BAM Construction has won a £9.3 million project to create the second University Technical College in Sheffield, for human sciences and computing.

The contractor, which has offices in Leeds, will build UTC 2 Sheffield on the Olympic Legacy Park in Don Valley, helping economic growth and boosting the trades industry.

BAM intends to move most of its Oasis Academy team over to the UTC project and to work with many of the same suppliers, including local firms Sothall Roofing, Brebur, Jumbo Partitions and Smith’s Decorators.

Project Director, Paul Cleminson, said: “These will be first class facilities for students to learn critical skills that employers in Sheffield will need. We look forward to working with the local community to maximise the benefits of the project.”

UTC 2 Sheffield will source 10 per cent of its energy from renewable sources with Sheffield’s district heating presently being considered. All plant is designed to meet the EFA’s facilities output specification ensuring efficient and robust solutions are provided throughout.

BAM has undertaken a series of major projects in Sheffield in the past decade, including the University of Sheffield Arts Tower, Information Commons Building, Cantor Building and a laboratory rationalisation project for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Schroder UK Real Estate Fund (SREF) and Stanhope have appointed Lendlease as the preferred contractor for the first of five office buildings at Ruskin Square, London.

The partnership’s £500 million business, along with the residential and leisure quarter adjacent to East Croydon Station, is set to underway, with completion expected in autumn 2016.

Work on the building has now commenced, with the creation of 200,000 sq ft of flexible office accommodation and independent retail space on the ground floor.

Sir Edward Lister, Deputy Mayor for Planning, said: “Croydon is set to become one of the capital’s most vibrant town centres and a major driver of our economy. Lendlease’s appointment will act as a catalyst for change, bringing forward much-needed valuable office space in South London.”

The appointment builds on Lendlease’s recent succession of construction wins such as Legal & General’s office building in Hammersmith and the Rathbone Place scheme just off Oxford Street.

With a shortage of Grade A office accommodation in the central London market in particular, Ruskin Square’s total of 1.25 million sq ft of new office space will meet a growing demand from occupiers across the Capital and South East, for high quality, flexible accommodation, catering to Croydon’s burgeoning business community.

Situated at the heart of Croydon’s business district, the 2 million sq ft Ruskin Square development will also provide up to 625 residential units and 100,000 sq ft of retailing, cafes, restaurants and public space.

Work on the first residential phase at Ruskin Square began in July 2014, with Places for People appointed to build and manage the construction of 161 high quality homes, due to be completed in 2016.

Neil Martin, Managing Director, Construction at Lendlease, said: “We are looking forward to working with Stanhope and Schroders on this pivotal development in a part of South London that is set to undergo a remarkable transformation over the next few years.

“Adding to our high–profile portfolio of major London construction jobs, the contract is testament to the strong relationships we have with our clients and our expertise in building mixed-use regeneration schemes.”

 A £30 million development is to be built within Perth city centre that will create more than 350 construction and supply jobs, while attracting over 300,000 visitors every year.

The Mill Quarter development, which will be located on the site of the Thimblerow car park, will comprise of restaurants and bars, speciality shops, a cinema, gyms, housing, and a multi storey car park.

This multi million pound project was secured by Perth and Kinross Council and helped by collaborative marketing undertaken by the Scottish Cities Alliance, a partnership between Scotland’s seven cities and the Scottish Government.

Expresso Property have been selected by Perth and Kinross Council as the preferred developer for the site.

Speaking as he visited Perth Concert Hall to make the announcement, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:“If Scotland’s cities thrive so too does the rest of the country, and I am pleased to announce this exciting new £30 million venture for Perth.

“By providing a unique new destination for restaurants, retail and leisure, the Mill Quarter development will boost the local economy by creating jobs and attracting visitors to the area.

“The Scottish Cities Alliance provides a single point of contact for potential investors to access all seven Scottish cities. This success clearly signals the benefits of our cities and the Scottish Government working together in partnership. I am delighted that this is the first deal to be done, and I hope it will be the first of many.”

Councillor Andrew Burns, Chair of the Scottish Cities Alliance said: “This is a fantastic result for the city of Perth and my congratulations go to everyone involved in bringing the deal to fruition.

“I am quite sure that, thanks to our ongoing collaboration and, in particular, to the development of the Investment Prospectus, we can look forward to attracting many more major investments from across the globe.”

Nicholas Robinson of developers Expresso Property Limited said: “That forward thinking has been crucial in establishing the real business case for this development here in the heart of Perth and we are now excited to get the project underway.”

McAleer & Rushe has announced two major student housing schemes delivering 1280 rooms for central Belfast.

