premier construction magazine 15-9

Roma Publications Volume 15 - Issue 9

Heritage ConstructionProtecting our built heritage – a special focus

London ArrayWork begins on turbines

BlackpoolSeafront regeneration restores Britain’s favourite resort Giant’s Causeway

New visitor centre to boost tourism

Ecobuild 2011Sign up before it’s too late!

5R O M A P U B L I C A T I O N S

PREMIER C ONSTRUCTION Volume 15 • Issue 9

Contents

Managing Director: Marcus HowarthEditor: Graham SchulzC ontributors: Lesley C owardProduction Manager: Danielle BurgoyneAdvert Co-ordinator: Kelsie Howarth, Nicola O wen Published by: Roma Publications Ltd. t: 01706 719 972 f: 0845 458 4446 e: [email protected] w: www.romauk.net

Graphic Design by: www.marcusmacaulay.co.uk

© Roma Publications Ltd. All contents are copyright. All rights are reserved. No part may be stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the publishers. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies however caused. Contributed material does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. the editorial policy and general layout of this publication are at the discretion of the publisher and no debate will be entered into. No responsibility can be accepted for illustrations, artwork or photographs whilst in transmission with the publishers or their agents unless a commitment is made in writing prior to the receipt of such terms.

Dear readers, We begin this issue with a look a t construc tion’s role in dignity, health and safe ty in the care sec tor, followed by another special focus on heritage construc tion.

Then we move on to our usual round-up of the regions, beginning this month’s tour in the North West, where work on the Walney O ffshore Wind Farm is edging ever nearer to comple tion

In the North East and Yorkshire , Tees Valley Unlimited is behind an innova tive , high-tech road traf c management scheme .

Nex t, it ’s down the Midlands and East Anglia , where a £585 million new general hospital, Birmingham’s rst for 70 years, is keeping Balfour Bea t ty busy.The South West is home to Vranch House School, a centre for

Lead FocusC onstruc tion in care homes ................................................................................6Heritage ..............................................................................................................10

North WestWalney O f fshore Wind Farm .............................................................................34

North East & YorkshireKibblesworth Housing ........................................................................................50

Midlands & East AngliaSamuel Whitbread C ollege ................................................................................57

South West Q ueen Elizabe th’s School.................................................................................72

South East & LondonLondon Array Wind Farm ..................................................................................76

Wales Arbed ..................................................................................................................111

ScotlandTorry Q uay, A berdeen ......................................................................................117

IrelandGiant ’s C auseway Visitor C entre ...................................................................134

AssociationsEcobuild 2011..................................................................................................126

disabled children which is to expand into a new building following a dona tion from one of the world’s wealthiest bene fac tors.London and the South East are as busy as ever, with the

£230 million, 512-bed Pembury Hospital, under construc tion in Maidstone , Kent.

In Wales, the new £170 million sta te-of-the-art Ysby ty Ystrad Fawr hospital will enable all pa tients to receive one-on-one care in single-pa tient rooms when it opens in O c tober 2011.

Meanwhile , Scot tish health is to be boosted by the largest single NHS hospital projec t in Scotland . The projec t will result in a new £840 million New South Glasgow Hospitals C ampus.

The icing on our healthcare cake is the new acute hospital for the south-west of Northern Ireland , which is under construc tion in a £270 million projec t a t Enniskillen, C o Fermanagh.

Enjoy!

Graham Schulz, Editor.

6 P R E M I E R C O N S T R U C T I O N

L e a d f o c u s

Each year around 40,000 people – mostly elderly – are awarded a "disabled facilities grant " for adaptations to the home, such as handrails, ramps and stair lifts.

The equipment allows frail elderly people and others to maintain their mobility, preventing or limiting de teriora tion in their condition. Specialist improvements to homes of ten require only minimal intrusion and investment, especially when compared with ex tensive blanke t housing projec ts such as the Decent Homes scheme , and ye t many vic tims of unsuitable homes are le f t waiting for the improvements they need .

Freedom of Informa tion Ac t responses garnered from local authorities by one na tional broadshee t and published in May 2010 show widespread delays in providing aids to those who seek help.

Similar concerns over provision of equipment have struck the care home industry, as many elders failed by their local authorities find themselves limited to care homes despite their pre ference to stay a t home . Both they and others who willingly

take up residence in care homes place mobility and dignity high on their list of priorities.

Earlier this year, widely-recognised elderly person Sir Michael Parkinson published a report calling for misconceptions about the elderly to be replaced with a new focus on placing dignity a t the heart of care .

At the launch of his report, Sir Michael said , " Becoming Na tional Dignity Ambassador has strengthened my belie f tha t dignity in care needs to be everybody's business".

He said , “I gained first-hand experience of the NHS and care services during my mother’s illness with dementia .

“It struck me tha t whilst there are some excellent examples of care , where people are given the dignity and respec t they need and deserve , much more needs to be done”.

He said providing dignity does not need to cost any thing , and can include “small considera tions like taking time to have a cha t when you take people to the loo, or using their name ra ther than

Dignity and mobility – hot topics in the care industry


a generic term of endearment ”.To coincide with the publica tion of the presenter's paper, former

health secre tary Andy Burnham announced the launch of a new "dignity day of ac tion" in February to promote grea ter sensitivity towards the elderly.

He also launched a £50,000 Bright Ideas Grant to support innova tive projec ts tha t encourage dignity in care , although the sum involved was condemned by some as insignificant.

What can be done?In prac tical terms, whe ther in care homes or in priva te properties, the smallest investment in mobility aids can make the biggest difference , allowing people with restric ted movement to live with the same ease as their neighbours.

Packages including raised toile ts and rails can be bought and installed for as lit tle as £250, whilst a full house kit out of easy-turn tap and door handles can be achieved for less than £150. It is of ten cheaper to ramp up to a doorstep than to install steps, whilst an ex tra hand rail parallel to a stair banister, designed for func tional value ra ther than decora tion, of ten costs much less than the original banister itself.

These are just a few points to illustra te the cheap, ye t libera ting improvements tha t can be made to a disabled person’s environment a t a very low cost. Nevertheless, many older people are finding themselves shipped away against their will for the sake of the price of an access ramp or two.

O thers move to care homes through pre ference , whilst some have no choice but to move to where the level of care ma tches their needs. C are homes are not exempt from criticism when it comes to maintaining the dignity of their residents, as Sir Michael Parkinson’s recent reports have demonstra ted . Innova tion in care homes, to provide the la test automa ted and computerised conveniences, can go far beyond wha t is possible in a priva te home . Admit tedly, so can the cost. But is dignity not worth paying for?

Growing H&S ConcernsThe management of care homes in the UK has come under scrutiny in recent years, af ter a series of HSE inspec tions carried out across 2008 and 2009 revealed a number of concerns.

From a sample of 74 inspec tions carried out in England and Wales, 65 improvement notices were issued . Areas of concern ranged from inadequa te rails to the presence of Legionella on surfaces tha t are difficult to clean, and from dangerous windows to poor asbestos management. The investiga tion followed a sharp increase in the frequency of accidents reported in care homes in 2007-2008, with 4,503 injuries reported for employees and 1049 for pa tients.

Following the report and the alarming investiga tion, a major police investiga tion into alleged cases of neglec t in a number of care homes in Wales prompted HSE to write to every care home in England , Scotland and Wales reminding them of their responsibilities under health, safe ty and care legisla tion.

As an example of how equipment or installa tions in care homes can be a t the root of a health risk , analysis of accident da ta has continued to highlight the serious issue of injuries involving bed rails to ‘service users’. For consistency, the term ‘people who use care services’ has been used to describe pa tients, residents and any others in health and social care premises.

Bed rails, also known as bed side-rails, cot-sides, safe ty sides, and bed guards, are used ex tensively in the health and social care sec tors to protec t vulnerable people from falling out of bed . There are several causes of injury involving bed rails, the most serious being as a result of entrapment by the head or neck . This may lead to dea th from asphyxia tion. Injuries also arise from a pa tient a t tempting to climb over the rails, or when a restless person strikes his head against the rails. For the period April 2001 to March 2005, RIDD OR sta tistics identified a t least 10 fa tal accidents and a number of major injury incidents in which the use of bed rails was implica ted .

Another fear for contrac tors and care home opera tors alike is tha t of Legionnaire’s disease , which can be spread via poorly-

managed hea ting or air conditioning systems and to which the elderly are particularly susceptible . In August 2002, seven members of the public died and 180 people suffered ill health as a result of an outbreak of Legionella a t a council-owned arts and leisure facility in the town centre of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria . A popula tion of elderly of infirm exposed to the same presence of microbes in an environment such as a care home would be a t much grea ter risk .To prevent exposure to the Legionella bac teria , the care home

opera tor as a dutyholder must comply with legisla tion tha t requires opera tors to manage , maintain and trea t wa ter systems in their premises properly. This includes but is not limited to appropria te wa ter trea tment and cleaning regimes.Legionella bac teria are widespread in na ture , mainly living

in na tural wa ter systems, eg rivers and ponds. However, the conditions are rarely right for people to ca tch the disease from these sources.

Outbreaks of the illness occur from exposure to Legionella growing in purpose-built systems where the wa ter is maintained a t a tempera ture high enough to encourage grow th, e .g cooling towers, evapora tive condensers, spa pools, and hot wa ter systems used in all sorts of premises (work and domestic). Most community outbreaks in the UK have been linked to installa tions such as cooling towers, which can spread drople ts of wa ter over a wide area . These are found as part of air-conditioning and industrial cooling systems. Fa tal cases of Legionnaire’s disease have also been associa ted with spa pool demonstra tions. Legionella can grow in any workplace if the conditions are

right - you do not have to work with microbiological agents, e .g in a labora tory or health facility, for exposure to occur. If you are responsible for any of the wa ter systems described in HSE's Approved C ode of Prac tice (AC oP) and guidance "Legionnaires' disease: The control of legionella bac teria in wa ter systems" (L8), you will need to assess the risk of employees and others in the workplace contrac ting Legionnaire’s disease .


H e r i t a g e

English Heritage exists to protect and promote England’s spectacular historic environment and ensure that its past is researched and understood.

English Heritage is the government ’s sta tutory adviser on the historic environment. O fficially known as the Historic Buildings and Monuments C ommission for England , English Heritage is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture , Media and Sport (D C MS). The powers and responsibilities of English Heritage are se t

out in the Na tional Heritage Ac t (1983) and today they report to Parliament through the Secre tary of S ta te for Culture , Media and Sport.Although sponsored by D C MS , English Heritage works with a

range of government departments, notably CLG and De fra , to help realise the potential of the historic environment.

English Heritage is funded in part by the government, and is also part funded from revenue earned from their historic properties and other services. In 2008/09 the organisa tion’s public funding was worth £132.7m , and income from other sources was £48.1m .

English Heritage works in partnership with central government departments, local authorities, voluntary bodies and the priva te sec tor to conserve and enhance the historic environment, broaden public access to the heritage and increase people’s understanding of the past.

The organisa tion mee ts these responsibilities by: ac ting as a na tional and interna tional champion for the heritage; giving

grants for the conserva tion of historic buildings, monuments and landscapes; maintaining registers of England’s most significant historic buildings, monuments and landscapes; and advising on the preserva tion of the historic environment.

English Heritage also encourages broader public involvement with the heritage , promotes heritage-rela ted educa tion and research, cares for S tonehenge and over 400 other historic properties on behalf of the na tion, maintains the Na tional Monuments Record as the public archive of the heritage and genera tes income for the bene fit of the historic environment.

English Heritage is currently running a five-year investment programme for its properties. Based on an audit of all the organisa tion’s properties, £30m is being targe ted a t those sites with the most commercial potential, in order to make as many sites as possible self-financing . Projec ts range from major re furbishment and restora tion works a t Kenilworth C astle to rela tively small but significant improvements to exhibitions and interpre ta tion, ca tering and re tail facilities.

In the construc tion sec tor, English Heritage has joined forces with C onstruc tionSkills to call for concerted ac tion across the construc tion industry, the built heritage sec tor, educa tional establishments, careers organisa tions, funding bodies and government departments to tackle the continued shortage of heritage building skills.

English Heritage has also published research demonstra ting the shortage of craf t skills across the country and a Skills Ac tion Plan which they are now implementing . This includes raising the

Ensuring a bright future for the past





H e r i t a g e

profile of voca tional training and the built heritage construc tion sec tor and a t trac ting more young people to pursue careers within it.The plan is also geared towards encouraging the use of suitably

skilled and qualified people , and developing qualifica tions to ensure tha t traditional building knowledge and skills can be a t tained from G C SE to Master Craf t level.

Find out more a t www.english-heritage .org .uk

Cast Iron Welding LtdC ast Iron Welding have three genera tions of cast iron welding experience , which makes for a very experienced and specialized company. The restora tion of English Heritage projec ts, protec ted monuments, cast Iron pillars, Tower Bridge , sluice ga tes, stree t lights, road signs, ga tes and steam locomotive components, are just a few of the company’s restora tion produc ts.

O f ten, the original cast iron used on the damaged item is manufac tured in a grade not commonly in general use with today’s foundries, because of this ma terial varia tion, C ast Iron Welding Ltd fully analyze the parent me tal to ensure tha t they manufac ture the same filler ma terial with the same chemical analysis, thereby ensuring compa tibility with the original ma terial and keeping the original de tail.Visit www.castironwelding .co.uk to find out more

Meet the conservation specialistsMike and G ary Simpson, a fa ther and son team , run a specialist conserva tion firm called Heritage C onsolida tion from their base in Northumberland . Their specialities include stonemasonry and lime-based mortars, plastering and render, and recent years have seen them take the admirable and , some would say, bold decision to focus entirely on heritage restora tion work .The duo have done restora tion work with both English Heritage

and Na tural England , experiences which helped them to come to the conclusion tha t not only is a conserva tion-focused business


an ex tremely viable enterprise , but also tha t their traditional skills are lacking across the UK . And tha t ’s without mentioning their love for the work .

G ary told Premier Construc tion, “I just love restoring old buildings. I love working with stone and, although the work can be difficult and requires a lot of patience, nothing gives me more satisfac tion than knowing that, thanks to our work , the buildings will still be around for the foreseeable future for others to enjoy too.

G ary and Mike started off doing barn conversions be fore moving in to heritage restora tion. They bought Blenkinsopp C astle , which is on the Hadrian’s Wall site and da tes from the 14th century. As the castle is listed , they became involved with English Heritage , who paid to top up their historic trade skills and advised them on the restora tion projec t. Mike now proudly calls part of the restored castle his home .As G ary puts it, “ When English Heritage told us the work on

Blenkinsopp needed to be done and tha t we’d have to ge t someone in to do it, my fa ther told them he’d do it himself. In the end , we both spent 18 months on the job with funding from English Heritage , who gave us a projec t on Hadrian’s Wall just af ter tha t. Tha t ’s when we realised our skills were rare and tha t there were other offers coming in, so we began doing it full time”.

Since then, the pair have won awards for their work and taken on four employees. Recognising tha t their knowledge could be passed on to a wider audience , they have become involved with the Heritage Skills Initia tive and conduc ted training days, as well as regularly visiting the Scot tish Lime C entre to exchange know-how.

G ary said , “In our business, young lads we take on of ten start off with two year apprenticeships which are an ideal start but aren’t always enough. I still feel it takes five years of prac tice , especially with lime , be fore you can claim to be fully confident. Tha t ’s why teaching and learning is some thing we look to make the most of ”.

Much of the firm’s work involves removing cement pointing and replacing it with lime . G ary explained , “People are realising tha t cement is not a ma terial tha t will help the building last. It doesn’t allow moisture to escape and encourages damp, which is particularly damaging to sandstone and basically causes it to rot. Tha t ’s why there is plenty of work for people with our skills, even if you take away restora tion work”.

If you’ve visited an historic building in the area , you’ve more than likely seen Mike’s work . The majority of it, he says, has been carried out the way it was always done . According to the restora tion expert, who began learning his trade in 1963, “The thing about traditional skills is tha t my genera tion has no risk of being obsole te as new technology comes in. In fac t, some of the manuals tha t Scot tish Lime uses are almost identical to ones from the 1950s tha t I remember using . It de finitely helps to add in a lot of the new qualifica tions and knowledge tha t G ary has, though!”

Case study – Shittleheugh BastleShit tleheugh Bastle is one of several ancient fortified farms around the border be tween Scotland and England . The word

‘bastle’ is thought to have descended from the French word ‘bastille’, meaning ‘fortified castle’ or ‘fortress’. Shit tleheugh Bastle and its like served to protec t the interests of farmers in the region from cross-border raiding

parties. Many still stand and , like Shit tleheugh, many have fallen into ruin.

G ary and Mike’s work a t Shit tleheugh involved protec tion and maintenance of the remaining struc ture , which was re-pointed and galle t ted using 3.5NHL lime mortar. Since work was carried out during one of the coldest recorded winters, the struc ture had to be covered with hessian shee ting (a ‘sock’, as G ary calls it) to keep the worst of the chill off while the lime cured .

Work also included re-bedding loose stone . G ary says, “Some of the stones are huge – as big as a fridge freezer and weighing tonnes – and the photos don’t always ge t tha t across. The remaining walls are also three scaffold lif ts high as well, so it ’s a bigger job than you’d imagine .

“In keeping with the conserva tion aspec t of the work , every thing was done very care fully. For example , the work schedule was made to fit the breeding cycle of ba ts in the area and we alterna ted our route up to the bastle to avoid scarring the moor with pa thways”.The bastle , which was previously on the ‘a t risk’ register with

English Heritage , has now been safeguarded for the foreseeable future .

Find out more about G ary and Mike a t www.heritageconsolida tion.co.uk and visit www.english-heritage .org .uk to find out about dozens more successful conserva tion projec ts


H e r i t a g e



H e r i t a g e

Today all of us are charged with ensuring the survival of our historical and vernacular built heritage through careful and considered conservation, restoration and renovation.

All too of ten, buildings are repaired with inappropria te ma terials and poor skills. Many are the subjec t of interventions tha t in time lead to their total loss. O thers are simply changed out of all recognition.

In most cases, the mortar used for repairs, restora tion or conserva tion contains cement. In these buildings, the use of cement mortars promote condensa tion build up, salt reac tions and , generally, drastically affec ts the long term survival of the building .S t. Astier na tural hydraulic lime mortars provide a valid alterna tive

to cement mortars or cement /lime mixes and , if applied properly, they will have a much longer life . Environmentally, they offer far grea ter e fficiency than cementicious mortars by re-absorbing C O2 and not compromising the recyclability of the building ma terials.

We work with wha t we call the ‘ ten commandments’ when judging the suitability of mortar:

• C ompa tibility• Low capillarity and shrinkage• Adequa te C a(O H)2 or free lime content• Resistance to frost• Resistance to salts• Vapour permeability (brea thability) & good sands• Early se t ting , good elasticity/workability/re-workability• Suitable compressive and bonding strength• Environmental considera tions• C orrec t working and site prac tice

Rule 1: CompatibilityWe pre fer to look a t compa tible mortars ra ther than like for like . The reason for this is tha t today in most cases, it is not possible to reproduce exac tly the mortars of the past.

The binders are different; the sands might not be the same . In the EU , a lot of sand pits have closed and some of the historic pits no longer exist. C ompa tibility should be both chemical and mechanical..

Mortars introduced into existing struc tures must not reac t chemically with existing mortars and surrounding masonry by introducing soluble salts such as sulpha te (gypsum) or alumina tes causing sulpha te a t tack; or alkalis (potassium and sodium) causing a reac tion with the sand (alkali-silica reac tion).

In mechanical terms, mortars should not be too dense to impede brea thability or have poor elasticity resulting in cracks tha t will allow wa ter/moisture pene tra tion.

Rule 2: Look for low capillarity and shrinkageThese are both properties affec ting the durability of the mortar. High capillarity allows moisture pene tra tion and , if a mortar has poor brea thability (such as cementicious mortars), there will be condensa tion and associa ted problems.The main causes of high capillarity are poor sands and void

struc ture and high quantity of free lime in the binder. Free lime crystallises in the voids, reducing their size and there fore increasing their capillary ac tion.

Poor building de tails and drainage increases the amount of wa ter in touch with the masonry which can be absorbed by capillary ac tion.

High shrinkage is also a source of cracking and it is to be avoided .Shrinkage is caused by:Inadequa te suc tion control of the masonry units. If suc tion is not

controlled by adequa te we t ting or dampening of the masonry, wa ter in the mortar will be sucked into the masonry. The mortar is there fore deprived of the wa ter necessary for hydra tion and the mortar becomes friable as its ma trix has not formed properly.

High free lime content. This is because free lime is very fine and demands more wa ter a t the moment of mixing the mortar. The evapora tion of this wa ter leaves micro cracks in the mortar (shrinkage).

Wrong dosage in the mortar mix . C ommonly occurring when too much binder is used . Over-binding produces a heave e ffec t, causing cracks.Poor mixing of the mortar can cause over-binding in certain

areas and low binding in other with cracks as a result.Poor protec tion from drying wind , direc t sun, driving rain and

frost when the mortar is still fresh will also cause cracking and shrinkage . So will poor curing: mortars, especially lime mortars, need time to cure . So, depending on the wea ther conditions, mortar needs to be dampened for few days in warm wea ther or in the presence of drying wind .

In cold rainy wea ther and when frost is expec ted , fresh mortars have to be covered to prevent damage . This is normally done with hessian shee ting .

Rule 3: Adequate Ca(OH)2 or free lime contentFree lime , high calcium lime , available lime , air lime , hydra ted lime , portlandite , fa t lime and slaked lime are basically all the same and consist of calcium hydroxide - C a(O H)2.

The trade uses all these denomina tions and some times people do not know tha t they all re fer to the same element. They are classified in BS/EN 459 S tandard as CL (calcium limes) and are differentia ted by the percentage of C a(O H)2 content.

Restoration and conservation mortarsBy Ugo Spano, St. Astier Limes Liaison Office



H e r i t a g e

Free lime makes mortars more workable and this is liked by the mason. However, free lime affec ts a number of important properties in mortars such as:Se t ting and hardening time: an early se t and a rela tively quick

hardening are important to be able to build with some speed . Initial se t ting of a hydraulic mortar is within one or two hours; the final se t is within 24 hours. The final se t de termines the moment when the mortar cannot be re-worked .

Hardening takes longer. It is the time tha t the calcium silica tes and other hydraulic components in a mortar take to become insoluble . In the European norms, both properties are taken into considera tion and the de finition of NHL 2, NHL 3.5 and NHL 5 is based on the hardened strength a t 28 days expressed in New ton per mm2.

Free lime is not hydraulic and needs contac t with air to re-absorb C O2 and reconstitute itself to C a C O3 or limestone . This process called carbona tion may take a very long time . Damp environment, rain, and the loca tion of the mortar (exposure to air) contribute to slowing and in some cases even stopping carbona tion. The result is tha t the mortar does not harden.

Free lime will dissolve in wa ter a t a ra tio of 1 to 6 and this is the reason why leaching occurs. Leaching not only is an unwanted visual e ffec t but also deprives the mortar of some of the binder with the result tha t you have a different mortar in the struc ture from the one specified .

Free lime , because of its fineness, increases wa ter demand in the mortar. This is one of the causes of shrinkage , as already discussed .

It also increases capillarity by crystallising in the voids, reducing brea thability.The reduc tion of the void size affec ts also the frost resistance ,

as we will shortly see .High free lime mortars such as 1:1:6 and 1:2:9 mixes or hydra ted

(powder or put ty) lime mortars might not be as suitable as they are supposed to be . C are ful judgement has to be made in

rela tion to their use . This also applies to lime mortars made with hydraulic lime with very high free lime content now being sold in the UK marke t.Rule 4: Resistance to frostThe reduc tion in void size - by free lime crystallisa tion or a poor void struc ture caused by poor sands and the slow carbona tion of free lime - makes the mortar more susceptible to frost damage .

Frost starts always from the surface and goes inward . Frozen wa ter particles in the surface voids push the wa ter in the voids behind further in and so on. If there is a good void struc ture accommoda ting the wa ter movement, this process will not genera te a pressure and the mortar will resist frost. The size of the voids is also important: ice has a volume of 8%

grea ter than wa ter so it will exercise pressure if the voids cannot contain more tha t the wa ter they already contain. This is the case in sa tura ted mortars where the wa ter absorbed during rain be fore frost occurs is occupying all the voids.

Hardened mortars with a good void struc ture will resist frost. S t. Astier NHL Mortars have been successfully used in areas of ex treme cold such as C anada , Alaska , Norway, Finland , Denmark and we t /cold areas as part of Ireland and UK .The basic principle is to avoid sa tura tion of the mortar when still

Stowe School

National Trust Cottage, Guernsey


fresh, so protec tion a t this stage is of ex treme importance .

Rule 5: Resistance to saltsThe same mortar will also resist the outward migra tion of salts contained in the masonry. A macro void struc ture in the mortar will accommoda te the pressure exercised by salts when moving or crystallising .

When struc tures contain salts, it is almost impossible to control them if they become unstable . Their behaviour is linked to the rela tive humidity which is typical to each salt. A lower RH will cause crystallisa tion; a higher RH will cause the salt to go into a solution and migra te .

If the void space is sufficient, these phenomena will not cause a damaging pressure . If crystallisa tion occurs, they stay in the wall and if there is no space in the voids the pressure can be grea t enough to crack the mortar. If they go into solution, they will eventually come out and can be cleaned off the wall.Lime is hygroscopic: it a t trac ts wa ter and by doing so a new lime

mortar used for re-pointing or rendering might a t trac t moisture contained in the struc ture and there fore change the RH of the wall in which the salts are contained , causing their movement. So a high free lime mortar will absorb salts. This is fine if we are using a lime mortar to diminish the salts content in the wall. Once the lime mortar is sa tura ted with salts, it can be removed and the salts with it. It is not so good if we wish to keep the mortar. In this case , a NHL mortar with less free lime and a good void struc ture will obtain the required result.The same type of mortar will not suffer from salts ingress

promoted by ex ternal agents such as is common in marine environments.The re-pointing of the harbour wall in 2000 a t Atlantic C ollege in

Wales is still in perfec t condition 10 years la ter. The mortar is an NHL 5 with very coarse sharp sand (pic tured).

Rule 6: Vapour permeability (breathability) and good sandsA brea thable mortar is essential in the control of condensa tion. No damp; no rot; a much be t ter living environment.

It also helps in consuming less energy in hea ting . If a room is damp, a lot of the hea ting will go in drying out the damp be fore hea ting the room .

Hardened mortars with good brea thability will dry faster than dense mortar. Sa tura tion of the mortar is well reduced and so is the risk of frost damage . S t. Astier NHL mortars if compared to cement /lime mortars have a be t ter brea thability by 200% .The two main fac tors in achieving good brea thability are: A rela tively low free lime content in the binder to avoid too

much crystallisa tion in the mortar voids and the use of well graded sands in the mortar. The choice of good well graded sand is of paramount

importance in obtaining a brea thable mortar.Rule 7: Good setting, elasticity and workabilitySe t ting and hardening de termine the work ra te . They are also rela ted to the mortar dosage , the wa ter addition and the wea ther conditions during execution of the work . Protec tion and curing me thods are direc tly connec ted with se t ting , hardening and curing mortars.There fore , it is important to have a good idea of the se t ting and

hardening properties of mortar to be able to de termine whe ther it will be suitable for the work , wha t particular precautions to use and for how long .

Elasticity de termines the amounts of movement tha t the mortar will take be fore cracking . It is also relevant in calcula ting the positioning of joints. A good elasticity will help in accepting thermal movements.

Workability of a mortar is in many cases le f t to the mason executing the work and , almost invariably, this results in excessive wa ter addition to obtain the “plasticity” tha t masons like . This is wrong as too much (or too lit tle) wa ter can have serious e ffec ts on se t ting time , shrinkage , capillarity and so on.

Informa tion on the correc t wa ter addition should be given to

the mason and supervisors should check tha t the instruc tions are followed .

Rule 8: Suitable compressive and bonding strengthIt is no good to look just a t quick se t ting and hardening . A very hard mortar, especially when made with cement, is not the solution to all requirements.

Quick se t ting and strong hardening have become synonymous with “a good mortar” since the advent of cement but in restora tion and conserva tion, se t ting and hardening should be only part of the evalua tion to be made on the most suitable mortar for the job.

O f course we need se t ting and hardening , especially in adverse clima tic conditions and seasonal work . But this should never be to the exclusion of all other considera tions made up to now such as compa tibility, brea thability, elasticity and so on.

In restora tion and conserva tion, S t. Astier NHL mortars comply with all requirements.They se t and harden faster and stronger than lime put ty or

hydra ted lime without the use of pozzolans ( a “dear” word to many but essentially a poorly known subjec t, open to uncertain results) or cement.

Many producers sta te tha t their produc t contains “pozzolanic” additions. This is in most cases cement. Just ask the question about re-working the mortar within 24 hours. If the answer is no, the mortar most likely has a cement content.

The compa tibility and other properties of NHL mortars ensure tha t performance and durability are achieved without the use of cement. They represent a logical and na tural choice in the restora tion and preserva tion of our built heritage .

Rule 9: Consider the environmentLime mortars re-absorb C O2. S t, Astier NHL mortars will re-absorb be tween 38% and 49% of the C O2 emit ted in produc tion. NHL mortars are also non toxic and , once hardened , they will not increase the wa ter pH .

C ementicious mortars can contain chromium VI (direc tly rela ted to skin allergies) and , depending on the type of cement used , components like pulverised fly ash (PFA), granula ted ground blast furnace slag (G G BS) and others tha t contain a number of dangerous elements such as heavy me tals and many other toxic elements.

NHL mortars will also be easily removed from masonry units, allowing them to be re-cycled .The brea thability of S t. Astier NHL mortars elimina tes

condensa tion and contributes to a be t ter living environment for people with brea thing difficulties (asthma , for example).

Rule 10: Correct working and site practiceG ood ma terials can become useless if the correc t site prac tices are not followed . G ood workmanship and supervision are essential.

If mortars are not dosed or mixed properly, if they are not cured and protec ted correc tly, if they are applied badly, if the applica tion surfaces are not properly prepared , if suc tion is not controlled , if salt movements are not taken into considera tion and so on, the result will be a failure .Architec ts, engineers – specifiers in general – should work

with the contrac tor to ensure tha t he has the necessary comprehension and skills to apply the mortars and follow the necessary site prac tice .

Ii is, however, the responsibility of the mortar manufac turer to give specifiers all the informa tion they require for the evalua tion of the mortar to be adopted . S t. Astier Limes not only provide this informa tion but also, when required , the technical staff ac tively work with the specifier giving technical advice to establish the most appropria te mortar for the proposed intervention.

For more informa tion, clarifica tion or for any query please contac t: [email protected]

Or ugo.spano@btinterne t.com


H e r i t a g e

The Limes, They Are A'ChangingBy David Casey of Traditional Plaster FinishesPart 2 – History Repeats Itself

One of the things that have challenged The Historic Building Company over the years has been the rebuilding of wattle and daub walls and applying a relatively thin coat of lime plaster. I believe we have responded well to this challenge, sampling and adjusting quantities of hair and putty in an attempt to replicate what we find. Although we may not have matched what we have found, we have achieved good results. As it turns out, though, someone else was doing more.

Out in the wilds of East Anglia , in the far away village of Belchamps Walter, (for geographical re ference look for Sudbury, and maybe visit G ainsborough’s house), there lives a company by the name of Anglia Lime . Having collec ted and analysed various samples of plaster da ting from the pre-Vic torian three coa t recipe , they have produced a plaster which they are pleased to call 'Haired Chalk'. It is, as the name suggests, hairy and chalky! It is also the closest modern equivalent of medieval plaster of which I know. I have to say tha t when first I saw it I thought it looked like woodchip (it had not a t tha t point been trowelled in). I also thought tha t the idea of put ting one thick coa t of plaster over wooden la ths was tantamount to professional suicide . The only other one coa t work I had come across a re ference to

had been from Scot tish Lime , and there fore presumably largely for use on stone buildings. When I advanced this opinion to Martin Brown from Anglia Lime , he looked disgusted and claimed tha t he was going to stop working with plasterers. None theless,

prejudices aside , we continued our discussions, and finally the time came tha t I tried the produc t. This is where my own personal time spent on the study of medieval and Vic torian architec ture in particular has come into e ffec t: the more de tailed and informed inspec tions which have been applied to our projec ts, and the very na ture and scope of our changing restora tions, has inclined me towards 'Haired Chalk'.

I have seen work carried out by other people where there have obviously been issues , but these seem to have been linked to the removal of hair from the produc t , the addition of sand to the produc t , or the unwillingness to apply thick coa ts over la ths . It is an immensely flexible plaster, which is an obvious advantage when used on a timber framed building , e asy to apply, and rela tively easy to make good should the need arise .

C ould it be the case , then, tha t a plasterwork pinnacle was a t tained and abandoned be fore the 1800's? C an we blame mad King G eorge for it? Well, as usual I think the answer is both yes and no (although possibly not the King G eorge postula tion). I believe tha t there are projec ts which bene fit immensely from the use of the haired chalk mix ture; also tha t there are projec ts where a three coa t finish is appropria te and a t trac tive . There are also projec ts, such as straw bale work , where haired chalk is wholly inappropria te . However, le t us not forge t nor fail to praise the 'poor rela tion' of the traditional plaster family; clay. This humble resource , readily available , eminently sustainable , and used worldwide for vernacular building deserves to have its praises sung . Nex t month, I will discuss issues and situa tions rela ted to earth as a building ma terial.

De tails of bespoke training opportunities can be found a t www.thehistoricbuildingcompany.co.uk


Understanding Significance: the key to assessing, managing and explaining the historic environment

The Institute for Archaeologists (IFA) annual conference has become established as the premier archaeological conference in the UK, attracting over 400 participants each year. With its combination of keynote addresses, wide-ranging sessions, workshops, displays, poster sessions and other events, it is a vital forum for discussing topical professional issues, as well as providing updates on current research.

This year the conference re turns to Reading – the IfA’s home town, to explore the theme of ‘Understanding Significance’. Over the three days from 13-15 April, delega tes can a t tend a stream of topical lec tures upda ting them on current issues, policy and best prac tice , and new techniques and developments in the profession. All will focus on understanding significance as the key to assessing , managing and explaining the historic environment.

Prac tical training workshops to develop skills and understanding in a range of subjec ts and new techniques will run in parallel over the course of the conference . Both the lec tures and workshops will provide essential C PD opportunities for all prac titioners in the sec tor.

This year’s theme stems from the recent publica tion of Planning Policy S ta tement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment, which places the significance of an asse t a t the heart of policy to

promote and protec t our heritage . Wha t the IfA conference will consider are not only the steps for de termining and recording significance but also how to further understanding among wider audiences in order to maximise public bene fits. Although PPS5 may be incorpora ted into a new overarching

Na tional Planning Policy S ta tement, the government has

The IfA Annual Conference and Training Event 2011 University of Reading, 13 - 15 April 2011



indica ted to the IfA tha t it is working hard to ensure tha t the principles of PPS5 are re tained . It is there fore vital for all those working in the historic and built environments to ge t to grips with developing an understanding of the significance of a heritage asse t.

Indeed , this year’s conference will see the groundbreaking launch of a report by the Southport Group (a working group of historic environment professionals, partnered by English Heritage) tha t will outline recommenda tions for a framework of guidance and other produc ts tha t could help to realise the aspira tions of PPS5.

Who should attend?This event provides an excellent C PD opportunity for anyone opera ting within the historic environment. The sessions and workshops are relevant to prac titioners a t all career stages from entry level professionals wishing to learn essential skills and develop their knowledge of up-to-da te policy and prac tice to those who already have a successful career and are looking to upda te their knowledge and enhance their skills. Those with a keen interest in the historic environment who want to hear about the la test discoveries and partnership working be tween the profession and the voluntary sec tor would also find the C onference bene ficial.

Sessions and workshops will include:• C PD logs, PDPs and training plans - Ka te G eary, Institute

for Archaeologists and Kenne th Aitchison, Landward Research Ltd

• Charac terisa tion - where nex t? - Emma Hancox and Adam Mindykowski, Worcestershire C ounty C ouncil

• Southport Group: towards a revitalisa tion of professional prac tice - Taryn Nixon, Museum of London Archaeology and Chair of the Southport Group

• Assessing the significance of iron objec ts and produc tion remains - Evelyne G od frey

• The planning jigsaw: how does it all fit toge ther? - Tim Howard , Institute for Archaeologists

• Understanding and protec tion: the applica tion of significance in the Historic Environment and the Na tional Heritage Protec tion Plan - Paul S tamper, Edmund Lee and Charlot te Winter, English Heritage

• Assessing significance underwa ter: just piles of old

rocks, geophysical anomalies and shif ting sands? - Paul Sharman, Orkney Research C entre for Archaeology and C aroline Wickham-Jones, University of Aberdeen

• Essential writing skills for archaeologists - Alison Taylor, Institute for Archaeologists

• Self employment and business start-ups - Tariq Mian, Towerga te Risk Solutions

• Aren’t we all in this toge ther? The importance of partnership working - Susan C asey, R CAHMS and Je ff Sanders, Socie ty of Antiquaries of Scotland

• Assessing significance for planning applica tions: preparing PPS5 - compliant reports for local authorities - Duncan Mc C allum , English Heritage and Sandy Kidd , Buckinghamshire C ounty C ouncil

• New research possibilities for old finds - Andrew Jones, IfA Finds Group and Ian Panter, Principal C onserva tor, York Archaeological Trust

• Training: promoting best prac tice - Archaeology Training Forum

• Widening the audience for community archaeology: the significance of PPS5 - Austin Ainsworth

• Highlights in British archaeology - David Jennings, Ox ford Archaeology

• Visualisa tion in archaeology - G arry Gibbons

How to bookFor further informa tion about how to book , de tails about the sessions and workshops, and a de tailed time table for the event can be found a t the IfA website a t www.archaeologists.ne t /conferences.

Discounts on bookings apply until 21 March 2011.


H e r i t a g e

Stuart Johnston of Masons Mortar shares his winter tipsWith the experience of two bit terly cold and prolonged winter

seasons still fresh in our minds, the importance of prepara tion, appropria te ma terial selec tion and good site prac tice both in applica tion and af ter-care is paramount. In the majority of cases, best conserva tion prac tice suggests tha t the lime season is from April to September; the reality, however, is somewha t different.

