall and distinctive entrance will make it recognisable as one of the family of new Crossrail stations designed by Bennetts Associates through west London.”

The post Crossrail unveils proposal for West Ealing redevelopment appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Help to Buy creates 131 new homeowners a day

Housing Minister, Brandon Lewis, has announced that The Help to Buy schemes have created 131 new homeowners every day since April 2013.

These figures show, accotding to Mr Lewis, that the Help to Buy scheme is an important part of the government’s efforts to ensure anyone that works hard and aspires to own their own home has the opportunity to do so.

Over 100,000 people have used the Help to Buy equity loan, mortgage guarantee and NewBuy schemes at a fraction of the deposit they would normally require.

Four out of the five of these were first-time buyers – and 94% of the sales were outside of London.

Part of the Government’s long term economic plan, house building and home ownership are being supported by the scheme, which was launched in 2013.

The Help to Buy: equity loan and Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee schemes were set up to support hard-working taxpayers who could pay a mortgage, but struggle to save the deposits required by lenders following the financial crisis.

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said: “Today’s figures clearly show the continuing success of the Help to Buy scheme in supporting many credit-worthy, hardworking people who want to buy their own home.

“131 new homeowners a day have now been created through the scheme, enabling them to buy with a fraction of the deposit they would normally require.

“Our long-term economic plan has turned this country around from the one we inherited, now numbers of first-time buyers are at their highest since 2007, housebuilding continues to climb and over 225,000 households have been helped to buy or reserve property since 2010 through government-backed schemes.”

Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation said: “Help to Buy continues to drive demand for new homes, and its extension to 2020 is a huge boost. That demand is being met by the house building industry which is increasing output at the highest rate for decades.

“With this support for buyers in place, house builders are planning greater investment in land, labour and supply chains to maintain and sustain this increased level of activity. Delivering more, high quality houses will provide the next generation with decent homes, create jobs and boost local economies across the country.”

The post Help to Buy creates 131 new homeowners a day appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Wind Power to people

Wind farm applications to be subject to Local Resident approval

Communities Secretary, Greg Clarke, has announced that local residents will get the final say over onshore wind farm applications in their area.

Although onshore wind makes a meaningful contribution to Britain’s energy mix, communities don’t always back the projects, particularly when no consultation of the public has been carried out.

New planning rules announced today will mean that wind turbines should only be progressed if they are clearly backed in a Local or Neighbourhood Plan and any planning concerns from the local community are clearly addressed.

These reforms will bring power to the people, enabling them to have greater say in the future of their local neighbourhood through Local and Neighbourhood Plans.

Council’s now need to apply the following new rules before granting permission to wind turbines in their area:

• the site is in an area identified as suitable for wind energy as part of a Local or Neighbourhood Plan; and
• following consultation, the planning impacts identified by affected local communities have been fully addressed and therefore has their backing

If a planning application has already been made for wind turbines in an area where the local plan does not identify suitable sites, the council will only be able to approve the application where it addresses the planning concerns of the affected community and therefore has local backing.

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Greg Clark said: “Our One Nation approach is about backing people on the issues that really matter to them and we are today delivering on our manifesto commitment to give local people the final say over onshore wind farm applications.”

The post Wind Power to people appeared first on UK Construction Online.

New Chief Executive for Highways England

A new Chief Executive has been appointed for Highways England.

An experienced engineer, Jim O’Sullivan, will bring significant leadership experience to the role, having worked on numerous safety critical transport projects.

He was previously Managing Director of the Airports Division at Heathrow Airport Holdings (BAA), responsible for all the group’s airports outside Heathrow, as well as Managing Director at Edinburgh Airport, and Technical Standards and Assurance Director at Heathrow Airport Holdings (BAA). Further experience includes four years at Central Networks (Eon UK) as Capital Delivery and Field Force Director, and time at British Airways, serving some of that time as Chief Engineer for Concorde and as Technical Director for the airline.

Responsible for delivering £1Bn of improvements to England’s motorways and major A roads by 2020, Highways England is government owned and was previously headed up by Graham Dalton, who announced his departure in January after seven years at the helm of the Highways Agency (Highways England’s predecessor).

