APPLICATION FOR MAJOR NEW INDUSTRIAL & LOGISTICS PARK

Leading property regeneration and placemaking experts, Scarborough Group International (SGI) has submitted plans to deliver a major new industrial and logistics park on a 60-acre site, known locally as Brown Moor, located adjacent to its flagship Thorpe Park Leeds development.

Following a series of public consultation events showcasing the proposed masterplan, SGI has submitted an outline planning application, which seeks permission to develop up to 60,000 sq m (645,834 sq ft) of industrial and logistics space with ancillary office space. The buildings will be capable of being brought forward in multiple phases to respond to market interest and occupier demand.

The application also includes details of the estate infrastructure, public footpaths and other public rights of way which will as part of the proposals will be enhanced, as well as the site landscaping.

‘Integral’, as the development has been named, will deliver a range of high-quality buildings suitable for companies of different sizes within the advanced manufacturing, logistics and industrial sectors, adding to the strong economic mix of east Leeds and providing hundreds of new jobs.

The design of each building will be highly-sustainable and in keeping with the contemporary style of architecture at Thorpe Park Leeds.

Extensive landscaping is also proposed throughout the scheme with over 40% of the site retained as green space, while public connections and rights of way to the existing amenities within Thorpe Park Leeds will also be enhanced, making the area more accessible and connecting the local community.

The proposed development will be accessed from the new Manston Lane Link Road (MLLR) which forms part of the recently-opened East Leeds Orbital Route which is, in turn, directly accessed from junction 46 of the M1 motorway, providing a well-connected and highly-accessible location for future businesses located at the site.

Adam Varley, Development Director at SGI, said:

“The industrial and logistics sector is undergoing significant change.  Supply chain resilience, rising energy costs, smart infrastructure and the continued growth of e-commerce are forcing businesses to rethink their real estate requirements. Decision making factors such as accessibility, cost and labour pool, while still relevant, are now being overtaken by the need to attract and retain the very best talent.

“The design of Integral scheme at Thorpe Park Leeds responds to the shifts in the market by providing industrial spaces that are integrated into a dynamic and established mixed-use community. Working with the design team we believe that the buildings will offer exemplary accommodation with enviable sustainability credentials, as well as access to an abundance of high-quality landscaped spaces.”

Thorpe Park Leeds is strategically located with its own dedicated access at Junction 46 of the M1. More than 900,000 sq ft of office space is already built, supporting over 5,500 jobs as well as The Springs retail and leisure park which includes the 10-screen ODEON Luxe cinema, Next, Boots, M&S, TK Maxx, The Range, H&M, Pure Gym, Nandos, Piccolo by Piccolino, Caffe Nero and many more.

/0 Comments/by

Reawakening Silvertown

A major new planning application for the Silvertown site in the London Borough of Newham has been submitted following an extensive consultation process with local residents and businesses.

With a bold character founded in the industrial heritage of this historic part of London, this diverse neighbourhood will feature around 6,500 new homes with 50% affordable housing, alongside a vibrant new centre for the Royal Docks.

Submitted by The Silvertown Partnership, striking designs for the 50-acre site show how the iconic Millennium Mills building, left derelict and largely disused for around 40 years, will be fully restored and form the centrepiece of the new community.

The £3.5bn development will embrace its dockside location and over 5 acres of water will be central to the new neighbourhood, with canal walkways, a paddle board club and new bridges providing far greater access to the water and a closer connection with nature.

Situated within London’s only Enterprise Zone, the London Plan identifies the site as one of the largest regeneration opportunities in the capital and the development is predicted to contribute between £76m-£90m per year to London’s economy, with the vast majority of this expected to be in the Newham area.

The plans reveal ambitions to make Silvertown a hub of new industry, featuring over 780,000 square feet of next generation work and creative spaces in the refurbished Millennium Mills buildings and surrounding employment quarter, equivalent to 13 times the size of St. Paul’s Cathedral, alongside provision for additional future flexible workspace and makerspace.

Silvertown is expected to become a new cultural hub for the Royal Docks, with brand-new arts and leisure facilities, cafés, restaurants and bars providing residents and visitors a place to unwind and be entertained. New public squares will play host to cultural events while green spaces will provide access to nature and encourage walking, running and cycling across the site. The newly opened Custom House Elizabeth Line Station will also provide a convenient transport link for residents, workers and visitors just 15 minutes from central London.

Silvertown will deliver significant opportunities for local people and create more than 10,000 jobs, making the site somewhere to celebrate East London’s pioneering past and brighter-than-ever future. It’s estimated that more than 1,300 people per year will be involved in construction of the site, with a target of 25 per cent of those to come directly from the London Borough of Newham. In addition there will be a mix of apprenticeships and paid work experience opportunities available.