C onserva tion is not all about grant-aided or listed consent projec ts, grea t houses and castles or na tionally important buildings. It is also about the vernacular cot tages, the artisan dwellings and the vast array of traditional solid-wall masonry buildings tha t account for 35% of all the building stock in the UK . The UK has the largest proportion of building stock pre-da ting 1900 of any developed western economy and construc tion accounts for 10% of our G DP.

Funding for conserva tion work is of ten grant aided , but in reality it accounts for a small percentage of the overall marke t for conserva tion, restora tion and repair. The real marke t – the volume marke t – is every bit as important. It is in respec t of this marke t tha t winter working is not only a reality but a requirement. It is simply not possible for contrac tors to down tools from O c tober through to March each year and it is also not necessary.Were you aware tha t the incidence of air frosts begins in

O c tober and continues through to April? Tha t ’s 7 months out of 12 in which there is a risk of facing a night of freezing conditions. So, unless you are prepared to consider a 5 month working year, winter working is the reality in the UK .

So we have established tha t freezing conditions are a risk on a day to day basis for a large proportion of the working year, ye t the risk of frost or freeze thaw damage for a lime mortar, pointing , render or repair starts far earlier.

Curing of slow se t ting and hardening lime mortar is essential if they are to achieve any thing like their expec ted performance charac teristics. ‘Performance charac teristics’ does not sound much like conserva tion speak , however it is about time tha t the performance of ma terials was trea ted more seriously. Ultima tely, anyone charging someone for repairing their building or for specifying repair ma terials for a projec t has an obliga tion to do so in a professional manner, and if you don’t know the performance charac teristics of the ma terials you are working with, you should not be selling yourself in the marke tplace as a professional.Last year, the cost of winter working or lack of it meant, a t

the very least, a total of almost three months of down time for contrac tors who did not have alterna tive work indoors or who had not planned adequa tely for the onse t of winter.

ScaffoldingThe starting point for e ffec tive winter working is scaffolding , it must be fit for purpose: not put up by the scaffold contrac tor without direc tion, but erec ted so tha t the scaffolding is suitable for your requirements and , as we already know, tha t means for winter working . Just as you would make provision for wearing a rain coa t or thick jacke t if the wea ther were bad , you should plan

the scaffold so you can slip a coa t or ha t over it if you need to. Remember, if some thing is not we t it cannot freeze .

Take advantage of the low winter sun!Wha t is the difference be tween ground frost and air frost? When the land hea ts up, it cools more slowly than the air, so when it ’s freezing in the air it may not ge t to the ground because the ground has a reservoir of hea t. The same thing happens to a wall. If it is hea ted up and there is hea ting on inside , a decent insula ted cover can do wonders by saving borrowed hea t.

Don’t underestima te the thermal gain on a wall in full winter sun. Instead , use it to your advantage . Low winter sun can make a wall 30°C warmer tha t the air tempera ture . The sun can hea t the surface of a wall up rapidly; an ambient air tempera ture of –5°C is far too cold to work with any mortar, but the wall surface as a result of thermal gain may reach 25°C – the same difference as tha t be tween an air frost and a ground frost.

Cover upMake sure your sand is properly covered . Use warm wa ter in a mix or, be t ter still, use a small fan hea ter on the sand pile to warm it up and you could easily have a mortar tempera ture of 15 – 20°C . Work logically, top down, and cover work as you proceed . Be prepared to provide low level background hea ting in the scaffold enclosure and you will be far less likely to lose working time or any of the mortar. It ’s a fac t tha t cities are on average 4°C warmer than rural areas. Domestic hea ting in a solid wall house keeps the wall tempera ture higher. The colder it is outside , usually the higher the hea ting is turned up inside . Try taking the wall tempera ture . And background hea ting? You don’t need living room tempera tures, just 3-5°C .

Air entrainment, wa ter re tainer and wa ter proofers all reduce frost damage risk . Wa ter expands by 9% when it freezes. If the fresh mortar has 15% air content, the freezing wa ter will have space to expand into. Wa ter re tainers keep the air bubbles in place until the mortar se ts, limiting the amount of wa ter a mortar can absorb. If it ’s not we t, it can’t freeze!

Expert solutionsMasons Mortar Ltd provide a wide range of pre-mixed , dry, bagged lime mortars with additions tha t enhance mortar performance , especially for winter working . Our mortar additions are proportioned with grea t accuracy: to within 100th of a gram in a bag of mortar. They have been tried and tested over many years and , used in conjunc tion with good working prac tice , have resulted in many of our customers working virtually without a day’s down-time and without having to go back and do work again. Our mortars can be delivered UK-wide and keep you and your business working all year round .

We can support you every step of the way, from a simple technical question over the phone right through to site based consultancy and technical specifica tion. We offer a dedica ted technical service via e-mail a t [email protected]

Winter working with lime mortars: yes we can!



N o r t h W e s t

Big build up to major new theme park at Pleasure Beach, BlackpoolOne of the UK’s most exciting amusement park developments ever is underway at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, one of the UK’s favorite tourist attractions.

In the biggest single projec t ever carried out a t the Pleasure Beach, a six acre area to become a Nickelodeon Land themed a t trac tion is being developed and will be American- based Nickelodeon brand’s first foray into the UK in partnership with Pleasure Beach Blackpool.

In addition to 14 family rides and a t trac tions, a Nickelodeon store , fun game stalls, and a huge new restaurant, Nickelodeon Land will be home to a whole host of famous Nickelodeon charac ters.

Numerous contrac tors are now busy preparing the site for the new a t trac tions. The development is being carried out on the former Beaver Creek children’s amusement park area . The site was initially cleared and levelled , with the works being carried out by JR Demolition and involving significant demolition of former buildings including the Magic Mountain, the Dark Ride , Old Mary’s House , the C andy Floss House amusement arcade and a cafe . C anopy covers which were part of the former Fairy Whip have also been demolished , as has the Lunar C arousel, and the ground floor of the Space invader C afe has been stripped out. One ride , however has been re tained - the park’s famous Zipper Dipper - the only traditional roller coaster in the world , which we be re-themed in line with the new brand .

Currently, three lakes are being construc ted for three new wa ter a t trac tions and the founda tions and services are being installed for all the other new rides. In addition, Arc C onstruc tion are fit ting out the ground floor of the former Space Invader C afe as a new Big Piz za Kitchen with room for 300 diners, along with two outdoor terraces making it one of Blackpool’s biggest restaurants.

O ther works include the construc tion of a stage to host performances by all the Nickelodeon charac ters; the construc tion of a new shop which will sell Nickelodeon merchandise and the laying of pa t terned paving in the areas be tween the new rides.


New wa ter rides being crea ted include Sponge Bob’s Splash Bash; a new twirling ride which will be the worlds first of its type sea ting 54 riders; The Rugra ts Lost River flume ride; and Dora’s World Voyage boa t ride including a French harbour, a Russian palace , a Tanzanian village and even the Grea t Wall of China .

O ther rides include the The Ava tar Airbender, which spins and soars through the air on a giant rota ting disk sea ting 40 riders along a giant curved track; the Nickelodeon S treak , classic wooden rollercoaster incorpora ting 60 f t drops which will streak along the perime ter of Nickelodeon Land; Diego’s Rainforest Rescue , a revolving hot air balloon ride; the Fairy World Taxi Spin circuit ride; the Crusty Crab bouncing ride and the Backyardigans Pira te Treasure track ride .Amanda Thompson, managing direc tor of Pleasure Beach,

Blackpool, said , “ We are delighted to welcome Nickelodeon to Pleasure Beach. Both of our brands represent fantastic family fun and our £10.3 million investment in Nickelodeon Land will combine Pleasure Beach’s reputa tion for amazing rides and a t trac tions with Nickelodeon’s favourite fun charac ters to produce a wonderful a t trac tion, which will wow visitors to the park”.Tina Mc C ann, managing direc tor of Nickelodeon UK , says,

“ We’re delighted to be taking Nickelodeon and its much loved charac ters to Pleasure Beach Blackpool, one of the UK’s favourite tourist a t trac tions and a real na tional treasure! Both Pleasure Beach and Nick have fantastic track records in delivering the very best entertainment experiences for all the family. Nickelodeon Land is an ex tremely exciting step for us”.

The works are progressing well despite adverse wea ther and the projec t is scheduled to be comple ted in April 2011.

The new a t trac tion will join Nickelodeon Universe in Minneapolis’ Mall of America; Nick C entral a t Dreamworld Australia; and Nickland a t Movie Park G ermany, toge ther with the Nickelodeon a t trac tions a t the Universal S tudios theme parks in Orlando, Florida and Hollywood , C alifornia .


N o r t h W e s t

A wave of projects designed to bring Blackpool up to date and restore its status as Britain’s favourite seaside resort is under way. Investment in the Lancashire town follows the establishment of the Fylde Coast Multi-Area Agreement in October 2009.

C ouncillor Russell Forsy th, leader of Wyre Borough C ouncil, said , “ We have recognised tha t we can work smarter toge ther and as partners can punch above our weight to convince central government tha t certain schemes are required for a more viable Fylde C oast ”.

Tram worksIn line with commitments to improving transport, current works in Blackpool include a brand new tram depot a t S tarr G a te and an upgrade to existing lines, being carried out by Volker Fitzpa trick and BAM respec tively.

“The resort has had a love affair with trams since 1885 and this will enable us to move forward into the 21st century with an ultra modern flee t ” said councillor Maxine C allow, Blackpool C ouncil’s cabine t member for tourism and regenera tion.The S tarr G a te site was chosen because of its proximity to the

existing track and because all the land is already owned by the council.Architec ts have designed the depot with a glass frontage

and wave-e ffec t roof and walls with the la t ter to include an illumina ted fea ture . Facilities will include maintenance pits and space to store 20 trams overnight, although only 16 of the new models will be part of initial procurement.

Paul Grocot t, programme manager for the tramway upgrade , said , “S tarr G a te is a t one of the entrances to the town and if we design a building tha t looks like it belongs to a 21st century tramway, then I think it will really celebra te the tramway and people will see wha t they are ge t ting for their money”.

He added , “The new trams will be comple tely different to the old ones: they are wider and will be maintained in a different way. As we are going to keep heritage trams, we need to keep the equipment for maintaining them so we can’t demolish the old depot ”.

Coastal defence worksMain contrac tor Birse is responsible for the ongoing works to strengthen de fences along the region’s coast. Recent works around Blackpool’s North Pier tie in not only with similar coastal de fence projec ts a t Cleveleys and Wyre , but also with plans to open up Blackpool’s narrow sea front to make room for leisure and events.

Other worksElsewhere in Blackpool, a new cut ting-edge , low carbon emission building , with panoramic views of the beach and sea , is being built under the supervision of Re Blackpool. The landmark facility will be used from early 2011 as a Las Vegas-style wedding venue and will also be home to a beach café and

a tourist informa tion centre .Loca ted on the Tower Festival Headland , a £14.3 million

development close to North Pier, the building will provide a focal point for visitors, alongside neighbouring public artworks and entertainment spaces.

Doug G arre t t, chie f executive of Re Blackpool, said , “Many marriages will have started with a holiday romance in Blackpool so we’re continuing tha t tradition in a very modern se t ting . The innova tive building design will be a stunning addition to the landscape and construc tion has been planned to reduce carbon emissions, so we’re bringing more fun to Blackpool responsibly”.

Designed by dRMM Architec ts, the building uses cross lamina ted timber as a durable , high strength alterna tive to steel. With many of the timber elements being pre fabrica ted , it has been possible for joiners to assemble the core of the building within a short space of time .

Fylde Coast Multi-Area Agreement kick starts Blackpool regeneration


Strengthening communities, transforming livesResidents on two formerly run down estates in Huyton are enjoying a new lease of life in brand new homes - thanks to two housing regeneration schemes carried out by Knowsley Housing Trust (KHT).

Residents a t Moss Green Close (formerly known as Huy ton Close) in Huy ton had some thing to celebra te af ter their lives were transformed following the construc tion of 25 new, safe and energy e fficient homes in a projec t by Cruden C onstruc tion. The layout of the development comprises a cul de sac with two

wings - one of which is comple tely surrounded with houses, while the other is open ended to facilita te a future second phase of development.

Cruden C onstruc tion earned praise for their performance on the scheme from Angela Edwards of Knowsley Housing Trust, who said , “ Cruden C onstruc tion were grea t, they worked well with us, especially with regard to resident liaison, dealing promptly with any problems. They also employed four local people as apprentices and comple ted the projec t with cost savings”.Another £3.4 million projec t a t The G a te , on Princess Drive in

the Finch House esta te , involves the construc tion of 25 new eco-friendly homes, fully equipped with fea tures such as solar panels and rain wa ter harvesting , with all of the properties mee ting the C ode Level 3 for Sustainable Homes.The new properties, being construc ted on a brown field site

by Keepmoa t Homes, are a mix of four bedroom de tached and semi de tached houses, three and two bedroom houses and

bungalows. The homes are for residents living within the North Huy ton area whose homes are scheduled for demolition.

The phased handover of the properties commenced in September this year and will continue until February 2011. “Keepmoa t are working hard to ensure the new homes are handed over as quickly as possible ,” said Angela Edwards, adding “There should be a lot of happy tenants this year.”


Described as having “done an excellent job, completed on time and on budget”, Bailey Developments recently completed a project to construct a new extension and refurbish existing facilities at Roefield Leisure C entre in Edisford, Clitheroe, Lancashire.

The projec t required a wide range of skills and trades in order to comple te the works to the required standard , whilst also allowing the leisure centre to remain fully opera tional for all but one week of the contrac t . Architec ts for the scheme were Sunderland & Peacock .

“The main contrac tors did an excellent job, comple ted on time and on budge t ” said Philip C ot tier of Sunderland & Peacock .The new two-storey 13m x 13m ex tension houses a new

reception and coffee area on the ground floor and a dance and aerobics suite , which will also be used for children’s parties and other events, on the upper floor.The ex tension is struc tured around a steel frame with ex ternal

eleva tions in coloured composite panelling incorpora ting a curtain gla zed front facade and a me tal roof.The other element of the projec t included the re furbishment of

the centre’s changing room area , including the re furbishment of the male and female changing rooms, the installa tion of new fix tures and fit tings and the addition of a relaxa tion area with sauna , steam room and a ‘dream’ shower.

O ther works included the installa tion of a new hea t recovery system to assist in controlling the centre’s carbon footprint. Ex ternal works included the installa tion of a new accessible entrance ramp and paving . The projec t was comple ted in December 2010.Roe field Leisure C entre opened its doors in 1992, following 12

years of fund-raising by the local community.“In those days, I was trading badminton court time for

tradesmen’s time”, says Tony Rodia , Roe field’s general manager. “ We’ve come a long way, from three staff when we opened to the 35 tha t are currently on our payroll”.

Tony’s vision for the development of the leisure centre was first considered in 1997, but the plans were thwarted by difficulty in accessing any funding to help move the proposed changes forward .

By now, membership was nearing full capacity and with increased costs, expansion seemed the only way to grow the business and continue to provide sta te-of-the-art facilities a t affordable prices for members and visitors. The work has been undertaken af ter money was made available

by Sport England and the North West Development Agency, as well as an interest free loan from a local bene fac tor and a loan from a charity bank .

“ We still stay true to our original promise: the centre is provided for the good of the community and , first and foremost, belongs to them .

“All proceeds from memberships and visitors are ploughed back in, so our customers see the immedia te bene fit. There’s no-one creaming off any of the profit ”, Tony added .

The centre has long been a beacon in how a sports facility should be managed and now visitors have the added bonus of enjoying sta te-of-the-art equipment and surroundings.

“In this business it is crucial to keep up with trends and give our customers wha t they want ”, explains Tony.

“It is also important to be in tune with na tional agendas and a t the moment everyone is talking about obesity and funding cuts in school which may lead to less PE . As a result, we have introduced the dedica ted area for teens and schools and for people who may not have the confidence to use the main gym . Introducing popular new sessions like interac tive elec tronic dance ma t classes has also been vital to Roe field’s ongoing success.

“ We would like to thank Ribble Valley Borough C ouncil for their support throughout this process, without which the scheme would never have come to fruition”.

“An excellent job” provides big boost for leisure centre



N o r t h W e s t

Remarkable progress is being made on D ONG Energy’s Walney Offshore Wind Farm in Cumbria. During the years 2010 to 2011, Walney (UK) Offshore Wind Farms Ltd. plans to complete phase I and II of the Walney Offshore Wind Farm, located approximately 15km off Walney Island, Cumbria, in the East Irish Sea. The projec t is being construc ted in two phases. Each consists

of 51 turbines with a total capacity of 367.2MW. The development includes founda tions, turbines, export and array cables, offshore substa tions and onshore connec tion to the power grid .

The latest on siteTowards the end of 2010, the 51 turbines comprising Walney 1 were comple ted . Wea ther conditions have been average for the area , a situa tion which has been planned for and which, from time to time , results in delays.

All offshore opera tions are fully dependant on the wea ther conditions and require thorough planning in order to utilise the wea ther windows suitable for installa tion ac tivities. Wind and waves de termine the progress in the installa tion. For wind turbine installa tion, the opera tional crane limit is typically a wind speed of 10 m/s, however, only about 8 m/s can be tolera ted during installa tion of the blades.

Under average wea ther conditions, the installa tion vessel Kraken is able to install two turbines every week , maintaining a six to seven days’ installa tion cycle for the two turbine se ts

Walney wind workers forge ahead


it can transport on each tour from the base a t Mostyn. Based on the average wea ther conditions in the area , the expec ta tions are tha t the installa tion sequence will be affec ted throughout the winter period , some times reducing the installa tion process to one turbine a week .

D O N G site manager Lars Alber told Premier C onstruc tion, “The first phase of the works went well and we are looking forward to comple ting the second phase with the same success”.

Onshore cabling and substation construction for Walney 2 The Walney 2 onshore cabling work and substa tion construc tion have begun a t Cleveleys and will proceed for the coming months with expec ted energisa tion of the onshore substa tion on 1 August 2011. Installa tion of the duc ting has started a t four places on the cable route . In spring 2011, a cable barge will dock offshore a t Cleveleys to lay the power connec tion or ‘export cable’ which joins Walney 2 to land . It will be laid in one piece underwa ter by a plough a t tached to the barge which places the cable approxima tely 2m deep into the seabed .

Boreholes are being excava ted a t important loca tions like the sea de fence wall and the other loca tions where the duc ts will be installed by HDD drilling ra ther than open-cut excava tion. C onstruc tion of the onshore substa tion is ongoing .Overall, Walney 2 will follow an almost identical programme

to the first phase . However, the installa tion process will be more intense . The first signs of the installa tion will appear as of February 2011, when the first filter stones will be placed on the 51 turbine positions.

SAL Heavy LiftBe tween March and June 2010, SAL’s MV “Anne t te” performed 11 consecutive voyages from Rostock to Barrow. The vessel transported 51 monopiles weighing be tween 480 mtons and 550 mt tons with dimensions of up to 55m x 6m . With a top speed of 20 knots, the vessel was able to perform the round trip be tween G ermany and UK within 10 days. SAL has been involved in the transportation of turbines (blades,

towers, nacelles) primarily to Asia for many years. The advantages of the SAL fleet are their low draft, their large intake capacity, and their flexibility to call at remote ports around the world.

The la test of SAL’s two new units are equipped with a dynamic positioning system , further accommoda ting the needs of the offshore wind industry. SAL is also planning to become involved in the offshore installa tion of transition pieces.

Founded in 1980, the firm is based near Hamburg with outposts worldwide . SAL is the exclusive agent for a flee t of 15 modern

heavy lif t vessels. With its la test units, SAL offers the largest heavy lif t vessels currently in the marke t. Both have 2 x 1000t SWL cranes tha t are combinable to 2000t SWL .

“ We are expec ting further grow th in the offshore energy sec tor”, says SAL managing direc tor and co-owner Lars Rolner. “ Our modern flee t of high capacity heavy lif t vessels puts us in an ideal place to respond to this re-emerging demand . With the ‘Svenja’, we now have the world’s largest heavy lif t ship, with a lif ting capacity of 2,000 tonnes and a speed of 20 knots”.


N o r t h W e s t

The countdown is over: almost a hundred years after the initial plans were drawn up, the £52 million Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley bypass is now open to traffic. The three-mile route (4.8km), which was built within 22 months, is designed to take about 26,000 vehicles a day away from Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley. Highways officials have said it will also bring improvements in road safety, traffic delays and pollution.

The bypass runs to the west of Alderley Edge , starting a t Harden Park roundabout and rejoining the existing A34 to the south of Ne ther Alderley. It was scheduled to open in summer 2011 but was comple ted well-ahead of schedule in mid-November 2010 by main contrac tor Birse Civils.

Chancellor and Ta t ton MP G eorge Osborne said upon unveiling the new road , “This has been a long time coming . There were days when I thought it would never happen so I am relieved it is ac tually here .

“It is going to help local residents and I hope it will help the village ge t a new lease of life . This is one of the most affluent villages in the area but it has been cut in half by the road which carries 26,000 vehicles a day.

“It is also going to help all the commuters who travel in and out of Manchester, as well as Astra Zeneca who employ thousands and are one of the most important businesses in the North West.

“It is a really impressive projec t and a result for local residents who have campaigned here since the 1920s. In recent years, the campaigning intensified and the whole community got behind it. My predecessor [as Ta t ton MP], Martin Bell, campaigned very hard for the bypass and it really helped tha t the whole community wanted to see it happen. I remember a mee ting a t the local primary school where 1000 people turned up to campaign for it.

“It is pre t ty remarkable tha t the road has come ahead of time . This is a tribute to the people who built it. It is also quite environmentally friendly. The road is sunk to minimise the visual impac t and keep this part of the Cheshire countryside looking grea t ”.

Cheshire East C ouncillor Jamie Macrae said a t the unveiling ceremony, “ Given tha t the projec t was first mooted in the 1920s, local residents have been waiting for an ex tremely long time and I am delighted to see their pa tience finally being rewarded . When [Cheshire East] council came into being , we identified

the bypass as a priority as part of our commitment to grow and develop a sustainable Cheshire East, building upon the excellent prepara tion carried out by our predecessor authority, Cheshire C ounty C ouncil”.

Wait finally over as new bypass opens in Cheshire


A major £19.4 million regeneration project is transforming the former Bickershaw Colliery site in Leigh and bringing new development opportunity to the area, in a project being carried out by Birse Civils.

The projec t is being undertaken for the Homes and C ommunities Agency (H CA). The North West Development Agency (NWDA), as land owner of Bickershaw South, has invested funding for the projec t on behalf of the H CA . The NWDA agreed a package of infrastruc ture works totalling almost £12 million with Birse , af ter the company comple ted the prepara tory site clearance works.

The colliery, which closed in 1992 is now part of the H CA’s Na tional C oalfields Programme – a major regenera tion programme designed to brea the new life into derelic t coalfield communities across England .The works package being undertaken by Birse involves the

reclama tion of derelic t land within the site , diversion of the existing Plank Lane , provision of site road infrastruc ture , and construc tion of a 40 berth marina on the Leeds – Liverpool C anal. The 300m route of Plank Lane – around the western side of Pennington Flash be tween Slag Lane in Low ton and Firs Lane in Leigh – is being realigned and new modern lighting is being installed .

The reclama tion and new infrastruc ture works involved in the current first phase known as Bickershaw South, are ahead of programme and due for comple tion in summer this year. They will provide the new roads and wa ter area for the 40 berth marina and housing to be construc ted in a la ter phase .Af ter recently visiting the site , Leigh MP Andy Burham said ,

“I have always seen this development as a crucial step in the ongoing regenera tion of the Leigh area . We’ve waited for this moment a long time and it ’s a real confidence boost for Leigh coming a t exac tly the right time”.The nex t stage of the projec t will involve the marke ting of the

remedia ted site to the priva te development industry, which will have the opportunity to construc t up to 650 homes and 2,750 sq m of employment space a t the 56-acre (18 hec tares) site .

It is hoped tha t future funding will be secured to progress la ter phases of the development to include the crea tion of a country park , 18-hole golf course , driving range and an outdoor ac tivity centre a t Bickershaw North, known as The Rushes.The Homes and C ommunities Agency (H C A) is the single ,

na tional housing and regenera tion agency for England . Their role is to crea te opportunity for people to live in high quality, sustainable places. They provide funding for affordable housing , bring land back into produc tive use and improve quality of life by raising standards for the physical and social environment.

Wigan C ouncil, in partnership with the C oalfields Regenera tion Trust and the H CA , has also addressed social regenera tion needs alongside the physical regenera tion of the former mining community by providing funding towards a three-year Family Employment and Training Initia tive (FEI). The aim of this is to address unemployment by engaging members of the local community to help them develop skills tha t are in demand for both projec ts, thereby crea ting employment opportunities. The H CA’s Na tional C oalfields Programme (N C P) is a £386.5m

(ne t) regenera tion programme se t up to brea the new life into coalfield communities across England , following the widespread pit closures of the 1980s and 1990s. Working in partnership with regional development agencies, local authorities, the C oalfields Regenera tion Trust, the Alliance (formerly the C oalfields C ommunities C ampaign), the priva te sec tor and a range of other stakeholders, the N C P provides investment in former colliery sites across England for the crea tion of new employment, homes, leisure facilities and public space . The programme now encompasses 107 sites from an original 57 identified in 1996.

Project creates a mine of new opportunity


N o r t h W e s t

James Hall & Company Ltd has given suppliers a first glimpse of its new £66m Bowland View depot which is due to become fully operational in mid February.

In welcoming the guests to the first supplier mee ting a t James Hall for ten years, chairman Ian Hall said tha t, af ter 46 years a t their current Blackpool Road site in Preston, the company was beginning a new chapter in its 147 year history with the move to the 45 acre site which is four times the size of the current depot and is loca ted just off junc tion 31a on the M6 motorway. The James Mercer Group Ltd , a long established mechanical

building services contrac tor based in Preston, was responsible for the mechanical and elec trical installa tion. The overall contrac t value was in excess of £8 million and included fire protec tion and C HP installa tions. A partnering arrangement was entered into with Chris Bowker Ltd , who carried out the elec trical installa tion alongside main contrac tor Bowmer & Kirkland .

Managing direc tor Andrew Hall said , “ We have built Bowland View for the future and to ensure another fif ty years of support for the independent re tailers tha t we service and for James Hall & C o Ltd . The design of the new distribution depot has ensured a truly multi-func tional site capable of handling all types of goods and fresh food manufac turing and a t the same time is a sta tement of our commitment to SPAR and the independent re tail sec tor.

“ Our present site in Ribble ton was designed as a mill a t the beginning of the 1900’s, and despite a programme of almost constant development since we acquired the site in 1966, it has become clear tha t the existing premises are past their sell by da te . We have to move to gain maximum e fficiencies and continue to provide the distribution service expec ted of independent re tailers in the UK’s foremost convenience group. It means we will be able to continue to supply the increasing number of company and independently owned SPAR stores with all the services required in today's fast-moving marke t ”.John Powell, corpora te direc tor of Barclays Northern Region

was quoted as saying , “ Barclays is very pleased to be able to support this landmark development by James Hall. It is an essential step forward as they seek to grow the business and their support for the many SPAR stores within the North of England . The convenience sec tor is se t to grow more than the main grocery sec tor marke t over the nex t four years a t 5.8 percent per annum so this is also a very timely move by Hall’s”.

The scale of the building is impressive , encompassing 35,000 sq me tres of warehousing and it includes many energy e fficient elements.

Some of the statistics include:44 loading bays all fit ted with automa tic dock levelers and traffic light systems for improving safe ty during loading . Where applicable , there is a curtain system which ex tends to cover the doors when open, thus allowing the tempera ture to be re tained and helping the company’s carbon footprint.

Frozen produc ts will be stored in a huge freezer accommoda ting be tween 500-1000 produc t picking positions and room for 2,000 palle ts of bulk storageThe produc tion department has been designed to accommoda te

significant expansion of the company’s manufac turing and packing business and will allow for the transfer of the off-site sandwich fac tory to the new depot

The significance of fresh chilled foods within the independent sec tor has long been acknowledged by James Hall & C o. and is growing consistently year on year. Currently average sales per week exceed 450,000 packs and are on targe t for half a million once the new depot is up and running .

It is there fore not surprising tha t much emphasis has been placed on this area a t Bowland View. The chilled area can stock 900 chilled lines in an area with a height of 8.5 me tres allowing re frigera tion fans to be placed high into the ceiling to ensure the optimum storage conditions and also crea ting a be t ter working environment for assembly staff. There is room for 2,400 full palle ts to be stored and there will be 600 full palle t picking loca tions.

In addition to this, the fresh food department also houses a milk packing area and a fruit and veg packing area where large

Suppliers give thumbs up to James Hall & Co’s new £66m depot



N o r t h W e s t

cases can be broken down into smaller case sizes to ensure tha t stores can order lit tle and of ten and give their customers maximum freshness.Re tail direc tor Pe ter

Dodding told guests tha t the investment was undertaken to protec t and develop the re tail business and grow the SPAR Northern Guild which now comprises almost 500 stores

including a successful independent re tailer base of single store and multi-site re tailers’ and a robust company – owned stores division. This sits alongside the many new initia tives tha t the company has introduced such as Fit for Fresh which has seen the launch of daily deliveries, the introduc tion of James Hall own label sandwiches and meal deals.

Trading direc tor Andrew Barnes said tha t a t the last supplier base mee ting ten years ago, wholesale sales had been £212m and this figure is now £323m .

He said , “No ma t ter wha t anyone says price does ma t ter and James Hall has acknowledged this with our heavy investment in the Everyday Value scheme which ensures tha t hundreds of prices in our stores are benchmarked against compe titors. SPAR Rewards has also given reba tes of £1.4 m this year to those stores which support an agreed range . Focus and investment in the C entralised S tore Replenishment system is also on-going and every range and ca tegory is regularly reviewed”.

He urged those present to take a fresh look a t James Hall & C o and become more proac tive in their dealings with a company tha t is supplying a one-stop solution for re tailers and providing a secure route to marke t for supplier brands.

Suppliers present provided a very encouraging response to the new depot. Simon Whit taker of C ot t Beverages summed up the general feeling , saying , “James Hall has been one of the grea t success stories of SPAR . This is grea t news tha t they are continuing to move the business forward and a very positive move . Our la test figures from James Hall are fabulous. Since the relaunch of SPAR brand and the introduc tion of price marked packs, sales of our produc ts with the company have risen by 13% year on year and tha t in wha t is a fla t ca tegory”.

Ian C arlyle of Mc C ain Foods added , “It is grea t to see the launch of a new distribution depot of such an impressive size and design”.Andrew Hall finished the presenta tion with a clear sta tement of

intent assuring the audience tha t, along with a strong 147 year heritage , the C ompany is clear about its vision for the future and intends to be a successful family run business for the nex t 50 years and beyond .


Every home owned by Southway Housing Trust, a South Manchester housing association which owns 5,900 homes has benefitted from at least one Decent Homes improvement in the first two years of their Home Improvement Programme. With £76 million spent so far out of a planned total of £114 million, the scheme is now moving towards the end of the third of its predicted five-years and brings vital improvements to family homes and flats built as far back as the 1920s.

Wha t ’s more , all residents in Southway’s homes, which are distributed across Burnage , Chorlton, Didsbury, Withington and Old Moa t, have been promised new kitchens and ba throoms under the scheme if theirs have not been improved be tween 2001 and the scheme’s initia tion in 2007. So far, 8200 improvements have been comple ted as internal

and ex ternal work is carried out separa tely by partner contrac tors Kine tics, Manchester Working , Bramall and Wa tes Living Space , the la t ter of which has recently begun a programme of ex ternal insula tion covering 830 properties.

By summer 2011, all tenants who wanted internal improvements will have had the work comple ted . In summer 2011 Southway will offer those tenants who have re fused internal work for a varie ty of reasons another opportunity to agree to have the work done by addressing the concerns they had previously.

8200 improvements: Southway’s Decent Homes Scheme continues to impress

A happy family celebrates a new-look home


N o r t h W e s t

Current worksWork is continuing on the £15m ex ternal insula tion projec t to the non-traditional properties already started in Old Moa t and commencing a t Burnage in March 2011 with all work to be comple te by June 2012.

Work is planned on the fla ts a t Arrow field Road to improve the security and environment by replacing staircases and enclosing balconies. Elsewhere , the majority of homes covered are low-rise and typically suit families of up to five .

Ex ternal work is also programmed for Ainsford Road and Minehead Avenue replacing windows and doors and roofs as required .

Customer satisfaction In line with other organisa tions commit ted to major improvements

af ter a stock transfer, Southway has been carrying out customer surveys to gauge tenants’ sa tisfac tion with the work carried out by contrac tors. The la test results, for the month of December, are 95.55% sa tisfac tion for internal works (exceeding the targe t of 94%) and a whopping 98.97% sa tisfac tion for ex ternal works (exceeding a targe t of 96%). John McKenna , head of asse t management a t Southway, told Premier C onstruc tion, “Even despite unforeseen delays we have suffered with bad wea ther, we are pleased with the smooth running of the projec ts and the value for money we are ge t ting from our framework contrac tors”.

John continued , “ We have been organising works so tha t each home is improved in separa te stages. Tha t minimises the overall disruption and avoids, in the majority of cases, having to implement large decanting programmes. In the small number of cases in which residents have had to move out for short periods due to medical conditions, we have a full system in place to accommoda te them”.Southway have achieved success in local labour and community

bene fits initia tives by working with our partner contrac tors. Fif ty seven trainees have been supported with 90% re tention and of these thirty have already achieved NVQ Level 2 of 3.

The partner contrac tors have also commit ted to a range of community bene fits, giving 1300 free hours of labour and £99,000 of cash bene fits.£10 million worth of environmental improvements are being

carried out in addition to the home improvement programme to make Southway esta tes brighter and safer. C onsultants Groundwork are working with the associa tion, consulting on the proposals and designs. Toge ther with other landscape designers being appointed , Southway will work with local people on de tails about how and where to spend the cash. Proposals are being developed for improvements to stree ts, esta te layout design, bungalow areas, hedges, fences and open land .



N o r t h W e s t

Flats, shops and a fire station being built in Liverpool

In the Kensington district of Liverpool, Allenbuild North West is has undertaken the design and construction of an important urban regeneration scheme on the site of the famous Silver Blades Ice Rink. The rink, in Prescot Road, Kensington, closed down some years ago and the building was eventually demolished, despite a campaign to preserve it.

The £5.2m contract was carried out for leading developer CTP Limited, who was working in partnership with Liverpool City Council and Kensington Regeneration.

The project comprises a community re station for Merseyside Fire and Rescue, 24 new build residential apartments in a “statement” corner three storey building which also provides an Iceland store retail space at ground oor. The conversion of a listed building provides a further four apartments. All are for Riverside Housing Association. There is also further retail

space provided, bringing the total number of retail units to six. The development also provides visitor car parking and a new public realm.

In further heart-warming news, some members of the project team have fond memories of spending time in the 60s at the venue. One lucky member of the team even met his wife there and has accordingly been given a piece of the old rink’s concrete slab as a memento.

Local councillor Louise Baldock, who works for the Labour Party, recently seized the opportunity to take credit for what has been called the Kensington Neighbourhood Centre. She said, “Local people have been promised this centre for years. The Labour government has ploughed millions of pounds into the area

and this will help tremendously to smarten the place up” . She was recently forced to resign form a post on an ethics committee after calling Liberal Democrat rivals ‘opportunistic b*stards’.

She continued, “I hope it will provide much needed quality shops and I will continue to campaign for a bank here too, which we also desperately need” .

C ons tru c t ion N e w s C a ll our n e w s t e a m on 0170 6 719972 w w w .ro m a uk .n e t



N o r t h E a s t & Yo r k s h i r e

Sunderland City Council marked the centenary of its prized Barnes Park last year with a £3.6 million commitment to restore the popular facility to its original glory and more. The funding for the project has included a contribution of £2.4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund Parks for People fund. The rest of the funding is made up of contributions of £800,000 from Sunderland City Council, £150,000 from C DENT, £200,000 from Play Pathfinder and £100,000 from the Local Transport Plan.

A programme of works which has le f t no stone unturned is now nearing comple tion. Work a t the park has involved vege ta tion management, wa ter management around the lake , improvements to access and security, re-surfacing of pa thways and addition of a number of fea tures, both aesthe tic and prac tical. Among newcomers to the park are sensory and formal gardens, fountains, stone and timber artwork , new car parks, new toile ts and changing rooms, steel and timber bridges over the lake and the park's centrepiece bandstand , which will once more be used for public concerts.

Main contrac tor Brambledown Landscapes, a company based in the North-East which specialises in both contrac ting and re tail, has been leading the construc tion. Brambledown's development manager, Paul Curry, spoke to Premier C onstruc tion:

“ O f the 20 or so projec ts we're involved in a t the moment, this is one of the largest. We typically do be tween one and three of this kind every year, and we like to be heavily involved so we've had up to 20 of our people on site a t the busier times. Add in a few specialist sub-contrac tors and we're all se t to comple te in early 2011”.

Discussing the ex tensive prepara tion tha t had been put into the projec t, Paul added , “The works are ex tensive: it's a comple te makeover for the park . Some areas have been almost stripped bare and reconstruc ted from scra tch. Sunderland City C ouncils landscape design team lead by Phil Dorian took their inspira tion from the historic images/plans and the unique topography of the site , as well as working closely with the local community and the Friends of Barnes Park”.He concluded , “ By the time work is finished , it will be like a

brand new park . It will be open permanently with excellent

security and with every thing we've been adding to it, there will be some thing for everyone to enjoy”.

Barnes Park spruced up after 100 years


The park's historyThe land for Barnes Park , se t in a beautiful valley through which the Bishopwearmouth Burn flows, was originally bought for just £8,500 in 1904.

Three years la ter in 1907, the laying out of the park was started . The projec t became a source of employment for a number of prac tical gardeners from the area , with a total of 2,798 men being employed . The park was opened in August 1909.

Many of the site's established trees were re tained , with oak , ash, beech and elm trees constituting its main wooded grow th. Pa ths meandered throughout the park in all direc tions and two bowling greens, tennis courts, and a cafe were established .The park has since been home to a wide range of wildlife and ,

since nesting boxes have been provided , breeding birds have regularly re turned to the park Wa ter hens, starlings, linne ts, snipes, tits, diving ducks, and chaffinches can be frequently observed and have been provided for as part of the recent redevelopment.