Highways England Chairman Colin Matthews said: “I am delighted to announce Jim’s appointment to lead Highways England in a new, challenging era. The government has committed to the biggest investment in roads in a generation: there are more than 100 roads schemes in its Road Investment Strategy which Highways England will be responsible for delivering to provide safer, more reliable and much improved journeys on our busiest roads.

“I would like to thank Graham Dalton for his leadership over the past seven years. He has been responsible for significant improvement schemes, as well as meeting the needs of the nation during severe weather and events of international interest such as the 2012 Olympics, all culminating in the successful transition from the Highways Agency to Highways England.”

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said: “Jim’s experience of leading world-class infrastructure companies means I can be confident he will ensure that the benefits of the record investment this government is making in our roads delivers for drivers and businesses across the whole of the UK on time and on budget.”

Jim will join on Monday 22 June 2015, before formally taking over from Graham Dalton on Wednesday 1 July 2015.

 

The post New Chief Executive for Highways England appeared first on UK Construction Online.

FiT needs continued support – NAPIT

A recent survey has discovered that 48% of British people are willing to back more investment in renewable energy and tackling climate change.

With the South of England boasting enough energy to power over a million households from solar PV last year, the renewables industry is enjoying strong growth and consumer interest.

NAPIT, The National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT), are pushing for continued Government support through the Feed in Tariff (FiT).

The continuance of FiT would allow the domestic market for solar PV to get to a stage where it would be cost-neutral and therefore no longer need Government support.

David Cowburn, Managing Director of NAPIT Certification, said: “We mustn’t let the positivity seen in the renewables industry go to waste. If an announcement is made confirming the ambition of the Government to continue funding the domestic RHI and the FiT remains in place then there is no reason this growing market can’t become a strong contributor to meeting the UK’s legally binding target of 15% renewable energy by 2020. Installers have the opportunity to position and differentiate themselves as industry leaders if they get trained and certified to install these technologies now.”

NAPIT have provided campaign infographics to call for changes to be made to help grow this industry and give new MPs and influential organisations in the sector a unique insight into the way big policy decisions affect the lives of hardworking installers across the country.

NAPIT is a trade association that strives to support and represent its members within the building services and fabrics sector

Visit http://ift.tt/1J5P1xP for more information or contact NAPIT by emailing info@napit.org.uk or by calling 0345 5430330.

The post FiT needs continued support – NAPIT appeared first on UK Construction Online.

UK unemployment falls as wages rise

Official figures from the Office of National statistics show that the number of people in unemployment between February and April has fallen by 43,000 to 1.81 million, down 349,000 on a year ago.

The unemployment rate has remained steady at 5.5%, the lowest level since August 2008. The total number of people now in employment has increased 114,000 more than the previous three-month period to 31.05 million.

The figures also recorded a record high employment rate for women of 68.6%.

Wage growth has risen at its fastest rate since August 2011, rising 2.7%, both including and excluding bonuses. Service sector pay rose at an annual rate of 2.9%, financial services rose 3.6% while the construction industry rose to a post-financial crisis high of 4.0%.

Employment Minister Priti Patel welcomed the figures, commenting: “Today’s figures confirm that our long-term economic plan is already starting to deliver a better, more prosperous future for the whole of the country, with wages rising, more people finding jobs and more women in work than ever before.”

The post UK unemployment falls as wages rise appeared first on UK Construction Online.

ISG Secures £6M Cleveland Fire Authority Framework Scheme.

ISG has secured its latest framework project for Cleveland Fire Authority, undertaking the £6M project for a training and administration centre in Hartlepool. The four year capital build framework with the Fire Authority, which will exceed £22M in total, will see sole appointee, ISG, create a Technical Hub and Training Facility along with four local fire stations in Middlesbrough, Headland, Thornaby and Grangetown.

Operating in 28 countries worldwide, ISG is an international construction services company that delivers fit out, construction, engineering services and specialist solutions. The Company works with owners, developers and occupiers within both the public and private sector for a wide range of industries.
ISG will construct the delta shaped training and administration centre designed by Bond Bryan Architects. Once construction is complete in summer 2016, the purpose-built centre will become home to the fire authority staff, leaving behind the existing headquarters, which will be demolished to make way for the state-of-the-art Technical Hub and Training Facility.

