Large Scale Lithium Refinery Announced

The UK has provided a £600,000 grant to Green Lithium to kickstart the site – which is set to provide 250 long-term skilled jobs in Teesside.

Mobile phones, wind turbines and fighter jets are other products that require lithium to function.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps said: “This is levelling up in action. The refinery will deliver more than 1,000 jobs during its construction and 250 long-term, high-skill jobs for local people when in operation.

“It is also allowing us to move quickly to secure our supply chains of critical minerals, as we know that geopolitical threats and global events beyond our control can severely impact the supply of key components that could delay the rollout of electric vehicles in the UK.”

 

Source: Energy Live

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GERMANY – SECURSUN AGREEMENT

Bernhard Suchland (CEO SUNOTEC), Kaloyan Velichkov (CEO SUNOTEC),
Holger Stabernack (CEO securenergy solutions AG) and Karsten Becker (CEO securenergy solutions AG)
Following a long-standing partnership, SUNOTEC, the international general contractor for the construction of large-scale solar plants, and the German project developer securenergy solutions AG have joined forces via the joint venture SECURSUN. The joint objectives have already been worked out: By 2026, the newly founded company will realize renewable energy power plants with a total capacity of at least one gigawatt. This will generate twice as much electricity as the Niehl 3 plant in Cologne, one of the largest conventional natural gas heating plants in Germany. The solar parks will be connected to the grid and operated by SECURSUN. The portfolio consists of currently 45 photovoltaic projects with individual project sizes ranging from 2 to 220 megawatts with estimated completion dates between 2023 and 2026. The majority of the projects are to be operated on a PPA (power purchase agreement) basis. Other parts of the portfolio will participate in the upcoming tenders under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). The first photovoltaic projects are expected to go into construction as early as the end of the year.

SECURSUN

Bernhard Suchland, CEO SUNOTEC, explains: “With the merger of the two companies, we will henceforth have specific and easily combinable know-how at different levels. We have recognized this potential and are determined to use it. According to the climate protection targets of the German government, the share from renewable energies must almost double within less than ten years. So we still have to gain significant momentum.” The joint venture partners look back on their many years of experience.

“We have combined our individual strengths through the new joint venture. Accordingly, SECURSUN will be able to handle and serve the topics related to the individual project phases of the solar parks in planning even faster and more efficiently in the future,” says Holger Stabernack, CEO of securenergy solutions AG.

About SUNOTEC

As general contractor, SUNOTEC offers all services related to the construction of large-scale PV solar plants: from mechanical and civil engineering services to electrical installations, quality control, procurement, logistics and project management. Founded in 2012, the company operates worldwide and has completed more than 300 turnkey ground-mounted PV installations with a capacity of over 4.3 gigawatts in 16 countries. SUNOTEC employs more than 880 people and currently operates from its offices in Sofia, Bulgaria and Munich, Germany.

About securenergy solutions AG

Since 2019, Berlin-based securenergy solutions AG has been primarily dedicated to the project development of open-space PV systems in Germany and the Dominican Republic. At this point, the company is looking at a pipeline of around 4.5 gigawatts. For the SECURSUN joint venture, the majority of PV projects will therefore come from the hands of securenergy solutions AG. Upon completion, these will then be part of SECURSUN’s own portfolio in the future.

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Construction trends in tall buildings revealed in new Premier Guarantee report

More than a third of construction issues raised by risk management surveyors during site inspections of tall buildings in the UK relate to external walls, according to a new report by warranty provider Premier Guarantee.

 

The InSite: Tall Buildings 2022 report reveals risk areas and trends in construction details by analysing five years of site inspection data for buildings at least six storeys tall. During this time, Premier Guarantee has worked on more than 800 high rise structures.

The report also considers the growing trend to consider risk at earlier design stages, the rising influence of modern construction methods and the impact of the Building Safety Act on risk management and regulatory compliance in taller buildings.