Extensive new community facilities are also proposed that will include healthcare, nursery and community spaces, as well as a brand-new primary school. The new neighbourhood will also be one of London’s greenest, with all homes and commercial spaces supplied with hot water and heating powered through a zero-carbon district heating system.

The Silvertown Partnership is seeking full planning permission for phase one of the Proposed Development, which will include 1,248 new homes, including 610 affordable homes, and 82,328 sqm new commercial space. Outline permission is sought for the remainder of the site.

The Silvertown Partnership, which includes Lendlease, an international real estate and investment group, is working in conjunction with the Greater London Authority (GLA), Homes England and The Guinness Partnership (TGP).

Prior + Partners are the lead consultant for the hybrid planning application and masterplanners for the whole Silvertown site. Architects working on various plots within the site include AHMM, dRMM, Pollard Thomas Edwards, Maccreanor Lavington, and Gort Scott with OMMX, with Arup on transport, AECOM on infrastructure and EIA and Energy Strategy, and SLA and Churchman Thornhill Finch on landscape. DP9 are the planning consultant.

 

Quote attributable to Ed Mayes, Project director for Silvertown, Lendlease:

“After months of working together with local residents and our public sector partners GLA, Homes England and the London Borough of Newham, I’m proud to present our vision for this iconic new neighbourhood. Silvertown is finally being reimagined as a vibrant new centre for the Royal Docks – a place where people can live and work well, better connected to the water and each other.

“This is a pivotal moment for the Silvertown development, as we reveal plans for a neighbourhood that will create thousands of much-needed new affordable homes and jobs for Newham. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the local community and our stakeholders to make this shared vision a reality.”

 

Quote attributable to Catriona Simons, CEO at The Guinness Partnership:

“This planning application is a big milestone in creating a new future for the Silvertown site. As affordable housing provider for the first phase affordable homes, Guinness is proud to be part of this ambitious and exciting vision for the Silvertown neighbourhood.”

Source: Landlease

/0 Comments/by

225,000 extra workers required to meet UK demand

Against a backdrop of economic challenge, rising materials and labour costs, new figures from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) reveal that almost 225,000 extra workers will be required to meet UK construction demand by 2027.

CITB’s annual Construction Skills Network (CSN) report shows that:

  • 224,900 extra workers (44,980 a year) will be needed to meet UK construction demand between now and 2027
  • Construction output is set to grow for all nations and regions, however, recession is expected in 2023 with slow growth returning in 2024
  • The major sectors for demand are:
    – private housing
    – infrastructure
    – repair and maintenance
  • If projected growth is met, by 2027 the number of people working in construction will be 2.67m

The report highlights that construction is expected to remain a sector where there is demand for workers despite the current economic uncertainty. As a result, recruitment, training, development and upskilling remain major priorities for the industry for 2023 and beyond.

CITB is responding by investing in apprenticeships, launching a range of targeted initiatives and working collaboratively with industry, to help the construction sector have a skilled, competent, and inclusive workforce.

Tim Balcon, CITB Chief Executive said: “The latest CSN report clearly shows that despite current economic uncertainty, recruiting and developing the workforce remains vital to ensure the industry can contribute to economic growth.

“We know the next 18 months won’t be easy, however, I remain inspired by the construction industry’s resilience shown in the pandemic and throughout 2022.

“In short, it makes clear that the need to recruit and retain talent in the sector has never been greater. Whether that’s for building the homes the country needs, constructing energy and transport infrastructure or retrofitting the built environment to help drive down energy bills and meet net zero targets.

“To bolster industry’s resilience, CITB will strive to attract and train a diverse range of recruits for industry, equipping them with modern skills for rewarding construction careers. I look forward to working with and supporting industry and stakeholders in the challenging times ahead and to emerging stronger when the recession ends.”

 

To help directly address these challenges and maximise the opportunities which will arise, CITB has invested almost £50m of Levy to support over 22,000 apprentices to help them join the industry; while grants have helped support over 16,000 learners to complete their qualifications.

Direct funding has provided grants over 269,000 training courses and in total £97m has been invested in grant funding by CITB, to make it as easy as possible for employers to recruit and retain their skilled workforce.

CITB continues to provide targeted support to SMEs through grant and funding and through support in accessing training and funding. Since April 2022, CITB’s engagement team has supported SMEs on 26,976 occasions, supporting them to continue to train during the current economic uncertainty.

CITB also offers funding aimed specifically at smaller companies such as the Skills and Training Fund. Companies with fewer than 250 PAYE employees can access up to £25,000 annually (depending on their size). By the end of quarter two 2022, £3.9m had been invested in companies via this fund.

