A warehouse and logistics facility constructed by Hobson & Porter has been officially launched at Ozone Business Park in Howden.

Construction of the 36,408 sq ft warehouse and office building was completed in September. With the fit-out process now finished, the facility is now operational.

The business park has been developed by East Yorkshire commercial developer, Horncastle Group PLC. It is said to be an important logistics hub in the region and home to some of the most active businesses in the sector.

DHL has joined big-name occupiers TNT, Warburtons, DPD, Timloc, Kersey Freight and Image Data in the park.

Ian Hodges, managing director of the Horncastle Group, said: “DHL are an excellent addition to the business park and confirm its credentials as a leading logistics park in the region.

“The parcel company took the last available plot in phase one of the development, meaning the first phase is now completely built out.”

Hobson & Porter has worked on three of the developments at Ozone Business Park and were the main contractor on DHL’s new facility.

Mike Beal, construction director at Hobson and Porter, added: “Ozone Business Park is a fantastic development and we’re delighted to have played such a major part in bringing it forward.

“It combines a fantastic location with first class business premises while at the same time proving quality local employment which is a real boost for the area.”

Hobson & Porter has completed several schemes at Ozone Business Park and maintains a strong relationship with the commercial developer Horncastle Group. In 2017 the firm constructed a warehouse, offices and car park for Timloc Building Supplies on Plot 6, as well as an operations centre for Kersey Freight, accommodating 25 vehicles and 75 trailers.

Foundations Live 2018 returned to Bishop Burton college for the third year on Wednesday 10th October for the biggest edition yet.

The event saw more than 1000 people in attendance throughout the day, with more than 70 organisations exhibiting to hundreds of students and many industry professionals visiting to network and learn more about opportunities available in the sector.

For the first time, Foundations Live 2018 held a panel debate, seeing guest speakers discuss the growing skills shortage and drop in popularity for careers in the construction industry. DIY SOS’s Mark Millar hosted the panel as guest speaker and panel chair. The panel consisted of Efficiency North’s Mark Scott, Hobson & Porter’s Richard Hunter, Bishop Burton’s Jeremy Hara and Chris Dodsworth, and CITB representatives Lynn Alisson and Chris Carr.

The debate was evenly balanced and excellent points were raised from all parties. Mark did a fantastic job in hosting a lively debate, bringing everyone together in agreement that there needs to be a focus on getting more young people interested in the industry.

Each panellist presented their points, through client, contractor, education and training board perspectives. A Q&A session followed the debate as the wider industry presented their views.

Hobson & Porter would like to thank everyone that attended Foundations Live this year, including exhibitors and visitors- through this collaboration we are raising the profile of construction and addressing the challenges of the future.

Testimonials

A year 6 class from Ings primary school, based in East Hull, attended the event. Primary school teacher Mrs Russell said: “I thought that the whole day went really well! It was an amazing experience and widened opportunities for the students”.

Mrs Russell continued: “It’s been a completely different learning experience and has been so nice to see the kids step away from technology and start doing some hands-on work! It’s very rare to see children enjoying something non-technology based nowadays!”

Year 11 student, Josh, from the Boulevard Academy said: “Foundations Live has been so fun and informative! I would 100% recommend it to anyone and I will definitely be coming again! I’ve learnt so much”.

Foundations Live will return next year as we seek to attract even more exhibitors and students from our region. To register interest for the next event visit: https://www.hobsonporter.com/foundations/

We’re delighted to have been chosen by EN:Able Build to build 24 new affordable homes as part of a new build housing scheme in Harworth near Doncaster.

Work on the scheme is underway and the homes are set to be ready for occupancy in summer 2019.

The development will be built for Together Housing, one of the biggest housing associations in the North of England, with over 38,000 homes. EN:Able Build is a not-for-profit affordable housing provider recently established by Efficiency North Holdings.

The project will benefit future workers as apprenticeships will be created through the scheme, which will be delivered by EN:Able Futures, another subsidiary company in the Efficiency North group, specialising in employment and skills innovation.

Discussing the scheme, Hobson & Porter’s Managing Director Richard Hunter said: “Working with EN:Able Build was truly collaborative as we were involved in all the key decisions from day one and that allowed us to contribute fully to the process of value engineering. This approach is a key part of our growth plans for the future and so we are delighted to be involved in the first of many ‘land led’ schemes with EN:Able Build.”

For more information on the Harworth housing development visit:
https://www.efficiencynorth.org/news/en-able-build%E2%80%99s-first-housing-development-signed-u

Hobson & Porter has completed the topping out phase of what is believed to be the first purpose-built women’s centre in the UK for 20 years, bringing the scheme close to completion.

Preston Road Women’s Centre – known locally as Purple House – offers women and girls from across Hull access to domestic violence and abuse services, sexual health services, outreach support, nursery provision, accredited courses, a housing service, legal services, a volunteer programme and a young women’s participation project.

Established in 2000, it has directly helped more than 4000 women, and engaged with many thousands more from its current building on Preston Road. As its services have grown, the organisation has outgrown its current space.

