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Solar farm planning applications almost double with subsidy cuts looming

Planning applications for solar farms have soared since the Government announced it was consulting on plans to end subsidy schemes for solar farms that produce 5 megawatts (MW) of power or below.

The recent data, compiled by construction data experts Barbour ABI for Building magazine, shows that a record 83 applications for solar farms worth a total of £431m were put in for planning in July, 73 of which were for proposed 5MW or below solar farms.

The research goes on to show that almost two thirds of the solar projects put in for planning in July submitted their applications on or after the 22nd of the month, the day DECC launched a consultation on closing the renewables obligation (RO) for solar farms at 5MW or below in capacity.

To make a comparison, 45 applications were submitted for the entire month of June, where as 51 were submitted in just ten days between the 22nd and the 31st of July, immediately after the subsidy cut announcement.

Commenting on the figures, Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said “It was not surprising to see a flood of applicants trying to get projects in the planning pipeline immediately after the announcement of the Government’s solar subsidy clawbacks.”

“The Government’s stance on solar is that falling costs have made it easier for the industry to survive without subsidies, particularly with the drop in prices for wholesale electricity prices. “

“However the risk here is that diminishing subsidies could falter a growing industry, potentially putting it under major jeopardy. Up to 27,000 jobs are at risk over the coming years in solar alone, not mentioning other renewable technologies, if more subsidy cuts are on the way.”

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That sinking feeling when… sinkholes and construction

Sinkholes have replaced Jeremy Corbyn this week as the centre of media attention, following the opening up of a huge sinkhole in St Albans. The appearance of the massive 66ft diameter and 33ft deep hole in a suburban street resulted in several families in the surrounding area being evacuated from their homes during the night.

There are several reasons why a sinkhole may appear, both natural and manmade. Even the construction industry can be responsible for the ground disappearing from beneath our feet. Whilst there is little we can do to prevent naturally occurring sinkholes, many occurrences have actually been caused by construction-related activities such as drilling, mining, excavation, broken water or drain pipes, heavy structures built on soft soil and heavy traffic. Sinkholes can also form when the land surface is changed.

It is difficult to ascertain what exactly caused the sinkhole in St Albans; however the number of sinkholes appearing across Britain has been steadily increasing – probably even since the advent of irrigation. The drying out of the ground below through the process of abstraction or the saturation caused by a burst water pipe have been causing sinkholes for years.

Construction has undoubtedly played a part in the increase, particularly over the last 100 years. By its very nature, the built environment morphs and changes the environment around us; inadvertently redirecting water into weak points underground. These weak points get larger and more unstable until eventually pits form with almost no prior warning, swallowing cars, houses, and sometimes even people.

Sinkholes are dangerous, inconvenient and costly to repair. As you read this, work is currently underway to fix the hole in St. Albans that appeared last week. The hole will be filled with foamed concrete – a slow and expensive process that is expected to take several days. Residents of Fontmell Close, St Albans had to evacuate their homes following the sudden appearance of a gaping 10m deep hole in their street.

According to the Evening Standard, an emergency access road was created for residents to get their cars out via a playing field behind the site, and the reception centre at nearby Batchwood Sports Centre was used to yesterday and today by people wishing to shower or take shelter.

Needless to say, the cost and the upheaval created by the St Albans sinkhole is something we would all do best to avoid. Whilst natural sinkholes are inevitable and cannot be prevented, there are perhaps steps that could be taken by us as an industry to curb the manmade ones. Good practices such as regularly performing maintenance on underground water systems and plumbing, site surveys and creation of adequate drainage can help deter that sinking feeling. It’s like the old proverb says; “a stitch in time saves nine!”

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Architect Zaha Hadid storms out of BBC interview

2016 update: The amended version of Zaha Hadid’s plans have now also been scrapped in favour of a new model designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. The new design will still come with a hefty price tag of 153bn yen (£825m), however this is a drastic reduction in cost when compared to Hadid’s original design proposal, which would have cost in excess of 252bn yen – giving it the controversial accolade of being the most expensive stadium ever to be built.

