Construction innovation experts at Leeds Beckett University have partnered with Yorkshire’s largest public sector procurement framework organisation to drive innovation in the construction sector and boost opportunities for small businesses in the region. Leeds Beckett University will work with YORhub to create a Supply Chain Engagement Toolkit. This aims to increase the number and diversity of regional small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with access to public sector procurement frameworks – reducing the over-dominance of large firms, and introducing innovative solutions in a sector that is slow to change. It is a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK. Professor Mohammed Dulaimi, Project Leader and Head of Engineering in the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing at Leeds Beckett, said: “This KTP builds on a strong relationship between Leeds Beckett and YORhub, which has seen us collaborate on projects and research over several years. “Ensuring competitiveness and diversity in the supply chain is a national challenge in public sector procurement. Framework managers are hindered by legislation that stifles innovation and plays to the strengths of large consulting firms and construction companies – leaving SMEs with lower-value contracts. “This hinders innovation as SMEs with better on-the-ground insight are unable to positively engage directly with clients or YORhub to suggest improvements. Through this KTP, YORhub will disrupt this status quo by developing a Supply Chain Engagement Toolkit which addresses the challenges of engaging with SMEs and has the potential to achieve large-scale, industry-wide, impact.” Steve Baker, Head of Construction Services and YORhub at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The construction sector is an industry in need of innovation. This KTP will bring academic know-how and innovation to the challenges that are being experienced nationally – which are particularly acute in the public sector. “YORhub’s size, reputation and profile in the industry means we are uniquely placed to lead and champion this innovation for the public and construction sectors, and to share good practice with our peers and supply chains.” The work will be managed by a KTP Associate – a skilled graduate who will be recruited as a full-time member of YORhub, with the full support of the Leeds Beckett academic team. The project will include a substantial change management process which will disrupt long-established ways of working, and provide ongoing staff training to ensure the Supply Chain Management Toolkit is successfully embedded into YORhub for the long-term. As well as boosting the growth of SMEs, the partnership aims to benefit the local economy and the environment, by focusing on regional contractors which, in turn, reduces carbon emissions. Jo Griffiths, Head of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships at Leeds Beckett, added: “This is our first KTP with a public sector organisation, building on our strong relationship with YORhub, which has included co-funded PhD projects with Professor Dulaimi’s students. “We look forward to continued opportunities and collaborations through this KTP – including student projects, guest lectures from YORhub and our KTP Associate for our students, PhD opportunities and research publications.” Professor Mohammed Dulaimi is leader of the Accelerating Innovation in Construction research group at Leeds Beckett, and coordinator of the CIB (International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction) Task Group on Accelerating Innovation in Construction. The Leeds Beckett University academic team also includes: Sam Zulu, Professor of Construction and Project Management, Dr Neema Kavishe, Lecturer in Building Construction and Project Management, and Tony Jenkins, Senior Lecturer in Software Engineering and Digital Transformation. YORhub is a collaboration of Leeds City Council, Sheffield City Council, North Yorkshire Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, supporting the delivery of quality construction procurement frameworks to the public sector. It is the biggest framework in Yorkshire and the Humber, with the largest number of projects of any construction procurement framework. Across Yorkshire and Humber, approximately £2.5bn is spent annually on capital construction, with £460m procured through YORhub frameworks.

Together Housing is set to launch its latest development in Doncaster to provide new and affordable housing in the area. Work is now underway on the plans for the site in Balby, which have been approved by City of Doncaster Council’s planning committee for a total of 94 properties. Together Housing will deliver the £6.5m development alongside Hoober Urban Partnerships. Of the 94 units, Together Housing will provide 38 homes available for affordable rent. The units will meet varying demand for 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom houses to accommodate growing families in the area. As part of Together Housing’s commitment to reduce its carbon emissions in half, all units delivered by the northern social housing landlord will be built with air source heat pumps and solar panels. The gas free site will be delivered in conjunction with the organisation’s Net Zero Team. The remaining 56 properties will be delivered by Housing 21, a national provider of Retirement Living and Extra Care, who are also working alongside Hoober Urban Partnerships to deliver a Retirement Living scheme. The scheme comprising 43 apartments and 13 bungalows, will provide homes for residents over 55 and independent living with a range of on-site facilities such as; a communal lounge and gardens, electric buggy store, activities room and car and bicycle parking. The scheme will also have presence from an on-site Local Housing Manager. The combination of both affordable homes and a retirement living scheme will expand the offer of new homes to meet a diverse need in the local area. Both elements of the development are also part funded by Homes England. Cllr Glyn Jones, Cabinet Member for Housing and Business at City of Doncaster Council, said: “As part of our five-year Housing Delivery Plan, we’re improving our housing offer for older people. These new homes include state-of-the-art facilities to support older people to live independently within our communities and local residents will benefit massively. “These homes will focus on affordable rents and energy efficiency whilst also protecting and enhancing the natural environment through sustainable development.” Dai Howells, Assistant Director of Development at Together Housing, said: “Building foundations for growing families in a sustainable community is at the forefront of our collaborative aims for this exciting development. “Our ambitious plans with Hoober Urban Partnerships aim to meet a dynamic need for new, affordable housing in Doncaster with a leading focus on renewably sourced energy for each of our homes. With the addition of Housing 21’s plans to develop a retirement living scheme, we’re eager to embark on this ground-breaking development and set out on what we aim to deliver.” Bridget Faughnan-Bing, Housing 21’s Development and Delivery Director, said: “We are thrilled to be able to deliver another Retirement Living scheme in Doncaster. Working closely with the Local Authority, Hoober Urban Partnerships and Neo Projects, we’ve been able to design a scheme for local people that will help to provide Older People in Doncaster with much needed affordable housing.” David Wroe, Director of Hoober Urban Partnerships, said: “We are delighted to finally be making a start on this project to deliver a scheme of affordable family housing and retirement accommodation on the site previously acquired from City of Doncaster Council. It’s our second recent scheme with Together Housing and first with Housing 21, as well as being the first 100% electric & renewable energy scheme we have developed.”

