Insulation Grant Scrapped – Response

Installing external insulation could radically cut carbon from the UK’s housing stock. Credit: Energiesprong

 

With UK Green Homes Grant scrapped, a training revolution is needed

Climate solutions charity Ashden is calling for a revolution in green skills training in response to the UK government’s announcement today that it has scrapped its flagship green homes grant scheme.

While the announcement of the ending of the green homes grant comes as a body blow to all involved in the UK’s retrofit industry, the government can still take action to create thousands of local green jobs around the UK.

Politicians must commit to long term tailored investment in green skills. If they do not, the UK will not achieve zero carbon by 2050, and many workers will face a precarious future, ill-equipped to meet the demands of tomorrow’s job market.

In Autumn 2020 Ashden consulted 20 experts across the low carbon heat and retrofit sector about this issue and launched a green skills award to uncover best practice across the UK. Insights from the consultation feature in a new Ashden report published tomorrow (29 Mar), Green skills: training UK workers for tomorrow’s job market, which will confirm that funding for green skills training is too low, too short-term, and not local enough.

“The government has legal commitments to meet zero carbon – this is not a choice,” says Ashden CEO, Harriet Lamb. “But the stop-start history of its commitment to providing grants for making homes more energy efficient is undermining confidence within  the industry. Companies that have taken on the retrofit challenge are scared of entering the market when the government has pulled the rug out from under their feet too many times. The government has created a self-fulfilling prophesy of failure. It is crucial they turn this around through a long term, stable policy including investing in training.”

The retrofit skills gap

A massive gap exists between the UK’s current capacity to retrofit homes and install heat pumps, and the sheer volume of work needed if we are to achieve net zero by 2050.

  • There are only 950 heat pump installers accredited by MCS – the UK’s standards body in this area – compared to 96,000 installers of fossil fuel systems, primarily gas boilers. Government expects 600,000 heat pumps to be installed each year by 2028, so there is a need for rapid re-training of workers.
  • Only around 1300 installers are certified through Trustmark to undertake Green Homes Grant work. But the Government had anticipated 600,000 homes being retrofitted through the scheme each year.
  • There are just 500 retrofit coordinators.
  • Compounding this issue, fewer than 10 of the UK’s 192 further education colleges deliver retrofit and low carbon heat training – reflecting the severe lack of trained instructors in this area.

Long term and consistent investment will address the current ‘on-off funding’ problem that discourages training colleges companies and workers from embracing green skills.

Innovators around the UK are offering practical routes into the sector and building demand for trainee job opportunities in retrofit and low-carbon heat. Examples of best practice include:

  • Retrofit Academy accelerating retrofit co-ordinator training nationwide – the organisation is currently working with 800 trainees.
  • The Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA) and Chartered Institute for Plumbing and Engineering (CIPHE) creating new training to be accredited by City & Guilds, working in tandem with manufacturers.
  • Carbon Co-op in Manchester training over 200 installers and working closely with Greater Manchester Combined Authority to scale up its work.
  • Warmworks, a fuel poverty initiative in Scotland, creating over 100 apprenticeships and uses SMEs in its supply chain.

“There is a massive opportunity for the government to fill these capacity gaps, create thousands of new jobs, and build back better– by launching a green workforce of newly trained and re-trained tradespeople,” says Harriet Lamb. “It is right to direct money via local authorities, and towards those less able to pay. But even that will need people who are trained green installers. The government needs to be proactive, this cannot happen by magic.”

 

www.ashden.org

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Inviting Surveyors: THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

Parliament restoration programme launches nationwide invitation for specialist surveyors to help develop most detailed record of the Palace of Westminster ever created

 

·       Intrusive surveys on Victorian building services, archaeology, stonework and more 

·       Restoration programme will support thousands of jobs and apprenticeships across UK, including through apprentice loan scheme to support small and medium businesses 
 

Specialists from across the UK are being invited to play a part in the first stage of the vital and complex restoration of the Palace of Westminster. 
 
The Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme has today launched a procurement drive to invite expressions of interest from specialist surveyors, including small and medium sized businesses across the UK, to carry out dozens of on-site surveys in the Palace of Westminster. 

 More than 100 surveys are being carried out during the first stage of the restoration project to develop the most detailed record of the Palace of Westminster ever created.   