Ann Clarkson, Centre Coordinator for Preston Road Women’s Centre, said: “Though our old centre has served us well, we are excited to be so close to moving into the new building, a move we have been planning for the last two years.

“Over the last 18 years we have helped so many women across Hull and we are thrilled to be able to extend our services to even more women and children with this new building.”

The new centre, designed by architect Helen Smith of LNS Partnership, will include a charity shop, bigger nursery, more meeting and teaching rooms and more. The design was completed in collaboration with the Purple House team to ensure it incorporates all their requirements and vision for the centre.

The new building has a very complex roof structure with roof hips, ridges and rafters meeting at multiple complex junctions, combined with complex glazing installations to maximise light. The roof also has a number of velux windows and ‘light tunnels’ which reflect light down a stainless-steel tube into the first-floor ceilings.

Dave Blades, Business Development Director for Hobson & Porter, said: “We are now in the final stages of the construction of the new Preston Road Women’s Centre, which will be handed over next month.

The construction of the centre has been a wonderful project to be involved in and we have greatly enjoyed working with the centre’s team and learning what a difference this work will make to the local community.

“Hobson & Porter has always been proud to work on schemes that have a positive impact on the communities we serve, and this custom-built centre will ensure the centre has all the facilities they need, and a comfortable and modern space fit for such a worthy organisation.”

Following a close collaboration with the Friends of East Park, Hobson & Porter has designed and donated a noticeboard for the main entrance to East Park.

The noticeboard welcomes all visitors entering from Holderness Road on the south side of East Park, Hull’s largest public park offering 138 acres of green space, water features and an animal education centre.

Hobson & Porter formed a close working relationship with the Friends of East Park during our refurbishment of Woodford Leisure Centre, which borders the park, to ensure disruption was kept to a minimum while works were ongoing.

Our project team offered support to the Friends group throughout the 18-month project, donating materials to the park, producing its newsletter and even helping with its 130th celebration event in 2017.

East Park was recently awarded a Green Flag Award. The Green Flag scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

Dave Blades, Business Development Director for Hobson & Porter, said: “We always aim to make a positive contribution to the communities we work in and this has been the case in East Park. The Friends of East Park do an exceptional job in maintaining this fantastic facility and we were very keen to do all we could to make their job easier while our team was transforming Woodford Leisure Centre.

“Hobson & Porter has achieved ‘Partner’ status in the Considerate Constructors Scheme and respecting the community is a key part of that. We hope the contribution of the noticeboard will be appreciated and stand for many years to come!”

Our female employees recently visited Bishop Burton College to help publicise and show their support for women in the workplace.

They were photographed alongside a mural created by the college’s construction students in tribute to Amy Johnson. The mural was built as part of a competition held by Bishop Burton College to highlight the subject of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics showed that in 2016 women made up less than 13% of the UK’s construction workforce. Here at Hobson & Porter, we are pleased that we employ a diverse group, with more than 17.5% of our overall workforce being female.

Amy Johnson was a pioneering British aviator – the first woman to fly single-handedly from Britain to Australia, in 1930. She is a shining example of what can be achieved when someone puts their mind to something – regardless of their gender. And if a woman can achieve this in 1930, the possibilities for today’s women in construction should be endless!

Hobson and Porter has a close relationship with Bishop Burton College, having completed several projects together over the years. We engaged our supply chain in order to facilitate this project, with Ibstock supplying the bricks.

On 10th October this year, Bishop Burton College’s Equine Arena will again play host to Foundations Live, the region’s largest co-located construction trade and careers event, which brings together local companies and schools and colleges to help address the skills gap in the construction industry. For more information on Foundations Live and to register for the event visit: https://www.hobsonporter.com/foundations/

The wife of a Hobson & Porter site manager has helped raise vital funds for a local charity by completing a sponsored 10K.

Sam Craven’s wife Emma and two other members of Hull Golf Club took part in the Hull 10K to raise funds for the Daisy Appeal. Hobson & Porter sponsored the team during the race, and collectively they raised £1,115 for the charity.

Hull Golf Club has also provided a number of other fundraising activities to help raise money for the Daisy Appeal. As a thank you to Emma and Hobson & Porter for sponsoring the team, Hull Golf Club made the company a sponsor for its Captain’s Day and provided an advertising board with Hobson & Porter branding which was displayed on the fourth hole of the course.

Since it was established in 2000, the Daisy Appeal has raised £12.5m to fund cutting-edge research and state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. In recent years it has opened two facilities at Castle Hill Hospital, an £8m research centre and the £4.5m Jack Brignall PET-CT Scanning Centre.

Hobson & Porter is the main contractor for the £7.2 million Molecular Imaging Research Centre at Castle Hill Hospital. The new research centre aims to translate scientific and medical research advances into clinical use and will be built adjacent to The Jack Brignall PET-CT Scanning Centre.

In total more than £13,000 has now been raised for the Daisy Appeal through Hull Golf Club’s activity. A big congratulations to Emma and friends, including Hull Golf Club Captain Mel Green for their fantastic achievements!

We are delighted to have completed construction works as part of the multi-million-pound extension and refurbishment of Woodford Leisure Centre on behalf of Hull City Council.

