Step forward for delivery of social housing in Livingston

Planning permission has been granted for West Lothian Council to construct 18 houses, 30 flats and one staff building with landscaping, car parking and associated works.

Part of this development will see West Lothian Council build housing to support homeless young people and a further affordable housing project, both located at Almondvale Crescent, Livingston. This project will see West Lothian Council become one of the first councils in the country to use modular construction to build housing. The development is to be built on a vacant site at Almondvale Crescent.

Plans for the supported housing for young people consists of 28 one bed flats.  Flexible office space will be provided for staff members along with staff overnight accommodation to provide dedicated space and privacy, whilst still being on hand to assist and support the young people develop the skills they need to live and manage their home independently.

The affordable housing element of the development will provide 20 homes consisting of 18 houses (a mix of two and three bed homes) and two flats. With planning approval now in place, it is hoped that work will commence on both projects from June.

Executive councillor for housing services, George Paul, said: “There is a critical need to deliver social housing options for homeless young people. Significant demand is also present for mainstream social housing in the Livingston area. It is pleasing that planning permission has been approved for this project and we look forward to the day that young people and other tenants and will be able to move in.”

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Paisley playing fields receives approval for regeneration plans

Plans to regenerate St James’ playing fields in Paisley have taken a major step forward after a deal for new changing pavilions was approved.

A contract for the supply and construction of modular buildings at the park, known as the Racecourse, was given the green light by Renfrewshire Council’s finance, resources and customer services policy board on Thursday. The agreement – worth at least £2.7 million – was welcomed by elected members and will now see SKW Construction take on the project at the Shortroods site.

SNP council leader, Iain Nicolson, said: “It’s a near £3m investment in St James’ and all elected members should know the background to the delay in implementing this particular project, due to Covid, Ukraine, cost pricings, ground conditions. The comments I’m seeing now within the Paisley community is that they welcome this and I think it’s testament to the officers and this administration in continuing to keep this project online and on track and deliver.

“I know some people are trying to slightly talk it down in a way by calling it portacabins and stuff, but modular units are what’s being delivered and these are full-scale buildings in the sense for the purpose of what they’re needed for.”

Image credit: Andrew Neil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Councillor Nicolson, who represents Erskine and Inchinnan, expressed his gratitude for the work behind bringing the project to fruition. He added: “I’m pleased to see it here today finally, because of the long time it’s been stuck in the system, so to speak. I’m pretty sure the community around that area in Paisley will be pleased to see St James’ being brought back into use for what it’s always been used for and that’s the provision of sports and football in that area.”

The work, which could begin from late March, forms part of a wider vision to redevelop the once-thriving location and reinstate football pitches. However, the report to the board referred only to construction of the changing facilities and associated civil works. It is understood that following this, four pitches will be brought back into use and operated by OneRen, the trust responsible for leisure, culture and sport in Renfrewshire.

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First look behind the scenes of the new build health hub in King’s Lynn

Over 25 guests braved the January weather to have a first look tour of the site of the King’s Lynn Health Hub on Nar Ouse Way, King’s Lynn.

The centre at Nar Ouse Way is due to house a range of primary care services, as well as a maternity hub and rehabilitation therapy services from the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Guests from NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB), The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn, and Councillors from Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk joined representatives from NHS Property Services and health construction specialists Darwin Group for a private tour to see the progress on site of the £11.5m new-build healthcare facility.

The Health Hub will house over 20 new clinical rooms, providing a modern, fully accessible, and digitally enabled facility that will help to transform how health and care services are delivered in the King’s Lynn area and increase access to services for people in the town and surrounding areas.

Work commenced on site in late Autumn 2023, and progress over the winter has seen the installation of drainage, preparation and installation of the foundations, and installation of the modular building units.

Victoria Shaw, property development partner at NHS Property Services, said: “The new healthcare hub will offer people in King’s Lynn and the surrounding areas a sustainable, modern, and fully accessible facility. Through NHS Property Services’ partnership with customers, we can assist health professionals in delivering the best possible care to patients in a building designed to meet their needs.”

