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Read our policy A festival focused on the future of digital construction By 2024-11-20T12:30:00+00:00 £480m Washwood Heath announcement now expected next spring more than five years after project was first advertised A decision on the winner of the last major building project yet to be awarded on the first phase of HS2 has slipped into next year The £480m scheme at Washwood Heath in Birmingham has been hit by a series of hold-ups since it came out nearly five years ago. It was first advertised via a PIN notice in January 2020 and then given a £250m price tag which will serve as both the railway’s network control centre and its rolling stock maintenance depot once the line opens the centre is expected to employ more than 550 people Procurement was already delayed by three months last year after bidders were given an 11 week extension with tenders eventually going in last April Turkish contractor Gülermak was the surprise name on the original three-strong shortlist for the job but dropped out of the running last year to leave a pairing of Vinci and Keltbray Infrastructure Services up against a team featuring VolkerFitzpatrick and VolkerRail Bidders were expecting a decision earlier this year but a HS2 spokesperson confirmed this has now been delayed by several weeks into next year He said: “The procurement process for Washwood Heath is ongoing and we expect to award contracts in the spring.” Rumours surfaced earlier this month the job was being descoped to reduce costs – in the face of a new government and particularly in the wake of recent headlines that revealed HS2 has spent £100m on a ‘shed’ to protect bats on a section of the line But one source said: “HS2 have asked for some value engineering on parts of it but given the technical complexity of it The Washwood Heath site was formerly home to the Metro-Cammell railway works It was cleared by a Laing O’Rourke team four years ago The 30ha scheme was given the green light by the city council at the start of last year with the depot including a rolling stock maintenance building automatic vehicle inspection building and sidings where trains can be stored overnight Also on the same site will be the Network Integrated Control Centre the hub of the network’s signalling and control systems as well as office buildings for cleaners and drivers A team from HS2’s enabling works contractor LM completed the demolition of the buildings on the site in 2020 The Washwood Heath complex was formerly home to the Metro-Cammell railway works In a climate of strongly fluctuating prices and pressure on supply provision for such risks must be factored into the contract The centre will contain buildings up to nine storeys in height Plans designed by Gensler for a £1bn cancer research and treatment centre in south London have been submitted for planning by developers Aviva Capital Partners and Socius Proposed removal of medieval burial grounds said to harm setting of Roman Wall despite plans for public exhibit DESNZ will boost green skills under its Warm Homes Plan through financial awards  Former Interserve subsidiary posts turnover of £542m for 2024 150 Aldersgate was fully pre-let to social media giant prior to completion and includes new terraces a reconfigured entrance and a public art installation Site powered by Webvision Cloud XFASTINDEX Construction of Catalyst Industrial Park by Glencar will see the development of four logistics/industrial units in a range of sizes from 22,500 sqft up to 64,250 sqft – some 174,000 sqft in total The detached units of steel portal frame design will feature 8-12.5-metre eaves dock loading and level access doors on two of the units They will be constructed targeting a BREEAM rating of excellent and EPC A rating is a spit away from the Balfour Beatty Vinci  (BBV) HS2 main works compound in Washwood Heath Glencar regional managing director Pete Goodman said: “We are working with Aviva Investors currently on construction of the new 60,000 sq ft Sidney Sussex Advanced Laboratory & Life Sciences facility in Chesterford Research Park so we are naturally delighted to receive this further instruction in this key strategic logistics location in Birmingham.” head of real estate investment at Aviva Investors added: “We are pleased to partner with Glencar at Catalyst Industrial Park which we think is an exciting new development project in a strategically important logistics location Building on our existing relationship at Chesterford Research Park we look forward to delivering four exceptional facilities that we expect will be highly attractive to firms looking to benefit from Birmingham’s excellent logistics credentials whilst also having the potential to contribute to long-term performance in our portfolio.” Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk 2 hours Ebbsfleet Development Corporation is undertaking early market engagement for infrastructure works. 19 hours Following a recent expansion into North America, Murphy Group has now entered Australia. 1 hour Innovative tracked carrier manufacturer among 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise recipients 2 hours Modular construction business Integra Buildings has received royal recognition for its approach to sustainability. 3 hours MTX Contracts has been selected as the preferred bidder to build a diagnostic centre in Pitsea, Essex. 