UK National External Quality Assessment Service (UK NEQAS) is relocating to Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park’s incubation centre, Landing Pad. Renowned for its proficiency testing services and quality assessment programmes, UK NEQAS’ strategic decision to relocate to Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park is aligned with its vision to foster innovation, collaboration and growth within the healthcare community. Previously based at the Northern General Hospital, UK NEQAS joins a growing number of health, sport and wellbeing focused organisations based within the flex office space at Landing Pad, including Barnsley Women’s FC, Cricket Arena, Reyt and, most recently, Medilink North. Jen Christie at UK NEQAS said: “We’re extremely excited to be relocating UK NEQAS to Landing Pad. The state-of-the-art facilities offered onsite will no doubt increase the opportunities for us to fulfil our charity aims of improving healthcare through education, as well as fostering the creation and delivery of new and innovative services. We can’t wait to move in!” Rachel Vickers, spokesperson for Landing Pad, added: “Landing Pad offers a dynamic environment conducive to facilitating the exchange of ideas and expertise between leading organisations in the field, of which UK NEQAS will become an integral part. “By bringing together entrepreneurs, start-ups, scale-ups and not-for-profit organisations in the health, sport and wellbeing spheres within our state-of-the-art facilities, we’re aiming to support the accelerated development and deployment of transformative solutions that address pressing health challenges and enhance wellbeing on both a local, national and global scale.” UK NEQAS have taken a four year licence on a four-person private suite at Landing Pad and expect to be up and running by the end of May 2024.

Aon plc, a global professional services firm, is relocating its 50-strong Humber team to a new office.

Aon has agreed a 10-year lease on the entire ground floor of the Redcliff Court building. The move is part of Aon’s investment in the region and will bring the entire Humber-based team together in one space, providing a flexible, collaborative and open working environment for all colleagues.

On completion of an extensive refurbishment, colleagues from Aon’s Kirmington and Hull offices will move to the new fully serviced office at the end of April, where they will benefit from a more efficient office design to support hybrid working and an upgraded IT infrastructure.

Chris Harvey, head of office Aon in Hull, said: “Investing in the Humber region and our talented 50-strong team is a key part of our growth ambition.

“As a global leader in commercial risk, and a major part of the region’s insurance scene that supports clients across a diverse range of sectors, ownership structures and sizes, we can provide an exciting and rewarding career for both highly experienced insurance professionals and new colleagues.

“In seeking new office space, Aon has focused on finding a building which fits with our Smart Working Model. Smart Working is centred on the four Cs – Clients, Collaboration, Celebration and Coaching and, while we will continue to embrace hybrid working, the office remains a place to connect, build knowledge, develop capabilities, enrich careers and contribute to a sense of belonging. Redcliff Court certainly aligns with that.

“This new space will help us in our ambition to develop strong teams and create an inclusive work environment, both in-office and through virtual collaboration, where all colleagues feel a sense of belonging, and will further strengthen the firm’s culture so that we can continue to deliver the best for our colleagues.”

The Hull team is currently based on the second floor of Redcliff Court.

Aon was advised by CBRE.

