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 An initiative of SwanPR – www.swanpr.co.uk 

Construction News August 2013

Construction output expected to

grow by 4.5% in 2015

Construction output is set to grow by over 2.2% in 2014

and by 4.5% in 2015, boosting the trades and

contributing to stronger economic growth, theConstruction Products Association has revealed.

In the medium-term, further growth should be provided

by infrastructure activity, particularly from rail

construction such as  Crossrail, Europe’s largest project,

and energy-related work including nuclear, offshore

wind, and small renewables schemes.

Regional disparities are evident with London and the

South East showing the strongest levels of activity owing

to major contracts and refurbishment projects.

Noble Francis, Economics Director of the Construction

Products Association, said: “The industry has suffered

greatly over the past five years and earlier this year saw

its lowest levels since 2001. Even with growth in the

second half of this year, output is set to fall 1.5% for2013.

“However, our forecast is for construction to recover

from 2014. Growth over the next 12-18 months is

predominantly due to a surge in housing sector activity,

which is benefitting from the Help to Buy scheme.

“Help to Buy has clearly stimulated demand and led to

increasing supply from housebuilders. We forecast

housing starts will rise 39% by 2015.” 

The Association forecasts reflect several key risks to the

industry, most notably the dependency of the housing

recovery on both a wider economic recovery and

government support.

Furthermore, infrastructure growth is dependent upon

the government’s ability to ensure that its capital

investment announcements translate into real activity

on the ground.

Mr Francis added: “Recent housing policies have proved

that when government announcements are followed

through, the result is immediate and significant. Help to

Buy Part 2 would be expected to make an even wider

and more significant contribution through its support for

the secondary housing market. Should the government

do the same in other parts of construction then this

industry will further support the wider economic

recovery.” 

Key points in the Forecast include:

  Construction output to fall 1.5% in 2013

before 2.2% growth in 2014 and 4.5% in 2015

  Private housing starts to rise 15% in 2013 with

average growth of 9% per year from 2014

  Factories construction to rise 42% by 2017

driven by manufacturing and export growth

  Rail infrastructure to rise 41% by 2016 driven

by Crossrail and station refurbishments

  Energy infrastructure to rise 89% by 2017

  Public sector construction to fall 5.2% in 2013

after an 11.4% fall last year

Northampton centre office

development to boost the trades

Northamptonshire County Council has selected a design

concept by BDP for a major new state-of-the-art office

development aimed at saving taxpayers millions and

giving Northampton town centre a major cash-injection.

The council is planning to centralise its Northampton-

based staff out of 12 ageing HQ buildings into one

energy efficient, low carbon building helping to avoid

£54 million of future building costs whilst boosting the

local economy by bringing 2,000 employees into the

area.

Now following weeks of a rigorous selection process and

a public exhibition showcasing six potential designs forthe Angel Street site, the council has announced that

BDP Ltd is the winning design team with their concept

which was Design C in the public exhibition.

Leader of the council Cllr Jim Harker said: “We are

delighted to now be in a position to announce the

outcome of a very rigorous selection process for the

design of this critical development.

“This project is so important not only in helping us rise

to our significant and ever growing financial challenges

but also in helping to give real support to Northampton

town centre’s economy. 

“I am therefore very pleased that we are already in a

position to announce the design team we will be

working with and have in front of us the concepts of 

what this exciting development will look like.

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“The comments people and staff made about this

winning concept during the exhibitions will now be

forwarded to the design team so they can be taken into

consideration.” 

Final approval has been given for plans to unlock

hundreds of millions of pounds of private investment to

boost business across Falkirk and Grangemouth.

Falkirk Council’s £67 million Tax Incremental Financing

(TIF) scheme is expected to pave the way for £413

million in private investment that will create around

6,000 new jobs.

Under TIF, councils fund infrastructure by borrowing

against future business rate income that should be

generated by the resulting regeneration and

development.

The 25-year plan, over three phases across Falkirk and

Grangemouth, includes improving M9 motorway links to

established industrial areas and unlocking 400,000square metres of business space.

Within the bid funding is earmarked to contribute to

major flood defences to protect the port and refinery at

Grangemouth.

