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£500m Culture Quarter Plans

Developer London & Regional Properties has revealed plans for a major new cultural quarter at Elephant & Castle in south London.

The Skipton House office block, located between the tube station and London South Bank University, will be demolished to make way for the office and residential complex, which will boast sky gardens.

The emerging plans for the London Road site will double the existing office space to over 500,000 sq ft and deliver 450 homes.

Elephant & Castle

Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the scheme will provide significant public realm and open space including improvements to local cycling routes.

Geoffrey Springer, head of development at London & Regional said: “We are proposing a significant investment in the regeneration of Elephant & Castle, which will celebrate the area’s cultural heritage.

“This will be an iconic development, providing new cultural and community space and, most importantly, new jobs and homes. The development will also deliver new open space and a vastly improved public realm, strengthening the ongoing regeneration of Elephant and Castle.”

This story is by constructionenquirer.com.

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1,200 Staff Join Wates

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More than 1,200 Shepherd staff will now become part of Wates as a buyout deal was finally rubber-stamped.

Wates reached an agreement today to acquire Shepherd Engineering Services (SES) and Shepherd FM plus a “significant” number of contracts and strategic frameworks from Shepherd Construction Limited.

Talks on a possible takeover have been ongoing since last December.

Wates said the deal is a major step in its ambition to boost turnover to £2bn with the Shepherd acquisition expected to add an extra £300m of revenue in the first year.

The move will see 2016 turnover touch the £1.6bn mark while total staff numbers at Wates will rise to 3,800.

The move will also see Wates boost its presence in the North and North West.

Shepherd Group will now focus on the remaining parts of the business and will retain the Shepherd Construction name.

Acquiring Shepherd Engineering Services was the main driver of the deal and former Shepherd chief executive Mark Perkins will now lead SES and join the Wates executive board.

Noel Clancy will remain as chief executive of Shepherd FM while the Shepherd Construction assets will be integrated into the Wates northern business under managing director Phil Harrison.

Andrew Davies, Chief Executive of Wates Group,told the Enquirer that the deal was funded internally but declined to put a price on the acquisition.

He said: “The family run nature of both businesses meant we could talk about this confidentially and see if a deal was possible.

“The acquisition marks another step towards Wates becoming the UK’s leader in the construction and property services sector, now boasting a distinct and outstanding engineering capability, offsite manufacturing proficiency and technical expertise in specialised construction projects.

“Our investment is expected to deliver an additional circa £300 million in turnover in the first year of trading, projecting us further towards our £2bn target and making great strides in the fulfilment of our long-term growth strategy.

“The deal is underpinned by a collective commitment to strong values of integrity, performance and respect from both organisations; shared principles that are built on a long-standing family heritage.

“We are now preparing to welcome more than 1,200 new colleagues to the business and our immediate priority is to ensure the engagement and alignment of our people, whilst remaining focussed on maintaining our reputation for excellent customer service.”

This story is by constructionenquirer.com

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Electrification To Power Up

Work to electrify the TransPennine and Midland Mainline railways will resume under plans announced today.

Electrification Workers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new plan changes the phasing of the projects by between two and three years, but would see planning and design work resume immediately.

Electrification work on the TransPennine route will restart in early 2018, with some enabling works carried out before then, with completion set for 2022, compared with 2019 before.

On the Midlands Mainline, works will restart to electrify the line north from Bedford to Kettering and Corby by 2019, two years later than previously anticipated.

The line North of Kettering to Derby/Nottingham and Sheffield would be electrified in stages by 2023, instead of 2019 and 2020 as previously planned.

Sir Peter Hendy, who was commissioned by Government, to reset Network Rail’s upgrade programme recommended the move in a letter to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

He said: “You commissioned my review as a result of both cost pressures and time delays and I am continuing work to set out the extent of the already evident likely funding shortfall in CP5.”

“I understand that the Government acknowledges that unpausing now will create a further significant spending pressure.”

“My replan will set out what Network Rail can do within its own resources to mitigate the impact to the rest of the affordable programme.”

“Of course, a considerable amount of the electrification costs of both schemes will fall outside CP5 and this will form part of the core of CP6 as schemes which will then be underway.”

The Transport Secretary replied: “I have always been clear that these schemes were paused and not cancelled and I am now accepting your advice that work can be restarted.”

