High streets benefit from nearly £100M in funds

Last Saturday, the Culture Secretary announced that £95M of investment will be spent on the revitalisation of 69 high streets across the country, the largest built heritage investment that the government has ever made.

The recent project has been announced after the government pledged to support the nations high streets in adapting to changing consumer habits and will also breathe new life into towns and cities by refurbishing abandoned, yet historic, buildings into shops, houses and community centres.

The funding for this project is comprised, specifically, of £40M from the Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport’s Heritage High Street Fund, £52M from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Future High Street Fund, and £3M from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Culture Secretary, Nicky Morgan stated: “Our nation’s heritage is one of our great calling cards to the world, attracting millions of visitors to beautiful historic buildings that sit at the heart of our communities.

“It is right that we ensure these buildings are preserved for future generations but it is important that we make them work for the modern world.”

The Communities Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick added: “I want to make sure the nation’s high streets continue to be at the heart of local communities. Today’s funding, part of the £3.6 billion we have committed to helping towns across the country, will revitalise much-loved historic buildings, helping to reverse the decline of our town centres.

“Ensuring that prosperity and opportunities are available to everyone in this country, not just those in our biggest cities, is a priority of this Government in our mission to ‘level up’ the regions.”

And Historic England’s Chief Executive, Duncan Wilson concluded: “Through physical improvements and cultural activities, we will work with partners to find new ways to regenerate our high streets. It is a challenge, but with our experience and track record, as well as the knowledge and passion of local councils, businesses and community groups our historic high streets can be thriving social hubs once more.”

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Sellafield praised by Northern Powerhouse

Leading figures within the fields of politics, business, and communities all attended the Northern Powerhouse Partnership’s (NPP) ‘Convention of the North’ in Rotherham last week and discussed how the Sellafield project can make the region a leader in developing sustainable energy.

At the event, figures commented on how Sellafield Ltd and its supply chain can be used as a model for building practices in the 21^st Century, while also driving the Government’s recent Industrial Strategy, with NPP commenting on the history and pedigree of the company.

According to an independent review by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, the North of England could utilise the opportunity, of becoming a renewable energy provider, to provide economic growth, improve productivity, and also create jobs.

The Head of Corporate Affairs at Sellafield Ltd, Jamie Reed stated: “We are very supportive of the aims and ambitions of NPP’s strategy. Low carbon energy production is crucially important for economic growth and to meet the UK’s target of zero emissions by 2050.

“Sellafield already plays a vital role in the UK’s energy sector, providing spent fuel and waste management services to the nuclear industry on behalf of our owner, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

“Our priority will always be to deliver our mission in the national interest but we are also ready to play our part in the development of the next generation of the energy industry.

“Sellafield was the birthplace of the first generation of low carbon electricity production. Calder Hall, the world’s first nuclear power station was designed and built in the north and safely operated for 47 years, well beyond its estimated lifespan.

“We have now successfully removed all of its nuclear fuel, which puts us well on the way to safely decommissioning the facility. This shows the northern energy industry at its best: pioneering innovation, safe and reliable operations, and responsible waste management and clean-up.

“Calder Hall was one of the 20th century’s greatest technological achievements. I am hugely excited about our potential to make a similar pioneering contribution to the 21st century energy industry.”

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Business hub planned for Kilmarnock

The contractor company, Morrison Construction, has been appointed a multi-million pound contract to work on Phase One of the HALO Urban Regeneration Company’s Enterprise and Innovation Hub in Kilmarnock.

The project is being undertaken at a cost of approximately £63M and will commence at the end of September at the former distillery site of Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky, with the new development pledging to be low-carbon, use clean energy, and provide jobs to the local economy.

It is forecast that the project will employ approximately 700 construction workers with the 45,635sq ft development, as well as the associated infrastructural works, scheduled to be completed by January 2021.

The HALO Enterprise and Innovation Centre will aim towards being a BREEAM Outstanding status building with features including state-of-the-art design, office and workspace, cutting edge technology, virtual and augmented reality scenario training, and ‘living labs’.

HALO has previously been associated with companies such as Scottish Power and Barclays in the construction of facilities and development of skills programmes.

The Project Director at the HALO Urban Regeneration Company, Drew Macklin stated: “The Enterprise and Innovation Hub will form part of the HALO’s dynamic commercial, educational, cultural, leisure and lifestyle quarter where people can live, work, learn and play.