CITB’s Scottish Academy for Construction Opportunities (SACO) commission has awarded £1.3m across the Highlands and Islands; while England Construction Opportunities (ECO) commission has awarded a total of just over £1.8m. This investment will directly help address the construction industry’s skills gap, increase employment retention, and provide vital support to new starters at the beginning of their construction careers, by promoting work experience for new entrants to the industry.

Experience Hubs across England and Wales are creating a talent pipeline to meet the needs of local construction employers and to support construction career opportunities for people from local communities.

Further CITB initiatives range from localised solutions for funding and training like our employer network pilot project, available to more than 3,800 levy-registered construction businesses across five locations in England, Scotland and Wales; to a £10.5m Leadership and Management commission which will provide funded courses for businesses of all sizes to equip supervisors and managers with a recognised Leadership and Management qualification.

Training remains a key focus, which is why CITB has invested in National Construction College (NCC) sites, to meet the industry’s specialist training needs. By focusing the curriculum on unmet demand, we are looking to build capacity for the industry, which has resulted in a 25% increase in the number of people trained to date. Our data shows that 96% of CITB apprentices have secured employment or progressed in education, with over 90% remaining in the sector.

Tim Balcon concluded: “This coordinated and comprehensive approach to helping recruit, train, develop and upskill talent, whilst continuing to work collaboratively with industry and stakeholders means CITB will continue to play a central role in supporting an industry that is a key driver of the UK economy through these challenging times.”

/0 Comments/by

Why is the Planning System Failing?

In the midst of a housing crisis, why is the planning system failing, and what does this mean for the communities it is supposed to serve?

Few would disagree that there is an urgent need for new homes that are sustainable and affordable, both to meet the needs of a growing population and to replenish our ageing housing stock.

But, with delays in the planning system choking supply and the UK government that has now backtracked on its stated target for housing delivery in England, the need to address the issues constraining the supply of new homes to meet that need is becoming critical.

In 2021, only 216,000 new homes were built

In 2021, only 216,000 new homes were built, falling far below the manifesto commitment of 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s. This target has now been scrapped as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dilutes the UK Government’s housebuilding pledge.

It is estimated that tens of thousands of plots are currently ‘stuck’ in the planning system, with little being done to remedy this or address the lack of resources in local planning departments. Over the last ten years, over 2.5 million units have been given the green light by UK councils, but only 1.5 million have been built.

Since the local elections in Hertsmere and Amersham & Chesham, the government has bowed to local pressure and backtracked on much-needed planning reforms aimed at simplifying and streamlining the planning process.

“Uncertainty about the future planning system and delays to planning reforms have had a ‘chilling effect’ on housebuilding and created uncertainty for housebuilders and planners.”

This is despite a report from the House of Lords Built Environment Committee, which stated that “Uncertainty about the future planning system and delays to planning reforms have had a ‘chilling effect’ on housebuilding and created uncertainty for housebuilders and planners.”

UK government and the failing planning system

In last year’s Queen Speech, the government announced that it intended to introduce reforms as part of its levelling up agenda that will provide local councils and constituents with more control over a planning process that is already highly politicised.

But even this ambition has been thwarted by backbenchers opposed to mandatory housing targets and the five-year land supply rule introduced to ensure that sufficient sites were allocated for development to meet the demand for five years of housing.

To quote Robert Colvile from the Centre of Policy Studies, “These proposals could cut the number of homes being built by 20% to 40%, potentially more because the industry was already being affected by recession and interest rate rises.”

Putting politics before planning

What is needed is leadership from the UK government and a coherent housing policy that, amongst other things, addresses the issues with our planning system.

Issues were laid bare in a research paper published by the Royal Town Planning Institute in 2019 entitled ‘Resourcing Public Planning’ which called for ‘significantly increased resourcing to deliver better development management, strong and informed planning policy, genuine community participation, pro-active local authority-led development and a wider range of built environment professionals in the public sector’. It is three years since the paper was published, but nothing has changed.

Putting politics before planning is failing the very communities that the planning system is there to serve

Housing is a societal need, but it also underpins economic growth. Putting politics before planning is failing the very communities that the planning system is there to serve.

 

Source: Open Access Government

 

/0 Comments/by

Sanifos 110 wins Build It Award

Saniflo was delighted to finish 2022 on a high by winning the Build It Awards for the Sanifos 110 lifting station in the ‘Best Plumbing or Drainage System or Product’ category. 

The Sanifos 110 is the best-selling underground lifting station model in the 6-strong Sanifos range. The compact unit provides a cost-effective solution for the discharge of black and grey water waste from new and existing buildings where gravity drainage isn’t accessible. With an integrated grinder pump and multiple connection points, the 110-litre capacity unit is capable of discharging all the waste from individual dwellings or industrial units, but is also commonly used for extensions, outbuildings, garden rooms, glamping pods etc. The waste can be pumped vertically up to 14m and horizontally, which means that building projects are feasible even if they are sited beneath the level of the mains drains, sewer or water treatment plant.

