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Radical concept for temporary floating Parliament unveiled

A new temporary Houses of Parliament located on the River Thames provides a solution for the long overdue refurbishment of the historic Palace of Westminster.

International architecture, design and planning firm Gensler has unveiled a radical concept that could reduce the cost and minimise the disruption of the comprehensive refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster.

The proposed modular structure located on the River Thames could provide a flexible and secure home that helps save the British taxpayer more than £1.8 billion, based on the House Committee’s own estimates, and allows the urgent repair works to proceed.

Gensler’s design accommodates all the principle components of the current Houses of Parliament within a new structure located alongside the existing Member’s terrace. The design maintains the relationship between both Chambers and their supporting Committee Rooms. The scheme includes a dedicated new entrance from the south side of the Palace of Westminster, adjacent to Victoria Tower Gardens, with an option to enable direct access to the existing Central Lobby if required.

An essential element of the refurbishment proposals for the House of Parliament requires total decantation of the building for an estimated six years. The challenge has been to find a suitable location within Whitehall that can accommodate Parliament in an efficient and cost effective manner. This concept offers a unique opportunity to co-locate the House of Commons and the House of Lords together with all their supporting committee rooms in a purpose built structure at the centre of the Whitehall estate.

By using the River Thames, Gensler’s design creates a completely new temporary Parliament under one roof in the same world famous location in the heart of Westminster avoiding the dispersion of core parliamentary activity to multiple locations. The concept overcomes some of the initial concerns about a river location by ensuring the structure does not interrupt the navigable channel along the centre of the river. It also incorporates a number of security measures that supplement the natural defence provided by the river itself.

The design takes inspiration from the magnificent hammer-beam roof of Westminster Hall, which was commissioned by Richard II in 1393 and is the largest medieval timber roof in Northern Europe. The 250-metre-long structure would be built on a series of steel platforms and the building above would be a dramatic, high-tech, wooden-framed structure covering 8,600 square metres, which would provide all the necessary environmental and acoustic containment. The new modular structure could be built in less than three years in shipyards across the UK and floated along the Thames to be secured and assembled on the river some 10 metres from the Palace of Westminster.

Ian Mulcahey, Managing Director at Gensler, said “The concept provides a simple solution to what is a very complex problem. The challenge has been to find a location that enables all the key components of Parliament to be located together in close proximity to the wider Government estate in Whitehall. The objective has been to minimise disruption and reduce the cost of the refurbishment to the taxpayer. The Palace of Westminster is one of the most important symbols of democracy in the world. This scheme provides a powerful expression of continuity and reinforces the UK’s world-leading creative expertise.”

Duncan Swinhoe, Regional Managing Principal at Gensler, said “This not only provides a fitting short-term solution to the relocation issue it also provides some exciting long-term opportunities. Once the refurbishment of the Palace is complete, the modular structure could be relocated and adapted to provide a permanent legacy such as a Museum for Democracy or alternatively a new parliament for an emerging overseas democracy.”

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VIDEO: A fully-functioning steel hot mill model made from Lego

Tata Steel mechanical engineer Scott Harwood has singlehandedly built an entire steel hot mill model using Lego blocks. The full-functioning model rolls cardboard instead of steel but operates in exactly the same way as a full scale mill.

Check out the amazing model in the video below:

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We must build 2,000+ schools by 2020 to meet demand

More than 2,000 new schools must be built within the next four years to accommodate the rising number of primary and secondary pupils in England, according to Scape Group’s latest ‘School Places Challenge’ report.

The research has revealed that local authorities are expecting an additional 729,000 pupils in education by 2020 – a rise of 8.6% in primary school pupils and 12% in secondary school pupils in England alone. To tackle this increase, the equivalent of two new schools must be created each working day.

London, the South East and East of England are experiencing the highest growth with more than 375,000 additional primary and secondary pupils expected to be added to the registers in four years’ time.

Of the total 2,122 new schools needed, the equivalent of 12,209 primary classrooms and 12,078 secondary classrooms, London requires 507 new schools. The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham will see the biggest increase in pupil numbers, requiring a total of 28 new schools, followed by Lambeth, Newham and Greenwich, which need 21, 37 and 25 new schools built, respectively.