 The survey analysis will map out the condition of all the complex mechanical and engineering systems including the Victorian heating and cooling system.  

 Expert surveyors will also look at the miles of gas and electric pipes that often run directly alongside one another in the basement, and in thousands of spaces in floors, walls and risers that were originally designed as part of the Victorian ventilation system. Many of the systems reached the end of their expected life decades ago and urgently need replacing.  

 Other surveys will focus on archaeology and the structure of the building and investigators will also look at fire safety, the condition of windows, walls, floors and stonework, and heat loss from the building.  

 Restoring the building will create thousands of jobs across the UK, including through an industry-leading apprentice loan scheme that will see around 160 apprentices, including engineers, designers, stonemasons, and carpenters, employed by the organisations overseeing and delivering the restoration of the Palace of Westminster and loaned to UK businesses working on the restoration. 

 David Goldstone, CEO of the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority said:

 “Our experts are carrying out more than 100 surveys to develop the most detailed record of Parliament ever created, as we get on with the job of preparing the detailed and costed plan that will for the first time give a true sense of the costs and timescales of restoring the Palace of Westminster.”

 

 

The survey analysis will map out the condition of all the complex mechanical and engineering systems including the Victorian heating and cooling system.  

 The in-depth surveys are a key part of developing a detailed and costed restoration plan that will for the first time give an accurate sense of the costs and timescales for restoring the Palace, as well as designs for a restored Parliament. Most of these surveys will be procured through the intrusive surveys framework contracts. 

 The surveys involve specialists spending thousands of hours studying and analysing the building to better understand the full scale of work that needs to be done. The Palace of Westminster is falling apart faster than it can be fixed and urgently needs extensive work to protect it for future generations. 

 Surveys are expected to begin later this year and every supplier will go through the same rigorous security checks as existing Parliamentary contractors and suppliers. 

 In total, there are eight categories where suppliers are being invited to apply to be part of an Intrusive Surveys Supplier Framework, making the final procurement of dozens of individual surveys much quicker.  

 

 The categories are: 

 

·       Civil Engineering / Structural 

·       Ground Investigations & Geotechnical  

·       Instrumentation & Monitoring  

·       Environmental 

·       Mechanical, Electrical & Public Health 

·       Archaeology  

·       Asbestos Removal 

·       Conservation Contractor 

 

The framework is for up to £80m of survey contracts over the next four years, with around £10m of contracts expected to be procured in the first year. A range of other surveys are already being carried out through existing frameworks. Findings from surveys will be used as the restoration team develops a detailed and costed plan for restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster.  

 In line with best practice and guidance from the National Audit Office and Infrastructure Projects Authority, this detailed and costed restoration and renewal plan will explore options based on extensive  investigations, surveys and analysis with a strong focus on a ‘do essential’ option.  

 As the programme develops the detailed and costed restoration and renewal plan, it will also continue working closely with Parliament to determine all the functions that the building needs to have in future, as well as what needs to be done to improve the building. With 3000 people working in and visiting the 150-year-old building every day, there are a huge number of requirements to take into account as the programme plans the restoration of one of the most recognised buildings in the world. 

The detailed and costed restoration plan will be considered by Parliament, and work on the Palace itself is due to start in the mid-2020s, as previously expected.  

 

The contract framework notice is published here: 

  

Governance 

The organisations which will lead the UK’s biggest heritage renovation project, the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster, were launched in April 2020 as independent bodies, separate from, but accountable to, Parliament. The Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Sponsor Body has been set up to tackle the work needed to protect the Palace, ensuring it can continue to serve as the home of the UK Parliament in the 21st century and beyond. The Sponsor Body will set the scope, budget and timescale for the project in response to the requirements of Parliament. It oversees the Delivery Authority, which will be responsible for developing and delivering the work to the Sponsor Body’s specifications, and which is responsible for this surveys procurement. 

 

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Construction sites: A Danger to Children

Children use construction sites and derelict properties as playgrounds:  Families call for increase in site security

A call has gone out to urge property owners of construction sites or abandoned properties to ensure children cannot access them over the Easter holidays, after families in Stoke-on-Trent fear a child might be injured if a former school is not demolished. Also a report in The Times cited that young people were breaking into building sites, including a rising trend in ‘urban explorers’ out to investigate unusual, abandoned properties.