Barriers remain to wider and faster MMC adoption

InSite: Tall Buildings 2022 includes a summary from Premier Guarantee’s Technical Director Sarah Sheppard, who notes that growth in MMC adoption matches difficulties encountered from an insurance risk management perspective.

Premier Guarantee is seeing an increase in the use of larger components such as cladding panels and internal bathroom pods. Many tall and complex structures already successfully include these elements. The use of innovative methods broadly is becoming more widespread, prompted by a shortage of materials, a shrinking market of skilled, traditional trades, and the drive towards net zero construction.

But according to Sarah, “Demand for MMC is being tempered by barriers against which the UK continues to make limited progress. It is worth remembering that the UK has little experience – and limited use of – modern, modular and system-based construction, especially when compared with some European countries. From this challenging starting point, perhaps it is no surprise the UK still has considerable issues it must work through.

“MMC requires design standardisation from the very initial stages and mass production for maximum gains. From a risk management point of view, design evaluation for products or systems from their inception is challenging. This risk is compounded as many developers require design flexibility, which naturally introduces variation and complexity to MMC components and their use. Design flexibility further limits the potential of the mass production value MMC might bring to construction.

“Premier Guarantee is not alone in these and other observations. Across the sector, concerns remain due to a lack of transparency with some products and continuing issues with compliance with regulations for others. This can give rise to a lack of consistency and quality control issues, with very real potential for systemic failure and defects across multiple units.”

Premier Guarantee is engaging with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on MMC standardization, and continues to work closely with manufacturers, standards bodies and developers to try and bring consistency and cohesion to a challenging area of work.

 

Construction issue areas in tall buildings

Across all issues identified by Premier Guarantee’s risk management surveyors during construction of buildings at least six storeys tall, the report notes:

  • 35% relate to external walls, with steel frame showing a disproportionate number of issues identified during construction
  • 9% account for roofs
  • 5% for internal walls
  • Foundations and basements total 4% each
  • Balcony issues have fallen from 8% share in 2019 to 2% in 2022

Premier Guarantee recorded an uptick in construction issues during construction through the height of the Covid 19 lockdowns but the number identified by surveyors has since fallen back close to 2018/pre-pandemic levels.

All issues considered for the report’s data were subsequently closed by Premier Guarantee, showing that site workers rectified the construction details to the satisfaction of surveyors and the warranty provider’s technical standards.

 

Premier Guarantee is one of the largest providers of structural warranties in the UK and specialises in taller building construction developments through its Major Projects service. Projects have included Chalegrove Properties’ 76-floor Landmark Pinnacle, the tallest residential building in the UK.

Liam Devaney, Managing Director of Premier Guarantee’s Warranty Inspection Services, said: “As a warranty and building control provider, Premier Guarantee has a vital role to play in the construction sector, not just during the construction phase, but for the completed building and its eventual occupants.

“As an industry we have been presented with monumental challenges over the past four years, many of which are discussed by my knowledgeable colleagues in this paper.

“Working with the industry we must help shape the future by building safer, compliant and high quality tall buildings.”

 

Download Premier Guarantee’s Insite: Tall Buildings 2022 report here

 

 

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MMC solution to deliver 1,000 council homes

With the 300,000 new homes target now all but dropped by Government, LHC’s offsite framework is supporting public sector organisations to source MMC solutions to deliver an increasing number of council homes. LHC regional hub South West Procurement Alliance (SWPA) is now mid-way through a programme with Wiltshire Council and modular housing manufacturer Rollalong to deliver 1,000 homes over three years.

Wiltshire Council was keen to explore the possibility of using MMC to meet demand for council houses across the South West and to achieve its commitment to build 1000 new council houses in 3 years.
It needed to assure quality, while reducing maintenance costs and improving sustainability in its new build homes. While it wanted to use MMC as a solution, the Council was experiencing some challenges around establishing relationships with specialists, sourcing the right volume at the right price, and navigating complex local government procurement processes.
It looked to public sector construction framework provider LHC’s regional hub, SWPA, to procure the right expertise through its Offsite Construction of New Homes (NH2) and Offsite Project Integrator (OPI1) frameworks.