Planning applications have been submitted to develop the major student accommodation scheme that will pave the way for new construction jobs and boost the building trades.

Stephen Surphlis Property Director of McAleer & Rushe said: “These are large scale development and investment projects which underpin our confidence in Belfast and particularly the student accommodation sector where we already have a significant presence.

“The development of 1280 rooms in the City Centre will help to address the current shortage of purpose built student accommodation which is significantly below the UK average.

“We are planning to commence construction this Autumn with the developments being completed for the in-take of students in summer 2017”.

McAleer & Rushe has become a dominant player in this sector on the UK mainland and has been working with the leading operators in student housing provision including Unite Students and Knightsbridge Student Housing.

The Company is on target to deliver more than 7000 student rooms by the Summer of 2018, with an estimated value in excess of £400 million.

McAleer & Rushe are currently on site constructing a 759-room student housing scheme for Unite in Stratford, London which is due to complete this summer, together with a 356-room scheme for Knightsbridge Student Housing in Southampton, which is due to complete in 2016.

The Mayor of London has announced a further four Housing Zones across London, accelerating efforts to deliver the new homes and boost the construction industry.

The new zones in the boroughs of Havering, Enfield, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets will together deliver over 12,000 new homes, nearly 3,500 of which will be affordable housing.

This will bring the number of Housing Zones announced to 15 with a total of 45,109 homes created, 14,055 of them affordable.

The Mayor of London has contributed a total of £162 million in funding to the new Housing Zones, which are a collaborative effort between the Greater London Authority, the government and local boroughs to streamline approval processes and fast-track development in areas where it may not otherwise happen.

Included in the new Housing Zones will be two brand new rail stations, a large new park, new primary schools, and new retail and entertainment precincts. They will revitalise currently disused brownfield sites and turn them into neighbourhoods where Londoners will work, live and visit.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “Housing Zones will provide the swift delivery of new homes for Londoners that is so desperately needed and create entirely new, highly-connected urban districts for generations to come.

“By freeing up empty brownfield sites from lengthy approval processes and providing a funding boost, we can ensure new housing capacity is created in areas where it might never otherwise have happened.

“I am very pleased that the announcement of four more Housing Zones today brings us within touching distance of our aim to create 50,000 new homes through this innovative scheme.”

Morgan Sindall has started work on the £11.5 million rebuild of Blacon High School and the £3.6 million rebuild of JH Godwin Primary School, both of which are in Blacon, Chester.

The two projects are part of 12 schools to be delivered by Morgan Sindall under the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) that will boost the building trades and hep economic growth.

Barry Roberts, area director at Morgan Sindall, said: “Both Blacon High and JH Godwin Primary are great community schools that will really benefit from the Priority School Building Programme.

“The new design makes the best use of the space available on both sites and will give the schools an enhanced presence in the local community.

“We look forward to working with the local community and delivering the best possible learning environments to the students at both schools.”

The scheme aims to provide purpose-built school buildings to those in most need of repair and replacement while paving the way for new jobs in construction trades.

The full list of schools Morgan Sindall is delivering under PSBP is as follows:

Secondary schools:

• Blacon High School, Blacon, Chester

• The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form College, Wigan

• Neston High School, Neston, Wirral

• Ridgeway High School, Prenton, Wirral

• South Shore Academy, Blackpool

Primary schools:

• Bedford Drive Primary School, Birkenhead

• Bridge Hall Primary School, Stockport

• Dee Point Primary School, Blacon, Chester

• Halebank Primary School, Halebank, Halton

• Hawes Side Primary School, Blackpool

• JH Godwin Primary School, Blacon, Chester

• Plymouth Grove Primary School, Manchester

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has today issued a call to arms to the nation’s former servicemen and women to consider new careers building the nation’s homes.

Housebuilding levels are now more than double those seen in 2009 – meaning developers need more skilled workers than ever.

Mr Lewis argued that men and women who have served our country in our armed forces are well-equipped with the skills that the industry needs – such as opportunities in construction, civil engineering and the built environment sector.

He said that anyone looking to make a return to ‘Civvy Street’ could carve out a successful career in construction – with an industry ready and willing to take them on.

From combat to construction

The housebuilding industry was devastated by the 2008 economic crash, leading to the loss of a quarter of a million construction jobs.

That’s why the government has placed housebuilding at the heart of its long-term economic plan – and it’s working with starts now at their highest since 2007.

Brandon Lewis told armed forces leavers that this means now is one of the best times to build a career in the construction industry.