As schools break up for Easter, the property security specialists, VPS, have heeded the call from parents to warn owners about the risks to children tempted to use building sites or derelict premises as playgrounds during the holidays.

“Construction sites and abandoned buildings are a magnet for children looking to explore and play” says Darron Cavanagh, Chief Operating Officer for VPS, “And not only children, but the growing interest in ‘urban exploring’ means many youths and adults are also curious trespassers. But they can be dangerous places. Last June, an urban explorer fell to his death from the roof of an abandoned dairy in Devon.”

“Property and landowners of vacant sites are responsible for keeping them safe and secure whilst they lie empty. To remove combustible materials, ensure access points are well-protected, and, for particularly vulnerable sites, to consider remotely monitored CCTV. Quite apart from the costs of rectifying damage from arson or vandalism, if a serious injury or worse happens to anyone – even if they are trespassing –  the owners can be held liable if they are found to have been negligent.”

The VPS Group is Europe’s leading temporary security specialist, providing an Intelligent Triple Protection service, securing sites with the widest range of solutions from Monitored Technology such as 24/7 alarms, CCTV Towers, perimeter monitoring and scaffold alarms, as well as traditional Physical Protection, such as steel panels and doors, and Human Intervention – whether that be prevention through use, patrols or surge guarding and inspections. No matter how challenging it is to secure a specific site, VPS can combine the widest range of options to find the best-fit solution for every customer.

www.vpsgroup.com

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THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF HOME GROWN ENERGY

MCS has captured and been monitoring the uptake of small-scale renewable energy technology over the last 14 years. In their new landmark report ‘Renewing Britain: The changing landscape of home-grown energy 2008 – 2021′  they have analysed this data to highlight:

  • Disparity of areas adopting domestic green energy has created rural ‘forests’ and urban ‘deserts’
  • It would take over 250 years for small-scale renewables to reach every household at current rates
  • The 10 local authorities with the lowest rates are all London boroughs
  • Scotland leads the way, with one in five homes in Orkney opting for renewables
  • MCS outline three key recommendations for government to support small-scale renewables on a national level

Their report shows the dramatic change in the landscape but crucially, it provides the market with insights to shape the future.

 

Ian Rippin, chief executive officer of MCS, commented: “Domestic renewables have come a long way since 2008, when just 43 MCS certified installations were made. The wealth of data at our disposal that we’ve distilled into this report paints an invaluable picture of the past to help inform our current path to net-zero.
The data speaks for itself: Britain is a divided country when it comes to the investment in small-scale renewables, with myriad factors affecting uptake. True change is happening at a local authority level; something which central government should learn from.
We need a carefully considered, long-term roadmap for the quick, broad adoption of renewables and the decarbonisation of our homes.”

You can view and download the Report here
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WEBINAR: Reducing Emissions & Operating Costs

Tuesday 30th March, 12pm

 

Join our webinar next week to find out how hybrid power systems offer a sustainable and efficient alternative to using a diesel generator alone on site. Discover how they can help you deliver cost savings, reduce emissions and run silent power to loads when needed, all monitored and controlled by one of the most sophisticated telematics energy management systems available.

 

 

 

 

Presenting the webinar is Energy Solutions’ Commercial Director Mark Penny.

Mark has worked on the integration of hybrid power solutions

with customers including Eurotunnel, Interserve and JCB. 

 

www.energy-solutions.co.uk

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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY – THE IMPACT ON MAJOR PROJECTS

With less than 24 hours notice it left contractors the mammoth task of closing down active construction sites as quickly and safely as possible.

One year ago today (March 23), Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the UK was to move into a full lockdown as the Covid-19 pandemic swept the nation.

With less than 24 hours notice it left contractors the mammoth task of closing down active construction sites as quickly and safely as possible.

Despite pleas for construction workers to be given “essential worker” status, the government ordered the shutdown of most sites leading to delays and cost overruns on projects big and small.

Lack of certainty over when the crisis would end made the planning and implementation of shutdowns all the more complex. Achieving safe closure with minimal notice only added to that challenge.

Most sites remained closed until June. After which Covid-related measures had to be implemented on site, such as social distancing, one-way walking systems and extra cleaning processes.

