DOCTOR doctor, what’s the

prescription for good living?

A stunning zero carbon

house with specs appeal and

slashed energy costs, if you

ask Birmingham GP Peter

Thebridge.

The doctor and his wife

Vicky are happily ensconced in

the four-bedroom eco-home.

It’s a futuristic countryside

cottage that ticks an awful lot of

green boxes, including a first

for Greswolde.

“We have worked on many

eco projects, but this is our first

zero carbon dwelling, and it

was extremely interesting to

do,” says Project Manager and

Greswolde Associate Director

Chris Harrison, whose team

welcomed regular site visits

from the eager homeowner.

The building was designed

by Hasker Architects, whose

team did a great deal of

research into systems and

materials before producing the

eye-catching masterpiece.

Photovoltaic cells cover the

large south-facing roof and the

large triple glazed windows

provide great views, masses of

natural light and thermal gain in

the winter.

The brise soleil provides

shading in the summer and

prevents overheating.

The ventilation is designed

to provide a comfortable living

space and has a heat recovery

unit, with a minimum efficiency

of greater than 86%.

A ground source heat pump

provides heating and hot water

and the log burning stoves are

fed from timber grown on site.

The cottage’s advanced

rainwater harvesting system –

which provides water for the

toilets and garden – will also

help ensure it will have one of

the lowest uses of potable

water in the country.

The house is also beautiful,

with features including a bal-

conied stately home-style din-

ing room with an oak and glass

staircase . . . and those win-

dows.

“I especially like having

breakfast in a room warmed by

the sun and with distant views

and open skies,” says Peter.

“The sun shines into all the

major rooms as it moves

across the day.

“The Architects managed tomaterial consideration. The draft

Framework is, of course, only a consulta-

tion document and could be watered down

considerably as a result of the responses

received, particularly from the countryside

lobbyists. The greater challenge for all

involved is how this potential step change

is interpreted and supported by members

in public planning committee meetings.

Arguably, given the Localism Agenda,

which advocates a bottom-up approach to

local planning and decision making, elect-

ed members, as custodians of their local

area, are likely to be faced with a dilemma

requiring strong officer guidance.

So, while in theory submitting applica-

tions and securing approval should

become less onerous in the coming years,

it should not be assumed that all is rosy

and that we can look forward to a process

of fast-tracked applications.

Indeed, as recently as September 2011,

members were known to have refused the

principle of residential development on

allocated sites within their adopted Local

Plan.

That’s hardly the pro-development step

change that the Government envisages in

the draft Framework. I trust that the

Planning Inspectorate is well resourced to

deal with the appeals!

ON July 25, 2011, Greg Clarke MP,

Minister of State for Communities and

Local Government, published a new sim-

pler Framework for the planning system,

which seeks to safeguard the environment

while meeting the need for sustainable

growth.

The document, subject to a 12-week

period of consultation, streamlines the pre-

vious 1,000 pages plus Planning Policy

Guidance Notes and Planning Policy

Statements, into just 52 pages of policy.

Underpinning the draft Framework is

the need for councils to work closely with

businesses and developers and actively

seek opportunities for sustainable growth

to rebuild the economy, in turn helping to

deliver the homes, jobs and infrastructure

needed for a growing population while pro-

tecting the environment.

Critically, the draft framework sets out a

presumption in favour of sustainable

development.

This means that councils should aim to

approve development proposals promptly,

unless they would compromise sustainable

development principles.

On the face of it, this is all good news.

It is the Government’s attempt at simplify-

ing Planning Policy and reinstating the

principle that well conceived development

is a good and necessary thing.

Perhaps of equal importance in the draft

Framework is the recognition of the com-

mercial aspects of development.

There is a requirement for councils to

understand business needs in the current

market; to have regard to viability in con-

sidering planning obligations and to have

regard to the deliverability of a project as a

Please see page 6

GRESWOLDE WINS TOP AWARD

GRESWOLDE CONSTRUCTIONNEWS & VIEWS

Tel: 01564 776271 Fax: 01564 770114www.greswoldeconstruction.com

Issue 40, 2011

5 6

A bravenew future?

The Big Debate

Michael Robson BA (Hons) DipTP MRTPI is

a Director of Cerda Planning Limited

(www.cerda-planning.co.uk/), a Midlands-

based dedicated Town Planning Consultancy

acting on behalf of clients nationwide.

