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

New Spurs stadium that costs £400m given final go-ahead

Tottenham Hotspur’s £400m, 61,000-seat stadium redevelopment plans edge closer after receiving formal permission to continue building from Haringey council.

Haringey council gave the scheme the green light after the government informed the council it would not call in the planning application.

A spokesperson for the Spurs said that the club would “work with Haringey council in respect of finalising planning processes, public sector support for the surrounding environs and transport improvements that are essential to the deliverability of the scheme.”

Mace are the main construction partner, working in conjunction with Arcadis and engineer Buro Happold. They hope that the stadium will be completed and ready for play to commence in the 2018/19 season.

     Read more: Constructing the future: Tokyo 2020
     Read more: How will brexit affect the construction industry? Two views

Leading Australian architect, Christopher Lee also designed the Emirates stadium, home of Tottenham’s rivals, Arsenal. Which stadium will be best!?

Not just a stadium

In order to get planning permission for such a large scale project, developers often have to include other things which will prove to be an asset to the surrounding community. The new Spurs stadium is of no exception; plans also include the delivery of around 600 new houses, a community health centre, a 180 bed hotel, a sports centre, and an outdoor open space for events and public use.

The news that the stadium has been green lighted follows the project receiving mayoral approval for the scheme back in February.

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Construction bosses in ‘tax scam’ warning amid calls for HMRC to investigate

Bosses at Crossrail and some of the UK’s biggest construction firms are being warned against engaging in a ‘scam’ which is aimed at dodging new tax rules introduced by HM Revenue and Customs to close tax loop holes and clamp down on ‘umbrella’ employment models.

The warning in a letter to bosses from Britain’s largest union, Unite comes after the union obtained documentation of employment business service providers continuing to offer construction firms an alternative to direct employment to reduce national insurance and employment costs by more than 25 per cent.

Unite is also calling on HMRC to investigate the scam which sees employment business service providers offering ways to side step the new supervision, direction and control test (see notes), which came into force on 6 April, by engaging skilled workers on a self-employed and ‘tax efficient’, basis.

The new ‘test’ was introduced by HMRC in part to prevent employment business service providers or ‘intermediaries’ from engaging workers through a ‘tax efficient’ ‘umbrella’ employment model.

The loophole allowed employment business service providers and employment agencies to minimise employer national insurance contributions and drive down wages by getting workers to claim tax relief on travel and subsistence to supplement their low pay.

In a presentation seen by Unite, one employment business service provider boasts of consulting with ‘highly skilled legal and financial advisors’. The firm goes on to offer a ‘status check’ on whether any skilled workers can be employed without supervision, direction or control. A move not only designed to reduce employment costs and be ‘tax efficient’, but one which Unite says could undermine health and safety and erode industry standards.

Unite national officer, Bernard McAulay said “Everything we’ve seen and heard points to a brazen attempt by employment business service providers to side step a tax loophole which was closed just last week.

“We’ve already had reports from construction workers being pressured to declare themselves self-employed and sign contracts agreeing to accept liability for any unpaid tax and national insurance should the tax man come knocking as a result of this scam.

“The reason HMRC closed this tax loophole in the first place was because employment business service providers were exploiting temporary workers by getting them to claim tax relief on travel and subsistence to top up low wages at the same as minimising employment and national insurance costs.

“This latest mutation of bogus self-employment would effectively see workers, who should be directly employed, being stripped of holiday pay and their automatic enrolment pension contributions, while allowing employers to pay no national insurance and circumvent nationally agreed rates of pay.

“We know that this ‘scam’ has been circulated throughout the construction industry and to companies on major projects, such as Crossrail by of at least one business service provider.

“Unite urges HMRC to investigate and calls on the construction industry to turn its back on ‘shady’ employment practices which are designed to bust nationally agreed rates of pay at the expense of the taxpayer.”

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A new and affordable era of sustainable living

Do you ever dream of living off-grid? We all daydream of that elusive log cabin in the mountains, a beautiful beach hut on a remote island, or a quiet cottage in a sleepy country village. Unfortunately, the initial outlay involved in getting a property like this and then adapting it for off-grid sustainability can be staggering. As such it often remains all but a pipedream for many.