These extra measures both took time to implement and have also added time to some construction timelines.

Future planned projects have also suffered with Crossrail 2 and the Bakerloo Line Extension both mothballed as TfL coffers ran dry.

Most of the UK’s biggest infrastructure projects have in one way or another been hit by the impact of Covid restrictions, with Covid blamed for delaying progress at Hinkley Point C, Crossrail, Tideway and the A303 Stonehenge Tunnel.

Hinkley Point C

The cost of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station has risen by around £500M and its start date pushed back to June 2026 due to delays arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In January, EDF said it expected the Somerset project to cost up to £23bn compared with a 2019 estimate of a £22.5bn maximum.

The start of electricity generation from Unit One of the power station had been scheduled for the end of 2025, but work postponed last year at the height of the first lockdown has not yet been completed.

In a message to employees, Hinkley Point C managing director Stuart Crooks said: “Ten months after it began, we are still facing the full force of the pandemic.

“Even though experience has allowed us to increase numbers on site during the pandemic from below 2,000 to more than 5,000, social distancing requirements still limit the number of people we can safely have on site at any one time.”

Crooks added that “a longer construction period also adds some cost — as does the reduced efficiency of operating a site for a long period under Covid-19 conditions”.

Crossrail

In August, Crossrail Ltd announced that it will need up to an additional £1.1bn to complete the central section of the London route.

The opening date of the Elizabeth Line has also been pushed back further and is now set for the first half of 2022 – although TfL commissioner Andy Byford has repeatedly called for the line to open at the back end of this year.

It comes after Crossrail’s board thrashed out a new timescale and cost for the project following Covid-19 delays and a downturn in productivity.

The cost increase is on top of the £2.15bn additional funding package which was given to Crossrail after it missed its original opening date of December 2018.

Alongside cost hikes on the Network Rail side of the project, the overall Crossrail scheme is now coming in above £19bn.

As revealed by NCE, the project also saw an increase in slips, trips and falls after sites were reopened as safety briefings switched to protecting against the spread of Covid – this has since been addressed.

Tideway

Covid-19 restrictions have added nine months and a further £233M to the completion date of the Tideway supersewer project, according to a shareholder announcement revealed in August.

Project promoter Bazalgette Tunnel Limited said that the project is now “likely to be completed in the first half of 2025” instead of the anticipated 2024 finish date.

Shareholders were also warned of rising costs with forecasts adding £233M to the previous cost estimates putting the overall cost of the project at £4.133bn.

In an investor report released a month earlier, Tideway revealed its “severe downside” forecast which outlined Covid-related extra costs could result in a cost rise of £900M.

The investor report did warn of a scenario in which the Covid-19 impact could drive up the final cost to £4.1bn. The report also outlined a second “worst-case” scenario that could see costs of the remaining work spiral by 24%, which translates to a total cost of £4.3bn.

Stonehenge Tunnel

The A303 Stonehenge Tunnel scheme was finally given the go-ahead by transport secretary Grant Shapps in November.

Shapps granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the scheme, despite The Planning Inspectorate concluding that the scheme would have “adverse effects” for local roads, would cut off local communities and was a risk to the natural and historical landscape.

The government’s decision on the DCO application had already been delayed twice. The first delay was due to the impact of Covid-19 and the more recent delay was due to the discovery of “archaeological finds”.

Documents released by the Planning Inspectorate show that the delay on the decision means that the opening date for the Stonehenge Tunnel will be pushed back by a year.

Tracked changes in the Highways England documents show that the impact of the planning delays will push the start date for preliminary work on the Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme back from summer 2020 to spring 2021.

The main work will be also delayed by a year to October 2021 with the completion date also moving back by a year to 2027.

Heathrow Airport Expansion

The airport industry has felt the impact of Covid harder than most. Passenger numbers have fallen off a cliff and major expansion programmes have come grinding to a halt, with London City Airport bosses pausing its own expansion in the midst of construction.

At Heathrow, things are just as dire. Heathrow handled 22.1M passenger in 2020, compared with 80.9M in 2019 but it wasn’t just passenger flights that have been affected by the pandemic as cargo volumes passing through Heathrow also fell by 28%.

Work on Heathrow’s planned third runway had stopped prior to Covid due to a High Court judge ruling that the government failed to take into account climate change goals when giving the project the go-ahead.