“With a strong track record of delivering major projects on time and within budget I look forward to Morrison Construction starting work on our exciting project.”

The Managing Director at Morrison Construction, Eddie Robertson added: “We are delighted to be appointed the main contractor to build the Enterprise and Innovation Hub, a development that will revitalise the town centre and support the wider Ayrshire economy.

“Our experienced project team will soon establish site and begin works. During construction, we will engage with all stakeholders and provide education and employment opportunities as part of our progressive social value programme.”

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Midas Construction completes Kresen Kernow

The construction contractor company, Midas Construction, has celebrated the completion of their latest project on the new Kresen Kernow archive for Cornish history and heritage, at the former site of the old Redruth Brewery.

The project was constructed at a cost of £21M, commissioned by the Cornwall Council with assistance from an £11.7M grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and took a full two years to complete.

The new state-of-the-art centre includes an archive and library with the world’s largest compilation of manuscripts, books, maps, photographs, records, and documents all related to Cornwall while the building itself it situated in the heart of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site in Redruth.

Building works included a new two-storey, concrete extension to the old brewhouse in addition to energy efficient, environmental control settings which will help to preserve the delicate documents present within the archive.

Some of the documents within the archive date as far back as 1150AD, meaning that their fragility requires specific conditions to maintain preservation, while the archive is said to bring together the Record Office, Cornish Studies Library, and Historic Environment Record archives for the first time in one location.

The Business Development Director at Midas Construction, Mike Borkowski stated: “Kresen Kernow is an iconic new building for Cornwall both visually and in terms of its cultural significance to the county.

“We are incredibly proud to have played our part in delivering this fantastic addition to the area, which will preserve the archives for present and future generations and allow local people and visitors to enjoy these in historic and sympathetically-refurbished surroundings.”

The Council Leader, Julian German added: “Kresen Kernow is a fantastic building, and a fitting home for Cornwall’s history, which our residents and visitors can enjoy and be proud of.”

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Major residential development planned in London

The construction contractor company, McLaren, have been appointed to a new residential development at on 101 Cleveland Street, on London’s Fitzrovia, which includes 15 affordable housing units.

The project is a joint venture, at the commissioning level, between three companies: Art-Invest Real Estate UK, the German real estate developer ECE, and Dukelease Properties, at a cost of £190M.

The development will include the aforementioned 15 affordable housing units, 88 luxury apartments and 35,000sq ft of commercial space with completion of the major development scheduled for some time in 2021.

Developers are aiming to achieve the lofty ‘BREEAM Excellent’ accreditation with the demolition and substructure works being undertaken by the company, Erith, while the main construction works will not be carried out while early 2020.

The Development Director at Art-Invest Real Estate UK, Luka Vukotic stated: “We are excited to appoint McLaren on our first London development. Their capability and approach align with our vision to create an outstanding building and a high-quality residential product in one of London’s most vibrant locations.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Dukelease Properties, Richard Leslie added: “We are pleased to work with McLaren and move forward this exciting project with our JV partners, Art-Invest Real Estate and ECE. Fitzrovia is becoming one of London’s most sought-after areas and 101 on Cleveland Street will be a stunning addition to its residential market.”

The Regional Managing Director for McLaren London, David Miller concluded: “We are excited to be working on delivering this prestigious project. McLaren has extensive experience in the residential and mixed-use sector, and it is great to be a part of a team delivering high-quality homes in this part of London.”

The McLaren Group was established back in 2001 and covers a range of companies within the construction, property investment, and development fields, covering commercial offices, mixed-use buildings, residential, retail, education, logistics, hotels, and leisure.

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Scotland’s Floating Tidal Turbine

How are governments now approaching global warming and renewable energy?

As of June 2019, Britain has made the landmark pledge to have a net carbon output of zero by 2050, becoming the first nation in the world to make such a promise. Further to this, the British government will play host to the Green GB Week in November to encourage the country, in its entirety, to make strides in becoming more environmentally conscious.

One potential energy resource which can help the government to achieve its target is tidal energy. Britain has dabbled in tidal energy previously, with a tidal energy station at Stangford Lough in Northern Ireland, but currently has no operational stations despite a great many locations. The Severn, Dee, Solway, and Humber estuaries, to name a few, would be ideal sites for stations. In fact, it is estimated that Scotland possesses a third of Britain’s tidal stream resources and two thirds of Britain’s waves resources.

