Stockport plans £500m hospital on Debenhams site
Stockport NHS Trust has announced it will be bidding for Stockport to have one of the 40 new hospitals to be built as part of a £3.7 bn Government programme.
The New Hospitals Programme aims to build 40 new hospitals by 2030. Thirty-two have already been announced and the Government is now looking for a further eight projects.,
Karen James, chief executive of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said Stockport would bid to be one of these last eight.
“Stepping Hill Hospital is an ageing hospital that was not designed to deliver modern acute services and we are also facing a £95m maintenance bill.
“But even if we had the funds available to carry out all the work needed, it still would not provide the modern hospital environment patients and staff deserve.”
While the final design will influence the cost of any new build, it is estimated the Government would need to invest around £500m in the creation of a new hospital for the people of Stockport and surrounding areas.
With no room on the existing site to build a new hospital, the Trust has been working with Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council to identify possible alternative sites and is currently looking at an area of the town centre that incorporates the Heaton Lane multi-storey car park and former Debenhams store.
James said: “While a number of NHS organisations across the country will also be bidding to be part of the New Hospitals Programme, it is hoped that Stockport’s plan will stand out due to the town centre site which would tie into the Government’s levelling up agenda.”
James added: “Securing the funding and then designing and building a new hospital is not a quick process.
“It could take seven to eight years before we open a new state-of-the-art building, but a new hospital is very much part of our medium to long term strategy for the future of local health and care in Stockport and surrounding areas.”
Cleveland Bridge to close as hunt for buyer fails
Attempts have failed to find a buyer to run collapsed steelwork contractor Cleveland Bridge UK as a going concern.
Administrators from insolvency practice FRP have given up hope of salvaging the business and today announced they will now proceed with a property and assets sale leading to the liquidation of the historic bridge builder.
Redundancies will also now start among the remaining 133 staff as resumed production winds down altogether over two weeks.
FRP said 104 staff were currently working on site, while a further 29 employees were furloughed.
Administrators had always been hopeful of finding a buyer to save the business, which collpased on 22 July.
On 9 August, production was restarted after terms were agreed with customers, giving the remaining workforce a glimmer of hope that their jobs could be saved.
But despite talks with several interested parties from across the globe, seven weeks of searching and talks ultimately proved fruitless.
Martyn Pullin, Partner at FRP, said: “We have worked tirelessly in the hope of finding a buyer who would continue to operate Cleveland Bridge as a going concern, running a thorough and extensive sales process.
“However, with no current viable offers remaining to take the business on, we must now prepare for a property and asset sale.
“Regrettably, production will finally end on site later this month. Our specialist employment team will continue to work closely with the staff, their representatives, Unions and the council to support all the workers through what we know has been an extremely challenging time.”
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J S Wright lands £6m Soho Wharf package
Building services provider J S Wright has secured a £6m contract to help turn a derelict canal-side site in Birmingham into a quality residential-led development.
The mechanical and electrical specialist, which is based Aston and has an office in London, will install the mechanical infrastructure services and fit out all 650 apartments at the 117-acre Soho Wharf scheme at Soho Loop on the city’s Main Line Canal, opposite Birmingham City Hospital.
The £165m regeneration project is being driven by joint venture partners Galliard Homes and Apsley House Capital with the aim of transforming the former industrial site to attractive new apartments and townhouses, commercial space, and parks and gardens.
J S Wright will install a boosted cold-water plantroom with distribution pipework to all six blocks on the development, which will range from six to 14 storeys including retail and parking space.
In addition, the shell and core works involve installing soil and wastewater services, internal rainwater services, and dry risers for firefighting.
The company will also fit out all the one and two-bedroom apartments on the scheme with hot and cold-water services as well as soil and waste services.
The contract package for the apartments also includes installing domestic sprinklers and both heat recovery and extract ventilation systems.
Work has already commenced on the project with completion scheduled for summer 2023
Phil Leech, Managing Director of J S Wright, said: “With Birmingham undergoing a similar regeneration to London, it is a testament to our expertise that we have been appointed yet again to help deliver many more quality apartments in our home city.”
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World’s first graphene highways resurfacing trials starts
National Highways will be live testing the use of wonder material graphene for road surfacing to see if it prolongs the lifespan of busy roads.
Engineers believe using the one atom thick product could see the operational life of key road features extended by several years, reducing the frequency of roadworks and making journeys for road users smoother and more reliable.
The revolutionary resurfacing will take place along three miles of the northbound carriageway between Newton on the Moor and West Cawledge, south of Alnwick, from Sunday 19 September to Monday 1 November.
National Highways Asset Needs Manager Graeme Watt said: “Laboratory trials have been a success and the on-site trials in Northumberland will be a world-first use of graphene in road production.
“Graphene’s benefits are industry-changing. It’s stronger than steel and adding it to other materials can turn them into super materials. From what we’ve seen so far, it could make some of our assets last significantly longer.”