The building has been produced using MMC – Modern Methods of Construction – where building structures are manufactured offsite and then installed on site more quickly than if they were built there. This creates less material waste and reduces the impact on the environment.

Inside, walls have been sprayed with an intelligent membrane to create an airtight building shell. Insulation throughout the building has been upgraded, triple-glazed windows have been installed to improve thermal performance, and air source heat pumps and LED lighting will help to reduce energy consumption.

The building, which will have an A+ energy performance rating, will also be Net Zero Carbon in operation, meaning it will use less energy than it generates, leading to cheaper utility bills and less CO2 emissions.

Jim Pierce, deputy CEO at Darwin Group, added: “We know how important this facility will be for the wider King’s Lynn community, so to be able to show people the progress that has been made so far has been very satisfying.

“It’s been fascinating for our team to hear about the positive impact the health hub will have on maternity and rehabilitation services for the area too.

“It’s not often that so many stakeholders get to see the progress of a project in this way. I think it’s given them a good understanding of the benefits of using modular construction methods for this project, especially in terms of the net zero carbon aspect.”

The new hub is part of a wider £25.2m NHS capital investment into health and care facilities in Norfolk and Waveney, which includes the King’s Lynn Health Hub, a new build Health Hub in Rackheath, as well as renovation of two existing healthcare buildings in Sprowston and Thetford. Progress on at the King’s Lynn Health Hub will continue into the Spring, with the new facility anticipated to be ready for use in Summer 2024.

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Populous designs modular Cricket World Cup stadium

Architecture studio Populous has unveiled designs for a temporary cricket stadium to be constructed with repurposed elements in New York.

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium is a modular sporting facility and will be constructed to host eight matches of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s 2024 T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies in June 2024.

Planned for Eisenhower Park in Nassau County, New York – approximately 30 miles (48 kilometres) east of Manhattan on Long Island– the stadium will measure approximately 361,850 square feet (33,616 square metres).

Populous elected to use a modular construction system that could host the World Cup and then be “removed in legacy”.

“Our design for Nassau County International Cricket Stadium was inspired by the world-class standard set by the ICC and to serve as an exemplary introduction for those new to the sport of cricket,” Populous senior principal Jeff Keas told Dezeen.

“We developed an environment that not only embodies the passion and spirit of its fanbase but creates a remarkable experience for both US and international cricket fans to enjoy some of the sport’s greatest rivalries.”

Image credit: Populous

The stadium will seat 34,000 spectators across premium and general admission sections with six two-tiered sections and six lower single-tiered sections bracketed by support buildings. The modular grandstands are being repurposed from the Formula 1 Grand Prix facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Additionally, the facility will include VIP and hospitality suites, a party deck and cabanas, a fan zone with food and beverage outlets and media and broadcast areas. The wicket, which is a drop-in square similar to those in Australia’s Adelaide Oval and New Zealand’s Eden Park, is being created in Florida and will be delivered to New York in May.

Site work commenced in mid-January. Building construction is set to begin in early February and is projected to wrap up in early May with the first match of the World Cup slated for 3 June 2024 between the Sri Lankan and South African teams. International sports procurement firm The Parker Company and the Arena Group will coordinate the assembly of the modular stadium.

After the commencement of the eight scheduled matches, The Parker Company and Arena will remove the installation and return the venue to Nassau County – where it will remain one of the largest open spaces in the New York metropolitan area – to be enjoyed by the public as it was before, the Populous team explained.

“Event overlay and temporary modular structures are a key part of our work at Populous,” Keas said. “From a sustainability point of view, it is essential that event organizers can utilize high-quality, demountable and modular structures that can then be reused while making sure that the fan experience remains at the heart of the project.”

