Building News is an information portal for all professional building specifiers. Here you can find all of the latest construction news from around the UK and the rest of the world.

Sadiq Khan scraps controversial Garden Bridge

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today written to the Chair of the Garden Bridge Trust informing him that the GLA will not be providing Mayoral guarantees for the Garden Bridge project.

In a letter to Lord Mervyn Davies today, the Mayor outlined his view that the continuation of the project will expose the London taxpayer to additional financial risk, both with regard to the bridge’s construction and its operation and maintenance.

Before making the decision, the Mayor analysed the findings of Dame Margaret Hodge’s independent review into the Garden Bridge project, and assessed all the information available about the project to date.

During the Mayoral campaign and since his election last year, the Mayor has repeatedly stated that he would not agree to any more of London taxpayers’ money for which he is responsible being spent on the Garden Bridge project. He had also made clear that he would not provide any Mayoral guarantees unless he was convinced that the project would not lead to additional public expenditure down the line.

In outlining the reasons for the Mayor’s decision not to provide any Mayoral guarantees, today’s letter outlines a number of ways in which the project would expose the London taxpayer to additional financial risk. These include:

  • increasing capital costs of the project;
  • the risk of the bridge only being partially built; and
  • doubts over the establishment of an endowment fund to help meet future maintenance costs.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said “Under the previous Mayor, a considerable amount of London taxpayers’ money has already been spent on the Garden Bridge. I have always been clear that not a penny more of taxpayers’ money should be allocated to the project.

“Having assessed all the information available to me including the findings of Dame Margaret Hodge’s independent review, my view is that providing Mayoral guarantees will expose the London taxpayer to too much additional financial risk.

“With planning permission due to expire this year, many outstanding issues remain, including spiralling construction costs and doubts around funding the maintenance of the bridge.

“The funding gap is now at over £70m and it appears unlikely that the Trust will succeed in raising the private funds required for the project. I am simply not prepared to risk a situation where the taxpayer has to step in and contribute significant additional amounts to ensure the project is completed.”

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Heathrow moves to revolutionise UK construction industry

  • Heathrow to use £16bn expansion to push growth in off-site construction in UK
  • In a first for a major infrastructure project, Heathrow invites communities across Britain to showcase why their area should host one of four new off-site logistics hubs
  • New logistics hubs key to Heathrow’s plans to build as much off-site as possible, making the project more affordable and environmentally sustainable while driving growth across Britain
  • Research reveals growth in the sector could boost Britain’s construction industry by up to £15bn outside London by 2020 alone

In a shake-up of the UK construction industry, Heathrow announced it would use its £16bn expansion project to revolutionise the way Britain builds major infrastructure.

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye announced that the airport would be making a major push to support more off-site construction in the UK as it begins to deliver its expansion plans for Britain – a move designed to boost productivity and help rebalance the economy. The announcement comes as new research from economic consultancy WPI Economics revealed growth in the sector could lead to a £15bn boost for the construction industry outside London by 2020 alone.

Speaking to council leaders and representatives from the construction industry, Heathrow kicked-off the hunt for four UK sites to host the new off-site logistics hubs which will help deliver its expansion programme and drive growth across Britain.

Heathrow’s new logistics hubs will pre-assemble components of the expanded airport before transporting them in consolidated loads to Heathrow. By not building everything on-site at one of the world’s busiest airports, the logistics hub will play a key role in supporting the project’s efficient delivery, will make the project more affordable and will reduce emissions by transporting assembled components to site in fewer lorries. The new logistics hubs will also spread the jobs created from the project across more communities in every corner of the UK.

While off-site construction has enjoyed some success in the construction of homes – reducing costs by up to 25% and speeding up project delivery by 30% – the approach has had a limited role supporting major infrastructure projects. With Heathrow expansion set to be one of Britain’s largest infrastructure projects, the airport is aiming to drive a step-change in Britain’s construction industry and give Britain a leading-edge in an untapped new sector that can then be leveraged to support other major projects around the world.