Using a framework to procure MMC expertise

Wiltshire Council was provided with a simplified route to market, enabling a call-off from the NH2 framework with fully compliant access to Rollalong, as well as a mini-competition to source expert MMC consultants Taylor Lewis through the OPI1 framework.

Mary Bennell, SWPA Director, said:
“The two frameworks go together to create a complete offering; the combined expertise of both the consultant and the manufacturer mean that many of the barriers to MMC, including the different ways of working, can be overcome.”

Several factors played a role in choosing SWPA’s NH2 and OPI1 frameworks as the procurement route. These included:

 

  • Ease of access to offsite solution manufacturers, with proven and demonstrable delivery
  • The opportunity to procure Rollalong – which was already working with Magna Housing Association in the South West – through direct award
  • Using an established portfolio of designs to deliver an initial project to get buy-in internally for using offsite solutions
  • Access to the OPI1 consultancy framework, through which Taylor Lewis was appointed via a mini competition

 

Bringing the project to life

Over an 18-month period, which involved multiple Zoom calls to navigate the need to move the project along despite Covid-19 lockdowns, Wiltshire Council agreed shared house types that comply fully with NDSS. With the addition of PV, they are also effectively carbon neutral in operation.
Now in contract with Wiltshire Council, Rollalong is manufacturing the units for the first 19 homes, five of which will be wheelchair-accessible bungalows, to be transported and completed on three pilot sites.
The decision-making process, and the timescales for making key decisions, are quite different with MMC compared to traditional building methods because everything must be decided before production begins. Delays in decision making can have major implications for production or delivery and could even lead to losing a factory slot.

Community Benefits

Establishing what good social value looks like for a framework is vital to SWPA, as well as its public sector clients. For Wiltshire Council, this went beyond achieving value for money, and included a focus on meeting low carbon objectives using local companies with nearby factories to reduce emissions. Here, the local supply chain has also been used to subcontract mechanical and electrical contractors, electrical engineers, roofing contractors and ground workers.
As a member of SWPA, Wiltshire Council has also been able to access the South West Community Benefit fund. This grant programme, which is run by SWPA and delivered in partnership with South West Community Matters, delivers grants to small community groups in each client’s area.
The new NH3 framework from SWPA, which replaces NH2, will further help to deliver community benefits, while addressing some of the new housing challenges within the public sector. It aims to maintain a strong focus on sustainable methods of construction, creating a greater supply of housing stock that is environmentally fit for the future.

Dean Fazackerley, head of technical procurement at LHC, said:
“The NH3 framework will build on the success of NH2, which has so far enabled £93.5m-worth of projects with a total forecast value of £277m. It has contributed to the number of low-carbon, modern apartments and homes for housing associations and local authorities across the country, using modern methods of construction and offsite techniques to produce cheaper-to-heat homes for the communities they serve.”

ROLLALONG WEBSITE

www.lhc.gov.uk/frameworks

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1 DAY INSTALLATION OF MODULAR APARTMENT BLOCK

In just one day, timber frame and modular construction specialist, SO Modular, has installed the first block of apartments on phase two of Tai Tarian’s state-of-the-art project to build 55 new homes, and refurbish 72 existing flats, in Sandfields, Aberavon.

The scheme will eventually provide 127 carbon-neutral homes for social housing provider, Tai Tarian, delivered across three phases, over three years.

SO Modular is working alongside J.G. Hale Construction to deliver the project on behalf of Tai Tarian, utilising modern methods of construction (MMC), including construction of the homes off-site at SO Modular’s factory in Neath.

The development, which began in October 2021, has just commenced phase two. This phase started with the installation of the site’s only panelised block, consisting of 20 homes in a fully insulated closed panelised system, with windows and doors fitted offsite. It will also include the retrofitting of two blocks of flats and six new volumetric homes.

The use of SO Modular’s timber volumetric construction system has enabled the three-story block to be erected in just one day. In total, the scheme will eventually see 44 homes made from 90 modular pods.

