Category Archives: Construction

Construction, News, Wales News

Redrow South Wales apprentice wins at annual awards ceremony

A Redrow carpentry apprentice from South Wales has won the apprenticeship award for the region at Redrow’s 2019 Apprenticeship Excellence Awards.

Jon Taylor, who has worked on a number of Redrow’s developments across the region, collected the accolade at the awards which celebrate the hard work and commitment of all apprentices across Redrow’s business.

In total, 24 apprentices from across the regional divisions were recognised for their enthusiasm and dedication to their chosen skill, with Jon one of just 12 regional winners, and Ryan Payne one of a further 12 taking home highly commended certificates.

The ceremony was hosted by Regional chief executive Chris Lilley, with the awards presented by special guest and former professional football player, Joe Thompson of Rochdale A.F.C. The apprentices’ family and friends attended the ceremony, alongside 11 of Redrow’s subcontractors from across England and Wales, who were also presented with awards in recognition of their support and commitment to the housebuilder’s apprentices.

Jon joined Redrow Homes in August 2017 to complete an apprenticeship in carpentry, three years on he is a qualified carpenter at a level 2 grade, a qualification that he has been able to achieve whilst working for the national housebuilder.

Now attending college whilst completing his level 3, Jon hopes to stay with his subcontractor once fully qualified and continue to work on Redrow builds.

On the apprenticeship, Jon said:

“I was recommended the Redrow apprenticeship scheme by a friend of mine and I’m so glad I applied for one. The team is fantastic to work with and are really knowledgeable.”

As part of experiencing and learning about carpentry and the construction industry as a whole, Jon has been working on four of Redrow’s South Wales developments, including The Maltings at Llantarnam, Mill Meadows at Sudbrook and Carnegie Court at Basseleg. This has allowed him to see the different build processes for the various house types across the developments.

On the award win, Jon said:

“I am extremely proud to have won this award, I thoroughly enjoyed my three-year apprenticeship with Redrow and to achieve this at the end of it all has been the icing on the case.”

Louise Pottinger, senior secretary at Redrow South Wales and head of the apprentices in the region commented:

“Huge congratulations to all the apprentices that won at this year’s Apprenticeship Excellence Awards and to the highly commended apprentices that narrowly missed out.

“Both the winner Jon and Ryan are fantastic examples of the scheme with both of them coming such a long way since starting with us, we now look forward to the new batch of apprentices that have started with us in September.”

Construction, News, Property, Wales News

Construction underway at John Street office development in Cardiff city centre

Construction work has begun on 107,000 sq ft of Grade A offices at John Street, one of Cardiff city centre’s few remaining prime office development sites.

Independent development company JR Smart, which is speculatively developing the John Street site, has already delivered and let 370,000 sq ft of offices at the adjacent Capital Quarter.

Work on the 10-storey office building is scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2021.

Cardiff Council Leader Huw Thomas, Welsh Government Minister for Economy and Transport, Ken Skates and Alexander Smart, Managing Director of JR Smart,  came together at a ground-breaking ceremony to formally mark the start of the work at John Street.

Alexander Smart said:

“With work now underway at John Street, this new development will deliver fantastic new office accommodation in the heart of Cardiff’s Central Business District in 2021, accommodating more than 1,100 people and, importantly, the majority of sub-contracts will be awarded to local businesses.”

Huw Thomas said:

“It’s always exciting to see our city centre growing and developing. These new offices on John Street will hold a prime position on Callaghan Square and I’m sure they will help kick start more – much-needed – development in the surrounding area. JR Smart have always had the courage to build speculatively and it’s great to see the faith they retain in Cardiff – a faith that is well warranted. These offices will deliver more of the jobs the city needs, ensuring Cardiff continues to thrive, offering work opportunities for residents and workers in the surrounding region.”

Ken Skates said:

“High quality office accommodation is vital to the success of the Central Cardiff Enterprise Zone, and to retaining and attracting valued employers to the region. I’m pleased that JR Smart is once again investing in the heart of our capital city and building on a speculative basis.”

The first phase development at John Street, which is located at Callaghan Square in Cardiff’s Central Business District, will provide high-specification offices with typical floor plates of 13,000 sq ft, and will include a coffee shop and tenant’s business lounge. The roof-top terrace will provide tenants  with spectacular views of the City centre, Cardiff Bay and beyond.