That ruling has since been overturned in the Supreme Court. However, the financial situation – and continued uncertainty around passenger numbers – means the expansion programme remains on ice for the time being.

Despite this, Heathrow bosses continue to push the need for expansion and will no doubt revisit it once travel bans are lifted.

High Speed 2

In the midst of lockdown version one, the government gave the industry a massive boost by providing notice to proceed for phase one of HS2 between London and the Midlands.

It effectively paved the way for main construction, with progress of HS2 ramping up at the back end of last year.

Tunnellers are now preparing to launch at the foot of the Chilterns and work is underway on the UK’s longest rail viaduct.

The second phase of the project, to take the line north to Crewe, has also been buoyed after receiving Royal Assent earlier this year.

What happens beyond Crewe remains to be seen with the government’s much-anticipated Integrated Rail Plan now delayed until after the local elections in May.

While the construction timeline for HS2 remains largely unchanged by Covid-19 for the time being, the project’s chief executive Mark Thurston admitted in May last year that HS2 stations and trains may be redesigned for post Covid-19 world.

The project has also been beset with construction complaints as work has ramped up. As revealed last week, more than 1,400 construction-related complaints were received last year, many of which relate to breaches of Covid-19 restrictions.

Summary

  • March 2020: Contractors strive to shut sites quickly and safely
  • March 2020: Mothballing of sites hits major projects including HS2
  • May 2020: HS2 stations and trains may be redesigned for post Covid-19 world
  • May 2020: Stonehenge Tunnel planning decision delay pushes opening back to 2027
  • August 2020: Covid-19 pushes Tideway costs up by £233M as nine month delay announced
  • August 2020: Crossrail needs another £1.1bn as opening date pushed back to 2022
  • November 2020: Stonehenge Tunnel gets planning green light
  • January 2021: Hinkley Point C suffers another £500M cost rise and delay

Source: New Civil Engineer

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£100m Investment for LIverpool Docks

Romal Capital has committed £100m for a mixed-use development in Liverpool’s Central Docks area.

In its planning application to Liverpool City Council, the property developer will progress the work it completed on Quay Central and Park Central, having built 237 residential apartments and commercial tenancies, which were delivered last year.

The new £100m scheme includes 330 sustainable ‘smart’ homes, retail space, as well as other amenities and public areas.

It proposes a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments designed to attract occupiers ranging from professionals to young families.

To reduce net carbon emissions, each home will feature power usage monitoring and solar panels installed in common areas.

Romal Capital aims to encourage the use of electric cars, with up to 20 EV charging stations to cater for the government’s zero-emission vehicle initiative.

It is expected that the commercial units will attract a range of occupiers, including hairdressers, beauty salons, delicatessens with indoor and outdoor dining, bike rental and kayak stores.

The proposed new public spaces include an active waterfront, marina floating pontoon, a suspended six-metre-wide cathedral-style bridge bordering the river canal for pedestrian and bike access, rooftop gardens and leisure space for al fresco dining.

A new cultural square would be used for market days, music and entertainment.

The spaces are designed to lend themselves to hybrid living, working and learning environments in a post Covid-19 world.

Greg Malouf, CEO at Romal Capital, said: “We are very excited about this scheme and it’s potential to transform this barren brownfield land into a thriving new waterfront neighbourhood.

“The combination of new smart homes, carefully selected retail and leisure outlets, and huge investment in new public realm will deliver a high quality lifestyle for its residents.

“New, high quality homes on this brownfield site means new jobs, greater investment and ultimately more people to enjoy this waterfront location.

“We hope this scheme acts as both a major catalyst and benchmark for future development within the area.”

Romal Capital will be working with principal landowner Peel L&P in developing the Liverpool Waters regeneration zone.

 

Source: Development Finance Today

 

 

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Thames Crossing misses application date

It has now been 122 days since Highways England pulled its Lower Thames Crossing plans, meaning Highways England has missed the target date for resubmission set by the project’s boss.

The planning application was withdrawn in November following feedback from The Planning Inspectorate that it was poised to reject the plans.

Lower Thames Crossing executive director Matt Palmer said that he expected the plans to be resubmitted within 90 to 120 days of the original application being withdrawn.