Outside of London, the Northern Powerhouse city of Manchester will see numbers rise to almost 19,000 extra primary and secondary pupils by 2020 – a 27% increase that will require the equivalent of 57 new schools. Rapid growth in the cities of Bristol, Peterborough, Milton Keynes, Leicester and Nottingham will also mean that new schools will become highly sought-after should the necessary amount not be built in time.

Mark Robinson, Scape Group Chief Executive comments: “As the growth of the primary school population gathers pace, the pressure on school places will soon transfer to the secondary population, requiring a new wave of advanced school building. The government’s preference for free schools has created uncertainty for local authorities, who are tasked with planning and building new schools, but will not be responsible for running them. Proposals for new grammar schools has further muddied the waters.”

Leaving the EU could have a profound effect on the UK population – we could see a short term surge in migration from Europe or a drop off in numbers if migrants are put off coming here. It is very difficult to predict what impact Brexit will ultimately have, putting even more pressure on local authorities who are planning how and where to prioritise school-building.

“In a post-Brexit economy, with all of the uncertainty this brings, the construction of new schools must be a top priority for government and local authorities must be given the tools and funding necessary to deliver extra places in time. Creative solutions including standardised design, classroom extensions and larger ‘super-schools’, as well as more effective use of land to deliver mixed-use developments, are all options we need to look at to deliver more new schools.”

Download the full report here.
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£5bn Government injection to help small builders

At the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham this week, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor Philip Hammond revealed that the government are planning to make new money available for builders in the UK.

This will consist of a £2bn Accelerated Construction scheme to make publicly-owned brownfield land available for quick development and the already announced £3bn Home Builders Fund, which seeks to help fund the development of 25,500 homes by 2020.

How it will work

The intention of the new funding is to provide short-term loans for small builders, which will be borrowed from the public sector. This will help them build quicker as public land will be made available with outline planning permission already available to them and money will enable them to undertake any required remediation work on the brownfield sites prior to construction starting.

The ministers are also urge builders to use modular technologies to meet housing demand, as it will shorten the delivery time.

Redevelopment

At the conference the ministers also confirmed that they are also pushing ahead with allowing office blocks to be repurposed or replaced entirely with residential developments. This alone has the potential to create 4,000 homes by the start of 2022.

Chancellor Philip Hammond commented: “There has been a housing shortage in this country for decades, and this Government is determined to take action to tackle it. “We’ll use all the tools at our disposal to accelerate housebuilding and ensure that, over time, housing becomes more affordable. That is why we are committing £2 billion of additional investment towards this.”

Sajid Javid concluded: “Tackling the housing shortfall isn’t about political expediency. It’s a moral duty. And it’s one that falls on all of us. Not just in Parliament, but in business, in local government and in our communities. So my message today is clear: it’s time to get building.”

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Good and bad news for construction last month

After more than two months since the Brexit vote, it’s good news for the residential construction sector, as the value of contracts awarded reached £1.7 billion in August, an increase of 13% compared to the same time last year, based on a three month rolling average.

According to the August edition of the Economic & Construction Market Review from industry analysts Barbour ABI, it was the residential and infrastructure sector that kept the industry on a steady pace last month, delivering £3 billion of the £5.5 billion total construction contracts awarded.

It should also be noted that residential construction across the first two post-Brexit months (July & August) are significantly higher figures than when compared to the same months in 2015.

However even with the strong results from the residential sector, it was not enough to mark an improvement for overall construction new orders as they were down to £5.5 billion in August, a month-on-month drop of £300 million, although this is traditionally a slower summer month.

The commercial & retail sector particularly struggled in August, experiencing a decrease of 43% compared to August 2015, which continues a poor run of performance over the long term for the sector.

Commenting on the figures, Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said: “The construction sector is yet to experience the full post-Brexit effects that were forecasted to occur after the result was announced. The mixed results from the residential sector has still been robust enough to keep the industry in a position to potentially grow in the near and long-term future.

“Developers are also keen to keep progressing with major projects, such as the £750 million Galloper offshore wind farm and the £150 million Greenwich Peninsula residential development commissioned this month alone, which in turn is helping to build confidence and provide a well needed boost across the industry.”

Read the full report here.
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Willmott Dixon unveils modular prison suite concept

Bigger ‘all in one’ premises developed following recent custody suites we’ve built in Newcastle, Sheffield, Birmingham and South Wales.