Original story:

Starchitect Zaha Hadid cut an interview on BBC Radio 4 short following a disagreement with presenter Sarah Montague.

An interview intended to discuss her winning the 2016 RIBA Royal Gold Medal quickly descended into the British-Iraqi architect fiercely defending her Qatar World Cup stadium against allegations of worker deaths and denying the spiralling costs of her proposed Tokyo Olympic stadium.

Hadid has been announced as the 2016 recipient of the RIBA Royal Gold Medal, making her the first female architect to be awarded considered one of the most prestigious accolades within the profession. However, a little taken back at the questions that the BBC asked, Dame Zaha Hadid said that there had not been a “single problem in the stadium in Qatar” in response to Sarah Montague’s questions regarding the alleged 1,200 migrant worker deaths at the Al-Wakrah stadium for the 2022 football Qatar World Cup.

Zaha responded “It is absolutely untrue; there are no deaths on our site whatsoever. I sued someone in the press for it. You should check your facts.”

Last week heard reports that Zaha had made the decision not to proceed with her bid to construct the Olympic stadium in Tokyo after the scrapping of her original design, which was met with public and professional protest over the £2bn construction costs.

“I didn’t pull out of the Japanese project,” Hadid corrected, “It’s a very serious story. It’s a scandal. We won this competition three years ago, it was an international competition entered by many Japanese architects and we won it.”

The interview ended abruptly when Zaha concluded “Don’t ask me a question if you don’t want me to answer. Let’s stop this conversation right now.”

The Qatari government say that the very serious allegations of 1,200 worker deaths since the country were announced as hosts of the next world cup are categorically untrue. Others argue that the deaths are directly linked to the current construction boom as a result of the pending World Cup, and therefore deaths on projects such as infrastructure and hotels should be included when monitoring world cup fatalities. Either way, Zaha confirmed there have been no deaths on her site.

Listen to the short but heated interview below:

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Osborne urges China to invest in Northern Powerhouse

Chancellor George Osborne announced today that there are “unprecedented opportunities” for China to play their part in funding the development of a Northern Powerhouse.

The Chancellor revealed a selection of opportunities for investments worth up to £24bn at an event being held at the city of Chengdu in China. Coined the “Northern Pitchbook,” Osborne presented a series of regeneration and infrastructure investment projects to senior investors.

Some of the projects included in the Northern Pitchbook are:

  • Opening up the bidding process to build HS2 to Chinese firms and investors on Thursday, offering contracts worth £11.8bn to build the high-speed rail line.
  • Manchester Place regeneration, which consists of creating three new areas of more than 10,000 homes with a combined value of over £3bn.
  • Sheffield Retail Quarter will look to provide new homes within the city centre and also centrally located offices.
  • South Bank regeneration, which will cover over 130 hectares within Leeds city centre.

The Chancellor said “As we continue to work more closely with China, we have an unprecedented opportunity to secure significant investment into some of our most ambitious projects across our Northern Powerhouse.

“From Liverpool to Newcastle, we are opening up our doors to investment that will not only help us to grow and create jobs, but will allow us to build infrastructure to rival any region in the world.

“The North of England is already a magnet for foreign investment into the country and we’ve seen with announcements from Nissan and Hitachi into the North East recently highlighting how perfectly poised our Northern Powerhouse is to attract the eye of global companies.”

Encouraging the Chinese and British firms to work together in joint tender bids for HS2 phase one is a stark contrast to the wishes of opposing Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has vowed to renationalise the railways if he becomes Prime Minister.

Mr Corbyn said last week “We know there is overwhelming support from the British people for a People’s Railway, better and more efficient services, proper integration and fairer fares.”

“On this issue, it won’t work to have a nearly but not quite position. Labour will commit to a clear plan for a fully integrated railway in public ownership”

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Commercial & retail construction at its strongest for more than four years

The total value for commercial & retail construction contracts in August were worth more than £1.5 billion, the highest in over four years, based on a three month rolling average.

According to the latest Economic & Construction Market Review from Barbour ABI, it was a busy August for the commercial & retail sector but in particular office construction, which dominated the sector for the month with 84 per cent of the total value of contracts awarded.