THE boundaries have been drawn in the argu-ments surrounding the Government’s PlanningPolicy discussion document. On the one side isthe keep it green brigade and, on the other, thelet us build clan. Cerda Director and planningexpert Michael Robson says the devil’s in thedetail, and points out that Councils will still havethe final say.

GRESWOLDE has become a member of the National Federation

of Builders (NFB) and added its backing to a national campaign to

help keep school children safe from the dangers of building sites.

Stay Safe, Stay Away, which echoes Greswolde’s own Building

With Care ethos, is warning of the dangers of sites by encourag-

ing children to enter a national poster campaign and then display-

ing the winning entry on sites across the country.

The campaign – sponsored by Building & Civil Engineering

Benefit Schemes,

Construction Skills

C e r t i f i c a t i o n

Scheme, NFB local

associations and

builders’ federations

– is supported by the

Health and Safety

Executive (HSE) and Construction Minister Mark Prisk.

Now in its eighth year, the latest winner is 11 year-old Chloe

Davies, from North Wales, who was awarded £500 for her school,

enjoyed a day out at Alton Towers and was invited to London for a

visit to Westminster.

The Construction Minister said: “Building sites are dangerous

places, not just for children. By educating them about the risks

involved and teaching them how to stay safe, we can prevent seri-

ous accidents. I am pleased to see the NFB continuing its impor-

tant work on the Stay Safe, Stay Away campaign.”

The NFB is also campaigning and lobbying Government to

lower VAT to 5% on all Green Deal energy-saving building materi-

als, to help stimulate demand and improve energy efficiency in

homes and businesses.

l The doctor’s eco-home: please see full story on page 6.

JOIN THE DEBATE: What do you think of the Government’s draft Framework? Join the Big Debate

by emailing your views to crucialpr@btinternet.com

We’re backing site safety effort

I always feltthat wewere allworking asa team

There is a doctor in the house

CELEBRATIONS followed the

award of a top building industry

Oscar following Greswolde’s com-

pletion of a headline-making proj-

ect in Bilston to replace West

Midlands Police’s second oldest

station

The Built In Quality Award, which

recognises excellence and innova-

tion, was presented to Greswolde

MD Malcolm Priest and his team by

the Lord Mayor of Birmingham,

Councillor Anita Ward, at the VIP

showcase evening Celebrating

Construction.

The winning £1.8 million project to

replace the landmark 170 year-old

moated building was chosen in the

Community category, in recogni-

tion of the hugely improved facili-

ties it offers to five neighbourhood

policing teams and the community

it serves.

“We are delighted to receive this

prestigious award for the work we

carried out on this landmark build-

ing, which is now serving the local commu-

nity,” says Malcolm, who received the

award with Project Manager Paul Greaves

and Site Manager Dave Jenkins.

The impressive new police station, which

features design innovations including a

stylish steel bridge to the main entrance,

boasts better facilities including communi-

ty rooms for public meetings.

A West Midlands Police spokesperson com-

mented: “The building’s central location,

modern facilities and community links has

made it a hit with staff, partners and com-

munity members alike.”

The Awards, which recognise a range of

building achievements in the public and pri-

vate sectors across ten categories, are co-

hosted by Birmingham City Council,

Building and Consultancy Services.

A spokesman said: “The awards promote

and reward excellent work in construction

and winners are chosen from projects nom-

inated by building consultancy surveyors.

“Now in its 13th year, the event is well

established as the Oscars of the industry in

this region.”

Station copsbuild ‘Oscar’

design an innovative building

that blends with the environ-

ment and meets our needs in

terms of energy saving, room

layout and clean, unfussy

design.”

The couple are already

enjoying generating more ener-

gy than they consume, and,

with the current Feed In Tariffs,

could also reduce their net

energy costs to zero.

They are also enjoying their

new home.

“We are very pleased with

the final product, the workman-

ship and quality of finish,” adds

Peter.

“I always felt that we were all

working as a team, focussing on

delivering the final building and

coming to the site to see it

develop was always a pleasure.

“It is great to be in here and

the views are fantastic.”

n PROFESSIONAL TEAM:

Hasker Architects; SE - Richard

Strauss Associates.

GRESWOLDE teams areworking very carefullyalongside a preciouspiece of history as theybuild Glenn HowellsArchitects’ striking newperforming arts facility atSaint Martin’s School inSolihull.