Willmott Dixon is launching a range of pre-designed custodial facilities that give police forces more options as they look to roll out a new generation of larger custody suites to replace outdated facilities.

Police forces are investing millions in moving to larger custody suites to create better working environments for staff and detainees and provide more efficient use of property that will save millions in running costs each year. This includes Willmott Dixon recently delivering 50+ cell custody suites for police forces in South Yorkshire, South Wales, Newcastle and West Midlands.
In the case of South Yorkshire, the police force expects its new purpose-built 50 cell centre in Sheffield to replace inefficient custody suites in Rotherham and Sheffield and save £1.2 million a year in running costs. Likewise, West Midlands Police expects its new 60 cell Central Custody Suite in Perry Bar to save the force £1.3 million per year.

To support the move to a new generation of modern, energy efficient custody suites, Willmott Dixon has developed a standardised offering called CODE with a range of pre-designed custody suites to suit different police force budgets and requirements. CODE models have been designed in partnership with NORR Architects, our supply chain partners, the Home Office and over 20 different police forces to tackle issues such as minimising the risk of detainee injury, increasing security of evidence and providing a better working environment that is more efficient and sustainable.

CODE has three models; Alpha providing up to 28 cells, Bravo up to 36 cells and Charlie for forces that require more than 36 cells; police forces can also completely customise their suite to ensure it meets their individual needs. All CODE projects are delivered with a fixed cost, timescale, quality and minimum risk; they also provide significant social value and community engagement commitments, a defining factor of Willmott Dixon projects.

It follows the success of the Sunesis standardised school concept developed with Scape Group that has seen over 25 primary schools built in three years across the country providing over 9,000 new places for a fixed cost and time scale.

CODE custody suites can also be procured through the Scape National Major Works framework, an OJEU-compliant procurement route that allows customers to engage directly with Willmott Dixon and reduce the time and resources spent on a lengthy tender process.

Anthony Dillon, managing director at Willmott Dixon Construction: “CODE has been developed with expert partners NORR architects, the UKs most experienced custody design practice and also in conjunction with the Home Office to produce standardised designs we are truly proud of. There are many pressures facing our police forces today and we are delighted to be able to play our part in supporting them by providing the most advanced modern facilities that are also economically efficient.”

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Housebuilders say Government New Housing Figures are unrealistic

74 per cent of housebuilders think the government’s aim of building a million homes during the current parliament is unachievable – so the latest survey run by the Build Show, as part of UK Construction Week, and Housebuilder magazine reveals.

Targeted solely at housebuilders, the survey has highlighted a number of strong opinions, concerns and predictions held within the industry about the future of this critical sector. Following the question on the government’s targets, housebuilders were asked what they thought were the main constraints to increasing the UK housing supply – the top two answers given were problems with the planning system and the availability of enough skilled labour.

As one of the first canvases of the sector since the EU referendum, the survey has provided a valuable insight into how the industry feels about the affects it might have. Over half of those surveyed said that Brexit would make meeting the UK’s new housing needs more difficult and only 11 per cent saying it would make it easier.

Equally, those surveyed were cynical of government initiatives such as the Starter Home scheme with two thirds saying it will not boost supply or that they’re unsure. Similarly, only 40 per cent believed that government initiatives would increase the number of affordable homes being built.

When asked about the possible solutions to the UK’s housing needs, 64 per cent of housebuilders felt that SMEs were the key. Also identified was offsite construction with over two thirds of respondents saying it would play a major role in new home supply as was new investment models with over 75 per cent highlighting the contribution they could make.

Nathan Garnett, Event Director for the Build Show, commented: “The survey has provided valuable honest insight into the housebuilding sector and clearly indicates that there is a lot of uncertainty. In this regard, the show in October will offer a much needed opportunity to develop strategy and build stronger business relationships with key customers, peers and associations. Excitingly, the sector also sees a lot of potential in SME builders and we do too. There will be a wide variety of content suited to both national and SME housebuilders at the show to help them overcome the hurdles they currently face.”

