BuildingBritain

BUILDING THE FUTUREThe radical new ventures changing theway we live

BUILDING UNDERGROUNDThe amazing engineering feats behindthe £15billion Crossrail transportnetwork

BUILDING SAFELYHow the constructionindustry is striving to savelives

BUILDING OUR CULTUREThe new Irish World Heritage Centrepreserving our past for futuregenerations

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Autumn 2012

Sponsored by GoKerry.ie and The Carey Group

DEMOLITIONCIVIL

ENGINEERINGCONCRETE

STRUCTURES BUILDINGENVIRONMENTAL

SOLUTIONSTHE CAREYSFOUNDATION

Carey House, Great Central Way, Wembley HA9 0HR© Careys Group Plc - 2012 T 020 8900 0221 | F 020 8903 9987 | E admin@careysplc.co.uk

ScudderDemolition

CareysCivil Engineering

CareysConcrete Structures

CareysBuilding

SenecaEnvironmental Solutions

Carey Group Services

Through our philosophy and commitment to ‘self-delivery’ we manage out construction risksrather than transfer them to others, focusing on developing solutions and delivering quality.We excel because of the talented people we employ, the Group’s continued investment intraining, specialist plant and strategic assets, plus our strong internal culture of team workand well-grounded family values.

We are unique within the construction industry as a consequence of our specialist demolition,civil engineering, concrete structures, building and environmental solutions business units,

single team of specialists.

Construction ExcellenceTaking Construction to the next level

Contents

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Evans Mockler are a long established and dynamic firm of CharteredCertified Accountants and Registered Auditors. We specialise in boththe construction industry and the property sector and a largeproportion of our clients are first and second generation Irish.

We are business and tax advisors and recognise that our clientsrequire more than just annual compliance. We understand the manychallenges that businesses face, particularly within the constructionindustry. We work closely with our clients to ensure that theyovercome these challenges and achieve their goals.

Kindly contact Martin Mockler, Mike Evans or Simon Toghill on020 8449 9632 if you would like to discuss our range of services andto find out how Evans Mockler can help you build your business.

Helping you build a successful business

elp you build your business.

www.evansmockler.co.uk

When the going gets tough The tough get going — RIBAPresident Angela Brady on ‘ladders of opportunity’ _______ page 6

Building Britain Niall O’Sullivan features some of the excitingventures changing the way we live, work and play ______ pages 9-11

A light in the dark Fiona Audley reports on the work ofconstruction charity campaigner Jennifer Deeney ____ pages 14-15

Creating history Excitement mounts in Manchester as the IrishWorld Heritage Centre nears completion __ pages 16-17

Our working lives Katy Harrington looks at thedifferent roles that make a business work

___________________________________ pages 20-21

Health and Safety John McKenna on how theindustry is striving to make working life a lot safer________________________________ pages 24-25

Crossrail in numbers The amazing facts andfigures behind the £15 billion engineeringmarvel _______________________ pages 26-27

Comment It’s time for Government action toboost our business, says Federation ofMaster Builders boss Brian Berry __ page 29

Welcome to

Building BritainWelcome to the first issue of The Irish Post Construction Magazine.Inside these pages we look at the amazing impact theconstruction industry is having on Britain.From the great iconic sky-scraping structures reaching towardsthe heavens to the astonishing feat of underground engineeringthat is London’s Crossrail project...From the homes we live in to the buildings where we work — andthe air, road and rail infrastructure that gets us between the two... From hugely exciting sports arenas to radically designed centresof learning, from the creation of great new science parks to therevitalisation of landmark and historic properties... And not forgetting the ground-breaking environmental projectsthat are providing us with a greener, fresher and safer world.The men and women of the construction industry are at the veryheart of this brave new world.That is why we have themed this launch issue as ‘Building Britain’— because the construction industry is doing just that... building anew world with imaginative and far-reaching 21st century projectsin towns and cities all around the country.Naturally enough, if you are talking about construction in Britain,then Irish people are in the vanguard of this great drive to build abetter world — and many of them, and the projects they areworking on, feature inside this magazine.We hope you enjoy reading their stories and finding out moreabout the projects changing the world around us.And please do let us know what you think!

Niamh KellyChief Executive, The Irish Post

Printed by Warners Midlands plc, The Maltings, Manor Lane, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PHPublished by The Irish Post, Suite A, 1 Lindsey Street, Smithfield, London EC1A 9HPPublisher: Niamh Kelly,Advertising: Sarah MurphyTelephone: 020 8900 4159

Setting the standardfor over 85 years

Rochford Paving Limited was established in 1986.

Traditionally a paving contractor, the family-run

business has developed and expanded over the years

into a reputable groundwork, reinforced concrete frames

and paving contractor.

Rochfords are registered with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS

18001 and CHAS. We consider health and safety to be a

core business value. Our Health and Safety Department

strive to maintain a proactive approach to safety and

training. Our workforce are 100 per cent CSCS certified.

Environmental issues are considered from the tender stage

up to the completion of the project and like health and

safety we endeavour to exceed the minimum standards

wherever possible. Rochfords’ constant commitment to

quality ensures that our working systems are continually

reviewed, developed, audited and implemented

throughout the company.

After 26 years in business the company has gone from

strength to strength both financially and commercially. Due

to our continual growth we are proudly able to offer a wide

range of career opportunities across all our work sectors.

Client: Wates Living Space

Architect: PRP

Structural Engineer: Consibee

Value of Project: £4.25 Million

Scope of Works:1. Groundworks2. Drainage3. External works: Hard

Landscaping

Date of Completion: July 2013

Key Points:1. This is a 12 stage

Environmental Regeneration

of live residential blocks

2. The Works comprise of site

clearance, excavations,

drainage & hard landscaping

3. All works are carried out

whilst keeping safe access for

residence

4. Rochford are carrying out

the Hard Landscaping Design

& Build contract with our own

in-house Architect.

Kerry House, Fourth Way, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 0LH

Case Study of one of our current projects:OCEAN ESTATE ENVIRONMENTAL REGENERATION

Tel: 020 8903 6888 Fax: 020 8903 6838Website: www.rochfordltd.co.uk Email: admin@rochfordltd.co.uk

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THE UK construction industry has taken ahuge battering since the global economiccrisis took root in 2007, and is notexpected to start improving until 2014.

After the housing market collapsed in the wake ofthe credit crunch, and the resulting lack ofconfidence destroyed the commercial market, thecoalition government’s austerity measuresslashed the lifeline of public sector work. Morethan 400,000 jobs have been lost in the industryin the last five years.But it is not all bad news. The constructionindustry is still worth more than £100 billion ayear and if you know where to look, there areplenty of healthy opportunities for contractors.Dr Noble Francis, economics director at the CPA,points out that the picture varies hugely by sectorand region. He says social housing, education andhealth are likely to be particularly dry areas overthe near future and it will also be increasinglytough going in the commercial and retail sectors.“Last year the private sector was offsetting thepublic sector cuts but this year retail and officework has been in decline.”

There are areas of growth on the horizon,however. Infrastructure projects continue apace,with the £16 billion Crossrail scheme wellunderway, as is the second phase of the £6bnThameslink upgrade scheme. The energy sector is also critical for constructionfirms over the next 18 months. The new nuclearprogramme will start in earnest next year withmain works beginning at Hinkley Point inSomerset. Elsewhere in the sector, significantoffshore wind work will be available.Meanwhile Francis sees a two-tier market forprivate housebuilders. “We have seen lots of goodresults from the large housebuilders with profitmargins of up to 15 per cent and the increasingvalue of land,” he says. “It is tougher for the smalland medium companies who don’t have the landand are struggling to secure finance.”He believes an increase in mortgage lending is thekey to unlocking more schemes.

“If this is not sorted out then it will severely hinderthe private housing market,” he said.As well as these sector variances there is a strongregional bias in the industry at the moment.London and the South East are outperforming therest of the UK, driven by landmark projects suchas Crossrail and the Shard skyscraper as well ashousing demand. Outside this bubble, the outlookranges from tough to desperate. In NorthernIreland, house prices have fallen almost 10 percent in a year.Gary Crabtree, managing director of John Sisk &Son across the UK and Ireland, says he expectsthe London market to remain strong. “There is alot of money flowing into the capital city, pushingprices up,” he says. “There is a separate market inLondon, with high quality hotel and residentialwork, the Crossrail project and developmentaround the Olympic site.”Stephen Ratcliffe, director of membership bodythe UK Contractors Group, says those firms thathad survived the past five years felt in areasonable position to weather the remainder ofthe downturn. “But there are quite a fewuncertainties,” he adds. “The ongoing Euro crisisand its effects on private sector confidence is oneof these. Also whether the government is evergoing to seriously spend money on infrastructure.Thirdly, the schools programme is still being heldback and we need to hear the new arrangementsfor private finance.”The Autumn Statement, to be delivered byChancellor George Osborne on December 5 thisyear, will give the next major clues to theconstruction industry’s future.Francis says: “The government has to have amodel for private investment, and we need to seean increase in the level of capital investment toget work on the ground.”Ratcliffe, meanwhile, remains positive about themedium-term prospects for construction.“Theappointment of former Locog chief Paul Deightonto oversee infrastructure delivery at the Treasurybodes well. How quickly the government goes upthrough the gears is another matter.”

