Regal London to build 25-storey tower on Watford site

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Residential-led mixed-use developer Regal London has acquired a site in Watford for a £150m new scheme.

The site at 37-39 Clarendon Road has planning permission for 168 homes and substantial grade A office space with ancillary café and gymnasium.

Enabling works have started on the site which will be transformed into a 25-storey resi towers and 150,000 sq ft of office space by the end of 2024.

Regal will also be acting as main contractor on the job.

Up to 380 full time jobs will be supported during the construction phase of the project including 120 training opportunities on-site through the Regal London Real Estate Academy in partnership with charity Building Heroes, which provides skilled training to military veterans and members of local disadvantaged groups.

Paul Eden, Co-Founder of Regal London, commented: “This acquisition comes during a particularly active period for Regal London, which has seen us secure new sites and planning permissions across the city that complement our strategic growth ambitions whilst creating substantial social and economic benefits to the surrounding area, including hundreds of jobs.

“We’re looking forward to bringing our mixed-use expertise to a fantastic part of Greater London with this project, supplying 168 new homes and grade A office space at a time when many businesses and workers are reassessing their office needs and increasingly looking to convenient, exciting areas beyond the city centre.”

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Construction bosses call on Boris to deliver HS2 Eastern Leg

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A raft of construction bosses are among 63 industry leaders who have signed an open letter calling on the Prime Minister to commit to the completion of HS2’s Eastern Leg in full.

Leading rail, construction and engineering firms from the High Speed Rail Group (HSRG) and Railway Industry Association (RIA) have written to Boris Johnston as speculation mounts on the future of the route that will run from the West Midlands through to Leeds.

The letter states that “businesses have invested millions in people, in skills, in technology and in hardware to deliver HS2.

“To date, 16,000 people have been employed on the project, including over 500 apprentices. We had expected this to grow to 34,000 at peak construction, including 2,000 apprentices, over the coming years.”

It adds: “The question is often asked why infrastructure projects in the UK seem to cost more than elsewhere. And a big part of the answer lies in our propensity in the UK to review and re-open questions which had already been settled.

“We are indulging in a debate on HS2 scope and design (again) well after construction has commenced. It was understandable that upon taking office in 2019 you reviewed HS2. But having taken the decision to deliver it in full, changing that now would have a devastating impact on confidence in the sector and drive higher costs as other elements would have to be redesigned.”

Tom Wadsworth, Director at the High Speed Rail Group, said: “Last year the Prime Minister promised that HS2 would go ahead in full, including from the West Midlands to Leeds, and his own MPs have asked what he is going to do to level up if he doesn’t build the Eastern leg.

“Failing to deliver HS2 in full would undermine the Prime Minister’s commitment to levelling up and to net zero. So we are calling on the Prime Minister to reaffirm his promise to deliver HS2 in full, including the eastern leg.”

Among the signatories to the letter are Mace CEO Mark Reynolds, Keltbray CEO Darren James, Barhale Executive Director Andy Flowerday, Van Elle CEO Mark Cutler, VolverWessels CEO Alan Robertson and SSE Contracting Executive Chairman Neil Kirkby.

Shepherd counts cost of construction exit six years on

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The family-owned Shepherd Group is still counting the cost of legacy construction arm activities six years after selling the construction business to Wates.

According to latest accounts for the Shepherd Group, which now primarily covers the activities of the Portakabin business, obligations on previously completed projects by Shepherd Construction are still costing the group dearly.

This rump of the group recorded a £31m loss last year relating to the completion of a retail and residential complex in Colindale, North London and significant additional provisions in relation to claims on completed contracts where there remains uncertainty about the outcome.

The firm said it had been notified of some latent defect claims, including significant claims relating to items arising on historic building design issues, particularly in relation to cladding design and other fore safety issues.

Shepherd Construction pre-tax losses202020192018201720162015*-£31.3m-£21.4m-£13.8m-£31.7m-£9.7m-£60.6m*Shepherd Construction sold on 30 September 2015 to Wates. Liabilities retained by group

The company no longer trades construction contracts and the accounts were not prepared on an ongoing concern basis.

Overall the group recorded a £49m profit, up from £45m on revenue slightly ahead at £348m.

During the year the modular and portable building arm increased profit by 27% to £81m.

 

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HS2 workforce hits 20,000 landmark after one year

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HS2 is supporting over 20,000 construction jobs just one year on from the formal start of construction on phase one from London to the West Midlands.

The latest official employment figures reveal how fast the infrastructure project has geared up having continued throughout the covid-19 pandemic.

Contracts have already been awarded to over 2,200 businesses. A further £25bn worth of opportunities are expected to flow out into the wider supply chain over the coming years.

Budget so far

About £11bn (actual prices) has been spent so far, including land and property provisions. Around £12.6bn (2019 prices) has additionally been contracted, with the remaining amount yet to be awarded.

The overall budget for phase one, including Euston, is nearly £44.6bn (2019 prices). This is composed of the target cost of £40.3bn and Government-held £4.3bn contingency. The target cost includes a contingency delegated to HS2 of £5.6bn for managing the risk and uncertainties that are an inherent part of delivering major projects.

 

HS2 measures to upskill local people who are out of work with the training and accreditation have provide 1,100  formerly unemployed with long-term jobs.


Aerial view of HS2’s Chiltern Tunnel South Portal in Hertfordshire

This number is expected to increase in the months and years ahead as the pace of major construction work increases and HS2’s journey extends north.

Mark Thurston, chief executive of HS2, said: “We’re enormously proud of the progress we’ve made on HS2 since the Prime Minister gave us the go-ahead last year, and despite the challenges of the pandemic.

“We’ve already launched our first two tunnelling machines, with more to launch in the coming months, and construction of our stations and depots are well underway.”

“HS2 is moving forward, creating jobs, enhancing skills, benefiting UK businesses and building a low carbon, high capacity railway that will change the way we travel in Britain.”


Progress at the first of the 10-mile long Chilterns tunnel drives

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