Mr Lewis attended a BuildForce recruitment event at RAF Northolt, and spoke to ex-services personnel who are looking to start new careers.

Nearly 20,000 people leave the armed forces each year, ready to bring their considerable skills and experience to ‘Civvy Street’.

The regular events offer the chance for people to look beyond bricklaying to see the vast range of skilled jobs on offer and hear form ex-military personnel who work in construction.

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said: “Our efforts have got Britain building with starts at their highest annual level for nearly 6 years, creating thousands of jobs across the country.

“The brave men and women in uniform who have served their country in our armed forces should be at the front of the queue for skilled construction careers when they return to Civvy Street.”

Steve Radley, Director of Policy at Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), said: “BuildForce helps ex-servicemen and women take the skills they’ve learned in the forces into construction, where they can build the hundreds of thousands of new homes Britain needs.

“The project’s success lies in the strong partnership between industry and the military, which CITB is proud to fund and support.

“The construction sector needs over 200,000 talented new workers in the next 5 years, and there are rewarding careers available for people of every background and experience.”

Galliford Try has signed a deal with the Greater London Authority that will see the building of the £380 million Silvertown Way development in Canning Town, East London.

The proposals will create more than 1,100 mixed tenure homes across a series of individual blocks, making it one of the largest standalone housing scheme the company has undertaken.

The project will be delivered through an existing joint venture vehicle with Thames Valley Housing Association.

A third of the homes will be for private market rent, through Thames Valley’s subsidiary Fizzy Living, while around 380 affordable homes will also be constructed for London and Quadrant Housing Association.

Galliford Try’s housebuilding businesses, Linden Homes and Galliford Try Partnerships will be responsible for undertaking the development, which is proposed to include a hotel, restaurant, employment and commercial space alongside the new homes.

Greg Fitzgerald, Galliford Try’s Executive Chairman, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to work with all the stakeholders involved in this project to reach an agreement, and deliver much-needed new homes for London.

“As well as being a hugely significant project for our company, Silvertown Way will be a flagship regeneration project for East London, and we are committed to providing high-quality housing of all tenures for the local community.”

The Scottish Government has launched a new £4 million fund to help bring abandoned homes and empty high street spaces back to life, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess announced.

The Scottish Government’s Town Centre Empty Homes Fund will help revamp empty homes and convert derelict commercial spaces into new affordable homes.

The scheme is set to boost the building trades and create new jobs in the construction sector.

Registered social landlords and developers can apply for funding, which will be administered by the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, which is run by the housing charity Shelter Scotland, works with councils to help bring empty private-sector homes back into use.

Since 2010, the partnership has brought over 900 homes back into use and encouraged 17 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities to appoint dedicated empty homes officers.

Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said: “Town centres are a key element of the economic, social and environmental fabric of Scotland’s towns.

“We want town centres to thrive sustainably and meet the needs of residents, businesses and visitors.

“Good quality, affordable housing is at the heart of this vision and transforming empty, disused spaces into comfortable homes makes sense.

“There are an estimated 27,000 long-term private empty homes in Scotland and it makes sense to make the best use possible of these properties when homelessness still exists.”

Willmott Dixon Interiors has been selected for a £20 million fit-out contract to prepare for London’s Design Museum to move into its new home at the former Commonwealth Institute building in Kensington High Street.

The company will turn into reality an interior vision created by John Pawson to transform the vacant Grade II listed building into a thriving 21st century museum providing three times more space than the Design Museum’s current location at Shad Thames.

With major funding contributions from Arts Council England, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Sir Terence Conran, Willmott Dixon Interiors’ year-long project will see the Design Museum join the Royal College of Art, V&A, Science Museum, Natural History Museum and Serpentine Gallery in Kensington’s cultural quarter.

Willmott Dixon Interiors chief operating officer Mike Hart said: “This is a high-profile and prestigious project that will see the Design Museum become one of London’s biggest attractions when we complete the fit-out, with over 500,000 visitors expected annually.

“We are very proud to be delivering this last, important stage of the museum’s long-term plan for a bigger home, especially as we have a long track-record restoring listed buildings into modern spaces fit for the 21st century. We will be using our experience to deliver an exceptional home that will showcase our rich cultural heritage.”

The scope of work includes provision of new galleries with space to accommodate one permanent and two temporary exhibition areas, as well as modern learning spaces, a library, auditorium, office areas and a new restaurant. It will provide 10,000m² of total space, 400m² of which will be devoted to learning facilities.

For Willmott Dixon Interiors, it’s another major project for the company that fits-out over 1,000,000m² of new space each year.