“As these two important electrification schemes will connect our great cities with modern, faster and more reliable railways and help create a Northern Powerhouse, I would be grateful if they could be un-paused with immediate effect and progressed with some urgency.”

Sir Peter will submit his full plan for Network Rail’s re-plan in November ahead of the Government spending review.

This story is by constructionenquirer.com

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Heidi Has Raised Over £635 For Charity!

 

 

Charity RunCharity Run Struggling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edge Careers would like to say a massive well done to our Residential Divisional Manager, Heidi Genner, and the other runners who took part from the Halesowen Athletic and Cycling Club. Last night they completed their charity run up the grueling Mucklow Hill and have so far raised over £635 for  the Georgia unit at Russells Hall hospital in Dudley, which is an amazing effort and has smashed their initial target of £250 by a staggering 254%

You can still donate to this great cause by following this link www.justgiving.com/bloomerrelay  

or by texting 70070 with one of the following options:

JCPV49 £1

JCPV49 £5

JCPV49 £10

JCPV49 £20

JCPV49 £25

Charity Run Start

 

 

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LendLease Staff Get 4 Day Health Break

Lendlease logo

Lendlease Europe has taken the plunge on work-life balance to roll out paid-for ‘wellbeing days’ for its staff to rest and recuperate.

From today all staff will be encouraged to take at least four days a year off work to focus on their own physical and mental health.

Under the Wellbeing Leave initiative employees can take at least one day of every 3-4 months with no formal leave limit applied.

Wellbeing Leave is being rolled out as part of Lendlease’s focus on work-life balance and its commitment to being ‘A Place that Cares’.

The firm hopes to reduce sickness levels by allowing people a day of leave to alleviate stress or take part in a wellbeing activity, in the hope they will return to work more engaged, healthy and productive.

Earlier this year, Lendlease introduced its enhanced shared parental leave scheme, which allows both men and women to be able to take up to six months paid leave.

Lisa White, Head of HR at Lendlease Europe, said: “Wellbeing Leave is a proactive investment in the health and wellbeing of our employees, and acknowledges the importance of a balanced work-family life.

“A healthier, happier workforce is naturally a more productive and engaged one – and less likely to take regular sick leave.

“There is a strong business case for us to take the health and wellbeing of our employees seriously.

“As we implement this leave initiative, we will be able to address employee needs or hold workplace initiatives on the health issues that matter most to our people.”

This story is by constructionenquirer.com

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What Your Body Language Tells The Interviewer

 

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The Interview begins before you even say your first word. They’ll be sizing you up as you walk across the room to shake hands. Be conscious of how you look and what you’re doing, and try not to overlook the verbal and non-verbal signals you’re sending out in the rush to parade your carefully prepared answers before them.

Pace yourself

Speak deliberately more slowly than you would normally. There’s a trick here. You’ll be revved up as you go in, so you will naturally speak more quickly than normal. If you concentrate on pronouncing your words individually, you’ll actually be speaking at a normal speed.

Think of good speakers you’ve experienced throughout your education or working life. You’ll remember the ones who were more focused and engaging. That’s not to say they were the funniest, loudest or most entertaining, but they were almost certainly the most animated. Focus, you’re not there to entertain – so leave the jokes at the door – but you are there to look like you want the job. Concentrate on that and let your commitment and energy shine through.
Non-verbal signals

A firm but not crushing handshake is the one to go for. The ‘wet fish’ technique is a guaranteed turn off.
Don’t slouch in your chair, whether in reception or the interview room. Slouching says “I don’t care” and should be reserved for lazy Sundays on the sofa. Walk and sit up straight.
Always look the interviewer in the eye. Be confident, and don’t stare past your questioner or at the floor. Avoid glancing nervously around the room as this is the classic sign of someone with something to hide. If there is more than one interviewer, make sure you look at each of them when answering questions and keep your eyes on their face.
To find out what to do with your hands, watch yourself in a mirror or the office window when you’re on the phone – you’ll use some of the same gestures when you’re talking. It’s fine to gesture with your hands, but don’t overdo it.
Don’t fidget and don’t play around with your hair, pen, nails, chair, jiggle your knees, tap your leg or anything else. It drives people crazy and will distract them from what you’re saying.
Be aware of how you are sitting, moving and the general impression you’re giving out. So smile occasionally; it will make you all feel better.