The project is funded by the Innovative Housing Programme (IHP) – a Welsh Government programme to encourage and test innovative approaches to constructing social and affordable housing in Wales.

It will achieve carbon neutrality via a range of in-house green and sustainable initiatives, as well as the low-carbon manufacture of the homes and the fuel-saving speed with which the buildings are being completed.

 

Andrew Carey, Director of Assets, Tai Tarian, said: “The modular approach taken is innovative and the first of its kind for a social housing provider in this area. It will make use of natural, eco-friendly forms of insulation that includes Welsh sheep’s wool from a local farm, mycelium – the vegetative filament root structure of mushrooms, and a wood-fibre insulation developed in-house at SO Modular’s manufacturing facility. We’re very proud to have partnered with them on this landmark project helping us realise our sustainability ambitions.”

 

The pioneering construction methods, developed by SO Modular on the scheme, are providing a pilot study for the viability of their use in the wider construction industry.

As well as reducing the building project’s overall carbon footprint, the use of green materials and technologies also aims to reduce fuel poverty for the development’s tenants, by ensuring all homes are built with the top EPC rating of A.

SO Modular is recognised for being dedicated to innovative, eco-friendly design, quality materials and finishes, and sustainable building practices. The company is committed to using local sub-contractors and suppliers, with all suppliers and sub-contractors for the Sandfields project sourced from within Wales, with 95% residing within the Neath and Swansea areas.

 

Charlotte Hale, Operations Director, SO Modular, said: “We’re very proud to be working on this project for social housing provider Tai Tarian in Sandfields, Aberavon. As can be seen from the start of the project, the use of our modular and panelised construction techniques is highly efficient. This means that the entire frame for the dwellings can be erected very quickly – leading to far less fuel usage on-site and reducing the project’s overall carbon footprint. Along with the ground-breaking, eco-friendly insulation materials we are using, this will hopefully set the standard for similar, future developments across the UK and around the globe.”

“As a company, SO Modular has a firm commitment to using local sub-contractors and training local people. This will, undoubtedly, improve the skills, knowledge, and opportunities for those in the Swansea and Neath areas, ultimately making the region the go-to place for expertise on these new sustainable materials and methods.”

Source: Swansea Bay News

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Driving design efficiency in Offsite – Vertex BD

Prefab construction utilizes off-site manufacturing — a method that is far faster than the equivalent of the on-site building process. This is due to the enclosed and controlled factory environment, the ability to coordinate and repeat activities, and an increasing level of automation. Also, while the building elements are being manufactured at the factory, foundation and prep work can take place simultaneously on-site, allowing progress to be made much more quickly than on a traditional building site.

Efficiencies in the manufacturing process need to be matched by efficiencies in the design process, this is where Vertex BD comes in. Vertex BD uses a high level of automation to rapidly reduce the time spent in the design phase, whilst giving its users the flexibility to build the way they need.

Vertex BD is a BIM (Building Information Modeling) software which is your complete source of information for prefab and modular projects. Vertex BD specialises in cold-formed steel and timber framing and we aim to offer our clients all the benefits from Vertex BD whilst fitting in with how they are currently operating. Design time can be vastly reduced, accuracy increased and costly errors avoided.

Vertex BD uses digital automation to seamlessly translate information about a project across all disciplines within a project, so all the plans, schedules, material reports, shop drawings, and manufacturing data can be automatically generated and saved within the BIM model.

Minimize queries from your on-site and manufacturing teams by generating clear, concise and understandable documents with Vertex BD. You don’t have to sacrifice control over your construction specifications to take advantage of automated tools. The result is uncompromised speed, accuracy, and control.

Import existing 2D drawings and 3D models from other CAD systems and export your plans and models for collaboration. Vertex BD supports over 20 file formats used in construction projects, such as IFC, PDF, 3D PDF, DWG, DXF, IGES, STL, and many more. Vertex is compatible with over 30 different CNC Manufacturers for steel and Wood.

www.vertexcad.com

 

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NEW BUILD – NET-ZERO CARBON COMMITMENT

Construction, property, and facilities company, The Sovini Group, are investing in offsite construction as part of their ongoing Net-Zero Carbon Commitment.