He added that he expected the development consent order (DCO) application to be resubmitted early in the New Year, adding that this is a “speed bump, not a complete stop”.

“It doesn’t feel like it will take a long time to turn around. If you look at other [DCO] applications that have been withdrawn they tend to be resubmitted in 90 to 120 days and I think we are looking at that sort of timeframe,” Palmer said.

“The application itself is 42,000 pages. We have taken all the lessons learnt from other, successful Highways England projects and applied those to the DCO.

“[The Planning Inspectorate] obviously wants more information so we have taken on board what they have said and we are confident we can provide that.

“The difficulty with a project of this scale and this significance is that there is no magic bar to jump over – it is about finding where that bar is and that’s what we’ve got to do now.”

The Lower Thames Crossing project will connect Essex with Kent to the east of London, helping to alleviate congestion on the Dartford Crossing.

The Planning Inspectorate’s concerns relate to construction plans and the predicted ecological and environmental impact of the scheme.

In a community update released last week, Highways England head of communications for its complex infrastructure programme Sarah Walker confirmed that the team is “busy” collecting the information required by the Planning Inspectorate.

She added: “The Planning Inspectorate has asked us to provide some more information on some technical elements of our application and we are busy bring this information together, but we also see this as a great opportunity to strengthen our application as we continue to work with key stakeholders to make the Lower Thames Crossing the best it can possibly be.”

A Highways England spokesperson added: “We are continuing to work with the Planning Inspectorate and are carrying out extensive engagement with our neighbouring local authorities to address their feedback, and take the opportunity to strengthen our application.

“We appreciate that there are millions of people every year who are frustrated by congestion on the Dartford Crossing, and who are looking forward to the opportunities that come with building a scheme on this scale, and we can reassure you that we will be resubmitting our revised, stronger application as soon as possible.”

Since pulling the application Highways England has awarded Jacobs a £162.5M integration partner contract for work on the Lower Thames Crossing.

Jacobs will act as a catalyst for collaboration between Highways England and the project’s three main works contracts.

Palmer previously announced the start of procurement on the design and build contract for the project’s tunnels at New Civil Engineer’s Future of Transport conference at the start of November.

The main works contractor will be responsible for boring the two 4.2km long tunnels beneath the River Thames; construction of portal buildings and approach roads; and fit out of the tunnel systems with systems including ventilation and lighting.

The tunnels will be the largest diameter tunnels in Europe and the third largest in the world with a diameter of 16m. They will also be the longest road tunnels in the UK.

Their size is determined by the need for each bore to cater for three lanes of traffic travelling at up to 70mph. The contract is expected to be awarded in 2022.

The tunnels and approaches contract is the first of the three main works contracts to be procured for the scheme, with the Roads North and the A2 M2 contracts expected to be announced early in 2021.

When speaking in November, Palmer added that the procurement timeline is likely to be pushed back a month or two because of the DCO setback but added that it “will have no impact on those bidding [for the contracts]”.

It is understood that the remaining contracts will be put out to tender within the next month or so.

Ground investigation work has been ongoing at the site since 2017. The third phase of ground investigation work finished this summer, led by the Perfect Circle JV comprising Pick Everard, Gleeds and Aecom.

In total, more than £100M has been spent on ground investigations due to the chalky conditions in that part of the Thames.

 

Source: New Civil Engineer

 

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Sea Link needs Connectivity

Irish Sea link ‘unworkable in isolation’

An Irish Sea link connecting Northern Ireland with Great Britain “is unworkable in isolation”, according to transport thinktank Greengauge21.

In response to Sir Peter Hendy’s interim report on Union connectivity – which recommends a full feasibility study of a fixed Irish Sea link – Greengauge21 has called for a raft of transport upgrades either side of the Irish Sea in order to facilitate a bridge or tunnel.

Among its suggestions, Greengauge21 has called for a new electrified railway between Stranraer and Carlisle as well as “fast rail onward connections” to the rest of the country.

“Just as was found when the Channel Tunnel (Eurotunnel) was built, a cross-channel tunnel is unworkable in isolation,” Greengauge21’s report states.

“Kent needed the completion of the M2 and M20 motorways and the construction of the channel tunnel rail link (HS1) for it to work properly.”

