£600M announced for Housing Infrastructure

On Saturday 17^th August 2019 the Chancellor, Sajid Javid, announced the allocation of more than £600M in funding towards the construction of vital infrastructure which will unlock available land for 50,000 new homes across the South East of England.

This new wave of funding follows the Chancellor’s commitments to increase infrastructure investments and also precedes implementation of the National Infrastructure Strategy this autumn.

Chancellor Javid stated: “I want to see more homes built in the places people want to live, so more people realise the dream of homeownership. But we need the roads, rail links, and schools to support the families living in those homes.

“So, today, I’m announcing hundreds of millions in new investment, helping more people get on the property ladder and allowing more communities to flourish.”

The vast amount of funding has been made available through the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) which, since it’s commencement, has provided £1.3Bn towards the delivery of 76,500 new homes, while this new amount of funding will be targeted to helping five specific projects.

The first of these five projects includes the £218M ‘Beaulieu Station and North-East bypass’ bid from the Essex County Council which aims to construct a new train station and road improvements which should provide infrastructure to unlock land for a further 14,000 new homes.

While also, under the Essex County Council, was the £99.9M bid for the ‘Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community’ which will deliver a new single carriageway link road to connect land on which 7,500 new homes can be built.

Furthermore, funds will be used towards the £156M ‘Meridian Water’ bid from Enfield, to provide rail works, road infrastructure, land remediation, flood alleviation, and utilities which will unlock up to 10,000 homes, and also the £69.6M bid for the ‘Transformational Growth in Biggleswade’ from Central Bedfordshire Council which will deliver a new secondary school and transport infrastructure for a further 3,000 homes.

And finally, funding is reserved for the £80.8M ‘East London Line-Growth Capacity’ bid from the Greater London Authority which will provide transport upgrades to allow construction of up to 14,000 new homes.

The Housing Infrastructure Fund was originally launched in July 2017 by Javid while he was Secretary of State by Communities and Local Government.

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Costain and SWARCO create digital road signs

The two companies Costain and SWARCO have entered into a joint partnership to provide British motorways with a new generation of digital road message signs on behalf of Highways England.

In dividing up the workload, it has been decided that Costain will work on developing the roadside controllers while SWARCO will be responsible for the development of the actual signs themselves, with the exciting upgrades feature of this pioneering technology being that messages can broadcast to road users more quickly.

Furthermore, the new signs will possess unique, high-resolution colour optical technology components which will provide road users with crystal clear messages regardless of any adverse weather conditions, delivering important safety recommendations and updating road users on congestion and road accidents.

The Managing Director of Transportation at Costain, Ian Parker stated: “Costain is leading the way in the use of digital technologies on the strategic road network and changing the landscape in how road users use road signs, improving safety and journey experience.”

New and innovative methods of design and production have also been implemented in order to make the new signs more cost effective and manageable for highways maintenance staff, with such methods including reduction materials like cabling.

One other interesting feature of the new signs is that they will be capable of broadcasting video footage of traffic on the roads ahead to motorists who are stuck in congestion.

The Vice President of ITS UK and APMEA at SWARCO, Jeremy Cowling added: “SWARCO is extremely proud to have worked with Costain on this project. We are at the forefront in developing low power, sustainable technologies to make our roads safer. This results in highly legible, environmentally friendly road signs which also minimise maintenance time and costs.”

The first of these signs to be produced have been installed on the busy A14 dual carriageway between Cambridge and Huntingdon while other motorways, such as the M20, M23, and M1, will be fitted with the signs throughout the rest of 2019 and 2020.

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Kier Highways celebrated 1M hours without injury

Kier Highways have celebrated reaching more than 1M hours without a health and safety incident on two smart motorway projects that they have undertaken between junctions three and five on the M20 in the South East and junctions thirteen and fifteen on the M6 in the Midlands.

The project on the M20 began back in May 2018 and has since inducted nearly two thousand people onto the site, with 250 workers currently operating the project, and with a monumental figure of 870,000 hours worked on the M20 project alone without any pause for reported injuries. In fact, the Accident Frequency Rate (AFR) remains as zero for this particular site.