Construction work on the

dramatic £1.5million state-of-

the-art building is just 2.5

metres from a curtilage-listed

Grade II brick wall, which is all

that remains of the original

walled gardens of the 17th

century Malvern Hall that has

housed the popular school

since 1989. Fittingly, the five

metre wall, probably sketched

by artist John Constable on

one of his two visits to the

Hall, is reflected in the design.

“The wall wraps rounds the

new building, offering privacy

to students and performers,

who also get views out on

to it,” explains

Glenn Howells

Architect Paul

Miller.

“From the

main entrance,

you can see

straight through the

building to the wall at

the back.”

Greswolde’s first

job was excavating

piles of earth to

accommodate the

performance space

which has been sunk

two metres into the

ground to minimise

the impact on the

environment.

“That meant 300 lorries

coming in and out, so we did

that in the summer holidays,”

says Project Manager and

Greswolde Associate Director

Chris Harrison.

“Now that it is term time,

we have very strictly planned

delivery times and pro-

vide escorts to and

from the site, to

ensure we impact

on school life as lit-

tle as possible.”

The 400 pupils

are keeping an enthusi-

astic eye on their emerging

new facility, which will add to

Saint Martin’s reputation in

providing the very best educa-

tion for girls from Nursery

through to Sixth Form.

Head Jane Carwithen says:

“We are all very excited about

the development which will

enable the girls and the com-

munity to benefit from these

specialist facilities.”n Continued on page 2.

Landmark performance

THE first and most striking phase of a £27 million regeneration project in

Birmingham, featuring a library housed in a giant iridescent Shard, has

been constructed by Greswolde. Turn inside for the full story.

Oneforthebook

“We’re very

excited”

GRESWOLDE

NEWS FOCUS

Picture: Glenn Howells Architects

Just what the

doctor ordered: Dr

Peter Thebridge’s

eco-home was a

first for Greswolde.

‘

‘

Round-up of the latest schemes

2 3 4

Continued from page 1

Equipped with the latest theatre sys-

tems, the steel-framed low embodied-

energy building, constructed from pre-

fabricated timber panels, provides a flex-

ible space to accommodate a 130-seater

theatre, a dance studio and teaching and

lecture rooms.

A large area of glazing will flood the

double height naturally ventilated foyer

and teaching space with natural light and

there is a green roof, planted with

sedum.

“It is an impressive design and it is a

very exciting project, which will reinforce

the school’s very strong academic posi-

tion,” says Saint Martin’s Bursar Simon

Brown.

The building marks the final phase of

a three-tier development completed by

Glenn Howells Architects, with whom

Greswolde has also worked previously

at the school.

“We have a long standing relationship

with the team and we are delighted to be

back on site,” adds MD Malcolm Priest.

n Professional Team: Architect - Glenn

Howells Architects; QS & CDM Co-ordina-

tor - PMP Consultants; SE - Momentum.

THE Malvern Hall garden wall is an impor-

tant link with the past, when Humphrey

Greswold, son of Henry, the Rector of

Solihull, built the manor house in about

1690.

“The retention of the wall as part of the

setting of the performance building and

wider grounds of the Hall and stable

block, was an important consideration for

the planning committee,” says a Solihull

Council spokesman.

“The wall illustrates the development

of the country house and its important

service buildings and structures, food pro-

duction being supported by the walled

gardens and preserved using the product

of the nearby late 18th century brick ice

house.”

Henry Greswold Lewis had the hall

remodelled and enlarged in 1783 by Sir

John Soane shortly after his three-year

study period in Italy.

The results were captured by John

Constable in 1809 when he spent a month

painting and sketching. He returned to the

Hall in 1820 and produced four more

paintings.

Malvern Hall was converted in 1931 to

become Solihull High School for Girls and

is now the main administrative building for

Saint Martin’s School, which purchased

the site in 1989.

EVERYONE’S talking about

the outstanding feature of the

Shard End Urban Village

development.

Just constructed by

Greswolde, the sharply-point-

ed shard design feature, which

changes colour in different light

and cuts across one corner of

the bright red library building.

“It was exciting and chal-

lenging to have the opportu-

nity to come up with some-

thing so different,” says ID

Partnership Architect Craig

Mawby.

“It is a building we are

extremely proud of as it will

be a talking point and focus

for the whole development.”

“Our brief was to come up

with a building everyone

would notice and people cer-

tainly already have strong

views about it.

“It is bold, eye-catching

and a real landmark.” The

library, with community office

and flexible meeting room

space above, is the focal point

of a new central square and

commercial core, where

Greswolde is building a shop-

ping centre featuring 2,000

square metres of retail and

leisure space.