Ecocapsule believe they have a solution for those on a smaller budget, offering a very real opportunity for them to finally getaway and enjoy an authentic, low-carbon life in nature.

What is the Ecocapsule?

According to their website, “the Ecocapsule is a compact mobile home which can enable off-grid living under specific conditions and in specific environments.

The Ecocapsule is an opportunity for an eco-life. It does not need to be plugged into the traditional power and water supply as it is self-sustaining and can generate both resources from the surrounding environment.”

Check it out for yourself in the video below:

Could you live in an Ecocapsule? Let us know in the comments below!
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The future looks bright for family businesses in the construction sector

Family firms across the UK are setting their sights on expansion following another hugely successful year for the sector.

New research by Oxford Economics for the Institute for Family Business (IFB) Research Foundation reveals the vast contribution family firms make to the UK economy – employing over 11.9 million people and making up 87 percent of all private sector firms in the UK.

There are now more than 800,000 family firms in the construction sector, making up almost one in five of all businesses in the industry. Family businesses also account for 94 per cent of all private sector firms in the construction sector – one of the highest concentrations in the UK.

Kate Woods, a spokeswoman from construction family business, Osborne, added: “Osborne echos the amazing and timely achievements of family businesses and this year we are excited to celebrate our 50th anniversary. We rebranded to a vibrant magenta in 2014 and we are committed to finding customer led solutions, listening to our customers and working in collaboration with their needs.”

Since 2013 family businesses have increased employment by six per cent and turnover has also seen a strong rise, increasing by two per cent to reach £1.3 trillion. In addition, family firms paid £125 billion in taxes and contributed over a quarter (26%) of the UK’s entire GDP.

Speaking about the new findings, Peter Armitage, Chairman of the IFB, said “The report sheds light on the sheer size and scale of the family business community. It’s an important reminder of how vital family-run firms are to the UK – serving as the backbone of our economy, with family firms making a phenomenal contribution across all sectors, industries and regions.

“Family businesses have always been at the very heart of the UK economy and based on the steady rise in their recruitment and turnover, it is clear they are here to stay. It’s encouraging to see family firms with such a buoyant attitude towards their future expansion – almost half of family SMEs expect to grow over the next two to three years.”

Growth and expansion is a top priority for many SME family firms with just under half (49%) stating they aim to grow over the next twelve months.

Looking to how they will turn this ambition into reality just under a half of firms (43%) say they will invest in improving the skills of their workforce to support growth, with a third (33%) planning to boost productivity through investing in new machinery and premises.

Looking beyond their traditional activities to diversify their business and customer base, 42% of family firms are planning to move into new markets and 37% are developing and launching new products and services.

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Willmott Dixon to build 1,000 ‘offsite’ homes a year

Contracting, residential development and property support business Willmott Dixon intend to future-proof their residential construction business against a worsening skills shortage.

The company currently deliver 2,000 homes each year. Their latest announcement suggests that they plan for half of these to be constructed using offsite methods and materials going forward.

By signing 3 year strategic agreements with leading suppliers of timber frame (Robertson Timber Engineering) and light-gauge steel frame systems (Fusion Building Systems), Willmott Dixon hope to drastically reduce current reliance on traditional construction methods due to rising costs and lack of skills.

Residential construction chief operating officer, Charlie Scherer says “This is an important step in our strategy to provide a high quality product that utilises all the benefits of factory-made systems while also reducing our exposure to the labour price escalation we’ve seen in recent years. We aim to be building 1,000 homes a year by 2017 using systems provided by Robertson and Fusion, with the consistent quality also aiding our zero defects strategy.”

“These two deals are the cornerstone of our ‘Capacity Building’ strategy. This is our people, engineering and technology programme that is central to counterweight the resource challenges in industry, and deliver cost-effective, sustainable build solutions for our clients.”