The Group who boasts a unique end-to-end supply chain is supporting their wider environmental strategy with their latest initiative in the form of adapting raw materials for the new build construction arm of business, Sovini Construction. The highly advocated method of construction is set to facilitate the Group’s development framework to deliver 1,000 new high quality and affordable homes within the next four years. Their newest shift in sustainable construction management is the latest in a longline of ecological and biodiverse plans for delivering affordable social housing across the North West.

 

Time for timber

The structurally graded timber is sourced from Scandinavia and delivered to the Group’s independent builders’ merchant, Sovini Trade Supplies.  The climate-smart raw material is then transferred to a local Merseyside-based organisations, timber frame specialist SticX. The award-winning team at SticX use the latest 3D CAD software to integrate the main architectural design of the structures. Once constructed using the PEFC certified timber, the frame is compartmentalised and transported to site where it is erected.

 

The Sovini Group’s timber framed homes provide a significantly lower carbon footprint through its manufacturing, reducing energy consumption throughout its lifetime and locking-away atmospheric CO2 for generations. John Maddock, Director of SticX shares: “Timber Framing is a great solution for The Sovini Group. For a client who’s genuinely concerned about sustainability it scores highly. By partnering with them, we can help develop improved solutions to save money and time. Ultimately, using timber frames means they can provide higher quality houses for their clients. We’re also a local company, so their spend stays local and benefits the Merseyside economy. We’re delighted to share our expertise with such an enlightened and progressive client”.

 

The Group uses recyclable materials which is designed to achieve superior levels of fabric performance, suitable for their projects which are seeking to achieve the very highest fabric efficiency, airtightness standards, and sustainable credentials.  The Sovini Group recently welcomed timber frame specialist SticX to their flagship Morris Meadows development in Merseyside to view the environmentally friendly materials come to life.

 

Sustainable Social Housing

The Sovini Group create thriving and inclusive communities which are well-integrated into wider urban systems.  The offsite construction has proven performance, providing an advantageous construction method for affordable housing and with the Group’s timber frames being produced off site and delivered in a prefabricated form, construction times to make a building ‘wind & watertight’ can save as much as 30% over that of traditional construction.  Employing over 800 colleagues, The Sovini Group is a key contributor to the social, economic, and environmental development and future growth across the North West.

To read more about The Sovini Group’s end-to-end supply chain services and Net-Zero Carbon Commitment visit their website CLICK HERE

 

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Tackling the skills shortage with Vepps

As the current skills shortage continues to threaten the UK construction industry, it’s vital that manufacturers and suppliers make conscious changes to alleviate the pressures felt across the sector.

 

 

 

Venesta are renowned across the world for their continuous innovation in commercial washroom systems, including Vepps, their modular pre-plumbed panelling solution. Vepps, previously known as IPS, is the industry’s first precision engineered pre-plumbed panel system designed by Venesta, which brings together cutting-edge technology and the latest in sanitaryware designs.
Specifying Vepps panelling in commercial washrooms not only saves you money over the life span of a project, but will also speed up onsite installation times by a staggering 50%. Here we shine a spotlight on all the benefits of choosing Vepps over alternative plain panel washroom systems, and how the solution is helping tackle the skills shortage.

Fewer people, more work.
Last summer, the industry training body CITB estimated that the industry would need another 217,000 workers over the next five years to offset the loss of resource, together with projected productivity gains and changes in the workload mix.
They forecasted a bounce back from the pandemic, with an 11% rise in construction output in 2021, followed by a steady 3% growth each year until 2025.
So where does that leave you? It’s great news that the construction industry is strong, but getting materials and skills on site is proving to be an ongoing major headache.