National Highways is carrying out the trials with the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) at The University of Manchester and Pavement Testing Services (PTS).
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Homes England names 66 firms as preferred partners – list
Homes England has selected a mix of 66 contractors, house builders and housing associations for its new Delivery Partner dynamic purchasing system.
This new system replaces the Delivery Partner Panel 3, transforming the way Homes England procures house builders and disposes of land.
Switching to a dynamic purchasing system means that house builders and contractors can now apply to join the agency’s list of preferred developers at any time, rather than having to wait until the list is renewed once every four years.
It marks the biggest DPS of its kind, and, valued at £20bn, and is Homes England’s largest procurement exercise to date.
Previous delivery panel partners including national contractors like Kier, Laing O’Rourke and Mace have dropped out, although they could now apply for inclusion at any time.
The new line-up includes 24 SMEs far more small firm’s than the previous delivery panel.
Homes England delivery partner DPSBDW TradingJohn Graham ConstructionRowlinson ConstructionsBellway HomesKeepmoat HomesRP Tyson ConstructionBromford Housing GroupKingswood HomesSanctuary Housing AssociationBugler DevelopmentsLindum GroupSeddon ConstructionCastle Green HomesLioncourt HomesSigma HomesClaritas PSP ConsortiaLondon Square PartnersSt Modwen DevelopmentsCountryside PropertiesLonghurst GroupStewart Milne HomesCrest NicholsonLovell PartnershipsStonewood PartnershipsCrossfield LivingMcDermott HomesStory HomesDeeley GroupMcLaren ConstructionStrata HomesDevonshire HomesMercer Building SolutionsTaylor French DevelopmentsDurkanMidas ConstructionTaylor WimpeyEDAROTHMorris HomesTermrim ConstructionEG Carter & CoMulalley & CompanyThirteenENGIE RegenerationMulberry HomesTilia HomesEric Wright GroupMuse DevelopmentsTolent ConstructionEsh ConstructionNorthstone DevelopmentUnited Living (South)Feltham ConstructionOptivoVistry PartnershipsHighwood GroupPersimmon HomesWates ConstructionHill HoldingsPlaces for People GroupWestridge ConstructionJ. Harper & SonsPlatform Housing GroupWiggett ConstructionJessupRobert WoodheadWillmott Dixon Construction
The Delivery Partner DPS will also be available to Homes England’s public sector partners to help them procure a developer or contractor to build homes on sites they own.
Stephen Kinsella, Chief Land and Development Officer at Homes England, said: “This marks a significant step forward in the way we work with developers to build homes.
“We’ve also simplified the application process, so whether you’re a large, nationwide housebuilder, or a small local developer, it will be easier for you to access land you want to build on.
We encourage all housebuilders interested in working with us to monitor our recently updated Land Hub, and apply to join the DPS when they see a site of interest.”
The application process is proportionate, and depends on the size of the sites that a developer wishes to bid for, making it more accessible for smaller developers.
In addition, during the application process house builders can express interest in the locations and types of sites they want to develop.
Homes England has a number of sites that it is planning to issue expressions of interest for via the DPS in the coming months.
This includes a 14-acre site on Homes England’s Northern Arc scheme in Burgess Hill, which will support around 350 homes, 30% of which will be affordable homes. The site will be divided into two or three sub plots, making it particularly suited to SME developers.
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Another site soon to be marketed via the DPS is in Cradley Heath, Dudley. Over the last couple of years Homes England has cleared disused industrial buildings from the site, and it now has outline planning permission for 89 homes.
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Married directors banned for shafting subcontractors
A married couple of construction directors from Telford have been banned for nine years each after diverting over £124,000 away from creditors.
Jane Thornton, 54, and Norman Thornton, 65, were both directors of the construction company Norjan (Properties) Limited, which went into liquidation in July 2020 with liabilities of over £411,000.
The Liquidator discovered that Norjan had informed its major client to direct payments into a new bank account from January 2020. This account belonged to a third party and over £124,000 was paid into it between February 2020 and April 2020.
The subsequent Insolvency Service investigation also established that the company had been trading while insolvent from at least 31 July 2017, and had an outstanding County Court Judgement of nearly £34,500.
Both Jane and Norman Thornton accepted that by diverting funds to the new account, they left the business unable to repay its creditors.
The Secretary of State accepted signed undertakings from both directors on 19 August 2021. Their disqualifications are effective from 9 September 2021 and last for 9 years each.
The pair cannot, directly or indirectly, be involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company without the permission of the court.
Nina Cassar, Chief Investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “In December 2019, Mr Thornton told bailiffs that Norjan (Properties) Limited didn’t have any funds to pay its debts. Then, with knowledge of the financial position, over £124,000 was placed out of the reach of creditors.
“This ban should serve as a warning to other directors that you have a duty to your creditors. If you neglect this duty, you could be investigated by the Insolvency Service and lose the privilege of limited liability trading.”