Global property consultancy Knight Frank has been appointed as letting agents at John Street. Mark Sutton, partner in Knight Frank’s Cardiff office agency team, said: “Following a record period of office take-up there is a real scarcity of prime space in Cardiff city centre, with supply levels at an all-time low.  The development of John Street is perfectly timed and will deliver the superb city centre office space on Cardiff’s best development site.

Cardiff city centre office take up was 685,640 sq ft in 2016, 703,926 sq ft in 2017, and 499,000 sq ft in 2018. Strong performance in 2019 has continued with 150,000 sq ft transacted in Q1.

Property development company JR Smart has delivered over 3m sq ft of office and industrial buildings in the Cardiff area. Its seven-acre Capital Quarter site has attracted well-known local companies such as Admiral, WSP, Geldards, Optimum Credit and Public Health Wales, and new entrants to Cardiff including Opus Energy, Alert Logic, Sky and Which? Publishing. By the end of the year more than 3,000 people will be employed there and more than 5000 will be based there.

Construction, Wales News

Recruiters go from strength to strength with new starters in key sites

SUPERTEMPS continues to go from strength to strength.

The North Wales recruitment agency has welcomed new starters at its offices in Bangor and Colwyn Bay.

Candice Chartrand joins the team as a resourcer, while Ami Jones – who previously worked for the company’s IT, executive and engineering arm, S2 Recruitment – returns as a senior recruitment consultant focused on the east of the region.

Ami, from Rhos-on-Sea, will also support clients in the Construction sector, where there is significant demand for skilled and experienced candidates.

“I am absolutely delighted to be back,” said Ami, who has two children, eight year-old Emily and Elliott, 4.

“I really missed the people and the energy here at Supertemps, as well as the many fabulous companies we work with.

“I am already enjoying the construction side of the business and, as has been the case in recent times, there is a shortfall of skilled workers in the building industry.

“As well as labourers there is a need for administrative staff, project managers and supervisors, so we will be targeting those areas.”

Ami, a former pupil at Eirias High School in Colwyn Bay, revealed there is also a gap in other arenas for caterers, cleaners, and bilingual employees across several industries.

As a result, Candice, who hails from Canada, has had an incredibly busy start to life with Supertemps.

She relocated with her family to the UK aged 21 and completed a degree in Business while working as a nanny, before moving into visual merchandising and telesales.

“There were elements of recruitment in my past jobs, and it always appealed to me,” said Candice, who lives in Colwyn Bay.

“I love the pace of the role and this industry, and the team have made me feel very welcome.

“The team in Bangor is terrific, every day is different, and we are incredibly busy. There is a particular demand for Welsh-speaking staff in the region so if you’re a bilingual candidate please get in touch.”

For more on Supertemps and S2 Recruitment, call 01492 517602. Alternatively, visit www.supertemps.co.uk or www.s2recruitment.co.uk

Construction, News, Wales News

Edenstone Creates New Role to Shape Communities

The Edenstone Group has appointed a new community engagement officer to help its housing developments become neighbourhoods where people will love to live.

The Magor-based homebuilder has seen rapid expansion in recent years as it helps tackle the housing shortage.

To meet demand for new homes, the business has taken on additional 30 staff, including Julie Maggs in the new role of community engagement officer.

Julie, who has 13 years of experience in the new homes industry, said:

“I was attracted to work for the Edenstone Group as it’s a family run business with an excellent reputation for building quality homes across South Wales and the South West of England.

“The fact that they’re adapting the garden village concept for modern living really appeals to me and it’s something I’m keen to relay to homeowners. The Edenstone Group isn’t just a homebuilder – the company creates sustainable new neighbourhoods. My role is to help Edenstone Group developments blossom into new communities, where people will love to live for years to come.”

The Edenstone Group has two housing brands Edenstone Homes and Bluebell Homes. Between them, they have live sites at The Woodlands, Dinas Powys; River View in Lydney; and St Mary’s Garden Village in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, with Parc Ceirw Garden Village in Morriston, near Swansea launching this weekend (October 4).

“This is a brand new role, so I’ve been carrying out a lot of research to start with,” Julie, who lives in Oakdale, near Blackwood, adds.