Pre-plumbed units ease the pain.
More construction is being moved off site and pre-plumbed IPS panelling systems, such as Venesta’s Vepps, are a good example of that.
Vepps is the next generation in IPS systems. By fitting and testing the sanitaryware and sanitary assemblies in the Venesta factory, everything is delivered as a ready-made unit. It can result in big time and cost savings without having to source carpenters and timber to build the frames and plumbers to fit the sanitaryware.
It’s easier from a health and safety perspective too – less people, less manual handling and generally less dust and dirt too. Plus there’s also the environmental benefit of a single delivery and significantly reduced packaging, compared to plain panel alternatives.

Four simple steps for installation.
Precision engineering ensures the metal framed panels are supplied to the exact measurements for your project. Installed in 4 simple steps, each Vepps unit can be up and running in half the time compared to traditional plain panels and without the need for specialist trades.
Reduced installation time, the need for fewer workers onsite and a speedier completion – all by specifying Vepps.

Flexibility and choice.
From cutting-edge sanitaryware to simple budget options, our close partnerships with Armitage Shanks, Ideal Standard and SanCeram give you complete flexibility to choose industry-leading products to complement your washroom design.
So whether you’re working on a healthcare, education, retail or commercial washroom project, Venesta feel confident they’ll have suitable pre-plumbed panelling solutions for you.

Simple and efficient ongoing maintenance.
Vepps’ highly engineered, linear-bearing lift-up hinges allow easy access to concealed duct space for hassle-free ongoing maintenance. The 90˚ hinges ensure effortless, smooth movement time and time again while eliminating manual handling issues, preventing panels being damaged during maintenance.
Each pre-plumbed Vepps unit comes complete with a state-of-the-art dowel dock system which has been designed for perfect panel alignment, even when specifying a luxury continuous wood veneer effect finish. Dowel docks also incorporate panel protect buffers which prevent damage as panels are opened and closed time and time again for any maintenance works.

Guaranteed quality.
Each Vepps unit is manufactured, pre-plumbed and vigorously tested at Venesta’s UK manufacturing facility, meaning that no plumbing or testing has to be done onsite, helping to speed up installation time even more. Not stopping there, Vepps comes with a rock-solid 10 year guarantee for added peace of mind for the end user.

Venesta’s service defines them.
For every single project, Venesta’s experienced, friendly and enthusiastic team make it their mission to guide you through from inception to completion – on spec, on time and within budget. Speak with the team to get help with Venesta’s range of IPS products and the ordering process. If you have drawings, our Specification Managers can also produce NBS specifications and estimates within 24 hours, at no cost to you.

To discuss your current or future commercial washroom projects,

please call the team on 01474 353333

or CLICK HERE to email Venesta

www.venesta.co.uk

 

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Modular timber frame buildings providing flexible provision for SEND & SEMH

TG Escapes modular eco-buildings have provided more than 300 education buildings in various settings UK wide. Over the past few years there has been a significant increase in demand from special schools and for SEND provision in mainstream schools.

Those working in SEND and SEMH report that a timber frame building using natural materials, with floor to ceiling windows and glass doors, also providing easy access to the outdoors with covered walkways, provide a particularly suitable environment.
Each TG Escapes building is architect designed with specific needs in mind. Small rooms can be included for breakout spaces while treatment rooms and sensory rooms can be easily accommodated, as can accessible toilets, ramps and kitchens.
The natural materials and excellent acoustics provide calming spaces which have a significant and positive impact on student and staff well-being.
Two recent projects have seen the provision of a building to connect to a SEND garden at Chichester College which provides further and higher education, and a multi-purpose building at Mountfield Heath SEMH school for students aged 5-11 with complex and challenging needs.
We asked Executive Head at Mountfield Heath, Lyndsey Jefferies about the process and the building.

How did you find the construction service?