To put the growth of commercial & retail contract values into perspective, the last three months have each had more than double the value when compared to that in May. August also experienced an increase of more than 70 per cent when compared to the same month last year.

London led all regions with over 60 per cent of the total amount of commercial & retail contract values in August, including eight of the top ten biggest projects. Contracts for major office developments were finalised including the £150m Park Place development in Canary Wharf and the £100m Marble Arch project in Westminster.

Commenting on the figures, Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said “After an unstable start to the year, commercial & retail construction has picked up dramatically to the point where August has been the strongest month for more than four years.”

“It’s not surprising to see London dominating the sector once again. As a global city, we’re seeing more and more demand for office space in the capital, hence the massive projects awarded contracts this month. Even with the recent spike in office construction work being put on hold, this isn’t putting off investors rolling the dice with new projects looking towards the future and the potential gains to be made from London property.”

“Over the last three months and in particular August, demonstrates that there is a major demand for office space and willingness from investors to spend and commit to new projects. The long term growth for this sector is looking positive, and when commercial & retail is strong it can often be a sign that the economy as a whole is performing well.”

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Construction of HS2 “will create 25,000 jobs,” says the Tories

The £43bn High Speed 2 project is expected to create employment opportunities to the tune of 25,000 jobs within construction, according to Transport Minister Robert Goodwill.
The minister predicted that 60% of the construction work involved in delivering a high-speed rail link between London and the North were expected to be awarded to small and mid-sized businesses.

Robert Goodwill said “We need everything from architects to aggregates, steel and surveyors, to engineers and environmental consultants.”

“We estimate that HS2 will create 25,000 jobs during construction and 3,000 jobs when in operation. Not just on site, but right across the UK.”

“The jobs that HS2 will create are an incredible opportunity for the UK, but also a major challenge. Because while we need 25,000 skilled professionals for HS2, our investment in the existing rail and road networks is creating another 20,000 jobs.”

“And that’s at the same time as we need skilled people for all our other great infrastructure projects such as flood defences, nuclear power stations and perhaps even Crossrail 2.”
“We need many more engineers, surveyors, construction workers, planners, drainage experts and even arboriculturists. So we are getting ready now. We will write into the statute book our commitment to create 3M apprenticeships by 2020, many of which will serve infrastructure.”

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Offsite ignorance must be addressed to meet housebuilding targets

Much-needed homes could be built offsite and delivered ready to be assembled in order to meet increasing demand, if there is more understanding and clarity that the approach is competitive with more traditional methods of construction.

This conclusion is drawn from new research undertaken for the Scottish Government following its challenge to industry to “transform” the way new homes are built as a means to further increase sustainability, boost the rate of supply and create export opportunities to support the drive towards a low carbon economy.

Trade body Homes for Scotland engaged its members, who together deliver 95% of new homes built for sale, in order to assess industry awareness, appetite and readiness surrounding alternative construction methods such as offsite manufactured systems.

With improved quality, sustainability and speed of construction identified as drivers for an increase in the use of offsite construction, the report found no resistance to this in principle from home builders. However, the strong perception that offsite construction is more expensive was found to be the biggest barrier. Concerns were also expressed in relation to control over programming and the capacity of the supply chain to sharply increase output.

The report proposes 11 recommendations that could help address these issues, including how to overcome the knowledge and resource gaps that exists in relation to costing and R&D.

Homes for Scotland Chief Executive Philip Hogg (right) said “With the industry’s capacity to increase production in the wake of the economic downturn currently being hampered by shortages in both skills and traditional building materials, this report is very timely and provides a useful baseline from which to explore how the increased use of offsite construction could help overcome these challenges.”

“However, any such ‘evolution’ must be demand-led and supported by a proven business case that also provides the flexibility the private sector require in delivering products to their customers.”

Minister for Housing and Welfare Margaret Burgess added “We are committed to encouraging companies to utilise offsite modern methods of construction due to the number of potential benefits including economic and export opportunities. That is why we commissioned Homes for Scotland to carry out this research and engage with industry to determine their level of interest in adopting these methods.”