“There is no typical day but my general duties include meeting residents and keeping them up to date about the progress of facilities within their development. We’re launching community websites for each of the developments, which will be a great resource for residents and potential purchasers alike. They’ll be able to find out key information about what’s happening on site and also input into building their community.”

Martin Taylor, managing director of the Edenstone Group, said:

“As an independent homebuilder we take pride in taking a personal approach to the customer experience. We recognised that as the business grows, along with the size of our developments, we need to ensure that customers still feel part of their new community. Julie is a welcome asset to the business as she has a wealth of industry experience that will enable us to continue to engage with our customers as the business grows.”

To find out more about the Edenstone Group see https://www.edenstonegroup.com.

Construction, News, Wales News

Redrow site manager recognised for excellent work with industry award win

A Redrow site manager has been awarded a top industry award in recognition of his excellent site standards this year.

Craig Thomas, site manager at Redrow’s ‘The Maltings’ development in Cwmbran, won a Seal of Excellence award at the Quality Awards, part of the 2019 NHBC Pride in the Job Awards.

On Friday 6th September at Cardiff City Hall, the winners were announced, with Craig being one of just ten people to win the award of out 23 finalists.

The awards saw16,000 Site Managers across the country compete to be the 450 Quality Award winners, hand-picked for their excellent standards on site.

Within the South Wales region, five out of 23 finalists were from Redrow Homes: Nick Daviessite manager at the at Carnegie Court development in Basseleg, Craig Thomas at The Maltings in Cwmbran, Steve Helm at Tinkinswood Green in St Nicholas, Rob Summers at Mill Meadows in Sudbrook and Huw Thomas at Cae St Fagans in Plasdŵr.

After 12 months of scrupulous judging, these first-round winners went for both the Seal of Excellence Awards and Regional Winner titles, with Craig achieving the accolade for his continued work throughout the year.

The award recognises site managers from across the country who are demonstrating excellence in housebuilding and who put quality at the centre of their work.

Established in 1936, the NHBC is the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes. Now in its 39th year, it’s Pride in the Job awards celebrate the ‘exceptional contribution site managers make in creating homes of outstanding quality’.

Tim Sexton, construction manager at Redrow South Wales, said:

“We are exceptionally proud of all our site managers across our South Wales developments for being recognised with these accolades, especially Craig for achieving the prestigious Seal of Excellence award.

“Site managers like Craig work tirelessly to ensure these developments have been built in a timely and efficient manner, ensuring neither quality or safety is compromised at any stage”

If readers are interested in a home at The Maltings, there are just two plots still available, please call 01633 730968 or visit https://www.redrow.co.uk/developments/the-maltings.

Construction, Property, Wales News

Redrow to launch new Cwrt Sant Ioan development at Plasdŵr

Redrow Homes is set to launch its Cwrt Sant Ioan development, which will be the next phase at Plasdŵr, Cardiff’s ‘Garden City for the 21st Century’.

From Saturday, 21st September, the site, which will be made up of 71, two, three and four-bedroom houses and apartments, will be available to visit between 10am and 5.30pm, with the Redrow sales team on hand to answer any questions at the Sales Office. Cwrt Sant Ioan is the latest Redrow development at Plasdŵr.

Plasdŵr is identified in Cardiff’s Local Development Plan as key to the city’s economic growth, with up to 7,000 homes planned over the next 20 years at the site bordering Radyr, Fairwater, Pentrebane and St Fagans. The development has been planned with five distinct areas of individual character. It will have a district centre and three smaller local centres, four new primary schools, a secondary school, shops, offices, health and leisure centres, pubs and restaurants.

Described as a 21st Century garden city, Plasdŵr has been modelled on the original garden city movement’s principles of “fresh air, sunlight, breathing and playing room”, designed around the natural landscape and will be characterised by green space which will account for up to 40% of its entire area.

The three-bedroom Teifi and four-bedroom Tawe house types will be just some of the properties on offer and show homes will be available to view from January 2020.

Sian Smith, area sales manager at Redrow South Wales, said:

“We’re thrilled to be releasing our next phase at Plasdŵr and welcoming visitors to the site. This new phase is set to deliver a contemporary, bespoke design with a high-class Heritage feel inside. These exceptional homes will allow a luxury lifestyle families deserve.