Outside of growth sectors such as infrastructure,Francis warns the battle for work isintense and in some caseshazardous. “Competitive pressuresare greater, tender lists are lengthyand anecdotal evidence of latepayment are only increasing.” In conclusion, John Sisk andSon’s Gary Crabtree describes2013 as a year for “hunkeringdown”.“Good contractors will comethrough with a margin andbe hoping that as wehead towards thenext election, therewill be a push by theGovernment toinvest inconstruction.”

UK Market Outlook

Report by Greg Pitcher

Commercial and industrialDespite some iconic projects, the officesmarket stubbornly refuses to grow outsidethe M25. Supermarkets have scaled backgrowth plans and the commercial sector isanticipated to fall by 2.8 per cent both thisyear and next. On the positive side, factorieswork is driving a small increase in work.

InfrastructureRail spending is a rare high point with thehuge Crossrail and Thameslink schemes.Energy investment is badly needed andwidely expected but not yet flowing throughon the scale the industry requires. Roadinvestment is falling sharply. Nonetheless asmall rise in infrastructure is forecast.

HousingA 2 per cent rise in private housing isforecast by the Construction ProductsAssociation for 2012 – followed by 4 percent in 2013. Public sector housing, bycontrast, is predicted to plummet by 22 percent and 15 per cent respectively over thisyear and next.

5

The situation for the UK constructionindustry still remains verychallenging. Only now are the fulleffects of the economic crisis

working their way through the UK economy.At the Royal Institute of British Architects(RIBA) we know from our monthly RIBAFuture Trends survey that workloads forarchitects are down by approximately 40 percent since 2008, and that there is noimmediate prospect of a dramaticimprovement. Architects are very active atthe front end of the building procurementprocess and the profession is a key bellwetherfor the wider construction industry, so it looksas though things are going to remain prettytough for some time.All is not doom and gloom though; wearchitects are by nature a positive andoptimistic bunch. The UK Government istrying to maintain infrastructure spending,with projects in transport and energy sectors.Although house prices have been falling inreal terms in the UK, unlike the situation inIreland there is a fundamental undersupply ofhousing which will have to be met in the nearterm. Architects working on high endresidential projects in London and the Southof England generally have full order books,with low interest rates and overseas investorspromoting continuing growth in the primeresidential property market.A key area of concern for UK architects is therestrictions on access to public sectorprocurement for SMEs. Some of this iscaused by EU procurement requirements, buta lot relates to the culture of UK publicprocurement processes, which tend to beoverly bureaucratic and incredibly risk averse.The RIBA has been working hard to comeforward with new thinking for the UKGovernment and local authorities to try andaddress these issues, in order to create anenvironment which nurtures the bestavailable talent and focusses on producingpublic buildings of high quality and value.Even in straitened times the public sectorremains a key element of the builtenvironment sector. Earlier this year weproduced “Ladders of opportunity” andworked cross-professionally to get all views;we continue to push this forward. We couldhave better systems in place that recogniselocal talent and skills.Now going into my second year as presidentof RIBA my three aims remain the same:finding better procurement models;Internationalising the RIBA for its members inUK and members overseas — and bringingarchitecture to the public so they understandbetter sustainable development and willdemand it as a basic human need via anIntegrated Design Strategy. Internationally,RIBA are opening up Chapters overseas. TheRIBA brand is a 'super brand", commands a

lot of respect and is well known global goldstandard. I have just launched the RIBA HongKong Chapter in September 2012. We can sellthe very best of British Design overseas withthe help of UKTI and the British Council whoput us in contact with the right people. Wealso launched the Shanghai shop windowsproject showcasing young talent and makingbusiness opportunities. In Dubai at the Globalarchitecture conference recently I spokeabout Integrated Design Strategies that couldbe used around the world and that relate tospecific climate history culture and identity,rather than importing western models thatare so out of place. I think a change ishappening and people are awakening andrejecting the identikit city with its lack ofculture and lack of sense of place and relateto a model so out of touch with naturalenvironments and people in more than waysof style.There is so much work overseas and I do notsee the skills to match the work opportunities.We need to make good links with universitiesand forge links twinning universities, practicesbusinesses and really make long term planson how we can share skills and work together,maybe starting with a pilot project and linkingresearch into new projects suitable fordifferent parts of the world. The more I travel the more I see the need fora new way of moving our professions andindustry forward. One area which is essential is promoting anIntegrated Design Strategy where we can allwork together in a holistic way and lay down aclear path for the long term using intelligentcommissioning, linking research anddevelopment and producing integratedsystems that are sustainable. We can look atquality of life and how we can achieve theplaces where people want to live, work andplay, rather than producing the quick hitmodel of old where it’s all about finance andnot quality of life. It's time for radical changenow. We need to work cross industry on thisand internationally in order to plan ourfutures together and get political ‘buy-in’ tobetter ways of planning our cities and townsfor our people and future generations.

A proud paTime to start climbing onthe ladders of opportunity

Thriving on complex& challenging projects

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By AngelaBrady,President,The RoyalInstituteof BritishArchitects

COMMENTThe Irish construction industry has a

long history in Britain, stretching rightback to the days of the navvies — sonamed after the men who came across

from Ireland to work on the navigation canals inthe 19th century. Since those far off days the industry haschanged out of all recognition. Today theburgeoning construction world is full of bright,highly-skilled men and women, well-qualified,and experienced builders, architects, designers,machine operators, carpenters, draughtsmen,bricklayers, civil engineers, acoustic engineersand many more, who have helped build Britishlandmarks such as The Shard, Crossrail, theJubilee Line, Heathrow Terminal 2 and variousOlympics facilities throughout the capital. Companies such as McGee’s Construction,Cappagh Public Works, KeltBtray, Seneca,Ardent Tide and Lynch Plant Hire are commonnames throughout Britain, with plant, transportand personnel involved in everything frommotorways construction to house building.

Of course, with the economic downturn it’s notall been a rose garden in the building industry.The British construction sector shrank duringthe summer as new contracts dropped at thefastest pace since April 2009.But development in London has gone on apace,and wherever an iconic building has gone up,Irish companies have been to the fore. TheShard (also referred to as the London BridgeTower) is now the tallest completed building inEurope. Italian designer Renzo Piano workedwith the architectural firm Broadway Malyanduring the planning stage. Several Irish firmswere to the fore in its construction, includingKeltBray, which has a workforce of over 800.KeltBray 0wner and CEO Brendan Kerr hasseen his company record a 20 per cent increasein turnover for the financial year ending 31October 2011, from £87 million (2010) to £108million. During the same period, operating profitalso rose to £420,000. He told The Irish Post:“Despite the prolonged, weak economic climatewe are currently operating in, Keltbray isexperiencing significant growth, and has startedto reap the benefits of a diversification strategyand extended geographical reach.