So, as a means of utilising this untapped potential, the Scottish Government has formulated the £10M Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund which aims to support the development of tidal energy in Scotland through driving innovation and reducing costs. The fund was officially announced in February 2019, with bids closing in December, and the first recipient of investment from the fund was named as the O2 2MW Floating Tidal Energy Turbine, receiving £3.4M.

What is the O2 2MW Floating Tidal Energy Turbine?

The O2 2MW Floating Tidal Energy Turbine will be a suspended energy generation apparatus, situated in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, installed at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. The project consists of a 72m long frame connecting two 1MW turbines with rotor diameters of 20m each and a 600sq m rotor area. These turbine rotors will be the largest ever constructed on a single tidal energy generation platform to date and will be able to turn 360 degrees in order to allow power to be extracted from both tidal directions.

The company behind the design and installation of this colossal structure is Orbital Marine Power Ltd, an engineering company that was founded in Orkney in 2002. The turbines themselves will be manufactured by the Scottish company, the Texo Group, at their new quayside facilities in Dundee while the key components will be delivered by Gray Fabrication in Cupar, using materials provided by Liberty Steel who are situated in Motherwell.

And lastly, FAUN Trackway have been appointed to manufacture the anchors for the floating turbine which will keep the structure suspended in a single position. Construction taking place at their facilities in Llangefni in North Wales.

How will people in Scotland benefit from the floating turbine project?

The new technology will offer a low cost solution to the global climate emergency through creating the world’s most powerful floating tidal turbine. Energy provided through the station will be safe, simple, easy to maintain, cheap to maintain, and will be accessible, for all offshore operations, through small, specially-designed workboats.

Ultimately, the turbines will be capable of generating enough power to supply more than 17,000 homes per year, with Orbital boasting the first connection of a floating tidal turbine to a power grid after their 250kW scale system operated at EMEC in 2011.

What is needed to carry out the floating turbine project?

The most fundamental need for this project is that of funding, with the aforesaid £3.4M from the Scottish Government’s Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund being bolstered by funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme as well as the framework of the OCEANERA-NET COFUND project.

Furthermore, as a means of obtaining the financial resources required for such a large-scale project, Orbital Marine Power Ltd opened a £7M crowd funding debenture at the London-based Abundance Investment Platform in October 2018, with the target being met within a matter of weeks.

With the additional £3.4M, the Orbital project has a guaranteed fund of more than £10M with the amounts from the European Union and OCEANERA-NET COFUND still yet to be disclosed.

What can be resolutely stated is that UK energy independence will play a vital role in achieving the government’s energy targets, while managing to keep the lights on across the nation.

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Kier constructs new school laboratories

Kier has been contracted to carry out the multi-million pound refurbishment of science facilities and the main school hall at the St Joan of Arc Catholic School in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.

The refurbishment works will commence in November 2019 and will continue until their completion ready for the school year commencing in September 2020, with works entailing the construction of ten new teaching labs, two preparation rooms, a chemical transportation lift, external cladding, new windows, and new doors.

Throughout the ten month construction process of the new science block, students at the school will attend lessons in a three-storey temporary development, complete with temporary science.

Kier obtained the contract through the Southern Construction Framework and are also contracted to dismantle the temporary block, reinstating the car park and playing fields on which it is constructed in the Autumn of 2020 once construction of the new facilities is completed.

The Managing Director for Kier Regional Building Thames Valley, Jonathan Payne stated: “We are proud to work with the team at St Joan of Arc Catholic School to carry out the improvements to their science facilities. We hope that the new and improved teaching labs help the school mould the next generation of scientists.

“Kier work extensively to support STEM projects across the country and to help deliver new cutting-edge facilities that can help young people enjoy and consider a career in science and engineering is a key driver for us.”

The Headteacher of St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Peter Sweeney added: “St Joan of Arc Catholic School is delighted to be working in partnership with Kier to deliver the refurbishment of our existing science facilities.

“The project will provide 10 new teaching labs that will enhance the facilities available for students and increase access to STEM subjects and related careers. Our students are already excited and we hope they will be inspired by the new teaching facilities when they open in 2020.”

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