“I think the most important thing to share from my experience was the actual build. We were quite a small site and the space the team had to work in was tight but they were fantastic. They were so respectful of the fact they were working on a site with special needs children. They kept us up to date with what plant was coming on-site and knew that many of our children were very excited to see it. They let us know what machinery was coming and when so that the kids could be very involved and watch what was happening. Also, in terms of their conduct, we have previously had workmen here smoking, using foul language and playing loud radios. The TG Escapes team were just so respectful.
Timing was tight but every delivery came in spot on schedule. This really helped with us to be able to let our neighbours know when big deliveries were due which made the build less stressful. Dealing with complaints from neighbours can be tricky, but we could give them advance warning of large deliveries and noisy building work. It also meant I could move children to other parts of the school when needed.”
How is the eco-building working out?
“The first thing is it feels lovely. It feels very bright and airy and because we are in quite a rural area it really is in keeping with the woodland, the trees and the fields. It doesn’t look out of place with our environment.
The natural materials change the feel of it and I think for a modular build it feels really solid and robust. The other thing is all the rooms have got lots of light, but there has been careful consideration about it. The kitchen area is a long galley with floor to ceiling windows that maximise the natural light.
The height of the ceilings is another massive plus. Often the ceilings in modular builds are very low so you feel very enclosed, but our ceilings are of a really good height which gives a feeling of space. A lot of our children suffer from sensory processing issues and so the lighting and the feel of a space are very important, as are the acoustics. The acoustics in our building are very good. Although many modular builds are very echoey ours is not because of the ceiling tiles which are different to the rest of the school. We also have adaptive ventilation, due to our concerns about Covid, and air conditioning which are also great. The insulation is phenomenal and the building heats up very quickly then holds the heat. It’s very efficient.
What works very well are the verandas. Having the decking coming straight off the front, that indoor/outdoor space works very well with our children. TG Escapes took full consideration of the school environment and maintained excellent communication.”

Robert Kay, Director of Estates at Chichester College says “TG Escapes provide a real ‘turn key’ solution, and take care of everything, from design to planning and final installation.”
TG Escapes modular eco-buildings offer a complete design and build service.

CLICK HERE for more information and case studies

CALL 0800 917 7726

CLICK HERE to email TG Escapes

 

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NEW ARENA IN 6 MONTHS, BUILT USING MMC

A £50m arena in Sheffield city centre could be built in six months using off-site prefabrication methods, a top councillor has claimed.

 

A new 6,500 capacity venue could be quickly erected on Sheffield bus station using new construction practices, according to Councillor Mazher Iqbal. The ambitious project, for a performance, arts and conference venue on the Pond Street site, was revealed in March.

It would host concerts, exhibitions and conferences and could even be a new home for World Snooker after complaints the 980-capacity Crucible is too small to meet demand. A feasibility study is due to end soon, Coun Iqbal said, and he was keen to see it given the green light.

He added: “We are being told there is demand for an arena. Barry Hearn and snooker players want to see bigger crowds than can be accommodated at the Crucible and we’ve been speaking to organisations including the universities about their conferences and events. Using modern methods of construction we understand it could be built in a year or six months.

“The scoping exercise ends soon and we’ll make a decision then, but I’m keen to see it happen, it would generate additional footfall and be great for the city centre.”

It is understood the new venue would answer a need for a conference space bigger than the Octagon at Sheffield University, the City Hall or Ponds Forge sports centre. It would be easily accessible on foot, by train and by car, with a proposed new park and ride near the Veolia incinerator on Bernard Road. Meanwhile, the 14,000-capacity Utilita Arena in Attercliffe could focus on sports such as ice hockey and larger bands.

Sheffield City Council has a ‘Strategic Vision’ to ‘intensify the events calendar’ and increase the number of city centre residents by 20,000 to more than 60,000.

Former Sheffield MP Richard Caborn backs a new arena. He said previously that chairing the unsuccessful bid for Channel 4 in 2018 had ‘opened his eyes’ to the wealth of creative and digital firms in the city. He said: “It told me we have some of the best creative businesses in the country. Now we need something at the centre of all that. It would anchor an area stretching from the Cultural Industries Quarter to Castlegate.”

Sheffield City Council has a ‘Strategic Vision’ to ‘intensify the events calendar’ and increase the number of city centre residents by 20,000 to more than 60,000.

 

Source: The Star

 

 

 

 

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