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said “The global construction industry is set to be worth £15 trillion by 2025 – that’s a huge prize that Britain deserves a bigger share of and Heathrow can help.

“We want to use Heathrow expansion to not only upgrade Britain’s infrastructure, but cultivate a new world-leading sector and drive growth across the whole country. Boosting off-site construction will help make expansion more affordable and environmentally friendly and give Britain a lasting legacy of expertise that it can sell around the world – helping Britain lead the pack in global construction.”

In a first for a major infrastructure project, Heathrow is inviting communities across Britain to showcase why their area is suitable to host one of the new logistics hubs. Suitable locations will have good connectivity, access to a relevant supply chain and strong local skills. Interested applicants should click here to register their interest and complete Expression of Interest questionnaire before 31st July 2017. All applications will be considered by Heathrow and a list of potential sites is expected to be announced later this year.

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General election: dividing opinion

The construction sectors are currently abuzz with discussion about the potential effects a General Election will have on our industry. With some seeing it as an opportunity to refocus strategy and others concerned the fallout will impact heavily on future investment, Theresa May’s announcement has certainly divided opinion.

Carolyn Fairbairn, Director-General at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said “With a snap General Election now called, businesses will be looking to each political party to set out their plans to support economic stability and prosperity over the next Parliament in a way that is fair and sustainable for communities across the UK. Distraction from the urgent priorities of seeking the best EU deal and improving UK productivity must be kept to a minimum.

“It is essential to get the UK’s foundations right, from building a skills base for the next generation, to investing in infrastructure, energy and delivering a pro-enterprise tax environment.
“Whoever forms the next Government, they should seek to build a partnership between business and government that is the best in the world, based on trust and shared interest.”

Lewis Johnston, RICS Parliamentary Affairs Manager said “Since the EU referendum last summer, our market surveys across the residential, commercial and construction sectors show we have largely moved on from initial negative reactions but uncertainty continues to cloud the outlook and weigh on market sentiment. Today’s decision does very little to change that prognosis in the near term, and if anything we are likely to see continuing deferral of major investment and hiring plans.

“Whilst Theresa May’s stated intention this morning was to provide greater clarity and stability by calling a general election, in the immediate term the move inevitably puts a question mark over policy and creates further uncertainty across the built environment. It is now the responsibility of all parties to set out clear policy proposals across land, property, construction and infrastructure to ensure the UK can deliver the homes, infrastructure, factories, offices and major building projects it needs to thrive.”

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New DAB radio station launching for construction industry

Fix Radio, the new DAB station aimed at tradespeople, will be giving out 20,000 bacon butties to builders after it launches on Wednesday 26th April. (That’s over a tonne of bacon!)

Three branded bacon butty vans will visit 1,400 building sites over 40 days serving free hot food and promoting the new station.

Fix Radio will be launched by a mystery celebrity connected to the building trade who will press the button to play the first song.

The breakfast show will be presented by Trev and Ben – Trevor Smith and Ben Harmer – who join from community radio in Croydon. Their show will feature a daily wind-up call from former Capital Radio star Steve Penk.

Veteran presenter Paul Baker will present the afternoon show and is also Fix Radio’s Programme Director.

There will also be a daily sport and music show at lunchtimes hosted by TV and radio sports presenter Ian Payne from ITV and LBC.

Fix Radio is already working with some high-profile trade brands and launches with several months’ worth of advance advertising and sponsorship.

In addition to its DAB broadcasting, Fix Radio will be targeting larger building sites by playing in their canteens giving a guaranteed listenership of 4,000 tradespeople from the start. More canteens will be added.

Louis Timpany, chief executive, says: “The launch of Fix Radio is the culmination of 18 months of fund-raising, research and development. We’re very excited to see it all come together at last.”

Fix Radio will provide music and cheeky banter aimed at bricklayers, plumbers, electricians, plasterers, roofers, painters and decorators whether they work on site or in people’s homes.