Handspring DesignHandspring Design, the specialists in bespoke timber sculpture , struc tures, sea ting and shelters, contributed a number of interesting fea tures to Barnes Park . These included two steam-bent, glue-lamina ted ‘onion’ shelters as part of a sensory garden; a similar ‘apple’ shelter a t the summit of a flight of granite se t t steps; and a Douglas fir twisted frame walkway.

The company opera tes across Britain and is led by Dr. Scot Fle tcher, who has a PhD in green architec ture , and his co-direc tor Graeme Ritchie , an expert in public struc tures. Dr. Fle tcher told Premier C onstruc tion, “All our timber is sourced in the UK and FS C -approved . Tha t ’s part of our e thical approach: we all cycle to work , we use small local suppliers and we hea t our homes and workshop with waste wood . We’re proof tha t you can be a successful small business without compromising on the environment ”.

Handspring offers a range of bespoke struc tures and shelters and also of ten ge ts involved in the early stages of a projec t with the client and design team to crea te unique designs specific for the loca tion. To grab your share of their time and handiwork , visit www.handspringdesign.co.uk , call 0114 2217785, or email [email protected]



Residents of the Shiregreen Estate in Sheffield will soon celebrate the refurbishment of over 2,000 homes by Sanctuary Group and its building contractor Frank Haslam Milan Limited (FHM) under Sanctuary’s five year Decent Homes scheme. A May completion is predicted as the remainder of around 2,200 homes are tackled.

Sanc tuary is currently entering the final year of its five-year ‘Decent Homes Plus’ programme to modernise 2,500 properties on the Shiregreen Esta te .

Work on the programme started in September 2006, following the transfer of homes from She ffield City C ouncil, and includes replacing kitchens, ba throoms, windows and doors, and ex ternal works such as repairing garden walls, railings and improving off road parking for residents.

FHM’s projec t manager, Jona than Woodhead , spoke to Premier C onstruc tion in early 2011 as prepara tions were being made to comple te the final phase of works. He said , “There has been a lot of interac tion with residents, who have been asked to comple te questionnaires and a t tend mee tings and so on, and I’m proud to say feedback has always been positive , right from the start of the contrac t. We have always maintained an approval ra ting of over 85%”.The programme of works for each individual house on the

esta te is simple , according to Jona than: wherever possible , all

necessary works are comple ted within a 9 week window. He said , “I can understand the point of view tha t there is less of a disturbance if you quie tly do a small job and then come back a few weeks la ter to do a bit more , but here we have all agreed tha t it makes more sense , and causes less overall disruption, if we go in and do all the necessary works a t once .

“ We’ve found tha t the majority of residents have been able to stay in their homes throughout while we do our best to le t them ge t back to their normal home lives as quickly as possible”.

Sanctuary HousingEstablished in 1969, Sanc tuary Housing is one of the country’s leading housing associa tions managing over 78,000 units throughout England and Scotland . This includes general rented , sheltered and supported accommoda tion, as well as student and key worker accommoda tion.Sanc tuary currently employs over 5,700 staff across its UK

ne twork of regional and subsidiary of fices and maintains Investor in People sta tus.

Sanc tuary’s regional opera tions are responsible for focusing on a particular area of the country. This allows for provision of a service to residents and business partners tha t is local to them , from local people tha t have the knowledge and expertise to ensure tha t their specific needs are me t.

Positive feedback as Decent Homes scheme nears completion

The reclamation of the Wheldale Fryston Colliery site in Castleford has been completed as part of the Homes and Communities Agency National Coalfield Programme. Wakefield Council leader Peter Box spoke enthusiastically with Premier Construction about the improvement to his area:

“This brings some thing to the area tha t wasn’t here be fore – a significant green space . It ’s a significant change for an area tha t was once domina ted by mines. In the past, you could hardly see the river [Aire] from many places on the surrounding land , and the area was unsuitable for public use . Now, it ’s a place to relax and enjoy this part of the world . I’ve been down there myself among the 40,000 new trees, as have a grea t many locals, and I have to say I’m delighted”.

Work in the area involves clearing up the river and beautifying the surrounding banks, as well as a projec t to introduce modern

housing to nearby land . Birse Civils played a leading role in the projec t, and stakeholders have been invited to contribute their voices to planning and development discussions.

A local stakeholder himself, Pe ter is inex tricably linked to the fortunes of the area , as he explains:

“My fa ther was born nearby and his fa ther worked in the mines, whilst I still live locally. This development represents a grea t stride forward for the area compared to wha t my parents would have been used to.

“The new housing in particular is welcome . This is one of the few areas within the region in which the popula tion is growing . New, modern housing and the opportunity to enjoy leisure ac tivities outdoors are just two of the ways we’re continuing to improve the quality of life in the area , which has been less than perfec t since the days of heavy mining”.

Projec t manager Andrew G olding of Wake field C ouncil told

New green space impresses local council leader


Premier C onstruc tion tha t the new green space was just the beginning , saying , “Now tha t the first phase of the works has been successfully comple ted , we are looking to the future with 150 new dwellings in the area . We are beginning the tender process in March 2011 and hope to appoint a developer soon af terwards.

“ For now, though, we can already look proudly a t wha t has been achieved – 40,000 new trees and 8km of walkways as well as new links to the other side of the river open up a lot of leisure opportunities, such as the plan we are working on to open up the riverside to canoeing and kayaking . I’ve even been walking and cycling down there myself, so it has my seal of approval!”The works are part of the C oalfields Regenera tion scheme and

was delivered by Yorkshire Forward , supported by landowners Wake field MD C utilising funding provided by the Homes and C ommunities Agency through the Na tional C oalfields Programme .The scheme was an Early C ontrac tor Involvement (E C I) contrac t

with the E C I phase valued a t £1.5m and the main works valued a t £8.5m . Both the E C I and main works contrac ts were won by Birse Civils, who commenced on site in July 2008.E C I works involved general site clearance , forma tion of a

2-km-long access track through the site , excava tion and crushing of existing concre te stockpiles for use as 6F2 on site and establishment of a perime ter footpa th for pedestrian use throughout the construc tion phase . The site had been used as a recrea tion facility by the local community and it was considered important to maintain this provision.

The main works included: • Excava tion and burial of approxima tely 1,500 cubic me tres

of Japanese knotweed within a specialist containment cell • Excava tion and engineered fill of 100,000 cubic me tres of

ma terial for a proposed 5-hec tare housing pla t form • Remodelling of 150,000 cubic me tres of ma terial over the

remaining 50 hec tares of site • Forma tion of 8km of bridleways and footpa ths • Incorpora tion of 50,000 cubic me tres of ameliora tion

ma terial to provide a suitable growing medium • Planting of 40,000 saplings and grass seeding • Crea tion of a leisure area adjacent to an existing marina .



148 new homes are being built by Keepmoat Homes (Frank Haslam Milan) in the Kibblesworth area of Gateshead to replace properties considered too old or decrepit to be cost- effective candidates for ‘Decent Homes’ upgrades.

The scheme , which is replacing outda ted 1940s ‘Airey’ properties on land originally owned by G a teshead C ouncil, is costing £14 million. Keelman Homes, which is a charitable subsidiary of G a teshead Housing C ompany, will own the comple ted new homes. The projec t is nearing the end of its second of four phases.

Phase 1, comple ted in September 2010, covered just five new homes for high-priority residents. Because residents are staying in the area during the re-development, a complex programme of decanting has been initia ted with the proviso tha t the most vulnerable households will only have to move once .

Phase 2 includes 40 properties and is well under way; comple tion is expec ted in the first quarter of 2011. In total, there will be 94 properties destined for social use and 54 for the open marke t by the time all works are comple te in 2013.

Pe ter Smith, new build and regenera tion manager for G a teshead Housing C ompany, explained , “The houses tha t are being demolished a t the site were all 3-bedroom . As such, it was difficult to maintain a sustainable community, a problem we are hoping to solve by having a much larger range of property sizes in the new build .

The development was recently visited by Robert Napier, chair of the Homes and C ommunities Agency (H CA), who commented , “This development is giving Kibblesworth a real lif t, replacing old pre fabrica ted houses and providing a wider range of new homes for local people . Our role is to help housing providers like the G a teshead Housing C ompany to make things happen in local neighbourhoods and this is a grea t example of tha t approach in ac tion”.The G a teshead Housing C ompany’s chie f executive , Bill Fullen,

said , We have already made improvements to thousands of homes through our Decent Homes programme - with less than 1,000 out of almost 22,000 now needing work done .

“ We are now literally building on our previous success through this scheme to bring new affordable homes to G a teshead for genera tions to come”.

C ouncillor Angela Armstrong , G a teshead C ouncil’s cabine t member for housing , said , “Local councils like us have struggled for many years to ma tch people’s housing needs with the ever-reducing supply of social housing , especially for older people who have very specific housing needs. So, being awarded the funding starting to build new homes for local people is excellent news.

“ We have been given the chance to replace poor quality post-war houses with new homes tha t will be some of the most modern and energy-e fficient in the borough. These new homes will be in grea t demand”.The £15m Kibblesworth scheme is one of a number of major

projec ts in G a teshead to be supported by the H CA , which has alloca ted over £12m to the borough.

Out with the old housing; in with the new


The A19 ramp metering scheme, currently being carried out by Carnell Suport Services on behalf of the Highways Agency, is part of the A19 network management strategy developed in partnership with Tees Valley Unlimited, comprising Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland councils.

The works comprise the installa tion of traffic signals on the slip roads, toge ther with sensors (MIDAS LO O PS) in the main carriageway which will monitor the flow of traffic . When speeds drop below a pre-se t level, the signals on the slip road will be ac tiva ted to control the ra te a t which traffic can enter the main carriageway. This helps to minimise congestion.

Once the traffic speeds begin to re turn to normal, the ramp me tering signals will be deac tiva ted . If traffic queuing on the slip road reaches the top of the slip road when the signals are opera ting they will be deac tiva ted to prevent queues spreading onto the local road ne twork . Further MIDAS loops a t the top of the slip road will control this.

The works started in mid-November 2010 and are being carried out a t night (22.00 - 05.00) and during the day time off-peak hours (10.30-3.30) in order to minimise traffic delays during the works. The ramp me tering will be installed a t multiple sites a t the same time and all of the installa tion works are expec ted to be comple ted by February 2011. C alibra tion and testing will follow

and the scheme is due to be fully comple te by March 2011. The scheme will help to maximise capacity on the existing

trunk road ne twork , which will enable future developments in the area to be accommoda ted without adversely impac ting on the ne twork .

About ramp meteringRamp me tering is used to be t ter manage traf fic on motorways and trunk roads to reduce congestion and smooth traffic flows. During busy periods, signals are ac tiva ted on the slip road and , by using shorter signal cycles than typically used on urban roads, release just a few vehicles a t a time . This minimises the chances of merging traffic bunching toge ther with motorway traffic and causing congestion. Sensors in the road surface continuously monitor the congestion

and adjust the timing of the lights. They also monitor vehicles on the slip to stop queues forming tha t could spill over onto the local road ne twork . The lights are part-time and only opera te when there is congestion on the motorway. The conditions tha t trigger the system depend on traffic speed and density and vary be tween sites. Typically, the lights come on when the average traffic speed falls to 50mph. Technology for the current projec t was supplied by Peek . Visit www.peek .co.uk to find out more .

Innovative sensor scheme to reduce traffic congestion



Work has been completed on a new health centre in Driffield, East Riding, under main contractor Wildgoose Construction.David Jackson, contrac ts manager a t Wildgoose C onstruc tion,

spoke to Premier C onstruc tion as his team was busy preparing for handover. He said , “It ’s a traditional build , block and brick with rendered panels. The red bricks look almost hand-made and are designed to ma tch the surroundings.

“ We had a month’s delay af ter the demolition while an archaeological survey was carried out. It was disappointing tha t nothing more than some founda tions were turned up, but the work has to be done and as a contrac tor you just have to be

ready to go back on site as soon as possible!”In accordance with current Department of Health guidance the

building has been designed , by HDP Architec ts of Shipley, to achieve a BREE AM ‘excellent ’ ra ting .

C onserva tion officers had voiced concerns tha t the plan to demolish number six Eastga te North when the applica tion from G PI, a specialist company working with the Bridge S tree t Prac tice , was first considered by the commit tee last month.

Following further investiga tions and talks be tween the applicant ’s agent and officers, it was concluded tha t re taining the property as a whole would make the scheme unviable .

BREEAM ‘excellent’ health centre completed in East Riding

New Sheffield surgery to improve public access

Construction work is well under way East Bank Medical C entre, a new purpose-built GP surgery in the heart of an inner city district of Sheffield. Patients and staff of the existing Northern Avenue surgery in Arbourthorne are set to benefit from the state-of-the-art development, which will offer some of the most modern primary health care facilities and services in South Yorkshire.

The new medical centre and pharmacy will replace run down and cramped facilities. Bene fits include an expansion from 5 to 14 consulting rooms. The surgery will offer ideal placement training for medical students and allow prac titioners to become mentors for trainee G Ps. The new facilities will be used by a range of community health educa tion groups.

Sharon Turner, prac tice manager a t the Northern Avenue Surgery, which is part of C entral She ffield G P C onsortium , said , “This is grea t news for pa tients. It means they can receive trea tment in a first class environment, which is accessible and in the heart of the local community.

“At the moment we are a lit tle off the bea ten track and we struggle to accommoda te all of the services we would like to offer to our pa tients. Moving to a site on a main road and expanding to a two-storey building with space to accommoda te a varie ty of services will offer bene fits to the neighbourhood”.

Wildgoose C onstruc tion is the main contrac tor and has been on site since July 2010. The new medical centre is due to be comple ted in la te April 2011, with services to be offered to the public from early May

New youth centre replaces car park in RotherhamConstruction of a new £3.46m facility for young people aged 11-19 in South Yorkshire is progressing towards a completion date in August 2011. The My Place project in Rotherham, funded by the government, is being led by the Chantry YM CA. Built on the site of the demolished Eastwood car park, it will offer facilities including a graffiti art room, an IT suite, a cinema, a performance hall and a ground floor cafe.


School extension progressing towards May completion

A £1 million extension to St. Winefride’s School in Bradford is developing at pace. The new addition to the primary school takes advantage of space to the rear of the school previously used for deliveries and bin storage. It will house improved staff facilities and administration of ces, a group support teaching room and a new dining hall. Space freed up once the extension works are completed will be used to form new music rooms as part of the same contract.

Building surveyor James Wilkinson, of project managers Aedas, told Premier Construction, “This is a good site to work on as we’re working in an area not currently used for teaching. Although we are taking the necessary precautions so as not to interfere with the normal running of the school, the location of

the works means we are never directly affecting the staff or the pupils. Segregation has been simple.

“There have been no major glitches other than the cold winter, which meant up to four weeks’ delay for some work such as bricklaying” , he added.

The current works continue a long-standing relationship between AEDAS and the Diocese of Leeds, the project client. James adds, “We know what to expect from the client in terms of demands and requirements, which is why we understood instantly that the existing administration facilities at the school were designed for a much smaller school. As there have been various extensions since the

school was originally built, our role is essentially to make the school a more functional and modern place” .

Main contractor Torpoint has been on working on site with AEDAS since late summer 2010, and expects to complete works in May 2011.


Wakefield cultural landmark to open in MayThe Hepworth Wakefield, designed by David Chipperfield Architects, will open to the public on Saturday 21st May 2011, putting the spotlight on Yorkshire as a world centre for sculpture, together with Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the Henry Moore Institute and Leeds City Art Gallery.

Named af ter Barbara Hepworth, who was born in Wake field in 1903 and lived there with her family until the age of 18, The Hepworth Wake field will be the largest purpose-built art gallery to open in Britain since the opening of Ta te S t Ives in the 1990s, and will crea te for the first time a permanent public legacy for the artist in her home city. The building , se t in the historic wa terfront area of Wake field

on a landmark site on the banks of the River C alder, has been designed by the interna tionally acclaimed David Chipperfield Architec ts. Spread over 5,000 square me tres, the visitor can explore 10 light-filled galleries and learning studios; an auditorium; an archive; and a café-cum- shop with an outdoor terrace and gardens. These can all be accessed via a new pedestrian bridge over the River C alder, leading to The Hepworth Wake field .The gallery site has been developed a t a cost of £35 million as

part of the £100 million regenera tion of Wa terfront Wake field . It includes the restora tion of former mill and warehouse buildings, the development of new residential, office and leisure facilities, and outdoor landscaping with a new pedestrian bridge . The gallery is funded through an investment partnership be tween Wake field C ouncil and Arts C ouncil England with major funding from the Heritage Lot tery Fund , Yorkshire Forward , the Homes

and C ommunities Agency and the European Regional Development Fund .The opening of the Hepworth

Wake field is a highlight of Art in Yorkshire , a region-wide projec t supported by Ta te . This year-long celebra tion of the visual arts across 19 galleries in Yorkshire is led by York Museums Trust in associa tion with Arts C ouncil England , MLA and Welcome to Yorkshire .

Cllr Pe ter Box , leader of Wake field C ouncil, said , “ We hope tha t The Hepworth Wake field model will se t a precedent for the kind of partnerships which can drive forward the future economy of this country. We are clear tha t cultural investment is an investment in jobs and the wellbeing of our communities, who deserve the best we can provide”.

An “alterna tive” curriculum will be offered to young people excluded from mainstream schools. C onnexions and the Rotherham Children, Young People and Families Voluntary Sec tor C onsortium will also provide support on a range of issues such as homelessness, sexual health and drug rehabilita tion.

A £3.4m grant was secured in March 2010 last year from the Department for Children, Schools and administered by the Big Fund . It is hoped tha t the centre will crea te two full time jobs and

five part time jobs and provide the opportunity for 15 volunteers.

Rotherham C ouncil projec t manager Brian Barre t t told Premier C onstruc tion, “This is a grea t opportunity for the local youth and the contrac tor has involved local college students to further tha t ”. The building is designed by Rotherham MB C’s in house consultancy and the main contrac tor Wildgoose C onstruc tion started on site in O c tober 2010


M i d l a n d s & E a s t A n g l i a

A £545 million PPP venture to build the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in Edgebaston - the rst new general hospital in Birmingham for 70 years and the largest community healthcare development outside London - is largely completed.

The 1,300-bed hospital revolutionises healthcare design, and includes an accident and emergency department, specialist burns and transplant wards, a decontam ination suite and 30 operating theatres.The hospital was handed over in phases

and is now open. The areas of the building still to be completed w ill also be handed over in phases up until November 2011 and w ill accommodate the nal outpatient services departments, the last six operating theatres and a number of laboratories yet to transfer from old estate.

C lients University Hospital Birm ingham NHS Foundation Trust have carried out the project w ith partner Consort Healthcare, which is made up of Balfour Beatty (the lead contractor), the Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC .

Master planners, architects, landscape architects and acoustic consultants BDP

were responsible for the design of the site master plan and the hospital. O ther members of the design team include civil and structural engineers White Young Green and mechanical and electrical engineers Hulley and Kirkwood and Couch Perry Wilkes.

The hospital’s 30 operating theatres include 23 inpatient theatres and seven day case theatres. 44% of inpatient beds are single rooms, w ith the rest being four-bed, single-sex rooms - all w ith en suite bathrooms. The building also incorporates an atrium food court providing restaurant, café and coffee facilities.The hospital was conceived as three

elliptical bedroom towers sitting over a high tech medical treatment podium . Externally, this helps soften the scale of the hospital, and enables maximum exploitation of the excellent views over Birm ingham .

Internally, the design offers several advantages. In the m iddle of each tower is an external courtyard w ide enough so people can get a clear view of the sky and where the sun is, which helps w ith way- nding. It also means that every ward is lled w ith natural light.

Construction of the hospital has used some of the most innovative techniques,

including pre-fabrication and modularised building services.

More than 10,000 tons of steel has been used to build the new hospital and approximately 225,000 cubic metres of ground was excavated, w ith around 55,000 metres of concrete foundation piles being bored.

Nearly 2,000 people have been involved in the project, which has won numerous awards for safety and sustainability, including the 2009 Green Apple Environment Award in Sustainability and Waste Management and the 2009 RoSPA Gold Award for O ccupational Health & Safety.

Andrew Sm ith, project director and head of healthcare at designers BDP, said, “This is a much needed facility for Birm ingham . Our design is focused on the concerns of the individual patient. The design supports the ef cient provision of the best possible clinical service in an environment that is attractive and uplifting, not only for patients themselves, but also their visitors and the staff who provide their care” .

He added that the main challenge was ensuring the building didn’t feel enormous and people could nd their way around it: “We concentrated on making it as easy and as intuitive to use as possible” , he said.

£585 million new general hospital is Birmingham’s rst for 70 years


Benefiting patients and staff alike, wide-ranging improvements have been carried out throughout the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in Norwich, in a number of projects undertaken as part of the hospital’s recently completed capital works programme for 2010.

The projec ts, undertaken by various contrac tors include: the crea tion of a new angiography suite and CT scanner room , plus the addition of numerous other facilities including a new staff team mee ting room , additional provision for pa tients with pacemakers; two new consulting rooms - one in the ear, nose and throa t department and the other in the Crickle ford Ward; and the provision of single sex accommoda tion in three departments. O ther improvements included those to the linear accelera tor room and the physics workshop.

The angiography suite was crea ted through the conversion and ex tensive remodeling of former office areas within the C ardiology department, in a projec t carried out by John Youngs, who also carried a separa te projec t to crea te a new scanner room .This £238,000 14 week projec t designed by Architec ts Ingle ton

Wood involved the conversion of existing accommoda tion to crea te consulting rooms, changing and sea ting areas, and a separa te room for the scanner.

The construc tion team successfully opera ted within wha t remained an ac tive scanning unit and had to work around medical professionals, outpa tients, and people visiting in the hospital.

A further projec t carried out by John Youngs involved the

provision of a new medical team mee ting room through the internal reconfigura tion of former office and storage areas. The works included demolition and reconfigura tion of internal walls, redecora tion and upgrading of mechanical and elec trical provision to serve the room’s new facilities including smart boards, video conferencing and audio systems.Also carried out by John Youngs was a projec t to increase

the manufac turing capacity of the hospital’s physics workshop where prosthe tic limbs are manufac tured . The projec t included the installa tion of additional ventila tion services and additional elec trical capacity, improved lighting and the installa tion of new flooring .

Three additional pacing rooms and a new reception area for the trea tment of pa tients with pacemakers were provided in a projec t by Morgan Sindall. The works included demolition of internal partitions in former beverage bay areas and archive storage rooms in the existing pacemaker department. New internal partitioning was installed to crea te the new facilities, toge ther with the installa tion of new mechanical and elec trical equipment required for clinical services, including medical gases.

Morgan Sindall also undertook a projec t geared to providing single sex accommoda tion in line with Department of Health’s Dignity and Privacy Policy. The works comprised modifica tions to three departments to ensure the provision of segrega ted accommoda tion for male and female pa tients.The projec t involved internal reconfigura tion of former open

plan mixed sex areas to form segrega ted areas, including

Contractors give hospital the full treatment!



separa te trea tment bays, male and female toile ts and separa te nurse call systems. The projec t required the installa tion of new internal partitions, the installa tion of separa te lighting and hea ting circuits, and re-decora tion, as well as the installa tion of sepera te building management systems for the newly segrega ted areas.A further projec t carried out by Morgan Sindall involved the

forma tion of a new consulting room in the Crickle ford ward , with work including the installa tion of new partitioning , lighting improvements and the provision of washable wall and floor surfaces to ensure hygienic conditions.

A new ear, nose and throa t consulting room was provided in a projec t carried out by Serco, through the partitioning off of a sec tion of a formerly open plan area in the hospital. In addition to new partitioning , the works included the provision of new mechanical and elec trical equipment required for clinical services, as well as the installa tion of new flooring .

Further improvements included a scheme carried out by Eyre Elec trical involving the upgrading of elec trical circuits in the linear accelera tor room (used for oncology trea tment), to facilita te the upgrading of the linear accelera tor’s capacity.

Angiography Suite Norfolk and Norwich University HospitalAn approximately £800,000 project involving both extension and remodeling has resulted in the creation of a new angiography suite and offices at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in a project which won praise from clients Octagon Healthcare for the work of main contractors John Youngs.

The projec t was carried out in two phases - Phase 1 ran from 4th of January to 30th April 2010 and Phase 2 ran be tween 4th May and 27th August 2010. Architec ts for the scheme were LSi Norwich.The total area covered by the new facilities is approxima tely

164 sq m . A 20 x 12-me tre single storey ex tension was built on the fla t roof of an adjacent building to serve as offices, which allowed for the crea tion of a new angiography suite , which deals with the trea tment of hardening and blocking of the arteries.The new single storey ex tension is a lightweight steel framed

struc ture , with ex ternal eleva tions in Kingspan panelling


and a single pitch roof incorpora ting sunlight tubes and a na tural ventila tion system . Internal facilities include office accommoda tion, interview rooms, clinical storage facilities and disabled clinical staff changing facilities.The new angiography suite was crea ted through the conversion

and ex tensive remodeling of former office areas within the cardiology department (the former occupants of the offices moved into the new ex tension).The works commenced with a comprehensive strip out, taking

the area back to bare brickwork . The new facility includes an opera ting procedure room with

enhanced mechanical and elec trical systems to maintain surgical trea tment equipment. This room , toge ther with some others in the suite , is a ‘clean’ room with easy clean tiled surfaces. O ther facilities include a control room where staff control the angiography machine , a ‘scrub clean’ room , a ‘dirty utility’ room and three rooms to serve as trea tment and recovery areas.

“There were always challenges in a t tempting to break into the existing struc ture whilst working in the cardiology area . But Youngs worked very well with both Serco (the facility managers on site) and the various hospital departments, with shut-downs being co-ordina ted to cause minimal disruption. This close co-opera tion with all parties helped ensure a successful contrac t. John Youngs delivered the projec t on time , which was a grea t credit to them and the hospital are very pleased with the work”, said Chris Ha tch of O c tagon Healthcare Services.

Wardray Premise Wardray Premise has over 70 years experience in the design, manufac ture and installa tion of x-ray, gamma , neutron and RF shielding produc ts essential in imaging and radiotherapy departments. Accredited to IS O9001:2000, produc ts are generally custom-made to suit individual requirements.Typical produc ts comprise of traditional lead-lined panelling ,

doorse ts (sliding , hinged , manual, automa tic), curtain systems, protec tive screens and observa tion windows. In addition they supply PREMAC® radia tion shielding acrylic , lead-glass, lead-rubber and PREMADEX® neutron shielding .

Particular areas of the company’s expertise are RF and magne tic shielding for MRI, assessment of medical (and industrial) x-ray installa tions and Monte- C arlo neutron shielding calcula tions for high-energy linac facilities. In 2009 Wardray Premise comple ted twenty RF cage installa tions giving the company an installed base of over two hundred .To compliment their shielding produc ts and services, they also

offer accessories for x-ray and MRI. These produc ts range from protec tive clothing, viewers, desk top processors and chemistry to MR safe trolleys, wheelchairs and patient monitoring equipment.

Established in 1909, Wardray Premise is a fourth genera tion family business with an enviable tradition of quality, reliability and customer service . Full informa tion on all produc ts and services will be available from their stand or can be obtained from their website www.wardray-premise .com .

Adding a new nursery and wide-ranging community facilities at Samuel Whitbread College in Shefford, Bedfordshire, is a new building under construction in a project being carried out by main contractors and mechanical and electrical engineers LowC Construction, who have been described as doing “excellently well”.

Architec ts are the Hanson Leddington Partnership; struc tural engineers are the Millward Partnership and quantity surveyors are Telford Hart Associa tes.

“Low C C onstruc tion are doing excellently well an are on time and on budge t ”, said Mr. David Hanson of HLP (the Hanson Leddington Partnership).

Initial works included the demolition of two care taker’s houses on the college campus to make way for the new development.The building is divided into two comple tely sepera te sec tions -

one of which is single storey and houses the nursery for children aged from babies up to three and four years, and will incorpora te

a play area and a conserva tory on the main frontage . The other two-storey community sec tion will accommoda te a varie ty of facilities including those for C ommunity Police , the Na tional Health, teacher training and a school trust. This sec tion will also house a 64 sea ter conferen room and ancillary facilities.

A major asp e c t o f the building’s design is its many e co-friendly fe a tures , which include a he a ting sys tem powere d by ra p ese e d oil.

The building is struc tured around a steel frame with ex ternal eleva tions in a combina tion of aluminium cladding panels and cedar boarding , incorpora ting aluminium framed windows and a curved aluminium roof.

C onstruc tion of the building has just been comple ted , and ex ternal works, including the addition of 60 car parking spaces, are underway and due for comple tion in the nex t two to three months.

Youngsters and whole community benefit from college’s construction project



The £12 million Harborne Baths development near Birmingham is moving at a fast pace as 2011 begins, with the testing of the structural integrity of the main 25 metre pool tank recently completed to make sure there are no future problems.

David Squires, leading the projec t on behalf of main contrac tor Wa tes, said , “The struc tural integrity of the pool tanks is critical for the long term future of the site .

C ouncillor Mike Whitby said , “The projec t is fast developing and the swimming pools will be a t the heart of the new facility. This is another major milestone in the development of the site . This is a major investment in the city’s leisure infrastruc ture which shows the commitment of the council to invest in its leisure port folio”.

David Squires said , “The main pool, when it is comple ted , will hold 421,940 litres of wa ter (92,836 gallons) and the learner pool will hold 72,625 litres (15,979 gallons)”. This gives an indica tion of the volume of wa ter tha t will be used on site”.This is the first time a swimming pool and fitness centre has

been built from scra tch in the Birmingham area since 1988 when Kingstanding Leisure C entre opened . Harborne’s pool will be on the same site as the current one in Lordswood Road which is to be demolished because it is over 60 years and in need major repair. It will have two pools – a main 25 me tre one and one for learners – a spec ta tor gallery, adult and junior fitness suites, a community room/dance studio and a cafe area .

C ouncillor Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City C ouncil, and David Squires are pic tured filling the pool as part of the testing regime . Work on the new facility is expec ted to take until November 2011

The swimming pool specialistsWork a t Harborne centres around the work of World Leisure (UK ), whose turnkey package includes design and installa tion of pool struc tures, filtra tion systems and finishes to BS8007 swimming pool struc ture , using Xypex crystalline wa terproofing as an admix ture .The firm was founded in 2008 by a

group of industry specialists including co-direc tor Simon Smith, who told Premier C onstruc tion, “This contrac t is our first with Wa tes and it continues success we’ve had with other major contrac tors such as Balfour Bea t ty and IS G . Although we’re young , we’re quickly establishing a strong reputa tion within the swimming pool industry.

Asked to pinpoint the reason for his firm’s achievements, he added , “ We have bases in Glasgow and Leyland (Lancashire) which allow us to cover the whole of the UK and Ireland; we have a grea t in house facility and a team from designers through to management who all have many years experience in the leisure industry; and as a company we offer a ‘one-stop shop’ package to clients – we can deal with moveable floors and booms, wave machines, wellness fea tures, maintenance and much more . We even offer in-house fabrica tion of steel filters, stainless steel fix tures and fit tings”.

Find out wha t Simon and his team can do for you a t www.worldleisureuk .co.uk

Harborne Pool and Fitness Centre soon to be complete


At the Shires Retail Park near Warwick and Leamington Spa, developers have recently demonstrated how small modifications can vastly improve retail units and increase the level of customer ‘footfall’.

Work on the site involved crea ting six new units whilst contending with local planning regula tions which would have made it difficult to obtain permission to ex tend the units’ footprint. Design for the projec t came courtesy of architec ts RPS Group, who worked alongside consultants Rider Leve t t Bucknall (RLB) and main contrac tor McLaren C onstruc tion, the firm which is also behind the striking new bus sta tion a t Slough.

The entire facade of the re tail units was re-worked , providing a glass and steel canopy over the pavement in front with the intention of increasing the building’s visual impac t both from the forecourt and the nearby road .

The scheme is now divided into 11 re tail units and two restaurants and provides 132,620 sq f t of re tail accommoda tion. To the eastern side of the re tail park is one of the site’s main a t trac tions: the Sainsbury’s food store with an adjacent pe trol filling sta tion.

In order both to test the viability of the plans and to convince re tailers , a trial unit was comple ted in early 2010 and went on to demonstra te the bene fit of applying the changes to neighbouring units .

A representa tive of RLB told Premier C onstruc tion, “The design was based on crea ting an indoor-outdoor feel, which is a grea t improvement on the previous se t-up. Ultima tely, the changes encourage a be t ter shopping experience and increase the potential value of re tail”.

He continued , “The most challenging aspec t of the works was to comple te them without disruption to re tail. The car park , especially, needed a lot of a t tention to keep traffic flow and volume up during busy periods like bank holidays. However, we are pleased tha t all the works were comple ted without a single closure , even though almost the entire brick face of the building was removed and only the supporting pillars were re tained”.The recent improvements to the site are designed to appeal

to wha t is a significant popula tion within reach of the re tail parks. Within a ten minute ca tchment area there is an estima ted popula tion in excess of 84,000 people , rising to in excess of 186,000 people within a 20-minute ca tchment area . A popula tion of over 70,000 resides in Warwick and Leamington Spa .

About the contractorThe McLaren Group is one of the UK’s most successful priva tely-owned companies, with an enviable reputa tion for long-term rela tionships with blue-chip customers around the globe .

From a ne twork of UK and interna tional offices, the contrac tor can deliver appropria te solutions for every client, from new-build or property development to interiors and furnishings. Joint ventures with specialist partners ensure the highest quality service and expertise in every aspec t of projec ts.

Sa tisfied customers can be found across a wide range of public

and priva te sec tors. Principles of innova tion, smart delivery and collabora tion, toge ther with our flexible , multi-disciplined approach, encourage customers to re turn time and time again and regularly include McLaren in their pre ferred partner frameworks.

McLaren C onstruc tion was recently confirmed as main contrac tor for Premier League Tot tenham Hotspur F C s new £45 million academy and will construc t the main, sta te-of-the-art training centre a t the heart of the new complex .

McLaren’s site team will be behind the centre designed around a 70m x 50m indoor artificial pitch, which includes a hydrotherapy/swimming pool, a fitness centre and gym , medical facilities and a media centre .Prepara tory and ground works on the site , which also includes

11 outdoor pitches, started in September 2010. Base C ontrac ts will comple te the fit ting-out.

Re-worked retail park sees increase in customer numbers



A £40 million flagship development is transforming the historic Birmingham Mint building in Ickinfield Street in the city’s ‘jewellery quarter’ into an exclusive gated community. The project is being carried out for Raybone Developments (Mint).

The massive scheme will see 224 apartments, 66,000 sq f t of grade A office space and 234 underground parking spaces crea ted within a ga ted development with the residential properties being available for rent.The development will crea te a modern living space preserving

Grade I and II-listed fea tures including the building’s 130f t tall chimney stacks.

Mr. David Raybone of Raybone Developments says he is confident tha t the residential and office space will be in demand despite tough times. He said , “ We have got a lot of stock around the Birmingham area so it ’s an ongoing thing for us. We are not planning to sell any of the apartments. I want to be able to control it so there is a real village community in there”.

He added , “ We know about the rental marke t in this area . We have a couple of hundred fla ts here a t the moment and we don’t have any empty stock a t all.

“ We will have a site manager and maintenance staff on there and I believe if you offer tha t good quality service on a secured site then tha t is wha t Birmingham needs”.

The scheme’s progress has been welcomed by community leaders in the ‘jewellery quarter’, who see the Mint development as key to plans to regenera te the area

Marie Haddle ton, president of the Jewellery Quarter Associa tion, which represents businesses and residents, said , “It is grea t tha t the Mint building is being preserved and we have managed to keep the chimney stack . And while I don’t like too many ga tes – I like open doors – you need to have security and I don’t see any problems with tha t ”.Joint administra tors Ma t t C owlishaw and Dominic Wong , of

Deloit te , comple ted the sale of the site , which was part of the Junared Group of companies. Junared fell into administra tion in June 2009.

Mr. C owlishaw said , “I am delighted tha t, with the help of many of the professionals and contrac tors involved with this development, a sale has been achieved .

“ Work had ceased on the development in September 2007 and the sale will result in the development, on an important site in the city centre , being comple ted”.The Birmingham Mint moved to its newly-construc ted three

storey red brick fac tory in Ickinfield S tree t in 1862, employing 300 staff. It was a t this time the largest priva te mint in the world .

Most of the complex , excluding the Icknield S tree t block and the rear, re taining , wall, was demolished in April 2007. The façade

is grade II listed .Af ter being purchased by G eorge Wimpey, planning consent

was given for a large mixed use residential and commercial scheme . However the projec t was de ferred due to the downturn in the wider economic clima te , and it was la ter sold on in January 2007 to Junared Property Group.

C onstruc tion of scheme commenced in early 2007 with the intention to be comple te by spring 2009. Unfortuna tely Junared Property Group ceased construc tion in December 2008 (af ter funding was withdrawn by H B O S) be fore lapsing into administra tion in February 2009.

Birmingham’s ‘jewellery quarter’ is synonymous with the manufac ture of jewellery, coins and medals in Birmingham and has been the birthplace of many pioneering advancements in industry. The area’s importance in the interna tional jewellery industry has declined much throughout the 20th century and is now being transformed into an urban village and hub for crea tive businesses. Locals are enthusiastic about the new residential development.

Historic Mint building transformed into gated community


Grants convert industrial land into parksA new heritage country park for the people of Stoke-on-Trent is being created on former industrial land around Chatterley Whit eld colliery, England’s most important colliery. The £8m makeover follows grant funding by the National Coal elds Programme managed by English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency.

Birse Civils has been appointed as principal contractor and will deliver the transformation of a heritage country park at Chatterley Whit eld under a three year contract.

The transformation of the 50 hectare site will enhance the current landscape, keeping the

spoil heap as a reminder of the work performed on this evocative site by generations of local men but re-pro ling it to make it safer and more accessible. On land once used for stockpiling coal that was criss-crossed by railway sidings, new footpaths will be created to encourage recreational use of this now green open space by local residents and the popular cycle route 55 will be retained and enhanced.