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The Government needs to change tack, says The Built Environment Committee Chair

The Built Environment Committee has published a letter to the Government following its inquiry into the future of modern methods of construction (MMC) in housing.

The Government’s approach to MMC is in disarray. Millions of pounds of public money has been invested, but the money has not been backed by a coherent strategy and set of measurable objectives. Some Category 1 (modular) MMC firms have failed financially, though with the right approach it could still play an important role in the building of much-needed housing.

There is evidence of real barriers to MMC, such as risk aversion on the part of warranty providers, insurance companies and insufficient clarity for building regulations. However, the Government appears to have made limited effort to understand and address these challenges.

If the Government wants the sector to be a success, it needs to take a step back, acquire a better understanding of how it works and the help that it needs, set achievable goals and develop a coherent strategy.

These are some of the findings and recommendations published today by the House of Lords Built Environment Committee following its inquiry on the future of modern methods of construction. The inquiry was established following the collapse and closure of several Category 1 MMC companies during 2022 and 2023.

Lord Moylan, Chair of the Built Environment Committee, said: “Moderns methods of construction are successfully used to construct homes abroad and build high-rise and non-residential buildings in the UK, but this success has thus far eluded the building of MMC homes in meaningful numbers.

“In the context of an ageing skilled workforce and the need for greater building sustainability, MMC has shown some promise. We heard evidence that the Government couldn’t achieve its housebuilding targets without a sizeable contribution from the MMC sector.

“Our inquiry found that the Government has not set out clear objectives for the funding it provided the MMC sector. Homes England has not given any clear metrics as to how success is to be measured and over what timescale.

“The Government needs to change tack. Simply throwing money at the sector hasn’t worked. If it wants to encourage MMC it must acquire a much deeper understanding of how it works, develop a clear strategy, and demonstrate leadership.”

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Construction to start on Wirral Waters scheme

Construction is set to start on a £4m retail, leisure and events space at Wirral Waters following a significant approval.

Peel, which is bringing forward the Wirral Waters development with Wirral Council, has formed a strategic partnership with Starship Group to lead on construction of Egerton Village. Peel sought approval to novate grant funding to the company to complete the scheme.

Councillors approved the agreement at a Wirral Council economy regeneration and housing committee meeting on 22 January 2024.

In 2022, Starship relocated its head office to Hythe, the new Grade A office building at Wirral Waters. The low carbon developer and modular housing manufacturer also moved its entire manufacturing arm to the Mea Park neighbourhood of Wirral Waters.

The retail and leisure village will be constructed using low carbon Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and will involve students from Wirral Met College, through work experience opportunities and apprenticeships, throughout its 16-month build.

Image Credit: Peel

Richard Mawdsley, director of development for Wirral Waters, said: “Egerton Village is a really important development for Wirral Waters. It is another jigsaw piece in the Four Bridges neighbourhood that will bring in much needed amenities to the area, including ancillary retailers, a café, restaurants, and workspace, with a southwest facing quayside and courtyard, where people can come together to enjoy the stunning waterside location and use the community, arts and events spaces, which are all important elements of its design.

“We are very aligned with the Starship Group on our vision for Egerton Village, with its low carbon, modular design, and I am thrilled, once again, to be able to offer construction students at Wirral Met College with yet another fantastic opportunity to learn about modern, low carbon construction right here on their doorstep.”

Simon Humphreys, director of Starship Regeneration, added: “Egerton Village will be a focal point at the heart of Wirral Waters providing valuable local amenities for this emerging neighbourhood. There will be host of new cafés, restaurants, arts, and retail space to choose from and we look forward to developing an events programme for the courtyard in this stunning dockside location.

“We are really excited about the future at Wirral Waters, which is why we are committed to investing in this project and working with our partners Peel Waters to accelerate projects like this and help create real change across the Left Bank of the Mersey.”

Egerton Village has been granted full planning permission by Wirral Council and was designed by award winning OMI Architects, following an architectural competition.

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