❛ With the economic downturn it’s not

been a rose garden... but wherever

an iconic bulding has gone up Irish

companies have been to the fore ❜

The Irish have a long history in theconstruction world — and are stillleading the way today with highlyskilled teams, as Mal Rogers reports

“From being a demolition and civil engineerfocused business in the south east, Keltbray isbranching out into very specialised businesssectors. We provide integrated services to meetthe needs of diverse and complex contracts inthe areas of demolition and civil engineering,rail and environmental materials managementnationwide.” Of course, anywhere you have builders youneed plant hire, and T Mitchell & Co Plant Hire, afamily run business in west London, has beensupplying just that for over 35 years. Foundedby Tom Mitchell from Sligo, the firm supplieseverything from JCBs to mini-excavators up to25 tonne bulk earth movers. “You can hire oneof our machines with an operator or self drive— whether you’re building a carport or a newterminal for an airport,” says Adrian Mitchell,Tom’s son. “Being a family run business, we takepride in our positive, friendly approach and weare always available 24 hours a day.”The highest profile project Mitchell’s have beeninvolved in recently is the Westfield ShoppingCentre in Shepherds Bush. “We were supplyingplant at the White City for some five years,”explains Adrian. “So, overall business has beenpretty good.”Another family firm intimately involved in thebuilding industry in the south-east of England isO'Halloran & O'Brien Ltd., now in the soleownership of Tom O'Brien. The company hasevolved from a small groundworks company toa multi-disciplined major contractor. Tom has

been at the forefront of various housingprojects from Tunbridge Wells to the HollowayRoad. The company specialises in reinforcedconcrete frame, which accounts for nearly 55per cent of the turnover.Heathrow Terminal 2 is one of the many high-profile projects with heavy Irish involvement.Phase One of a £2.3 billion programme toconstruct a brand new Terminal 2 at HeathrowAirport is well underway and once complete, theterminal will cater for up to 20 millionpassengers a year. Terminal 2 will replace aformer terminal and is the latest stage in a five-year programme of works to transform theairport. The construction of Terminal 2 hasbeen funded entirely by BAA, and Irish firms areto the fore. Main contractor for Phase One ofTerminal 2 is HETCo, a joint venture betweenFerrovial Agroman and Laing O’Rourke. Maincontractor for the satellite pier is Balfour Beatty,whilst Laing O’Rourke is the main contractor forthe car park construction.BAA Capital Director, Steven Morgan, said:“Laing O’Rourke was awarded the contractfollowing a competitive bid which demonstratedthat they fully understood BAA’s intelligentclient approach and could deliver a car park andassociated infrastructure safely, innovativelyand to the highest standards of quality.”Laing O’Rourke, Europe’s largest privately-owned construction firm, was founded in 1977by Mayo man Ray O’Rourke and has played keyroles in many major projects and was one of the

key contractors building the Olympic city for the2012 games in London.The Byrne Group is another family firm heavilyinvolved in the construction of HeathrowTerminal 2, as well as many other constructionprojects throughout Britain. Founded by Patsyand Johnny Byrne in 1969 it has steadily growninto one of Britain’s leading companies in theproject management and construction servicessector. Barbour ABI is one of the longer-established construction firms in Britain,starting out in the 1930s. Its current projectsinclude the Qeii Berth redevelopment,Middlesbrough, and the Battle Of Britain BeaconProject, Hendon. And another well-established firm is CappaghPublic Works, a family-owned contractingcompany which has been involved in theconstruction industry for over 40 years. Dermot O’Hagan from Maghera in Co. Derry is amember of another family firm, SpecialistJoinery Group. They pretty much do what theirname implies — they provide bespokewoodworking across a range of facilities, fromhospitals to schools. Founded by John O’Hagansome 25 years ago, the company employs over80 people. “Our highest profile building at theminute is providing the wood panelling for aconcert hall in the Barbican Centre in London.That’s a contract worth £1.8million. We’ve alsojust secured the furniture fit-out of luxuryresidences at Gloucester Place, London, sobusiness is very buoyant at the minute.”

past becomes a glowing future

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It would be a cliché to say the Carey Group hascovered lots of miles, but then it has builtscores of roads in Britain and Ireland since itsfoundation in 1969. Originally established as a grounds workscontractor, Chairman John Carey senior and hisbrothers Pat and Tom have been developing abrand built on the back of British food retailstores. The company also played a major role inthe provision of infrastructure for MiltonKeynes in the late 1980s and early 1990s.Now one of the leading independently ownedconstruction companies in Britain, Careyspecialises in demolition, civil engineering,concrete structures and environmentalsolutions for business units. Such versatility hasallowed them to deliver minor and majorcontracts, operating as a principal or specialistcontractor on significant multi-million schemes.The company says they are committed to self-delivery. This means they manage constructionrisks and choose not to transfer those risks toothers. Instead, the Carey Group focuses ondeveloping solutions and delivering quality. In recent years the business has expanded intofurther areas of operational expertise and intodifferent areas. The company was involved inthe London Olympic project and is currentlydelivering major jobs throughout the country.“The more challenging the conditions, thegreater the value Carey's will deliver,” hasbecome something of a company motto.

Carey’s road to successLOOKING UP: The constructionworld has many skilled workersusing modern equipment as thispicture from KeltBray shows

Specialists in innovativethinking & complex delivery

WIMBLEDON, SW17 7ABCAPPAGH HOUSE, WATERSIDE WAY,

020 8947 4000 020 8944 9447 ENQUIRY@CAPPAGH.CO.UK WWW.CAPPAGH.CO.UK

F T E W

RECYCLED AGGREGATES CONCRETE CRUSHING MUCKAWAY READYMIX CONCRETE PLANT HIRESITE REMEDIATION DEMOLITIONUTILITIES & CIVIL ENGINEERINGCONTRACTOR HIGHWAYS DEEP DRAINAGESHAFTS & TUNNELLING SEWER JETTING CCTV SURVEYS

Building Britain Reporting by Niall O’Sullivan

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From London’s soaring Shard toGlasgow’s Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome,from a football academy inManchester to an entertainment

arena in Leeds, the construction industry ischanging the face of modern Britain.From the homes we live in to the buildingswhere we work — and the air, road and railinfrastructure that gets us between the two,the construction champions are at the veryheart of our world.The men and women who work in the industrycreate the beautiful buildings we admire and,increasingly, are creating the greatenvironmental projects that make our world acleaner, safer, better place.What’s more, the industry’s leaders aretransforming the way we think and behave — invirtually every town and city there is a team ofpassionate people working on projects thathave the power to change not just buildingsbut rejuvenate lives.Over the following pages we take a look at justsome of the projects — large and small — thatare promising to transform both the social andeconomic future of Britain.

Building Britain: BirminghamExcitement is growing within the team behindBirmingham’s new library.When their project opens its doors for the firsttime next September, they promise that it will

challenge the traditional definitions of a library.“The minute we start to believe that we are onlybuilding a library is the minute that we leteverybody down,” says Brian Gambles, Directorof the Library of Birmingham project.The £188.8 million development — delivered byconstruction company Carillion — is at the heartof plans to revitalise Birmingham’s city centre.“This is a game-changer, a once in a lifetimeopportunity to change the face of this city,”Brian adds.In a bid to ‘rewrite the book for public libraries’,the site will become a major cultural centre. Ontop of traditional services, its 3.5 million visitorswill be able to make use of roof gardens and theNational Film Archive, as well as internationally

significant collections of photography andliterature.Further, audiences will gather at an outdooramphitheatre in its Centenary Square location.With a view to uniting people of all ages andcultures, performances will be given bymusicians, poets, actors and storytellers.“If I had to pick one word to sum up the focus of

our project, it would be ‘community’ — the newLibrary of Birmingham will change lives,” saysMr. Gambles.

Building Britain: GlasgowWhen Glasgow took on the £1 billion challengeof hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games, onething was clear to project leaders; this cannotbe about sport alone. Accordingly, the Scottishcity will follow London’s example by creating a‘Games Legacy’.“The legacy of the Glasgow 2014Commonwealth Games will be a city that isbetter off economically, environmentally andsocially,” says Councillor Archie Graham,Executive Member for the CommonwealthGames at Glasgow City Council.The venues of Glasgow 2014 are being built forthe local community, he says: “They will be usedby the public before the Games and althoughGlaswegians are already looking forward toseeing many of the world’s finest athletesperform in them in 2014, these world-classfacilities will be of tremendous use for theirphysical and mental wellbeing in the future.”This month, the creation of that legacy beginswhen the £116 million Commonwealth Arenaand Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome are openedSir Robert McAlpine Ltd is the mainconstruction contractor for the facilities, whichwill double as a centre for Scottish sport thatwas otherwise lacking. By 2014, it will house

❛ If I had to pick one word to sum up

the focus of our project, it would be

‘community’ — the new Library of

Birmingham will change lives ❜

➤

Birmingham’s new £188.8 million library

many national sport federations as well asGlasgow Life’s Sports Development Unit.The legacy will then be completed when theGames conclude and the £150 million Athletes’Village, developed by Glasgow City Council,becomes a residential area. The newneighbourhood in Glasgow’s East End willcomprise a total of 1,400 homes across a 38.5hectare site.

Building Britain: ManchesterONLY rarely do win-win opportunities presentthemselves in a recession. That is, however, anappropriate description of Manchester City’snew Football Academy.The equation is simple: The football club gets aplace to develop their next generation ofsuperstars, while the community gets jobs and ahuge redevelopment of its most deprived area. “This project gives us the opportunity to bringhuge benefit to the Manchester community,”says Pete Bradshaw — Head of InfrastructureDevelopment and Corporate Responsibility atManchester City Football Club.