The most signi cant change to the landscape will be the restoration of Ford Green Brook to an ecologically friendly open watercourse. Cowap Mobile Welding have asisted the works, carrying out welding and steel fabrication. The brook currently runs in an ageing culvert under the main spoil heap. The open channel will complement the other areas of the Chatterley Whit eld site encompassing wildlife habitats and woodland, grassland, heath, wetland and orchards.

Joan Walley, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North and founding member of the Chatterley Whit eld partnership, is delighted with the decision: “A huge amount of work has led to [the project

being approved] and I am delighted that we are now in a position to get the next stage of improvements done. This transformation of this site is long overdue and will boost con dence in the area.

“As well as focusing on nature, heritage and waterscapes, we will be providing essential remediation to long standing land and drainage problems that would otherwise have caused real problems for local people. But it is vital that we see this stage of Chatterley Whit eld as simply the next step. More work is still needed - creating jobs on the site and getting funding for the northern plateaux football pitches and upgrading the former Chatterley Whit eld pitches” .


Contractors led by Balfour Beatty worked day and night over the Christmas holidays to successfully install a new railway bridge in just 83.5 hours, as part of the Highways Agency’s A46 Newark to Widmerpool improvement in Nottinghamshire. The work was seen by around 300 people over Christmas Day and Boxing Day, who visited to watch from the specially created public viewing area.

The new A46 needs to go under the existing railway line a t Bingham , so the new bridge , designed by URS/Scot t Wilson, has been provided to take the railway over the road . To minimise

disruption for rail users, the agency carried out the work a t a time of year when there are fewer train services, with no trains scheduled to run on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Over the holiday the team removed the existing track and dug out 3500 cubic me tres of railway embankment to reveal six concre te piles tha t were driven into place over a number of weekends in September and O c tober.The 1300-tonne bridge was then jacked onto two hydraulic

pla t forms, each one with 75 wheels, and raised up. It was driven into position a t a speed of around one mile an hour, lowered onto

No Christmas slowdown for A46 project



the six concre te columns and fixed into place . The railway line was re-opened to trains on the morning of 28 December.

Highways Agency senior projec t manager G eoff Be thel said , “ We are working closely with Ne twork Rail both in terms of the work itself and to mitiga te the e ffec t it will have on rail users. Working on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and on the following two bank holidays is the perfec t opportunity for us to ge t the job done with minimum disruption a t this, the time of year when there are fewer rail services. I thank [my staff] for giving up their Christmas to do so”.The steel components for the bridge were made in Wales

and transported to site in September 2010. It was assembled alongside the railway line bit-by-bit and a concre te deck was poured on top. Supporting walls were also installed in readiness for the Christmas opera tion.

The A46 is an important regional trunk road connec ting the East and West Midlands. The sec tion be tween Widmerpool and Newark carries be tween 16200 and 25300 vehicles per day, of which up to 15% are heavy goods vehicles. This level of traffic gives rise to frequent congestion and delay. The existing A46 is generally straight and undula ting as it follows

the line of the old Roman road - Fosse Way. This can make safe overtaking difficult and it is made worse by many junc tions and accesses to fields, farms and houses. The road has a poor safe ty record - in the five years be tween 2001 and 2005, there were 13 fa tal, 56 serious and 222 slight accidents.

A popular hotel in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, is soon to unveil an extension to its site. Dower House Hotel, in its new guise, will feature a new ground floor bar, a kitchen, a cellar, two function rooms and a lobby. An additional building known as the ‘Garden House’ is being built on land previously used as a garden within the grounds to increase space at the hotel to 21 rooms, all with en-suite facilities.

G N C onstruc tion has been opera ting as main contrac tor, following design work by locally-based architec ts S teven Dunn, who specialise in hotels, garden centres and leisure projec ts and are currently the architec ts for the £4.5m redevelopment of the Walled G arden a t the grade I listed Belton House in Grantham .Simon Eve , co-manager of Dower House , spoke to Premier

C onstruc tion about the £2 million projec t. He explained , “The surrounding area really has a lack of top quality hotel accommoda tion. We are one of a hand ful of hotels in the region and we have a good level of demand , so it makes sense for us to expand to re flec t tha t. We have the Na tional G olf C entre nearby and we accommoda te a lot of people travelling to the area for business”.

Simon went on to discuss the look of the made-over hotel, which required separa te planning permissions for the ex tension and the new build , saying , “The demolition removed three ground floor rooms, one of which was an admit tedly hideous ex tension to the original building , as well as a kitchen and break fast room we put in when we originally bought the hotel.

“The local authority specified plenty of ways in which we had to selec t our ma terials – windows, tiles, brickwork and so on – the result is tha t the new building is like a mini version of the hotel itself in tha t it is designed using similar ma terials to have the same look . Once it is comple te , it will look as if it had been there all along”, he said .

“ We were very keen to go local with our contrac tors”, Simon continued , “as we recognise the role tha t such a projec t can play in the local economy. We knew tha t G N C onstruc tion had a very good reputa tion in the area when it came to residential and commercial work , and we knew tha t any of their sub-contrac tors would be hired within a certain radius. So far it has been a successful appointment and the contrac tors are currently working hard to make up for the time we lost while the winter wea ther prevented a lot of work being done – luckily, we had the

Growing demand met by hotel expansion




roof on the ex tension be fore the snow was too bad , but there was not much we could do about the G arden House”.The hotel management team has been very hands-on with the

projec t, Simon says: “ We are hands-on with the business and with our guests: tha t ’s one of the ways in which we’ve built up our reputa tion! We have made sure tha t the works haven’t prevented guests from coming here and enjoying their stay. O ther than part of the car park being segrega ted for the works, there has been no loss of quality when it comes to the guest experience”.

“Hiring a local contrac tor is in line with our own contribution to the local economy. Not only are we part of a tourism industry

tha t brings money from outside into Lincolnshire , but also we are having a direc t e ffec t on the economy if we expand and recruit ex tra staff. In all, it ’s a projec t tha t will bene fit us as well as our neighbours. Now with two bars, we will be able to separa te one and use it for func tions whilst keeping the other open as a venue for both guests and local residents; and so we’re all looking forward to the work being comple te!”

Work on the new guest rooms is expec ted to be comple ted by the end of March, while full comple tion is due shortly af ter, in time to take advantage of the busy season.

Drayton Manor Theme Park, near Tamworth, Staffordshire, is set to open its new hotel in summer 2011. It is hoped that the 150-bedroom themed hotel will encourage two day visits to the park, providing short breaks for families.

The hotel will also fea ture ex tensive conferencing and hospitality facilities, complimenting those already a t the theme park , and will include two restaurants, a coffee shop, a mini thea tre and a crèche .

Works are being carried out by Halesowen-based contrac tor A&H C onstruc tion. A lightweight Me tsec panel system was chosen for the bedrooms for its cost-e ffec tiveness and speed of erec tion. The roof is a mix ture of fla t asphalt, pitched tiling

and pitched aluminium , interspersed with dormer windows. Elsewhere , works include the following: • A four storey south wing bedroom block with tri-end and

plant room basement • A four storey a trium• A four storey north wing bedroom block with dining room ,

func tion room and brasserie a t ground floor level with a plant room and a bar in the basement

• A single storey kitchen area• All mechanical and elec trical services

The building struc ture and associa ted works entrusted to A&H

New hotel expected to boost theme park attendance



include:• Erec tion of a steel-framed building on a concre te pad and

strip founda tions on driven pile founda tions• Reinforced concre te on the upper floors on a permanent

profiled steel decking system• Ex ternal walls construc ted of traditional brick and block

work fea turing insula ted cavity masonry with a part rendered finish

• Fla t and pitched roofing including both dormer windows and turre ts

• Windows and curtain walling• Internal partition walls of concre te block work and me tal

stud partitions clad with plasterboard• Installa tion of all internal mechanical and elec trical

services, including elec trical distribution, hea ting and ventila tion plant and equipment, lighting , security, fire protec tion and lif t installa tion

• All associa ted decora tive finishes and fixings• Ex ternal works including all necessary service installa tions

and connec tions, re taining walls, roadways, pavements, car parking , foul and surface wa ter drainage and landscaping works

The hotel will be loca ted in the theme park's surrounding 280-acre parkland and has been designed to blend in with the woodland se t ting , providing peace ful, air-conditioned suites which can ca ter for events a t tended by 20 to 400 guests. A full varie ty of visitors are ca tered for: from families on weekend breaks to business conferences and weddings.The woodland se t ting is of grea t importance to consultant

architec t Hugh Gilmore , who told Premier C onstruc tion, “The only real challenge we’ve faced on site is the presence of some beautiful, ma ture trees with TP Os protec ting them . We had to work around them with some crea tive , sophistica ted founda tions. The trees aren’t seen as an annoyance , however: they add a lot to the site and are an important part of the a tmosphere the client wants to crea te”.

A&H co-direc tor Martin Head told Premier C onstruc tion, “A&H became aware of this projec t many years prior to the tender being released . Mike Ha t ton, our contrac ts manager, monitored the projec t through our local supply chain and through press releases from the theme park opera tors, and we knew tha t the unique design of the building and the family-run na ture of the theme park , which ma tches our own e thos, meant tha t the projec t was perfec t for us”.Asked wha t had brought his company to the projec t, Martin

said , “It ’s a substantial contrac t and we’re a local contrac tor so it made sense for us to go for the tender. It ’s been a pleasure to win the contrac t and ge t our tee th into it, building on success and experience we’ve previously had with buildings of a similar size . The hotel design is impressive and I’m looking forward to seeing it comple te as it will give a real visual impac t as you come into the site”.

Mike Ha t ton gave Premier C onstruc tion a site upda te in la te January, saying , “The building is now wa tertight with all walls and roofing comple te , and already half of the bedrooms have been plastered with the rest soon to be comple ted . Finishing has begun where applicable , and overall the projec t is progressing well. The feedback we’ve had from the design team has been positive and the client has expressed approval, especially with the quality of workmanship, so we’ll keep pressing ahead until we comple te in the summer”.

As Mike explains, “ We overcame a significant challenge early in the construc tion phase when we discovered an ancient spring direc tly undernea th the hotel’s footprint. We solved the problem with a specially-designed de-wa tering system and were able to move on swif tly to the rest of the projec t, which we have managed whilst thousands of visitors have continued to enjoy the theme park unhindered”.

He added , “This is a highly complex projec t for which local ma terials have been used . We have helped the client to find cost-e ffec tive solutions for both the construc tion and the running of

the building , with high-performance gla zing and high quality cavity insula tion and render contributing to fantastic U-values across the build . The design helps to maximise hea t recovery and the bespoke drainage system allows for re tention, preventing unwanted surges into local wa ter courses”.

In other news, Dray ton Manor's Tower and Hamilton suites recently underwent a comple te re furbishment, which included the installa tion of a wi-fi connec tion, new decor, fix tures and fit tings, enhanced lighting , new furniture and improved toile t facilities.

About the contractorA&H C onstruc tion & Developments plc , formed in 1986, has more than 20 years’ experience in building , civil engineering and projec t management, undertaking a wide range of projec ts in a range of marke t sec tors. The firm’s port folio comprises every thing from minor altera tions and re furbishments through to comple te new industrial esta tes.

Now gearing up for 25th anniversary celebra tions, A&H team members are re flec ting on a number of evolutionary changes over the company’s life , which has taken them through expansion, diversifica tion, a changing marke tplace and steady grow th and led to a reputa tion for quality and value . As well as being a major contrac tor in the Midlands, the firm has successfully comple ted prestigious projec ts across the UK .

P.A.W. delivers a faster light steel frame solutionP. A .W S truc tures played a key part in reducing the overall projec t programme for Dray ton Manor Hotels. It did so by designing , manufac turing and installing a high quality light gauge steel frame and composite floors which grea tly reduced the on-site programme when compared to traditional struc tures. P. A .W. achieved this without compromising on accuracy, design flexibility or the quality of ma terials.

P. A .W. is one of the UK’s leading panelised light steel frame companies and can draw upon over 75 years of specialist expertise in both light and heavy gauge steel struc tures. It offers clients and main contrac tors a proven service tha t covers all aspec ts of design, manufac ture and installa tion.Light steel struc tures enable a fast track construc tion

programme which allows the early commencement of follow-on trades. The inert frame is rarely affec ted by bad wea ther, requires no masonry and allows for off-site pre-fabrica tion of wall panels. Follow-on trades can begin work just 2 weeks af ter the floor installa tion.

For de tails contac t Graham Townend on 01756 748 923

S o u t h W e s t



Spring completion expected for new special needs facilityMain contractor Westbuild Solutions Ltd. is currently on site at Vranch House School in Exeter Devon, where a generous donation has allowed for a brand new £1 million children’s assessment centre.

The centre will comprise of a modern, purpose-built facility that should enable improved provision of specialist assessment services through the NHS for young children with special needs. The two-storey building is situated at the northern end of the Vranch House site and will include consulting rooms, assessment rooms, physiotherapy, doctors and therapist of ces, a toy library and an outpatients area.

The freezing conditions in early December postponed the scheduled bricklaying, and the subsequent snow did the same for the roof tiling. January saw both phases progressed as conditions returned to normal.

Although the weather has affected the external construction, the internal work has continued largely unhindered. All of the timber

frame work is now completed, including the plaster boarding to internal partitions and the rst x electrical installation and the plumbing for the under- oor heating are nearing completion.

Architect Carole Trim told Premier Construction, “The conditions of the donation meant that there were two main priorities for the project: to stay within a strict £1 million budget, as funding is from a single donation; and from the start date on site to complete within effectively 6 months. We started with a basic brief and outline design in early 2010 and so to get to this stage despite delays has been a great achievement by all involved. The pre-fabricated timber frame we speci ed has been an important factor in the progress made on site” .

Funding for the project comes from Hong Kong-based businessman and philanthropist Sir

Li Ka-Shing, head of Hutchison Whampoa Ltd and Cheung Kong Holdings, who has so far committed almost $1.5 billion of his vast wealth to charitable enterprises.

Vranch House is a registered charity and the new assessment centre will enable the multi-disciplinary assessment of children with complex and multiple dif culties and provide a range of outpatient treatments. The new building will host services from the charity, NHS Devon and Devon County Council.


A project comprising extension, refurbishment and external works is nearing completion, providing extensive new facilities at Queensway Catholic Primary School in Torquay.

The scheme is being undertaken for Torbay Borough C ouncil by main contrac tors MBS Ltd . Architec ts are Narracot ts; M & E consultants are SDS; struc tural engineers are Dartmoor Designs and quantity surveyors and employer’s representa tives are Paul Sherriff and Associa tes.The projec t has been carried out in two phases - the first

comprising the ex tension works and the second involving the re furbishment element of the scheme and the ex ternal works.

The first phase ex tension works have been comple ted and included the demolition of an ex ternal garage and mobile

classroom and the construc tion of a three-storey classroom block forming a new, reloca ted main entrance to the school and incorpora ting a new reception area , a community room , four classrooms, a plant room and storage areas. The ex tension is struc tured around a steel frame with ex ternal eleva tions in brick a t the lower level, with mainly render above; aluminium framed windows and a fla t roof. The school’s sports hall was also ex tended by about one third in this phase .Re furbishment works being carried out in the current second

phase comprise the internal reconfigura tion and re furbishment of an area previously containing four classrooms to form a two new general classrooms, a new pre-school area and a library. This phase also includes ex ternal works comprising the reconstruc tion of the school playground to include two new

School project brings new facilities into play


S o u t h W e s t


terraces and play equipment; the erec tion of new perime ter fencing , and the ex tension of the staff car park .

Throughout the projec t the main contrac tors and the school have worked in close co-opera tion to ensure the smooth progress of construc tion within a fully func tioning school. The projec t is due for comple tion in mid February 2011.The story of Queensway C a tholic Primary school commenced

in 1857, when a ca tholic elementary school was built adjacent to the Church of the Assumption, Abbey Road , Torquay. In 1953, the school stopped teaching children of all ages and became a primary school. During the 1960’s, Devon C ounty C ouncil looked for a piece

of land for a site for a new school to replace the one a t Abbey Road because the buildings had become antiqua ted and the playground inadequa te . A suitable site was reserved on Queensway situa ted beside playing fields a t Shiphay Manor, and it was considered appropria te to name the school af ter the road in which it stood .

Af ter many false hopes and disappointments, the direc tor of educa tion services of the C ounty Borough of Torbay a t last obtained from the Department of Educa tion the permission to proceed with the building of the new school.

C onstruc tion commenced in 1972, the founda tion stone being laid by Bishop C yril Restieaux on 20th June 1973 and the building comple ted in April 1974. On 1st May the pupils moved into new school, which now jointly serves the parishes of the Assumption, Abbey Road and Holy Angels, Chelston.

In addition to many minor internal altera tions and improvements over the years, a classroom was added in 1990 to ca ter for the growing number of pupils.

During the summer of 1999, the school gained funding from the government to build a new classroom to accommoda te their rising numbers of reception children. However, the increase in pupil numbers has continued unaba ted and a new seventh classroom was construc ted to allow the school to have discre te teaching groups throughout the building . During 2004 the school also managed to fund the crea tion of an ICT suite , a new staff room and also a new administra tion area .

MBS Ltd was established in 1989 with an aim to provide quality construc tion services to a wide range of clients throughout the south west.

The company prides itself on being able to obtain repea t business, which has enabled them to maintain steady manageable

grow th and an impressive port folio, including major public bodies, commercial and priva te customers. This has been achieved by remaining compe titive , and working closely with clients, design teams and users, enabling MBS Ltd to maintain consistency to the highest standard .

MBS Ltd is commit ted to the professional development and training of all employees within the organisa tion. This e thos applies to the constant monitoring of their sub contrac tors to ensure they mee t the company’s quality management criteria . The company direc tly employs a highly skilled and motiva ted

work force and is proud of its record of re taining the best personnel.Working within both the public and priva te sec tor, MBS Ltd

have been involved in construc ting several landmark buildings for varied uses, including re tail, industrial, housing , educa tion, law enforcement, de fence , healthcare , primary healthcare , and specialist bespoke designs.

Luxury hotel set to attract racing enthusiastsEllenborough Park, which adjoins the race course at Cheltenham, has recently been restored as a prime hotel. The fully restored 60 bedroom hotel will include exceptional suites and guest rooms in the main house, complimented by a new courtyard and suites. With interior design by the renowned N ina Campbell, Ellenborough Park will provide the highest level of prime hotel quality and service.

The rst 5-star hotel in the village of Southam, the new-look hotel replaces the former Hotel de la Bere in what is the former residence of the Earl of Ellenborough.

The new hotel will have both causal and formal dining rooms plus a private dining room for 12 in the principal suite. Other amenities will include a full service spa, gymnasium facilities and an outdoor pool, all set in the parkland adjacent to the racecourse.

With the new renovations, the hotel will boast

62 fully restored and new bedrooms, with suites of up to 700 sq. ft. and one grand suite with a private dining room for 12. All interiors are designed in a traditional yet sophisticated English country house style.

The hotel will also feature a full service spa, complete with hydrotherapy pool; sauna and steam room; six treatment rooms; outdoor heated pool, and fully-equipped gym.

N ina Campbell believes that a hotel should always exude comfort and peace, and consistently uses this as her starting point when embarking on a hotel project. "When you are in the English countryside, you need to feel cosy when you walk into your room and hotel reception areas" , she said, explaining that Ellenborough Park's decor is an eclectic mix of

traditional English fabrics and contemporary pieces.

The property bounds on to the Cheltenham Race course and will have its own access; the draw of the races is a major factor behind investor Robert Fraser Asset Management’s decision to pump over £10 million into the refurbishment, which has been carried out by main contractor Zenith.



S o u t h W e s t

Originally established by HenryVIII’s mother, Lady Margaret Beauford, in 1497, Queen Elizabeth’s School is well on its way to completing its plans for a brand new building to replace the existing facilities. The scheme, originally brought forward by Dorset City Council under the BSF scheme, has been designed by Fielden Clegg Bradley and Mouchel Architects and contracted by Carillion. Development has been progressing from Phase 1 of the project since its initial go-ahead in August 2009.

The site is in a spacious area of the Dorse t countryside to the west of the minster and the design has used the original rugby field as the focal point of the main new build , which is a specialist sports college . With a student head count of 1500 plus staff, the design na turally has to be on a large scale , covering in its dimensions approxima tely 12000m2, rising to three storeys. The school will be divided into a mini-university style campus with both covered and open air transit routes be tween struc tures. This is especially important to this sports-orienta ted school to provide access to the adjacent leisure centre and its ex tensive shared facilities.

While construc tion is underway on the new designs, sec tions of the existing school will be closed for safe and controlled demolition, transitioning the students from one building to other as construc tion continues. Efforts have been made to ensure the minimal volume of waste ma terial has been removed from site , using the spoil as embankments, viewing pla t forms and hard core fill for new founda tions.The concre te frame is built using thousands of plastic spheres

caged within the floor slabs cast on pre-cast planks, avoiding ex tensive formwork , to reduce the volume of concre te used in construc tion, thus saving capacity in the founda tions. Ex ternally, the walls are heavily insula ted brick and cedar cladding with timber framed but aluminum shrouded windows all to reduce ongoing maintenance . Roofing is achieved using a single ply, high performance ma terial selec ted to provide the look of zinc roofing , even including faux seams, but, aging , to minimize maintenance . The overall floor area is 14,235m2, which is higher than other similarly designa ted schools but with its ex tensive projec ted use a community facility the space is fully justified .

Much e ffort has been expended to ensure the school’s IT communica tions are top-notch, including Wi-Fi access throughout the campus to positively encourage laptop use in the classrooms, in the many internal breakout spaces and ex ternally in the informal outdoor areas loca ted among the six new buildings.

The ITC provision within the school includes the use of a computer for every student tha t needs one combined with a local ne twork tha t will allow log-in from home and cashless transac tions for meals on the campus via the use of swipe cards which also opera te as library cards and to open doors. Additional fea tures of the system will be a new administra tion and archiving system , interac tive whiteboards in all classrooms and constant school informa tion including on energy usage on a real time basis. C CTV, security and fire alarms will also be integra ted with the building management systems tha t automa tically control the environment.

Despite the main blocks being three stories high, the split level design “avoids any feeling of being over-awed by the bulk of the architec ture”, according to Tony Hall, projec t manager for W YG .The projec t, costing £38 million, also incorpora tes spacious

a tria . Speaking to Premier C onstruc tion, Tony Hall had plenty of praise for the lighting arrangements, adding , “The three storey a tria tha t are central to all three main blocks allow na tural light to flood down through to the floors. This e ffec t will crea te a wonderfully adaptable indoor-to-outdoor heart of the school”.The school will be hea ted and cooled using air passed through

ground tubes buried below the buildings to provide a stable tempera ture throughout the year and using the thermal mass of the concre te frame to help distribute the e ffec ts during the working day. The multi-coa ted double gla zing , biomass boiler, silver standard insula tion throughout, solar hea ting and photo-voltaic elec tricity genera tion all contribute to the achievement of a BREE AM ‘excellent ’ score for the finished school. Air permeability through the walls, doors, windows, curtain walling and roof is far lower than levels required to sa tisfy current building regula tions.The new Queen Elizabe th’s School is se t to be comple ted and

handed over in August 2011.

Royal Treatment For New Queen Elizabeth’s School Construction


L o n d o n & S o u t h E a s t


The £230 million pound 512-bed Pembury Hospital, under construction in Maidstone, Kent, has been innovatively designed to aid patient recovery and safety.

The hospital is being constructed on the site of the existing general hospital which it w ill replace, and comprises both an acute medical unit and a women’s and children’s facility. The project is being carried out by Laing

O ’Rourke, part of the John Laing Consortium , which is responsible for the design, build and nance of the hospital, w ith Interserve FM responsible for the provision of hard FM services. The development is being undertaken for the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.The hospital is being built in two phases,

the rst of which was completed and

handed over on time to the trust on 30th November. This phase saw nearly half of the hospital handed over and tting out is being completed in readiness for the women’s and children’s unit, outpatients, imaging and theatres, among others, to move in at the end of January 2011. Handover of the second phase planned for later this spring. The nal phase of the project w ill be the demolition of the old hospital and the landscaping of the land on which it stands, which is being turned back into heathland. The only building that w ill remain on the old site w ill be an old chapel.The hospital w ill be one of the rst major

new acute healthcare development in the UK to boast 100% single-room accommodation for patients.The building is constructed on a steep

slope, so patients and visitors enter the six-storey facility half way up, w ith service access at lower levels.

The women’s and children’s unit shares an entrance w ith the acute w ing and the reception area affords views out to the surrounding woodland. Internal navigation is designed to be simple, w ith patients and visitors com ing into the hospital at one level, then being directed into a core hospital street, before being pointed upwards to ward level. Visitor and patient ows are separated, as are emergency and elective ow, and facilities management.Designers Anshen+Allen worked closely

w ith the trust and the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) to come up w ith the nal design, also draw ing on their own experience in the US, where single-room hospitals are more common. In addition, the design team worked closely w ith staff and patients in the development of the overall concept. The team also studied patient ow and considered a range of different plans and layouts

Innovatively designed new hospital is just what the doctor ordered!


throughout the bidding process before com ing up w ith the nal design.The single bedded patient

accommodation w ill afford much greater privacy and dignity and w ill cut the risk of infections spreading. Rooms have been designed for maximum patient safety and comfort and all have en-suite bathrooms, which are placed near the head of the bed to facilitate easy access. Ceiling to oor w indows reveal stunning views across the surrounding woodland and rooms have also been designed to m inim ise slips, trips and falls.

Patient accommodation is divided into a series of nger wards, most of which are south-facing and all are also naturally ventilated. For future sustainability, each of the hospital’s 30-bed w ings can be divided into three wards of 10 beds if demand changes, and nursing stations have been placed in a position which, not only ensures good visibility into wards, but

also reduces internal travel distances for staff.

Peter C larkson has worked at Pembury for 42 years and is the trust’s autoclave supervisor. He said, “I’m very pleased w ith what I have seen of the new hospital so far – there w ill be so much more space than we have at present. The service I work in is expanding so I’m looking forward to helping run an even better one to meet patients’ needs” .

Sally Stevenson, who has 35 years’ service and is manager of Pembury’s outpatients’ department, said, “There w ill be new challenges for us but this is a bright new hospital and we are all looking forward to further improving our services. The new buildings look wonderful” .

G lenn Douglas, trust chief executive,

said, “The quality and design of the building sets the benchmark for many other new hospitals. “Everybody involved has worked hard to

go the extra m ile to ensure the project has run to time. It’s up to us now to ensure we make the best possible advantage of these facilities for the bene t of our patients” .The hospital is due to open fully in

September 2011.



March 2011 sees the beginning of the turbine works on the London Array. The project, which will cost well over the initial investment of €2.2 billion, is still on track to provide power to the 2012 Olympics.

The projec t was born in 2001, when a series of environmental studies in the outer Thames Estuary confirmed the area is a suitable wind farm site . Two years la ter, the Crown Esta te gave London Array Ltd a 50 year lease for the site and cable route to shore .

Planning consent for a 1GW offshore wind farm was granted in 2006, and permission was granted for the onshore works in

2007. Work on Phase 1 started in July 2009 when contrac tors began building the onshore substa tion a t Cleve Hill in Kent.

Phase 1 Phase 1 of the projec t covers an offshore area of 100km2 – room enough for 175 wind turbines, two offshore substa tions and nearly 450km of offshore cabling , all of which genera tes 630MW of elec tricity through an onshore substa tion which channels enough power for around 480,000 homes a year or two thirds of the homes in Kent.

Phase 1 will cost €2.2 billion to build and install, and should be

Offshore works beginning on London Array project




comple te in 2012, when it will begin to provide estima ted C O2 savings of 925,000 tonnes a year.

O ffshore construc tion ac tivities will be managed from a temporary construc tion base a t the Port of Ramsga te . Work began on the base in summer 2010 and the construc tion team moved into the building in September 2010. Up to 45 staff will opera te from it during offshore construc tion. Developers are expec ting the base to remain until 2013, when Phase 1 construc tion is comple ted , but it may be le f t in place to become the construc tion base for Phase 2 if this goes ahead in the near future .

Array cables will connec t the wind turbines to each other and to the offshore substa tions. They will each measure be tween 650m and 1,200m in length. For Phase 1, contrac tors will lay 209km of array cabling in total. The export cables will run from the offshore substa tions to the

onshore substa tion a t Cleve Hill, where the power will be flowed into the na tional elec tricity ne twork . The cables will be buried in trenches dug into the seabed using the special cable installa tion barge and plough, ‘S tema t Spirit ’. As well as transporting elec tricity, the export cables will hold vital fibre optic wires tha t will be used to communica te remotely with the wind turbines. There will be 220km of export cabling laid in Phase 1 and each of the four cables will be installed in one continuous length of over 50km .The design for the Cleve Hill substa tion was chosen following

a design compe tition in summer 2006. The winning entry was designed by RMJM , a world-renowned firm of architec ts. It was developed around the concept of a viewing point perpendicular to the substa tion and almost 1km away on the Saxon Shore Way. As a result, the substa tion’s main architec tural fea ture is the North Wall, which is 10m tall and made up of a series of concre te panels and fins. Two of four huge transformers needed for the sta tion have been

transported to site in a huge ye t precise logistical opera tion. Each transformer is 8.5 me tres long and 2.5 me tres wide and weighs approxima tely 130 tonnes. The transformers will be used to convert this to 400,000 volts to enable the energy produced by the wind farm to be transported to the na tional elec tricity ne twork .

The substa tion is loca ted near the village of Graveney, which is around 1km inland from the North Kent coast. It is built nex t to the C anterbury-Kemsley 400kV overhead power line on the north side of Cleve Hill, close to existing buildings a t Cleve Farm . The substa tion has been built to blend into the hillside with ex tensive earthworks crea ting shielding mounds topped with trees. Around 150,000m3 of earth has been removed or re-loca ted and around 10,000 trees have been planted .

C onstruc tion on Cleve Hill’s main architec tural fea ture , the North Wall, is nearly comple te . The concre te base and 2.4m stem for the wall was comple ted in August 2010 and the 7m high concre te panels were installed during September and O c tober




Most of the steel fins (31 of 37) have now been installed; the last 6 fins will be installed once the elec trical commissioning works have been comple ted towards the end of the summer 2011. The North Wall consists of 33 concre te panels and 37 aluminium fins placed in a 160m long line .Work is beginning on the turbine element of Phase 1, with 177

piles – one for each of the 175 wind turbines and two more for the offshore substa tions. A purpose-built vessel, the ‘MPI Adventure’ will install the founda tions in deep wa ter. In shallower areas, contrac tors will use the ‘Sea Worker’ vessel. These vessels have four ex tendable legs tha t lif t the deck out of the wa ter to crea te a stable pla t form from which to hammer in the piles.

Local businesses encouraged to get involved In summer 2010, more than 150 local businesses took the opportunity to hear how they might be able to bene fit from the construc tion and maintenance of the London Array wind farm . A ‘mee t the buyer’ event a t S t Augustine’s, in Westga te-on-Sea , a t trac ted companies from Thane t and across Kent.A presenta tion and question and answer session hosted by

London Array, Thane t Distric t C ouncil and Kent C ounty C ouncil was followed by an exhibition where potential suppliers of goods and services could mee t London Array and some of its main contrac tors.Among the contrac tors taking part and looking to tap into

the skills and services of local businesses were A2Sea , which is supplying one of the installa tion vessels, cabling specialists JDR and Visser Smit Global Marine as well as Per Aarsle ff and Bilfinger Ingenieurbau, which is supplying and installing the founda tions and also installing the turbines.

London Array construc tion manager Thomas Bonnichsen, who will be based a t Ramsga te and oversee the construc tion of the wind farm , said , “This was a very well a t tended event and part of an initia tive to introduce local businesses to London Array and our main contrac tors. We are very encouraged by the level of interest being shown in the projec t and the broad range of produc ts and services available tha t have the potential to

support the wind farm”.C ompanies a t tending were from a varie ty of sec tors including

construc tion specialists, marine consultancies, security services, equipment providers, hotels and B&Bs, engineering companies and recruitment consultants. Among these were a number of small businesses already working with London Array.

Kevin Lynes, Kent C ounty C ouncil cabine t member for regenera tion and economic development, who spoke a t the opening presenta tion, said , “ We are really pleased with this major investment and it is good news for East Kent. The bene fits for the local economy and people will be massive over the nex t 20 years.

“It is immensely sa tisfying to be involved in some thing like this a t the beginning of its development. As part of the Backing Kent Business campaign, we have worked alongside London Array to make it easier for Kent businesses to express an interest in working on this and other wind power projec ts through the website www.kentwindenergy.co.uk”.

Also taking part was Brian White , direc tor of regenera tion for Thane t Distric t C ouncil, who said , “Thane t is well placed to bene fit from this growing industry, and the council is keen to work with the major developers to make sure as an area tha t we take full advantage of the opportunities on offer”.

C ompanies interested in supplying goods and services to London Array can register their de tails a t www.londonarray.com

The developers London Array Limited is a consortium of three world-leading renewable energy companies and a team of expert sub-contrac tors who are combining their experience and expertise to develop and build the world’s largest offshore wind farm .

DONG EnergyDenmark-based D O N G Energy, a leading European energy group, has a 50% stake in the projec t. D O N G representa tives procure , produce , distribute and trade in energy and rela ted




produc ts across Northern Europe . D O N G is a marke t leader in offshore wind technology and has built around half of the offshore wind farms opera ting today. The company is heavily involved in the produc tion and

expansion of renewable energy in the UK . These include building three new major UK offshore wind farms. D O N G Energy currently opera tes the offshore wind farms Gunflee t Sands (172MW ), Burbo Bank (90MW ) and Barrows (90MW ). Find out more a t www.dongenergy.com

E.ONE .O N Group is one of the world’s largest power and gas companies, a leading energy supplier in the UK , with around 8 million customers. E .O N has been involved in renewable energy since 1991. The company now owns and opera tes 22 wind farms in the UK , including the 60MW Scroby Sands offshore wind farm off the coast of Grea t Yarmouth and the 60 turbine Robin Rigg Wind Farm in the Solway Firth. Many more projec ts are in the pipeline . Find out more a t eon.com

MasdarMasdar, a renewable energy company based in Abu Dhabi, is a subsidiary of the Mubadala Development C ompany. Masdar specialises in developing and commercialising renewable and sustainable energy technologies. The London Array is just one of many projec ts tha t the company is working on, both in Abu Dhabi and interna tionally. Masdar is also investing in a number of innova tive ‘cleantech’ companies to further develop technologies. The biggest projec t a t the moment is Masdar City, a carbon-neutral, zero-waste cleantech hub tha t ’s fully powered by renewable energy. Read more about Madar’s ac tivities a t masdar.ae

Heavy liftingWith a global ne twork of opera ting centres and a large flee t of heavy cranes, specialist transport and installa tion equipment, ALE combines exceptional projec t management with engineering intelligence to offer worldwide transporta tion and lif ting services to all industry sec tors. Founded in 1983, the company has grown into an interna tional giant with a turnover of EUR150m .

For the London Array, ALE received four 130te transformers a t Cha tham Docks and transported them to the Cleve Hill site approxima tely 30 miles away, a route which included a tight railway bridge . In order to comple te the transporta tion, ALE coordina ted with stakeholders, including residents, the local authorities and the railway ne twork opera tor. The company followed up on site with expert site handling as well as removal of unwanted ma terials.Renewables business development manager Angus Hamilton

told Premier C onstruc tion, “The work we do may seem like a logistical nightmare but we thrive on the challenge – it ’s wha t we do every day! We have bases and well-established transport ne tworks across the globe with all the major heavy industries, of which renewables is showing some of the biggest grow th. As such, our expertise is highly sought-af ter”.

Alongside the London Array in the UK , ALE has recently been ac tive on both the Walney and Grea ter G abbard wind farms, taking responsibility a t the la t ter for the transporta tion of all 140 of the turbines from a base a t Harwich Port. Find out more a t www.ale-heavylif t.com

Modular & Portable Buildings Ltd.With clients demanding eco-friendliness a t every step, a green solution to site buildings was required . In stepped Modular & Portable Buildings Ltd to install a two storey, recycled Portakabin Duplex building consisting of 22 modular sec tions. The installa tion took just two days, with the majority of re furbishment carried out a t the company’s base in the North-East.

Direc tor and co-owner Ben Foreman says, “Right now, people are looking to cut costs, have a positive e ffec t on local economies and protec t the environment. We specialise in re-using second hand units, which can save up to 70% of the cost and 90% of the

carbon. We also use local sub-contrac tors on site , so we have a positive impac t wherever we go”.The company’s hire division offers another eco-friendly

alterna tive when buildings are needed temporarily. Find out more a t www.modularandportablebuildingshrie .co.uk

The veterans of the offshore wind industry The first company to design an offshore wind farm , C OWI’s offshore wind consultancy is renowned for its innova tive solutions, as well as for se t ting the industry standard for wind turbine gravity founda tions. The firm , previously successful a t sites such as Thornton Bank in Belgium and Nysted/Rødsand II in Denmark , is continuing a framework rela tionship with the contrac tor and has teamed up with IMS G mbH , the G erman marke t leaders in the design of steel marine struc tures, to form C OWI-IMS JV. The JV is responsible for carrying out the de tailed design of the steel founda tions.

On the London Array, wa ter depths - varying be tween 0 and 25 me tres - and unstable sea bed are among the challenges facing the 20-strong design team . Jan Rønberg , C OWI’s marke t direc tor for wind developments, spoke to Premier C onstruc tion:

“It ’s a highly diverse area with a wide range of wa ter depths and differing soil conditions. We are dealing with sand profiles, stiff London clay profiles and mix tures including gravel layers. We also have layers prone to lique fac tion. Our designs have included a new conical grout connec tion as a response to studies tha t have shown tha t, on other wind farms, cylindrical grout connec tions have not offered the desired level of stability.

“In order to be successful, we are drawing on our ex tensive experience of monopile , jacke t and gravity-based struc tures and making the most of our ability to follow the contrac tor’s lead and respond quickly and precisely to any requests for modifica tions”.

The expert input of Jan and his colleagues is behind some of the largest founda tions ever built, with a length of up to 85m . Find out more about this and other projec ts a t www.cowi.com .

The recon teamBe fore a projec t of this scale can commence , ex tensive hydrographic and geophysical surveys must be carried out. The proprie tary engineering designs and environmental applica tion processes on the London Array development hinged on early seabed mapping surveys carried out by Osiris Projec ts.