“The two neighbouring developments, Parc Plymouth and Cae St Fagans, have proved to be extremely popular amongst homebuyers with residents already praising the excellent location and looking forward to being part of the Plasdŵr community, which will continue to take shape over the next 20 years.”

For more information about the Cwrt Sant Ioan development, please call 02920 608055 or visit https://www.redrow.co.uk/cwrt-sant-ioan

More information on Plasdŵr can be found at www.plasdwr.co.uk.

Construction, News, Property, Wales News

New Parc Ceirw Garden Village Coming Soon in North Swansea

An information centre is opening soon (October 4) to keep residents of North Swansea up to date about plans to transform a former quarry into a new garden village of homes and community facilities.

The Edenstone Group, based in Magor, has approval to build circa 300 homes on the 35 acre site, which was the former Cwmrhydyceirw Quarry.

The development, known as Parc Ceirw Garden Village, will feature the company’s two housing brands – Edenstone Homes and Bluebell Homes.

Clearance and preparatory work is underway, with the first phase of construction due to in the near future.

Ahead of the first homes being released for sale, the homebuilder is opening an information centre located on Enfield Close off Brodorion Drive, Morriston. From October 4, visitors will be able to learn about the homes and community facilities planned as part of the new neighbourhood.

Martin Taylor, managing director of the Edenstone Group, said: “Parc Ceirw Garden Village is a significant development for the Edenstone Group and the Swansea area. It’s a prime example of how we are diversifying our product mix and responding to local housing demand. The scale of the development presents an opportunity for us to offer a choice of housing styles under the Edenstone Homes and Bluebell Homes brands so that whatever stage of life you are at there will be a home that’s the right size and style for you.

“Over the coming months and years we will be building homes suitable for every segment of the market – from first time buyers, to growing families and downsizers, and everything in between.”

Along with providing much-needed new homes, the redevelopment of the former quarry will bring substantial investment in the local area, including funding towards the cost of three new classrooms at nearby Cwmrhydyceirw Primary School and highways improvements

Part of the site is a former quarry, which has been fully remediated in partnership with Natural Resources Wales to create an amenity area for everyone to enjoy in the form of a new community park.

“Parc Ceirw Garden Village is providing more than just homes. It also demonstrates our commitment to creating sustainable communities with the facilities and infrastructure people want and need from a neighbourhood,” Martin added.

“We will be investing around £750,000 in Cwmrhydyceirw Primary School with funding earmarked for new classrooms, travel planning, plus additional funding for highways improvements including a pick-up and drop-off point and a zebra crossing.

“We’ve worked closely with NRW to remediate the former brownfield site so that the land can be brought back into the public realm for local people to enjoy. For example, the quarry basin will be landscaped to create a community park featuring a play area, kick about area, woodland and nature trail. There will also be natural habitat areas, plus we will install a community hub building, external amphitheatre, electric car charging facilities and gym equipment.”

The first homes to be released for sale will be from the Edenstone Homes brand, including the rare opportunity to own a brand new bungalow in a choice of two and three-bedroom designs, with views over the golf course.

A second phase will be marketed as Bluebell Homes. Between the two brands, there will be a choice of two, three and four-bedroom homes to choose from.

Under current plans it’s expected that the community facilities will be in place for residents to enjoy within two years. Funding allocated to schools, highways and other amenities will be paid to the local authority at agreed points as the development progresses.  The development is close to Junction 39 of the M4 and Morriston hospital.

A dedicated website for the garden village is being developed and will be accessible via parcceirw.com. In the meantime, potential purchasers can register their interest in the properties via https://edenstonehomes.com/parc-ceirw and https://www.bluebellhomes.co.uk/parc-ceirw.

Construction, News, Wales News

Precision Construction awarded maintenance contract on Biomass Plant in Barry

Barry Building and maintenance contractors, Precision Construction have this week announced that they have been awarded a maintenance contract for the new biomass energy plant in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.

The new plant, located in Barry Docks, is expected to produce enough green energy to power 23,000 homes via gasification, a process which plant managers say will produce renewable, clean electricity that reduces the need for fossil fuels.

Precision Construction Projects Manager, Calvin McLaggon, welcomed the news, saying:

“Our mechanical and engineering teams will be focusing on delivering a first class service.

“The biomass plant has yet to be commissioned as essential operating licences are still to be granted.  However, as construction was completed over a year ago we would expect to carry out essential repairs and maintenance to the fabric of the building as soon as possible.