Louis, 24, came up with the idea after working on a building site to earn extra cash after university. He teamed up with radio consultant Paul Chantler to develop the concept, attract investors and build the station. A number of prominent radio executives have invested in the station.

Imaging for Fix Radio has been produced by Wise Buddah Jingles. London and building trade news will be provided by Radio News Hub and The Met Office will supply specially targeted and detailed weather forecasts which are vital for tradespeople working outdoors.

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First wave of new schools to be constructed announced

Thousands of new school places will be created across the country following the largest wave of free schools approvals this Parliament, giving more parents the choice of a good school place for their child.

This week the Department for Education has approved applications for 131 new schools, creating more than 69,000 places. These schools will be led by high-performing institutions, including a grammar-school-led multi-academy trust (MAT) and the largest state boarding school in the country, demonstrating how existing high-performing schools can help raise attainment more widely, as set out in the government’s education proposals.

Free schools are one of the highest performing groups of non-selective state schools, with 29% of those inspected rated outstanding by Ofsted. Since 2014, more than 80% of mainstream free schools have been approved in areas where there was a need for more school places, while others are opened in response to parental demand to create competition and drive up standards where existing provision is not adequate.

Today’s approvals build on the government’s strong record in creating more good school places. Already, there are 1.8 million more children in good or outstanding schools compared to 2010. The new approvals also demonstrate the government’s determination to tap into the expertise that already exists within the school system to ensure standards continue to rise.
Education Secretary Justine Greening said “We need schools that can bring out the best in every single child no matter where they’re growing up, how much their parents earn, or however different their talents are.

“That’s why these new schools are so important – they give us the school places we need for the future, and they also give parents more choices to find a great school place in their area that’s right for their child.”

New free school proposals approved this week include:

  • Stone Lodge Academy – a new secondary school for 11- to 19-year-olds in Dartford, proposed by Endeavour Multi Academy Trust. The trust already runs 2 highly successful grammar schools and will use their expertise running selective schools to open a new non-selective free school
  • Barton Court Academy Trust Free School – proposed by the Ofsted-outstanding Barton Court Grammar School, a new non-selective free school providing 1,050 school places for 11- to 19-year-olds in Canterbury
  • The Flagship School – a parent-led special school to provide 56 places for 9- to 6-year-old pupils in Hastings, which was identified as an opportunity area earlier this year
  • City Enterprise Academy – proposed by the successful City Learning Trust, the school will provide 100 much-needed alternative provision places in Stoke-on-Trent, which was identified as an opportunity area earlier this year
  • Sapientia Primary Prep School – proposed by The Sapientia Education Trust, which runs Wymondham College – the largest state boarding school in England. The school for 5- to 11-year-olds will benefit from the expertise and facilities the trust has to offer, and provide 450 primary places in Norfolk
  • School 21 Campus and School 21 Sugar House – 2 new schools from reception to sixth form in Newham, East London, creating over 2,400 places. The schools will be operated by the trust behind School 21, which has been rated outstanding by Ofsted
  • Rushey Mead Free School – will provide 1,200 new secondary places in Leicester. It will be opened by the trust behind the Rushey Mead Academy – rated outstanding by Ofsted and consistently one of the highest performing schools in Leicester

124 free schools have opened since 2015, with a further 376 set to open by 2020 – including the schools announced today – which means the government is on track to meet its manifesto commitment of opening 500 more new free schools by September 2020.

As part of its work to open more free schools, the government has created a new body – LocatED. The organisation is made up of experienced property specialists to help speed up the process of acquiring sites for new schools and get the best value for the taxpayer.

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Skills crisis leaves historic buildings at risk

Britain’s beloved historic buildings are at risk, due to a restoration skills crisis that threatens the future of some of our best-known national treasures, warns a RICS and YouGov survey.

  • 9 in 10 British people identify historic buildings, like those featured in Channel 4’s Great British Buildings – Restoration of the Year* as important symbols of national heritage.
  • 89% of the British public believe it’s important to preserve these national treasures and 42% said the responsibility to invest and maintain these structures lies with the government.
  • However, despite the public’s passion for historic buildings, the majority don’t understand the specialist skills needed to preserve them, at a time when the entire construction industry is facing a skills shortage.