The Scottish Futures Trust, set up by the Scottish

Government to deliver value for money across public

sector infrastructure, has spearheaded the development

of the TIF model for use in Scotland.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “We will use

every lever at our disposal, within our devolved powers,

to boost capital spending and through innovative

financing schemes such as TIF, support jobs,

apprenticeships and help the Scottish economy.“The Falkirk TIF will allow dozens of major construction

developments across the area to unlock significant

economic development and regeneration.

“It will allow Falkirk and Grangemouth to maintain and

grow a number of industries and sectors that are

important nationally such as petrochemicals,

manufacturing and port activity against the backdrop of 

highly competitive global industries.” 

Councillor Craig Martin, Leader of Falkirk Council said:

“This investment signals a new chapter for Falkirk as it

gears up to play a significant role in Scotland’s economic

growth, export trade and jobs creation. Key

infrastructure development will unlock more

opportunities in our key sectors of chemicals,manufacturing and logistics, ensuring these high value,

 job-creating industries can thrive to benefit the whole of 

Scotland.” 

Barry White, chief executive of the Scottish Futures

Trust, said: “SFT continues to lead the way with the

development of TIF across Scotland as an innovative way

to unlock future economic growth, as every £1 invested

by the public sector has the potential to attract a further

£6 from the private sector.

“We have worked closely with Falkirk Council on

finalising this agreement since recommending approval

of its TIF Business Case and very much look forward to

the positive impact that the investment will make to this

region and adjacent areas.” 

DAILY UPDATES www.tradesworld.co.uk 

Tracerco grows within Tees Valley

Enterprise Zone

Tees Valley is set to benefit from a further investment as

global technology company, Tracerco, is about to

expand within the Enterprise Zone, creating 50 new jobs

and boosting the trades.

The company successfully secured a £1 million grant

from the £30m ‘Let’s Grow’ programme, part of the

Regional Growth Fund programme.

The grant will support a £8.6 million investment

programme including a new 61,000 sq ft bespoke

research and development facility, in addition to some

existing Tracerco buildings, and will be one of the largest

developments on an Enterprise Zone Business Rate

Relief site in the country.

Councillor Jim Beall, Deputy Leader of  Stockton Borough

Council, said: “The new building will create specialist

 jobs as well as ensure this fantastic Stockton company

can continue to grow and secure new contracts.

“It is terrific that we are already seeing the Tees Valley

Enterprise Zone succeed  – with the sites based within

Stockton Borough playing an instrumental part in the

on-going development of the local economy and job

creation.” Andy Hurst, Managing Director at Tracerco, added: “The

new Measurement Technology Centre is the platform

for innovation and will support growth in our

Measurement Instruments business for the next decade.

“It will support the development of more unique and

special diagnostic devices, such as ‘Discovery’, our latest

development for the subsea industry, to maintain our

position as world leader in our sectors.” 

£17 million support to help

communities build

Housing Minister Mark Prisk  has announced a £17million fund to support people who want to build new

projects in their community area and boost the trades.

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Anyone planning new building projects in their

community can apply for a share of the funding boost

which aim is to support housebuilding and help deliver

more affordable homes.

The minister said the money will ensure that those

wishing to realise their vision will no longer be put off 

building by the challenges of design and permissions.

Housing Minister Mark Prisk said: “From barn

conversions to bungalows, anyone wanting to build new

homes in their area should have the opportunity to do

so. That’s why we’re opening the door to a £17 million

support fund which will help people navigate the early

stages of any project.

“Today’s cash will make it easier for aspiring self -

builders and communities to get their projects off the

ground, opening the door for hundreds of potential

building projects across the country.” 

Chief Executive of the Homes and Communities Agency 

Andy Rose said: “Funding to help community groups

boost their capacity to apply for planning permission will

be very welcome in our local neighbourhoods andcommunities.

“The broadened scope of the programme is evidence of 

the government’s commitment to help community

groups and parish councils to achieve the development

that they want to see take place in their local areas.” 

Government boost for Scotland’s

world class offshore wind sector

Certainty and security are central to sustained

investment in Scotland’s offshore wind resources, the

Secretary of State for Scotland  has said regarding the

UK’s plan to boost the renewable industry. The UK already leads the world in offshore wind power

generation. With more capacity than the rest of the

world combined the industry in the UK has the potential

to create 30,000 jobs and contribute £7 billion to the UK

economy by 2020.