“A factor in our being awarded this contract was our extensive commercial construction experience and our reputation as the premier building firm in Barry.

“We will be on hand to provide a quick and efficient service, and look forward to playing our part in supporting this fantastic green energy project.”

Construction, News, Wales News

BP’s first ultra-fast EV-charging site in the UK completed by Welsh construction company

Premier Forecourts and Construction, a specialist in forecourts and diverse construction projects, has completed works at a BP site at Cranford near Heathrow airport, providing BP Chargemaster’s first ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers to be added to its nationwide charging network, which is already the UK’s largest.

Swansea-based Premier Forecourts and Construction was appointed by BP as principal contractor to coordinate all site-based activities and subcontractors, provide monitoring and reporting on progress, as well as manage health and safety at the Cranford site.

The completion of the Cranford project for BP Chargemaster, the UK’s biggest name in electric vehicle charging, has enabled operation of the first two 150kW chargers at a BP retail site. The two chargers are the first of a planned network of hundreds of ultra-fast electric vehicle chargers at BP sites across the UK.

The chargers will allow drivers of most pure electric vehicles to charge them as fast as possible, with expected dwell times of around 10-12 minutes, making the refuelling experience compatible to that of drivers of petrol and diesel cars.

Formerly the construction division of The Premier Group, Premier Forecourts and Construction was acquired by a new owner during April this year, enabling the company to grow and diversify into other areas of construction, in addition to its specialist forecourt work. Its work base within the electrical vehicle charging sector has significantly increased in recent years, showcasing its successful expansion into new markets.

Steve Evans, managing director of Premier Forecourts and Construction, said:

“We are thrilled to be expanding our electric vehicle charging portfolio through working with BP on the BP Chargemaster programme. With our vast experience on highly specified forecourt projects, facilitating the works for the first ultra-fast electric vehicle chargers at BP’s Cranford site and solidifying our work in sustainable energy sector is a natural progression for us.

“BP Chargemaster’s ultra-fast chargers will support the rapidly growing electric vehicle market and we are proud to be a part of this transformation in travel. The project will provide greater opportunities for us in the future, particularly as the market grows and the potential for upgrading sites will increase. We are confident that eventually there will be more electric chargers than fuel pumps, which will boost a low carbon and sustainable future for travel.”

Construction, HR News, News

A third of employees are not provided with hearing protection

Research from Specsavers Corporate Eyecare today reveals that one-third (34%) of employees who require hearing protection for work purposes are not provided with it by their employer. The research took place among employers in all business sizes across the UK.

Jim Lythgow, director of strategic alliances at Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, commented: ‘Employers themselves acknowledge that they are not providing the necessary hearing protection, and by failing to do so, they may be putting their employees’ hearing at risk.’

Noise above 85 decibels can cause permanent and disabling hearing damage, and much like your eyesight, the damage cannot be reversed. Poor hearing makes conversations difficult and can lead to those affected becoming isolated. However, Under the Noise at Work Regulations (2005), it is the responsibility of employers to protect their employees from exposure to excessive noise and noise-induced hearing loss.  An audiologist or hearing centre will be able to assess the impact of any damage, but once incurred, damage may be permanent.

Only a quarter of employers provide custom-fit hearing protection

The survey went on to look at the types of hearing protection offered:

What types of hearing protecting do you provide?

Overhead earmuff 42 %
Foam earplug 37 %
Custom moulded earplug 26 %
Ear canal caps 21 %
Flanged earplug 20 %
Integrated earmuff 18 %
Banded earplug 17 %

Custom-moulded ear plugs are generally accepted to be the most effective solution for hearing protection, yet these are provided by just a quarter (26%) of employers. Custom-fit hearing devices provide an individual and unique fit with guaranteed levels of protection. Produced from impressions taken of the ears, custom-fit hearing devices can be made from soft, medical-grade silicone so users can wear them for longer than standard earplugs, with greater levels of protection. They are specially designed to fit each unique ear shape for a better, more comfortable fit.

Jim Lythgow said: ‘It is good to see that at least some hearing protection is being offered. Employers may feel that what they have provided is adequate, but it is important that needs and risks are fully assessed so that the most appropriate type of hearing protection is made available.’

For more information about hearing and ear health, visit: www.specsavers.co.uk/hearing