Tim Carey, product director for Willmott Dixon, added “If we are to address the significant capacity gap that currently exists in the construction sector, we need to think strategically about our supply chain. The selection of Robertson and Fusion will help maximise efficiencies across our projects, enabling us to deliver as many high-quality homes in as short a time frame as possible whilst ensuring they are delivered to the quality our clients deserve.”

About Willmott Dixon:

Willmott Dixon has built nearly 50,000 homes since the 1974, and operates across the South, Midlands and North, building for developers, housing associations and local authorities. The mix includes affordable, care residential, retirement villages, housing for sale and private rent, plus student accommodation. Projects vary in scale, from a standalone 90 unit care homes to multi-phase ten year estate regenerations that create a new ‘destination’ for communities.

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Constructing the future: Tokyo 2020

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For more information please visit www.futurism.com.
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Contracts on four HS2 stations up for grabs

HS2 are planning to hold a competition for architects to submit their design ideas for some major stations along the route.

The four major stations that are offered in the competition include Euston and Curzon Street in the city of Birmingham.

Expected to cost in excess of £43 billion in total, HS2 has released the initial schedule for forthcoming expenditure, which in this case will go towards design work on Euston, Old Oak Common, Birmingham Interchange and Curzon Street stations.

The architect-led designs could see the plans for Euston taken back to the drawing board after the desgins by Grimshaw were widely criticised by both Camden council and the landowner of the Euston estate, Sydney & London Properties.

A spokesman for HS2 said “The first stages of the procurement process for the main stations contracts will begin towards the end of the year.”

“We are still at the early stages of agreeing the contract arrangements and it may be different for south and north stations due to programme/complexity.”

This news follows recent controversies regarding materials supply chains. Ministers have been loudly proclaiming that it is imperative that Whitehall departments specify British steel throughout the project in a desperate bid to help save struggling steelworks, however, it has recently been discovered that the office in charge of procurement does not hold a record of how much it currently purchases. A revelation that many feel is reckless and irresponsible, given the fact that the very future of the UK’s biggest steel plant hangs in the balance after Indian owner Tata Steel announced last week it wants to sell its loss-making UK operations.

The knock on effect of this also jeopardises the future security of the Port Talbot works in South Wales, with some estimates suggesting that over 40,000 jobs are at risk, including workers and staff at businesses reliant in the plant.

HS2 continues to power forward in an attempt to reunite the North and South in terms of wealth and health. However, how much damage will it do along the way?

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Construction workers express concern over recovery of missing Didcot workers

Britain’s largest union, Unite, have today expressed increasing concern over the time it was taking to locate and recover the bodies of three missing men following the collapse of Didcot power station on 23 February.

Unite which represents workers in the construction and demolition industry said members across the industry had grown increasingly frustrated and were questioning whether the recovery team had enough resources to complete the recovery in a safe and timely manner.

Expressing its deepest sympathy and solidarity with the men’s families, the union’s national construction committee called on the authorities to ensure that construction workers’ families were never again put through the pain and heartbreak of weeks of uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones.

Commenting Unite national officer John Allott said “The thoughts and sympathies of Unite members are with the families of the three men who are still missing and who after six weeks are still seeking closure.

“Our construction and demolition members are well aware that it could be their families suffering a similar experience, which is why they are growing increasingly concerned over the time it’s taking to recover the missing men.

“They recognise that the recovery needs to be done in a safe manner, but would question the time it is taking and whether the recovery team has enough resources.

“Money should be no object, which is why Unite’s national construction committee is urging the relevant authorities to deploy all the necessary resources to ensure that the missing men are returned to their families as quickly as possible.

“The authorities must also learn the lessons to ensure these tragic events are not allowed to happen again.”

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The recession’s lost generation – the challenge of closing the graduate skills gap

Guest post from Managing Director of TDM Recruitment, Tom Morris:

At its pre-recession peak in 2008, the UK’s construction workforce was 2.58 million; a staggering amount. However even more confounding is the fact that by the end of quarter four last year, this had dropped by nearly 13 per cent to 2.25 million. The big problem is that those that were forced to leave the industry at the start of the recession have left a gaping skills gap behind them which is continuing to cause issues.