Some of the other notable findings from the survey include:

  • One third of housebuilders believe the government should do more to encourage more people into the industry
  • More than 60 per cent of those surveyed do not believe the private sector is capable of building enough homes to tackle the lack of UK supply
  • According to housebuilders, access to finance is the biggest barrier for SMEs, followed by the planning system
  • Almost two thirds of housebuilders believe that manufacturer innovation will play a key role in new home supply
  • When asked what would be the one thing that would help them build more houses, the top five answers from those surveyed were: improvements to the planning system, more investment and access to funding, more skilled labour, increase in land supply and innovation such as offsite construction methods

Taking place at the Birmingham NEC from 18 – 20 October, UK Construction Week combines nine shows in one location. With over 24,000 trade visitors last year – a figure expected to double at this year’s event – the show boasts over 650 exhibitors. Visitors are able to attend Timber Expo, the Build Show, Civils Expo, the Surface and Materials Show, Energy 2016, Plant & Machinery Live, HVAC 2016, Smart Buildings 2016 and Grand Designs Live.

For more information, booking enquiries or to register for free to attend, please visit www.buildshow.co.uk or follow @BuildShow on Twitter.
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Without skilled migrant workers the UK faces construction crisis, warns experts

Secure post-Brexit access to a skilled workforce or risk a construction crisis, professional bodies warn Government Brexit Minister, David Davis has been warned that the UK’s construction skills crisis could severely worsen, if the Government does not take steps to ensure access to a skilled workforce during its post-referendum negotiations.

The warning comes from a coalition of professional bodies representing the construction and built environment sectors. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) have written to the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, outlining their concerns around skills, as well as five other priorities that the UK Government should focus on in light of the UK’s Brexit vote.

The six priorities are:

Access to skills

The greatest strength of our sector is the skill of our workforce. The free movement of labour within the EU has been vital to the growth and flexibility)of the construction sector. Access to a skilled workforce of the highest quality and a focus on developing the next generation of home-grown talent are critical to ensure we can build the homes businesses and infrastructure we need to compete globally. We therefore urge the Government to explore options and approaches to ensure that this access is not impeded to the detriment of the built environment.

Common standards

We believe that the UK has much to gain from pursuing an approach that makes it easier to do business with trading partners new and old. Access to markets in the EU and around the world has transformed the UK construction sector. The mutual recognition of qualifications and the development of common technical standards have reduced the barriers our members face working abroad. Reducing tariffs and harmonising standards have helped UK firms of all sizes expand to Europe and beyond. These common approaches have also meant that UK businesses can support best-practice in environmental and product standards, supporting efforts on global issues such as climate change. It is imperative that governments in the UK protect and promote the UK’s role as a leader in environmental and consumer protection standards.

Research excellence

Our members have benefitted from the collaborative research that the EU has enabled and promoted. Our future success depends on maintaining these relationships, while forging new ties with research organisations around the world. In addition the continued success of our world class university courses training our young people in the built environment is essential to the underpinning of research and the continued supply of labour for construction and allied activities.

Infrastructure investment

The UK’s global competitiveness will be hampered unless we do more to tackle the major infrastructure challenges we face. With a housing crisis, and growing concerns around energy, telecoms, road, rail and airport capacity, the Governments in the UK must seek and entice prospective investors to consider infrastructure of all kinds. Providing confidence to the construction industry through infrastructure funding and development will provide stability during a period of uncertainty and ensure that the UK is well-placed to take advantage of growth opportunities in the future.

Devolution commitment

The referendum has brought divide between the different parts of the UK into sharp focus. Our organisations welcome the recent commitment to continuing the Northern Powerhouse and we believe that further devolution from Whitehall should be a key priority for the UK government as powers move from the European Commission. Devolution will enable a rebalancing of the economy so that all parts of the UK can benefit from any new opportunities arising from the UK’s new relationship with the European Union, and is an effective way of ensuring infrastructure spending is efficient, timely, coordinated and accountable.

Community development

Through the extensive skills and experience of our members we are best-placed to advise on how the built environment can unlock new opportunities and combat existing challenges, as well as provide places for people to live, work and play. Leaving the EU could present a great opportunity for the UK, but it should not be associated with a drive to the bottom in the environmental and building standards which future generations will live with.

RICS President, Amanda Clack FRICS, said “Recent RICS figures have shown that we are in the grip of our worst construction skills crisis in almost 20 years. There is a real concern within our industry that if access to a skilled workforce is further restricted, Britain could stop building. My colleagues and I would urge Government to keep this at the front of their minds when they come to negotiate our withdrawal from the EU.