Restoration of the Year

Despite over a million people tuning in to Channel 4’s latest series Great British Buildings – Restoration of the Year, and a new YouGov survey commissioned by RICS finding that 91% of the British public believe historic buildings are symbolic of Britain’s heritage, young people have little awareness of the specialist professions and trades essential to their preservation, suggesting that as people retire, the current skills base could be all but wiped out.

Preserving iconic treasures

According to the survey, 9 in 10 people (91%) agreed that buildings such as Windsor Castle and Kensington Palace are symbols of the country’s heritage. This sentiment is strong across all age groups, including millennials, with 89% of 18-24 year-olds appreciating the importance of historic buildings.

The vast majority of the population (89%) also believe that that these iconic treasures should be preserved for future generations and place the responsibility for maintaining them firmly at the door of the government (42%), followed by industry organisations (16%) and the general public (14%).

Appreciation for historic buildings is particularly strong in West Midlands, with almost two thirds (65%) saying that it’s ‘very important’ such buildings are preserved, while around 2 in 5 respondents (42%) from Scotland say the same.

Skills shortage

However, despite the public’s love for these buildings, the majority don’t understand the specialist skills needed to restore and preserve them. For example, 83% are not knowledgeable about what a historic building surveyor does, and 80% do not know what a roof thatcher’s job entails. Awareness of age-old building professions is fading away amongst the younger generation, with only 1 in 10 18-24 year-olds able to describe the job of a stonemason, and only 16% know what a glass blower does.

This lack of awareness comes at a time when the industry as a whole is facing a skills shortage in the built environment, with the latest figures from the RICS Construction Market Survey showing that the skills gap reported by professionals across the construction sector increased from 2% in 2012 to 43% in 2016.

A pipeline of talent

To ensure that these crucial skills are not lost and cherished historic buildings don’t fall into disrepair, a stronger pipeline of talent is needed. It’s important that craft skills are developed in addition to the continual promotion of professional skills, as the two skillsets are intrinsically linked to create any successful construction project.

RICS is calling on the government and industry bodies to continue to concentrate their efforts on inspiring young people to pursue a career in the sector and educate them on the importance of mastering and maintaining the skills needed to preserve our historic buildings.

Kevin McCloud, British designer and presenter said “Historically listed buildings form part of the fabric of our rich cultural heritage and today’s findings from RICS highlight that so many Brits are genuinely passionate about protecting the physical legacy that these buildings represent. I’m very pleased to be hosting Channel 4’s Restoration of the Year programme, which shines a spotlight on the care and craftsmanship behind preserving these national treasures.”

Matthew Howell, RICS Managing Director for UK & Ireland added “It’s fantastic to see that so many people care about our historic buildings, especially young people. However, without a pipeline of talent developing expertise in these specialist areas, these landmarks could be left in ruin. We need the next generation to understand the role of a historic building surveyor, and the craft of a stonemason or glassblower to preserve this heritage for the future.

“The government and industry bodies must continue to work together and raise awareness of the wide-range of opportunities available in the industry and create more routes into the sector for young people, including investing in quality apprenticeships that lead to roles such as qualified building surveyors who specialise in conservation projects.”

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Architects wanted for iconic HS2 station designs

The search for world-class architects, designers and developers to deliver four ambitious and iconic new HS2 stations has begun with the publication of contract opportunities for station designs and a development partner for London Euston.

The winning bidders will work with High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd to develop and refine the detailed plans for three brand new stations, at Birmingham Curzon Street, Birmingham Interchange and London’s Old Oak Common, as well as a major expansion of London Euston.

The stations will welcome tens of thousands of passengers every day from all over the UK, providing easy and accessible onward connections to local transport, airports and connecting rail services as well as step-free access from street to seat. In total more than 170,000 new jobs are expected to be created in the wider development areas surrounding the four stations.

