Wellington ‘Gets Building’

The plans for the former New College site in Wellington and nearby flats owned by Wrekin Housing Group will see more than 70 affordable rented homes built, in part thanks to a £2.38 million boost from the government’s Getting Building Fund.

Telford & Wrekin Council has now agreed to step in and push through the acquisition with a compulsory purchase order (CPO) of the last few occupied flats, on Glebe Street and High Street, if deals cannot be reached with the occupiers.

The council says that while every effort will be made to negotiate the sales, it may be necessary to rely on the order to ensure the project is not delayed.

This is because the project must be completed by March 2025 in order to secure the grant money.

A report seeking approval for the CPO, presented to the council’s cabinet at a meeting on Thursday, said agreements were yet to be reached on 12 of the 130 flats.

Councillor Lee Carter, cabinet member for neighbourhood services, regeneration and the high street, said the scheme was a “once in a generation opportunity” for Wellington.

Opposition Conservative group leader Nigel Dugmore welcomed the report, saying: “It desperately needs doing and the sooner the better.”

Liberal Democrat leader Bill Tomlinson said it was important to be sensitive to the residents affected.

Councillor Carter said: “As an authority we will work very closely with the housing group to make sure the processes and procedures as part of this CPO will be followed, but also that Wrekin Housing Group do offer that care and attention to existing residents.”

The report to cabinet said the council had a “compelling case in the public interest” to exercise its CPO powers, which can only be used as a last resort.

Once all the flats are vacated, the blocks will be demolished ready for the work to begin. The New College site has already been cleared.

The report said: “Despite the progress made to date with regard the remaining interests, and the fact it is likely that agreement can be reached with the remaining parties, the legal advice continues to be to progress with the making of the CPO to mitigate the risk of delays to the delivery programme to enable contractual GBF outputs to be met.

“The certainty of a CPO will also provide the comfort and ratification of a statutory framework to support affected parties with compensation entitlement.”

Cabinet unanimously agreed to make the CPO. All costs will be covered by the housing group.

A spokesman from the housing group said: “The Wrekin Housing Group are making a landmark £13m investment to make this development a reality.

“This project will ensure that Wellington continues to be a place where people want to live, work, shop and socialise, which is essential to ensure that our communities continue to bounce back from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“These affordable homes will make it possible for local people and young families to remain in their community and close to their families.

“We are grateful to Telford & Wrekin Council for their support in finalising agreements with the last few remaining private interests.”

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Seasonal ease in construction matched with supply chain improvement

Weakness centred on commercial and civil engineering segments

House building regains its place as fastest-growing category

Supplier delays are now the least widespread since November 2020

Data were collected 6-22 December 2021.

December PMI® data pointed to another solid increase in business activity across the UK construction sector, but the rate of expansion slipped to its lowest since September.

On a more positive note, the number of construction firms reporting supplier delays dropped from 47% in November to 34% in December. Meanwhile, around 5% of the survey panel reported shorter lead times among vendors (up from 4%). The resulting index signalled the least marked downturn in supplier performance since November 2020.

Fewer supply shortages contributed to the slowest rate of input price inflation for nine months.

The headline seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI® Total Activity Index posted 54.3 in December, to remain above the crucial 50.0 no-change threshold. However, the latest reading was down from 55.5 in November and signalled the weakest rate of expansion for three months. Some survey respondents noted that tighter pandemic restrictions and rising COVID-19 cases had acted as a brake on recovery, especially in the commercial sector.

Residential construction activity saw the strongest growth (index at 55.3) and was the only category to gain momentum in December. Commercial building lost its position as the best-performing segment, with the recovery easing to its lowest since September (index at 53.6).

Meanwhile, civil engineering activity decreased slightly at the end of 2021 (index at 49.1), which ended a nine-month period of expansion.

Customer demand was relatively resilient in December, despite some reports citing delayed decision-making due to the Omicron variant. In fact, the latest rise in overall new order volumes was the strongest since August. Higher levels of new work have now been recorded for 19 consecutive months.

A sustained rebound in construction orders helped to boost employment numbers during December. The rate of job creation eased only slightly since November. Survey respondents often commented on extra staff hiring as part of new protect starts and long-term expansion plans.

Higher fuel, energy and raw material prices continued to push up average cost burdens across the construction sector in December. However, the overall rate of inflation eased for the fourth month running to its lowest since March.

An improved alignment between demand and supply helped to soften inflationary pressures at the end of 2021. Purchasing activity increased at the slowest pace for three months, while supplier lead times lengthened to the least marked extent since November 2020. Where longer wait times were reported, this was mostly linked to international shipping delays and shortages of haulage drivers.

Looking ahead, just over half of the survey panel (51%) forecast a rise in business activity during 2022, while only 9% predict a decline. Although signalling upbeat sentiment for the year ahead, the degree of optimism was the joint-lowest reported since January 2021.

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WELCOME BACK MATT

GEZE UK is delighted to welcome back Matt Gregory as Specification Manager for the north.

 

Matt will be responsible for assisting architects and specifiers with compliant solutions for all products in the GEZE range which includes automatic doors, window technology and manual overhead door controls.

