Author: Linda Smith

BBMV hands over latest completed Crossrail station

Construction Blogs No Comments

The BBMV joint venture of Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall and VINCI Construction has completed construction of the Crossrail station at Whitechapel in east London.

The contractor has now handed over the site to London Underground with Crossrail set to open in the first half of next year.

Steve O’Sullivan, BBMV Project Director, said: “As I reflect on this incredible feat of engineering, I have never been more proud of what our incredible team have delivered. It truly is testament to the collaborative culture of our joint venture, who have persevered throughout the challenges faced by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“We now look forward to watching as the station plays a role in transforming travel across London, whilst also supporting wider regeneration in the local area through job creation and opportunities for local businesses.”

Stations that have transferred from Crossrail to TfL so far are Custom House, Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road, Woolwich, Liverpool Street, Paddington and Whitechapel.

Canary Wharf will be the next station to transfer to TfL later this year.

 

 

Industry relief as construction products marking changes delayed

Construction Services No Comments

Industry leaders have welcomed confirmation that the Government has postponed planned changes to product marking rules.

As part of Brexit changes were due to come into force on 1 January 2022 that would require products that had previously had CE markings shift across to the new United Kingdom Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark.

But the industry had sounded the alarm over whether the sector was ready for the change following  uncertainty about availability and capacity of testing for products under

the new regime.

The Government has now backed-down allowing CE marked products to be sold in the UK for a further 12 months with the deadline pushed back to January 1 2023.

James Talman Chief Executive of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors said: “At a time when we are facing some of the worst material availability and inflation in living memory, this announcement will come as a welcome relief for manufacturers and merchants.

“We have been telling the government that the 1st January 2022 deadline was not feasible for some time, with many products simply unable to receive certification by the deadline.

“I am glad that the message has now got through. This extra time will provide much-needed breathing space for supplies to undertake the necessary tests and acquire the correct paperwork.

“The government should now work with industry to ensure the supply chain is fully prepared for the new 2023 deadline, particularly smaller firms, so we do not face similar problems in the future.”

Construction Leadership Council co-chair Andy Mitchell added: “Given the widespread pressures on product supply, we welcome this pragmatic decision by the Government

to extend the deadline for CE-marked products.”

“However even with this extension, it will still be very challenging to ensure that the  whole sector is ready for the new date, given the need to drive major increases in testing capacity.

“It is vital that industry continues to work with the Government to address these issues, ensuring that we don’t just postpone the crisis by 12 months, but instead establish a

robust testing and marking regime to ensure the continued safety and performance of the products that we use”.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=193

Durkan wins Peabody £85m flats job in south London

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Housing association Peabody has appointed Durkan to begin construction of a housing scheme in Lambeth, south London.

Over the next three years, Durkan will construct 134 new homes and over 45,000 square metres of commercial space at Higgs Yard, a former industrial site at Loughborough Junction.

Designed by PRP Architects, the scheme represents an £85m investment into the area and will be 50% affordable homes.

It is the largest single development which Loughborough Junction has seen since the Loughborough Estate was built in the 1950s.

Construction on the site is due to begin this Autumn, with completion planned for early 2024.

Tom Williamson, Senior Development Manager at Peabody, said previous plans had been reworked for a better mix of one, two and three-bed homes and incorporate a communal landscaped podium deck at the heart of the development and a roof terrace sitting on the 17th floor.


Ryann Peterson, Head of Bid Management at Durkan, said: Durkan is pleased to have been successful in securing and finalising the contract to deliver Higgs Yard.

This is a very exciting time for us as a business.  We’re very much looking forward to continue building on our relationship with Peabody and maximising the potential of this fantastic development.” 

 

All Foundations (UK) topples into administration

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One of the country’s top 15 piling contractors All Foundations (UK) has collapsed into administration.

The Derbyshire piling contractor in last reported accounts delivered £13m revenue last year making just over £100,000 in pre-tax profit.

The Blackwell-based specialist employed around 60 staff who operated on jobs nationwide.

The firm hit the headlines several years ago when one of its piling rigs burst through the top of a busy British Rail tunnel near Old Street station in London, causing trains to stop running to Moorgate in the morning after augers dropped onto the tracks.