Before the recession hit, a variety of industry graduate training programmes were being run by contractors and developers in the residential sector and money was in plentiful supply. It was common practice for us to be arranging around 15 first interviews a week which now seems somewhat ridiculous given the way the industry has changed. Salaries were high and construction job openings were plentiful.

When the credit crunch hit in 2008, and the banking sector went into freefall, graduate training programmes were cut as being ‘non-core.’ They really didn’t get going again until 2013, and the old ways of actively promoting to universities to attract the best talent wasn’t until 2014.

The result was a four-year gap after the last tranche of graduates came into the industry before the crunch, and many of those arriving in 2007 and 2008 were shown the door when the recession hit. Now we are faced with an industry where those experienced late twentysomething and early thirtysomething graduates needed to team lead on projects are missing, and junior guys with perhaps only two or three years’ experience are being over promoted to fill the gap.

The worst irony is that now there is a lot of work to do to deliver on demand, particularly in the residential sector, but the new professionals aren’t there to deliver it, and many don’t want to return to the industry having been through a traumatic time in the late 2000s. At the same time there are lot of senior people who now want to step up to board level, meaning there is a excess of applicants for each position, and an oversupply of freelancers who left the industry during the recession and now command high rates and benefit from flexibility. This perfect storm has only begun to dawn on people relatively recently, but what can be done?

The way that some firms have tried to deal with this shortage in management skills is to throw money at the problem. However, it is hard to justify a £20,000 jump in salary for the same Senior Surveyor position in 12 months when the rest of the economy hasn’t kept pace. This sort of inflation-busting rise isn’t sustainable because the rest of the team is likely to want something similar and be demotivated if it isn’t given.

The construction industry had to make hard-headed commercial decisions as the recession bit into their profit margins, but some of those decisions are now coming home to roost in the form of the skills gap. Many staff were treated brutally, and some professionals with good experience are now reluctant to go back to work for the larger organisations which made large numbers of staff redundant, sometimes at very short notice.

The mind-set of candidates has changed and as a ‘sellers’ market’ employers need to be acutely aware of how. Before the recession they may have just looked at whoever was making the highest offer as salaries were very healthy, however graduates who have come into the industry since 2008 or perhaps knew people who went through a traumatic time have a different mind-set.

The experienced young candidates the sector desperately needs are much more focused on achieving genuine work-life balance and being part of an organisation with a strong set of values beyond simply making money. Recent graduates are from Generation Y and are asking employers ‘why would I want to work here?’ As the new graduate programmes will take some time to bed in, employers facing the challenge of delivering construction projects now need to be able to answer that question.

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Architect Dame Zaha Hadid has died

Famous ‘starchitect’ Dame Zaha Hadid has sadly passed away at the age of 65.

The Iraqi-born designer was the first woman to receive the Royal Institute of British Architects Gold Medal this year in recognition of her sometimes controversial but always avant-garde work.
Her designs can be found all around the world and include the London Olympic Aquatic Centre, the Riverside Museum in Scotland, Guangzhou Opera House in Guangzhou and MAXXI National Museum of the 21st Century Arts in Rome.

Official statements say that Zaha suffered a fatal heart attack on in a Miami hospital, where she was in the process of being treated for bronchitis.

We take a look back at the amazing, sometimes controversial work of an architect who has always been ahead of the curve:

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Dame Zaha Hadid was an inspirational woman, and the kind of architect one can only dream of being. – Riba president Jane Duncan

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For three decades now, she has ventured where few would dare. If Paul Klee took a line for a walk, then Zaha took the surfaces that were driven by that line out for a virtual dance. – Archigram founder Peter Cook

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She was an inspiration. Her global impact was profound and her legacy will be felt for many years to come because she shifted the culture of architecture and the way that we experience buildings. – Stirling prize winner Amanda Levete

zaha-and-her-buildingZaha quote

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