“Working with BAM Construction, we have sethigh targets for local employment andprocurement. It is our policy that a minimum of70 per cent of people working on each stage ofthe construction will be from local areas.Further, 80 to 85 per cent of all goods andservices will be acquired from within the M60corridor.”The club specifically targets new skillsopportunities, whether that is re-training forolder people or apprenticeships for the young.“And as a part of the Great Manchester TradingAgency, we will also ensure that these peoplecan complete their apprenticeship and get afoothold in the industry,” adds Pete.Work begins at the 80-acre East Manchestersite on November 6. Of the 49 jobs alreadycreated in the £100 million development, 34have been given to the long term unemployedand at least 160 construction jobs will follow.

When it is completed in 2015, it will be joined byan extensive redevelopment of East Manchesterby Manchester City Council.

Building Britain: LeedsNow less than six months from its opening,construction work is concluding at Leeds Arena.“You might say that we have needed this for 30years,” says Roger Boyde at Leeds City Council.Due to open next year, the £80 million project isan essential part of the city’s plans to improveits international profile. While its eye-catchinghoneycomb design will breathe fresh air into thecity’s aesthetic, Leeds Arena will also make thecity an essential destination for musicians,comedians and sportspersons touring the globe.Councillor Richard Lewis, Executive Member forDevelopment and the Economy at Leeds CityCouncil, says: “Leeds Arena will have a hugelypositive impact on the city, culturally andeconomically.”The first part of that impact has been seen inthe 200 construction posts safeguarded orcreated by BAM Construction. “However, itseconomic benefits go way beyond that,” Lewisadds, “It is enabling us to regenerate that areaof the city centre as a catalyst for around £100million of further development. We’re alsoensuring real local benefits with recruitment inthe local community and no less than 57 Leedscompanies engaged in working on theconstruction phase.”

Building Britain: Newcastle:BRITISH science will soon be able to move intoits new home in Newcastle.Early next year, work begins at Science Central,one of the country’s most ambitiousregeneration projects. Formerly the home ofNewcastle Brown Ale, the 24-acre site in thecity-centre will be transformed into a place oflearning, business and community.While state-of-the-art research facilities will beused for scientific research, the project alsoaims to attract investment from Britain’s mostpromising science and technology start-ups.These will exist alongside a mix of retail,residential and sustainable living spaces.“It is our vision that Science Central will form alarge part of the fabric of the city. It will be avibrant quarter where local people can work,play and live,” says Development Director ColinMacPherson.Hall Construction Services Limited has beenappointed to complete the first phase of

Science Central, a joint venture by NewcastleCity Council and Newcastle University. It isscheduled to be completed by summer 2014.

Building Britain: LiverpoolSometimes changing the face of a city can bedone most effectively by re-investing in a pieceof its history.This belief is held by the team responsible forrefurbishing Liverpool’s iconic Lewis’department store and rebuilding thesurrounding area.Despite being the site of the city’s CentralStation, the Renshaw Street district has inrecent times become a paradigm of dereliction.By 2014, however, Merepark developers hope toturn its fate around.Their £160 million investment will bring theLewis’ building back to life and see the

❛ It is our vision that Science Central

will form a large part of the fabric of

the city. It will be a vibrant quarter

where local people can work, play

and live ❜

❛ This project gives us the opportunity

to bring huge benefit to the

Manchester community, working with

BAM Construction, we have set high

targets for local employment and

procurement ❜

Working in partnershipto deliver excellence

➤

Leeds Arena will have a huge impact on the city.

10

previously vacant land behind it become CentralVillage. This will include three new hotels and a459-space car park, as well as offices, shops,restaurants, cafes and landscaped public spaces.“Lewis’ has historically been one of the mostdominant structures in the city,” explains NealHunter, Associate Director of Merepark, “andwhen an iconic building like that falls onto hardtimes, it can have a big knock-on effect.”“Its resurgence into modern day use alongsidethe rest of the Central Village development willhave a profound impact, not just on the area asit is now, but by encouraging furtherdevelopment in future.”When the scheme is officially launched in 2014,it will “almost certainly tilt the centre of gravityback towards that end of the city,” Neal adds.

Building Britain: EssexPLANS to revolutionise the student experienceat the University of Essex have been given thegreen light.Planning permission was granted for the latestphase of extensive redevelopment at theuniversity’s Colchester Campus in September.The £26 million project includes a newStudent Centre and an extension to the AlbertSloman Library.

Once constructed, the Student Centre —designed by award-winning architects PatelTaylor — will change the way that studentsinteract with the university. The state-of-the-art building will bring together servicesincluding accommodation, finance and studentsupport, creating a ‘one stop shop’ forstudents.“We are committed to investing in improvingour facilities and enhancing the student

experience. This latest project is part of our£200 million-plus capital investment plan,”said Chris Woodman, Project Officer in theUniversity of Essex’s Estate Managementteam.The University of Essex is currently out totender to find a contractor to complete theproject. Once a company has been chosen,work is due to start in January 2013 with acompletion date set for late 2014.

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Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd is the main construction contractor for the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome pictured.

University of Essex will benefit from an extensive redevelopment

11

Re-imagining wasteas a resource

To all the Irish, half-Irishand Irish-ish…

Visit: thegatheringireland.comor call 0800 234 6000

Whether you’re Donegal born and bred, or your Mum’s great Uncle Colm has a half sister from Cork, you’re Irish.How fortunate is that. And as if that wasn’t enough, being Irish you get all the luck too. Well, even by your own

lucky standards, next year is going to be something special – it’s The Gathering. And guess what, you’re invited.

Throughout Ireland in 2013 we’ll be doing what we do best – making the most of our rich culture and heritage. And you know we don’t need much of an excuse to get singing and dancing, playing sport, sharing

our great food and drink and… we could go on, and on and on and on, there really will be so much to enjoy.So get your family and friends together to organise your own event, or just come along and join in.

The Gathering 2013 – one great big happy celebration of everything Irish.

Cons

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INSPIRATIONAL charity ambassadorJennifer Deeney became dedicated tohelping others after her husband was killedin a construction site accident just 13 weeks

after they were married.In the eight years that have passed sinceKieron’s death, the 37-year-old has raised morethan £250,000 in his name for leadingconstruction industry charity The LighthouseClub.The unique organisation has 22 branches inBritain, Ireland and across the world, providingfinancial help to thousands of families plungedinto financial crisis when they lose theirbreadwinner’s income through illness, injury ordeath.They offer vital financial assistance to thesefamilies until they can get back on their feet, butrely heavily on fundraising in order to providefor those affected by the unfortunately highnumber of construction accidents reportedacross the globe.So it was little surprise that Jennifer, a matronat the neo-natal intensive care unit at St Bart’sand Royal London hospital, was appointedFundraising Ambassador for the London branchof the international charity this year.And she has more than risen to the challenge —spending most of the year speaking at events,devising fundraising plans and promoting the

work of the charity, while successfullyrelaunching the chapter in the capital.With plenty still on the agenda before 2012 isout, Jennifer told us why her role remainsimportant for the Irish construction communityin London and more of the tragedy that drivesher.“Kieron was just 25 when he died at work on aCanary Wharf building site,” she explained.“When that happened the Irish constructionindustry in London was very good to me. Wehad only been married 13 weeks, we livedtogether and had two incomes coming in, butwhen he passed away that income halved butthe bills didn’t.“The generosity of the industry kept me afloatwhen I thought I’d lose my house as well as myhusband.”

Light at the end of the tunnel

Working together to help thoseless fortunate than ourselves

14

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The Lighthouse Club is a charity thatprovides aid to families ofconstruction workers who have diedor been left unable to work. FionaAudley speaks to Jennifer Deeney,the charity’s FundraisingAmbassador, about her role and herreasons for becoming involved withthe organisation

Jennifer Deeney with herlate husband Kieron.

The Straide native, who married Donegal manKieron in her home county of Mayo, admits ittook some time before she felt strong enoughto give something back to the community whichhelped her.“It took me a couple of years to be in the rightposition to do it, but eventually I wanted to setup a charity in Kieron’s name,” she explained.“I wanted his death to be something verypositive as you can get tangled up in hate andanger but that doesn’t solve anything.“It was a friend who asked if I knew theLighthouse Club and when I looked into themthey did everything I wanted to do — so Ithought, why reinvent the wheel?”She added: “They are the construction industrycharity — they help the families, not only ifsomeone has died but if they are injured orunable to work.