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£3.8bn To Be Spent On Road Improvements

Highways England chiefs are meeting contractors and suppliers to detail a wave of new projects worth over £3.8bn in the Midlands and East of England over the next five years

Roadworks Sign

The event held yesterday and today form part of an ongoing regional roadshow to drive home Highways England’s national plan for 112 major road improvements, including 15 smart motorway projects in its first five years of operation.

Roads minister Andrew Jones said the Government spending plan was to triple levels of spending on England’s roads by the end of the decade.

“As part of our long-term economic plan, we are making the biggest investment in roads in a generation.”

He underlined the Government’s commitment to spend £3.8bn in both regions, ahead of the Chancellor’s spending review on 25 November, which many industry watchers fear could take a slice out of planned transport investment.

Midlands (£1.8bn): schemes to start by 2021

• Improvements planned for M42 junction 6
• New smart motorway around the M42/M40 interchange
• Development of a new link road connecting M54, M6 and the M6 Toll
• New, bigger M6 Junction 10
• Plans to replace roundabouts at A50 Uttoxeter
• Widening of the A500 at Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent
• New smart motorway between M6 junctions 13 and 15
• Improvements planned for A46 junctions
• A new smart motorway between junction 2 and 4 of the M6
• Improvement for the A38 Derby junctions
• Widening of the A5 Dodwells to Longshoot
• A new smart motorway between junction 23a and 25 of the M1

Across the West Midlands, Highways England will also spend around £600m on maintenance, including £160m to resurface more than 900 miles of carriageway; £225m for repairing and renewing structures like bridges and viaducts; and £60m to improve vehicle barriers.

East of England (£2bn): schemes to start by 2019/20

• A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon major improvements in Cambridgeshire
• Upgrading six sections of the A47/A12 corridor in Norfolk across a 115 mile section of the A47 between Peterborough and Great Yarmouth.
• Increasing capacity on the A1(M) providing an additional 14 lane miles to relieve congestion in Hertfordshire, including Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City
• Upgrading technology at junctions on the M11 across Essex and Cambridgeshire, from Stansted Airport to Cambridge
• Providing technology along the A12 in Essex and Suffolk from the M25 to Ipswich and widening the stretch between Chelmsford and the A120 to 3 lanes
• Providing a new 13 mile stretch of dual carriageway on the A428 between western Cambridgeshire and the north east of Bedfordshire
• Building 17 new cycle paths including along parts of the A12, A47, A120 and A5.

This story is by constructionenquirer.com

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Are Bouygues Up For The Test?

Bouygues UK has staged another major contract coup by securing the £100m headquarters development for Cambridge University’s Exam Board

The French contracting giant’s UK arm has beaten shortlisted rival Balfour Beatty to build a five-storey complex, known as the Triangle, covering an area the size of three-and-a-half football pitches.

Earlier this month Bouygues also beat Balfour to secure the UK’s biggest building contract for phase three of the vast Battersea Power Station development.

A spokesman for the client said that John F Hunt had just completed demolition works and Bouygues had now just taken possession of the site to start foundation works.

The Triangle site in Cambridge will provide a new headquarters for Cambridge Assessment and its 3,000 staff.

Triangle Cambridge

The 450,000 sq ft complex of linked buildings will also include a courtyard entrance and extensive green and outdoor spaces as well as a 39.1 m tower that will be a landmark when approaching Cambridge from the south of the city.

This story is by constructionenquirer.com

 

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Clugston Awarded Service And Logistics Facility

Siemens has awarded Clugston the contract to build a 12,300 sq m service and logistics facility at Hull’s Alexandra Dock which will support a wind turbine blade factory already under construction at the site

Siemens wind turbine plant

The building will house facilities for the service and maintenance of wind turbines as well as the storage of parts and equipment required in pre-assembly and operational phases.

It will also be the logistics hub for Siemens’ UK onshore and offshore service business.

The Enquirer understands the deal is worth around £11m and construction will begin in November and is due to be completed in early autumn 2016.