Spread over 32,000sq ft, the training and administration centre will give Cleveland Fire Authority a flexible environment across two floors by providing open plan office areas, community facilities and training space. The centre is designed to maximise the amount of daylight to enter the building and features extensive curtain walling to its façade and a striking full height atrium, with an outdoor terraced area at first floor level. The centre will also include other facilities such a café located on the ground floor, break out areas and a gymnasium, with highly-flexible training space featuring moveable partition wall structures to accommodate larger or small groups.

Chief Fire Officer Ian Hayton said: “This development at our Queens Meadow site is vital to ensure that we can continue to provide the high standard of fire and rescue services that Teesside residents and businesses need in the 21st century. We also need to avoid the heavy costs of repairing and maintaining existing buildings that will soon be unfit for purpose.

“This will be a Centre of Excellence with state-of-the-art training facilities for our firefighters and technical services provision to ensure all our equipment is maintained and in top condition.”

Key to driving efficiencies in the build programme is the framework model for project delivery with ISG utilising Cleveland Fire Authority’s own web-based procurement system to liaise with the regional supply chain. By forming a close working relationship with the client’s agent and cost consultant, Bradshaw, Gass & Hope, ISG have been engaged in the design process from an early stage, maximising buildability efficiencies across the framework to deliver best value for the Authority.

Danny Murray, ISG’s Northern Regional Managing Director said: “The redevelopment of Cleveland Fire Authority’s Queens Meadow Business Park site is a major investment in purpose built accommodation to support the Service’s vital work in the region. The partnership approach to delivering the key infrastructure brings all stakeholders together, working collaboratively and sharing knowledge and best practice to add value at every stage of the build process. This brings real benefits, getting these vital projects to site more quickly and cost effectively and leverages ISG’s considerable ‘blue light’ expertise and innovation.”

The Cleveland Fire Authority capital build framework was added to ISG’s ever increasing list of public sector partnering agreements which includes the North West Construction Hub, the EFA Framework, the Ministry of Justice Strategic Alliance Agreement Framework for Construction, Construction Framework South West and the Welsh schools and public sector framework SEWSCAO2.

The post ISG Secures £6M Cleveland Fire Authority Framework Scheme. appeared first on UK Construction Online.

55 Broadway redevelopment approved

TfL progress plans for Grade I Listed building

The redevelopment of a Grade I Listed building by TfL has been approved by Westminster City Council’s Planning Applications Committee.

London Underground’s historic Headquarters building, 55 Broadway will provide a mix of affordable, social and private housing, plus retail units and office space, once complete.

The project is being progressed as part of TfL plans to generate £3.4Bn in non-fare revenue, which will be reinvested in the transport network, providing benefits to customers and users.

Approval of the plans was assisted by TfL’s decision to maximise the amount of affordable and social housing within the development, including family sized homes, which will see one of the highest levels of on site affordable and social housing ever seen in this part of the borough.

The Headquarters building was commissioned in the 1920s by The Underground Group who wanted Broadway to reflect its bold vision of the future of transport in London. Architect Adams, Holden and Pearson were given the task of creating a ground-breaking design.

The site at St James’s Park Tube station was challenging because of its irregular shape and the District and Circle line only 7.3m below. The solution was a cross-shaped layout, allowing pedestrians to walk through the ground floor of the offices, across the station booking hall, providing a short cut between Victoria Street and St James’s Park.

Above ground, the building was faced with 78,000 cubic feet of high quality Portland stone. Contemporary artists were invited to sculpt decorative features into the stone facade, carved on site. Two are just above street level and a further eight are above the sixth floor windows on each side of all four wings.

The new plans will allow the heritage of the building to be maintained, and reinstate some of the original design, whilst also increasing the amount of quality retail space available at the station.