“They have branches in Ireland and London, tooso it felt like looking after your own, which forme is a big thing.”It’s been three years since she decided tofundraise for the charity, and her first idea, anaked calendar featuring female constructionworkers wearing strategically placed, industry-related items, raised £154,000 alone.“Every bit of money raised for the charity is soimportant,” she explained.“That money will stretch so far and I know thedifference a little bit can make.” She added: “When somebody goes to work anddoesn’t come home, it’s absolutely shocking.But those left behind don’t need huge sums of

money; sometimes they just need someone topay the mortgage for a month or two. Orsomeone to say, ‘You and the kids are having abad time, why don’t you take them for a day outand have some fun’. “That’s what the charity is here for and why it’sso important. We just need to get ourconstruction firms to support it.”Steve Barnett, chairman of The LighthouseClub, added: “There are few people in ourindustry who know more about the impact of

accidents on the lives of families than Jennifer. “We are truly excited to have her in this newrole and we’re getting a very positive reactionto her appointment. Her knowledge, passionand drive make her a valuable team memberand her first initiatives are progressing well.”

➤ For enquiries, to make donations or forfurther information about the charity contactJennifer at j.deeney@lighthouseclub.org or visitwww.lighthouse.org

15

❛ The generosity of the industry kept

me afloat when I thought I’d lose my

house as well as my husband ❜

Char

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JENNIFER DEENEY grabbed a slice of historythis summer when she carried the Olympicflame through the streets of Wimbledon justdays before it reached its final destination atthe Olympics Opening Ceremony.The Irish charity ambassador was cheered onin her 390-yard journey by friends, colleaguesand relatives — many of whom came overfrom Ireland to witness her taking hermoment to shine.“This has been such an exciting day — I’mtaking part in a piece of history and it’s beenfantastic,” she told us on the day.Jennifer took her place among the 8,000Torchbearers who helped carry the Olympicflame on its 90-day journey across Britain andIreland ahead of the Opening Ceremony inJuly.She also took the opportunity to purchase hertorch — at a cost of £200 — to take it home asan impressive memento of her Olympicinvolvement.The avid fundraiser now plans to bring thetorch on a tour of construction sites acrossLondon to spread the message of TheLighthouse Club charity and the support itprovides victims of construction site accidentsand their families.

Jennifer Deeney at oneof the Lighthouse Club’sfundraising events.

EXCITEMENT builds as the Manchesterskyline evolves with the new£10 million Irish World Heritage Centrefinally taking shape and a raft of Irish

construction firms involved in the iconic build.For long-waiting centre members, localresidents and IWHC board members, the dreamof the past decade is finally a reality — as thestructure of the new world-class centre nowlooms large on the Cheetham Hill horizon andthe site bustles with workers putting in thehours to see the first phase completed on timeand on budget.It’s a particularly exciting time for IWHCChairman Michael Forde and the many whosupported his initial vision for a new centrewhich would ‘tell the international story of Irishimmigration’ to a global audience.And Mr Forde is proud to call the construction afully Irish one — using Irish material, craftworkand construction firms where possible — whichwill offer a truly Irish experience for all who stepthrough the new IWHC doors once the firststage of the project is completed in December.“This has been a long time coming,” headmitted.

“We always wanted it to be the best Irish centrein the world and now we can finally see thattaking place, by a mile, and everyone is gettingunderstandably excited about it. We are also onbudget and on time to complete in December.”Part of the magic that the Manchestercommunity will share with the Irish Diasporaworldwide at the new IWHC site in Queens’Road will be the opportunity to ‘touch a piece of

Ireland’ wherever they lay their hand.“We have always wanted to make this a specialplace and the involvement of Irish companies inthe build is an important part of that,” Mr Fordeexplained.“We want people to come in and be touchingIreland — which is why we are sourcing all thematerial, from the stone to the timber, fromIreland. “We have Irish stonemasons doing thebuilding exterior and the ring fort with stonefrom Donegal; Irish firm Kingspan have donethe insulation, the panelling and the ceiling, ourbar is being designed by John Duffy, who is anexpert in the field back home, and our timber

flooring and the decking will come from Irelandtoo.”Stonemason Sean Nolan is one of the manyIrish craftsmen involved in the build.He brought his team of skilled craftsman toManchester from Co. Cavan in August to fulfiltheir contribution to the mammoth project overfour months.They have been working with 2,500 tons ofMcGonagle Stone from Donegal, which willadorn the exterior of the IWHC building and thewall surrounding its open air ring fort.Mr Nolan, whose family boasts five generationsof stonemasons, told The Irish post: “This is afantastic project to be involved in. Things aretough at home and to be involved in such aniconic Irish build over here is great for usanyway, but also provides a valuable window forour work.“What we do is very skilled, there are very fewwho can do what we do back home let alone inEngland so it’s great to bring somethinguniquely Irish to this unique centre — that’s whatthe design was all about.”Such attention to detail is expected to make thefinished product an award-winning building andan international Irish centre unlike anything elsein existence.Project manager, quantitative surveyor PaulStanion, has overseen the first part of the two-phase IWHC development since early 2011.

World Heritage Centre — a unique

❛ We have always wanted to make this

a special place and the involvement

of Irish companies in the build is an

important part of that ❜

BELOW: The new IWHC interior during construction.

16

Creating history

Report by Fiona Audley

“I have acted as an external consultant forManchester City Council for 20 years, on everymajor project in Manchester, from theCommonwealth Games Stadium to the ConcertHall and Manchester Velodrome,” he explained.“Some projects were worth up to £300million,but despite the Irish World Heritage Centrebeing a smaller project in comparison it iscertainly one of the most interesting projects Ihave worked on.“With the design and the quality of the materialwe are using I would not be surprised if it wins anumber of awards over the coming years.”He added: “We have had excellent progressdespite wet weather and things are going verywell, so we are on budget and on programme tocomplete on December 10.”Keep up to date with the progress of the iconicIWHC build at www.iwhc.com

uely Irish build

17

LEFT: IWHC Chairman Michael Forde is picturedcentre with some of the team.

BELOW: Stonemason Sean Nolan is one of themany Irish craftsmen involved in the build.

Following an initial £2 million donation to theIWHC development from the Irish Government13 years ago, the project has been heavilysupported by Manchester City Council.The council donated the site in Queen’s Road,Cheetham Hill to the IWHC to allow them tobuild a bigger centre and have continued tosupport the project along the way.The first phase of the IWHC project will becomplete in December. It will include a multi-purpose hall, bar andrestaurant, shop, travel agent and businesscentre — all boasting cutting edge technology. The restaurant will make use of produce grownin the centre’s own allotment and bee hives.It will also include the foundations for phasetwo, a conference centre, which will go aheadonce funds have been raised. This will include a hotel development, an areacelebrating the Irish heritage and history witheducation space, leisure facilities and footballpitches.

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Ciara Pryce, Group Services Director, VGC GroupThere have been some big changes in CiaraPryce’s life of late, namely the birth of her firstson, who is nine weeks old and sleeping happilyin the room next door to where we meet atVGC’s Head Office in Ruislip. Despite the arrivalof baby Noah, the Group Services Director atVGC Group has not taken her eye off the ball atwork. “I am still very much keeping my finger in”,explains Ciara, whose father Sean Fitzpatrickserves as Executive Chairman at the company. The Fitzpatrick clan is what Ciara calls your“typical second-generation Irish family”, they grewup with Irish dancing lessons, and the tradition ofsummer holidays spent with family in Ireland. Asfor the family business, Ciara never intended tojoin her father’s company. Rather, while studyingher master’s degree at Portsmouth University, shecame to VGC at her dad’s suggestion to write herthesis about the Human Resource industry in theworld of construction. After completing herstudies she says: “The projects just kept comingup, so I stayed.”Being a trusted employee in a family firm meantbig opportunities came fast: “Had I beenworking for someone else, I probably wouldn’t

have got such exposure as early on with asmuch responsibility.” Working closely with herfather and MD Laurence McKidd meant she gotthe coaching and support she needed in thebeginning. Being the boss’ daughter has never been anissue Ciara says, but she does note that in herposition you can never be seen to “cut corners”,adding “but then that’s not the culture hereanyway. We try to do things the right way forthe right reasons.” Today Ciara’s role sees her manage a wealth ofresponsibilities. She oversees the HR, training,payroll, accounts, IT and health & safetydivisions. With between 650-700 workers onsites from the south of England right up toScotland at any one time, it is also a role thatrequires a high-calibre multi-tasking manager. Ciara sees people as the core of what she does,and bringing new people in and training them isessential. The ethos at VGC is very much thatthe business is only as good as its people, sostaff are on a constant course of selfimprovement and that doesn’t exclude seniormanagement, who also take part indevelopment programmes.