3 hours House-builder Springfield Properties has promoted Darren Thomson to construction director for its north of Scotland operations. © 2025 The Construction Index [Company No ' + response[i].created_nice + ' ' + response[i].description + ' health staff and the public gathered in London last week for a summit to discuss the 10-year NHS plan in England It was the final roadshow in a nationwide tour to help set out the strategy the government says will rescue the "broken" NHS which has a waiting list of nearly 7.5 million patients and public satisfaction of just 21% - a record low moving healthcare away from hospitals and into the community is being touted as a way of treating people better and for less Research suggests that every £100 spent on community care would otherwise cost £131 for hospital care This helps explain why Health Secretary Wes Streeting has promised to turn the NHS into a neighbourhood health service a community health clinic that was set up in a deprived part of east Birmingham two years ago when the Conservative government was in power working example of what this could look like mental health professionals and charity staff work under one roof The three-storey building combines an urgent treatment centre offering some of the services usually provided by hospitals as well as a diagnostic service (for MRI scans alongside mental health care and wider social support this allows for addressing social problems such as housing issues alongside treating physical health conditions plus arranging support for daily tasks such as washing and dressing The target is the most frequent users of health services - and the aim is to keep them well and out of hospital "We want to work with the 10% of the population that is responsible for 70 to 80% of its use," explains Richard Kirby head of Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust "The NHS cannot meet their needs on its own – it requires partnership working." he said that Washwood was a "pioneering service" and he is firm that the model could "be the future of the NHS" And while few argue against the principle of more care within the community there are wider questions around just how feasible it is on a bigger scale each containing up-to-date information about patients from east Birmingham who are in hospital or making calls to the ambulance service Their goal is to get these patients discharged from hospital as swiftly as they can - and keep them out One way of doing this is by arranging remote monitoring from the 'virtual wards team' (which allows doctors to keep an eye on patients who would otherwise have to stay on the wards) as well as ordering equipment such as mobility aids and medicine dispensers to be delivered to their homes The team is also automatically alerted if a patient registered at the clinic calls for an ambulance or is admitted to hospital There is a live link to the local Heartlands Hospital where the clinic's own team of therapists and paramedics see patients face-to-face on the wards and liaise with hospital staff to try to get them home "Our job is to identify which patients will benefit from our help," says nurse Dani Fullerton "It's so different from anything I have done before." One issue the neighbourhood teams are homing in on is loneliness - they have identified this as a way to keep down hospital numbers Government commissioned research published in 2020 suggests the cost of severe loneliness to be more than £9,500 for each person in that category local neighbourhood teams plan intense support for the most vulnerable residents knitting together not just what the NHS and council provide "We have patients going to GPs and A&E basically because they are lonely," says Christine Francis who is employed as a 'social prescriber' Her job is to help find new activities and groups for the lonely and then accompany them until they are settled But I can link patients in with befriending services or local groups such as knitting groups or organised walks." Ms Francis also works with groups who can help with house cleaning and tackle other issues associated with poor mental health At present some doubt there is enough robust evidence from the research to show the effectiveness of social prescribing The neighbourhood team is adamant their approach is making a difference based on what they've seen first-hand an occupational therapist at Birmingham Council recalls visiting one patient with health and alcohol problems whose home was littered with cardboard boxes and rubbish mental health professional and social prescriber we had a five-minute debrief and drew up a plan and it was actioned the next day - you would never be able to do that if we were all working individually." Some GPs I spoke to have also observed a positive impact Dr Subeena Suleman says the neighbourhood team worked with two patients from her practice who were frequent visitors because of their range of health and social issues An estimated 100 appointments at the GP surgery were freed up over six months "It meant we had more time for other patients," says Dr Suleman "We even started offering longer appointments of up to 30 minutes for those that need it." In the first 12 months since Washwood Heath began operating GP visits among the local population supported by the centre fell by 31% A&E attendances by 20% and admissions to hospital by 21% there is not yet robust evidence to quantify how much more efficient the new model would be if expanded across the city The most recent addition to the centre is an emergency service for patients with respiratory illness that opened in December to address the fact that around 40% of admissions to the nearby Heartlands Hospital related to lung and breathing conditions which is staffed by UHB respiratory specialist nurses and doctors He