Osiris Projec ts’ work involves acoustic scanning to de termining surface conditions and highlighting potential ha zards as well as seismic profiling for de termining the shallow geological conditions. During the summer of 2004 their specialist inshore vessels

collec ted over 3,600 km of high resolution survey da ta , mapping the site comple tely. C ontrac ts manager Pa trick Clark says, ‘At the time , this was a huge survey. Challenges such as opera tional logistics, shallow wa ter, strong tides, drying banks and the sheer da ta volumes meant we needed a pioneering solution’.

Osiris Projec ts remain one step ahead of the compe tition as they prepare to launch a new semi-SWATH DP1 survey ca tamaran, ‘Bibby Te thra’, which has the sea keeping ability of an offshore vessel a t a frac tion of the cost. Pa trick adds, “In our sec tor, you’re reliant on technology. We pride ourselves in being innova tors”. Visit www.osirisprojec ts.co.uk

Taking care of the cablesPipeline Engineering’s £7.75 million contrac t will see the firm supply a proprie tary system to protec t, export and array cables be tween the 175 offshore wind turbines and three substa tions.The company’s proprie tary PEFLEX® cable protec tion system

(pa tents pending) protec ts against abrasion, impac t, fa tigue and cable over-bending while facilita ting quicker deployment and reducing installa tion costs. Pipeline Engineering is currently construc ting a purpose-built manufac turing cell for the projec t tha t incorpora tes the la test lean manufac turing processes a t its existing facility in C a t terick , North Yorkshire .Pipeline Engineering is a subsidiary of C IR C OR Interna tional

(NYSE: C IR). Paul C oppinger, president of C IR C OR Energy




Produc ts Group, spoke of “leveraging our technological know-how in offshore oil and gas to provide London Array with a proprie tary diver-less cable protec tion system tha t is easy to install and much less costly than existing marke t systems”. Visit www.pipelineengineering .com to find out more .

Pioneering surveysAlready ve terans a t wha t is still a young site , Emu Ltd . have contributed their considerable scienti c know-how to three separa te surveying projec ts: protec ted habita t assessment, unexploded ordnance de tec tion and wea ther buoy management.

Emu’s Huw Powell told Premier C onstruc tion why his company had been asked to play such an important series of roles, saying , “ We have pioneered techniques and technology tha t others are still trying to ca tch up with: our magne tic de tec tion techniques, developed in 2008, mean tha t we can pinpoint ferrous objec ts to within 3m over survey areas ex tending to many hundreds of square kilome tres. O thers have to spend up to four times as long a t sea in order to genera te the same precision in their da ta”.

He continued , “ We have also developed a video system designed to collec t images even in the kind of murky or low visibility wa ter you nd in places like the Thames Estuary. Imagine trying to see under wa ter be fore and af ter put ting on a diving mask – the difference is tha t big! The system , known as “Elvis” has made a vital contribution to projec t planning , seabed mapping and wildlife protec tion”.

Based near Southampton and with outposts across the UK , Emu’s 100+ staff, comprising some of the eld’s leading experts, have comple ted projec ts in over 40 countries worldwide and worked on the majority of the UK’s major wind farms.

With 6 survey vessels and an ex tensive range of in-house high speci ca tion surveying equipment and labora tory facilities, Emu is capable of providing the marke t ’s most comprehensive and high-tech survey and consultancy package .

Find out more a t www.emulimited .com


Gatwick Airport’s huge programme of improvements continues to make progress, under a scheme designed to make the airport more modern and user-friendly, and able to cope with ever-increasing challenges of traffic, passengers and baggage.

G a twick is now owned by Global Infrastruc ture Partners (G IP), who also manage London’s City Airport, af ter a report by the C ompe tition C ommission led to former opera tors BA A selling the hub in la te 2009. Improvements to the airport go hand-in-hand with the new opera tors’ sta ted intention to encourage more passengers and airlines to make G a twick “London’s Airport of Choice” in the face of compe tition from Hea throw, S tansted and Luton airports, amongst others in the UK . Already the 8th largest airport in Europe in terms of passenger numbers, G a twick’s modernisa tion represents an ambitious a t tempt to grow even further.

C ontrac tors across the programme of upgrades have so far coped well with two challenging aspec ts of their roles – aspec ts which are perhaps unique to the airport environment. First is the sheer volume of human traffic around the live airport which, until upgrades are comple ted , is still an environment around which movement can be confusing and counter-intuitive . Second , the need for absolute security, especially when working ‘airside’, crea tes an obstacle which has required a large dose of crea tivity and flexibility from all working on site .

G a twick Airport ’s Wayne Lonsdale spoke to Premier C onstruc tion about the scheme:

“Across the projec t, there are two main aims. The first is to improve the passenger experience , and there are several ways in which we’re approaching the issue . One way, as an example , is to improve movement around the airport. We’ve carried out a number of computer simula tions to de termine the best way to encourage people to move around , and some of the conclusions we drew were tha t it ’s much be t ter to have more open spaces with clear lines of sight, and tha t lif ts are be t ter solutions than escala tors for moving large numbers of people from floor to floor.

“The other main aim is to increase capacity, which is why we’re

investing so much in the baggage handling systems, for example . The la test technology will ensure a process tha t ’s faster and more precise and a system tha t can take on a grea t burden of baggage without struggling”.Such a large investment into UK avia tion was considered too

much to hand to a single contrac tor, and so the projec t has been divided into sec tions, each of which has been handed to one of the UK’s major construc tion firms. According to a G a twick spokesperson, “To achieve our goals, we are working toge ther, making connec tions across projec ts, consulting with suppliers and employing expertise to develop the best solutions”. Among the major contrac tors awarded work packages a t the airport are C ostain, Rok , C arillion, Willmot t Dixon and VIN C I.Wayne added , “The contrac tors we’ve chosen are all respec ted

and trusted , and they bring with them a grea t deal of experience , not to mention ha t fuls of awards. Our three main criteria in selec ting contrac tors were their focus on safe ty and security, both during and af ter construc tion, their understanding of wha t it takes to construc t a fantastic airport and their ability to offer value for money”.

Wayne’s colleague , S tephen James, offers an explana tion of why passenger movement is such a critical focus of the works, saying , “At airports like Hea throw, a much larger proportion of the passengers are regular fliers who travel on business. They know their way around the airport, and to them it ma t ters much less whe ther the layout is ac tually intuitive or not, as they ge t into the habit of knowing where they are and where they need to be nex t and thus move around quickly.

“At G a twick , however, the vast majority of our travellers are holidaymakers who visit very infrequently. It ’s much easier to ge t lost or confused in a new place , and tha t ’s why we recognise tha t it ’s more important here than a t other airports to crea te clarity in the way the buildings are laid out, especially when you remember tha t we’re the busiest single runway in the world . There is a lot we can do to improve the se t-up a t G a twick and my hope is tha t, once all these improvements are comple te , it will be difficult to imagine exac tly how counter-intuitive the airport was be fore!”

Gatwick workers making remarkable progress

VINCIVIN C I C onstruc tion UK have continued a 12-year rela tionship a t G a twick with their recent work a t the airport. Recently, the group had undertaken the Pier 2 upgrade a t the South Terminal in a contrac t worth £33.5m . S tarting in September 2009, the VIN C I team have nowachieved all three of the Pier 2 handovers, where new buildings, ga te rooms, aircraf t stands and infrastruc ture have been put into opera tion.VIN C I have also comple ted the re-development of the South

Terminal shut tle sta tion. The £8m re-development scheme was comple ted in mid-2010 and has access to the sta tion with a new ‘face lif t ’ and sta tion re-fit.

Adding to the long list of services tha t VIN C I have been providing for G a twick over the last 12 months is the construc tion of the new G a twick South Terminal C onsolida ted Security Search facility, a £45m security development which will re-develop a significant part of the south terminal to provide improved passenger processing capacity and new re tail. The work began on site in July 2010 and has successfully passed the initial demolition work so tha t the first areas can be handed over for re tail fit-out. The works also involve threading new escala tors through the existing baggage hall and through terminal floor slabs.

Meanwhile , further projec ts have reached initial construc tion phases. The South Terminal Forecourt re-development will provide a £24m upgrade of the terminal’s entrance . Diversion



works to move existing high voltage cables are under way and founda tion works have commenced .

Jason Griffiths, produc tion direc tor a t VIN C I air division, spoke to Premier C onstruc tion of his happiness to have VIN C I involved in the regenera tion of G a twick , highlighting in particular an outstanding safe ty achievement:

“The VIN C I air team have successfully delivered 3 million man hours with no reportable accidents, a record of which they are very proud”.

In previous years, a significant portion of the improvements to G a twick have been down to VIN C I, including construc tion of the South Terminal’s Pier 3 and Pier 2 segrega tion projec ts, the re furbishment and ex tension of the Interna tional Departure Lounge , and the construc tion of the goods in and waste away facility for the South Terminal interna tional departures lounge .

VIN C I also undertook the replacement of 28 passenger loading bridges and the installa tion of the ga te guidance system . In the last year, VIN C I have also construc ted a temporary baggage facility as part of the enabling works for the new South Terminal system , demolished Hangar 5 and the old customs house and also comple ted duties as the programme integra tor for the South Terminal capital programme .

Andrew Ridley-Barker, opera tional direc tor of VIN C I’s air division, spoke to Premier C onstruc tion

“ Our experience a t G a twick is wha t allows us to ge t things done: we know the environment - its constraints and its interdependencies - and we know wha t to do to overcome challenges to the projec ts. Asked wha t makes for a successful airport projec t, Andrew got

straight to the point:“You have to keep things separa te . You can’t turn an airport

into a construc tion site; you have to find a solution tha t le ts both airport staff and construc tion workers ge t on with their jobs.

“I’m pleased to say we’ve done tha t, and our experience with things such as passenger segrega tion and construc tion logistics

a t the airport adds to our know-how in tha t area . We’ve been able to keep delivering on our promises without bringing the airport to a halt ”.

Willmott DixonWillmot t Dixon’s role a t G a twick involves three projec ts across both terminals: the North Terminal Onward Travel Facility, the South Terminal Immigra tion Hall re furbishment and the C oncourse flooring , previously re ferred to by S tephen James. The contrac tor’s opera tions manager, Ya zdi Shroff, talked Premier C onstruc tion through the works he is overseeing:

“ Beginning with the work on the South Terminal Immigra tion Hall, we commenced construc tion in mid November 2010 and work will be going on until July 2011. An important part of our role is to communica te closely with the UK Border Agency, who are relying on us for a facility tha t improves their working environment and opera tion and tha t doesn’t disrupt them during construc tion.

“Nex t is the flooring in the South Terminal C oncourse . I’d agree with S tephen James’ comments about the logistical side of the works but, just like any airport contrac t, we have approached this with a commitment to organisa tion and understanding of the client ’s needs. Tha t ensures tha t the complexity of the projec t doesn’t become an obstacle . We’ve undertaken ex tensive trials to de termine the best flooring type to use and the best way of phasing the works. We’ll begin on site in January 2011 and we plan to comple te the following July.

“ Finally, we have just been awarded our first North Terminal projec t, the new Onward Travel Facility, which is currently a temporary se t-up on the top level of MS C P 5. Our projec t is to crea te a new permanent facility within the terminal building . It is essentially a fit-out contrac t – we install the new M&E service connec tions, floors, walls, ceilings and so on.

“ With all our projec ts, we try to deliver the best value solutions for


our clients and their stakeholders. Feedback from stakeholders has been encouraging , so long may it continue!”

Target Site ServicesEstablished in 1989, Targe t Site Services has an excellent record , for over twenty two years. O ffering engineering services of the highest quality. Providing elec trical and mechanical engineering expertise , and associa ted service skills to customers for whom infrastruc ture quality, e fficiency safe ty and reliability are critical.

They have established highly successful training and apprenticeship programmes. Priding themselves on the time and resources dedica ted to producing highly skilled opera tives to take the industry forward for future genera tions. This fac t was recognised by our former Prime Minister G ordon Brown in a le t ter sent to Richard Frost M .D. congra tula ting him on twenty successful years. A copy of which can be seen on the company website .Rob Appleby mechanical direc tor says, “It is an exciting time

to be working a t G a twick Airport and Targe t Site Services is well positioned for continued grow th. We have an excellent and well deserved reputa tion for delivering projec ts of high quality on time , safely and within budge t ”.

Targe t Site Services are proud of the rela tionship established with their clients. Two projec ts recently commenced a t G a twick include South Terminal Immigra tion for Willmot t Dixon and South Terminal Baggage for Mace .

Vibrant new neighbourhood rises on formerly run down estatesGeared to creating a revitalised, attractive, vibrant and sustainable new neighbourhood through the regeneration of formerly run-down housing, is a project at the Stonegrove and Spur Road Estates in the London Borough of Barnet.

The scheme is being carried out by lead developers Barratt Homes, in partnership with the London Borough of Barnet and Family Mosaic Housing Association. Sprunt Architects developed a master plan for the regeneration., which aims to provide new high quality suburban homes to meet the Decent Homes Standard and transform the estates.

The estates were built in the 1960s and 1970s, and comprise a mixture of 11-storey tower blocks and four-storey maisonette blocks which were deemed not suitable for improvement.

On completion of the regeneration programme, all 603 of the original properties will have been demolished and replaced by a new, balanced community. There will be a

series of linked, mix tenure areas with a range of different household sizes, which will be attractive to both existing and new residents alike.

The construction programme is being carried out in phases, with old properties being demolished and replaced in sequence.

The new properties will be a mixture of houses, ats and maisonettes, with about a third being for rent, half for sale and the remainder for low-cost home ownership. All the new homes will be designed and built to high standards (including Code 3 Level for Sustainable Homes), with residents from the old estates being given preference for re-housing. All of the properties will be of concrete frame construction and the new homes will be served by a district heating system.

The rst phase of the regeneration scheme was completed in June last year and consisted of the construction of houses, ats and

maisonettes ranging in size from one to four bedrooms, with all the houses having gardens and the ats having large balconies and access to communal spaces.

The second phase of the development is currently underway and comprises the construction of one- two- and three-bedroom ats.The ats are being constructed in ve blocks

on the site of old ats which were demolished. Completion of this phase is due in September 2011.




Greater Gabbard wind farm is a joint venture between Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and RWE npower renewables and is the world’s largest wind farm currently under construction.

The wind farm is being developed in a combined undertaking be tween Fluor Interna tional Limited and Airtricity, the renewable energy development division of SSE , and will include the installa tion of 140 Siemens 3.6 MW wind turbines loca ted around two sand banks known as Inner G abbard and the G alloper in the North Sea 25km off the Suffolk C oast. Upon comple tion, the wind farm will have a total capacity of

approxima tely 500MW which will genera te power to an estima ted number of 530,000 households, equivalent to the domestic demand in Suffolk .

Prior to receiving the engineering , procurement and construc tion contrac t, Fluor’s development responsibilities included the management of environmental studies, site surveys and engineering tha t culmina ted in the submission of an Environmental Impac t S ta tement. Fluor also leveraged its supply chain knowledge and experience to support the joint venture in securing the projec t ’s connec tion to the UK’s na tional grid , the supply of the turbines, heavy steel struc tures and other critical supply chain elements required for timely construc tion.

Fluor and Airtricity worked closely with the local authorities, community and conserva tion bodies in the development of the projec t and , in particular, the sighting of the onshore substa tion. Fluor recognises and apprecia tes the communica tions, support and coopera tion of the local communities and intends to maintain

The UK plays host to the world’s largest offshore wind farm under construction




a high level of engagement throughout the construc tion phase . Work began on the onshore sub sta tion significantly prior to

the first phase of offshore construc tion, which began in August 2009, and the entire projec t is due for comple tion and opera tion in 2012.

The installa tion of the offshore transformer pla t form founda tion loca ted in the outer Thames Estuary is on schedule and the erec tion of the first turbines, in line with the beginning of the installa tion of three cables to export power from the site , began toward the end of 2009.

Upon comple tion, the wind turbines will be mounted on steel monopiles and transition pieces in wa ter depths be tween 24 and 34m and is expec ted to have a load fac tor of over 40% based on site-specific me t mast da ta collec ted since 2005 and Scot tish Southern Elec trics will take 50% of the output with RWE npower renewables receiving the other half.

The wind turbines will be connec ted to the grid through an onshore substa tion a t Sizewell in Suffolk . Buried cables will connec t the turbines to the substa tion, while underground cables owned by Na tional Grid Elec tricity Transmission will connec t the sub-sta tion to the Na tional Grid .

As of November 2010: all 140 turbine founda tions have been installed55 turbines are now in placetwo out of three export cables have been installedthe first export cable has been energisedthe opera tions base a t Lowestof t is now opera tionalthe wind farm remains on schedule for comple tion in 2012The entire development of the projec t, excluding the connec tion

to the elec tricity grid , is expec ted to acquire a cost of around £1.3bn.

“ Grea ter G abbard is a major development in every sense ,” Ian Marchant, chie f executive of SSE , commented , “and its significance is underlined by the huge investment placed in it. Our priority is to make sure construc tion work proceeds in an e fficient and timely manner, so tha t it can begin to play its

important part in mee ting the UK’s energy needs as soon as possible”.Managing direc tor of RWE npower renewables, Paul C owling ,

echoed these positive sentiments. “This acquisition is a perfec t addition to npower renewables’

existing offshore port folio,” he said . “ We are delighted to be working with SSE on this projec t and , combined with our financial input, we are pleased to offer our experience of developing , building and opera ting offshore wind farms in the UK”.

CablesThe scope of the contrac t awarded to cable specialists JDR C able Systems includes over 200km of inter-array subsea power cables and associa ted termina tions which will provide the essential links be tween the 3.6MW turbine genera tors and the G abbard and G alloper offshore substa tions. The cables each comprise 3 phase 18/30(36)kV power cores and fibre optic communica tions. The Grea ter G abbard cables are engineered to give the smallest

diame ter whilst still maintaining the strength and weight required to suit the field installa tion and service conditions. The phase conduc tors will be insula ted with XLPe and a triple ex trusion process used for simultaneous applica tion of the conduc tor screen, insula tion and me tallic screen. JDR will provide flexible pull-in termina tions and hang-offs. JDR also provide experienced and certified technicians to termina te the cables and fibre-optics offshore during the installa tion phase .

TransportA 24-hour development needs a reliable 24-hour support crew, which is exac tly wha t European marine support specialists Enviro-serve provide a t Grea ter G abbard . With ‘Sea Beaver’ and ‘Sea Weasel’ supporting Subocean’s cable laying and ‘Sea Ferre t ’ providing support for Fluor, it ’s hard to miss Enviro-serve on site . O pera tional manager Ben S tebbing says, “ We’re available 24/7, with dedica ted crews of true seafarers who can live aboard for over a week a t a time”.

Enviro-serve specialise in flexible marine support for the




offshore industries. The company was founded in 2003 by entrepreneur and former fisherman Paul Lines, who has since steered it through a varie ty of prestigious contrac ts. These include Scroby Sands and Kentish Fla ts wind farms, survey support for the proposed Atlantic Array and even transport for B B C and Discovery Channel filming in the North Sea .Three new vessels are being added to Enviro-serve’s existing

nine-strong flee t starting in 2011 (“ We’re building new vessels as fast as we possibly can!” says Ben), so visit www.enviro-serve .com to keep up with the news.

CHUBB FIRE OFFSHORE KEEPS THE WIND IN THE SAILSChubb Fire O ffshore is servicing and maintaining hundreds of fire ex tinguishers a t Grea ter G abbard . Fire safe ty has been one of the primary considera tions in planning the new construc tion, and three Chubb ex tinguishers – a combina tion of dry powder and C O2 – have been installed on each of the projec t ’s 144 founda tion monopiles.

As James Moran, engineering support for SSE a t Sepam , explains, “ Fire ex tinguishers form an important part of our safe ty. Chubb has a reputa tion for innova tion and is one of the few fire safe ty providers to work to specific offshore regula tions - we have not been disappointed with the work carried out ”.

John New ton, branch manager a t Chubb Fire Aberdeen, says offshore energy produc tion is a field in which Chubb has many years of experience: “ Wind farms, like oil rigs, need expert fire systems in place to ensure the safe ty of staff, the surroundings and the equipment. Ex tinguishers form one of the first lines of de fence against the threa t of fire”.

Chubb is a business of UTC Fire & Security, a unit of United Technologies C orp. (NYSE:UTX).

R7M celebrate Greater Gabbard contract and safety successUK specialist diving and marine construc tion company Red7Marine (R7M) is just a few months from successfully comple ting a major contrac t for Fluor a t the world’s largest offshore wind farm .

It ’s meant near non-stop 24/7 opera tions a t the Grea ter G abbard site off the East C oast for more than 18 months and particular pride for R7M in receiving an award from Fluor for its impeccable safe ty record in a contrac t which has already clocked up more than 1700 dives.

R7M diving and subsea direc tor Mike Jones believes it has demonstra ted to the marine offshore industry the versa tility of the company and its a t tention to quality and safe ty standards, particularly working outside the 12-mile limit.

“There are very few companies like ours which can undertake

such a range of ac tivities, owning and opera ting our own equipment and using a fully-employed work force”, he said .At Grea ter G abbard , R7M work has included cable de-trenching ,

dredging and installa tion support work , ma t tressing , monopile J-tubes, messenger wires, out-of-service cable recovery and a range of other high-level support services.

It ’s their first contrac t with Fluor and they are delighted a t plaudits received – a t tributing much to the bene fit of working with the sophistica ted DPII vessel Relume .

An ex tra bonus was the award from Fluor for its safe ty record af ter 1500 dives – one of only three awards handed out, the others going to Relume’s owners Menas and to C onsortium Underwa ter Engineering .

“It ’s a tribute to everyone a t R7M from management through to our shif t teams of 25 divers and on-site support workers”, said Mr Jones.The projec t is the la test fea ther in the cap of R7M , born three

years ago from a merger be tween diving company Anglian Marine Services and Haven Ports (Marine and C onstruc tions Management) to crea te a one-stop shop for interna tional marine and subsea work . Diving constitutes 50% of the turnover with the company also specialising in a full range of surface construc tion work and even ‘a t height ’ projec ts such as access for turbine transition pieces.

In the three years, it has risen from a £6m turnover company employing 45 to a £21m+ turnover business with a 125-strong work force , plus 60 sub-contrac t divers. Now it is chasing global business in the offshore oil and gas and renewables field and in power and telecoms cable installa tion.

Headquartered a t Manningtree , the company has a diving and subsea division a t Grea t Yarmouth and other stra tegic bases a t Ipswich, Northflee t and Exe ter.

For more informa tion: contac t Mike Jones on 01493 441454 or a t mike .jones@r7m .co.uk . Alterna tively, visit www.red7marine .co.uk .


Construction of a new £1.2m visitor facility at Wat Tyler Country Park in Basildon has started. Work to renovate half of the existing motorboat museum into a new green centre will be completed by Spring 2011 under main contractor Forest Gate Construction. The project will be financed from £1 million of funding from the government’s Thames Gateway Parklands scheme and £200,000 from the Veolia Pitsea Marshes Trust.

The theme of the centre will focus visitors on sustainability within a Basildon Distric t, past, present and green future contex t. It will incorpora te the geological and social history of the distric t and illustra te how it has evolved from its rural beginnings, to marke t towns through to new town development and beyond . Digitised local history and photographs will also be available through a ‘living archive’.

It will also look to the future as the distric t grows, how this could affec t energy consumption and how this might be sustained through energy e fficiencies, lifestyle changes and low carbon technologies.

There will be fun interac tive displays entertaining and educa ting visitors about low carbon living , emphasising the need to reduce mankind’s carbon footprint on the world and how this can be achieved and measured locally to bene fit the people of the distric t. There are also proposals for an Innova tion-Lab (I-Lab) tha t could also be used for training , events, mee tings and trade shows.

C ouncillor Kevin Blake , cabine t member for leisure and the arts, says, “I am delighted tha t work has started as the Green C entre will continue to raise Wa t Tyler C ountry Park’s reputa tion as a truly first class visitor a t trac tion for the whole of Essex , and will provide ye t another reason for people to visit the park .

“It will be another regional example of sustainable re furbishment of an old building a t Wa t Tyler and will again make use of biomass hea ting , wa ter recycling , solar gain, recycled and responsibly-sourced building ma terials and high levels of insula tion.

“I am also very pleased tha t the construc tion is being carried out by a local company, meaning tha t this government funding remains within the local economy. Forest G a te did a fantastic job on the Wa t Tyler C entre , and I have every confidence tha t they will be giving us the same level of professionalism and excellence on this projec t ”.

Wa t Tyler C ountry Park sits within the South Essex Marshes which are steeped in history from the earliest periods – a landscape crea ted over many centuries through the interac tion of human communities and the na tural environment.The park shares the historical significance of the surrounding

marsh area but it has a significant history in its own right.The fea tures of its landscape such as gra zing meadows, ancient

hedgerows, blast mounds, tidal wa terways, sea walls and field boundaries are evidence of the way people used the area . There are also struc tures such as pill boxes, roadways, MoD buildings tha t all provide an insight into the history of the park .

Forest Gate ConstructionForest G a te C onstruc tion is a Basildon based company responsible for the recent successful renova tion of a former munitions fac tory into the new Wa t Tyler C entre .

Established in 1948, they combine their strong building heritage with ex tensive contrac ts experience to deliver the technical skills and management compe tence demanded a projec t such as the Wa t Tyler Green C entre .

Green centre promotes local heritage



David and Samantha Cameron recently officially opened a new hydrotherapy pool at a London school for disabled children that their son, Ivan, attended.

Mr. and Mrs. C ameron were guests of honour a t the opening ceremony of the brand-new pool a t Jack Tizard School in South Africa Road , White City, Shepherds Bush, which ca ters for pupils aged 2-19 with severe learning difficulties and disabilities.

Designed to help children develop communica tion, interpersonal, cognitive and physical skills, the £1.2m sta te-of-the-art facility is the first of its kind in the borough, and was installed in a projec t carried out by Apollo Educa tion and funded jointly by Hammersmith and Fulham C ouncil and NHS Hammersmith and Fulham . Architec ts for the scheme were Sprunt Architec ts.The pool provides a sta te-of the-art sensory

environment bene fiting from wire-free technology and equipment tha t maximises participa tion opportunities for children with special needs.

The hydrotherapy pool and its multi-sensory equipment enable Jack Tizard students to encounter, develop and interac t with endless new environments, ex tending their topic work and enhancing their curriculum . As well as developing communica tion, interpersonal, cognitive and physical skills, the hydrotherapy pool offers numerous bene fits to their sensory awarenessAt the touch of a switch a ‘sensory thea tre’ can be crea ted for the

children, ranging from a calm , relaxing learning environment to surroundings full of lights. Specialist painting and decora ting came courtesy of Hert fordshire-based firm C ornell.The facility is like a blank shee t of paper upon which the school

can crea te unique , exciting , educa tional environments of video projec tion, sound and ever-changing colour in seconds to suit each individual’s needs. This can be used to improve switching skills, motor skills, colour, number and shape recognition, develop cause e ffec t and social interac tion skills, stimula te through a varie ty of forms or just simply relax . It can be based on the Na tional Curriculum or used solely for relaxa tion.

Speaking of the new facility, Mr. C ameron said , “These special schools play such an important role and I know tha t so many parents are incredibly gra te ful for the work tha t they do. When Ivan was here Jack Tizard was such a huge support and I am delighted to be here on such a special day”.

Head teacher C a thy Welsh said , “ We are delighted about the pool and to have Samantha’s support. Hydrotherapy offers our students new ways of learning and of developing their communica tion and physical skills”.Jack Tizard is a day school for pupils with a range of severe

learning difficulties (SLD) including profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). The school serves the community of Hammersmith and Fulham and accepts pupils from a range of other boroughs. Pupils a t tending Jack Tizard School either have a sta tement of special educa tional needs and receive annual reviews or a t tend on an assessment placement. The school popula tion consists of pupils from a range of social, cultural and e thnic backgrounds.

The architects In 2004, when the school was first re-loca ted to its current site

from an old Vic torian building , Sprunt were behind the striking

new building’s design. Particularly struck was former Secre tary of S ta te for Educa tion Charles Clarke , who said , “This school contains fea tures I have never seen be fore”.At tha t time , a lack of funds prohibited the addition of the

hydrotherapy pool. However, Sprunt ’s original success, which combined the firm’s special expertise in both special educa tion needs facilities and tight, urban sites, put them a t the top of the list for future improvements.

Executive chairman Robert Sprunt says, “ We took it as a grea t compliment to be asked back , not to mention the exciting prospec t of comple ting wha t we se t out to do: we always felt it was a shame not to have been able to design in the pool when the school first moved”.

Discussing the site conditions, Robert explains, “It ’s a very tight site . In the 20 years since I se t up the company, during which time I’ve overseen work on a number of similar facilities, this is the first school of its type I’ve seen tha t had to be designed over two storeys”.

The availability of space a t Jack Tizard went some way to inspiring the new pool’s design, as Robert explains: “ We knew tha t there simply wasn’t enough room for a straight, gentle ramp, and tha t a crea tive approach to the building’s shape would be necessary. We also wanted to design some thing tha t the children would find interesting to look a t and exciting to use . We combined those two ways of thinking and this is the successful result ”.

Since Robert designed his first special needs building in 1972, Sprunt has become a leading design prac tice of architec ts, landscape architec ts and urban designers based in central London and South Africa and counting health and special needs buildings amongst several specialities. Visit their appropria tely sleek website , www.sprunt.ne t, to find out more .

High tech pool provides ‘sensory theatre’ for disabled children

Pic ture credit H&F C ouncil – Lee Q uinell




Southwark development rescued to provide 90 new London homesLocal residents have been delighted of late to see progress on The Ropewalk, a new 90-home development on Maltby Street in Southwark, which is heading towards a completion date in July 2011 after long delays in construction.

The building overlooks a railway viaduc t and spans seven levels, including a basement car park , and fea tures a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with an average floor space of 49m2, 60 m2 and 95 m2 respec tively. While 23 of the apartments – 11 one-bed and 12 two-bed – are to be passed on to Southern Housing Group, the rest are for priva te sale .A concre te frame supports the struc ture up to the first floor,

above which a timber frame has been used . Ex ternally, the building is clad in brick and render with timber decking around the top floor, where the 6 three-bedroom penthouses are loca ted . A commercial unit comple tes the building a t ground floor level.

Main contrac tor Ardmore C onstruc tion is on site af ter taking over a projec t which had been le f t half-comple ted by previous contrac tor Gilmac , a company which has now gone into receivership. The building stood untouched for two years be fore the current comple tion contrac t, worth around £7 million, was signed .

Tim Scandre t t, of architec ts Mount ford Pigot t Partnership, told Premier C onstruc tion, “This has been a challenging projec t as it hasn’t been a simple case of picking up work where the previous contrac tor le f t off – there were several complica tions. One example is tha t the previous contrac tor had been building to 1.5m taller than we had planning permission for, and had

intended to re-apply for permission during the construc tion period . The first thing we had to do was to secure permission for the building to go on with modifica tions”.

He continued , “Despite the complica tions, however, the projec t is now shaping up well and should be comple te in July 2011”.

The development is predic ted to become hot property on the London marke t , with its loca tion an important fac tor. It sits within walking distance of London Bridge (on the Jubile e and Northern underground lines as well as an over-ground mainline sta tion) and B ermondsey (Jubile e Line); numerous buses pass along nearby Tower Bridge Road , providing good connec tions to the C ity.

About the contractor Ardmore C onstruc tion, based in Enfield , Middlesex , is a leading builder of high rise residential developments, of ten on tight city centre and wa terfront sites, and can count most na tional house builders and many developers as clients. The firm specialises in in-house provision and has a plant flee t

of 400 excava tors, dump trucks, telehandlers, concre te pumps and associa ted machinery based out of 9 na tionwide depots, as well as three fac tories producing joinery, architec tural me tal work and pre fabrica ted ba throoms.

About the architectsAc tive since the 1940s and based in New Malden, Surrey,, Mount ford Pigot t specialise in a wide range of projec ts – from re tail, leisure and residential projec ts to large-scale urban development. The prac tice has recently won planning approval for the

landmark Brewers Quay building in Weymouth. The whole grade II listed complex is to be re furbished , remodelled and ex tended to provide 25,000 sq f t of shops and restaurants, an 85 bed hotel, 13 high quality residential apartments, new facilities for Weymouth Museum and further tourist facilities.


Kent economy boosted by new access roadVolker Fitzpatrick has moved into the second phase of a major upgrade to Kent’s road infrastructure on the East Kent Access Road.

Phase 2, which is currently on site , is the improvement of the A 299 be t ween Minster roundabout and the Lord of the Manor junc tion , as well as improvement of the A 256 be t ween Lord of the Manor junc tion and connec ting with phase 1 a t the old Richborough power sta tion site .

Phase 1 was the earlier improvement of the A256 southwards to connec t to Sandwich bypass , including a link road around the south side of the P fizer complex .

The purpose of the scheme is to improve accessibility and sa fe ty. According to Kent C ounty C ouncil, it will help support the economy of east Kent and connec t the ports of Dover and Ramsga te and Kent Interna tional Airport. This will comple te improvements of the A299 Thane t Way and A256 tha t were started in the 1980s .

Phase 2 is an improvement to dual carriageway standard . Fea tures include taking the road in an underpass benea th Foads Hill and the railway a t C lif fsend , and over the railway a t C ot tington Lane .

It was not possible to improve the existing A299. Houses a t C lif fsend would have needed demolishing and it would have reached into Pegwell Bay, which is an interna tionally recognised site of environmental importance .

Phase 2 earthworks are nearing comple tion, and a council spokesperson has recently declared , “ We remain confident tha t the scheme will be opened to tra f fic in autumn 2012 as we are currently running slightly ahead of tha t da te”.

Funding was approved by the Department for Transport in August 2009. The total cost of the scheme is £87 million. The Department for Transport is providing £81.25 million and Kent C ounty C ouncil the

remaining £5.75 million.A contrac t for construc tion of the

road was awarded to a joint-venture of Volker Fitzpa trick and Hochtie f on 27th August 2009.

Kent ’s biggest archaeological dig along the route of the new road is comple te . During the past year, the dig has revealed how people were living on the Isle of Thane t from earliest times . Among 10,000 finds were two gold Bronze Age bracele ts . O ther remarkable discoveries included the remains of prehistoric burial monuments , Iron Age enclosures and a village which would have wa tched the Roman invasion, Saxon ceme teries , tracks and the remains of a shellfish processing site .

Portal PowerAn important part of the projec t is a pre-used G olia th crane supplied by Portal Power, specialists in both new and pre-used cranes and buildings . The crane is being used to service the construc tion of bridge sec tions for the Clif fsend Underpass , of fering controlled placement of the 10t rebar cages .

Portal Power’s David Rose says , “ O f ten, people don’t consider second-hand when they require cranes or buildings . Today, our services of fer two advantages: first, we can save projec ts money and of fer buyback op tions; second , using re furbished cranes and buildings is the most environmentally-friendly op tion as it elimina tes all the raw ma terial ex trac tion, smelting and transporta tion around the world during the manufac turing process . Because of our approach Portal Power has approval from the C arbon Trust ”.

Portal Power is serious about its green credentials , working with professional bodies to promote green a t titudes in the marke t place . Buyers will save money using re furbished cranes and buildings , but more importantly they will, Like Volker Fitzpa trick Hochtie f, be promoting their company’s image and helping to reduce global pollution.

Visit the website a t w w w.portal-power.co.uk to find out wha t the company can do for you.



The Pinnacle, under construction at Bishopsgate and Crosby Square, forms the apex of the emerging cluster of tall buildings in the City. It will rise higher than nearby Heron Tower and will briefly hold the title of tallest building in London if it is completed before The Shard. The original design for the Tower put its height at 307m, but following concerns from the Civil Aviation Authority in relation to the flight path from London City Airport, the design was scaled back to the current height.

The projec t, being carried under the direc tion of managing agents Arab Investments, is under construc tion by Brook field Europe and designed by the interna tional architec ts KPF (Kohn Pederson Fox Architec ts). As of January 2011, the building is beginning to rise out of the ‘hole in the ground’ on Bishopsga te (an alterna tive name for the building is ‘Bishopsga te Tower’), and has reached its ninth floor.

According to the plans, the 947,000 sq f t office building spirals from its base to a height of 288 me tres. Its geome try is composed of simple sheared cones fille ting to tapered planes. The development makes a substantial contribution to the public

realm , by opening the ground level to pedestrians and linking a number of important urban spaces along Bishopsga te and S t. Mary A xe . A canopy is formed by pulling the snakeskin gla zing away from

the building , marking the passage entrance from Bishopsga te and ‘grounding’ the tall form , rela ting in scale to the smaller buildings opposite . Its shape was ex tensively tested and reconfigured to mitiga te wind for pedestrian comfort. The twisting design of the roof, and the curling pa t terns in the facade , are based on various twisty things in na ture - such as armadillos, mushrooms and seashells.

Sustainable systems are integral to the architec tural design. The aerodynamic shape improves the performance of the na turally ventila ting façade with its snakeskin design. The outer layer of glass protec ts the sun-shading which reduces hea t gain. The glass façade allows ample na tural light, reducing the amount of artificial light required . Photovoltaic cells along the

spiral collar further reduce energy consumption. A BREE AM predic tion assessment indica tes tha t The Pinnacle will achieve an ‘excellent ’ ra ting . The Pinnacle will contain more solar panelling than any other

building in the UK , with 2,000 square me tres (21,500 sq f t) of photovoltaic solar cells, genera ting up to 200 kilowa t ts of elec tricity. The building’s double-layered skin will allow it to respond dynamically to clima tic changes and to utilise e ffec tive clima te control with low energy consumption.

In la te May 2008, a mobile crane and piling rig were on site , preparing the site for construc tion. S teel rebar cages inserted into the ground , form part of the piles tha t hold the weight of the tower.

In November 2008 another piling rig came into use on the site , as well as huge steel pla tes for the piles. On 30 March 2009, the largest ever piles in the UK to da te had been laid . The piles are sunk 48.5m below sea level, and 65.5m below the site .