The most challenging part of the GroupServices Director’s role is not just keeping upwith the industry, but staying a step ahead, shesays. An example of some recent forwardthinking at VGC is the introduction of the Drugs& Alcohol screening programme, introduced forcivil engineering sites across the UK. It’s aproject that Ciara is particularly proud ofbecause it is another way to minimise risk andmake sure everything on-site runs smoothly. The most satisfying part of the job, she explains,is seeing and hearing from happy clients whoknow they can trust VGC to deliver. While having a newborn baby will inevitablychange the way Ciara manages her time, theprojects she is working on at VGC are asexciting to her now as they were when she firstjoined fresh from university. And with that, ababy starts to cry in the next room and she iscalled away, back to doing what she does best —multitasking.

Laurence McKidd, Managing Director, VGC GroupLaurence McKidd took over as MD at VGC Groupin January 2010. Having been with the companysince 1998, he came onboard with vastexperience, having previously held roles at MJGleeson and as Project Director at Balfour Beatty. These days Laurence’s role at VGC is all aboutmanaging the Group’s five businesses. “Thecore business is still labour supply ”, explainsLaurence, but VGC also have large rail projectsincluding high profile contracts with NetworkRail and London Underground plusconstruction, personnel and vehicle rentalbusinesses. In short, he’s a busy man. While developing and implementing strategies,budgets, number crunching, and of course ratingperformance, are the key elements of the MD’srole, Laurence also takes an active involvementin health and safety. As part of theircommitment to safety, VGC recently introduceda behavioral-based safety programme called

Recipe for success — delivering

❛ Had I been working for someone

else, I probably wouldn’t have got

such exposure as early on with as

much responsibility ❜

20

What does it take to keep a construction business at the cutting edge?For the most part it is the people that work within that company. Here,Katy Harrington talks to three people with different jobs in one Irishfamily company, the VGC Group.

A somewhat alarming pattern over the last24 months has been the trend to cut-throatfee bidding as architects fight to stay on theground. This has been exacerbated by acontinuance and expansion of contractor orproject manager led procurement teams. Ina sense some have experienced theconstruction manager treating theprofessionals as simply one other elementof the supply chain – with the attendantdemands, pressures and forces beingapplied to design and designers as tonormal construction sub-contractors.Overall, this challenges the basis of design,signalling the restriction on design practicewithin a wholly cost led model. No doubt, it’sa direct by-product of recession... as timesget tough, the tough get going!Increasingly this trend forces us to evaluatewhat we do and what we commit to do.Whilst the introduction and evolution of BIMoffers possibilities to re-position thearchitect within the construction equation,the realities may turn out differently.Already we see BIM being talked of as AIM(Asset Information Management), whichpoints (ironically) towards another destiny.One where the management of data andinformation, albeit created by the 'creatives'actual becomes the asset of another party.Issues of copyright, reproduction, use etccome into play. So, with architects verymuch on the back foot, a rise in vendorpushed technology, a government thatwants and demands by 2016 digitalcompliancy, we see ourselves at aninteresting cross roads. Rather similar towhen early CAD arrived, but this time thescale of difference and the implication onoutput more exponential. How architects asa profession take a full role is this evolutionis a choice, one unfortunately in theserecessionary times, that requires realcommitment and perseverance to reclaimground and position.

■ If you would like to advertise in the nextissue of The Irish Post Construction Magazinecontact Sarah Murphy, tele: 020 8900 4159

COMMENT

By OwenO’CarrollRoyalInstituteof BritishArchitects

When the goinggets tough, thetough get going

Atkins, which Laurence describes as beingcentered on “encouraging engagement with theworkforce, and not just legislation”.

While everyday is varied when you aremanaging five businesses, Laurence says thechallenge for him is ensuring he spends timeout of the office, seeing the projects in motionand not just drowning in paperwork at his desk.As an early riser, who is at his best in themorning, his average day consists of jugglingmeetings and clients. “I’m lucky that I enjoywhat I do and the variance”, he says, but themost rewarding part of the job is seeing thedevelopment of VGC’s people. Businessimprovement is another part of the role herelishes: “Coming up with new ideas and seeingthem through for the good of the business.Business never stands still, you have always gotto be looking to develop and grow — and thatapplies to your people too. As we have grown,people have grown with us”. Having come to VGC from a big businessbackground, a smaller company allows the MDto work efficiently and not get tied up withbureaucracy. “The thing I like here is thatbecause we are a small company, we don’t haveto go through layers and layers of management.Getting things agreed and approved can bedone by just getting everyone around the table.We still operate like a family business”. The flatmanagement structure at VGC also ensuresthat employees can talk to senior managementfreely, and it gives everyone a chance to beinvolved in the direction the business takes. AsMD, Laurence explains his goal is to “continueto grow the business in a structured way”,adding, “It’s not all about turnover”. Out of the office, Laurence is trying to get back

to his best form on the golf course. A keengolfer, he says work got in-between him and hisgolf clubs in the past but he is playing regularlyagain now with a single figure handicap. Asked what the biggest thing he has learned inhis 14 years at VGC Laurence answersimmediately: “Without a shadow of a doubt, it’sall about managing people and relationships.The key thing is how you treat people.”

Sean Fitzpatrick, Executive ChairmanCavan-born Sean Fitzpatrick is the man behindthe VGC Group. He set up the business with BartKeaney back in 1977 and has been intrinsic infostering an ethos where people come first at VGCever since. A lot has changed since 1977, BartKeaney has retired, Andy Rogers now serves as aNon-Executive Director and Sean has handed thereigns over to trusted MD Laurence McKidd. WhileSean is less hands-on in the day to day running ofthe company, he is still as passionate as everabout delivering the highest quality product totheir clients as he was in the beginning. “We grew the business from humblebeginnings”, Sean explains. The plan was simple— to expand turnover gradually and take onmore staff. It worked, but this was all new to theman who gave up a career as school teacher inhis 30s for the cut and thrust of the businessworld. So why the change? “I saw opportunity”,says Sean, who admits there were many timesin the early days when he thought he mighthave made the wrong choice. “It wasn’t as easyas I thought it would be,” he says with a smile.“Many issues came up and I suppose I lackedexperience to deal with them, but it was verymuch a case of head down and get over it.” Lack of experience is certainly not an issue anymore and important decisions are carefullyweighed, especially those that affect the futureof VGC. Sean continues: “I reviewed thebusiness and I thought it was time to hand overthe MD position to Laurence. To support him, Iappointed Ciara as Group Services Director,allowing him the time to deliver the product,

deal with clients and ensure the service isdelivered in accordance with our plans”. Over the years, Sean says one of the mostvaluable things he has learned is how to react inchallenging times. “There are many times youare in a situation when you don’t know what todo”, he says. The strategy that worked for himwas simple, but effective. “Ask yourself what areasonable person would do in this situation…know when you need to speak to the expertsand take their advice”. That philosophy marries with the open doorpolicy at VGC, where with little formality, theExecutive Chairman is always approachable andwilling to listen. “If there are any issues I wouldbe upset if it wasn’t brought to the tableimmediately. That way we sort it out and thenit’s done, and it doesn’t become a big issue.” For Sean, the most satisfying part of the jobthey do at VGC is seeing the work that is beingbuilt, whether it be a bridge or a railway andappreciating the longevity of what they put inplace.

