London Mayor visits global trade hub to support jobs and growth

Boris Johnson has climbed the tallest port cranes at London’s new trade hub that will create more than 27,000 jobs and contribute £2.4 billion to the UK’s economy.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was welcomed to DP World London Gateway by DP World Vice Chairman Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah and London Gateway CEO, Simon Moore.

DP World Vice Chairman Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah said: “We are delighted to be able to welcome the Mayor of London to see for himself the scale of the site, which is three times as large as the City of London.

“With some 3,500 construction workers employed every day and thousands of long term jobs to be created, this is a huge inward investment by DP World into the UK.”

The Visit comes just weeks after the announcement that Marks & Spencer will build a 900,000 square foot distribution centre on the site, which is just 25 miles from Central London.

London Gateway’s logistics park will be Europe’s largest and will see deep-sea cargo sent directly to the market from distribution centres at London Gateway, removing the time and cost associated with movement of goods via inland distribution centres.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “London is set to regain its position as one of the world’s greatest ports, and establish itself once again as a gateway to world trade.

“This gargantuan site will create tens of thousands of jobs in our capital and the South East, whilst helping to drive continued prosperity for the rest of the UK. DP World’s investment is a huge boost to the economy and a massive vote of confidence in London’s future.”

£4.6m housing boost for West Salford

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has awarded £4.6 million to support new developments across local communities in West Salford, paving the way for new job in the construction industry.

The money is part of a £220 million country-wide package, announced by the Government last week, to build new affordable homes across the country.
City West Housing Trust, which has 14,600 homes in Salford, will use the funding boost to continue its ongoing regeneration of local areas. The investment will also allow City West to expand the scope and ambition of future house building schemes.
The £4.6 million total includes a £1.4 million discretionary award from the Government’s Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund, to meet the needs of older people and adults with disabilities.
City West will use this funding to deliver 66 accommodation units at Amblecote Gardens, its flagship extra care scheme in Little Hulton, which has commenced construction.
Colette McKune, Deputy Chief Executive of City West Housing Trust said: “This is fantastic news for families, couples and individuals in Salford who are seeking an affordable, good quality home.

“This funding boost from the Homes and Communities Agency means we can expand the scope of some of our current affordable housing projects, as well as being even more ambitious with new projects we have in the pipeline. We are delighted to be able to now invest even more in helping to regenerate Salford.
“Our philosophy has always been to work closely with local people in planning new housing initiatives – and we will continue to do that as these exciting projects take shape.”
Deborah McLaughlin, Executive Director for the North West at the HCA, said: “The confirmation of this funding is great news for local residents, as it will ensure that there is a good choice of housing for people where they want to live, in homes that they can afford.  This will make a real difference to the local community.”
Announcing the Government’s funding package on July 24, Housing Minister Mark Prisk said: “I am pleased to announce the first wave of allocations through this programme with £220 million government funding to help deliver almost 14,000 new homes.
“Today’s funding allocations will enable organisations across the country to hit the ground running and play their vital role in getting Britain building and delivering the homes and jobs this country needs.”

 

Growth boost for HS2 as taskforce membership gets confirmed

Senior figures from business, academia and local government have joined the HS2 Growth Taskforce, to drive economic growth create new jobs in the trades.

The independent expert group was set up last month to maximise the economic benefits – including job creation – generated by the flagship rail project and is chaired by Commercial Secretary and former LOCOG boss Lord Deighton.

The government believes HS2 will be a key driver of jobs and growth. Independent analysis commissioned by Greengauge 21 predicts that HS2 is capable of generating up to 22,000 jobs in the next 5 years, rising to a maximum of 50,000 jobs by the late 2020s.

Commercial Secretary to the Treasury Lord Deighton said: “HS2 presents a massive opportunity to boost growth in regions across the UK and it’s vital that we talk to business leaders, public sector organisations, local government and the public about how we maximise the benefit to the whole of the country.

“I am delighted to have such a skilled team working with me on the HS2 taskforce. They know the huge benefits large scale infrastructure projects can bring if they are done in the right way.

“I am confident that together we have the right blend of experience and expertise to make sure HS2 delivers its full potential in terms of jobs and growth.”

HS2 Ltd Commercial Director Beth West said: “We welcome the appointment of the members of the HS2 Growth Taskforce. We look forward to hearing their thoughts and value their expertise to help us deliver the maximum payback from the investment in HS2.

Their collective knowledge will further strengthen our ability to make HS2 a catalyst for Britain’s future prosperity, supporting economic growth and assisting towns and cities to deliver regeneration, skills and jobs”.