In the summer of 2009, piling had been comple ted and workers began excava ting deep down, ready to begin construc ting the basements.Some of the upper floors of the building have already been

leased to The Wolseley, one of London’s most successful restaurants. Rex Restaurants Associa tes Limited (“RexRA”) has agreed to take 13,000 sq fee t of space for a new restaurant and cock tail bar. The restaurant will be open to the general public , as well as the office tenants in The Pinnacle , with access via the main ground floor reception area . RexRA is owned and managed by restaura teurs Chris C orbin and Jeremy King and includes The Wolseley in Piccadilly and S t Alban in Regent S tree t. C orbin and King were the former proprie tors of Le C aprice , The Ivy and J. Sheekey.At the top, the public will have free and direc t access to a public

viewing gallery where they will have unrivaled and unobstruc ted 360º views of London and beyond .

Khalid Affara , managing direc tor of Arab Investments, said , “I am delighted to have reached agreement with Rex Restaurants Associa tes to provide the sort of high quality restaurant which

New heights in construction with London’s tallest building




The Pinnacle and its tenants expec t and deserve . C orbin and King and their advisor, David C offer of Davis C offer Lyons, have been working with us and our advisers, Savills, over the last six months to come up with a brand new concept which will work well with the offices below and with full public access. We look forward to them crea ting wha t will be one of the best restaurants in Europe as part of a truly iconic addition to the London skyline”.

A spokesperson for RexRA said , “The Pinnacle provides the most spec tacular, ground-breaking se t ting for a London restaurant and we are delighted to be the restaurant opera tor for this exceptional building”.

Argus FireA multi million contrac t vital to The Pinnacle’s eventual smooth running is the design, supply, installa tion, testing and commissioning of the sprinkler and we t hydrant systems expertly handled by Argus Fire . Argus’ systems cover all levels of the building and rely on two separa te pump houses to maintain security and integrity as well as managing the high pressures inherent in high rise design.

Ma t thew G wynne , Argus’ projec t manager, takes his team to site in February 2011 af ter initial design work is comple ted remotely. He expec ts to be involved in the projec t until 2014. He told Premier C onstruc tion, “ We’re looking forward to ge t ting stuck into wha t is not only a big workload but also a logistic challenge . The na ture of the site means tha t we can store only one week’s worth of ma terials on site , and the limita tions of the hoists used to move those ma terials means tha t we are restric ted with the length and size of equipment. Tha t ’s to be expec ted with high-rise buildings, however, and I’m confident my team will carry out the contrac t precisely and successfully”.

Now approaching its 30th anniversary, the company has become the UK’s leading independent designer and installer of fixed fire protec tion and de tec tion systems, including alarms, gas de tec tion and a varie ty of mist, spray and foam systems/

special risks, all backed up by full maintenance and servicing capabilities.Previous contrac ts comple ted include West field London and

the Na tional Football S tadium , while current contrac ts include Birmingham C entral Library, Warner Brothers S tudios Wa t ford and Park House London.

Find out more a t www.argusfire .co.uk

Oakwood EngineeringExperts in large and complex projec ts, O akwood’s contribution to The Pinnacle has identified numerous potential savings. One arm of the company, which is chie fly staffed by civil engineers, specialises in 4D building informa tion modelling (BIM), sequence development, construc tion anima tions and 3D printing . The Pinnacle team have used the 4D model ex tensively to aid planning , co-ordina te trades, solve key issues and allow live tracking of progress on site .

O akwood co-direc tor Chris Brown says, “ We were early investors in the 3D environment and rela ted tools: our grow th from purely providing struc tural design developed as we quickly became CAD experts in the early nine ties. Now we’ve grown into marke t leaders and are currently put ting our 30 years’ experience into many large builds in London, including The Pinnacle .

“ One of the keys is applying our engineering knowledge to the crea tion of the models. This of ten helps fine tune me thodologies in addition to finding physical and logistical clashes. The aim is to reduce our client ’s exposure to risk and ensure tha t there are no surprises along the way”.

From bases in Manchester and Darlington, the company has facilita ted a host of prestigious projec ts across the globe , including Wembley S tadium , The Shard , London Bridge , and the Hong Kong C onference and Exhibition C entre .

Find out more a t www.oakwoodengineering .co.uk


The Shard of Glass, London’s new landmark mixed-use building, has become the UK’s tallest building as construction of its 72-storey central core completed recently. As a result, the current structure is now over 244 metres high and has already become an exciting addition to the Capital’s skyline.

On comple tion, the Shard will have risen to the equivalent of 87 storeys a t 310 me tres (1,016 f t) and be Europe’s tallest commercial building as well as the continent ’s only truly mixed-use development.

The Renzo Piano designed building will comprise 595,000 sq f t of office space , a collec tion of high quality restaurants and bars occupying three floors a t the mid levels, a five star de-luxe Shangri-La hotel and spa , exclusive residences and a high level viewing gallery.

Since construc tion commenced in March 2009, the Shard has established a series of ’firsts‘ for a UK building . This includes Renzo Piano’s first UK commission, a pioneering “ top-down” construc tion stra tegy enabling the substruc ture and the superstruc ture to ge t underway simultaneously, “jump-lif ting” the central core , London’s largest ever continuous concre te pour a t 5,500 m3 (delivered and poured over a 36 hour period) and UK’s tallest crane , which currently stands a t 255 me tres high.The milestone was complete early December when the 69th floor

was completed, taking the Shard to 236 metres high, compared to One Canada Square’s 235.1 metres. The occasion was marked by Mayor of London Boris Johnson being taken to the very top of the building, accompanied by James Sellar, C EO of Sellar Group, which is developing the scheme on behalf of LB Q Ltd.

Boris Johnson said , “If you want a symbol of how London is powering its way out of the global recession, the Shard is it, rising confidently up to the heavens. Once comple te , this huge engineering fea t will be the tallest building in Europe , and is destined to become as iconic a landmark on London’s cherished skyline as the Gherkin, S t Paul’s or Big Ben”.S tephen Pycrof t,

chairman and C E O of Mace , the principal contrac tor behind the scheme , commented , “ From a standing start 20 months ago we are making strong progress on the build programme with the concre te core already a t its comple ted height of 72 storeys, the steel frame up to level 40, and 3,500 of the 11,000 panes of glass already installed .

“There is a lot of hard work to do but the speed with which the Shard has risen out of the ground and the quality of the construc tion is testimony to the de termina tion, innova tion and team spirit of all those working on the projec t ”.

C omple tion of the entire London Bridge Quarter development is anticipa ted during the first quarter of 2013.

London’s Shard of Glass smashes UK skyline record



Parkside Hospital, a private facility owned and operated by Aspen Healthcare, has now opened a new purpose built outpatient department. The new building of three floors accommodates 21 spacious consulting room suites and boasts cutting edge design and functionality for the new outpatient, pathology, pharmacy and radiology departments.

Pa tients can now receive their outpa tient care all under one roof in a relaxed and welcoming se t ting . In order to allow pa tients easy access to the Parkside C ampus, the car park has also been redesigned and ex tended from 111 spaces to 132 as part of the development. This increase , toge ther with schemes initia ted by the Hospital’s Travel Plan, is to ensure tha t the additional parking crea ted by the ex tra visitors does not impac t on parking in the surrounding roads

Building work for the outpa tient department began in spring 2009 on the site of a former property situa ted a t the rear of the current hospital site . The building projec t, including the subsequent reconfigura tion of the existing hospital building to crea te additional bedrooms, has been designed by Pe ter Town C onsulting . The projec t was managed and cost controlled by Bernard Williams Associa tes (BWA) with a client design team tha t included service engineers C & W Partners Ltd ., struc tural engineers Richter Associa tes, and landscape architec ts Anthony S tiff Associa tes. Britannic G arden Furniture supplied planters and outside sea ting . The construc tion work was carried out,

under a design and build contrac t, by Killby & G ay ford Ltd .Projec t manager Jeremy C owling , of BWA , told Premier

C onstruc tion, “The facility was designed with minimum internal struc ture . This provides the Hospital with the flexibility in the future to alter floor layouts and service installa tions to respond to changes and advances in diagnostic technology and equipment. The change in ground levels provides disabled access from all parts of the site direc tly into the middle floor thereby minimising pa tient movement within the building to one floor only”.The new facility, which is part of an £11.5m investment, is the

la test development in Parkside’s expansion programme tha t has recently included a major thea tre upgrade , the opening of a sta te of the art endoscopy suite and a new ex tension for the 11 bed day surgery unit.

Hilda Bradbury, hospital direc tor, said , “I am delighted tha t this expansion has provided us with such spacious and well designed facilities. As well as grea tly improving our outpa tient services this will also allow us to add additional inpa tient bedrooms in the main hospital and ex tend our high dependency unit in order to manage the growing demand”.

Parkside Hospital has been established for over 25 years and employs over 300 staff, many of whom live locally. C onsultants from S t G eorge’s Hospital and Kingston Hospital, as well as some inner London hospitals, continue to trea t their priva te pa tients a t Parkside .

New £6 million outpatients department adds state of the art facilities to Wimbledon’s only private hospital


Latest Barking development on the wayBarking Riverside Ltd – a joint venture between the Homes and Communities Agency (H CA) and Bellway Homes plc – is preparing serviced development plots for the first 350 homes of its regeneration scheme for Barking. A start on the first two housing plots is underway by Bellway Essex and the London and Thames Gateway Development Corporation. The Rivergate C entre, which includes a primary school and church as well as community facilities, is also being built as part of this first phase.

Working closely with the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham , Barking Riverside Ltd is spearheading the crea tion of a major ex tension to the borough based on strong environmental principles, with a high proportion of larger homes fea turing three or more bedrooms. In July last 2010, Barking Riverside scooped a prestigious Housing Design Award for Buzzards Mouth C ourt, one of the first two phases which includes houses built specifically with families in mind .

David Lunts, London direc tor for the H CA , said , “This scheme is massively important to the borough and our investment is maintaining delivery and ensuring the right mix of homes. The quality of the community facilities and housing , toge ther with the care fully considered public realm and landscaping , will make Barking Riverside an exciting place to live , work and visit ”.

Cllr Mick Mc C arthy, Barking and Dagenham C ouncil’s cabine t member for regenera tion, said , “Things are really moving a t Barking Riverside . It ’s grea t to see tha t building work is starting on the first houses. With the Riverga te C ommunity C entre progressing well, 2011 promises to be an exciting year for the

Expert artisans complete restoration projectSt. George’s Church, in Hanover Square, Westminster, has recently been restored to glory after a restoration programme that has recently closed the church for 26 weeks. The work was necessary to revitalise and rejuvenate the church and preserve its fabric for years to

come. Costing £1.5 million, the conservation was carried out with the utmost respect for the original work, yet is also sensitive to the subsequent additions.

Contractor Holloway White Allom, a specialist in the renovation of listed heritage buildings, had the challenging task of carrying out the work. “A big proportion of the job was cleaning every inch of the fabric of the church right back

to its bare bones” , said Scott Rodell, project manager for Holloway White Allom. “It took 3 ½ weeks just to put up the scaffold because there is so much surface area to cover and in one area alone we removed 17 coats of paint” .

The other important part of the renovation was updating a building which desperately needed reproo ng, an alarm system, modern lighting and sound; all are critical needs for a church which is often used for musical performances. He added, “The new lighting will allow for ambient dimming in particular areas of the church that will be controlled from a single panel and the chandelier will be ooded with light through a newly installed glass panel in the roof” .

There were also more fundamental aspects to the renovation. Critical problems were unearthed during works, ranging from a roof that needed re-strengthening to major water damage. The high moisture content of the

lobby walls meant that the decorating was held up until all the surfaces could be properly dried out.

“Where there was lots of aking, we used an alkaline resistant primer to keep the air from the rough edges, so we could paint over seamlessly” , explains Scott. “And, in many areas, the brous plaster was crushed or collapsing so this meant we had to recreate the original reverse squeeze moulds to make up entirely new sections” .




A challenging major project to provide a complete new building for the City of London Academy (formerly the Islington Green School), together with new facilities for the Richard Cloudesley School on the same site, is progressing smoothly towards completion in Islington.

The projec t is being carried out for the City of London C orpora tion by main contrac tors G alliford Try. Architec ts are Swanke Hayden Mc C onnell; services and struc tural engineers are Buro Happold; cost consultants are E C Harris and Sponsors and Projec t Managers are the City of London.The academy is a secondary school and six th form centre

loca ted on a constrained inner city site , which has resulted in phased construc tion, allowing the academy to opera te whilst building works take place . The Richard Cloudesley School (a special needs secondary

school), is being co-loca ted on the same site as the academy and will be accommoda ted in a re furbished building . The whole academy site is integra ted with the Richard Cloudesley School.The new approxima tely 8,000sq m academy building , which was

comple ted in September 2009, comprises three parts: a sports hall and ac tivity suite with changing rooms; a classroom block , and an area known as the marke tplace (a three storey a trium ringed on three sides with open walkways and classrooms). The various elements of the building were construc ted on former playgrounds, with the old buildings being demolished in phases as construc tion of the new academy progressed .

Currently the remainder of the old school has been demolished and landscaping work is in progress, including the crea tion of several all-wea ther pitches and playgrounds and a large bus parking area , toge ther with a small car park - all to serve both schools. C omple tion of this element of the scheme is due in September 2011.The projec t commenced in 2008, with the academy sports hall

element being construc ted in the first phase of development. The sports hall is a single storey four badminton court-sized timber casse t te building , with ex ternal eleva tions in brick and render.The three storey academy building , comple ted in the nex t

phase , incorpora tes all associa ted changing areas and showers for the sports hall.

The building incorpora tes a full height a trium (a multi use area known as the marke tplace) with an adjacent large drama hall. O ther facilities include a dining area , classrooms and staff areas and a six th form centre .

The building is struc tured around a concre te frame with ex ternal eleva tions in a combina tion of ma terials including various colours of brick , render, and small areas of cladding panels. Windows are in powder coa ted aluminium frames and the building has a single ply membrane fla t roof.

Development of the Richard Cloudesley School is underway, having commenced in April last year. The school will be

whole development ”.The joint venture has also entered into a £10m contrac t with

Founda tion Developments Limited to deliver major roads and drainage ne tworks for the first four housing plots and Riverga te C ommunity C entre , which includes the new primary school.G avin Hunt, Barking Riverside regenera tion manager for

Founda tion Developments Limited , said , “Phase one of the infrastruc ture works are now well underway with the majority of the bulk earthworks, bridge abutment piling and ground stabilisa tion comple te be fore Christmas. We are on targe t to deliver the infrastruc ture in support of the school opening and first occupa tions. This has been achieved by fully embracing the partnership approach with Barking Riverside Ltd”.The Riverga te C entre is also on track to open in time for the start

of the new school year in September. The centre , which includes a community church, healthcare services, social enterprise units and a public square , will ensure future residents of the new development have essential facilities on their doorstep from day one .

It will be open to all members of the local community and the use of sustainable ma terials during its construc tion is in keeping with the high environmental standards se t for Barking Riverside

as a whole . The new school will have 630 places for pupils aged 4-11 and 78 part-time nursery places.

DF Clark Contractors C ontinuing a successful ten-year rela tionship with Bellway Homes, D F Clark has carried out landscape design and ecological surveys with a permanent ecologist on site . The contrac tor is also responsible for both hard and sof t landscaping to both public areas and roadsides and has established a sub-base on site to re flec t the size of the contrac t.

Founded in 1968, the Essex-based firm opera tes across southern England and offers a wide range of services. These include: tree surgery; landscape construc tion; fencing design and construc tion; garden design; tree advice and care; maintenance; and woodland planting .Sister company D F Clark Bionomique builds on this expertise ,

specialising in protec ted species surveys, EcoHomes / C ode for Sustainability compliance , BS5837:2005 tree survey regula tions, tree ha zard assessment, me thod sta tements, site supervision, TP O applica tions and landscape design.Visit www.d fclark .co.uk to find out more

Challenging major school project powers smoothly towards completion


accommoda ted within a three storey red brick former board school, which is being re furbished and ex tended , and is due to be comple ted in June 2011.The three storey ex tension is construc ted around a steel frame

with ex ternal eleva tions in the same ma terials as the academy and fea tures powder coa ted aluminium framed windows and a fla t roof.

Works to the original building included stripping out, with only struc tural elements being re tained . The interior has been reconfigured to crea te the large open plan spaces needed by the pupils who are all in wheelchairs. New internal partitions,

doors, floors ceilings and building services are being installed , with exposed soffits being fea tured in some areas. New timber framed sash windows are also being installed .

The building will be hea ted independently from the academy, via a biomass boiler system . The school is due to open in September 2011, marking the end of the overall projec t.

“The contrac tors have done very well, despite working in numerous phases on a difficult site with the academy in full opera tion”, said projec t manager Mark Lowman of the City of London C orpora tion.

Rydon has been awarded a 52 week, £1.25m refurbishment contract by the London Borough of Wandsworth for major refurbishment works including window replacement with residents in their homes at Badric Court in Clapham, for both the council tenants and leaseholders.

The projec t will involve removing existing wooden framed and asbestos panelled windows and replacing them with new PVC tilt and turn windows. The contrac t also includes door replacements, elec trical upgrades to communal areas and minor struc tural repairs to the building . There are 171 units a t Badric C ourt requiring new windows and the work is expec ted to be comple te by the end of March 2011. All of the units are labelled ‘maisone t tes’ and are intended for general use .

The pilot a t was comple ted rst, with works on the remaining units starting in early April 2010. Andrew Sharp, Pre C onstruc tion Manager a t Rydon, comments, “Rydon is currently undertaking a number of re furbishment and maintenance contrac ts across London and the South East. Winning this contrac t with this new client further strengthens our position as one of the leading specialists in re furbishment works on properties with residents in their homes”.

Adrian Spink is the projec t manager for the London borough of Wandsworth. He took time out of his busy schedule to speak to Premier C onstruc tion, saying , “This was originally intended to be a contrac t running from March to March, but it is possible tha t the work will be done ahead of schedule”.

Recently, Wandsworth C ouncil organised an event in collabora tion with the police , London Fire Brigade and energy e f ciency grant supplier Warm Front, which aimed to help improve the housing conditions for people living in poor quality priva tely rented accommoda tion. The plan was to offer advice and support to people on issues ranging from overcrowding , repairs and unsuitable conditions to dangerous gas and elec trical services, dampness and inadequa te re precautions.

Warm Front discussed energy e f ciency a t home and offered informa tion to both landlords and tenants on a number of government grant schemes worth up to £3,500 for improving insula tion and central hea ting systems.

AsmattPremier C onstruc tion spoke to Kim Francis of the projec t ’s asbestos specialist, Asma t t. Kim said , “Trading since 2004, Asma t t Limited has always ‘put the customer rst ’.

“Having established rm working rela tionships with many long existing customers, it has proved its ability to sustain the same working e thics and standards for over six years.

“All clients receive the same high quality standard of work they

expec t, whe ther it be a small or large contrac t. This is due to our very high standard of tradesmen we employ and all training is of the highest standard .

“Asma t t has gone from strength to strength, adding additional services to our scopes of works which enable the customer to have a more comple te job without having to employ other trades. A newly opened building division has been opened this summer which enables us to offer a comple te package of re furbishment works to our clients as well as our established Asbestos Removal and Surveying arm of the company”.

Rydon takes on Wandsworth window challenge



An exclusive new £50 million riverside development located on the south bank of the River Thames, Bridges Wharf is the product of collaboration between Weston Homes and architects Kay Elliott. The development features 267 one and two bedroom luxury apartments and penthouses, all of which have now been sold.

S triking construc tion fea tures include a concre te frame tha t elimina ted the need for additional struc tural linings: this ensures fire integrity, and also enabled the crea tion of a t trac tive radii corners on slabs, terraces and curved roofs a t Bridges Wharf.Small ceiling voids keep storey heights low and reduced

concre te usage; pressure relie f holes a t basement level meant tha t tensile piles and rela ted reinforcements were unnecessary.

Bridges Wharf also utilises an innova tive ‘casse t te wall system’ tha t weighs only 44kg per m², which compares favourably with block work cavity walling averaging 250kg to 300kg per m². C ombine these figures with the fac t tha t less energy is used in its construc tion, and the casse t te system is approxima tely 85% more e fficient. S tainless steel balustrading for apartments allows for uninterrupted views and gla zing is hea t-soak toughened – this prevents hea t stress and reduces the risk of glass failure .

Weston Homes took pains to ensure tha t Bridges Wharf was scaled in accordance with other, lower riverside developments in the locale . Func tional points of interest include a t trac tive terraces and balconies and double-height colonnades above entrance doors – these ensure tha t the riverside walk beside the buildings is utilised , and provide covered outdoor areas where commercial ac tivities can continue .

AlturaDesigned as a trophy property within Bridges Wharf, the award-winning Altura Penthouse occupies the 12th floor of the Altura Tower, a striking tower tha t houses Hoteliers, the first five-star hotel south of the Thames opera ted by the renowned von Essen group. This residence offers the ultima te in la teral riverside living over 198m², with finishings of the highest standard and wonderful views of the Thames and C entral London from a landscaped terrace and unique winter gardens.

Visitors who step through the penthouse’s striking lobby doors in American walnut will immedia tely be struck by the polished marble floors of the living room with its vaulted ceiling , dining and kitchen areas. O pulent fix tures are evident throughout, and

an open plan kitchen showcases high-gloss finished wall and base units, granite work surfaces and designer appliances tha t include a Ne ff wine fridge .

Two opulent bedroom suites possess integra ted sound systems and fitted wardrobes, whilst the master bedroom boasts a 50” plasma television and an impressive en suite with an air/wa ter massage ba th and a steam shower room .The luxury penthouse also includes comfort cooling/hea ting

to all rooms, access to the Falconbrook Spa , use of all hotel amenities and three secure , alloca ted underground parking spaces.24 concierge services are provided , and security systems include C CTV, a passive infra-red alarm and a video entry system .

Coinford ConstructionC oinford assisted the client and their consultants in value engineering the design to its optimum for suitability and costs. The firm was subsequently successful in acquiring the groundworks and R .C . Frame contrac ts worth around £11m . This included excava tion and construc tion of a 3 storey basement construc tion nex t to the River Thames and then 3 concre te frames of 12 to 15 storeys along with ex ternals to comple te this stunning development.

The site was situa ted right nex t to the London Heliport a t Ba t tersea , which posed some unique problems: stopping dust and particles being lif ted into the air when a helicopter is either taking off or landing , as this can cause damage to the rotors of the helicopter. C oinford used a Harsco ‘Safescreen’ with gaske ts be tween the sec tions, which toge ther drama tically reduced the amount dust entering the heliport.

C oinford’s experience with Weston Homes has been close and co-opera tive , and has built up a massive trust be tween the companies, which has helped both to survive this difficult trading time .

C oinford are a progressive company and a real ‘ team player’ in all their working rela tionships. Formed in 1981, the company works across the south east of England and provides a comple te service to clients for the principle contrac tor role , remedia tion, excava tions, replacement concre te piling , shee t piling , tower cranes, R .C . basement, sub and super struc ture construc tion, along with dedica ted gangs to carry out the ex ternal works.

Find out more a t www.coinford .co.uk

Award-winning development graces London’s riverside




Top notch lab under construction in Kent

Work is well under way to build a new multi-million pound state-of-the-art lab at Maidstone Hospital in Kent.

Cardy Construction are working with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

(MTW) and WSP Integrated Building Services to extend the hospital’s existing microbiology department to make way for a £7.8 million cellular pathology laboratory, which has been designed by Devereux Architects.

Cellular pathology is an important diagnostic discipline using high-powered microscopes and

other techniques to identify diseases at an early stage by looking at changes in cells.

The new lab will replace old ones at Preston Hall Hospital in Aylesford, Pembury Hospital and Kent and Sussex Hospital, and will also allow the trust to continue to provide a histology service to Medway Hospital Trusts and Medway PCT.

MTW trust chief executive Glenn Douglas said: “This is very good news. It means that in just over a year we will have some of the most modern and well equipped cellular pathology facilities in the country.

“This is part of a £64 million programme of developments over the next ve years to create a centre of excellence at Maidstone Hospital which will bring big bene ts to our patients and to the local community” .

The building, which stands three storeys high including the top-level plant room, is to house

80 full time hospital staff.Project of ce Mark Chapman told Premier

Construction, “The project is going well, and we're in line for a 'very good' BREEAM rating. As of late January, we have full water-tightness and all scaffolding and hoarding is down. Power is currently being connected and we’re all very excited to see the nished project” .

The project has been on site since February 2010, and work is on schedule for handover in late March 2011.


W a l e s

The new £170 million state-of-the-art Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr hospital will take patient care to a new level in the Rhymney Valley, when it opens in October 2011, health bosses claim.

Located on the outskirts of Ystrad Mynach, the hospital is being constructed for the Aneurin Bevan Health Board, by main contractor BAM .The hospital w ill serve Caerphilly County

Borough and its 170,000 population and replace all hospitals in the area, including the Caerphilly M iners’ Hospital.And like its sister hospital the Ysbyty

Aneurin Bevan, which opened its doors on The Works site in Ebbw Vale in O ctober last year, it w ill enable all patients to receive one-on-one care in single-patient rooms.

The site is located on a ood plain - the River Rhymney is close by - which inspired a design that sees much of the hospital supported on columns, w ith more than 600 car parking spaces provided underneath, at ground level.The hospital is built on three levels and

the external elevations of the building are peppered w ith coloured panels which w ill correspond to speci c areas. The scheme has been carefully designed to give a feeling of “outdoor/ indoors” , w ith

landscaping features piercing through the structure to create intimate courtyard gardens.The hospital is being constructed to meet

the environmental targets set by the Welsh Assembly Government and is employing a at pack construction technique, w ith much of the building comprising modular units, enabling faster construction.BAM Construction has worked closely

w ith the Environment Agency to implement an environmental plan for the protection of fauna and ora in the area – including the sh stock in the nearby River Rhymney. A ood protection plan has also been implemented.The new 269 single ensuite bedroom

hospital w ill include four general x-ray rooms, a CT scanner, and a MRI machine, an integrated care centre providing intensive rehabilitation and an adult and older people’s mental health unit. A m idw ifery-led maternity unit w ill include two birthing pools for low-risk expectant mums, plus a hydrotherapy unit.

Other facilities on site w ill include non-critical local emergency care centre including inpatient care to help reduce pressure on neighbouring A&E departments; routine planned day-case and inpatient operations areas, including general surgery, gynaecology and urology,

and a communal area so patients can come out of their rooms and socialise.

Simon Davies, project manager for the Aneurin Bevan Health Board, believes the new facility w ill take patient care to a new level in the Valleys:

“We’ve been campaigning for a new hospital for over 40 years” , he said. “There are hospitals at the head of the valleys, in Cardiff and the Prince Charles in Merthyr, but nothing like this here. It’s about bringing as many services to residents locally, and preventing them travelling long distances” .

He continued, “It is unique in that its main concourse is on the rst oor, above a car park, which w ill m inim ise long walks to and from the car park.

“And single patient rooms w ill improve communication w ith patients, w ith no distractions from outpatients. Our designs have been based around that. We really want to make sure that provide privacy for patients and m inim ise the spread of hospital infections.

“Generally, we have looked at improving the whole patient experience when going to hospital.

"It's been a challenging project to work on, but a rewarding one too. A great deal of consultation and preparation went into this before building began, and it is great to see it taking shape” .

Project will take hospital patient care to a new level



W a l e s

Ferndale is a small town set amidst the outstanding mountain scenery of the Rhondda Valleys of South Wales. The former coal-mining town occupies a ledge above the valley floor looking out across to its suburb of Blaenllechau high on the opposite slope. Although only 24 miles from Cardiff City Centre, it has an isolated and self-reliant feel, with a bustling high street and a lively sense of community.

Two years ago, three local organisations (Ferndale Rugby Club, C ôr Meibion Morlais (the local male voice choir) and Blaenllechau C ommunity Regenera tion) came toge ther to form a company - Rhondda Life Ltd - to carry forward their various plans for future development. The rugby club’s premises were the former Salisbury Hotel,

a three-storey building with ex tensive grounds - the club had never been able to raise sufficient capital to develop the building and now needed major funding for renova tion work . Meanwhile , C ôr Meibion Morlais wished to refurbish its own building, the Morlais Hall, a former chapel da ting from 1881 which the choir had acquired in 1982 as rehearsal premises and now wished to transform into a museum celebra ting the musical traditions of the Rhondda . Blaenllechau C ommunity Regenera tion brought to these projec ts the offer of any surplus from the sale of its building, the Bell C entre , on condition tha t the new company would work ac tively for the regenera tion of the area . So, a plan was formed . The rugby club made over its land

and buildings to Rhondda Life and plans were drawn up for the demolition of the Salisbury Hotel and the erec tion of a new complex of buildings in three phases. The three very different organisa tions then worked toge ther to secure £1.4 million of funding from the Welsh Assembly’s ‘Heads of the Valleys’ initia tive , thus allowing the first phase of work on the rugby club site to proceed as well as the restora tion of the Morlais Hall to its original Vic torian glory.

Phase 1 a t the rugby club site will include a large sports bar destined to be H Q for Ferndale RF C as well as other sports clubs in the locality, a restaurant and a Sir S tanley Baker Lounge dedica ted to the memory of one of Ferndale’s most famous sons. Through the generosity of the Baker family, the lounge will contain exhibits rela ting to the ac tor’s life and work , and will be linked to the exhibitions a t the Morlais Hall as part of a tourism trail. To be built la ter, Phase 2 will consist of a community hall and further space for the ex tensive collec tions of local historical exhibits which currently have no home , and Phase 3 will be a 20 bedroom hotel, a vital asse t in an area with very few beds for visitors. The design by C W Architec ts of all three phases gained planning permission in 2009 and is of high quality, incorpora ting not only the environmentally friendly features to achieve a high BREE AM ra ting, but also keeping traditional fea tures such as re-using the Pennant stone from the old Salisbury Hotel.

Meanwhile , Rhondda Life worked with the Welsh Assembly’s Jobma tch scheme to train future employees, and is now employing a total of six teen local people , all working hard to ensure a smooth opening of the new premises in the spring.Paul Tambini of TC C onsult spoke to Premier C onstruc tion,

saying, “ Working on this projec t for Rhondda Life Ltd as their projec t manager and cost consultant has been interesting and challenging. We had a limited budge t to work within, the site had numerous constraints, and ideas and input of community members had to be carefully considered . The end result is a fantastic looking building, construc ted using the stone from the original Salisbury Hotel, which embodies the hard work community spirit put into the scheme . We are very proud to be

involved with this prestigious scheme”.Rhondda Life Chairman John Asquith is looking forward to the

comple tion of the new building: " We will be opening for business in April", he said . " We are thrilled to see a superb building with high quality facilities taking shape , and all Premier C onstruc tion readers will be assured of a warm welcome if they care to come and see wha t has been crea ted here ".

Rhondda Life’s plans turning into progress


Arbed, the initiative designed to bring environmental, social and economic benefits to Wales, is nearing completion of its first phase of investment. The Arbed scheme was established in 2009 and will coordinate investment into the energy performance of Welsh homes. It is the largest programme of its type underway in the UK.

The Welsh Assembly G overnment (WAG) is investing £30m into the first phase of Arbed . This involves working with social housing providers to make communities in deprived areas of Wales more energy e fficient. This is being achieved by re tro-fit ting homes with innova tive measures including solid wall insula tion and renewable technologies such as solar panels and hea t pumps.

O ver the nex t decade , investment into the sec tor in Wales will also come from: the Home Energy E f ficiency Scheme; the Welsh Housing Q uality S tandard; Feed In Tarif fs; and energy supplier obliga tions .

In total, around £350m over the nex t three years, or £1bn over the nex t decade , is likely to be invested into the energy performance of Welsh homes. The sec tor is highly labour intensive , crea ting skilled local jobs for local people .

In March 2010, it was announced tha t up to £34 million of European funding is being alloca ted to support energy e fficiency and renewable energy genera tion measures in existing housing . The WAG is in discussions with the Welsh European Funding O ffice regarding the use of this funding in the second phase of the programme .

Sharp Manufacturing Company UKSharp solar PV modules are the produc t of choice for many of the housing associa tions delivering Arbed projec ts. The PV modules, manufac tured in Wales, provide supply chain and logistics advantages coupled with a low overall C O2 footprint.The firm has been

producing solar PV modules for over 50 years and for the last 7 years has manufac tured modules in North Wales, using both polycrystalline and monocrystalline silicon in modules varying in output power from 180W to 245W. The annual capacity for Sharp in Wales is currently 500MW (over 2.5m modules), following a recent £30M investment in the firm’s Welsh produc tion base .

Recently the WAG visited Sharp to tour the fac tory and new Solar Educa tion C entre . Sharp’s discussions with the WAG also covered job crea tion within Wales with the opening of the Sharp Renewable Energy Academy. To find out more , and to see Sharp’s full range of solar produc ts,

visit www.sharpmanufac turing .co.uk

Evans Wilson and Evans LtdEstablished in 1980, Evans Wilson & Evans have steadily expanded over the last 30 years, carrying out contrac ts for both the priva te and the public sec tor with contrac ts ranging from council house re furbishment schemes to re furbishment schemes for the priva te sec tor.

Direc tor William Evans says, “Evans Wilson & Evans are pleased to be involved in the Arbed scheme where installing insula ting render is a key part of the works. As approved Weber E WI applica tors with six full time teams, they are comple ting these contrac ts e fficiently and to a high standard .

“The training and development of its 64 employees is a core strength of the company, sourcing employees from the local area wherever possible with the emphasis on permanent employment and continued training and development.

“The Arbed scheme has enabled us to provide this type of employment where local people are able to renova te local houses for the bene fit of the community”.

Eco-friendly installations contribute to Welsh economic recovery

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Brook eld Construction UK has been awarded the contract to design and construct the new adults’ and children’s hospitals at Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, which is the largest single NHS hospital build project in Scotland. The project will result in a new £840 million New South Glasgow Hospitals Campus.

The project includes the expansion of the

existing maternity hospital on the site (now completed), together w ith the construction of a 1,109 bed adult hospital alongside a 256 bed children’s hospital, providing maternity, paediatric and acute services on a single site in Govan. The site w ill have the biggest critical care complex and one of the biggest emergency departments in Scotland.The 14- oor adult hospital w ill have state

of the art emergency, acute receiving, critical care, theatres and diagnostic

services. The facility w ill offer acute specialist inpatient care, medical day case services and also outpatient clinics servicing the local population.The atrium of the

new hospital w ill house shops and a coffee shop. There w ill also be a large restaurant/coffee area on the rst oor of the hospital, w ith a balcony and views

out onto the landscaped area in front of the hospital.The ve storey children’s hospital, w ith a

separate identity and entrance, adjoins the adult hospital and w ill provide a large number of specialist services for the west of Scotland and the w ider population of Scotland, in addition to the full range of secondary care services for the people of Greater G lasgow and C lyde. Specialist services include cardiology and cardiac surgery and renal and bone marrow transplantation. The children’s hospital w ill be the sole provider in Scotland for a number of these specialised services.All bedrooms w ill be light and airy w ith

large w indows offering views to the outside world. The bedrooms w ill provide a therapeutic and healing patient environment that is safe, clean, private, quiet and comfortable. The design w ill also provide areas for patients to meet and socialise, and the ward w ill have security entry to maxim ise security and safety.

Within the new laboratory and facilities management building, the central laboratory forms a horseshoe shape, wrapping around a central service yard w ith a dedicated of ce 'pod', which is

Precise infrastructure supports hospital enlargement


connected to the main lab block by an atrium . At the ground oor level of the atrium is a main entrance and social meeting area w ithin a triple height space naturally lit from above. The construction of a new laboratory and facilities management

building is also part of the project, together w ith four new multi storey car parks.

The works carried out by Barr Construction in collaboration w ith Brook eld began in April 2010 and comprise the erection of a new ve storey car park (the rst of four car parks to be built during the programme), complete w ith all surrounding infrastructure and services. The car park provides parking for 693 vehicles, w ith piled foundations supporting a concrete frame w ith pre-cast columns and contractor designed post tensioned concrete slabs. The external fascia has highest quality nishes w ith ashlar stone

walls to the ground oor, stainless steel mesh panels alternate w ith panels of horizontal timber louvers to the parking decks and vertical timber cladding to the vehicle ramps. Three planar glazed steel framed stair enclosures contain quality nished pre-cast stairs and slabs w ith two passenger lifts providing excellent pedestrian access.

McLoughlin Flooring Uk Ltd are applying a specialist ‘Sika’ resin decking system to the intermediate and top decks of the car park. The intermediate deck w ill received a decorative slip resistant epoxy system , while the exposed top deck w ill receive a fully waterproof elastomeric system . Mcloughlin Flooring UK Ltd are specialist applicators of these systems and have complete numerous car parks throughout the UK.The Southern General Hospital is a large teaching hospital w ith

an acute operational bed complement of approximately 900 beds. The hospital is situated in the south-west of G lasgow and provides a comprehensive range of acute and related clinical services.

Health Secretary N icola Sturgeon said upon unveiling the project, “This project w ill transform the future of healthcare in G lasgow for patients and staff alike. But the econom ic bene ts start now. This major building project is entirely publicly-funded and w ill deliver a huge shot in the arm for the construction industry at a time when the nation faces signi cant econom ic challenges. This project has the potential to regenerate and breathe new life into G lasgow’s economy and indeed the w ider Scottish community” .

Construction of the new laboratory and facilities management building commenced in the rst quarter of 2010, w ith the construction of the adult and children’s hospitals commencing in the rst quarter of 2011.The laboratory and facilities management building is due to be

completed in the rst quarter of 2012, w ith the adult and children’s hospitals scheduled for completion in 2015.


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A development to refurbish a building which was formerly the Glasgow headquarters of the Scottish Executive, to provide office accommodation primarily for NHS National Services Scotland, is underway at Meridian Court, Glasgow.The basement, ground and first to fourth floors of the 5,887 sq

m building will be occupied by NHS Na tional Services Scotland (a specialist organisa tion within NHS Scotland), and will accommoda te around 500 staff who will be reloca ting from other offices, in Glasgow. The remaining two floors of the building are also being re furbished ready for future occupants.The eight month projec t is being carried out for NHS Na tional

Services Scotland by main contrac tors Sharkey. projec t advisors are Turner & Townsend; architec ts are cre8architec ture and mechanical and elec trical consultants are Wallace Whit tle .