Out of work, Sean is a big London Irish rugbysupporter and a GAA fan. As a northerner hesays he was thrilled to see Donegal clinch therecent All-Ireland final against Mayo, but for theman who still calls Ireland home, nothing wouldmake him happier than seeing the Cavan teamhold the Sam Maguire. With the same eye for opportunity he had backin 1977, he finishes by saying: “I love myinvolvement with the business, I get a greatfeeling of satisfaction seeing the businessdevelop, delivering good product and seeing theworkforce happy”.

ng good product and a happy workforce

21

❛ Coming up with new ideas and

seeing them through for the good of

the business. Business never stands

still, you have always got to be

looking to develop and grow — and

that applies to your people too. As

we have grown, people have grown

with us ❜

❛ I love my involvement with the

business, I get a great feeling of

satisfaction seeing the business

develop, delivering good product and

seeing the workforce happy ❜

Building Britain: The sports stadiumYORK Council has begun its search for a firmto design and build a new Community Stadium.At a Health and Partners event on September27, the team behind the project took the nextstep towards beginning construction by goingout to tender. Speaking at the event, CouncillorSonja Crisp told reporters that York CommunityStadium has been a priority since 2003.The Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture,Tourism and Social Inclusion added that thevenue was part of plans “to build strongcommunities by providing more and betteropportunities for leisure and culture for thepeople of York.”The £25 million project will provide a home forYork City Football Club and York Knights rugbyleague club, with seating for 6,000 spectators.Working with these clubs, York Council alsohopes to: “Use the power of sport to promotewell-being, put public health at the heart ofour communities and engage children inhealthy lifestyles.”This will be facilitated by the on-sitedevelopment of new clinical health facilities, anInstitute for Sport and Well-being, playfacilities for children and a new floodlit gamescourt aimed at junior football and rugby forthe local community.Ex-England footballer and former

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate,now involved in the Football Association’sdevelopment team, welcomed the plans,saying: “As a professional sportsman, coachand administrator, I know the powerful andpositive impact that sport can have on acommunity. If we can keep people activelyinvolved in sport, the benefits for health,inclusion and involvement in the communityare enormous.”

Building Britain: Restoring ourindustrial heritageAN HISTORIC mill in Shrewsbury will berestored to its former glory in the near future.Largely untouched since their construction inthe 18th and 19th centuries, the buildingsaround Ditherington Flax Mill Maltings havesuffered a slow decline. Once a beacon ofBritain’s industrial revolution as the first iron-framed buildings, they have since becomederelict.Now, Shropshire Council is looking for acontractor to complete the £19 million firstphase of the site’s renovation andredevelopment, which will take it off theEnglish Heritage ‘at risk’ register. The project,aimed at giving the site a new sense of purposeand identity, is led by Elizabeth Perkins.Talking about her task, Ms Perkins said:

“Ditherington Flax Mill is a hugely importanthistoric building and the whole complexpresents one of the biggest heritagechallenges there is around at the moment.”To help fund the transformation ofDitherington Flax Mill into a centre forlearning, leisure and social enterprise, Ms

22

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Sport, history and art—construc

Perkins’ team has applied for a grant of £12.1million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Earlierthis year their bid was awarded £465,300 aspart of a first round pass.They will find out whether they have beenawarded the full grant within the next 18months.

Building Britain: Creating structuresfor artDundee is soon to be the setting for a versionof London’s Victoria and Albert museum andhoused in an iconic building...In September, Dundee City Council grantedplanning permission for the museum when allmembers of the Development ManagementCommittee voted in its favour. Like London’soriginal Victoria & Albert Museum, V&A atDundee will showcase the world’s bestdecorative arts and design.Following the announcement, a spokespersonfor the £45 million project confirmed thatconstruction companies will be invited totender in the coming months. The winner isexpected to begin work in summer 2013.Director of V&A at Dundee Philip Long hailedthe development as an opportunity both torecognise Scotland’s rich design heritage andinspire future generations.“We also hope the project will provideeconomic benefits to Dundee and the rest ofScotland. There are substantial benefits to thesurrounding redevelopment of the centralwaterfront in Dundee — a project that will havea transformative effect on the city,” he added.The innovative building — designed by Japanesefirm Kengo Kuma and Associates — will be thecenterpiece of the waterfront area’s extensive

redevelopment. When it opens in 2015, half amillion visitors are expected in its first year.V&A at Dundee is a joint venture between;V&A, Dundee City Council, Scottish Enterpriseand the universities of Dundee and AbbertayDundee.

23

WORKING TOGETHERBUILDING NEW FUTURES

Building Contractors

& Civil Engineers

www.ohob.co.uk

020 8337 5527

Celebrating

40years

in business

ABOVE: The iconic Dundee V&A museum building.BELOW: The historic mill in Shropshire.

uction for the future!

The London 2012 Games had manyfirsts, with many sporting recordsbroken and the best-attendedParalympics in history. One less well

documented record that the Games smashedwas in the construction of the Olympic Park andGames venues: not a single person died duringthe build, making London 2012 the firstOlympics to be built without a fatality.Such a record is a proud achievement for theBritish construction industry, which over thepast decade has seen a steadying decline inaccident rates onsite. However, there are stillaround 50 deaths per year, more than anyother industry. Figures released by the Healthand Safety Executive (HSE) at the end ofSeptember revealed that 11 people died onconstruction sites in England and Walesbetween April and June, with the next deadliestindustry being agriculture with six deaths.HSE chief inspector for construction PhilipWhite says that while there have been hugeimprovements made in the health and safetypractices of big contractors, standards are fairlypoor among smaller builders.“The smaller contractors are where we have alot of problems,” says White.“These firms are often not members of tradeassociations, and have business practices that

are a bit dodgy. At this level you also see clientstaking onboard builders or contractors thataren’t up to the job. For example, a factorymight have a leaky roof which is also fragile,and they just employ a jobbing builder that’sgood at house extensions but hasn’t got theexpertise to do that job. We see a lot of injuriesand deaths from falls from height in those sortsof situations, where builders simply go straightthrough the fragile roof.”The HSE’s statistics bear witness to the factthat it is more deadly to work for one or two-man local outfits than a local firm: of the 50deaths to occur on construction sites in Englandand Wales between April 2010 and March 2011,18 were self-employed; and more than half ofthe 50 deaths (27) were in the refurbishmentand repair sector of the industry — an areadominated by smaller firms.As a result of this and the contrasting stronghealth and safety ethos among majorcontractors, White says the HSE now performsrelatively few inspections of larger sites and hasinstead devoted its resources on small andmedium sized building sites and refurbishments.Earlier this year the HSE carried out anationwide inspection of more than 3,000construction sites, mainly where repair andrefurbishment work was carried out, and foundthat one in five failed safety inspections.

Those sites that fail inspections are issued withnotices that can ultimately lead to courtappearances and hefty fines. However, thisprocess can be lengthy, from six monthsupwards. In response, and by way of aiding acash-strapped public sector in the UK, the HSEas of October 1st began charging for the time oftheir inspectors on inspections where safetybreaches are found.Under the scheme, called Fee for Intervention(FFI), White says that contractors responsiblefor relatively simple breaches such asinadequate protection against falls fromscaffolding could be billed with an invoicebetween £600 and £700 within a couple ofmonths of the breaches being found. Thisinvoice would cover both an inspector’s timeonsite and that spent on paperwork relating tothe incident back at the office.“It’s like the polluter pays principle,” he adds. “Why should taxpayers pay for the time spenton a breach by the contractor?”The avoidance of such severe measures waswhat first drove the construction industry, and

in particular major firms, a decade ago toimplement all sorts of health and safetyinitiatives to improve its appalling record, with80 deaths in the financial year 2001 to 2002.White says the appeal was made to industry atministerial level, and in response one of the keyinitiatives was to adopt the Construction SkillsCertification Scheme (CSCS). The schemeoperates at many levels, but at its most basicoffers a “green” card to anyone who wants towork on a construction site, once they havepassed a test on basic competencies.“CSCS came into being in the mid-1990s andabout the year 2000 government asked theindustry to introduce something that would self-regulate because there were too many injuriesand deaths,” says CSCS director of strategy andcommunications Helen Atkinson.“CSCS was agreed by the industry as one of theways of doing this, and it has become theindustry’s leading scheme.”The test for the “green card” is a multiplechoice test comprising 30 questions, taken atone of Construction Skills’ regional test centres— details of which can be found atwww.cscs.uk.com . It costs £17.50 to take thetest, and £30 for the card, which is valid for upto five years. While the CSCS is a prerequisite on the vastmajority of sites and has become one of the

most outward signs of a culture change in UKconstruction, Atkinson is hesitant to take all thecredit for the reduction in construction’saccident rate. “There are many factors thathave assisted in reduction of number ofincidents including better management bycontractors and card schemes,” she says.Civil engineering giant J. Murphy & Sons is atypical example of how major contractors nowseemingly require excellence at health andsafety above all else.“The main push in our business is a health andsafety cultural change programme,” saysMurphy Director James O’Callaghan.Rather than being about just ticking boxes, thisprogramme is described in Murphy’s ownliterature as one which “focuses on the thinkingprocesses that come before the behaviour”.This is achieved through the development of acoaching community that continually challengesthe performance of the whole company. “The aim is self-managing teams who areempowered, supported and coached to growand produce outstanding results in everythingwe do,” says O’Callaghan. This is backed up by a full in-house trainingprogramme for health and safety qualifications,and a central database that keeps track of allstaff qualifications. The company is also signed up to ConstructingBetter Health, an industry wide programmesharing best practice from medical practitionerson occupational health issues arising in theconstruction workplace.O’Callaghan says this kind of setup is typical formost major contractors today.“There’s been a huge push over the last fiveyears or so to cut accidents and the mainreason for this is that, particularly maincontractors, have now got managementsystems in place to make sure everybody ischecked and has the right attitude before theyget to work onsite,” he says.“The industry has gone from being a reactivebusiness to fully proactive.”

