Client Wiltshire Council Facility Collaborative Research and Innovation Centre Location Porton Science Park, Porton Down Wiltshire Building Size 3,576m2 No. of Modules 83 Project summary Porton Science Park, located at the Porton Down Science Campus in South Wiltshire, provides a platform for sector* related SMEs to innovate and collaborate. This project is the second phase of a Master Development Plan for Porton Science Park with plans to create a further 7 buildings in the near future. Delivered by McAvoy, the state-ofthe-art facility covers an impressive 22,000 sq ft across 2 storeys and si ..read more

Plans for the redevelopment of a former school and leisure centre site have been given the green light in Bordon. East Hampshire District Council approved the planning application submitted by national housebuilder, Miller Homes, who will build a collection of 147 properties on brownfield land off Mill Chase Road, which was once home to Mill Chase Academy and Leisure Centre, before they relocated in 2019. The 12-acre site had been earmarked for new housing by the council as part of its local plan. In total, Miller Homes will build 122 houses and 25 apartments and maisonettes at its development ..read more

A unique apprenticeship established in North East England to give young people a solid foundation for a career in the built environment has proven so successful it has expanded nationally and internationally. The industry-driven PlanBEE programme developed by Ryder and Gateshead College to plug a skills and talent gap in the built environment sector is expanding to Vancouver, Canada and London.  The award winning higher apprenticeship was developed in 2016 to encourage young people to join and thrive in the industry. They learn multiple disciplines, working in a variety of roles ..read more

A BREAKING ground ceremony has heralded the start of construction work on a new retirement development in Leatherhead. Christ Church Apartments – which consists of three buildings totalling 62 self-contained apartments for people over 65 – is being developed by Birchgrove on the former Christ Church URC site on Epsom Road in the town. As well as representatives from Birchgrove and main contractor Kori Construction, Christ Church URC parishioners also attended the ceremony to find out more about the building replacing their former place of worship. Alison, who used to attend the church, said ev ..read more

Work is well underway on a park project that is creating a new habitat for both wildlife and Sheffield residents to enjoy. Being installed in Manor Fields Park, the Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme (SuDS) – which will reduce flood risk in the city – is designed to ease pressure on Sheffield’s watercourse and sewer network and will support the creation of 148 new homes in the Harborough Rise and Manor Park Avenue areas. The water management system involves the creation of a wetland environment that will provide a haven for a diverse range of plants and animals and new walking trails for park v ..read more

 PATIENTS and staff on a London hospital ward are now benefitting from more efficient facilities following a completed refurbishment project by multi-disciplinary consultancy, Pick Everard.  The major trauma ward at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Tooting, has undergone operational and spatial improvements, including upgraded sanitary facilities, bedhead services and infrastructure elements such as power and ventilation.  Pick Everard completed full RIBA Stage 1-6 delivery covering architecture, structural engineering, desig ..read more

Construction work has started at a new housing development on the edge of Desborough, where Bellway and Ashberry Homes are building 700 properties. A ceremony to mark the ground-breaking was held at the 88-acre site off Stoke Road on Thursday 3 August. Bellway will be building 350homes at its development, called Weavers Fields, while Ashberry Homes, which is part of the Bellway Group, will be deliveringthe other 350 properties at The Wickets. Detailed plans for the overall scheme, which will include 140 affordable homes available for local people through shared ownership or low-cost rent, were ..read more

Major repairs to a Grade II listed bridge are progressing on schedule according to North of England contractor, Esh Construction, who is delivering the project on behalf of East Riding of Yorkshire Council.   A 15-week scheme to deliver emergency repair and strengthening works to the structure got underway in July after the stone bridge, which carries the A163 over the River Derwent, was hit by a car in September 2022, causing significant damage to the headwall and parapet.  The first phase of works saw the installation of an encapsulated scaffold which allowed grit blasting, st ..read more

Construction sites are notoriously dangerous places, and one area often overlooked is the floor. Around a third of all workplace accidents yearly involve slips, trips and falls, which can often lead to severe injuries. First Mats have created a new range of specially designed floor matting to help eradicate this problem. The range includes various PVC and Rubber type matting for walkways, workstations, stairs and cable protection. These mats are designed to provide a high level of grip and traction, even in wet or muddy conditions, making them ideal for construction sites. Safer Walkways Walkw ..read more

Building products manufacturer Forterra has been shortlisted for five of the 15 2023 Brick Development Association Awards.  Forterra has been recognised for its contribution in a wide range of projects resulting in being shortlisted in the Medium Housing Development, Urban Regeneration, Commercial, Education, and Sustainability categories. The range of projects varies from new homes at The Tannery in Wiltshire which used Bamford Blend red clay brick to blend with the industrial and village aesthetic, to the modern student accommodation of Seren in Swansea which is clad in Forterra’s Carsi ..read more