Woodford Leisure Centre in Hull is one of the region’s largest local authority recreational centres. Following completion of the project, the centre now boasts a new extension housing a 25-metre swimming pool and smaller beginners’ pool, both with full disability access, sauna, steam room and reception area. This takes the total number of pools at the leisure centre to three.

The existing building at the facility has also been refurbished and its entire roof replaced, including complex glazing over the existing pool, during the 18-month project. There is also a new entrance and frontage to the facility, which is accessed from the busy Holderness Road.

The public space around Woodford Leisure Centre has also been remodelled, with a new large car park for visitors all part of the revamp.

David Blades, business development director for Hobson & Porter said: “This contract highlights our ability to deliver schemes of this nature for local authorities in the region, bringing improvements to a variety of public amenities so that they are fit for the demands of their many users.”

He added: “We are very proud to have worked on the regeneration of this centre and other similar schemes in the region.

“The revamped Woodford Leisure Centre will provide modern, first-class facilities to the area for families and people of all ages to enjoy. We have demonstrated again that we have the capabilities to deliver the type work that goes into a project of this size and to ensure that these resources offer the kind of high-standard, modern facilities that the public deserve.”

Garry Taylor, City Manager for Major Projects and Infrastructure at Hull City Council said: “It’s fantastic to see the building work complete at Woodford and I am delighted with the results from Hobson & Porter, that I’m sure will prove incredibly popular with residents.

“The investment into Woodford will secure its long-term future as a top swimming and leisure facility and put it up amongst some of the best in the region, providing a top-class offer to the people of Hull.”

During the scheme the project team welcomed students from several schools and colleges in the region to the site, with St Anne’s Community School in Welton, Estcourt Primary Academy and Mersey Primary Academy, both in Hull, producing artwork for the Considerate Constructor Scheme’s Ivor Goodsite national hoarding competition, which received the runner’s up prize.

Hobson & Porter is delighted to announce that it was the winner in the ‘Best Educational Building’ category at the recent LABC Building Excellence Awards North and East Yorkshire 2018 on Wednesday 13th June.

The award was given for Norton Community Primary Satellite School, recognising ‘building excellence in the delivery of outstanding construction and workmanship’. The Hull-based construction firm was contracted by North Yorkshire County Council to enlarge Norton Community Primary School for the increasing number of pupils.

The new school building contains six classrooms for pupils in years 5 and 6, along with all the other facilities required for a successful modern school including reception, library, staff room and administration area, IT suite, kitchen and dining area and teaching kitchen, and toilet block.

The project made the headlines during enabling works, when a large number of historic artefacts were unearthed. They support the existence of a Roman fort and a significant development in what is now the northern part of Norton. An archaeological team was on site during much of the construction of the satellite school and the site team had to carefully undertake its work around this.

Hobson & Porter is building a successful record at the LABC (Local Authority Building Control) Building Excellence Awards, having previously been a finalist for Phase 1 of Riseholme Campus, a part of Bishop Burton College. The LABC Building Excellence Awards are the largest business to business awards in the UK and are open to anyone involved in a construction project where building control was provided by a local authority.

The 2018 awards were presented at a black-tie ceremony at the Principal York Hotel in York, which was hosted by TV presenter Nikki Chapman. Our award was collected by Contract Manager Gary Allen and Site Manager Dave McCorie, alongside Nick Brennan from the project’s architects, Align Property Partners. Congratulations to the site team at Norton Community Primary School on this fantastic achievement!

On 19th June 2018, an event was held at ERGO Centre, the new development at Bridgehead Business Park on the north side of the Humber Bridge, to raise awareness of the wide range of construction career opportunities available in the region.

The event was hosted by LMI Humber in association with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), Humber Training Group, Go Construct and Green Port Hull.

Hobson & Porter’s Employment & Skills Coordinator, Pauline Steele and Civil Engineer, Mark Young attended the event, which highlighted that 6.7% of employment in the Humber region is in construction. That represents one in every 16 jobs.

An event overview was given by representatives from East Riding Council and the CITB, followed by an understanding of the building process and the job roles involved in the different stages. There was also a session on how the industry can support careers in the curriculum, plus an opportunity for attendees to network. The event was attended by over 80 delegates from business, training providers, Job centre plus, careers advisors, schools and organisations helping people into work.

Pauline and Mark, with support from Pre-Construction Director Dan and Apprentice Harry. Dan and Harry joined the industry from a young age (Dan after studying an Architecture degree at university and Harry straight from school) and both shared their considerable experience with careers advisors and teachers at the event.

Janice Chattaway, CITB Advisor for the Humber, praised the team’s support: “I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Hobson & Porter for supporting the LMI event yesterday, it was really appreciated. It makes such a difference for people to hear real life stories from people working in the industry.

“It is a big commitment from your organisation in giving up your time but hopefully an investment that will make a difference in the future, encouraging more students to see construction as an exciting career choice.”

The Hull-headquartered construction company is currently running its Foundations initiative, which has the purpose of developing careers in construction and promoting industry sustainability. At any one time there are apprenticeships working either in the company’s major or minor works divisions.