The builders are working on

12 retail units and 26

dwellings, together with all the

infrastructure including roads,

pedestrian routes and land-

scaping.

The first phase has also

included the completion of 34

homes by developer Barratt

West Midlands, which is build-

ing 191 homes in total, includ-

ing 67 affordable houses.

Birmingham City Council

worked in collaboration with

the Homes and Communities

Agency, City Housing Partner-

ship and Barratt West Mid-

lands to secure funding for the

scheme.

Birmingham City Council’s

Cabinet Member for Housing,

Councillor John Lines said:

“The houses and shops in

Shard End will be a huge boost

for local people, helping to cre-

ate community spirit among

those that live there.

“I’d like to thank staff and

our partners for their efforts in

this latest transformation,

which will change people’s

lives and their neighbourhood.”

BUSY Greswolde has begun work on

a contract, worth almost £1million, to

build sports changing room facilities,

an IT suite and training rooms at

Southam College in Warwickshire.

The long-awaited facility will be

linked via a glass corridor to the main

building and the project includes work

ahead of the installation of a state-of-

the-art Third Generation Artificial

grass pitch, funded by the Football

Foundation.

“These fantastic facilities will bene-

fit not only the 1,300 pupils in College

but also several football clubs from

Southam and the surrounding areas,”

says the College’s Business Manager

Andy Mason.

“The development is right in the

middle of the school site, but the

Greswolde management team is prov-

ing excellent at ensuring building work

has the minimum impact, is safely

supervised and the project will be

delivered on time.”

n Professional Team: Architect - The

Brown Mathews Partnership; QS & CDM

Co-ordinator - Bridgewater & Coulton;

SE - Geoffrey Collett Associates.

Pic

ture

: G

len

n H

ow

ells

Arc

hite

cts

.

Job pitchperfect

Councillor John Lines in front of the iconic library building.

A realtalkingpoint

Why that wall is a major player

THAME residents can’t get enough of their stunning new

£1.7 million library. Hundreds are voting with their feet

and turning up to use the top-notch facilities in the con-

temporary new space.

The building, which was designed to encourage

access to a new learning and resource environment, has

been a complete success, with more than 3,200 new

members registering since it opened its doors in August

2010.

“We are getting between 400 and 500 people a day,

whereas at the old library there were barely 100 a day,”

reports Lesley Horrocks, Oxfordshire County Council’s

Library Manager at the new Thame Library.

“People are really loving the new building, They sit on

the sofas in the conservatory reading the newspapers

and we get all ages coming in to use the computers.

“Our monthly rhyme times for young children are well

liked, and the young peo-

ple’s section is proving

especially popular with

students who come and

work at the tables. It’s all

being wonderfully well

used.”

Designed by Oxford

Architects’ Nick Caldwell,

in consultation with the

council’s project leader, Principal Buildings

Officer Mervyn Bennett, the beautiful

building has a frameless glass façade

that reflects the history of the buildings

opposite.

Oxford Architects Partner David

Grundy explains: “The bold design was

formulated to make a striking contrast

with the traditional buildings around it,

while reflecting some of the traditional

features.

“We are delighted it is proving such a

hit with local people and it goes to show

that if you give people good facilities in a

beautiful building, people will still want to

come and use libraries.”

A NEW £2 million care home, which offers the very best quality

accommodation and facilities for people with Dementia, has been

completed.

The specialist home, the first in a series planned across the UK,

has been built alongside The Royal British Legion’s care home

Galanos House in Southam,

Warwickshire, in line with the

very latest research about

the best environment in

which to offer dementia

care.

The building will house

30 guests in three wings

around the market-style

square, complete with

shop fronts.

“There is a real need for

specialist dementia care facilities

across the UK and this is some-

thing we are looking at providing

over all our existing care homes,”

says Paul Gillam, the Property

Development Manager.

“We have worked closely

with our in-house welfare

department and others in the

field of dementia care, includ-

ing the experts at Stirling

University, who have all pro-

vided us with valuable

insights.”

Architect Paul Ingle, of

Portess & Richardson, also

emphasised the importance

of creating the right kind of

environment in the overall design of

the building.

“The design is all about making the

building as familiar and small-scale as

possible so that guests are comfortable

and feel at home in a stimulating envi-

ronment,” he says.

“Familiarity is very

important.