Administrators from FRP Advisory are handling the firm’s affairs.

 

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£40m Preston leisure scheme funding deal

Construction Management No Comments

Long-awaited plans to revamp Preston city centre with a £40m cinema and leisure complex will finally move to construction after councillors agreed a funding package for the project.

The new development, called ‘Animate’, will be located on the site of the former indoor market and will feature an eight-screen cinema and bowling alley along with five new restaurants and bars, a street-food hub, a car park, and new public square.

The scheme is being developed in partnership with Maple Grove Developments, part of the Eric Wright Group.

Negotiations with anchor operators for the cinema and bowling alley are at an advance stage, alongside strong interest for the restaurant units.

Subject to planning permission being granted, it is anticipated construction work on the project could begin in 2022 with the complex opening in spring 2024.

Councillor Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston City Council, said: “This is a really positive step forward in our plans to bring this exciting development to Preston. The new development will breathe life into the city centre and reinforce the Harris Quarter as a premier cultural and leisure destination in Lancashire.”

 

Andrew Dewhurst, director of Maple Grove Developments, said: “We look forward to taking the development to the next stage and submitting a planning application this autumn.”

The development is one of six major projects planned under Preston’s Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, for which the city was awarded £20.9m from the government’s national Towns Fund initiative in March.

 

 

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Seven win £14bn next-generation Scape frameworks

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Scape has named its seven favoured contractors to deliver up to £14bn of projects through its next-generation suite of construction frameworks.

Graham, Kier, McLaughlin & Harvey, Mace, Morgan Sindall, Sisk and Willmott Dixon have been appointed to deliver the Scape Construction framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, worth up to £12bn.

In addition, Morgan Sindall, Kier and McLaughlin & Harvey will also deliver the £2bn Scotland Construction framework. Each partner will be supported by an extensive local supply chain.

The overhaul of Scape frameworks sees previous incumbents Lendlease, Robertson and Wates drop out, making way for new commers Mace, Sisk and Graham

Scape frameworks – total spend £14bn

England, Wales & Northern Ireland – Project value £75m+

Mace, John Sisk

England & Wales – Project value: £7.5m – £75m

Morgan Sindall, Willmott Dixon

England & Wales – Project value: up to £7.5m

Kier, Morgan Sindall

Northern Ireland  – Project value: £7.5m – £75m

McLaughlin & Harvey

Northern Ireland  – Project value: up to £7.5m

Graham

Scotland – Project value £7.5m-plus

McLaughlin & Harvey, Morgan Sindall

Scotland – Project value up to £7.5m

Kier, Morgan Sindall

The four-year net zero-ready public works frameworks will accelerate the delivery of new-build and refurbishment projects of all values from September 2021 and 2025.

With close alignment to the government’s Construction Playbook and a focus on climate action response via the built environment, the suite of frameworks is intended to offer a better way to build and refurbish the public estate, whilst stimulating local economic activity.

The frameworks have been carefully designed to enable clients to benefit from industry transformation, with consideration towards digital construction, platform design and modern methods of construction.

Clients to benefit from several innovative features

A unique parallel lotting structure, offering a choice of two contractors while retaining the free early engagement and direct award.A new lifecycle contract form, supporting clients with energy conservation and the operational efficiency and performance of their assets beyond the construction phase for up to five years. The new feature, which completes the frameworks’ ‘net zero ready’ offer, will help to build and validate a client’s business case for low carbon buildings, and address the historic performance gap between design and in-use building performance.A new commercial model that includes a standard pricing template for greater transparency. Contractors will also commit to 19-day (or better) payment terms for their supply chain partners.Enhanced tailoring of project KPIs and success criteria for every project, leveraging the Construction Innovation Hub’s Value Toolkit to define success for the client.Support from SCAPE’s dedicated framework management team, with performance in delivery measured against market-leading benchmarks for environmental performance, sustainability, social value and the use of local supply chains.

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Cost of skilled site labour jumps 3.6% in one month

Construction Management No Comments

The cost of skilled labour on site increased by 3.6% last month as inflationary pressures cranked-up in the construction supply chain.

New payroll data from Hudson Contract show average weekly earnings for self-employed tradespeople rose to £904 during July, handing them an extra £124 over the month.