“We will work with the housing industry in Scotland to encourage them to look at these opportunities. This report from Homes for Scotland showing private house builders’ perceptions represents an important step in mainstreaming these techniques.”

Click here to access the “Research into Mainstreaming Offsite Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in House Building” report. 

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Electricity pylons to be removed from protected landscapes

Plans to reduce the visual impact of electricity infrastructure in nationally protected landscapes across England and Wales have reached a new landmark, following decisions by the project’s independently chaired Stakeholder Advisory Group.

In November 2014, twelve sections of high voltage lines in eight Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) and National Parks were shortlisted as having the most significant landscape and visual impact, following a study overseen by leading landscape expert Professor Carys Swanwick.

Since then, National Grid and independent landscape consultants have done further technical work with considerable and highly detailed input from local stakeholders in each location. This has enabled the Stakeholder Advisory Group to prioritise four projects from the shortlist.

The Stakeholder Advisory Group’s decisions were made after a rigorous review of each shortlisted section of line. Members at a two-day meeting considered each project using a set of five guiding project principles from the Visual Impact Provision project’s policy.

These four projects will be taken forward over the next 12 months for detailed technical feasibility works which will include environmental studies, archaeological studies and engineering work ‘on the ground’. There will also be further significant engagement with local stakeholders and communities.

National Grid transmission lines which have been prioritised in protected landscapes are:

  • Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near Winterbourne Abbas
  • New Forest National Park near Hale
  • Peak District National Park near Dunford Bridge
  • Snowdonia National Park near Porthmadog

Using a £500 million allowance made available by Ofgem until 2021, National Grid plans to reduce the visual impact of sections of high voltage overhead lines in these locations. A range of different ways of doing this has been considered in each location.
Given the sensitive nature of these protected areas, replacing existing overhead lines with underground cables has generally proved to be the preferred option both technically and in discussion with local stakeholders.

Chris Baines, Chair of the Stakeholder Advisory Group, said “Reducing the visual impact of pylons and power lines in our most precious landscapes is highly desirable, but it is also very expensive and technically complex so we have had to make some difficult decisions. Although four schemes have been prioritised, none of the locations on our original shortlist have been dropped and they will remain under consideration for future work to reduce the impact of National Grid’s transmission lines under the Visual Impact Provision project.”

Hector Pearson, Visual Impact Provision Project Manager, National Grid, comments “This is a unique stakeholder-driven project, and it continues to represent a major opportunity to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife, cultural and environmental heritage of some Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National Parks. We will continue to work in partnership with stakeholders to not only mitigate the impact of our transmission lines in these areas but to also enhance the landscape, and deliver value for money.”

The Stakeholder Advisory Group is chaired by environmentalist, Chris Baines and comprises senior representatives from organisations including the Campaign for National Parks, Campaign to Protect Rural England, Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, Historic England, Cadw, Natural England and the National Trust. It was established to help National Grid identify which transmission lines should be prioritised to make use of the £500 million allowance.

The protected landscapes that have not been prioritised are the Brecon Beacons National Park, High Weald AONB, North Wessex Downs AONB and the Tamar Valley AONB. These locations will remain under consideration for future work using the VIP allowance.

National Grid is also set to use part of the £500 million for smaller localised visual improvement projects which can be accessed by all AONBs and National Parks with existing National Grid electricity infrastructure.

Set to be launched in the Winter, this landscape enhancement initiative will to provide up to £24 million over six years. The aim will be to reduce the visual impact of National Grid’s existing infrastructure in AONBs and National Parks and improve the related visual quality of the landscape. A range of local visual improvement projects could enhance biodiversity, benefit cultural heritage or raise awareness of natural and historic features of a landscape.