“We know that infrastructure and construction investment is key to Britain’s economic growth. The uncertainty that immediately followed the referendum outcome led to decline in economic growth, increased market volatility and a reduction in UK infrastructure investment.

“While the initial post-Brexit slump appears to have stabilised, it is important that the Government focuses on maintaining infrastructure and construction investment leading up to and after Brexit, ensuring the right conditions are in place to attract infrastructure investors in all sectors across the UK.

“As we approach an unprecedented period of uncertainty, it is fundamental the government prioritises infrastructure and it remains at the forefront of maintaining a strong economy.”

RIBA President Jane Duncan commented “UK architecture, surveying, town planning and construction are flexible and innovative professions. I’m confident our members can help deliver strong economic growth in the UK, providing the buildings and infrastructure that meet the needs of our communities.

“With the right actions taken from the Government to address our industries joint priorities, we can tackle the challenges and exploit the opportunities that Brexit will bring. But unless we fix the housing crisis and address the economic imbalances in our economy, the UK won’t be in a position to compete internationally.”

Stephen Wilkinson, Vice President of the Royal Town Planning Institute, concluded “The UK is a world leader in environmental and building standards and in the professions which are involved in them. UK’s town planning expertise and university courses are among the most sought after in the world. Leaving the EU could present a great opportunity for the UK, but it should not be associated with a drive to the bottom in the environmental and building standards which future generations will live with.”

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How your 5p Tesco bag could help young people into a career in construction

The Construction Youth Trust is calling out for votes to take a share of Tesco’s £12.5M Bags of Help initiative.

Construction Youth Trust, a charity working with young people who are interested in a career in construction, is in the bidding to bag a significant cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative, which from the 5p bag levy, has raised grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000.

Tesco have teamed up with Groundwork on the initiative, selecting three groups in each of its 416 regions. Shoppers are being encouraged to vote instore for who they think should take the top grant.

Construction Youth Trust works with young people ages 14-30, to help them overcome barriers and access employment opportunities within the construction industry. The trust works with individuals who may have challenging backgrounds such as care leavers, those who have been out of employment for a long time, and those who may not be aware of the opportunities available in the industry. It allows people to find out more information, meet employers in the industry and take part in informative and practical courses.

Jemma Bridgeman, Wales Manager at Construction Youth Trust commented: “We are so grateful to Tesco’s Bags of Help for funding our project – we are planning to build a sensory garden. Not only will young people learn construction to help them gain employment, they will learn about the disabilities some people face and how design can help people with disabilities such as sight loss enjoy a beautiful garden”.

This is the second round of the Bags of Help initiative, with the first round seeing eight million shoppers vote in stores all across the country.

Lindsey Crompton, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “The first round of the Bags of Help initiative was a fantastic success.

“In total 1,170 community groups were awarded £8,000, £10,000 or £12,000 – that’s a massive £11.7 million being invested into local projects.

“We are already seeing some great results from groups transforming their own environmental and greenspace areas.

“We are absolutely delighted to open the voting for round two. There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see them come to life in hundreds of communities.”

Voting is open from 26 September – 9 October, with customers voting with a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they purchase a bag.

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Industry expert appointed as a Non-executive Director

Titon Holdings Plc, a leading manufacturer and supplier of ventilation systems and window and door hardware, is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Sargeant as a Non-executive Director with effect from 1 September 2016.

Kevin is a well-known and respected figure in the ventilation industry. He joined Vent-Axia, a subsidiary of Smith Industries PLC, in 1990 and was instrumental in its growth and development until 2002 when Volution Holdings plc – including Vent-Axia – was created.

In the same year, Kevin led the buyout of Volution Holdings and became CEO of the newly formed and named Volution Group plc until its sale to Towerbrook Private Equity and management in 2012.

Since then, he has held many senior strategic development roles with major players in the ventilation sector and was Non-executive Chairman of Nuaire Ltd from November 2013 until its sale to Polypipe PLC in August 2015. Kevin qualified as a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in 1980.

Keith Ritchie, Executive Chairman of Titon Holdings, said: “I am truly delighted to welcome Kevin to Titon. He is widely recognised as an expert in the ventilation sector and I believe that his valuable experience and insight will help us in enacting our strategy for growth and market penetration. He knows where we sell, at home and around the World, and he knows the industry participants – and this will benefit us greatly too.”

For more information, please visit www.titon.co.uk.
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