Homes England and Network Rail Property have signed a development agreement with McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate to be strategic development partners for York Central, one of the UK’s largest city centre regeneration schemes. The milestone development agreement will lead to the transformation of one of the largest brownfield sites in England alongside other partners the City of York Council and the National Railway Museum. The mixed-use development will build 2,500 new homes (20% of which will be affordable) and create up to one million sq ft of office, retail and hospitality space, along with improvements to the York Railway Station and an enhanced National Railway Museum. York Central has the potential to generate up to 6,500 jobs and will help to grow York’s future economy by 20%, by adding £1.1bn GVA to the city. The one million square feet of new offices, retail and leisure uses, to the rear of York station, will create a major new employment hub for northern England. York Central will include a new 17-acre urban park, with 50% of the rejuvenated site set to be green space, along with vibrant public squares that will connect the new development to the surrounding neighbourhoods and the adjacent York City Centre. Work is already underway on site, preparing it for development, with £135m of infrastructure works currently underway delivering 2km of new roads including bus lanes, segregated footpaths and cycleways, along with two new bridges. McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate have been undertaking initial community and stakeholder engagement and will continue to work closely with the local community on plans for York Central ahead of submitting plans later this year. Robin Dobson, Group Property Director at Network Rail, said: “York Central is a hugely important scheme and given its scale and significance to the region signing the development agreement is a major step forward. “Infrastructure is at the centre of York Central’s success – from using our brownfield land to creating a new community delivering investment, jobs, new homes and amazing open space – all that neighbours the rail network.” Leon Guyett, Director of Regeneration Partnerships (York) at Homes England, said: “This marks an important step forward for the York Central project, which will have significant impact on the local area. “This is a clear example of how Homes England can use its resources and capabilities to bring together public and private sector organisations and make sustainable places possible. “This is a proud moment in the journey of York Central and we look forward to future collaboration to bring this unique brownfield regeneration opportunity to life.” Tom Gilman, Regional Managing Director of McLaren Property, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the city and a milestone moment in the delivery of York Central. “We are committed and passionate about providing much needed new homes, best in class commercial space, along with substantial green space, enhanced public realm and amenities, all of which will bring significant economic benefits and local jobs. “As York is my home city, I am genuinely thrilled to work with our partners, local stakeholders and the community on our vision to bring forward a scheme that will breathe new life and regenerate an unutilised brownfield site, connecting it to the great cathedral city of York.” Allan Cook, founder of Arlington Real Estate, said: “York Central is recognised as one of the largest city centre regeneration schemes in the UK and will deliver huge benefits, not only for the people of York and its visitors, but for the wider economy. This is a landmark project and completion of the formal Development Agreement is another significant step forwards. “Creating a brand new city quarter right in the heart of York, with its own entrance to one of the UK’s best connected railway stations, is an amazing opportunity. We look forward delivering a great place worthy of its unique location and heritage.”

Tilbury Douglas has appointed G&H Group to provide all mechanical and electrical design and build services for Bradford College’s Garden Mills Refurbishment Project.

Bradford College was awarded £5.8m from The Office for Students Higher Education Capital Fund to transform a derelict building into a state-of-the-art STEM training and education facility to benefit students studying digital, science and allied health subjects.

G&H Group was appointed to support main contractor Tilbury Douglas, a leading UK building, infrastructure, engineering and fit-out company, following a successful tender submission.

A 20-strong team, including four apprentices, will deliver a complete mechanical and electrical design and build for the new, cutting-edge higher education facility including lighting, power, heating, domestic services, gas and ventilation.

To support the requirements of Part L of the building regulation and the college’s sustainability commitments, G&H Group has designed the heating system to facilitate the future installation of air source heat pump technology, ensuring that all installed emitters and pipework can operate at lower system temperatures.

On planned completion in August, ahead of the start of the new academic year, the renovated mill will boast cutting-edge dental facilities including a specialist dentistry suite, a prep room, six higher education digital IT labs, an ophthalmic dispensing suite, a real-life work environment with consulting and testing booths, a clinical suite, and academic teaching spaces. Forming part of Bradford College’s ambitious estates strategy, these new facilities will nurture pioneering careers in sectors that support regional economic growth.

David Davis, director, G&H Group said: “We have extensive experience delivering MEP projects for the education sector and collaborating with Tilbury Douglas. Helping transform the derelict Garden Mills Building into an innovative higher education college will hugely benefit the students and support their future careers.”

Paul Ellenor, regional director for Tilbury Douglas, said: “We’re delighted to be teaming up once again with G&H Group to deliver this refurbishment project for Bradford College, providing dedicated specialist facilities to support higher-level STEM teaching and provide an enhanced student experience.” Christopher Malish, Bradford College vice principal Finance & Corporate Services, added: “This is a huge boost for the College but is also a transformative investment in Bradford city centre that also supports the wider city centre development. These new facilities will allow the delivery of curricula designed to address big societal challenges, enrich our local workforce, and showcase a range of inspiring careers.”