Big is best when it comes to safHealth and Safety

24

❛ There’s been a huge push over the last five years or so to cut accidents

and the main reason for this is that, particularly main contractors, have

now got management systems in place to make sure everybody is

checked and has the right attitude before they get to work onsite ❜

Report by John McKenna

afety on site

25

NO matter how many years onespends in construction, there ismore than likely another healthand safety qualification aroundthe corner. Tony Moten, MurphyGroup Health & Safety Manager,from Co. Tipperary, has beenworking for Murphy in Londonsince 1990, and has beenresponsible for overseeing thecompany’s health and safety onconstruction sites for the past20 years. However, despitesuch pedigree, whenThe Irish Post spoketo him he was freshfrom completinganother safetyqualification course.“I have justcompleted asubstation entrycourse, in order togain access to a National Gridsite,” says Moten.“The course consisted of a two-and-a-half-hour test on acomputer covering basicelectrical safety, followed by apractical assessment on NationalGrid’s premises where I had toidentify their equipment andapparatus.”Murphy, on behalf of its client UKPower Networks, is constructinga power cable tunnel acrossLondon, part of which crosses aNational Grid site. Moten and hiscolleagues needed access to theNational Grid’s site, whichrequires completing the grid

operator’s in-house safety test. As the Health & Safety Managerof Murphy, Moten holds an arrayof site safety competence cards,from the basic CSCS card tomore industry-specificqualifications such as thosedemanded by Network Rail inorder to gain access to sites. “It is a measure of how far theindustry has come to addressthe complexities of health and

safety inconstruction,” saysMoten, pictured. While all thesequalifications arevital, Moten believesone of the keyreasons that accidentrates have beensteadily falling inrecent years hasbeen the realisation

that health and safety isn’t justan issue for the guys onsite. Inparticular, he cites the 2007Construction and DesignManagement (CDM) regulations— which require clients anddesigners to consider theirhealth and safety responsibilitieson a project — as having a hugeinfluence on the industry’sperformance.“In CDM the onus is oncompetence,” he says.“The client must appoint acompetent contractor to do thejob, and then it’s up to us toensure that everybody weemploy is competent.”

Tony’s constant safety learning process

IT is the biggest construction project inEurope, with a budget running to almost£15 billion, employing more than 4,000people and transforming the future of

London — and ultimately the economicsubstructure of Britain itself.The Crossrail development will deliver a 118-kilometre rail line that will link Maidenheadand Heathrow in the west with Shenfield andAbbey Wood in the east via an amazing network

of 21 kilometres of twin tunnels — that’s 42kilometres of engineering marvel…When completed it will bring an extra 1.5 millionpeople to within 45 minutes of the heart ofLondon, providing 37 Crossrail stations,including seven brand new undergroundstations, and linking the capital’s keyemployment, leisure and business districts.Speed will be of the essence with passengersable to travel from Heathrow to TottenhamCourt Road in under 30 minutes.And, naturally enough, Irish companies areheavily involved with J Murphy and Sons thelead contractor on the Thames Tunnel

cceA

2TdtcWd

t

Crossrail: Europe’s biggest engin

More than 4,000people are presently

employed on the projectworking across more than 40

sites. Some 1,300 chaincontracts have been

advertised. More than 400apprenticeships will be

created by the scheme andthe new Tunneling and

Underground ConstructionAcademy in east Londonwill train up to 3,500

people.

At least two thirdsof all Crossrail excavated

material – more than 4.5 milliontonnes - will be used to create a

new RSPB nature reserve atWallasea island, creating

Europe’s largest man-madecoastal reservoir.

There will be 37Crossrail stations including 7new underground stations at

Paddington, Bond Street,Tottenham Court Road,

Farringdon, Liverpool Street,Whitechapel and Canary

Wharf.

In total 250,000tunnel segments will be

used to line the 42kilometres of Crossrail

tunnels.

Tunnelling work will becarried out by eight mammoth

148-metre long tunnel boring machines(TBMs) which each weigh 1,000 tonnes.

The TBMs have their own names… Phyllis, Ada, Elizabeth, Victoria, Sophia and Mary are already busy under the

ground while two more will jointhem in late 2013.

26

construction and John Sisk and Son a leadingcompany in the construction of tunnels at theeastern end of the project,And Westmeath-based Shay Murphy Precast willprovide the 27,000 segments that will line the2.6-kilometre Thames Tunnel.The bulk of the major work will take placeduring the next two years and it is anticipatedthat the first trains will be running on thecentral section between Paddington andWhitechapel by 2018, with 24 trains in eachdirection per hour.Here are some amazing facts and figures aboutthis truly amazing feat of engineering…

ineering project... in numbers

27

Crossrail’s Limmo PeninsulaShaft that enabled the launchof tunnel boring machines

Drivedistances for the new

tunnels include: Royal Oakto Farringdon… 6.4 kilometres;Pudding Mill to Stepney Green…

2.7 kilometres; Plumstead toNorth Woolwich… 2.6

kilometres.

Some6 million tonnes of

excavated material will beremoved in total – enough tofill the equivalent of Wembley

Stadium to the roof morethan three times

over.

Atotal of 84

kilometres of conveyorbelts will be used to

transport the excavatedmaterial off site.

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THOSE who work in construction willalready be aware of how difficult thingshave been for the industry over the lastfour years. The Federation of Master

Builders’ (FMB) own State of Trade Survey hasbeen negative for the last four years and itdoesn’t look like there will be an improvementany time soon. But what impact does thatactually have for the UK economy? Accordingto the Office of National Statistics (ONS) a lot! The importance of construction for the UKeconomy was proved in April this year when theONS announced that the UK’s Gross DomesticProduct (GDP) had decreased in the first threemonths of 2012 and cited the fall in constructionoutput by 4.8 per cent as the reason for thedecrease. Given that construction is one of thebiggest industries in the UK, accounting for atleast 8 per cent of GDP, it should be no surprisethat its fortunes have a significant effect on theeconomy of the country. As the GDP figures made clear, the health of theconstruction industry is vital to the economy andthe Government will find it very difficult to getsustained growth in the economy while theconstruction industry remains depressed.Construction is essential to the wellbeing of thewider economy because of the variety andquantity of jobs it creates — from apprenticebricklayers to world leading architects. Researchfrom the UK Contractors Group (UKCG) shows

that every £1 spent on construction generates£2.84 in the wider economy, which means thatnot only is it vital to the health of the economybut it is also the best investment the Governmentcan make to get the UK back on its feet. There are steps the Government could take nowto stimulate construction to help create jobs inthe economy. Cutting VAT to 5 per cent for allhome maintenance work would bring manysocial benefits — from cutting the number ofrogue traders to ensuring that existing housingwhich is dilapidated is brought back into use. AVAT cut would encourage homeowners to maketheir homes more energy efficient, somethingthe Government is keen to do through itsflagship programme the Green Deal which isbeing officially launched this October. However,without sufficient incentives homeowners willnot want to take out a loan to improve the

energy efficiency of their home — which is whatthe Green Deal asks them to do. An incentivesuch as a VAT cut though would make all thedifference and create over 26,000 new jobs inthe construction sector alone and additional34,000 jobs in the wider economy.Another problem homeowners andconstruction companies alike have had to dealwith over the last few years is the lack ofaffordable finance. This has caused a seriousslow down in the house building industry andstopped existing homeowners from being ableto improve their home, resulting in less work forconstruction companies. The Government mustact to ensure that banks increase lending, notjust to home-owners but also to small, viableconstruction businesses.The Government needs to invest in an industrywhich can start to create growth rather thanjust focusing its attention on budget cuts. Theconstruction industry is the industry to invest inas it holds the key to recovery because until weget builders building again the British economyis not going to recover.

■ The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) isthe UK’s largest trade association in the buildingindustry, with national offices in England,Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales,supported by additional regional offices. Formore information please visit: www.fmb.org.uk

Construction holds the key to economic recovery

29

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