used to be a builder and worked with asbestos he has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease he went to hospital after coughing up blood and was told he had pneumonia - but rather than being kept in hospital he was discharged into the care of Washwood clinic's respiratory service "I was able to stay at home to rest and take my medications and I can just ring the team at Washwood if I have any concerns." Respiratory medicine consultant Dr Rifat Rashid is also positive "Here we can see and test patients quickly – there are not the delays we have in hospital waiting for results." But there are broader benefits for the hospital too in her view - she says GPs are starting to refer their patients directly to Washwood Heath and ambulances are also now bringing patients to the centre rather than the hospital ultimately hospitals are no less full - while fewer people in the Washwood area are being admitted patients from elsewhere have filled the beds The model is being expanded across the city - the aim is to have a network of six community hubs and 25 to 30 integrated neighbourhood teams covering Birmingham's population of 1.4 million people there might be a focus on helping with frailty to support the older There are of course costs - these are estimated at less than £100,000 as the six hubs as the centres will use existing buildings and redeployed staff Richard Kirby thinks the model could easily be replicated nationwide "We believe this is the right model," he insists "It only works when the whole system buys into it." Part of the problem with making the whole system buy into it is money an NHS Confederation primary care director "People are too focused on their budgets and making sure it goes on where they immediately need it," she says But clinics like Washwood Heath require collaboration and pooling resources "The problem is that it takes time to get results – you need to invest in front and then it can be years before it has an impact." Another concern is around finding suitable premises officials I spoke to acknowledged they were lucky to have a network of large health centres (as they were beneficiaries of a short-lived finance programme launched in the 2000s to improve community NHS buildings) but many other places around the country do not a GP from Leeds who has been involved in national NHS politics since the early 2000s in his role as a British Medical Association negotiator and "There just isn't enough of the right premises," he argues GPs and community colleagues cannot work side-by-side because the buildings are too outdated and cramped "We've had all the talk over 40 new hospitals but where are the 1,000 new neighbourhood clinics?" There are deeper rooted political pressures too that make a nationwide rollout of centres like those in Birmingham a challenge Even though the work in east Birmingham ticks a lot of the boxes set out by independent peer and NHS surgeon Lord Darzi in his report for the government last autumn this is not the first time such calls have been made Lord Darzi himself set out similar goals in a report for the Blair government in 2007 Ms Rankine has had a front-row view of this She worked for the Department of Health and NHS executive for more than a decade from the mid-1990s "We've been talking about this for 20 but failed to achieve it on any sort of scale." there are a series of contradictory priorities facing the NHS Often it is those considered the most pressing that are addressed first Director of Policy at the Health Foundation think-tank points out that the big focus is on hitting the 18-week hospital waiting time targets "It's pulling in the opposite direction of this ambition to move care out into the community," he observes So can the government really reshape the NHS into a neighbourhood health service BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below Get our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day. Sign up here. The Department of Health and Social Care said it is the biggest public investment in facilities in England in five years. Patrick Spencer says the timeline for the construction of the "super surgery" remains on track. The daughter of a Bradford man infected with HIV and hepatitis C speaks out ahead of a new hearing. The walk starts at Birmingham City's ground and aims to get to Wolverhampton's Molineux in time for kick off. Jolanta Czapska Hill worked at Slough's Wexham Park Hospital when she submitted the blood samples. Win HappyPremiumSearch Rayohits radiobirminghamnewsMachete suspected drugs and shotgun seized in Washwood HeathA 19-year-old and a 21-year-old have been arrested Two men have been arrested after police officers recovered two machetes a sawn-off shotgun and suspected Class B drugs in Washwood Heath A 19-year-old and a 21-year-old were arrested following a footchase in Landor Street Both are in custody whilst police enquiries continue West Midlands Police said the weapons were seized as part of 'Operation Target' which tackles serious and organised crime across the West Midlands The force is committed to carrying out proactive operations to take criminals off the street First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) Shabana has written to Birmingham City Council about the proposed bus lane on Washwood Heath Road Works have commenced to introduce the bus lane which will run between Drews Lane and Membury Road Consultation on the bus lane took place during the general election and residents have complained that their comments weren’t recorded assurances received by councillors from council officers that