The taskforce will seek to learn from and build on the success of Crossrail’s supply chain, where billions of pounds of contracts have been awarded across the UK from Falmouth to Inverness. Looking at British and international experiences of driving growth from major infrastructure investments, the taskforce will set out options and make recommendations on:

• maximising regional and national growth opportunities
• getting British industry and the UK workforce ready to respond to the vast array of opportunities HS2 will provide – 70% of jobs created by HS2 are expected to be outside London
• ensuring HS2 delivers as a catalyst for economic growth and regeneration around the stations and surrounding communities
• ensuring job opportunities from HS2 can be maximised and advising what contribution HS2 can make to the skills and training agenda
• maximising the potential to use the buying power of HS2 to improve supply chains and manufacturing capacity across the UK.

It will also engage heavily with the core cities and local enterprise partnerships to ensure the benefits of HS2 are felt far beyond the station cities.

Renewable energy plant set to create 200 new jobs

A green energy firm is set to create 200 construction jobs during the building of a new £80 million renewable energy plant in Northern Ireland.

Evermore Renewable Energy has secured a multi-million investment to build the first of its kind renewable energy power plant in Londonderry Port and Harbour, Lisahally.

The 15-megawatt plant is expected to be fully operational by 2015 and will increase the amount of renewable energy currently generated in Northern Ireland by 10 per cent.

Ciaran Devine, co-founder of Evermore said: “We are making a serious commitment to the Northern Ireland energy market. Working with the best partners in technology, fuel supply and financing we hope to show that Northern Ireland is a great place to do business so that further inward investment will follow.”

Welcoming the announcement, Northern Ireland’s Energy Minister, Arlene Foster said: “The Evermore plant will make an important contribution towards Northern Ireland’s 2020 renewable energy targets.

“It is a wonderful example of local, national and international co-operation and I am particularly pleased to note that this is the first Northern Ireland project to secure funding from the Green Investment Bank. I congratulate all those involved in securing this significant investment for the North West.”

Carillion lands £100m maintenance contract to boost the trades

A Carillion joint venture has won a multi-million outsourcing deal with Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council to manage its properties over the next ten years.

The contract is expected to be worth over £100 million, with the potential for this to grow significantly through increasing work that could see the creation of new jobs in the trades.

The joint venture, also known as Stockport Strategic Property Partnership (SSPP), will be established in September 2013, with the objective of transforming the Council’s operational and non-operational property portfolios.

The SSPP will deliver substantial savings for the Council, while maintaining high-quality services. The Partnership will initially be for 10 years, with the option to extend this for a further five years.

Carillion Chief Executive, Richard Howson, said: “We are delighted to have been selected for this strategic partnership with Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council.

“I believe this further success in the Local Authority outsourcing market once again reflects our ability to provide integrated service solutions that enable Local Authorities to reduce costs without sacrificing service quality.”

The joint venture will also have the opportunity to provide similar services to other Councils within the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), because they will have the option to procure services without the need for further procurement processes or costs.

Deputy Council Leader Councillor Mark Weldon said: “To achieve greater efficiencies and collaboration between public sector agencies to deliver local community services, we are transforming the Council’s estate and property portfolios.

“I am confident that the new operating model will deliver an effective and efficient strategic property service to meet the Council’s future priorities.”

BAM set to expand student accommodation work

BAM Properties has formed a joined venture with specialist developer Connislow to pursue opportunities in the student accommodation market, boost the trades and create new jobs.

The first BAM Connislow development is on site in Ainsley Street, Durham and the joint venture has other potential projects under consideration in key locations throughout the UK.

David Cotton, BAM’s Business Development Director says: “BAM has a thorough understanding of the University sector.  We have built more than 100 university faculty and accommodation buildings in the past ten years and we understand that competition to attract the most talented students is global.

“The availability of quality student accommodation, especially for post-graduate and international students, is an important factor for universities. BAM acted as Connislow’s principal contractor on an accommodation scheme in Green Lane Durham. Our excellent collaboration on that project led to the formation of the joint venture.”

John Parkinson, Managing Director of the BAM Connislow JV, says: “The joint venture will focus on developments in university towns where future supply is constrained by land availability, historic factors and planning policy.

“Our developments are likely to appeal to funding partners who wish to pursue a longer-term investment strategy and who are attracted to the prime, scarce nature of the developments.”

BAM Connislow’s first project, a development of  223 units at Ainsley Street, Durham is now on site and will be completed in time for letting for the 2014 academic year.

Balfour Beatty selected for £346m Welsh wind farm

Balfour Beatty has been appointed as preferred bidder to operate a £346 million Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm in the north coast of Wales.

As part of the Offshore Transmission Owners (OFTO) the company will carry out its responsibilities through a 20-year licence, seeing the creation of new jobs in the renewable industry and boosting the trades.