The flexible unit can equally be sited on the ground, in a cupboard, basement or a shed and is simple to install above or beneath the ground. The popularity of hybrid working over the last few years has paid witness to a boom in garden offices and these are often sited at a distance from the main property. These independent buildings are also widely used as gyms, salons, accommodation and hobby rooms. The Sanifos can facilitate the drainage for these buildings without the need for costly civils work, allowing the installation of bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and any other application requiring a waste discharge.

Tim Pestell, Managing Director of Saniflo, was very pleased to receive the news from the Build-It team;

“The Build It Awards have been in existence for over a decade and are a coveted accolade for any supplier in the self-build industry. Saniflo products have been widely used in the sector for many years, particularly in refurbishment, change of use and extension projects and it’s great to receive formal recognition in the shape of the award.  The Sanifos 110 is a highly appealing product for self-builders and renovators because it offers the ability to build in places that might otherwise not be considered. Our thanks to the judges who chose this product from Saniflo.”

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WEBSITE

 

/0 Comments/by

BLEAK FUTURE FOR WESTERN EUROPE

Scott Hazelton of IHS Markit lays out a somewhat bleak economic future for the

economies and construction markets of Western Europe

 

The war in Ukraine, energy supply and price issues, plus tighter financial conditions to fight inflation broadly will tip the eurozone economy into recession in late 2022 and early 2023.

Although major governments have rolled out packages to shield households and firms from surging energy prices, high inflation will take a toll on confidence, spending and investment decisions.

The European Central Bank’s (ECB) tightening monetary policy will add further financial strain on households and firms.

These developments will translate into further weakness for Western European construction.

Western European construction spending

German construction firms signalled the quickest contraction in activity, as the headline index hit a 19-month low.

Both Italy and France reported softer reductions during the latest survey period, while construction activity returned to growth in the United Kingdom.

Activity fell across all three subsectors, but homebuilding registered the quickest reduction. Civil engineering and commercial construction activity fell for the sixth straight month, although the rates of contraction softened.

We expect real total Western European construction spending to rise by just 1.2% in 2022.

With headwinds set to linger into 2023, and as the ECB’s rate hikes start to bite, construction spending is expected to rise just marginally next year, by only 0.4%.

After a weak second quarter, with German real GDP rising by just 0.1% quarter on quarter (q/q), the Russia–Ukraine war and effective halt to Russian gas deliveries at the end of August will almost inevitably tip the economy into recession during the next two to three quarters.

Germany’s inflation rate reached double digits for the first time in September and tighter ECB monetary policy will erode consumers’ disposable income, despite government support measures.

Fixed investment already fell by 1.3% q/q in the second quarter of 2022, largely due to construction, which recorded a quarterly fall of 3.4%.

Leading indicators such as the ifo Business Climate Index and the PMI point to further weakness in the second half of 2022.

We expect total construction spending to decline by 0.9% in 2022, followed by a further decline of 1.8% in 2023, even as the government pushes ahead with infrastructure investment to reduce dependence on Russian energy.

Rising inflation and interest rates will dampen housing affordability and household demand for home improvements.

Risks of energy shortages, further increases in energy prices, tighter financial conditions, and uncertainty relating to the war in Ukraine will cause delayed investment in non-residential structures.

Commercial construction activity in Italy

Italy is also likely to slide into a recession in the final quarter of 2022 and early 2023 given growing headwinds.

Yet, temporary support measures rolled out by the government are expected to cushion the impact of energy price hikes on households and firms during the second half of this year.

In addition, Italy is the largest recipient of grants and cheap loans from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), providing a boost to private-sector investment to finance major public projects, particularly in infrastructure.

We have total annual output in Italy increasing by 2.5% in 2022, followed by a further 2.8% in 2023.

Italian construction companies signaled a third successive monthly reduction in overall activity during September, according to PMI® survey data.

Across the three broad sectors, housing and civil engineering registered softer contractions compared with August.

At the same time, commercial construction activity rose for the first time since July.

Construction activity in France declines

Construction activity across France continued to decline in September, according to the latest PMI survey, but the rate of contraction was the softest over the current four-month sequence amid varying trends across subsectors.

Housing signalled a marked decline in activity that was the steepest in three months. Civil engineering activity also contracted, though the rate of decline was only marginal, while commercial activity increased slightly.

Demand followed a similar trend, with the seasonally adjusted new orders index scoring only marginally below the 50.0 no-change threshold to signal a mild fall in sales.

Although France is less dependent on Russian gas than some of its neighbours, more than half of its 56 nuclear reactors have been shut down for maintenance, forcing a reliance on imports just as an energy crisis is looming.

As a result, our macroeconomic forecasts see France entering recession in late 2022 or early 2023, despite the governmental measures to cap energy prices.