A separate contest, will seek a Master Development Partner to advise on, and later take forward, development opportunities for new homes, offices and retail space above and around the revamped London Euston. The winner will work with HS2 Ltd, Network Rail, the station design contract winner and local authorities to deliver a unified plan to unlock the full potential of the area.

This comprehensive approach has the potential to deliver up to 21 hectares of development space as well as improving accessibility and creating new public and green spaces across the wider Euston site.

Welcoming the launch of the competition, Transport Minister Andrew Jones said “The search for design teams to produce plans for new stations and world-class amenities for London Euston, Old Oak Common, Birmingham Interchange and Birmingham Curzon Street stations is a major step towards making HS2 a catalyst for growth across the country. The winning bidders will need to ensure the stations provide the best possible customer experience. There are also huge opportunities for development near all the HS2 stations. HS2 Ltd is progressing its search for a partner to deliver new homes, shops and offices around Euston station once the core HS2 work is complete.

HS2 Ltd Commercial Director Beth West added “We’re looking for the brightest and the best from across the industry to help us deliver one of the most tangible legacies of the HS2 project – three brand new stations and a major expansion of London Euston.

“All four present unique challenges and opportunities for the winning bidders. Together we will deliver world-class designs that help unlock wider local regeneration opportunities and provide unparalleled levels of accessibility, ease and convenience for the travelling public.”

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Watch out for asbestos when tackling the housing crisis

As the drive to build more new homes in Britain gathers pace, the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) has launched two new courses in April aimed at those developing the brownfield sites that will play a significant role in solving the housing crisis: Asbestos in Soils Awareness and Asbestos in Soils.

The UK is short of housing and with three million new homes needed by 2030, Prime Minister Theresa May has targeted building a million homes by 2020. Greenfield building is mired in controversy, so the key will be brownfield redevelopment and asbestos in soils training will be an essential requirement.

“A million homes is a tall order and those tasked with the development of sites with former industrial use are going to need awareness of asbestos in soils, which these major new courses aim to address,” said UKATA General Manager Craig Evans. “Architects and other such professionals may require the more developed course, but the core syllabus of each will be of great use to all involved in brownfield projects.”

The white paper, Fixing our broken housing market published on 7 February set out government plans to boost new home supply and received a mixed response. Despite calls to give the greenlight to greenbelt building, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed restrictions on greenbelt building would remain; leaving brownfield central to government plans – and that is going to need specialist training.

Training courses

Asbestos in Soils Awareness is for those working on brownfield sites. The course will assist employers in meeting legal obligations; highlighting how to avoid risks from Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in soil: in both planned work and emergencies. Providing the theoretical skills to undertake work on sites with ACMs; Asbestos in Soils delivers an understanding of actions that must be taken in the event notifiable and/or non-notifiable ACMs are identified and explains the emergency procedures to be implemented in the event of on-site ACM in soils.

“Developers claim brownfield alone can’t solve the housing crisis, but the government position means asbestos in soils courses are a necessity,” added Craig. “Personnel need asbestos in soils awareness to undertake their roles safely, coupled with an understanding of the key asbestos regulations and how they fit the broader context of health and safety legislation.

Those successfully completing these courses will have awareness of the nature and properties of asbestos in soils, its effects on health and know how to avoid the risks from soils and made ground containing ACMs and how to work and stay safe.”

Anyone interested in the new course should contact UKATA direct for a list of training providers.

Tasked by the HSE in 2008 for taking-on, managing and developing the list of training providers for licensed asbestos work in the UK, UKATA is now the leading authority in all levels of asbestos training in the UK. For further information on UKATA, visit www.ukata.org.uk.

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Publication of Dame Margaret Hodge’s review into the Garden Bridge

Today the Mayor of London has published Dame Margaret Hodge MP’s report on the Garden Bridge.

The Mayor, Sadiq Khan, commissioned Dame Margaret to undertake the review in October 2016. The review did not seek to address whether the Garden Bridge is a good idea. It did assess whether value for money was being secured from the public sector contribution and it examined the policies, procedures adopted to implement the Garden Bridge Project and the conduct of those involved.