Shaun Cray, Siemens’ General Manager, Real Estate and Construction, for the Hull project, said: “Clugston supplied the most competitive bid, in terms of programme and price, as well as proposing an innovative engineering solution to deliver enhanced value to Siemens, in order to secure this contract against significant competition from other high-quality regional and national construction companies.

“We are very pleased to be able to award a major contract to a company with a long history in the Humber region and, once again, deliver on our commitment to support local procurement wherever possible.”

Construction information specialist Glenigan said other bidders included Graham, Henry Boot, Lindum, VINCI and Hobson & Porter.

Steve Radcliffe, Managing Director of Clugston Construction, said: “As a local business whose involvement in the Humber area stretches back almost 80 years, we are excited to be playing a part in building this facility which will play such an important role in the growth of the offshore wind industry and establishing the region as the centre of renewable energy in the UK.

“In delivering this scheme we will draw upon our local construction skills and supply chain which will create further economic benefits for the region.

“As members of UK Build, the trade body formed to represent main contractors and specialist subcontractors, we support the drive to promote the economic advantages of using local construction skills and resources.

“This is based on evidence that every £1 spent on construction output generates £2.84 of total economic activity, with much of that retained locally due to the structure of the construction industry.

“To achieve this, we will draw on existing relationships, established over many years, with regional suppliers and host a ‘meet the buyer’ event to create additional local opportunities.”

VolkerFitzpatrick is currently building the main Hull blade factory and VolkerFitzpatrick has awarded a major subcontract for electrical and mechanical services to Hull-based Neville Tucker Heating Limited.

This story is by constructionenquirer.com

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Labour Plan To Build A Stagering 100,000 New Homes A Year

Labour party set out its plans for housing and infrastructure

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At its annual conference in Brighton, the Labour party has added detail to its plans to reinvigorate social house building, take more state control of infrastructure projects and offer employees additional rights.

Newly-appointed shadow housing minister John Healey launched a paper outlining Labour’s alternative proposals for increasing output in this Parliament, 2015-20. It believes that output from the social sector – although including units for sale – can be scaled up to reach up to 100,000 extra units a year by 2020.

The report proposes five measures:

  • Giving councils the freedom to borrow against their assets, creating up to 60,000 additional homes over five years.
  • Tightening the obligations of commercial developers to fund more new social homes through the planning system, restoring the number of homes delivered through this method to enable 16,000 new homes a year.
  • Reform of Right to Buy to actually deliver one-for-one replacements, bringing in 6,000 additional replacement homes per year compared to the status quo.
  • Using the power of the government balance sheet to bring down the cost of finance for housing associations by extending the guarantee scheme, creating an additional 2,000 homes per year.
  • Funding a significant HCA grant programme to allow councils and housing associations to build at scale, and lever in private finance. Calculating the grant needed at £60,000 per unit, the same level offered in 2008-11, would enable an average of 30,000 additional units per year.

Healey’s report also proposes looking at ideas from France, “where the introduction of popular tax-free savings accounts now provides the source for a good deal of the country’s social housing finance”, and Denmark, “where there is a national mechanism for pooling and recycling housing association surpluses”.

The speech by John McDonnell, the new shadow chancellor, was billed as a “rejection of austerity politics”. He set out a plan to transform the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, creating “a powerful economic development department, in charge of public investment, infrastructure planning and setting new standards at work for all employees”.

This would also involve creating “an effectively resourced and empowered national investment bank”.

McDonnell announced that Sir Bob Kerslake, formerly head of the civil service in 2012-14 under the coalition, chairman of the Peabody Trust and also a former chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency, has been appointed to conduct a review of the Treasury as part of a wider look at the role of the state in economic life.

Meanwhile, Angela Eagle, shadow first secretary of state and shadow secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, described a “race to the top” driven by more R&D investment and innovation, and supported by government-backed industrial strategies.

She referred to a “skills emergency” in construction, manufacturing, science, engineering and technology.

The conference also passed a motion calling for a “new deal” for workers that would include a new Ministry of Labour, extending employment rights to the first day of employment, and a “genuine” Living Wage.

Brian Rye, acting general secretary of UCATT, who seconded the motion, said: “For the majority of private sector construction workers, employment tends to be nasty, brutish and short. Most workers do not have a permanent employer. Most large construction companies barely employ a single construction worker.”

This story is from construction-manager.co.uk

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