Meanwhile, the project on the M6 has achieved a similarly impressive feat by carrying out various collaborative health and safety initiatives in which employees attended safety focussed meetings over the course of a two week period.

The meetings themselves were about safety in design, choosing to be resilient in changing situations, and stroke awareness and, following the meetings, the health and safety team managed four stand-down days in which 200 employees, both operatives and site based personnel, attended briefings and team building exercises.

Ultimately, the success of these two projects has been accredited to consistent communication and engagement, commitment, and dedication from all staff at both sites.

The Head of Safety, Health and Environment at Kier Highways, Steve Crofts stated: “Such impressive health and safety performance reminds us that, when we all work together and focus on health & safety without compromising, it is possible to ensure everyone goes home safe and well every day.

“Engagement with workforce and supply chain is key to understanding the culture that exists and ensuring everybody understands and lives by the mantra that nothing is so important that it cannot be done safely.”

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Aggregate Industries supplies racing surface

Aggregate Industries entered into a partnership with Tidey and Webb Ltd to provide a fresh surface to the racetrack at Goodwood House ahead of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, one of the country’s most famous racing events.

Two days before the commencement of the annual event, Tidey and Webb Ltd civil engineering contractors were appointed to ensure that the track surface was up to standard in preparation for the extreme wear they would be subjected to during the event itself, especially during the drifting event which takes place on a track named ‘The Arena’.

Tidey and Webb then contacted Aggregate Industries and requested an asphalt surface that would be compactable, strong, durable, and would set quickly enough in time for the commencement of the Festival of Speed, leading Aggregate Industries to recommend their Supreme asphalt.

Contractors then worked continuously to supply and lay 20 tonnes of the asphalt at a consistent thickness of ten millimetres across the track at areas where the need was most urgent.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed General Manager, Dan Garlick stated: “The repair work was completed in the Arena in under 36 hours, which was ideal given our time constraints.

“We’re delighted with the performance of Aggregate Industries’ Supreme asphalt and the work of Tidey and Webb Ltd, which allowed us to support a heavy programme of cars drifting in hot conditions. We will definitely bear Supreme in mind when resurfacing is required in future.”

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual motoring event featuring multiple stands, exhibitions, and circuits displaying a wide variety of both vehicles and driving styles, perhaps the most notable events being the infamous ‘wall climb’, with a predicted attendance of 20,000 over the four day period.

The General Manager of Asphalt in the South at Aggregate Industries, Simon Wycherley added: “Goodwood Festival of Speed is an iconic event, and it was vital to use a product that could withstand the unique needs of its Arena course.

“Supreme asphalt is highly compactable, as well as strong and durable, and proved the ideal fit. We are pleased with the final result and are delighted to contribute to a successful Festival of Speed.”

The Goodwood Festival of Speed has been running since 1993.

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Inverness Victorian Market receives upgrade

Work began on Tuesday to revitalise the stonework of the most ornate entrance, the Academy Street entrance, to the Inverness Victorian Market, costing £43,223 and with works scheduled to last for eight weeks.

The aforementioned funding has come from a grant of £30,256 from the Inverness Townscape Heritage Project (ITHP), being bolstered by a further investment of £12,967 from the Inverness Common Good Fund.

The Manager of Inverness Victorian Market, Jo Murray stated: “Following the almost complete destruction of the Market in 1889, the façade entrance on Academy Street is the only original part that survived.

“It will be wonderful to see this historic entrance being restored to its former glory and be able to appreciate the fine stonework detail of the Corinthian column tops and to see the animal head designs clearly again.”

The entrance receiving renovation is one of the four entrances which serve the Victorian Market and was designed by Matthews and Lawrie in 1870, complete with Corinthian columns, keystones carved in animal designs, a balustrade with corner stands displaying urns, a central flagpole, and matching window arches.

The Chairman of the Inverness Townscape Heritage Project, Councillor Jimmy Gray added: “I am delighted that Inverness Townscape Heritage Project can award this grant, alongside the Inverness Common Good Fund, to carry out repairs on the Victorian Market.

