Douglas McCormick

As UKREiiF reaches its midpoint, one of the most pivotal themes emerging is the critical role of stakeholder engagement in the successful development and delivery of major infrastructure projects across the UK. This focus is underscored by numerous presentations and discussions emphasising collaboration, transparency, and community involvement as key components in driving infrastructure initiatives forward. It's great to hear about the shift in priorities; focusing less on the 'place' and more on the people living in and occupying that place. Meaningful public engagement will be essential in ensuring this works. Read more in our latest paper here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ey3qaWXj Are you at #UKREiiF? We'd love to meet and hear about your priorities! #Infrastructure #Planning #Place #PublicEngagement #StakeholderEngagement

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A new report from the Construction Leadership Council sets out a framework of the core overarching knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deliver effective retrofit of homes at scale, both in retrofit-specific roles and associated roles in the industry. The report takes the industry a step forward by defining competency in retrofit and meeting the requirements of the new building safety rules. Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/3KaFYQ2

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Current CGI of planning application scheme in with trafford Council for a re-development of a brownfield site including conversion of an old un-used hall to the rear.

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Listen to Eoin Gillard, Assistant Director - Transport Investment at the National Transport Authority, as he shares insightful reflections on collaboration and effective delivery within the transport sector at The National Infrastructure Summit 2024. 'Sometimes we don't take the time to collaborate with people, and suddenly we realise that we're facing similar issues.' 'Maybe if we talk to each other more, we can probably share some knowledge and maybe look to deliver things in a more effective and efficient way.' Watch now for innovative approaches to infrastructure development! #InfraSummit24

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Principal in our London Planning Team, Laura Jenkinson, is featured in Building Magazine this week, discussing the challenges of retrofit, and what a new government could do to improve the current system. She comments on the race to quality and need for intervention to prevent stranded assets, exploring prime examples of where retrofit is being successfully achieved. Laura provides her recommendations to planners and policy makers on how to deal with these challenges. Read the full article below https://lnkd.in/erH_8RuG

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4way Consulting is partnering with Arcadis to support National Highways in implementing their Operational Technology Strategy (OTS). This collaboration aims to enhance road safety and improve conditions for those near the strategic road network. Our Technical Director, Chris Ellison, shares: "We’re excited to strengthen our partnership with Arcadis and support National Highways in enhancing technology performance and digital resilience." Read more about this project on our website. #Technology #Innovation #RoadSafety #OperationalTechnology #DigitalTransformation

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Proposals for the future of the Officers’ Mess site at St George’s Barracks in Rutland received a resolution to grant outline consent last month, unlocking this strategic brownfield site to deliver much-need new homes for the county. The Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) is a £5.1Bn investment Portfolio of interdependent infrastructure programmes aimed at delivering a modern and sustainable Estate for our military to live and train on. This is being achieved through construction activity, unit and personnel moves and land release where Defence sites have been identified as surplus to military requirement. The project to relocate the military working dogs from St. George’s Barracks to Kendrew Barracks will see the site sold for redevelopment, providing opportunities and King’s Foundation benefits to the local community. The significant and sensitive proposals for the Officers’ Mess bring forward an initial 85 new homes, a new village green, new commercial space, pedestrian routes and green spaces. Bringing forward public sector land for development requires exemplary consultation to ensure transparency, openness and community involvement. The King’s Foundation was brought onboard in the early stages to facilitate design workshops to involve the community, drawing together ideas for what development of the site could look like. Further community consultation, both in-person and on-line, and dialogue with Rutland County Council helped to develop the plans before the indicative masterplan for the site was submitted to the Council. Read more about the project here: https://bit.ly/3VkO1QA

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A succinct summary of the changes being brought into the new 2024 edition of the JCT Design & Build Contract by our excellent construction lawyers Hayley Sullivan Gateley Legal

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CIHT's Professional Development Framework is now available!! Our Professional Development Framework has been created for employers who want to support their highways and transportation staff on their journey to gain EngTech, IEng, CEng or Chartered Transport Planning Professional.   Developed by CIHT experts, CIHT professional reviewers and with input from organisations within the highways and transportation sector.   There is one system and competency framework for all users, but the level and specifics of the competencies are tailored to the qualification that the user is working towards. This means that employers only need to understand one system but can support staff working towards 4 different qualificaitions.   Find out more about CIHT’s Professional Development Framework: https://lnkd.in/eM9UXZF9