“Tthe shop fronts will

allow residents to go

‘out’ into an environ-

ment which they can

recognise from the

outside world.”

New chapel is the answer to allour prayersAFTER years of making do with inadequate

dilapidated buildings, the congregation of a

Sutton Coldfield chapel can’t wait for the com-

pletion of a stunning new place of worship

which will serve both them and the local com-

munity.

Despite the difficulties of working on a very

cramped site, bounded by residential flats on

one side and a nursery on the other, Greswolde

Construction is well on the way to completing

the long-awaited redevelopment and refurbish-

ment of Duke Street Chapel.

The £1.3 million project involves replacing

the 1960s Chapel with a large flexible worship

space, complete with stunning original feature

ceiling and a spacious foyer linking a redevel-

oped Victorian hall, plus six adjoining meeting

rooms.

“It has taken about six years to reach this

point and we are very excited to watch our new

Chapel taking shape,” says Anita Byron,

Chairperson of the Duke Street Chapel Building

Group.

“We were beginning to reach the stage

where we were hampered by the poor facilities

and deteriorating buildings, and the new devel-

opment will be a really wonderful resource for

the whole community.

“The new rooms mean we will be able to

offer hugely improved facilities to groups who

regularly meet in our rooms and the Chapel will

also make a well-equipped concert or confer-

ence venue, so we will be able to serve the

community so much better.”

The new highly flexible state-of-the art wor-

ship area (pictured in our artist’s impression)

will seat at least 230 people and is equipped

with audio visual cabling to allow for screening

into overflow areas.

“The Chapel is at the heart of the develop-

ment but, because of the constraints of the site,

the only option to get natural light in was

through the roof and so we have made this a

vibrant design feature,” explains architect Susie

Douglas of Associated Architects.

“The ceiling features a series of 16 box-

shaped cut-outs that punch through, some with

roof lights, all painted in vivid colours offering a

variation on the idea of traditional stained glass

and adding depth to a limited space.”

The old Victorian damp and dark meeting

hall has been hugely improved by the removal

of a suspended ceiling and addition of roof

lights and a damp proof course. The six multi-

use meeting rooms will provide flexible space

for the large age range of organisations which

use them seven days a week, including groups

from toddlers to teens and a range of coun-

selling services offering help in areas such as

parenting, debt and bereavement.

“Greswolde is doing a wonderful job,” adds

Anita.

“This is a tricky site to work on but we have

heard glowing reports about how accommodat-

ing and helpful its workers have been.”

The 200-strong congregation has spent the

past six years raising some £850,000 towards

the cost of building and has also benefited from

local charity donations.

A phased handover will mean the congrega-

tion can now look forward to celebrating

Christmas in the new Chapel.

n Professional Team: Architect - Associated

Architects; QS & CDM Co-ordinator - PMP

Consultants: SE - Upton Wells.

HARD-working builders were a class

act when it came to the final phase of

improvements at Rugby’s Harris

School.

The teams worked through two

weekends to ensure the refurbishment

of the music classroom, science labs

and staff room was completed a week

ahead of schedule and before the

pupils returned after the summer

break.

“Greswolde did a brilliant job and I

couldn’t fault our Site Manager Gary

Kefford,” says the School’s Business

Manager Kath Hall, who also praised

pupils for their resilience.

“We knew this last phase could be

a nightmare because the work was in

school and the workmen would be

using the same corridors as our chil-

dren. But it wasn’t nearly as bad as

we’d feared, thanks to Gary and the

team.”

The project completion ended a

very long-standing relationship with the

860-pupil school, which has included a

new block with a main hall, entrance

and classrooms to help bring the

1950s building into the 21st century.

“Our pupils are thrilled with their won-

derful new facilities and it was great to

show them off to potential parents at a

recent open evening,” adds Kath.

So are they missing the builders

who have been part of their lives for so

long? “Well,” says Kath, “We were

sorry to see them go, but thank good-

ness they have!”

Greswolde also finished ahead of

schedule on the final phase of a year-

long programme at Alveston Primary

School, near Stratford-upon-Avon.

The new Foundation Stage class-

room for reception children completed

a £1 million project that has included

two new classrooms, a spacious

library area, cloakrooms and an

impressive new reception area.

Flagship home isdesigned with care

Caring builders show they’re a class act

Pictures courtesy of Oxford Architects.

Thame folk justlove new library

Pictures courtesy of Associated Architects

Pic

ture

: B

irm

ing

ha

m C

ity

Co

un

cil