“Work will see the entrance restored to its former glory, having deteriorated over time. The Market is an old and important building in the heart of our city, and it needs regular investment. I look forward to seeing the building getting the attention it deserves.”

Renovation works to the entrance will form part of a wider renovation project to the entirety of the grade 2 listed building, including the improvement of carved details, various stone indents, repointing work, repairs, and the removal of unnecessary metal fixings.

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The Wardian development gets topped-out

The company, EcoWorld Ballymore, celebrated the topping out of a new residential development in London’s busy commercial district, on Thursday 15^th August 2019, at the new botanical development, Wardian London, which overlooks the South Dock.

Celebrations involved a touching display wherein the resident gardener, Huw Morgan, tended to the exotic plants and trees which are on display on the buildings 53^rd floor sky garden.

Both of the two towers, comprising the overall development, will measure at a height of 57-storeys, with the development itself serving as a world’s first in housing design through providing residents with a serene, natural haven within the heart of London’s business and financial district.

The Chairman and Group Chief Executive of the Ballymore Group, Sean Mulryan stated: “Ballymore have owned the site on which Wardian now stands for 25 years so it brings me great joy to see these two beautiful new towers standing on what has been such an underutilised space for so long.

We have worked closely with Glenn Howells Architects to create a building that is beautiful on the inside and out, a sleek, geometric exterior gives way to a luscious, green oasis inside. Moments from urban, commercial Canary Wharf, Wardian creates a place to breathe and we are incredible proud of what has been achieved.”

The trees and plants in question, which create the serene and natural environment which makes The Wardian unique, were procured two years prior to their installation and have been allowed to mature alongside the project since construction began in 2016.

Completion of the development in scheduled for 2020 as the two towers, each consisting of 55 and 50-storeys, will contain a substantial 766 homes, including suites, one and two-bedroom apartments, and penthouses, with the towers both resting upon a two-storey podium that will contain a grand lobby, a pool, and restaurant and retail outlets.

The towers were designed as part of a collaboration with Glenn Howells Architects, featuring generous wrap-around balconies and slender profiles to blend in with the contemporary, sleek architecture of the districts other unique landmarks.

Residents of The Wardian will also be granted membership to The Wardian Club, complete with access to exclusive facilities such as a 25m open-air swimming pool, a gym, a cinema, two restaurants, and a vibrant rooftop observatory.

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Gender diversity boost on Homes England board

Homes England have appointed four new board members in an announcement on Friday 16^th August 2019, increasing the total number of non-executive board members from six to ten and while also increasing gender diversity with three of the four new members being women.

The four new members include: Mark Rennison, the Finance Director for the Nationwide Building Society, Olivia Scanlon, the Chief Operating Officer at Orchard Global Asset Management LLP, Sadie Morgan, one of the founding Directors behind the architectural practice dRMM, and Vanessa Murden, Chief Operating Officer for Lloyds Banking Group’s retail division.

It might also be thought that the increased gender diversity in the higher positions of organisations such as Homes England could be reflective, or at least beneficial, to the proportion of women in the construction sector, which has been a notable minority for some time now, although this is now beginning to change.

Mr Rennison stated: “I am delighted to join the Homes England Board and look forward to helping to deliver a sustainable strategy for the creation of more high-quality affordable housing across the country.”

Ms Scanlon also commented: “Homes England has an incredibly forward looking, innovative approach to addressing the country’s affordable housing shortage and I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to be involved.”

Ms Morgan additionally stated: “As part of the Board’s agenda to build more sustainable and high-quality houses, my energy will be focused on delivering homes for people and places. I understand how vital the role of Homes England is to help house our nation, and I am committed to ensuring we do so and to deliver a quality of life everyone deserves.”

And finally, Ms Murden added: “I’m looking forward to joining the Homes England Board and working with the team to grow access to affordable housing.”

Mr Rennison, Ms Scanlon, and Ms Murden all have substantial background of expertise in the finance sector while Ms Morgan’s field of expertise is architecture, presiding as Commissioner and Design Group Chair of the National Infrastructure Organisation and is the London Mayor’s Design Advocate.

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