Some of the key conclusions of the report include:

  • Decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven more by electoral cycles than value for taxpayers’ money.
  • The costs have escalated from an early estimate of £60m to over £200m today
  • The risk to the taxpayer has intensified. The original ambition to fund the Garden Bridge through private finance has been abandoned. The Garden Bridge Trust has lost two major private donors and has pledges of £69million with no new pledges secured since August 2016. With a public sector contribution of £60 million, that leaves a gap in capital funding of at least £70 million. Furthermore, very little progress has been made on raising money to fund the ongoing maintenance of a completed bridge.
  • There was not an open, fair and competitive process around the two TfL procurements for the Garden Bridge Project. The two procurements revealed systemic failures and ineffective control systems at many levels.
  • The Garden Bridge Trust’s finances are in a precarious state and many outstanding risks remain unresolved.

Commenting on her report, Dame Margaret said “I did not seek to ask whether the concept of a garden bridge over the River Thames is a good idea. But my review has found that too many things went wrong in the development and implementation of the Garden Bridge Project.

“Value for money for the taxpayer has not been secured. It would be better for the taxpayer to accept the financial loss of cancelling the project than to risk the potential uncertain additional costs to the public purse if the project proceeds.

“In the present climate, with continuing pressures on public spending, it is difficult to justify further public investment in the Garden Bridge.

“I would urge the Mayor not to sign any guarantees until it is confirmed that the private capital and revenue monies have been secured by the Garden Bridge Trust.

“My report outlines some key lessons that can be learned from the Garden Bridge project across different public organisations and makes a number of recommendations. I thank the Mayor, Sadiq Khan, for giving me the opportunity to examine the project in detail.”

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Industry must take responsibility for making Brexit work

The recent triggering of Article 50 has set Britain on a course to exit the European Union. It is essential now that Government and industry work together to get the best deal possible and ensure our country’s future growth and prosperity — it is everyone’s responsibility to make Brexit work.

Britain must retain its front-line position on the international stage. Delivering the airport hubs, high-speed rail networks and energy systems needed to make our cities and industrial hubs global competitors will be critical to our future success. However, it is unrealistic to expect Government to deliver a successful Brexit without the full — if sometimes constructive — support of industry.
Unless the free movement of skilled labour is secured during negotiations, we believe that the UK’s predicted £500 billion infrastructure pipeline may be under threat. Our latest figures show that 8% of the UK’s construction workers are EU nationals, accounting for some 176,500 people. A loss of access to the European labour market has the potential to slowly bring some of the UK’s biggest infrastructure projects to a standstill.

Securing the domestic skills pipeline

Yet while it is the role of Government to secure the trade agreement, industry must also work to secure the domestic skills pipeline. As the industry’s professional body, we are working with Government and industry to develop that skills base, building vital initiatives, such as degree apprenticeships, in our sector to drive the talent pipeline forward. A recent RICS survey revealed worrying figures showing that almost a quarter of our construction professionals fail to recognise the benefits of apprenticeships in solving the skills crisis. It is vital that industry gets behind such schemes for Britain’s long-term good.

Last week Qatar pledged to invest £5 billion in British transport and construction projects. We believe that if the Government puts the right incentives in place, the UK’s energy, rail and road infrastructure will benefit from further billions of overseas investment.

Industry must play its part

But again, industry must also play its part. Currently infrastructure projects across the globe measure and forecast the costs of construction differently. So, the same high-speed rail project in say Spain, would have an entirely different projected cost if it were located in the UK even after accounting for currency differences or regional labour and material costs.

We are working with industry partners to introduce a new standardised global measurement known as International Construction Measurement Standard (ICMS) that will allow investors to compare like-with-like. We believe that this will help to put infrastructure firmly on the map as a global investment opportunity.

Together, Government and industry must work together to deliver a construction industry that is robust enough to withstand any future political and economic uncertainty.

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