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Network Rail engineers are preparing for a £135m investment in Britain's railway this May, featuring over 800 improvement projects nationwide. We asked Robert Wands, our Director of Safety and Operations, to share his insights on this significant development. Robert states, "We see the £135 million investment in Britain's railway as a game-changer. It means upgrading worn-out equipment, laying new tracks, and renovating stations nationwide. This boost in infrastructure promises heightened safety and efficiency, ensuring a modern, reliable network for all.” What do you think the long-term impact of this investment will be on the rail industry? Share your thoughts below! 👇 #railindustry #deployrecruit #safety #efficiency #networkrail

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Since introducing Fareshare, PTM Consultants Limited has progressed from close to zero to nearly 100% of the team now commuting to the office on public transport. Early adopters PTM Consultants Limited have freshly signed up to Fareshare. Working for AT in the infrastructure planning space, we asked PTM’s Public Transport Lead, Simon Milner, about their Fareshare experience. 🚍 ⛴ 🚆 How’s the PTM team feeling about Fareshare? A majority of PTM staff had employer-paid for on-site car parking at our Mt Eden offices. The remainder of staff were able to get relatively affordable on-street paid parking. Moving our offices back into the CBD removed these “affordable” parking options, so the team were stoked when the company offered to part-fund their public transport costs to/from our new home in Albert Street with the Fareshare programme. 👏 How did the PTM team find the sign-up process? Everyone found it simple with easy-to-follow instructions. No problems were reported by anyone during the sign-up process – helped along because everyone already owned a registered AT HOP card. 🎉 What has the impact on public transport usage by PTM staff so far? We’ve gone from close to zero to nearly 100% of the team now commuting on public transport. We will be complementing the public transport option with a City HOP car share account for when staff need a vehicle for site visits during the business day. 🙌 How has PTM’s overall experience of Fareshare been? Awesome – a seamless sign-up process has meant that the team has transitioned really well from a car-based commuting pattern. One team member has already sold their second car, and another is actively contemplating doing so. ❤️

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15 firms join Network Rail £3.5bn Eastern partnership to ‘streamline’ infrastructure works Network Rail has announced 15 firms that make up a partnership to “streamline” delivery of £3.5bn of #infrastructure works in the Eastern region during the five years of Control Period 7 (CP7), 2024-2029. The Eastern Routes Partnership (ERP) features the 15 firms split into four Lots, outlined below. 🔶Lot 1 – #Buildings and #Civils Generalist: AmcoGiffen, #Bam, Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure, Story Contracting Limited Specialist: Taziker (Structures), CK Rail (Geotech) 🔶 Lot 2 – #Signalling and #Telecoms Generalist: Amey, AtkinsRéalis Specialist: #Trackwork (Signalling), #Hawthorne (Telecoms) 🔶Lot 3 – #Contactsystems Generalist: Amey, Keltbray Specialist: Morgan Sindall 🔶Lot 4 – #Distribution and #Plant Generalist – Keltbray/Linbrooke Services Ltd Partnership, Octavius Infrastructure Specialist: Lowery Ltd The ERP will allow Network Rail’s Eastern region to award infrastructure improvement works directly to supply chain partners, which will improve #collaboration and #efficiency according to the rail operator. After being in place throughout CP7, there will be the option for the ERP to extend through CP8 (2029-2034). “Building this stability between the region and its partners means the supply chain will already be on-board when the work bank for CP8 is developed,” Network Rail stated. It added that by having this framework in place the need for individual procurement events is removed. This will save “valuable time” and ensure the Eastern region’s work is better value for money, while also allowing for earlier collaboration between the region and its partners on each project. The Eastern region accounts for almost a third (31.2%) of route km in England, stretching from #London to the #Scottish border, encompassing cities such as #Newcastle, #Leeds, #Sheffield, #Derby, #Norwich and #Cambridge. It looks after more than 1bn passenger journeys annually on routes including the #Midland Main Line and the East Coast Main Line. Network Rail managing director for Eastern region Jake Kelly said: “This launch is the culmination of two years of hard work to bring real innovation to our commercial delivery in CP7. The ERP framework is key to effectively maintaining our infrastructure to deliver a sustained improvement in train performance over the next five years." Keltbray Group CEO Darren James said the company was “delighted” to be appointed on two Lots and that it is part of the company’s “strategic plan to position Keltbray as a leading infrastructure services provider in the rail and broader decarbonised transport sector”. Octavius Infrastructure managing director rail Matt Smith said that the company’s appointment “continues to build on our strong relationship with Network Rail” and that the company is “proud to be supporting the country’s vital infrastructure, connecting millions of people every day”.