Overall, real total construction spending in France is forecast to rise by 2.2% in 2022, before flattening to 0.1% in 2023.

How will UK construction perform in 2023?

The UK experienced lacklustre performance during the second quarter of 2022, with real GDP rising by only 0.2% q/q.

Construction was a key driver of activity and was the only sector to record continued growth in July and August.

The Office for National Statistics data showed that the volume of construction output rose by 0.4% month on month in August, up from 0.1% in July, when warmer-than-average temperatures made working conditions difficult.

UK construction firms signalled a rise in overall activity in September following two months of decline, according to latest PMI® data.

Housing was the best-performing sector, with activity levels rising at the fastest rate in five months, while commercial activity also expanded.

In contrast, civil engineering registered a third consecutive monthly decline in activity, albeit at a rate that was the softest seen over this period.

Inflationary pressures remained sharp but the rate of input price inflation moderated slightly.

Weak economic growth, ongoing Brexit tensions, and the end of the government’s super-deduction scheme on 31 March 2023 will drag on business investment.

Against this backdrop, real total construction spending in the UK is expected to rise by 1.5% in 2022 but decline 0.4% in 2023.

The chart above indicates the medium-term outlook for construction by country. The relatively short and shallow recession precludes any large downturns, but it also features and anaemic recovery.

Importantly, while the broad Eurozone will experience recession in 2023, there will be individual national exceptions.

The brunt of the downturn will be felt by economies that are relatively manufacturing intensive.

Norway escapes the downturn as it is not as impacted by high energy prices. Greece and Spain benefit from large tourism sectors which, while negatively impacted by recession, see more than offsetting gains from post-pandemic resumption of travel.

Ireland will see some challenges with its residential market, but broadly benefits from relocations due to Brexit.

These economies will be relatively strong, even in 2023, with consequently stronger prospects.

 

Source: Construction Europe

/0 Comments/by

The Duration of Roman Concrete

Compared to modern concrete which can waste away in decades, Roman concrete can survive for millennia

A joint study undertaken by researchers at MIT, Harvard University and laboratories in Italy and Switzerland claims to have discovered the secret behind the durability of Roman concrete, a construction material that, in many cases, has far outlasted modern concrete that crumbles away within a few decades. Carried out with the help of the Archaeological Museum of Priverno in Italy, the work done by the team has reportedly created a durable concrete formulation that has the ability to self-seal cracks before they can expand. After running successful tests using this formulation, the team is now looking to commercialise this modified concrete.

Mystery of long-lasting Roman concrete and why it matters

The Pantheon in Italy, built around 2,000 years ago using Roman concrete. (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons) Compared to modern concrete which can waste away in decades, Roman concrete can survive for millennia The story A joint study undertaken by researchers at MIT, Harvard University and laboratories in Italy and Switzerland claims to have discovered the secret behind the durability of Roman concrete, a construction material that, in many cases, has far outlasted modern concrete that crumbles away within a few decades. Carried out with the help of the Archaeological Museum of Priverno in Italy, the work done by the team has reportedly created a durable concrete formulation that has the ability to self-seal cracks before they can expand. After running successful tests using this formulation, the team is now looking to commercialise this modified concrete. Also Read – Art and AI: Will it be a marriage of true minds? The mystery of Roman concrete
Compared to modern concrete which can waste away in decades, Roman concrete can survive for millennia The story A joint study undertaken by researchers at MIT, Harvard University and laboratories in Italy and Switzerland claims to have discovered the secret behind the durability of Roman concrete, a construction material that, in many cases, has far outlasted modern concrete that crumbles away within a few decades. Carried out with the help of the Archaeological Museum of Priverno in Italy, the work done by the team has reportedly created a durable concrete formulation that has the ability to self-seal cracks before they can expand. After running successful tests using this formulation, the team is now looking to commercialise this modified concrete. Also Read – Art and AI: Will it be a marriage of true minds? The mystery of Roman concrete Though the Roman empire is long gone, many of its structures continue to endure, outlasting wars and civilisations and enduring the depredation of time and changing climate. One of the most significant examples of such structures is the Roman Pantheon, a 2,000-year-old former temple that has endured to the modern day with relatively few changes save for the fact that it is now used as a Catholic church. To say that the Pantheon is a marvel of engineering and architecture is a bit of an understatement.

Throughout its long history, the Pantheon has endured modifications and changes, largely emerging intact as one of the best-preserved monuments of the ancient world. In comparison, structures built of modern concrete start to waste away in mere decades, with very few such structures surviving for over a century. For decades, the mystery of Roman structures and the concrete used to build them has fascinated and confused scholars. Up until recently, it was assumed the magical ingredient behind the endurance of Roman concrete was pozzolana, a mix of volcanic ash, largely procured from the Italian city of Pozzuoli and the caustic substance known as lime.

