Contractor Willmott Dixon has been selected to complete the design proposals for a new secure children’s home to be built on the edge of Sleaford, Lincolnshire. Plans for the 28-bed secure facility, which will be located in Bonemill Lane on the outskirts of the town, were approved by members of Lincolnshire County Council’s planning and regulation committee on 31 July. The scheme, which is being funded by the Department for Education, will provide care for some of Lincolnshire’s most vulnerable children as well as being a national resource for secure accommodation. Nick Heath, director at Willmott Dixon, said: “This is a hugely significant scheme, not only for Lincolnshire to address an acute need for secure accommodation, but also for the wider country as it will bring together best practice from across the UK and Europe. “The new building has been designed to support the young people to get their lives ‘back on track’ using a whole host of facilities including on-site education, wellbeing, vocational and sports facilities, as well as delivering against important sustainability credentials to make the building’s legacy especially evident.” The new accommodation will aim to achieve as close to a net-zero in operation solution as possible, with a design that is majority off-grid supported by solar panels and state-of-the-art power storage. The development will also feature a new service road, a car park, a surface water attenuation pond, and landscaped areas. Cllr Mrs Patricia Bradwell OBE, executive member for children’s services at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The new secure home will provide a much-improved environment for the young people living and educated there and help to meet the increased national demand for spaces. It will make sure these children are offered the required support, training and guidance in modern facilities.” The scheme has been procured via Pagabo’s Major Works framework. Willmott Dixon has been appointed as contractor and Kier is the architect for the project.

Electric vehicle charging network, Be.EV, has revealed plans to create thousands of new electric vehicle (EV) charge points in the UK, of which a substantial investment is being made in the Midlands.

The national, community-first, EV charging business is looking for dwell sites, such as retail parks, pubs and car parks, as well as the acquisition of freehold and leasehold sites in the region’s largest cities, including Birmingham, Derby and Nottingham.

Backed by £110 million from Octopus Energy Generation, one of Europe’s largest renewable energy investors, Be.EV is on a mission to sustainably accelerate the UK’s EV revolution and improve communities by installing reliable chargers across the country.
 
Commercial property agent, FHP, has been appointed to source new sites in the Midlands. FHP director and head of Birmingham office, Doug Tweedie, said that the firm is considering a variety of easy-to-reach city centre and community locations, which will improve access to charging facilities for local people.

New EV charging sites will primarily be focused around retail parks, pubs and new forecourts which will range from 0.2 acres and upwards and will be powered by renewable energy from Octopus Energy.

Doug Tweedie said: “We know that mass EV uptake depends on the quality of the charging experience and at the moment, there simply aren’t enough reliable and accessible locations. “Be.EV is well funded and has the UK’s fastest growing charging network, with an impressive operational availability rate of 99.6%. We’re thrilled to be working together to expand the community-centred public EV charging network in the Midlands and give more people the confidence to go electric.

“We are in discussions with commercial landlords and private landowners, some of whom were not previously aware that their sites could be redeveloped for EV charging purposes. “There are many vacant sites in the region that people haven’t got the finance to develop or perhaps aren’t sure what to do with, such as petrol stations, supermarkets or drive thru outlets, which benefit from passing traffic.
 
“Aside from granting a lease, there is very little onus on the landowner, as Be.EV will ensure that each development is fully funded, managed and has access to power.”

Asif Ghafoor, CEO and co-founder of Be.EV, said: “We’re delighted to work with FHP and bring our state-of-the-art charging infrastructure to cities across the heart of England. FHP understands the value of providing reliable, high quality charging facilities in accessible, convenient locations and is now in the vanguard of the EV charging revolution.

“EV charging provides a great opportunity to increase footfall to sites and create new and sustained income streams for commercial landlords and landowners. With FHP, property owners from Birmingham to Nottingham can benefit from the UK’s EV transition whilst helping to reduce air pollution.

“We look forward to getting started and working together on future projects.”