In the East Midlands labour costs hit an all-time weekly high of £1,014 with demand driven by new regeneration, housing and infrastructure projects.

Ian Anfield, Hudson managing director, said: “The housing market is booming with the price of the average UK home increasing by nearly £25,000 over the last year.

“We expect strong demand for new housing and renovation schemes to continue for the foreseeable future. The government is committed to big infrastructure investments as part of its ‘levelling up’ agenda, which is adding to confidence in the sector.

“The challenge for construction firms will be in managing rising costs caused by shortages in building materials and skilled labour.

“We encourage ministers to consider how the industry can increase access to skilled freelancers from Europe under the new immigration system. Self-employed subcontractors make up the most productive and flexible pool of resource in the industry and Britain needs them to deliver these projects on budget and on time.”

Hudson Contract is the UK’s largest provider of tax status and employment contract services to the construction industry and supplies more than 2,500 companies across England and Wales.

 

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Midgard wins £70m Manchester private rental tower

Construction Management No Comments

Build to rent specialist Packaged Living has picked JRL-owned main contractor Midgard to build its high-rise scheme of 352 flats in the developing Piccadilly East area of Manchester.

‘The Castings’ scheme consists of four stepped building elements rising to 25 storeys with smaller components at 7, 14 and 20 storeys.


Each building element will have a different coloured brick envelope

The 32-month project to be built on a one-acre site on Heyrod Street near to the planned HS2 station has been designed architect CallisonRTKL, with support from Arcadis, M&E engineer Crookes Walker and Curtins.

It will include a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, as well as 10,000 sq ft of retail and amenity space, a public square and car park.

Hertfordshire-based Midgard will soon start site clearance of two low-rise brick warehouses following approval of its demolition plan.

Mark Woodrow, joint managing director of Packaged Living said: “The Castings is the next exciting BTR scheme in our pipeline, which is now delivering over 3,000 homes in the multi-family sector across the UK.

“The scheme represents a fantastic opportunity to create next-generation homes developed by an experienced team, at a time where vital investment is needed into our city centres.”

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=149

Midgard wins £70m Manchester private rental tower

Construction Blogs No Comments

Build to rent specialist Packaged Living has picked JRL-owned main contractor Midgard to build its high-rise scheme of 352 flats in the developing Piccadilly East area of Manchester.

‘The Castings’ scheme consists of four stepped building elements rising to 25 storeys with smaller components at 7, 14 and 20 storeys.


Each building element will have a different coloured brick envelope

The 32-month project to be built on a one-acre site on Heyrod Street near to the planned HS2 station has been designed architect CallisonRTKL, with support from Arcadis, M&E engineer Crookes Walker and Curtins.

It will include a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, as well as 10,000 sq ft of retail and amenity space, a public square and car park.

Hertfordshire-based Midgard will soon start site clearance of two low-rise brick warehouses following approval of its demolition plan.

Mark Woodrow, joint managing director of Packaged Living said: “The Castings is the next exciting BTR scheme in our pipeline, which is now delivering over 3,000 homes in the multi-family sector across the UK.

“The scheme represents a fantastic opportunity to create next-generation homes developed by an experienced team, at a time where vital investment is needed into our city centres.”

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=149

Groundwork vets hit by white finger outbreak

Construction Blogs No Comments

Civils contractor Peter Duffy Ltd has been fined £40,000 after multiple employees were diagnosed with Hand Arm Vibration (HAVS).

Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard that the company reported seven cases of HAVS between November 2016 and August 2018.

All of the workers involved had been carrying out ground works involving vibrating tools. Many of them had been working in the industry for over 20 years.

An HSE investigation found that in 2016 the company contracted a new occupational health provider to replace their existing one.

The diagnosis of the workers’ conditions resulted from these changes. Prior to the new company taking over the contract, there was no suitable health surveillance in place to identify HAVS.

Peter Duffy Ltd of Wakefield pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £3,919 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Chris Tilley said: “The company should have undertaken a suitable and sufficient risk assessment to identify the level of vibration employees were exposed to throughout their working day and then put in place appropriate control measures.

“Furthermore, the company should have put in place suitable health surveillance to identify HAVS in their workforce.”

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=143

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