Later, research done on ancient Roman piers noted the presence of minerals such as aluminous tobermorite and phillipsite in the concrete, adding to the theory that Roman concrete grows stronger over the centuries due to various chemical reactions within the construction material itself. But, as the aforementioned recent study has noted, this may not be the complete picture. The team at MIT that carried out the joint study examined pieces of 2,000-year-old concrete taken from the archaeological site of Privernum and found that beyond the materials used, the techniques employed by the Romans may also have made a huge difference in the strength and endurance of their structures. During their examination, the team found small chunks of lime in concrete that are referred to as lime clasts. These lime clasts were previously overlooked as simply being a product of poor mixing of mortar or evidence of sub-par quality construction material. But the team at MIT had a different take. Admir Masic, one of the authors behind the study was quoted as saying that the whole idea of lime clasts being a product of low-quality control bothered him. After all, the Romans were known to be extremely precise when it comes to the recipes used to make construction materials and it would be inconceivable that they would not be bothered by such lapses in quality. As it turned out, there was more to this ‘imperfection’ than meets the eye. Concrete, generally speaking, is made by mixing cement (a binding substance made of limestone, water and finely crushed rock or sand) with water and coarsely crushed stone. For a long time, it was assumed that Romans made use of the less-reactive slaked lime or calcium hydroxide in making the binding agent that would then be mixed to form concrete. But, after carrying out spectroscopic analysis of the lime clast within the Roman concrete, researchers at MIT have suggested that the Romans instead used calcium oxide or quicklime for the purpose instead, a far more reactive and dangerous substance that they say was not first mixed with water to form slaked lime but instead directly added to the volcanic ash and other materials for the concrete before water was added. The process, referred to as ‘hot mixing’ created extreme heat and may have actually been the key behind the durability of Roman concrete. As explained by Admir Masic in a news release, hot mixing had two distinct benefits. “First, when the overall concrete is heated to high temperatures, it allows chemistries that are not possible if you only used slaked lime, producing high-temperature-associated compounds that would not otherwise form. Second, this increased temperature significantly reduces curing and setting times since all the reactions are accelerated, allowing for much faster construction.” Beyond this, the team also suspected that the lime clasts thus formed during the process had some part to play in healing cracks within the concrete that are formed due to weathering. To test out their theory, the team carried out an experiment using two slabs of concrete that were deliberately cracked. One of these slabs was made using modern methods, the other using the supposed Roman method. Then, for two weeks, the team ran water through the cracks in the two slabs of concrete. After two weeks, it was found that the slab made using the Roman method had completely healed itself and was no longer allowing water to flow through. The study suggested that the water flowing through the cracks would dissolve the lime clast and cause it to seep and re-crystalise within the cracks, sealing them up and, in effect, ‘healing’ them. Why this is a big deal Beyond the excitement of cracking open a mystery of the ancient world, the study is significant for two major reasons. First, the current method of using reinforced concrete for construction creates structures that require regular maintenance, repair and even rebuilding. The wide-ranging use of concrete means that these maintenance costs can be astronomical. In his 2011 book, Concrete Planet, author Robert Courland estimated that the cost of rebuilding and repairing concrete structures for the US alone would run into trillions of dollars, a cost that likely continues growing. Having more robust, self-sealing concrete can therefore serve to cut down on these costs incurred during the lifespan of a concrete structure. Beyond the economic benefit, more robust concrete is also good for the planet. By volume, concrete production is the third-largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the world. Concrete is also hard and relatively expensive to recycle, meaning that concrete often constitutes the largest proportion of construction waste produced by the world at large. More robust concrete would require the production of less concrete in general, reducing the climate impact of construction activities.

Source: News9live

 

/0 Comments/by

CONSTRUCTION OUTLOOK PESSIMISTIC

S&P Global / CIPS UK Construction PMI ®

 

  • KEY FINDINGS
  • Activity and new work decline at quickest rates since May 2020
  • Firms cut jobs for first time since January 2021
  • Business confidence turns negative

The UK’s construction sector recorded a fall in business activity during December, ending a three-month sequence of growth, with the rate of decline the fastest since May 2020.  A similar trend was observed for new orders, which saw a renewed fall that was the strongest for over two-and-a-half- years.
Concurrently, sentiment amongst firms towards the year – ahead outlook for activity dipped into negative territory for only the sixth time on record, reflecting fears around the near-term economic outlook. Pessimistic expectations were reflected in the first round of job shedding in the construction sector since January 2021.