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Equans wins £31m low-carbon Liverpool scheme
Equans, the new name for Engie’s services-led operation, has signed a £31m contract to build a 10-storey, low-carbon development in Liverpool City Centre for the Home Group.
Located on the site of the former TJ Hughes department store, Equans will construct 258 flats with ground floor retail and commercial space.
The scheme will comprise of 144 one-bedroom properties, 99 two-bedroom and 15 studio apartments – all available for private rent.
Equans has worked alongside UK Land & Property to assist with the specification and build feasibility.
All units are designed to achieve a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of B, utilising a full sustainability strategy, which includes low-carbon electrical solution with supporting energy-efficiency features.
Tim Wood, Regional Managing Director at Equans UK & Ireland (North West), said: “Home Group is a long-standing partner of Equans and it’s been great to bring our expertise in delivering net zero carbon solutions to the table.”
Work is due to begin on the scheme in late 2021.
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Strike threat by cement drivers adds to materials woes
Lorry drivers employed by Hanson on the Castle Cement contract are holding a strike ballot in a dispute over pay.
The 200 plus lorry drivers and engineers, who are members of Unite, have rejected a pay offer of 2.5% for this year.
Unite added that “the workforce is deeply unhappy about the high handed management style and a marked lack of dignity at work.”
Drivers deliver dry cement to major sites and merchants across the country.
The ballot will open on Friday 10 September and close on Friday 23 September If members vote for strike action industrial action could begin this October.
Unite national officer Adrian Jones said: “Our members are simply not going to accept a pay offer which amounts to a pay cut in real terms.
“With the ongoing driver shortage, our members are seeking a pay increase which recognises their hard work and dedication.
“If strikes do occur then it will have major implications for the construction industry. Supplies of cement will quickly run out, which will result in projects being delayed.”
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Farrans starts 20-storey Leeds student block
Farrans Construction has started work on a 20-storey student accommodation block in Leeds city centre for client Infinity Construction Enterprises.
The development, which will be known as Live Oasis: Strato, will provide 210 studio apartments and is expected to complete in September 2023.
New tower, designed by Rio Architects, is being built on the site of Commerce House on Wade Lane
Cathal Montague, regional director for Farrans Construction, said: “This is an exciting project for Farrans, in one of the most ambitious and energetic cities in the UK at the moment, and it further cements our portfolio in the midlands and north of England.
“We are about to complete a similar multi-storey project in Coventry called Elliott’s Yard, and our client was able to see that we are experienced in delivering technically challenging projects of this nature, in a central location, with a small site footprint and using Modern Methods of Construction.”
Omar Al-Najafi from Infinity Construction Enterprises, said: “We have been operating in Leeds for many years and we know that this part of the city has been evolving from a typically office- based environment to one of high residential demand, particularly from the growing student population.
The development will push the boundaries in terms of the experience students can expect in Leeds.”
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Vital Energi lands deal to save City of London money
Vital Energi has been awarded a contract by the City of London Corporation to guarantee energy savings of over £480,000 a year and annual carbon savings of over 1,000 tonnes.
The project will be delivered through the Greater London Authority’s Retrofit Accelerator framework designed to help make London’s non-domestic public buildings and assets more energy efficient, and the works will to be funded via the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).
Vital Energi will deliver multi-technology solutions through Energy Conservation Measures, which will improve energy performance within five of the City’s most iconic buildings, including the Barbican Centre, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and the City Corporation’s Guildhall headquarters.
Energy Conservation Measures will include pipe distribution repairs, ventilation distribution repairs, pipe insulation, Air Handling Unit EC fan retrofit, LED lighting, and metering, to reduce energy use, unnecessary heat loss and help improve comfort conditions for building users.
As well as upgrading and optimising Building Management Systems (BMS), Vital Energi will also install Vital View, which is a BMS performance monitoring system. This will help deliver continuous improvement and drive energy efficiency, carbon reduction and help enhance future projects through gaining a detailed understanding of building operations and usage characteristics.
Rob Callaghan, Managing Director of Vital Energi for the London and Southern Division, said: “Vital Energi employ a talented team of designers, engineers and financial model specialists to deliver clients real carbon savings through commercially viable solutions in terms of payback against capital spend. We don’t just do the work and hand back the building, each year we will monitor and verify the savings.
“We are delighted that the City of London Corporation has appointed us as its contractor of choice to carry out these essential works which will help decarbonise its corporate estate and build a robust zero carbon roadmap.”
City of London Corporation Finance Committee Chairman, Jamie Ingham Clark, said: “This partnership with Vital Energi will enable us to take practical, positive, sustainable steps to make our buildings more energy efficient, delivering the twin benefits of reducing carbon emissions and saving money.
“The project will play a significant role in enabling us to achieve the ambitious targets set out in our Climate Action Strategy, which commits us to achieving net zero carbon status in our buildings by 2027 and across our investments and supply chain by 2040.”