Works include the strip out of the entire building to shell sta te; the replacement or re furbishment of the building services and the installa tion of new internal walls, suspended ceilings, lighting and raised access floors, as well as comple te re-decora tion and the laying of new carpe ting .

Balfour Bea t ty Engineering Services are carrying the mechanical and elec trical fit-out, including low impac t installa tions such as daylight linking lighting controls, seasonal commissioning and inverter-driven motors.

Many of the installa tions are pre fabrica ted modules, and pre-flexed luminaires are included in the scheme . For increased e fficiency, existing switchgear and boiler house plant will be re tained and re-used along with sub-mains cabling and pipe work in the main risers.

In addition, the first to fourth floors are being fit ted out to the particular opera tional requirements of NHS Na tional Services Scotland . Their offices will be largely open plan, with partitioned areas including mee ting rooms, quie t rooms, training rooms, break out areas, tea points and ‘hot ’ offices. A new reception area , a suite of mee ting rooms and a staff ca tering facility is being crea ted on the ground floor and the basement will include

a car parking area and storage facilities. The building is also being made fully DDA compliant, including the installa tion of a step lif t a t the reception area and the installa tion of toile ts for disabled people (as well as general WCs) on all floors.All of the building systems are designed to be environmentally

sustainable , including a chilled beam low energy, low cost and low maintenance cooling system .

Sharkey are now approxima tely half way through the projec t, with the building scheduled to be occupied in May 2011.

Having NHS Na tional Services Scotland as occupants of the building is in line with the Scot tish government policy of re-using surplus Scot tish government space to the bene fit of the taxpayer, as opposed to the commercial marke t.

A family business employing over 150 professionals, G eorge Sharkey started as a sole trader of Joinery Services in 1969. Both sons, Scot t and S tephen joined the company in the early eighties where they worked their way up through the ranks starting as apprentice joiners.

In 1998, they became joint managing direc tors and rapidly expanded the company. They have now split their joint roles, with Scot t opera ting as C E O and S tephen as group managing direc tor, with the support of the experienced and dynamic management team .

Sharkey has grown significantly over its 40 year history to become a leading specialist in interior fit out and re furbishment. The group direc tly employs over 200 professionals, carrying out more than £50 million worth of projec ts throughout the UK and in some cases, Europe .

The background of the management team is no different to tha t of the work force as a whole . C ore skills have been developed internally, with achievement being recognised and rewarded as the company focus on re taining and promoting from within.

The team has been complimented over recent years by recruiting staff with additional skills and experience to allow continuous improvement for the company in all areas of the business.

High quality refurbished offices will house NHS staff


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Andersquoy Court, a redevelopment of the former Orkney poor house in Kirkwall, is currently being completed by main contractor O'Brien Construction after design work by Pentarq. Once complete – by February 2011 – the development will add 18 homes to Orkney's general let market.

The building was, until recently, used for sheltered housing . It had also been used as homeless accommoda tion brie fly be fore the renova tion work started .

As the building is being redeveloped , some demolition of existing parts of the building has taken place . Annexes tha t had been added to the original building have been removed and the original roof has also been taken off to allow a second storey to be added . The overall layout comprises 18 fla ts split over 2 levels: 11 on

the first floor and 7 on the second . Three of the fla ts are split across storey, while the rest are single storey. Most of the fla ts have individual access, but a few share an access route (a common stair well).The redevelopment has maintained the original stone frontage

and added a a second floor fronted in larch. This means tha t the original outline of the building is still visible and the additional storey adds to it ra ther than taking away.

The building is on a tight site on which there were issues with access being required past the site to the neighbouring residential care home . There is another residential facility immedia tely adjacent to the building tha t also required access to be maintained .

The Scot tish G overnment gave Kickstart funding of £450,000 to the projec t, which has been subjec t to a budge t of £1.4 million. It is expec ted tha t tenancies will begin in March 2011.

About the architectsPentarq came into being on the 1st May 2000 with the incorpora tion of the firms S tockan & Sloan and Sinclair Macdonald . The trading name is based on the PENTland Firth, across which the firm does business, and the disciplines of ARchitec ture and Quantity Surveying . The loca tions of Pentarq’s two offices (head office in Kirkwall, Orkney and a branch office in Thurso, C aithness) enable coverage of Orkney, She tland and the north of Scotland , including the Western Isles.

The prac tice’s roots stre tch back as far as 1875 when Sinclair Macdonald started his architec tural prac tice in Thurso. S tockan and Sloan, a firm of chartered quantity surveyors, was founded in 1980 by Ian Sloan and John S tockan.

Former Orkney poor house now being converted to flats for general let


Scotland taking Stepps to connect its roadsTransport Scotland, an agency of the Scottish government, has been handed the responsibility of delivering an upgrade of the A80 Glasgow to Stirling Trunk Road between Stepps and Haggs to motorway standard.

The DBFO contract is between the Scottish ministers and the appointed consortium, HMC (Highway Management Construction), which is a joint venture between John Graham ltd, Farrans ltd, and Bil nger Berger AG civil. The company has employed BEAR to take on the operation and maintenance; the project is currently being site managed by Jacobs Engineering.

The upgrade will see approximately 8km of new motorway through green eld sites and

10km of upgrade work on the existing A80. The Stepps and Haggs route will connect via the Auchenkilns grade separated junction, an existing section of road that was built prior to the new contract and opened in 2006. The junction was designed under a separate design and build contract and has served to mitigate the traf c disruption caused by the current work.

The M80 contract is valued at approximately £320 million, which includes a 30 year road maintenance plan.

Progress so farDevelopment of the A80 road upgrades has made signi cant progress in the past three months with a spokesperson from Transport Scotland stating, “The scheme is progressing well and works are on target to [be] completed on time” . The Hornshill Junction (Stepps) to Mollinsburn was completed in November 2010. Following suit in completion are the new Hornshill Junction over-bridge, Lindsaybeg road over-bridge, the Auchengeich road over-bridge, the Mollinsburn to Gartferry link road

over-bridge and the North road over-bridge to name a few. All have been completed in the second half of 2010, meeting their assessed schedules, and are now open to traf c.

Still in progress is the Mollinsburn Interchange, the Dullatar road under-bridge, Forest Road under-bridge and Kilsyth road under-bridge will all be due to be completed by March 2011 and open to traf c shortly after. Overall, work is being approached in phases, of ine and online, which are being completed simultaneously. An existing section of the A80 must be de-trunked once the of ine phase has been complete.


Aberdeen Harbour Board has awarded a £14 million contract to construction company McLaughlin & Harvey for the first phase of the Torry Quay redevelopment.

The Northern Irish firm will undertake works on the initial stage of a three-phase projec t worth £30 million, which got under way in April 2010.

The first phase , which will take a total of 18 months to comple te , includes the demolition of the existing wharves a t Torry Quay and replacing them with 300 me tres of realigned , deep wa ter quays construc ted from steel piles and reinforced concre te . These new quays are designed to be more suitable for modern, deep draughted ships and heavy cargoes, such as Subsea 7’s new 145m long and 26m wide diving support vessel, Seven Atlantic , which last year made its first official visit to Aberdeen Harbour.The development will provide stronger quays for heavy lif ts and

crea te more room in the River Dee for vessels to naviga te . Future uses of the new facility could include a support base for oil and gas customers and the handling of equipment for offshore renewable energy installa tions.

McLaughlin & Harvey has engaged steel giant ArcelorMit tal to supply a range of founda tion produc ts for the projec t including hot rolled A Z shee t piles, tubular piles, H sec tion beams, and tie rods through their partner Anker Schroeder, which toge ther form

Aberdeen seeks to grab a share of the growing shipping industry


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the backbone of the works.On comple tion, the projec t, which is part of Aberdeen Harbour

Board's £65 million development stra tegy, will result in over 500 me tres of new deep wa ter berths and more than seven hec tares of back up land on the south side of the River Dee .

Ken Reilly, engineering direc tor of Aberdeen Harbour, said , “ We are delighted tha t work is underway on this redevelopment. Aberdeen Harbour is an integral part of the north-east's economy and it is essential tha t we offer port users new and improved facilities as vessels increase in size .

“Substantial consulta tion has taken place with all the stakeholders in the area to ensure the works are carried out without disturbance to the environment, particularly protec ted species of salmon and dolphin tha t frequently visit the harbour.

“Throughout the projec t, we will continue to consult with our customers and wider stakeholders, ensuring there is as lit tle impac t on regular opera tions as possible . As one of the busiest ports in the UK , it is essential we continue to further develop the harbour to support the requirements of the diverse range of existing and potential port users”.According to the board’s la test financial report, for the second

consecutive year the port has witnessed significant grow th in passenger numbers using the regular ferry link to the Northern Isles. Over 149,000 people travelled be tween Aberdeen, She tland and Orkney be tween January and June , against 146,000 over the same time the previous year.

C olin Parker, chie f executive of Aberdeen Harbour, said , “The 2010 results have been ex tremely promising and we are delighted to have exceeded our forecast for the second quarter. We have maintained busy global links through our regular scheduled interna tional shipping services and increased the number of passengers using the port. This highlights the regional importance of the harbour's role within the north-east.

“Despite this very positive situa tion, we are not complacent and continue to invest in new port infrastruc ture , such as the

Torry Quay redevelopment and C ommercial Quay East [a strengthening and deepening projec t]. This ongoing investment in the port provides our customers with cost e ffec tive and fit for purpose facilities enabling us to maintain our position as one of the UK's busiest ports”.

Ac tivity in the energy sec tor continues to increase following a slight decline in oil and gas rela ted traffic during 2009 and the port has maintained its regular scheduled links to West Africa . G eneral cargo including , scrap me tal, salmon feed and grain exports were in line with projec tions.Aberdeen Harbour handles around 4.5 million tonnes of cargo

per year, valued a t £1.5 billion, and is seeing growing levels of shipping for a wide range of industries. With more than £200 million invested by the board in the last 30 years, the port is one of the most modern in Europe .

With versa tile facilities, compe titive charges and diversity of traffic , it serves Scotland's third city and an ex tensive hinterland . C entre of ac tivity for the offshore oil and gas industry's marine


support opera tions in North-west Europe , it is also:• The principal commercial port in Northern Scotland• An interna tional port for general cargo, roll-on/roll-off and

container traffic• The principal mainland port for freight, passenger, vehicle

and livestock services to Orkney and She tland• A ga teway for agricultural produc ts and supplies• A marshalling point for global exports of oilfield equipment• A port of call for cruise ships• One of the busiest Trust Ports in Britain

McLaughlin & HarveyThe Northern Irish firm opera tes across the UK and has over 100 years experience in the design and construc tion of new ports and working within existing live commercial harbours. Torry Quay is one of many recent projec ts undertaken by the firm and is also one of the largest, alongside similar works a t Belfast Harbour.

As well as expertise in marine engineering , the company counts industrial buildings, renewable energy engineering and road and railway infrastruc ture amongst its civil engineering profile . Elsewhere , McLaughlin & Harvey specialises in construc tion, specialist joinery, facilities management and framework contrac ts.

Glasgow driving in the right directionGlasgow’s East End Regeneration Route, which will connect the M74 motorway at Polmadie through the east end of Glasgow to the M80/ M8 junction at Provan Road, is on site and progressing well under main contractors Farrans and I & H Brown, who have been engaged under a design and build contract.

The development of this road complements the simultaneous M74 comple tion projec t. Developers hope it will facilita te the regenera tion of derelic t land; improve pedestrian routes; improve vehicular access and parking to the Forge shopping centre and re tail park and C eltic Park; relieve traf c congestion; and improve road safe ty and reduce road accidents. The new urban road will be built to dual carriageway wid th and will include a combined footpa th and cycleway. The ex tensive accommoda tion works include a new coach park for C eltic F C , whose ground lies adjacent to the projec t.According to Alex Salmond , the man in charge of the Scot tish

government, the route will “will help to transform a substantial part of the fabric of the Glasgow economy”. C ouncillor Archie Graham , who is involved with the 2014 commonwealth games, be t ter transport links will “encourage economic regenera tion

in the East End , by making it more a t trac tive for businesses to move here and opening up grea ter employment opportunities for local people”.

Phase 1, from Polmadie to Shaw eld , was comple ted in May 2010. Currently on site is Phase 2, which takes the route from Rutherglen Bridge to Biggar S tree t and is due for comple tion in la te 2011. The work on the third phase of the route will begin af ter 2014, subjec t to the availability of funding .

M74 WorksThe construc tion contrac t for the simultaneous M74 projec t was awarded to the Interlink M74 Joint Venture (a joint venture comprising Morrison C onstruc tion, Balfour Bea t ty, Morgan Sindall and Sir Robert McAlpine) in early March 2008 for a xed


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price of just under £445 million, plus a £12 million allowance for possible mine workings along the route . About £200 million has already been spent on land and advanced works. The Scot tish government will pay the largest share a t 87.35% . Glasgow City, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire councils will mee t the balance .S tarting near C armyle in the south east, the motorway will

cross mainly brown eld and industrial sites in C ambuslang , Rutherglen, Polmadie and Eglinton be fore linking with the M8 a t Tradeston.

Finance Secre tary John Swinney recently announced tha t the contrac tor has con rmed tha t the scheme will open in June , almost nine months ahead of the projec t ’s contrac tual deadline da te of February 2012 and bea ting the contrac tor’s own targe t of an August opening .

He claimed , “The M74 C omple tion is the biggest infrastruc ture projec t on the ground in Scotland and is providing vital jobs and investment for the hard pressed construc tion industry now. The fac t tha t this route , which will be vital to the future grow th of Scotland’s economy, will open so many months ahead of schedule will be welcomed by all who will bene t from using it ”.

Wates in Balgrayhill residential projectWates are carrying forward Glasgow Housing’s maintenance and repair commitments with a contract to carry out external alterations on a set of tower blocks at Viewpioint Place in Balgrayhill.

The work includes applica tion of insula tion with render over the top, as well as new insula tion to the roof and ex ternal re furbishment to the towers.

One of three site managers currently on the job, Wa tes’ Jackie Wallace spoke to Premier C onstruc tion with a progress report:

“The planned comple tion da te was originally May 2011, but we’re confident we can finish earlier than tha t. We’ve been making quick progress since we started on site in December 2009. When you consider there are around 300 fla ts in the towers we’re working on, tha t ’s pre t ty impressive .

“ We’ve been removing old tin cladding and replacing it with new cladding and render with insula tion to 4 inches. On the roof, we’re basically starting all over again – ripping up the roof and put ting down new slabs and felt cladding .

“ We’re also upgrading the TV system and the lightning conduc tors, as well as put ting in a curtain walling system on two of the towers”.

Wa tes has a large team on the job, with the intention of comple ting quickly as well as professionally. Originally, there were four site managers involved in the projec t – one for each tower – but the workload is now shared be tween Jackie , his two fellow site managers and the projec t manager. Wa tes also have a team of ‘ga te men’ on site , and Jackie says, “ We don’t always hire ga te men, but this job has had a larger work force on it than you might expec t, with a view to bea ting the agreed comple tion da te . There have been a t least 65 of us, including sub-contrac tors, on site on any given day”.

Asked wha t had been done to avoid disruption to residents, Jackie replied , “ We’ve managed to avoid moving people out of their homes – the only disruption was tha t some people have had to move their cars temporarily out of the car park .

High rise in GlasgowThe four towers a t Viewpoint place , which reach as high as 25 storeys, da te from the 1960s and are some of the tallest buildings in Glasgow. Faced with crippling housing shortages in the immedia te post-war period , the city undertook the building

of multi-storey housing in tower blocks in the 1960s and early 1970s on a grand scale , which led to Glasgow becoming the first truly high-rise city in Britain. However, many of these "schemes", as they are known, were poorly planned , or badly designed and cheaply construc ted , which led to many of the blocks becoming insanitary magne ts for crime and depriva tion.

It would not be until 1988 tha t high rises were built in the city once again. From the early 1990s, Glasgow City C ouncil and its successor, the Glasgow Housing Associa tion, have run a programme of demolishing the worst of the residential tower blocks, including the G orbals blocks in 1993. O thers, such as Viewpoint Place , have been deemed worthy of maintenance .


Kilmarnock makes the right connection

“Connecting Places” , Kilmarnock town centre’s £1.4 million regeneration project, has recently been completed in a project which has made Kilmarnock town centre more pleasant and accessible to pedestrians. Main contractors for the scheme were Luddon Construction.

The project was geared to greatly improving the environment and pedestrian connections between Kilmarnock railway station and the core retailing area. This was achieved through the introduction of high quality environmental and streetscape improvements, with improved surfaces, lighting, signage and street furniture connecting the railway station to John Finnie Street, Portland Street, Strand Street, Bank Street and King Street.

East Ayrshire Council implemented the work, with the majority of funding from the Scottish government’s Town Centre Regeneration Fund and support from Scottish Enterprise and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Councillor Douglas Reid, leader of East Ayrshire Council, said, ”Connecting Places has made a real difference to Kilmarnock’s town centre with improved lighting and paving, linking up all the main thoroughfares and

making the streets more inviting. Town centres everywhere are competing to attract people into their towns. The quality of the shopping environment is one of the most important factors. The more attractive the town centre is physically, the more attractive it becomes for shops and for shoppers, making shopping a more pleasant experience for everyone” .

Martin O’Rourke, a native of Kilmarnock who has overseen the works in his role as project of cer for Kilmarnock’s Townscape Heritage Initiative Partnership, is proud of his team’s achievements. He told Premier Construction, “In the face of dif culties – not only the winter weather but also a few delays in procuring certain materials – we have managed to complete the project ahead of schedule. One way in which we saved time was to abandon the original plan to work location by location and instead allow the contractor to have more

than one active zone of work.“We secured an agreement from the

contractor to appoint a specialist liaison of cer to inform and advise businesses and members of the public – that and the responsiveness of the contractors and the design team is behind our success.

“As a local resident myself, I shared the view that, in the long term, the brief disruption of these improvements would bring a lot of bene ts to the town” .


The first brick of the internal street in the new £2.6million Gowkthrapple Community Hub at Wishaw was laid in December 2010 by Motherwell and Wishaw MP Frank Roy and Councillor John Pentland. The ceremony was an important milestone for all of the partners involved in the construction of the new hub as it marked the building being confirmed as watertight by main contractor McTaggart.

Frank Roy said , “I’m delighted tha t the community hub is on targe t for comple tion in March 2011. It will provide a much-needed facility for the whole of the G owk thrapple community”.

As well as being a venue for a varie ty of local groups, the hub will also have a cafe , convenience store , office space and mee ting rooms. In addition, an applica tion has been submit ted to situa te a pharmacy in the premises and it is hoped tha t, if approved , this will open soon af ter the hub becomes opera tional.

When building work began a year ago, it was envisaged tha t the hub would open in January 2011. However, some initial problems meant tha t work had to be delayed . John Mulholland , direc tor of the G arrion People’s Housing C o-opera tive , said ,: “Unfortuna tely, we hit some problems regarding high voltage cables which meant tha t the plans had to be slightly adjusted .

“Subsequently, this knocked our schedule back a bit but we’ve managed to pull some of the lost time back and it isn’t a major issue and we’re delighted with the way the new community hub is commencing . It will become the heart of the community and will

be an excellent mee ting point for the residents of G owk thrapple”.“In addition to the existing plans for the hub we are in discussions

with Motherwell C ollege for students to use the facility as a training suite”.

A grant of £835,000 from Big Lot tery's growing community asse ts fund was received for the projec t, with other funding supplied by the local council, G PH C and the Scot tish government's vacant and derelic t land fund .

Now watertight – Gowkthrapple’s new hub soon to be completed


S c o t l a n d

Motherwell’s concert hall and theatre is being refurbished after a £6 million investment from North Lanarkshire Council. Although work has slowed down for the pantomime season, which lasts until early January, main contractor Barr will soon be back on site in earnest to complete works by summer 2011.

Works on the building , which is more accura tely described as two venues joined toge ther, include a whole host of improvements. To begin with, there will soon be a dedica ted box office a t the entrance to the thea tre , allowing the council to save money once the current selling point – a loca tion in the centre of town – has been re-deployed .

Elsewhere , work to the building’s infrastruc ture involve a new radia tor hea ting system to replace the old system , which relied on pipes in the ceilings. A full elec trical re-wire will support £1 million worth of new sound and lighting equipment, while a programme of asbestos removal will allow a previously disused technical area to be re-opened . Double gla zing is being installed to provide a huge energy saving , which is to be topped up by a new, e fficient ventila tion system backed by a new plant room . The whole building will be monitored by a new BMS .

Nick Parr, venues manager a t North Lanarkshire C ouncil, has been campaigning enthusiastically for the improvements in recent years. He shared his delight a t the rapidly-developing projec t with Premier C onstruc tion:

“ We’re all excited a t the opportunities this projec t will bring us. It ’s difficult to convey how much some of the changes, which seem small to some , will improve wha t we can do with the building . The new box office , for example , replaces the old se t-up we had on site which involved having a hidden side door as part of the entrance . Tha t alone is much more inviting to the public and should encourage more visitors.

“Although a lot is being spent on some top-quality sound and lighting equipment, one of the most important differences is in the simple fac t tha t we will soon have dimmable , flexible lighting in the non-performance public areas. Tha t will allow us to arrange the lighting based on the performance we’re hosting and , of course save some energy when not all the lights are se t to ‘full power’. We used to say here tha t the lighting was like a hospital ward – good enough to see clearly but not inviting enough for this kind of loca tion.

“Now, theore tically, we will be able to ex tend the range of shows we can offer. There is improved vehicle access so tha t we can bring in more elabora te installa tions and the venue should be more a t trac tive to certain ac ts such as touring bands”.

Nick concluded , “ Barr, the contrac tors, have been particularly

good to work with. It ’s been nice to have been consulted so ex tensively on design. Equally, it felt like a lot of hard work had paid off when the council kindly agreed to the funding . We had prepared proposals tha t showed wha t we could achieve with his level of investment compared to a minimal investment and , since they were able to see the importance of the venue and recognise the re turn tha t the whole area will eventually ge t from it, they agreed tha t we should make the most possible out of the projec t ”.

Boost for culture in Motherwell


I r e l a n d

Rede ning the provision of hospital care in the UK and Ireland and achieving new standards for hospital design and amenity, a new acute hospital for the South West of Northern Ireland is under construction in a £270 million project at Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

The building complex is almost one m illion square feet in area and is located on a 60-acre site overlooking Wolf Lough on the O magh road out of Enniskillen.The Northern Ireland Health Group

(NIHG) consortium were appointed as preferred bidder by the Western Health and Social Care Trust to design, construct, nance and manage the new acute hospital. The consortium has four stakeholders - FCC Construction SA, Allied Irish Bank Plc., Interserve Investments and P. Elliott & Co.

Construction is being carried out by P. Elliott & Co in their largest ever contract and they are working in unison w ith FCC Construction from Spain.The new 312 bed hospital w ill provide

essential health and social care for the people living in the western trust area and w ill offer services including acute medicine, accident and emergency, day and elective surgery, children's and older people care services, critical care,

imagining, diagnostics and consultant-led maternity services.Geotechnically, the site is very

challenging. The adjacent Wolf Lough and woodlands area is prone to land slip, and the foundation condition resembled tooth paste. The bulk of the site is built up from over 3,500 double auger drive piles onto which a 400mm thick transfer slab is constructed and the site up lled. With a policy of ‘No excavated material to be taken off site’, the earthworks were a complex exercise of identifying and using existing competent material for up ll, and lime stabilizing other material to the required CBR’s for piling mats.

The new hospital campus is a three-storey complex for the most part w ith some areas having four stories. The entrance to the hospital w ill run through a wet land area and w ill feature a bridge. The hospital w ill include bright spacious single private bedrooms and a hospital street, which essentially is an internal courtyard running right through the building. The single patient rooms all bene t from striking views of either the adjacent Wolf Lough and woodlands, or the beautiful internal ‘linear garden‘. The hospital w ill also incorporate a full restaurant, cafe, shop and hairdressers and there w ill even be an ATM machine and crèche.The hospital comprises a series of well

designed and considered departments and public spaces that are animated by sunshine and daylight w ith continuous views of landscape and rural surroundings. The environment w ill be reassuringly un-institutional and yet provide an exemplary and exible clinical facility.

Organic in form , the buildings sit naturally in their landscape, nestling the contours and breaking the skyline w ith their shallow sloping roof planes.

Northern Ireland health m inister M ichael McG impsey said, “The new hospital w ill offer a w ide range of invaluable services including 24/7 A&E, inpatient services including medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, day case surgery and day procedures. It w ill also offer a comprehensive range of diagnostics, including radiology and laboratory tests and a w ide range of outpatient services.

“This new state of the art health care facility for the people of Enniskillen and the surrounding areas represents a signi cant investment by my department. Despite forced budget cuts and huge nancial pressures, this new hospital remains on course for completion and w ill be a vital facility for the South West region” .

The project is due for completion by 2012 and has over 650 construction operatives and 65 staff on site.

£270 million hospital will rede ne the provision of healthcare

I r e l a n d


Under construction to an award-winning design on a World Heritage Site containing Northern Ireland’s top tourist attraction, is the new Giant’s Causeway visitor centre in County Antrim.

The Giant ’s C auseway lies in Northern Ireland’s C auseway C oast World Heritage Site , in a loca tion where the landscape fea tures cliffs formed by hexagonal basalt stones, agricultural land and cliffside walks. The causeway itself fea tures over 38,000 hexagonal columns of basalt and is visited annually by over 600,000 people from across the world .The £9.4 million contrac t to build the new visitor centre is being

carried out for the Na tional Trust by main contrac tors Gilbert-Ash. Architec ts heneghan peng’s design for the new centre was chosen from entrants in an interna tional compe tition. S truc tural consultants are Arup; building services consultants are Benne t t Robertson; civil engineering consultants are White Young Green and quantity surveyors and projec t managers are Edmond Shipway.As the site is continuing to remain open throughout the

contrac t, a number of enabling works were required and have been carried out by FP Mc C ann with a fit out by Gilbert-Ash. These works include the construc tion of temporary kiosks and

the transforma tion of the nearby C auseway Hotel’s func tion room to accommoda te the Na tional Trust's shop to provide for visitors during the construc tion works, The C auseway Hotel itself is providing ca tering , and a temporary road now guides visitors via the front of the hotel to the stones.

O ther enabling works include ex tending the car park in front of the C auseway Hotel, changing the use of Innisfree Farm to become an additional car park , installing a series of variable message signs in the wider causeway area , and relining the car park a t Dundarave in Bushmills to allow for a park and ride service .

Currently the enabling works are being comple ted and construc tion of the new visitor centre has commenced .The design of the new single storey visitor centre utilises the

large difference in level across the site , where two folds are crea ted in the landscape . One of these , ex tending the line of a ridge , will accommoda te the building . The second , ex tending the level of a road , will screen the building’s new car park from view.

The new 1,815 sq m sta te-of-the art building is struc tured around a steel frame with eleva tions in locally sourced basalt cladding , incorpora ting a gla zed frontage which will ensure tha t people with disabilities who may not be able to walk on the site

Award-winning design for a truly ‘giant’ world-class attraction


Henderson Foodservice, the market leading foodservice business in Northern Ireland and a division of the Henderson Group, has announced an investment of approximately £14million in new warehousing and office accommodation on the company’s 23.5 acre site at Hightown Avenue, Mallusk.

The move is in response to sales grow th in excess of 30% since 2007, and ongoing expansion which will see all warehousing and distribution services centralised a t Mallusk in a demolition-rebuild projec t. Henderson Foodservice currently opera tes two depots, one loca ted a t Finvoy Road , Ballymoney, employing 52 staff, and the other a t a Mallusk site where 101 people are employed . Both depots will move to the new purpose-built facility in early 2011. All staff working in Ballymoney will be given the opportunity to transfer to Mallusk or be offered suitable alterna tive roles within the company.

The development work is being undertaken by Pa t ton C onstruc tion, who are based in Ballymena; the contrac t has provided employment for 120 people during the construc tion of the facility.

Damien Barre t t, managing direc tor of Henderson Foodservice , explains, “Henderson Foodservice has enjoyed a very healthy period of grow th winning a number of signi cant long-term contrac ts with both the public and priva te sec tors. In order to

maintain tha t level of year-on-year grow th we have care fully reviewed our current business prac tices to ensure maximum e f ciencies. C onsolida ting distribution to one base enables us to streamline the business, share resources and reduce running costs in general. The £14 million investment will provide a 130,000 sq f t sta te-of-the-art frozen, ambient and chilled warehousing as well as a suite of new of ces”.

“ We have a well-motiva ted and highly-skilled work force a t Ballymoney and it is our intention tha t they will all either reloca te to Mallusk or be given the opportunity to take up a different role within the company. Over the nex t number of months we will be consulting all of these staff to discuss optimum transfer timings and options. We will be maintaining current employment levels as a result of the depot changes and indeed as we continue to expand further, recruitment will become an important part of our business plan”.

“It is our aim tha t this new facility will deliver a fully integra ted opera tion capable of serving our customers throughout Ireland e f ciently whilst providing best value for money. In so doing , Henderson Foodservice can look forward to maintaining its position as the marke t leading foodservice business in Northern Ireland”, concluded Mr. Barre t t.

Henderson Foodservice soon to centralise in multi-million property investment

will be able to enjoy the spec tacular coastal views. The building will also be slightly sunken into the ground , and will have a grass roof to restore the na tural ridgeline of the surrounding landscape and provide a habita t for wildlife .The centre will include an interpre ta tion area , a shop, an

80-cover cafe serving light re freshments, toile ts and baby changing facilities and a tourist informa tion centre providing guidance on the C auseway C oast and Northern Ireland .

Ex ternally, a new car park will be construc ted to the east of the building , trail pa ths will be upgraded and new pa ths crea ted .John Davis, contrac ts manager for Gilbert Ash, said , “ O bviously

we were delighted to have been chosen because it's such a landmark scheme . It's going to be a world-renowned visitor centre and it ’s fantastic to be part of tha t ", he added .Associa ted CAD Solutions Ltd . was tasked with the responsibility

of providing 3Dbuilding informa tion modelling (BIM) services for the projec t.

The services of AC S were engaged direc tly by the main contrac tor Gilbert Ash, specifically to crea te a 3D BIM model from the architec ts and engineers’ 2D drawings during the pre-construc tion design phase . The 3D BIM model was used as a tool to identify potential design conflic ts be tween the various design disciplines during the pre-construc tion design phase , and thereby minimise the potential time loss and impac t of costly design changes during construc tion.

The 3D BIM model provided the specialist sub-contrac tors with the specific geome try of the building and also a visual aid from which they could progress their construc tion design de tails. Following on from the pre-construc tion design phase , the 3D model was further developed to provide the construc tion team with various cross-sec tions through the building for se t-out on-site , and also fabrica tion and produc tion drawings for off-site


A s s o c i a t i o n s

Plans are taking shape for this year’s Ecobuild which, having outgrown its former venue, will be taking place at London’s ExC eL on Tuesday 01 – Thursday 03 March.

Against the background of economic uncertainty over the last few years, and the current spending cuts, Ecobuild represents the construc tion sec tor’s most important challenge , and its grea test opportunity, tha t of crea ting a sustainable built environment.

And the sec tor mee ts tha t challenge - and tha t opportunity - with ever-growing enthusiasm . Over 1,300 exhibitors, 600 speakers and 50,000 visitors are expec ted to a t tend Ecobuild 2011, exceeding the record a t tendance a t the 2010 event.

Many exhibitors have taken advantage of the ex tra space a t ExC eL to expand the range of sustainable construc tion produc ts and ma terials they’ll be displaying a t the exhibition. Regular exhibitors Daikin, Saint- G obain, Schueco, Ideal S tandard , Tremco Illbruck , Interface , Velux , Lafarge , Fronius, Forbo Flooring Systems, AC O Technologies, E .O N , and IC I Paints are just some of the interna tionally recognised names you’ll see a t Ecobuild nex t year, along with hundreds of suppliers exhibiting for the first time , including Dorma , ArcelorMit tal, IB C Solar, Edge tech, C R Lawrence , Roto Frank , UPM , LG Elec tronics, Hyundai, S tora Enso and Pilkington Building Produc ts. Ecobuild is the pla t form for major launches including , for 2011,

Bill Dunster’s straw house , S tramit ZED. It ’s the very la test in his eco housing stable - a straw board home tha t can be built for £135,000; £20,000 less than the normal cost of construc ting a code level 6 house . The S tramit ZED house is a joint venture be tween ZED fac tory and S tramit Technology Group. The straw boards are combined with timber and insula tion from recycled newspaper and made into casse t tes to build the homes. They will be marke ted to developers, housing associa tions and self-builders.

Modcell will be launching their Renewable Re tail solution which aims to resolve the hea t energy ba t tle being fought in supermarke ts, to keep customers warm and produce cool. Using pre fabrica ted panels fabrica ted from straw bales to build super-insula ted , high-performance and low energy ‘passive’ buildings, Mod C ell’s Renewable Re tail delivers a turnkey building solution

tha t reduces energy, saves money and carbon emissions, and allows shorter build times.Leading the line up in Ecobuild’s free conference are headliners

Chie f C onstruc tion Advisor, Paul Morrell, C onstruc tion Minister, Mark Prisk , Sir Terry Farrell, Baroness Susan Greenfield , Tim Smit of the Eden Projec t, Bianca Jagger and Professor AC Grayling taking on subjec ts as diverse as The radicalism of localism , The age of unreason: the psychology of clima te change and Ending our love affair with more .The 2011 seminar programme , also free to a t tend , is Ecobuild’s

biggest ever, with over a dozen streams and more than 130 seminars covering the most pressing concerns for built environment professionals:

• future energy • energy in buildings • regula tions revealed • simplifying standards guides and tools • re furbishing Britain • sustainability and the city • sustainable by design • sustainable small projec ts • from grey to green • sustainable architec ture & design • beyond construc tion • installer business • installer skills

Seminars are brought to life through a series of interac tive a t trac tions and live demonstra tions taking place on the exhibition floor, from how to install a solar panel or a green roof, to timber frame construc tion and applying ex terior wall insula tion.

Highly topical is Ecobuild’s Solar hub which will explain the fundamentals of photovoltaic systems – how they work , wha t components they include , and how and where to install them , with daily demonstra tions and talks on building integra ted

Ecobuild 2011 – the future of design, construction and the built environment




photovoltaic tiles (BIPV ), photovoltaic systems (PV ), bene fit ting from the feed in tariff.

Renew provides prac tical advice on achieving one of the most important aspec ts of an energy e fficient building – a highly insula ted , air tight building envelope – with daily live demonstra tions of internal and ex ternal insula tion for solid walls, lof t insula tion, insula ted floor bases and gla zing solutions.

The enormously popular Cityscape re turns in 2011 to focus on the greening of the built environment, and the encouragement of biodiversity. C omprising live demonstra tion areas and a varie ty of case studies and installa tions explaining the prac ticalities of greening and enhancing biodiversity, it will take the learning from Ecobuild’s From grey to green and Sustainability and the city seminars and help visitors gain experience of the prac tical skills required .

New for 2011, Ecobuild’s Wa ter wise will be bring visitors up to da te on the changes to Part G of building regula tions, understanding the wa ter e fficient systems and appliances tha t can now be installed into buildings. It will also explain the measures tha t can be put in place to significantly reduce our wa ter footprints by fixing leaks, using wa ter e fficient white goods and other wa ter-saving technologies, as well as implementing simple but e f fec tive behavioural changes, and demonstra te tha t not only does a reduc tion in wa ter consumption save energy and carbon, but tha t it brings financial savings for businesses, the public sec tor and consumers too.

Elsewhere , the aesthe tic qualities of glulam are demonstra ted in Ex treme timber. A hyperbolic paraboloid with two large curved and twisting glulam struc tures, one of which is inverted to form a roof, demonstra tes the ex treme design possibilities of engineered timber for spec tacular and sustainable struc tures.Another favourite with regular visitors to Ecobuild is the Na tural,

traditional….sustainable a t trac tion, where daily interac tive demonstra tions will cover a wealth of na tural ma terials and traditional techniques including dry stone walling , straw bale construc tion, rammed earth, cob brick making , traditional carpentry and lime rendering .

C ertain to provoke interest is C apita Symonds’ C ool Workspace a t trac tion which showcases leading-edge ma terials, technologies and design solutions, demonstra ting how they can help provide low-cost, low-carbon, but high impac t solutions to adapt and re-use space and ma terials to crea te a flexible , adaptable and ultima tely more sustainable workplace . C onstruc ted using phase change wall panels and ceilings which store and release hea t according to the internal and ex ternal tempera tures, C ool Workspsace will fea ture hea t recovery ventila tion systems, smart me ters, occupancy de tec ting lighting controls, smart

phone technology and energy usage monitoring systems. It will be fit ted out using recycled carpe ts and surfaces, and furnished with environmentally responsible office furniture .

And of course it wouldn’t be Ecobuild without a whole host of new and surprising events, and the 2011 event certainly won’t disappoint. On Tuesday, 02 March ‘Rock star physicist ’ Professor Brian C ox will be presenting an award to the winner of the C IO B’s Inner Space 2050 compe tition for students aged 11 – 12 years to design sustainable work and living spaces in orbit. Back in the exhibition, visitors will be invited to sink their tee th into some BRE Bites, a series of 10 minute ‘ tasters’ on a range of topics including BREE AM In Use , Passivhaus, and Feed in Tariffs taking place daily on the BRE stand , and the Ecobuild Fringe is gearing up to deliver an eclec tic programme again in 2011.

An innova tion tha t ’s bound to be popular for Ecobuild 2011 is the introduc tion of an online itinerary planner which allows visitors to plan their visit in advance , including the times and loca tions of conference and seminar sessions, and live demonstra tions, as well as listing exhibitors and produc ts of interest. The exhibition will be organised in technology zones, with similar produc ts, relevant seminars and a t trac tions, all loca ted in the same area .

G e t ting around Ecobuild 2011 will be easier still a t the new venue of course . ExC eL’s straight forward layout, with seminars taking place in rooms along the perime ter of the exhibition halls, and the conference loca ted off the central boulevard , is simple to naviga te .

And ge t ting there is easy too. ExC eL is easily accessible by public transport, offers free cycle parking and has ample car parking on site . The nearest rail sta tion is Custom House for ExC eL , approxima tely 10 minutes from C anary Wharf. Key interchanges for the DLR are Bank , Tower Hill, C anning Town and Shadwell. During Ecobuild shut tle buses will run from the Thames Clipper river taxi stop a t C anary Wharf (10 minutes) and from London City Airport (5 minutes).