The new strategy will help ensure that the economic

benefits are felt in Scotland and across the UK by leading

a strong partnership approach. Companies in Scotland

already getting involved in the sector such as ROVOP 

and Petrofac  in Aberdeen are demonstrating the

demand for skills, knowledge and innovation on an

international scale.

The strategy, revealed by Deputy Prime Minister  Nick

Clegg  and Energy Secretary Edward Davey, is set to

develop and grow a competitive UK supply chain

combined with inward investment to open up

opportunities for UK businesses.

The work will be led by the Offshore Wind Industry

Council, a new partnership between Government and

Industry chaired by Scottish Power’s CCO Keith

Anderson, with support across UK Government from 

DECC, BIS and UKTI as well as the Scottish Government. 

The Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore said:

“Together with the UK’s financial framework, electricity

market reform providing longevity on prices for

industry, significant funding for our world-leading

expertise like the Offshore Renewable Catapult Centre

in Glasgow and initiatives like the Edinburgh

Headquartered UK Green Investment Bank, today’s

strategy provides certainty and security in a long term

future for offshore wind which will be vital for attracting

new investment to Scotland and strengthening our

supply chain in the years ahead.” 

Major boost for green homes and jobs

A £3 million fund is set to help hundreds of Scottish

homes become more energy efficient by installing

renewable electricity technologies that will boost the

trades and create new jobs.

Interest free loans will be available for home owners to

adopt a range of renewable heat and electricity

technologies, such as heat pumps, solar panels, micro-wind turbines or biomass boilers.

Householders will be able to borrow up to £10,000

depending on the technology and cost of their system.

Households installing renewable electricity technologies

will be eligible for payments for feeding electricity into

the national grid and households installing renewable

heat technologies can also benefit from Renewable Heat

Premium Payment vouchers for domestic renewables.

The funding will be directly targeted at homes in fuel

poverty, helping to boost household income. The

installation of the technologies will help to develop

Scotland’s micro-generation market and will contribute

to greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “The investment will

ensure hundreds of Scottish households get their own

sustainable green energy supply and in doing so they

will receive payments for supplying electricity to the

national grid or by cashing in a Renewable Heat

Premium Payment voucher.

“As well as being a huge help in fighting fuel poverty,

this investment will help Scotland become greener. The

wide take up of small scale technologies will be vital for

helping us to become a truly low carbon economy.

“Low cost, low carbon heating technologies such as solar

panels and heat pumps will cut emissions and support

 jobs in the manufacturing and installation industry.

“This investment will also help to boost our micro -generation market, which will also help to create jobs in

this fast growing industry and meet our commitment to

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deliver renewable energy and energy-efficient homes in

those communities worst affected by fuel poverty.

“Independence is the only way to guarantee more

concerted action, focused on Scotland’s specific

advantages  – like our vast energy resources  – to raise

more people out fuel poverty and to ensure Scotland

becomes a greener and more sustainable place to live.” 

Science-led facilities bring BAM

straight back to Cambridge

BAM Construction  has been awarded a £9 million

scheme to build three-storey University Technical

College (UTC) in Cambridge set to generate work for

local contractors and boost the trades.The UTC will specialise in biomedical, environmental

sciences and technologies and will include five super

labs on the top floor. These will hold 90 students each,

with three capable of joining together to emulate large-

scale research conditions.

Start on site is scheduled for September 2013, with the

UTC due to open a year later at the start of the 2014/15

academic year.

BAM’s design arm will carry out structural design as well

as specifying furniture, fittings and equipment, working

closely with architect Hawkins Brown on the scheme.

The UTC will be built adjacent to the £175 million

Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), which was

completed by BAM last year. The LMB was officially

opened on 23 May by Her Majesty the Queen,

construction value approximately £170 million.

BAM regional design manager Malcolm Boyd said: “We

are very excited to be back building science facilities in

Cambridge. The LMB project helped us develop our

designs for the science laboratories in the UTC, a key

contribution to this important win for BAM.

“BAM is committed to ensuring our work creating UTC

Cambridge will benefit pupils, teachers, the wider

community and the environment.” 

Willmott Dixon gets go-ahead for£45m Welsh school job

Willmott Dixon has been given the go-ahead for building

a new £45 million Cardiff and Vale College site that will

boost the construction industry.