Graeme Craig, Director of Commercial Development at TfL, said: “TfL is one of the largest landowners in London. I am delighted that 55 Broadway can now be brought forward for development, generating significant sums to reinvest back into the transport network whilst helping us bear down on fares. The building is a part of our heritage, and its redevelopment will also enable us to preserve and enhance its historic features.”

TfL appointed TateHindle as its architect for the project in May 2014 following a Competitive Dialogue Procurement Process under the OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) process.

Alongside TateHindle, TfL has also been working with Mott MacDonald, Knight Frank, CBRE, Alan Baxter & Associates, Deloitte, BDP, Four Communications, Tavernor Consultancy and AVR London on its plans to redevelop 55 Broadway.

 

 

The post 55 Broadway redevelopment approved appeared first on UK Construction Online.

Promoting mental health in construction: UK Construction Media exclusive

Mental Health Awareness Week, which ran between 11th – 17th May, has become a huge part in raising awareness for mental health and wellbeing issues.

Following its success, UK Construction Media spoke to Kate Nowlan, Chief Executive of CiC – an international employee assistance provider which delivers practical and emotional support around the clock to organisations all over the world.

Kate works with leading names in the construction industry and she spoke to UK Construction Media about resilience and how it can promote good mental health within the construction world.                                                                    

The Department of Health estimates that 2.3 million working days were lost in 2013/2014 due to sickness on construction sites across Britain and much of this sickness absence is due to mental ill health. But through promoting emotional resilience, leading names in the construction industry are taking positive steps to tackle the issue and impact of mental health.

Put simply, emotional resilience is your attitude towards the people, places and things that you’re faced with – whether that’s in your personal or work life.

It is the ability you have to deal with life and when people lack resilience they often suffer from mental health issues such as stress and anxiety which, when they get too much, can cause them to be absent from work or to be present but not focused on their work which is also known as ‘presenteeism’.

The factors that can erode emotional resilience are varied and include:

• Highly stressful or traumatic events
• Experiencing several stressful events at the same
• Suffering stress over a long period of time
• Lack of control, especially in the workplace
• Lack of social support

When people feel under pressure there are a range of symptoms that can emerge, such as headaches, back pain, insomnia, depression, anxiety, mood swings, apathy, irritability, forgetfulness, poor concentration, boredom, paranoia, poor teamwork, loneliness, withdrawal, intolerance, relationship problems or heavy drinking.

If left unchecked, the dangers become more serious and can lead to burnout which is characterised by chronic sleeping disorders and exhaustion, deterioration of mental capabilities, memory loss, taking unnecessary risks, panic or anxiety attacks or severe depression and addiction.

And considering the impact of any of these symptoms on a busy construction site – or within any organisation for that matter – emphasises the potential dangers of not supporting and promoting good mental health.

Of course, it’s worth acknowledging that any given situation can feel tense and pressurised for one person whilst another might find it stimulating and exciting. And this is why emotional resilience can be a valuable and practical tool for an individual to develop in order to support their own mental health, help them identify stress triggers that are affecting them and enabling them to create strategies to cope.

When it comes to creating these strategies to enhance emotional resilience and boost mental health, there are a number of ways that individuals can be encouraged to adopt, as are outlined here.

Identify your vulnerabilities – there can’t be resilience without emotional awareness. Can you pinpoint the things that are making you feel stressed and overwhelmed?

Challenge negativity – pessimism can become a terrible habit but it can be overcome by trying to reframe any negative thoughts in a more positive light.

Work on your acceptance – resilient people know that a situation – good or bad – has to be accepted before it can be changed.

Get moving – stress of any kind is always accompanied by a build-up of stress hormones in the body that have a dramatic impact on the emotions. Working these off with regular exercise can make all the difference.

Get connected – social support is vital to strong emotional resilience, whether from friends, colleagues or family. And if you feel deeply cut off and isolated from those around you, it’s probably time to get some outside help.

Enhancing emotional resilience within an organisation will not reduce stress or improve mental health overnight, but as part of a focused initiative that encourages employees and managers to rethink their own wellbeing, it can have a longer term positive impact on absence, safety, performance and productivity for organisations and their people.

The post Promoting mental health in construction: UK Construction Media exclusive appeared first on UK Construction Online.