G e t your free ticke t now a t www.ecobuild .co.uk


With a need to safeguard future skills provisions within the construction industry, the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (C&BE) is proving that it can nurture a new generation of construction professionals who can face the challenges of tomorrow.

With several large players in the industry already reaping the bene ts of such programmes, C ITB- C onstruc tionSkills is continuing to bolster support for the quali ca tion during 2011. The Diploma in C&B E which has been overseen and developed

by C ITB- C onstruc tionSkills in its capacity as a Sec tor Skills C ouncil, and has been taught in schools and colleges since September 2008, has provided the perfec t quali ca tion to help the UK’s construc tion industry prepare for the future and to keep it a t the cut ting edge .

In August 2010, more than 350 bright, young students achieved the diploma . This rst cohort of diploma students would achieve a quali ca tion which has equipped them with the knowledge and prac tical ability to do grea t things in an industry which demands continual evolution and innova tion.

Indeed , many leading construc tion companies are seeing the bene ts and continuing to support the quali ca tion. One such diploma devotee is industry stalwart GJ Seddon, who have already backed around 60 diploma students throughout the North West. Along with Seddon’s, giants such as Wa tes and Balfour Bea t ty are also supporting the diploma to help develop skills tha t bene t both their own organisa tions, and the industry as a whole .

O ffering a quali ca tion equivalent to G C SEs and A Levels, the diploma has proved to be a sophistica ted and modern quali ca tion, with a mix of academic and prac tical learning , capable of producing students who are ready to mee t the challenges of today’s construc tion and the built environment sec tor.

In addition to the 350 diploma achievers, 1,100 ex tra students have also successfully comple ted the Principle Learning Quali ca tion, which is a component of the diploma and is, in itself, equivalent to ve G C SEs a t the higher level and two A Levels a t advanced level. All of these young people have picked up skills tha t mean they can ‘hit the ground running’, this being an obvious advantage for any construc tion employer.

Importantly, the diploma has also allowed knowledge to be imparted to the nex t genera tion of workers. With new construc tion me thods and technologies being developed a t a rapid ra te , it is crucial for individuals to learn these skills a t an early stage of their careers. The government ’s emphasis on sustainability and low-carbon technology are two areas tha t the UK’s construc tion and the built environment industry needs to be a t the fore front of over the nex t few years. The diploma certainly provides the opportunities to give 14-19 year olds a solid grounding in these elds.

In order to build on the promising results so far, C ITB-C onstruc tionSkills is urging industry as a whole to become more involved in helping to deliver the quali ca tion. Nick G ooderson, head of educa tion, training and quali ca tions a t C ITB- C onstruc tionSkills, says,

“The Diploma in C&B E was developed for the industry, by the industry, and is capable of helping to deliver a very bright future , but needs the support of everybody to continue its success in 2011 and beyond . The future of the industry is very much in our own hands.

“ We should not see the Diploma as the preserve of the large industry players: it also needs the involvement of smaller rms. By increasing the number of employers ge t ting involved , we can

ensure tha t recognition of the quali ca tion is increased among the entire industry. Without this broad support, it will be harder for us all to avoid the skill shortages tha t plagued the industry af ter the 1990’s recession”.Although times may be tough for the industry now, it will be

vital for the industry to have the right new, young talent going forwards in order to make the most of the recovery. With the right industry support, the diploma is ideally placed to be able to do this – continuing to inspire young people about a future in construc tion.

Cutting Carbon

Chief executive of CITB - C onstructionSkills, Mark Farrar, explains how the Cut the Carbon campaign will support business growth opportunities for small and medium sized employers, as well as helping them to comply with carbon reduction legislation.

Small and medium sized construc tion businesses must ac t now to up-skill if they want to take advantage of the growing demand for low carbon construc tion. Forward thinking SME contrac tors have already adapted their business models to the drive for a low carbon built environment, and are winning work as a result. But not everyone is prepared for the industry’s low carbon future and ready to transla te awareness into ac tion.

The government ’s ‘Green Deal' in England could crea te 100,000 jobs by funding the improvement of insula tion and air-tightness across 26 million homes in the U K . Small and medium-sized (SME ) contrac tors must not miss out on this crucial opportunity to win work . A t a time when many small businesses across the U K are ba t tling with the impac t of the recession , the prospec t of new work in the construc tion sec tor couldn't come a t a be t ter time .

Meeting clients’ needsIt is not just the Green Deal tha t is genera ting opportunities for contrac tors, but also the changing expec ta tions of their clients, from the public sec tor to priva te organisa tions and homeowners. For clients, the recession has not halted the drive to cut carbon emissions – not least because there are real cost and business bene ts to be secured . During our research into the a t titudes of SME contrac tors’ clients

towards carbon reduc tion, 95% of the clients we asked expec ted carbon reduc tion to become ‘essential and business critical’, ‘very important ’ or ‘quite important ’ for their organisa tion within the nex t ve years. We also found tha t 57% of homeowners have undertaken work , or are planning to undertake work over the nex t ve years, to improve the carbon e f ciency of their homes. For contrac tors willing to engage with this potential client base and deliver on their low carbon requirements, the opportunities are huge .SME contrac tors can support clients in all sec tors by identifying

the most cost e ffec tive ways of providing them with low carbon solutions (and the resulting cost savings). And with the majority of the clients we surveyed also sta ting tha t low carbon skills have a direc t in uence upon their procurement decisions, it is clear tha t contrac tors with the skills to deliver low carbon solutions will have a strong compe titive advantage over those without them .

Targets However, it is not just the opportunity to win work tha t means

The Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment continues to build for the future




SME contrac tors should be prepared for the industry’s low carbon future . The carbon reduc tion targe ts se t by government, industry and clients are ambitious and achieving them will require a collabora tive e ffort from industry and it is crucial tha t SME contrac tors have the knowledge and skills to play their part. Take for example the changes to Part L in O c tober 2010: without understanding how to achieve the new energy e f ciency requirements, contrac tors are exposed to the danger of he f ty nes and their ability to win work is crippled .

Delivering low carbon solutionsThe new Cut the C arbon campaign was launched in O c tober 2010 to support SME contrac tors in accessing the business opportunities on offer by acquiring low carbon expertise . A partnership be tween C ITB- C onstruc tionSkills, the Federa tion of Master Builders and the Na tional Specialist C ontrac tors C ouncil, the campaign focuses speci cally on the skills needed for delivering the low-carbon future tha t clients want and tha t legisla tion demands. It will build on the work of other industry bodies tha t are supporting the low carbon drive such as the C arbon Trust and the Zero C arbon Hub. The campaign will direc tly support SMEs, helping them

understand wha t the new carbon legisla tion will mean for them and equipping them with a tangible mix of knowledge and skills to respond to increased client demand .

The Cut the C arbon campaign points to a number of upskilling options for SME businesses looking to improve their employees’ carbon reduc tion knowledge and skills – de tails can be found a t www.cskills.org/cutcarbon. Investing in training is one of these options, and C ITB- C onstruc tionSkills supports this process through the training grants it makes available to the industry.

The construc tion industry accounts for almost half of the UK’s carbon emissions – our sec tor, there fore , has a responsibility to reduce energy consumption and help tackle clima te change . Increasingly prominent in legisla tion and clients’ contrac ts, the

drive to cut carbon is se t to grow and grow and it is clear tha t there are crucial opportunities to win work on the back of this grow th. The support is in place through the Cut the C arbon campaign – it is now up to the contrac tors to ensure they secure the bene ts tha t are on offer.

For further informa tion about the Cut the C arbon campaign, visit www.cskills.org/cutcarbon

Heritage SkillsHeritage Craf t Alliance (H CA) Ltd is an accredited training and assessment provider dedica ted to our built heritage . H CA’s Glenn Young explained the rm’s value to C onstruc tionSkills:

“The rm’s main business is the training and assessment for our adult heritage skills work force . We understand tha t it is critical to the wellbeing of the sec tor tha t we can improve the sec tor’s sta tus through accredita tion and ensure tha t traditional skills are understood and maintained by our work force .

“The long-term survival of our historic buildings is in the hands of a shrinking number of expert craf tsmen and conserva tors. The availability of these skills is sta tistically decreasing year on year due to re tirement of traditional craf tspeople . There has been a skills gap developing from the 1970s which has led to a major de cit in the heritage skills work force .

“Many of the craf tsmen and contrac tors we work with require the heritage C S C S card in order to contrac t within the sec tor. C ontrac tors, property owners, English Heritage and others are becoming more stringent with their contrac tor engagement stra tegies.

“Through assessment for heritage skills level 3 diplomas and conserva tion quali ca tions, we are able to prepare craf tsmen and managers to apply for the card . Once you have the appropria te quali ca tion and have sa t your health and safe ty online G OLA test, your applica tion for your heritage C S C S card is accepted”.



SLPTG (the Steeplejack & Lightning Protection Training Group) can provide clients or customers with all the necessary information regarding training, qualifications and experience to ensure that any contractors or sub contractors they are considering working with can demonstrate that they and their workforce have the correct qualifications and experience in lightning protection.

According to the chairman of the SLPTG ,“If an opera tive cannot produce a C S C S card sta ting tha t he is

a quali ed lightning conduc tor t ter NVQ II or NVQ III, then do not le t him carry out work on your lightning protec tion system . Likewise , as all lightning protec tion work is covered under S C O PE , any company working on your lightning protec tion systems should be registered with the C onstruc tion Industry Levy Scheme . If not, do not le t them carry out work . We have seen, over the past few years, an increase in other industries and unquali ed personnel offering lightning protec tion services without the correc t training , knowledge and experience”.

Working closely with ATLAS (the Industry Federa tion), C ITB (C onstruc tion Industry Training Board) and C onstruc tion Skills a t the Na tional C onstruc tion C ollege (in Bircham New ton, Norfolk), the SLPTG has formula ted a na tional apprenticeship scheme and continues to expand training availability for this specialist industry.

According to the SLPTG’s C olin Sanders, “The SLPTG demonstra tes tha t we fully understand the commitment and consequent investment tha t is required for training because adaptable , skilled people are vital to the success of our industry”. Alan Ritchie, several secretary of the Construction Union, says, “

“A fully carded work force is a safer and be t ter trained work force”.Richard Diment, direc tor general of the Federa tion of Master

Builders, says,“The FMB , as the leading trade associa tion representing SMEs

in the British construc tion sec tor, supports and promotes all aspec ts of craf t management and health and safe ty training . It recognises C S C S as a vital means by which its members can record and provide proof of the skills and compe tency of their work force and sub-contrac tors”.Julia Evans, chie f executive of the Na tional Federa tion of

Builders, says,“ C S C S provides a base line standard which is broadly accepted

by the majority of the construc tion industry. It enables workers to demonstra te important pro ciencies and companies to demonstra te a commitment to safe and e f cient working”.

Full informa tion on the on the above sta tements and the C S C S C ard Scheme can be found a t www.cscs.uk .comThe SLPTG needs to develop training for our industry by

working closely with clients and customers, main contrac tors, training providers and our members to ensure tha t the training delivered to our workers is improving the quality of our work force in all areas. This will mean the introduc tion of more dynamic forms of training , which will eleva te the industry.

Please remember: if an opera tive cannot provide a C S C S card which sta tes his NVQ II or NVQ III quali ca tions for on the rear, do not le t him carry out the works!

For further informa tion, contac t Lynne Fle tcher (GTO) on 01625 664500, e -mail [email protected] .uk or visit the website a t www.slptraininggroup.org .uk

The Steeplejack and Lightning Protection Training Group (SLPTG)


by Andrew Parkin BEng(Hons) C Eng FIOA FIHEEM, technical director at RPS, member of the IOA Building Acoustics Group and chair of the AN C Schools Committee.

Where we are nowWith the recent decima tion of funding for public sec tor projec ts, schools have been particularly hard hit. Whilst many academies have come away unsca thed , Building Schools for the Future has been scrapped , with many live school projec ts being cancelled and LEPs being disbanded .

Despite the huge cut in spending , schools still need to be brought up to scra tch, with much of the existing stock being well below even the minimum standards se t out in the School Premises Regula tions.

R is for RefurbishmentRe furbishment of schools is nothing new. This has always been the least costly me thod of brea thing new life into the existing school stock and , in a lot of cases, is perfec tly adequa te . However, this does rely on the existing building being in a reasonable condition and of a decent standard to start with.

When it comes to compliance with Building Bulle tin 93 (B B93), there appears to be a wildly varying approach for re furbishments. In theory, as soon as works tha t require a Building Regula tions applica tion are carried out, Part E should be invoked and , as a means of compliance with Part E , B B93 should come into force . However, wording within B B93 is of ten not strong enough and contain such phrases as ‘it is desirable’ and ‘should aim to mee t ’; these phrases hold lit tle or no contrac tual obliga tion to upgrade the acoustics of schools spaces through re furbishment.

Sadly there fore , B B93 is of ten ‘deroga ted’ from re furbishment projec ts. Budge ts are of ten so low tha t it is simply not possible to bring existing buildings up to the la test acoustic , thermal, ventila tion e tc . standards and tough decisions need to be made . In these situa tions, there are three main options, as follows:

The New ‘3 Rs’ – how do they sound?A look at schools, acoustics and the construction industry



Choose which aspec ts ge t upgraded (e .g . acoustics, thermal e tc .) and spend the money concentra ting on these , to the exclusion of other aspec tsRa ther than re furbish the whole school, de termine wha t

proportion could be upgraded ‘properly’ and se t about doing this. The school then have the option to manage and time table teaching accordingly

Based on full surveys of the existing building , make an informed choice as to how far each aspec t (e .g . acoustics, thermal e tc .) can realistically be upgraded with the given budge t and make incremental improvements. The risk here is tha t, whilst improvements could be made , if the starting point is particularly poor then, even af ter re furbishment the school still not be suitable for its intended use

R is also for RemodelIn a similar vein to Re furbishment, Remodelling involves working within the con nes of the existing building . However, instead of making improvements to existing elements (e .g . walls, doors e tc .) there will be a removal of existing elements and construc tion of new ones to suit the required teaching styles and opera tional policies of the school.When introducing new walls and doors within an existing

school shell, it would be very dif cult to argue tha t these should not mee t with B B93 targe ts. The complica tion comes, however, when the existing shell can not adequa tely control anking of sound . In these cases, although a new partition or oor may be capable of achieving B B93 targe ts in isola tion, the weaknesses of the existing building would prompt a failure; in these instances this should be highlighted as a risk and included in the Alterna tive Performance S tandard register.

In addition to new ‘hard’ construc tion elements to control sound insula tion, use of absorbent nishes to optimise reverbera tion times will also need to be considered . C are ful design will be required to see tha t any new absorption measures will not interfere with daylighting , na tural ventila tion or thermal mass requirements. Although the most cost e ffec tive solution is of ten to use a suspended ceiling , the numbers of schools taking this approach is decreasing , with wall panels and suspended baf es/raf ts becoming increasingly popular.

And R is for Re-UseSo, how do we turn a former fac tory or B&Q into a school? Looking a t many of the academies designed and construc ted in recent years, there has been a trend towards large , voluminous shells with cellular spaces construc ted around central open

areas. This same principle can be easily replica ted in a portal frame shed; granted , the ex ternal appearance may not win many awards but the internal environment (arguably the most important aspec t) can be just as good .

In order to achieve good sound insula tion be tween spaces, we need to be looking a t modular (off-site) construc tions, SFS or timber frame buildings-within-buildings and secondary struc tures. If designed correc tly and complimented with good dri-lining and internal gla zing a superb quality environment can be achieved , ma tching and even be t tering tha t normally expec ted from more traditional construc tions.

Within cellular teaching/learning spaces, the same principles to reverbera tion control as in a ‘standard’ classroom can be adopted , e .g . ceilings, suspended absorbers, wall panels e tc .The challenge comes in the large open

spaces. Whilst many of these will be utilised for dining , circula tion and LR Cs, they are also likely to be used for teaching/learning . High oor to ceiling heights will invariably cause problems with long

reverbera tion times, poor speech intelligibility and signi cant build-up of noise . We there fore need to investiga te ways of comba ting this, which may include suspended absorbers (e .g . traditional baf es and raf ts, or fea ture shapes); one approach used in large call centres is to crea te ‘Acoustic Piña tas’ formed by suspending large acoustically absorbent objec ts within ne t ting or a cage . Alterna tively, absorbent canopies could be suspended from the roof over sensitive spaces. C are ful selec tion of F F&E items will also need to be made to assist in the overall acoustic environment.

SummaryWe can not expec t to design and construc t schools in the same we have been and need to adapt to new nancial and building stock constraints. We must trea t this as a challenge , not a problem , though. There is signi cant scope to make tomorrow’s schools exciting projec ts to work on and environments suitable for their intended use ..

SRS use Rainbow to Solve Acoustic Problem in SchoolWhen the pupils and teaching staff were suffering due to poor room acoustics a t S tanley Road School in Worcester, they took advantage of the free site visit, advice and report currently on offer to all UK schools from the Sound Reduc tion Systems Ltd .

SRS technical sales manager Richard Sherwood comments, “The dining hall a t S tanley Road was one of most reverberant halls tha t I had visited in some time . Having modelled the space , it was evident tha t it was especially poor in the speech frequency range . It was no wonder tha t the pupils and staff struggled to use the space”.

To solve the problem , SRS proposed the use of Sona ta , their high performance acoustic absorber range . Sona ta Vario panels were suspended across the ceiling and Sona ta Aurio was xed on the walls to ensure good , even absorption across all frequencies. The children, consulted for their opinions, certainly gave SRS a challenge when they requested a rainbow design, but the specialists were delighted to help make it happen. The Sona ta absorbers were installed by Floorscan Acoustics

Ltd and feedback has been very positive so far. Anne Pot ter, the head teacher, comments, “ Our hall is now a more pleasant place to be , the difference was noticeable from the very rst day, and we have assemblies, lunches and PE under our very own rainbow”.

For further de tails, call 01204 380074, email info@soundreduc tion.co.uk or visit www.soundreduc tion.co.uk .



Futureproofing with Fabric FirstWith its endless sustainability credentials it’s no wonder timber frame is immensely popular. With the obvious ‘green’ argument won, Joe Martoccia, director of the UK Timber Frame Association, explains why the emphasis of any self build should be on putting the fabric first.

For many it ’s a long-term dream and the chance to own their ‘forever home’; for others it ’s a sound investment and a fast track way to climb the property ladder. Lit tle wonder tha t more and more people are turning to self build with timber frame fast becoming the pre ferred construc tion me thod of choice , thanks to its many proven advantages.

However, self builders construc ting their dream homes want somewhere to live for the rest of their lives. Once they have moved in, they certainly don’t want to be hit with high energy bills and ongoing maintenance costs – it ’s got to be manageable , not just for now but also for the future . When it comes to timber it ’s time to think about how it works in real world situa tions (its thermal performance , the financial bene fits, and its installa tion time) if we are to truly understand why timber frame is not just the future of the self-build industry, but the here and now.

The C ode for Sustainable Homes (C fSH), a compulsory environmental impac t ra ting system for housing in England , which includes self-builds, is helping to shape this agenda thanks to the government ’s targe t to see all new homes reach C ode level 6 by 2016 – the zero carbon home .For self builders, the decisions they make when selec ting

their build me thod will be pivotal in minimising on going energy consumption. Luckily the answer is timber frame and it ’s some thing tha t can be proven with hard , cold , indisputable

fac ts. A two year continuous assessment of timber frame homes built a t the BRE Innova tion Park has shown unequivocally tha t timber frames homes are ideally suited to the C fSH . It is no surprise tha t the first homes reaching C ode level 6 were timber frame buildings. With its inherent thermal e fficiency, timber frame is a perfec t fit with the low carbon agenda . Not only is it much easier to achieve very high insula tion levels, it also has fewer de fec ts and increased air tightness, all with ex tremely low embodied energy.To achieve code

compliance , the priority is ge t ting the fabric of a building right first and foremost, which is grea t news for timber frame . Forge t about sourcing fancy renewable energy systems to bolt onto leaky, poorly built buildings with high-embodied carbon - the emphasis should be on put ting the fabric first.

By using timber within the fabric of your building , you can not only reduce energy consumption, but also achieve a grea ter re turn on investment by increasing your home’s appeal to design and environmental conscious buyers in the future – tha t ’s if you ever want to sell it, of course . Le t ’s also not forge t the wider implica tions for the global community and the need to focus all our e fforts on using sustainable building produc ts for the bene fit of the entire plane t. It ’s time to think fabric first.


The introduction of the Site Waste Management Plan Regulations 2008 has brought to the fore a number of issues relating to Construction Waste Management, Site Waste Management and the UK sustainability agenda.

For some time clients have been demanding tha t their projec t teams consider, reduce and manage site waste , some times to reduce costs of waste to land ll and some times to secure ra tings or compliance with schemes tha t necessita te considera tion of Site Waste Management – indeed there are now consultants who have made this arena their specialisa tion. But now the new regula tions in England (and Best Prac tice Guidance in other parts of the United Kingdom) have made it necessary for many more clients, who may have differing perspec tives on sustainability and Site Waste Management, to grapple with demands made of them by these regula tions and Best Prac tice Guidance . The Site Waste Management Regula tions 2008 do not, however, offer any guidance or assistance for clients. Clients are there fore asking their projec t consultants to tell them wha t is required of them – and asking for help in dealing with the regula tions.

Whilst there is no requirement in the regula tions for anyone to advise clients, (or anybody else involved in a projec t), about Site Waste Management, there is clearly a need for this to happen and a clear business opportunity for someone to provide such a service .A consultant ’s guide to the provision of services rela ting to

the Site Waste Management Plans Regula tions 2008 and Best Prac tice Guidance has now been published by the Associa tion for Projec t Safe ty and is available for those who wish to offer the additional service of ‘Site Waste Management Plan Client Adviser’ to their clients or who wish to know more about the whole subjec t of Site Waste Management.

“Advising clients about Site Waste Management ” provides consultants with informa tion and procedures tha t they can use to help clients and design teams mee t the challenges of e ffec tive site waste management on projec ts. The guide:

• Gives a concise background to Site Waste Management• Outlines the costs of site waste and the environmental

bene ts of Site Waste Management Plans and planning • to increase recovery, recycling , and re-use of ma terials

and to reduce site waste• Provides an overview of the Site Waste Management Plans

Regula tions 2008 and Best Prac tice Guidance• Explains the implica tions of the Regula tions and Best

Prac tice Guidance• Outlines “who does wha t ” in different parts of the United

Kingdom• Suggests services tha t consultants can provide to help

clients and design teams deal with their Site Waste• Management obliga tions• Demonstra tes the synergies be tween these services and

C DM processes and requirements• Provides a step-by-step guide to working as a client

adviser dealing with Site Waste Management Plan issues

This ‘Advise and Assist ’ process of ten parallels the duties of the C DM co-ordina tor under the C onstruc tion (Design and Management) Regula tions 2007. The Associa tion for Projec t Safe ty, which has in-depth knowledge and experience of C DM co-ordina tion prac tice , has used its experience to help develop this ‘step-by-step’ guide so tha t this additional service to clients can be offered by C DM co-ordina tors, as well as other consultants. They will then be ac ting as an adviser to clients on

Site Waste Management - a ‘Site Waste Management Plan Client Adviser’ - a clumsy term but it says exac tly wha t is in the tin!

Because the Site Waste Management Plans Regula tions and Best Prac tice Guidance also direc tly, or indirec tly, require clients to make sure tha t others carry out certain duties, clients will expec t assistance from designers and certainly designers will need to consider their obliga tions in supplying the informa tion required in the Regula tions. It is clear tha t in many instances clients will need a speci c adviser to ensure tha t their duties are properly discharged and tha t all parties work toge ther to comply with these new Regula tions (in England) or the Best Prac tice recommended in other parts of the United Kingdom . The C DM co-ordina tor, who, for most construc tion projec ts valued a t £300,000 or more will already have been appointed , is in an admirable position to provide e f cient and targe ted advice to the client on all of these ma t ters and this is the basic premise upon which this guidance is based . On the other hand consultants

Advising clients about Site Waste Management



who wish to provide a separa te advice service to clients will also nd tha t this guide helps them deliver tha t service consistently and e ffec tively.

“Advising Clients about Site Waste Management ” shows tha t there are simple ways of harnessing the bene ts of the Site Waste Management Plans Regula tions 2008 (and Site Waste Management Best Prac tice) tha t will help clients with their obliga tions and duties, assist them in reducing the costs of

projec t waste and enable them to maximise environmental gains – all of which can be compelling concerns in contemporary projec t realisa tion.

C opies of the Guide , priced a t £34.00 incl P&P for members and £44.00 incl P&P for non-members, can be obtained by contac ting the Associa tion for Projec t Safe ty, S tanhope House , 12 S tanhope Place , Edinburgh, EH12 5HH ,

T: 08456 121 290, E: [email protected] .uk , www.aps.org .uk

By Terry Nash, a director of the UK Sustainable Development Association (UK-SDA), and managing director of the award-winning Gusto Group of companies

The mission of the UK-SDA is to respond to the well-recognised need to make be t ter use of the earth’s resources to avoid their prema ture deple tion and the changes to clima te tha t results.Although apparently straight forward and wholly benign, this

modest ambition can nevertheless be contentious, particularly if the main focus is on clima te-change which sceptics claim is an unfounded theory. Wha t surely cannot be disputed , however, is tha t fossil fuels are finite , and sooner or la ter man will need to learn to live either without them , or use them a t a substantially reduced ra te . If tha t outcome also suits clima te-change protagonists, so much the be t ter.

Meanwhile , the public a t large can be easily confused by the pros and cons of the clima te-change deba te , particularly when it is some times hard to distinguish solid well-founded argument from a vested interest. Wha t is sorely needed is the bringing of a new focus to the topic , equally accessible to the general public , industry, politicians and scientists alike .

Climate Week – 2011All this serves to make the plan to designa te the seven days commencing 21st March 2011 “ Clima te Week” particularly welcome .

Supported by commercial sponsors such as Aviva , RBS , Kellogg’s and ed f Energy, this landmark event is also endorsed by luminaries such as Kofi Annan, David C ameron and Nick Clegg , and Al G ore .The aim of the week is to shine a spotlight on the need for

every individual and enterprise to reduce their consumption of fossil fuels (or put another way help to prevent clima te change), by making changes a t work , mobilising their communities and educa ting people to find new ways of doing things.A wide range of organisa tions will be taking part in the

ac tivities of the week , including individual businesses, charities, government bodies, public services, unions, schools, campaign groups, local authorities, faith ne tworks, and membership associa tions such as the UK-SDA .

National activitiesThe Clima te Week Challenge will involve thousands of people all over the UK tackling the same task on the same day. The challenge will be revealed on-line on the first morning of the week . Participa tion will be free , and will be aimed a t teams of four to six people .

Employers or educa tion establishments will be able to enter any number of teams, with no prior prepara tion needed apart from having a table a t which to work . The challenge will be ca tegorised by age , with different levels of sophistica tion assuring tha t everyone from primary pupils to senior managers is given the same core challenge .

Quite apart from any thing else , the challenge will be a truly na tional shared event and Britain’s biggest-ever live environmental compe tition, with the na tional winners being announced la ter in the week .

Alongside the challenge , the Clima te Awards will recognise exemplary work tha t helps to tackle clima te change . Nomina tions can be made on behalf of your own projec t or organisa tion, or on behalf of someone else . Entries will then be evalua ted by eminent panels of judges who will make the awards across a wide range of ca tegories.

For more informa tion on Clima te Week , contac t info@clima teweek .com .

Sustainable developments – getting focussed on a mission


Young leadworker of the year awardThe Lead Sheet Association and Lead Contractors Association are jointly promoting a ‘Young Leadworker of the Year’ competition among LCA members for 2011.

The only entry criteria for the compe tition is tha t entrants should be 25 or under by the closing da te for entries (which is 31st March 2011) and be employed by a member of the Lead C ontrac tors Associa tion.All entrants will be required to submit photographs of work they

have carried out toge ther with de tails of the various projec ts they have worked on and the type of work done .

Their work may be direc tly inspec ted by an LCA ve t ting officer, either on site or by a t tending a convenient regional loca tion where a series of prac tical tests will be carried out. All prac tical assessments will be comple ted by August 2011.Six finalists will then be selec ted by a judging panel which will

consist of Members of the LCA C ouncil, LSA technical officers and Nigel Johnston, general manager of the LSA . The six finalists will then a t tend a finals day a t the Lead Shee t

Associa tion roof training centre in Kent, where they will be se t a series of tasks over identical model roof sec tions, to be comple ted within a given time limit. On conclusion of the prac tical side of the final, the judges will then discuss design theory and working prac tices in order to test the knowledge of each finalistThe judges will examine each model roof sec tion and , taking

account of the responses during the theory discussion, will then de termine the overall winner of the ‘Young Leadworker of the Year’ award for 2011.The winner will receive £500 in leadwork tools, a copy of the

Lead Shee t Manual and a training bursary worth £3,500 towards

a formal leadwork na tional voca tional qualifica tion.

Each of the other finalists will receive a lead shee t manual and three days personalised leadwork development training from the LSA .

In launching the award , LSA Chairman Joss C ampbell said “ We want to encourage and promote all young leadworkers tha t represent the future of our industry and hope this award will provide a significant recognition of the specialist individual skills tha t we know are being developed within the Lead C ontrac tors Associa tion”

Lead Contractors AssociationFormed in 1984, the LCA aim to prioritise quality standards in all manors of lead work .The LCA now comprises of over 100 specialist contrac tors

commit ted to providing quality craf tsmanship for their clients, supported by 15 associa te members supplying ma terials and ancillary services.The LCA have expanded in recent years, increasing their offices

bases throughout the country as well as overseas. The LCA now opera te in every region of the UK and have contrac tors loca ted in Europe .

In a sta tement, chairman of LCA Dave Martin re flec ts on the current sta tus of LCA: “I am proud to look around the current LCA C ouncil and consider the wealth of knowledge and experience available to our members and the industry for the foreseeable future”.

For further informa tion regarding the LCA , de tails can be found on their website a t www.leadcontrac torsassocia tion.com


Established in 1946, ATLAS is the national representative employers’ organisation for companies which engage in the steeplejack, lightning conduction, earthing design, installation, demolition and restoration of high rise and historic buildings, industrial chimneys, churches, off shore rigs and other important tall structures.

The associa tion is the leading , independent professional voice of this very specialist sec tor and arguably one of the most proac tive trade associa tions in opera tion, driven by the goal of sharing and promoting specialist knowledge and expertise . ATLAS endeavours to se t professional standards, support professional development and represent the interests of the profession. Its 60-strong membership accounts for the majority of the UK’s professional industry workload and members’ expertise are becoming increasingly recognised in Europe and the Far East.

ATLAS also provides a superb open forum for the discussion and resolution of industry issues tha t cause concern to members. Members can discuss issues of common interest, share their experience and find solutions to common problems. Many members find this open forum one of the most valuable bene fits tha t ATLAS has brought to the industry, as it facilita tes dialogue be tween members, organisa tions, industry and government. ATLAS members also bene fit from the promotion and exposure

of common interests and common complaints and over the years have seen a series of improvements made to the quality of services offered , health and safe ty standards, training , and technical standards.

The safe ty of opera tives is a huge priority for ATLAS which prides itself as a pioneer in this area .Atlas has been involved a t the fore front of industry topics

for many years and has been providing expert comment and feedback on important issues tha t e ffec t specialist construc tion industries. Added to this, ATLAS works tirelessly to improve and enhance industry technical and safe ty prac tices and this enables member companies to keep up to da te with all enhancements and developments.

Membership of ATLAS requires all companies to adhere to the standards se t by the associa tion a t all times and stric t enforcement of these standards is a key pillar of the associa tion. Due to this, stric t membership criterion must be me t to maintain associa tion credibility a t all times.Atlas members have approved a writ ten C ode of C onduc t,

thus se t ting a professional benchmark for members’ behavior and a minimum level of service clients can expec t. Atlas and its members are ever striving to offer and deliver the best professional service to the steeplejack and lightning protec tion industry.

ATLAS Code of ConductMembership of ATLAS is not given automa tically. On applica tion, each company is required to supply three re ferences. Applicants are visited by the associa tion’s membership commit tee to ensure they mee t requirements. These include a comprehensive health and safe ty policy, public liability insurance and records of accidents and training given.

Full members must have been trading for minimum of two years and are asked to comply with the following code of conduc t:

1. C onduc t their business law fully, comply with all relevant legisla tion and trade fairly and responsibly

2. Give assurance of the best possible service to all customers

3. O ffer produc ts and services within relevant British, European and interna tional standards

4. Give assurances of fully trained staff and opera tives within the business

5. Give assurances tha t advertising/sales promotions/public rela tions should comply with current advertising standards

6. Display Informa tion rela ting to produc ts, services and prices in an easy to understand form , complying with current price legisla tion

ATLASThe Association of Technical Lightning & Access Specialists




7. Give assurances tha t all informa tion given to customers should accura te , truthful and based on full produc t knowledge

8. C arry out all work to the best of their ability, advising the customer of any delays or problems

9. Provide an assurance tha t services should be undertaken a t an agreed time and da te

10. Give customers adequa te guidance on the use , care and maintenance of produc ts

11. Deal quickly and courteously with any complaints from customers

LeadershipATLAS is fronted by figures who have built up years, if not decades, of industry experience , and who all share a belie f and willingness to work for the bene fit and be t terment of the industry. The associa tion’s presidency is currently held by Graeme Fisher. Graeme joined the established steeplejack and lightning protec tion company A .W. Elliot t in 1974, and through the years held positions as contrac ts supervisor, contrac ts manager, contrac ts direc tor, managing direc tor, and company chairman until 2004, when the business asse ts were sold to O mega Red Group.Graeme has been an ac tive member of ATLAS since the 1980s,

becoming heavily involved in lightning protec tion ma t ters and representing ATLAS on BSI technical commit tees for lightning protec tion and earthing for over 20 years.

Find out moreTo find out how your company or organisa tion can bene fit from ATLAS membership, visit www.a tlas.org .uk

The Renewable Energy Association represents the UK’s renewable energy industry, covering all renewable sectors across power, heat, transport and renewable gas. The RE A is a not-for-profit industry association established in 2001 and has grown rapidly to become the largest renewables industry association with over 600 corporate members, uniquely representing all forms and scales of renewable technologies.

We have a proven track record of ac ting on behalf of all our members to achieve break throughs in UK renewables policy and legisla tion. RE A prides itself on its ‘one member one vote’ e thos, its co-opera tive approach and its coherent perspec tive across the whole field of renewable energy. Our members comprise a wide varie ty of organisa tions including genera tors, projec t developers, fuel and power suppliers, equipment producers and service providers. Members range in size from major multina tionals to small installa tion companies.The RE A’s mission is to bring renewables into the mainstream . We

seek to do tha t with the urgency necessary to safeguard na tional energy security, and to help ensure global clima te stability. RE A’s immedia te objec tive is to ensure the UK mee ts its 15% renewable energy targe t by 2020. Our work is there fore about securing the best legisla tive and regula tory framework for expanding renewable energy produc tion in the UK .

Bene fits of membership and our ac tivities include:Policy development: The sheer quantity of new renewables

policy means it can be almost impossible to keep on top of it all. RE A policy specialists, who are of ten UK leaders in their field , provide advice to members on a daily basis to save our members time and money. The RE A regularly lobbies G overnment, its Departments, their agencies and Parliamentarians, through policy development and pro-ac tive campaigns. Securing Ac tion: We work collabora tively with Parliamentarians,

N G Os, think-tanks, and others to secure G overnment and EU ac tion on renewable technologies.

C ommunica tions: The RE A runs RE A News, a bi-annual magazine which fea tures industry news, topical articles and interviews. Every week the RE A emails out a member newsle t ter, containing must-know informa tion, key diary da tes and a table

REA – The United Voice of the Renewables IndustryCaroline Podsiad of the REA explains what her association contributes to the construction industry


de tailing the sta tus various consulta tions. Members receive an individual listing on our website - www.r-e-a .ne t, and in the winter edition of RE A News.

Events: We run a number of se t-piece events throughout the year, including the RE A’s Annual Renewable Energy Awards and G ala Dinner, Bioenergy C onference and WATTs (our wave and tidal energy conference).

Training: We also run a programme of tailored workshops, covering the Renewables O bliga tion, Renewable Hea t Incentive and Feed-in Tariffs

Consumer Protection:The Associa tion sponsors the RE AL Assurance Scheme , which se ts high standards for suppliers and installers of renewable and low carbon energy for consumers. The RE AL Assurance mark is a symbol tha t consumers can look for to identify reputable businesses. Visit www.realassurance .org .uk .

Energy NowEnergy Now Expo is a two day (16th and 17th February 2011) exhibition and conference showcasing the la test renewable energy technologies and services available to farmers and landowners.

The event is designed to help farmers and landowners explore and further understand the opportunities available to them in wind , biomass, biofuels, biogas, ground source hea ting , hydro and solar energy.All farmers and landowners have valuable resources a t their

disposal, including crops, wood , wa terways and land . Maximising the bene fits of these resources through renewable energy is not only financially sensible but demonstra tes environmental responsibility.

ExhibitionThe exhibition is free to a t tend if you register be forehand or there is a £5 entrance fee on the day. The exhibition will provide prac tical demonstra tions of produc ts and services and will fea ture 80+ exhibitors, including: Aeolus Power Ltd , C ountrywide , Eco Angus Ltd , EDP Energy Renewables, Ener- G Na tural Power, Envitec Biogas UK Ltd , Fisher G erman, Harper Adams University C ollege and Kirk Environmental. The full exhibitor list can be found on the event web site de tailed below.

ConferenceThe conference will focus on all aspec ts of renewable energy including: financial incentives, planning , carbon footprint and selling your energy. The speaker programme will fea ture a number of high profile speakers including: Mervyn Bowden, Head of Energy Management, Marks & Spencer, Lucy Hopwood , Land & Agriculture Manager, Na tional Non-Food Crop C entre , Richard C ollins, Group Biomass Manager, C ountrywide , Jona than Scurlock , Renewable Energy Advisor, N FU and the CLA’s Chie f Surveyor Oliver Harwood .

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