In addition, he will produce detailed and risk assessed NBS specifications which are supported with BIM objects and present GEZE’s RIBA approved CPD to help architects and specifiers expand their knowledge.

Matt first joined GEZE in 2017 and after a spell outside the industry he returns to the company bringing with him extensive knowledge of entrance systems and automatic doors from his time as Automatic and Industrial door engineer and previous sales management experience.

Said Matt ‘I am pleased to be back working with GEZE and their respected and varied product range, they have a strong brand and excellent reputation in the door industry. I look forward to working closely with architects and specifiers, creating strong collaborations with them and providing a quality service.’

Richard Richardson-Derry, National Specification Manager added ‘It’s great to be working with Matt again, he brings enthusiasm and extensive experience to the team. He will be an important part of the company’s continued growth.’

 

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of automatic and manual door and window control products visit www .geze.co.uk

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Saniflo parent company SFA Group wins social responsibility award

SFA Group –Saniflo UK’s parent company – has been awarded a Bronze Medal for Corporate Social Responsibility from EcoVadis, the world’s most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. This result places the SFA Group among the top 50% of companies assessed by EcoVadis.

 

The EcoVadis assessment is built on international sustainability standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000, covering 200 spend categories and 160+ countries.

 

SFA Group was rated based on a sustainability scorecard which illustrates performance across 21 indicators in four main categories of environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

 

Saniflo UK Head of Marketing and Product Management, Ann Boardman, says: “At Sanifo UK we uphold the same high standards set by our parent company, SFA Group in France. We pride ourselves on our ongoing commitment to being the best we can be in all ways, always. This Bronze medal is well deserved.”

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SIKA LAUNCHES NEW LOW ODOUR BALCONY WATERPROOFING RANGE

Responding to the continual growth in popularity of versatile liquid applied waterproofing solutions, Sika has launched Monoflex LO, an innovative low odour waterproofing range for balconies, walkways and terraces.

Developed at Sika’s world-leading Global Technology Centre in Preston, the new liquid applied MonoFlex LO range harnesses Sika’s pioneering patented i-Cure technology within its polyurethane waterproofing element. This improved system maintains its high performance, workability and curing time, but with the odour-causing components engineered out. With this comes the benefits of lower emissions, reduced hazard classification and reduced occupational health risks during application.

By using this new advanced technology, which is now included in over 50 patented Sika products worldwide, Monoflex LO systems have a number of advantages for the architect, contractor, client and end user. Most notably, building occupants are not disturbed by unfamiliar odours during the application and curing of the solution. Whether that be on access walkways for sensitive areas such as social housing, hospitals or schools, buildings can remain occupied while external works are being carried out, meaning less logistical hassle for all parties.

Highly durable, Monoflex LO has a life expectancy of 25 years and comes in a range of colours, coatings and surface finishes, such as textured for slip resistance or buried beneath decorative tiles, allowing the architect to have design freedom.

It has also been launched with an ETA certificate covering the waterproofing element, providing third-party verification of high performance.

 

Fiona Irvine, Sika Product Engineer for liquid and bituminous membranes, said: “Unlike some systems in the marketplace that claim low odour utilising masking components, we’re proud that the new MonoFlex LO range is truly low odour, as evidenced by its Olfasense certification — an independent, comparative, sensory analysis service.

“It has also been tested across a wide range of performance criteria during our rigorous product development process to ensure it is incredibly safe and hardwearing, as is demanded for areas such as balconies and walkways. This means that we can subsequently offer this system with a range of attractive guarantee options.”

 

Manufactured here in the UK at the Sika facility in Preston — one of Sika’s key manufacturing sites in northern Europe exporting globally — specifiers and contractors can be confident that production and delivery will be both reliable and dependable.

Sika’s cold-applied liquid waterproofing membranes are part of Sika’s Roofing product portfolio, which provides three distinct roofing solutions for its customers: single ply membranes, liquid applied membranes and bituminous membranes from its leading brands — Sika Sarnafil, Sika Liquid Plastics, SikaBit and Sika-Trocal. From refurbishment to new build, Sika has the roofing system to perfectly fit the application and client requirements.

 

For more information about Sika’s products and services call 01707 394444, email enquiries@uk.sika.com or visit www.sika.co.uk/roofing

 

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WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

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LC International to rebrand as BBI Services

Business improvement specialists LC International has rebranded and unveiled a new name, BBI Services which is effective from Friday 10 December.

 

The name change to BBI Services, which stands for Building Business Improvement, is intended to truly reflect the organisation’s purpose, capabilities and business impact. It comes at a significant time for the business which has recently increased its scope of services and work within the built environment in the UK and overseas.

 

CEO of LC International/BBI Services, Mark Worrall, said: “We work to build business improvement with clients, contractors, suppliers and consultancies and we impact at every level.

 

“Our way of thinking is fundamentally based on lean principles and effects the end-to-end life cycle of project delivery, and every function or area within an organisation.

 

“We have embarked on a rebrand to make sure our business name better reflects what we do and truly ‘does what it says on the tin’ so people understand we’re here to build business improvement across the built environment.