INDUSTRY COMMENTS:

Lewis Cooper, Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiles the survey said:
“The UK’s construction sector registered a relatively poor finish to 2022, with business activity falling into decline following a three-month growth sequence amid the fastest contraction in new work since the initial pandemic period in May 2020. Companies cited weak client demand, driven partly by higher prices amid ongoing inflationary pressures. “Commercial construction activity remained the only bright spot, though here the rate of growth came close to stalling, with the overall contraction led by a further sharp decline in civil engineering and the first fall in residential construction activity since last July.
“The challenging environment in December was subsequently reflected in pessimism amongst firms towards activity levels over the coming year, with business confidence downbeat for only the sixth time since the
survey began in April 1997. “With the outlook turning negative, staffing levels declined for the first time since the start of 2021 in December. Though panellists primarily attributed the fall to the non-replacement of leavers, the data show that companies are preparing to face significant challenges in the months ahead.”

Fraser Johns, Beard finance director said: “While many within the industry would have been encouraged by the past few months of marginal growth in activity, news of a poor December and end to the year will come as no surprise given the deluge of challenges the sector is facing.

“The higher cost to borrow, tighter access to credit and wider inflationary pressures have had a major impact on client confidence. Contractors, who have seen higher material costs erode margins are now seeing the market for new work tighten, making tenders more competitive. While those with strong balance sheets may be able to stomach that, those already at risk face a difficult 12 months ahead.

“A rise in commercial construction activity – albeit only marginally, is certainly a positive to take from a challenging month. However, it may not be enough to rescue the general optimism of the sector, especially as civil engineering and residential construction stumbled.  While resilience may be tested, the mantra has to be to “control what we can control” moving forward, working closely with developers, clients and stakeholders.”

Bill Roddie is MD of Glasgow-based Spectrum Properties.

Given the social, political and economic turmoil of the past three years, it would be a brave soul who would venture a cast-iron prediction, but of one thing we can be pretty sure: things are not going to return to pre-Covid levels for some time, if ever.

Price volatility is the new variable and the construction, housebuilding and private rental markets are going to have to factor it into their calculations somehow – along with inflation and interest rates – as they try to clear the fog in their crystal balls.

Housebuilding will be hit another hammer blow by the inevitable recession and, although ownership may remain tantalisingly out of reach for many, people will still want a home, so the build-to-rent market is likely to take off.

In a housing shortage of this magnitude, landlords should come into their own – filling a niche demand for those who cannot, or don’t want to, buy. It rather defies logic, therefore, for Governments – especially Holyrood – to weight the dice so heavily against them in the name of protecting tenants. This imbalance has yet to come home to roost.

Technology in construction will move briskly up the agenda as designers and planners shift their focus to sustainability and whole-life valuation of the built environment. Solar PV will become the norm on new build, where it is demonstrably the most effective.

Many people may want to reduce energy costs by installing solar on existing residential or commercial properties, but retro-fitting and supporting old roofs to accommodate panels can be very costly. And, like everything else in the world, the price of panels has soared, making them less attractive.

The skills shortage in construction and related areas is, I fear, only going to get worse. It is a sad fact that many young people are simply not interested in traditional jobs and, post-Covid, disturbing numbers of over-55s have reassessed their work life balance and walked away from full-time employment.

This is exacerbated by the fact that significant tranches of hard-working and reliable European staff have left the UK in recent years and it is anybody’s guess if they will ever come back.

We need stability and calm, and we may have it with the new Prime Minister. He will be well aware that energy supply will be the crucial factor in 2023 and will dominate both business and personal agendas.

 

 

/0 Comments/by

REGIONS HOUSE BUILDING ON TARGET, BUT GREEN BELT FEARS

Housebuilding in the West Midlands has surpassed pre-Covid levels with almost 17,000 homes being built in the region within 12 months, figures show.Government data has revealed in the year to March 2022 there were 16,730 additional homes – 203 more than in the year to March 2020.

It means the region is on track to meet the 215,000 new homes target it requires by 2031 to help meet future housing and economic needs.

But it has in turn led to fears growing once more for the region’s precious green belt land.

However West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, chairman of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), has assured residents he is doing all he can to ensure more brownfield sites are utilised for housing rather than having to sacrifice countryside.

He said: “To see house building return to pre-pandemic levels across our region is welcome news, especially for the thousands of people working in the construction industry.“But it also vindicates our decision to carry on investing to regenerate more brownfield sites. That refusal to take our foot off the pedal succeeded in keeping projects moving has provided much-needed market confidence at a time of great uncertainty.”It comes as the region’s councils are all now drawing up their own plans on how to meet housing targets after the Black Country Plan fell through due to disagreements over which green belt to include.Dudley Council leader Councillor Patrick Harley was the first to pull out of the region-wide plan saying that he would not sacrifice the borough’s green belt for others.

‘We will not let up on building houses but in the right places’

Leaders have promised there will be “no let-up” in the drive to build homes across the region where they are needed most – and ease pressure on the green belt.