However, instead of building new motorways to the tunnel, Greengauge21 recommends better rail connections – to support its previous proposal of a rail tunnel in the Irish Sea. It claims that by building fast rail links to a terminal would remove the need for a 160km new motorway across Dumfries and Galloway.

“A new electrified railway line is needed (between Stranraer and Carlisle) to feed a tunnelled rail link across the Irish Sea.

“As well as through freight trains and fast passenger services, this could be used to provide an extended Euro-shuttle style operation, allowing HGVs and cars to transit under the Irish Sea and continue across south west Scotland.

“A terminal would be provided where the rail line meets the M6/A74(M). South West Scotland could be similarly spared the ravages of increased traffic levels.”

It adds: “Its virtue is that it takes away the need for a 100-mile stretch of motorway across Dumfries & Galloway and opens the possibility of both faster transit times and significant carbon reduction.”

Hendy will submit his final Union Connectivity review in the summer. Alongside a feasibility study for the Irish Sea link, Hendy will also look at ways of improving transport connections between England, Scotland and Wales.

As well as building a new railway to the proposed tunnel, Greengauge21 suggests upgrading existing rail lines to provide faster journeys from London to Belfast.

“If the fixed link is also to provide an attractive alternative to flying between Northern Ireland and English & Scottish airports, then fast rail onward connections are needed,” the report states.

“One aim would be a sub-4 hour rail journey time between London and Belfast. This is only achievable if work proceeds to speed up the Crewe-Carlisle section of the West Coast Main Line through northern England, which might well happen in pursuit of 3 hour journey times London-Glasgow/Edinburgh.

“So this too is a pre-requisite for success, just like the cross-Galloway rail line.”

Greengauge21’s original submission to the Union Connectivity review also calls for upgrades to existing Anglo-Scottish rail lines, electrifying the Holyhead-Chester-Crewe railway line and completion of the Borders Railway.

Source: New Civil Engineer

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FIRE SAFETY IS NOT AN ‘ADD ON’

WHAT ARE THE FIRE IMPLICATIONS WHEN A BUILDING OWNER PLANS TO ADD THREE EXTRA STORIES TO A TOWER BLOCK?

Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance

 

A property owner has submitted a planning application to add three additional stories to a North London residential tower block to help fund the removal of unsafe ACM cladding on the lower 14 floors. Whilst the concept might be  sound on paper, has the design considered the fire safety aspect and how to keep people safe in a building that will be changed?

The owner of Premier House in Edgeware, North London, is planning to add three additional stories and a rooftop garden to the building to partially fund the remediation work on the rest of the building. This planned alteration also brings into sharp focus the 2020 change to Permitted Development Rights (PDR) allowing building owners to add up to two storeys on top of existing detached and purpose-built blocks of flats through a fast-track process. In either case, it is critical to ask the question, how has the risk changed by adding these floors?

 Upward extensions such as the one proposed at Premier House need to be carried out after careful consideration and assessment of the existing building and its fire strategy. Which sort of evacuation plans are in place for the current building? How many extra people will be residents in the altered building? Will the staircases and door widths accommodate these additional people and provide access to firefighters? Which material is the new extension going to be made of?  Will it alter the fire load materially? The change needs to be considered holistically not on the addition alone.

There is a tendency to think about the structure, aesthetics and thermal efficiency of the new sections of the building when undertaking such alterations. What is needed is to reconsider the fire safety of the building from the ground upwards. Renovations and changes such as these are often intended to make the building better for its tenants.  Unfortunately the law of unintended consequences often means that these intentions are not realised.

Another consideration is the new 11-metre storey height sprinkler threshold that came into force last November. This will be an interesting case to follow as this change will have implications for the overall building. Regardless of this change, from a fire safety perspective sprinklers make a lot of sense and are a key component in the long-term strategy of any building. If considered early in the design process, they can be included and implemented whilst balancing costs. Developers need to have an open mind to other fire safety solutions, particularly sprinklers, and think about the best solutions to employ for such a change considering the building as a whole

Early consideration of automatic sprinkler systems in the design process, opens up a number of significant design opportunities which could provide solutions, to the challenges such projects will inevitably face.  This will only happen when the fire strategy for the whole building is considered at the start of a project.  We must stop thinking of fire safety as an ‘add on’.

 

For more information about the BSA visit the www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org

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