The Council’s planning committee approved proposalsfor the new campus in the heart of the city’s enterprise

zone, saying it would kick-start regeneration in the area.

The firm can now start work this month on the two-year

construction programme to deliver the distinctive

wedge shape building, designed by architects BDP. 

The new campus will be completed in time for students

to start their courses in Autumn 2015.

The 16,000sqm site, which has excellent public transport

links and is designed with sustainability at its heart, will

provide world class facilities for 2,300 students and 350

staff.

While it will bring together many College activities under

one photovoltaic roof, CAVC will still continue its work

across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Councillors on the planning committee praised the

design as “fabulous”, “striking” and said that it was “a

statement” compared to many developments in the

area.

Chairman Michael Michael said: “It will enhance the

landscape of Cardiff as a whole and we hope that this

will be the start of our ambitious plans for the area.”  

Offshore wind investment to

unlock billions in UK economy

Government and business have today published a long-

term strategy that will strengthen the UK’s position in

the offshore wind industry and create new jobs.

The industry has the potential to create 30,000 jobs

across the UK and contribute £7 billion to the economy

by 2020, boosting the renewable energy sector.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Energy Secretary

Ed Davey  launched the strategy today during a visit to

officially open the Lincs wind farm  off the coast of 

Lincolnshire, developed by Centrica. 

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “The race is nowon to lead the world in clean, green energy. As an island

nation, and with our weather, the UK is ideally placed to

make the most of offshore wind energy  – you could say

it was a technology designed for us.

“This strategy will help keep Britain as the world leader

in one of the most important industries of the 21st

Century. If we make the most of offshore wind’s

potential in the UK, it can provide a big proportion of 

the energy that lights our homes and powers our

economy.” 

Investments by the government will include £20 million

from the  Regional Growth Fund  to improve the green

economy and help the trades.

Further £46 million fund will be allocated to join up

innovation between industry, government and

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academia, helping companies to bring new products to

market and boost employment.

The UK currently has more offshore wind power than

the rest of the world combined. The offshore wind

industrial strategy aims to grow the supply chain

manufacturing so that more of the work and jobs can be

created within the UK.

Business Secretary Vince Cable  said: “We have more

offshore wind power than the rest of the world

combined and, if we get it right and strike now, we will

also see this new technology creating thousands of jobs

here as well.

“The commitment and partnership that this strategy

represents is an important step in giving the industry

more confidence to invest here in Britain; build

factories, increase capacity at ports, develop skills and

carry out high-end research to tackle the problems

posed by the unforgiving offshore environment.” 

ISG awarded £13.5m Cardiff University scheme

ISG has secured a £13.5 million project with Cardiff 

University  that will see the building of new Business

School development at its Cathays Park campus.

Designed as a signature building within the University’s

property portfolio, the facilities at the striking new

building will play an important role in continuing to

attract students from across the world to study in

Cardiff.

John Rawlinson, ISG’s Western regional managing

director, said: “As Cardiff University seeks to further

expand its reputation for excellence across the globe,

this striking new building reinforces its commitment to

providing the very finest facilities for study and

academic research.” 

Targeting a BREEAM  Excellent environmental

performance rating, the new Business School will be

constructed using high specification building materials,

incorporate a roof mounted photo voltaic installation to

generate carbon free electricity, and also features a

rainwater harvesting and re-use system to flush toilets

within the building. The project is scheduled for

completion in summer 2014, ahead of the new

academic year.

Centralising Cardiff Business School’s excellentpostgraduate business resources within a purpose-built,

state-of-the-art building, the facility will feature a 250-

seat lecture theatre and impressive environmental

credentials.

Comprising over 54,300 sq ft of accommodation, the

business school incorporates an elliptical four-storey

structure with distinctive terracotta rainscreen cladding

to its façade and an attached two-storey teaching wing

with extensive curtain walling.

Providing the university with maximum flexibility, the

impressive elliptical lecture theatre has been designed

with bi-fold walls and folding partitions, so the building

can also be used as a high-specification conferencing

venue. The new structure also contains a range of 

modular offices, flexible teaching spaces, two

postgraduate common rooms and a large central core

and break out area.

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

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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 theway 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

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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.”  

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 A service to the trades from SwanPR

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 Authorityoutsourcing 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.

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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 andplanning 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 createnew 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.” 

Courtesy of www.tradesworld.co.uk