Chiefs from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) made the pledge as they look to continue targeting more disused brownfield land for development.

It comes after a string of sites were remediated and transformed – including the former Harvestime bread factory in Walsall, which has been turned into 88 homes.

The move has helped alleviate pressure on the green belt as housebuilding continues to ramp up in the region.

Councillor Mike Bird, WMCA portfolio holder for housing, property and regeneration and leader of Walsall Council, is determined to keep on building homes.He said: “Despite these encouraging new figures there will be no let-up in our drive to build new homes and communities where they are needed most.“Brownfield regeneration to provide good quality, affordable homes for local people and modern workspaces for businesses to grow, prosper and create new jobs remains a key part of our Plan for Growth strategy which is aimed at building a sustainable and inclusive economic recovery.”The spin-off from this ‘brownfield first’ approach and our drive for new, energy efficient housing is that it supports our #WM2041 ambition to be a net zero region within the next two decades and helps protect our natural environment by relieving pressure to develop in the Green Belt.”Councillor Bird believes there needs to be more help from Whitehall if house building targets are going to be met in coming years.He said: “That’s why more funding and powers for regeneration are a key component in our on-going talks with Government around a new trailblazing devolution deal for the region.”

Since signing a landmark housing deal with Government in 2018, WMCA investments alone have delivered more than 8,000 new homes, 12,000 new jobs and 3.8 million sq ft of commercial floorspace – using the £600 million from ministers to drive the sector forward.

Work to remediate land has allowed developers to take on the land, but in return they must make a minimum 20 per cent of the new homes affordable as per the WMCA’s own definition – linked to real world local wages, rather than property prices.”

Several major housebuilding developments are well underway in the Black Country.

Nearly £4 million was secured to pave the way for Lovells to build 234 homes on the site of an old foundry in Fountain Lane, Oldbury And £1.5m has been earmarked for the Vistry Partnerships transformation of the former Harvestime bread factory in Walsall into a new 88 homes community

Developers also celebrating the completion of the 151 home Saints Quarter development by Lovells on derelict land in Steelhouse Lane, Wolverhampton

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, wants homes build on brownfield sites and attract new industries to provide jobs for new residents.He said: “As we bounce back from Covid and seek to supercharge our recovery, a key mission for our region is to meet the demand from local residents for new, affordable housing as well as for modern commercial premises for local firms to move into and expand from.“We have set ourselves the target of building 215,000 new homes across the West Midlands by 2031 and we are also encouraging green, innovative industries to set up here to help attract the high quality, well-paid jobs of the future.“Our results on the ground clearly show that the Government was right to place its confidence in our region to get this done. Not only are we on track with housebuilding, our brownfield first regeneration approach is also bringing acres of derelict industrial land back into use whilst helping to protect our precious green belt – with the WMCA making use of money secured from the Government to clean up, accelerate and unlock brownfield sites.”

He added: “It’s especially impressive that we have achieved these numbers despite the challenges of lockdown and it’s a testament to the hard work of WMCA colleagues and a whole host of stakeholders and partners that we have got here.”

Source: Express & Star

/0 Comments/by

Successful applicants for LGA’s Housing Advisers Programme announced

Twenty-one councils have been successful in their applications for the Local Government Association’s 2022/23 Housing Advisers Programme (HAP), an innovative scheme to help councils overcome housing challenges in their local areas.

The programme funds the provision of independent expertise for councils undertaking specific projects to tackle the effects of the affordable housing crisis in local communities – including on housing delivery, planning for homes, and reducing homelessness.

In the previous five years of the programme, the LGA has supported more than 150 projects across England, helping councils build homes, reduce homelessness and rough sleeping, plan for ageing populations, understand the student housing market, increase supply of modular housing and more.

The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, has awarded up to £20,000 to each project for the purpose of securing expert advice to drive forward locally led solutions to housing challenges.

The projects include innovative approaches to support green retrofit, exploring the potential of modern methods of construction (MMC) to provide temporary accommodation, working with disabled people to improving the accessibility and inclusivity of new developments and support to help councils deliver more local homes in challenging times.

Following the programme, knowledge and expertise learnt and developed will be shared with other councils and become part of the LGA’s sector-led improvement offer.

 

Cllr David Renard, LGA housing spokesperson, said:

“We are delighted to announce the successful applicants of the latest round of the Housing Advisers Programme.

“The Housing Advisers Programme is an important part of the LGA’s sector-led improvement offer, working in partnership with central government to empower councils to meet their local challenges. HAP has delivered huge benefits to councils since it was first launched, helping local areas address the challenges of the housing crisis.

“It has proven an excellent source of knowledge and expertise for councils, sharing innovative ideas and ways to improve, whether it’s building new homes, tackling homelessness or planning thriving and flourishing places and economies.”

/0 Comments/by