Balfour Beatty, in a consortium with Equitix, will jointly own the 576 MW offshore high-voltage transmission asset and will be responsible for the wind farm’s operation and maintenance as well as connecting it to the onshore electricity transmission system.

Balfour Beatty has also recently been selected by Ofgem, the UK Government’s regulator for gas and electricity markets, to participate in the next round of bidding which will commence later this year for the West of Duddon Sands project which has an estimated transfer value of £310 million.

Chief Executive of Balfour Beatty Andrew McNaughton said: “Gwynt y Môr is a significant step in the development of our investment business in non-PPP infrastructure markets, as well as our wider strategy of developing our delivery capability in the offshore renewables industry. It firmly places Balfour Beatty in a leading position within the fast growing and potentially very large offshore transmission markets.”

“Today’s announcement follows the competitive tender process initiated by Ofgem for the Gwynt y Môr offshore electricity transmission assets. Balfour Beatty’s success reflects its expertise in infrastructure investment and its long-standing experience in the maintenance of offshore transmission assets.”

Thousands of new homes for the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber

Housing Minister Mark Prisk has announced £40.9 million investment towards affordable housing in the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber that will create new jobs.

This funding will provide 2,222 new affordable homes in the area for a combination of affordable rent and affordable home ownership.

According to the Homes and Community Agency (HCA), significant number of the new homes will be completed by the end of March 2015, paving the way for new employment in the trades.

The announced funding is part of the expanded national £450 million Affordable Homes Guarantees Programme, which will be supported by the £3.5 billion Affordable Homes Government debt guarantee to deliver thousands of new homes.

David Curtis, Executive Director for the North East, Yorkshire and The Humber at the HCA, said: “The confirmation of this funding is great news for local residents, as it will ensure that there is a choice of housing for people where they want to live in homes that they can afford, making a real difference to the local community.”

Housing Minister Mark Prisk said: “I am pleased to announce the first wave of allocations through this programme with £220 million Government funding to help deliver over 14,000 new homes.

“Today’s funding allocations will enable organisations across the country to hit the ground running, and play their vital role in getting Britain building and delivering the homes and jobs this country needs.”

Bouygues wins major residential scheme in Lewisham

Bouygues UK subsidiary Denne, has been awarded a £57 million contract to develop a major mixed use development scheme in Lewisham, south east London.

The project is located on a former industrial site on Thurston Road and includes more than 400 new homes for people on a range of incomes, and 6,771sq metres of retail space.

The apartments will be in three buildings of six, seven and 15 storeys respectively, sitting on a two-storey landscaped podium structure which incorporates the retail space. The building will be constructed with a concrete frame and includes two levels of resident and shopper car parking.

Sustainability is high on the agenda, with an offsite Combined Heat and Power system providing heating and hot water. Brown roofs will also be a feature of most of the buildings to aid biodiversity. All apartments will meet Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 and the retail units have a target to achieve BREEAM Excellent.

The professional team includes ECE Architecture, architects, Walsh Associates, consulting engineer, Whitecode Design Associates, M&E consultant, and EC Harris, built asset consultants.

Paul Abson, Managing Director of Bouygues UK’s Housing Management Unit, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the contract to deliver this prestigious mixed use project, which enables us to continue our excellent working relationship with L&Q.

“With a strong focus on sustainability, we believe the scheme will transform the existing site and also provide much needed homes for the people of Lewisham.”

Darlington Central Park scheme reaches out with new jobs

Work on a major regeneration scheme in Darlington has begun to pave the way for the building of new homes, offices and retail space set to create hundreds of new jobs.

The scheme is developed by Darlington Borough Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) working in partnership with housing and regeneration specialist Keepmoat.

The first phase of construction on the Central Park development in Darlington will see 332 new homes built including 20-homes for affordable rent, a major new park and other community facilities.

The £170 million 30-hectare development is located close to the town centre, off Haughton Road near the main railway station.  The main site entrance is beside Darlington College and Teesside University.

The second phase of the development will also see the creation of hundreds of new jobs for local people, around 300,000 sq ft of prime office and retail floorspace, a hotel as well as a further 180 new homes.

On the South of the site, new office space will be provided in a state of the art business incubation accommodation for new and growing small to medium sized businesses in Darlington, located within the Central Park Enterprise Zone.

The facility, which will provide sufficient space for up to 52 businesses, will be part-funded by the HCA and funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme. Construction of this flagship building is anticipated to start in Spring 2014.

Structural road works have already commenced, which will see improvements to the main entrance and the creation of a new roundabout next to the college and university buildings.