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Each of the main parties hoping to win the general election have bold plans for infrastructure investment but having the people to deliver it is a significant challenge – and one that will need government commitment to tackle. Richard Risdon, our managing director for UK and Europe, has shed light on this pressing issue in an article for New Civil Engineer. The recent figures from the CITB highlight that we will need an additional 251,500 workers by 2028 to meet the ambitious goals of currently planned national infrastructure projects. Meeting this need cannot be addressed by individual companies alone but through a call to action for the entire industry and government to collaborate on a strategic approach. In the article, Richard proposes five fundamentals to tackle the skills challenge. The fundamentals include digital delivery, promoting STEM education, transforming the Apprenticeship Levy, implementing a responsive immigration system, and marketing the construction sector effectively. All five can be addressed by the government, with industry support, to build the workforce of tomorrow. Read Richard's full article – along with the five fundamentals - here: https://mottm.ac/3zCAM56 #SkillsGap #Infrastructure #FutureOfWork #strategicpartnership #GeneralElection

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📄 TRANSMISSION GULLY REVIEW UPDATE | Today, we have published the Transmission Gully Post-construction Review Executive Summary and Recommendations alongside some guiding insights for future megaprojects. The review has found that external events, budget, governance and consenting issues, rather than the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, were among the contributors to the project’s time and cost overruns. The review echoes conclusions from a prior review completed in 2021 in highlighting significant failings in the accuracy of the project’s initial cost estimate or Affordability Threshold as well as aspects of its earlier stage governance. The reviewers also said that, given the risks and events that impacted the project (Kaikōura earthquake, weather, COVID-19), there’s no evidence that time and cost outcomes would have been better under a non-PPP procurement/contracting model. The review was led by independent expert Steve Richards and overseen by Te Waihanga. Find out more about the review: https://lnkd.in/g2Eijnv8 #infrastructure #review #transmissiongully #nz #aotearoa #tewaihanga #ppp #news

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We’ve joined the Net Zero Bridges Group! 🌉   Our Bridges experts are always dedicated to following the best practice and innovation in bridge design.   But, did you know that bridges are one of the most capital carbon-intensive elements of transport infrastructure❓   Having signed up to the ‘UK Civil Engineers Declare Climate & Biodiversity Emergency’, we’re now very proud to be part of the network committed to reducing the sector’s carbon footprint as quickly as possible. Through our participation in the group, we will help shape best practice and accelerate progress towards net zero carbon bridges by sharing knowledge and ideas. The group also holds a carbon database to understand trends and support decision-making, which we are looking forward to feeding into.   Find out more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eCkr4_ee   Babak Ahmadian, David White, João Milheiro #netzero #netzerobridges #bridges #bridge #bridgedesign #climatechange #carbon #carbonreduction #decarbonisation #transport #sustainability #sustainabletransport #sustainableinfrastructure #carbonfootprint #biodiversity #environment

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“It’s a very special job and I do feel in a position of privilege that we are lucky to do what we do, knowing the influence bridges have on people and the planet." In this article, Tom Osborne and Bart Halaczek, Directors of Knight Architects explain how they find clarity in complex rail schemes. #railnews #railways #ukrail #rail

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Prepared by expert economists and powered by our market-leading built environment intelligence, Snap Analysis is the UK's most trusted monthly review for: 📉 Planning Applications 📈 Planning Approvals 🚀 Contract Awards You can find our latest edition on our website under: Resources ➡ Monthly Reports Get your copy today to stay up to date with the latest insights influencing the construction industry. #Construction #BuiltEnvironment #SnapAnalysis

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The familiar hunting ground of the UK is seeing the same skill constraints that we are experiencing. Its time to think outside the box! I have a few ideas that I have been mulling over for the last few weeks and would be happy to chat with any interested parties over a coffee. TalentPool Connect #talentpoolconnect #recruitment #somethingdifferent.

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Transport for London paid for its day-to-day operating costs without extraordinary funding from government in 2023-24 for the first time since the pandemic, but still needs a long-term capital funding settlement for major projects New Civil Engineer reports. TfL’s Quarter 4 financial report for 2023-24, which will be presented to the board on 12 June, revealed that the capital’s transport operator completed the financial year with £138M operating surplus, which was £59M above its budget. It says this demonstrates its “commitment to achieving operational sustainability”. When it comes to capital expenditure on asset upgrades, TfL spent £139M more than the previous year. This was £18M ahead of budget for 2023-24 thanks to acceleration of works into this year. TfL has capital funding in place for 2024-25, with a £250M contribution provided by government, but it still needs a long-term funding settlement to “deliver major schemes efficiently and effectively”. Providing an assured funding agreement in the current climate is crucial in delivering a robust network and strong supply chain for the London and South region but what are your thoughts? Let us know below👇 #RIAMember https://lnkd.in/eSTYKiYq

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