The former Job Centre located in Wood Street, Northampton, has been purchased by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) as part of the ongoing redevelopment of 35 – 45 Abington Street. The site is in the heart of the town centre, set just behind Abington Street and the Grosvenor Centre. Having sat vacant for more than a decade the site has fallen into disrepair. WNC has stepped in and bought the building to ensure that this site benefits from restoration and provides high-quality homes and services for the local community. The £475,000 freehold price plus costs, was funded through the Towns Fund, which is allocated by Government to enable WNC to transform Northampton Town Centre. WNC has been able to acquire this site to form part of the wider regeneration of the former BHS and M&S stores. The Towns Fund is part of the Government’s plan for Levelling Up the UK economy and the Council has secured £24.9 million to invest into transforming Northampton’s Town Centre. The completion coincides with the Expression for Interests as WNC seeks a development partner for the site. The site will undergo extensive redevelopment to deliver modern leisure or retail spaces to the ground floor with new homes for residents above. Through the densification of the site, it will bring forward new homes and flexible leisure space and which will lead to increased footfall into the centre to support the existing retail offer within the wider town. The next phase of the project on the former BHS property will see the large central building, measuring approximately 60,000 sq ft undergo a full internal strip out and the removal of any asbestos containing materials. This will ensure the building is safe and secure and enable the Council to bring forward the regeneration project at the earliest opportunity. Cllr Dan Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth at WNC, said: “Ensuring that Northampton is a place where residents and businesses can thrive is a significant priority for us as a council, and the redevelopment of both Wood Street and 35-45 Abington Street will transform this area for our communities. “I would like to thank our partners Evolve for their support in acquiring and completing on the purchase of the building. “We look forward to beginning the next stages of the project to enhance this area and to shape the future of the town, ensuring that it offers opportunities for businesses and residents alike.” These works form part of the Northampton Town Centre Masterplan (2019). The wider regeneration of Northampton Town Centre includes the Market Square redevelopment which will see this area become a cultural hub for the town centre, and public realm works in Abington Street and Fish Street which will see the area transformed with new paving, improved seating, lighting and landscaping, and public art installations.

The countdown is on until ground is broken on site at Sherwood Observatory later this month as work starts on the new Planetarium and Science Discovery Centre. The construction of the Planetarium and Science Discovery Centre at Sherwood Observatory is one of the projects being funded by Ashfield District Council’s £62.6m Towns Fund. The contracts have now been signed and work will start on the new building at the end of August, with a planned finish of late 2024. Plans for the site are ambitious and aim to create a unique, world-class facility that will rival those elsewhere in the UK. The observatory, on Coxmoor Road, sits alongside a Victorian subterranean reservoir which will be sympathetically transformed into an education and exhibition space. The original features of the reservoir, such as the intricate brick arches, will be kept preserving the history of the building. The Planetarium will be built on top of the reservoir and will immerse visitors in space with a wraparound experience. Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society (MSAS), who own and run the observatory, currently run outreach programmes with local schools, group visits for adult and children’s groups, public open events and night schools and the new building will allow them to expand this valuable work in Ashfield and beyond. Schools, clubs, groups, businesses, and individuals will all benefit from having a cutting-edge facility in Ashfield; it will broaden horizons, educate and inspire, and add to the District’s visitor economy. In January 2023, it was announced that £3.1m from the government’s Levelling Up Fund had been awarded to the project. Since then MSAS have been working to secure match funding and they have now received contributions from The Garfield Weston Foundation, Foyle Foundation, Wolfson Foundation, and National Lottery Heritage Fund that total £850,000. Cllr Matthew Relf, Executive Lead Member for Planning and Regeneration, said: “Everyone knows how excited we are for this project, and we can’t wait for the building to begin. The observatory is already a great asset to the District, but with the new centre and planetarium it will become world-class. “The importance of having access to a purpose-built science facility locally can’t be underestimated; allowing children and adults who can’t necessarily travel to London or Birmingham or Leicester the chance to experience the magic of space on their doorstep. “This is just one of the 16 projects being financed by our Towns Fund, which will transform the District, drive regeneration across our towns, and give Ashfield a new identity. We want Ashfield to be known as a place of innovation, somewhere people are proud to be from, and people want to visit, and the Planetarium and Science Discovery Centre will certainly put us on the map.” Steve Wallace, Planetarium Project Manager, said: “Sherwood Observatory is dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap within our community. We will do this through an ambitious outreach programme that uses astronomy as a means of inspiring people of all ages to take an interest in STEM subjects and careers, particularly for disadvantaged young residents, through extracurricular activities and a world-class visitor attraction. “Recognising that we can inspire the next generation of employees and entrepreneurs, we would love more businesses to get involved. The project team have developed a pledge list for those who share our vision, so please get in touch and add your name to this fantastic project.”

Work has begun on a new special school in Leicestershire. Bowman Academy will provide support for up to 65 pupils aged five to 16 with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.

Based at the former site of St Botolph’s Primary School in Shepshed, facilities will include a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) and a variety of classrooms, including science and art studios.

It will also feature a music room, a sensory / immersion room and a quiet, calming room, as well as a dedicated outdoor learning area and a car park and drop-off points.

The sustainably built school is being constructed by contractors Bowmer + Kirkland for the Department for Education and will be run by the Community Inclusive Trust (CIT), which heads up several schools including Foxfields Academy, a specialist SEMH school in Blaby.

A spokesperson for Bowmer + Kirkland said: “This is our tenth year of working for the DfE and we are delighted to be starting construction of the Bowman Academy, which will provide a sustainable and modern environment conducive to learning and developing the students of the academy.”

The school is being built using more sustainable methods, where ‘modules’ are constructed off-site and then assembled and installed on-site. This reduces waste, means less transportation is needed and uses renewable materials.

Bowman Academy is due to open in September 2024.