 

“Our team has a great breadth and depth of knowledge to support clients and our new name demonstrates this. We recognise and understand the existing challenges in the industry and our portfolio of services is designed to tackle them head on.

 

“We focus on programme betterment, productivity, quality, skills, sustainability and do this in a collaborative integrated way. We work with you to deliver transformational performance improvement to support the construction and production mindset.

 

“From specialist support to word class training and coaching, at BBI, we’re driven to unite the power of people, performance and processes to help your business succeed.”

 

For more information about BBI Services and how the specialist team can support your teams and business, visit:  www.bbiservices.com  

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CLEAR SAFETY CONSULTANT JOINS CIBSE HNC REGISTER

Clear Safety is delighted to announce that its team of specialist consultants for heating systems now includes a certified CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) Heat Networks Consultant.

Clear, which specialises in safety, compliance and risk management consultancy is regularly involved in the review of heating solutions for its clients, which includes a number of high-profile housing associations. District heating systems which are designed to generate energy efficient heat from a centralised location which is then distributed amongst multiple buildings, is fast becoming a popular choice due to the lowered carbon footprint and improved pollution control associated with this method of heat supply.

Commenting on Clear’s inclusion on the Heat Networks Consultant register, Matt Westby said, “Our role at Clear is to provide our clients with guidance on the most up to date and innovative operational solutions to not only ensure adherence to both current and impending regulations, but also to enable them to demonstrate a responsible and proactive approach to reducing carbon and pollution emissions by adopting best-in-class environmental practices. We actively encourage our team of consultants to seek out the highest and most relevant industry certifications so that we are in a position to offer superior, future perfect oversight on a broad range of compliance management matters.”

In addition, Clear is working towards becoming a CIBSE Certified Low Carbon Consultant, to demonstrate industry recognised competency in improving the energy performance of both new and existing buildings.

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SIKA’s MONOTOP® SCOOPS THE INNOVATION PRIZE

SIKA SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE REPAIR RANGE WINS INNOVATION PRIZE AT CONCRETE REPAIR ASSOCIATION (CRA) AWARDS

 

Global building products manufacturer Sika was among the winners at this year’s Concrete Repair Association (CRA) awards.

 Judges voted the company’s new MonoTop® concrete repair range which sets a new standard for low environmental impact, winner of the contest’s ‘Innovation’ category. The announcement was made at a finals evening held on Friday, December 3rd at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Bloomsbury Street Hotel in London.

Speaking of the award, John Baron, Specialist Construction Solutions, Business Unit Manager at Sika, said: “This is a magnificent achievement. MonoTop® achieves new levels of sustainability without compromise to its long-term repair performance. Congratulations to everyone involved in the development of this superb product range. The award is a true testament to Sika’s continued drive to innovate solutions which are good for our buildings and limit environmental impact.”

 Sika MonoTop®-1010, Sika MonoTop®-3020 and Sika MonoTop®-4012 make up the recently-launched MonoTop® range, which generates less CO2 emissions compared to other concrete repair solutions – up to 1 tonne of CO2 per 100m2. Ideal for new-build and refurbishment projects, MonoTop® rewrites the rule book in terms of low-carbon concrete repair. Its sustainability is enhanced by its dust-reducing properties which limit particle emissions by up to 70% during application, resulting in safer, less-polluted, more comfortable on-site working conditions for operatives.

MonoTop®’s environmentally-friendly credentials are essential to achieving BREEAM/LEED requirements. Indeed, each British Standard-approved product within the system, including the bonding binder and the concrete and levelling mortars, contains recycled waste materials.

John added: “We are incredibly proud of the sustainable performance we’ve been able to achieve with our MonoTop® range. Its credentials have been further confirmed with the Concrete Repair Association (CRA) award. We thank the organisers and the judges involved in this respected industry event.”

For more information on the Sika New MonoTop® range, visit:

 

www.sika.co.uk/sika-monotop

 

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IT’S GOOD TO SHARE

GEZE UK has made donations to three local charities as part of their focus on Corporate Social Responsibility.

 

A total of £1,820.00 was shared between St Giles Hospice, Lichfield Foodbank and the Pathway Project – a charity that supports adults, young people and children who are experiencing or affected by domestic abuse. All of them are based in Lichfield not far from GEZE UK’s head office.

The automatic door and window control company donated the money they received from Staffordshire County Council for carrying out lateral flow tests on staff during the Covid pandemic. Rather than keep the money it was decided to donate it to good causes or charities that can help people.

Said Rachel Boxall, Finance Director for GEZE UK, “We are delighted to be able to support these local charities, especially during these difficult times. We also encourage and support our colleagues in their fundraising activities.”

A different director made a presentation to each of the charities; Rachel presented a cheque to St Giles Hospice, Service Director Adam Presdee to the Pathway Project and MD Kaz Spiewakowski presented the cheque to the Foodbank.

GEZE UK’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy states that the company aims to create a positive impact in society and improve people’s lives wherever possible. The company supports local communities and encourages employees to become involved in local initiatives and fundraising events.

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of automatic and manual door and window control products visit www.geze.co.uk.

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