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VIDEO: Disturbing lack of health and safety in Mecca

The collapse of a Saudi crane in the holy city of Mecca that claimed the lives of over 100 people over the weekend has revealed an ugly side of the worldwide construction boom. Shocking scenes recorded by local Saudis show that health and safety is of little-to-no concern for those who are responsible for building up the ancient city.
For the last few years especially, residents of the city of Mecca have been forced to accept unrelenting construction work as Saudi leaders attempt to expand the city into a bustling metropolis envied the world over.
As development has been on the rise, so too has the number of incidents, casualties and fatalities involving construction workers and bystanders, indicating a dangerous lack of health and safety precaution within the industry.
The Executive Director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, Dr Irfan al-Alawi, commented on the crane accident and the overall issue with safety, saying “It is a tragedy what has happened, but it didn’t come as a surprise. There have been many accidents. Last the last few floors of a building being constructed right next to the clock tower caught fire and they had to call the fire engine from Taif, which is about 45 mins away, to help extinguish it.”
“There is no health and safety system in place. In London when you have construction work the public are kept away, but in Mecca machinery is deployed in areas accessible to the public. There are not enough volunteers looking to check children do not go into the dangerous areas. Even some of the engineers don’t have safety gear, helmets or gloves to wear, because it is very hot, summer time temperatures 45C.”
Amateur videos of demolition work in Mecca posted on YouTube show the sheer scale of the dangers workers and locals are being exposed to every day at the hands of a poorly managed construction industry. Take a look below, they speak volumes:

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Brandon Lewis calls on youngsters to build a career in construction

The Housing Minister called on young people to consider a construction career as he welcomed the first apprentices to a brickwork academy.

Mr Lewis said the sector was booming again thanks to government efforts to get the country building and this represented a “great opportunity to carve out a successful and well-paid career.”

The housebuilding industry was devastated by the 2008 economic crash, resulting in the loss of quarter of a million construction jobs.

However, the government has put housebuilding at the heart of its long-term economic plan, leading to a revival of the sector with housebuilding levels now double those seen in 2009.

The Housing Minister issued the rallying cry for youngsters as he attended an open day at the Hodgkinson Brickwork Academy at Derby College ahead of its official launch next week.

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said “For the last 5 years, our efforts have got Britain building. This means thousands of jobs are now up for grabs – roles that offer a great opportunity to build a successful and well-paid career.”

“The Hodgkinson Brickwork Academy is a fantastic example of how a new generation of talented, ambitious, highly skilled bricklayers can be inspired and developed – nurturing our home-grown talent and building the homes we need for years to come.”

Brickwork Academy mastermind

During the visit, Mr Lewis spoke with several new students about their ambitions and met with academy mastermind Ian Hodgkinson, who was inspired to set up the training facility because of a lack of qualified bricklayers in the area.

The father of 3 is a 30-year veteran of the construction industry, having initially trained as a builder and bricklayer before setting up a successful construction business in 1990.

Managing Director of Hodgkinson Builders, Ian Hodgkinson, said “This is a crucial area for the economy and I am absolutely delighted that the minister has taken the time to visit us and to see what we are doing here.”

“We’ve got ambitious young people seeing that a career in bricklaying and construction in general is full of rewards and it is fantastic to be working with such a forward-thinking organisation as Derby College on this academy.”

“Together we can get Britain building again and start with the ambitious young men and women who can forge a fantastic career.”

The academy, set up in partnership with Derby College, will be run at campuses in Ilkeston and the Roundhouse in Pride Park. It has already seen high demand with over 100 potential recruits attending an open day in June.

Students at the academy will benefit from individual support and mentoring from Mr Hodgkinson and his team. They will gain practical work experience and will be guaranteed an interview with his company following completion of the 1 or 2-year courses.

Derby College business development director, April Hayhurst, said “The response so far to the Hodgkinson Brick Academy has been outstanding and we are confident of a significant number of new learners joining the programme this September at both our Derby and Ilkeston campuses.”

“Our role as a college is to ensure that young people are ready for the world of work and have the skills that employers need to grow and increase their competitive edge.”

Getting Britain building

The government is committed to driving up the number of apprentices across the construction industry. Last year, more than 15,500 new construction apprenticeships started – a 14% increase on the previous year.

Housebuilding is at the heart of the government’s long-term economic plan with plans to build 275,000 new affordable homes during this parliament.

This will build on the strong performance of its previous Affordable Homes Programme, which delivered 186,000 properties between 2011 to 2015 – 16,000 more than originally planned.

In total, more than 800,000 additional homes have been provided since the end of 2009.

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