the plans wouldn’t be progressed were not fulfilled You can read Shabana’s letter in full below I am writing regarding the proposed bus lane on Washwood Heath Road between Drews Lane and Membury Road I understand work has started this week to introduce the bus lane on the road A consultation on the proposals largely took place during the general election during which time there were no Members of Parliament and I was a parliamentary candidate for Birmingham Ladywood I was unable to make official representations as the Member of Parliament covering the Alum Rock ward I have since received sight of email exchanges between the local councillor and council officers where an extension to the consultation period is requested a council officer states that they will take up the request with Transport for West Midlands and that “nothing will be progressed in the meantime.” no further updates were received and the project is now commencing I have received representations from residents indicating that traffic on the road is already free-flowing without the introduction of a bus lane I am informed that the scheme will have an impact on the ability of residents on Washwood Heath Road to park their vehicles Feedback from the consultation period did not mention a petition signed by a large number of residents opposing the plans or take into account the views of the nearby mosque affected by the scheme I am not satisfied an appropriate consultation has taken place in support of the bus lane Please can my office receive an urgent briefing on the scheme and works be paused until a proper consultation has taken place Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood Email: shabana.mahmood.mp@parliament.uk Police and paramedics attended and sealed the section of the roadway off. Medics treated both the drivers of the cars at the scene before they were taken to Heartlands Hospital. Their injuries were not said to be serious A passenger from one of the cars sustained light injuries and conveyed to the same hospital Read More: Hunt for driver as man died in hit-and-run in Stechford "The drivers of both cars, two men, were assessed and found with injuries not believed to be life threatening. They were treated before being conveyed to Heartlands Hospital. "A passenger, a woman, sustained non serious injuries and was also conveyed to the same hospital for checks." The road was later reopened. have been attacking cars in a Birmingham neighbourhood Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Birmingham residents have spoken of their horror after their streets were invaded by monster rats the size of cats which have been attacking cars and jumping out of wheelie bins The infestation is leaving car owners with pricey repair bills as rats have been chomping through wires and cables after nesting under the bonnets Other homeowners say they have found them nesting in their wheelie bins and believe the problem is getting "out of control" across the city Residents of Drews Lane, in Washwood Heath say their area has become a rat hotspot and attributed the problem to ongoing bin strikes an increase in fly-tipping and HS2 building work Kim Blakeman said: "The rats are huge - they are like small cats and their tails are really chunky "They are in and out of our recycling bins and since HS2 has started across the road we've had more of an influx "The council don't bother litter picking our road anymore it's a perfect nesting site and the rats come and feed in our bins "We as neighbours collectively had to take our rubbish to the tip last week as the bin men won't "The litter from HS2 is blowing over the road into our gardens They are moving so much dirt and it should be dampened down but it's not "I refuse to clean my windows now because they keep getting dirty I opened my bonnet last week and found a load of rat droppings inside." 43 a mechanic who runs Womanic in nearby Tyseley said she has seen a surge of cars needing repairing after being attacked by rats She said: "When I started my business nearly 10 years ago we never saw problems like this But now I'm getting people come in with damage to their cars because of rats and it's becoming more and more common "A few weeks ago I had a lady with a two-year-old Audi who had her engine management light on I picked it up and saw that a rat had eaten through all the wiring "They seem to be everywhere now - they will be catching the bus soon The Unite union said last Wednesday workers would begin indefinite strike action across the city following a row over pay cuts on March 11 which brought in a £24 charge for rat control visits last year admitted missed collections had caused issues A council spokesperson said: "“Whilst we acknowledge that industrial action is causing missed bin collections across the city we continue to ensure every household in the city receives at least one collection per week at this time "If a reasonable amount of side waste is presented this will also be collected as long as it is bagged or bundled “We would like to thank residents for their understanding and patience during this period of industrial action “The council continues to treat for rats for a contributory fee this is far less than the cost to deliver the service and that charged by some neighbouring local authorities "People can also purchase and treat themselves as supplies are readily available in shops and online.” HS2's Washwood Heath Depot will become the control hub for the whole HS2 network and the main maintenance and storage facility for its train fleet A spokesperson for HS2 said: “The health and safety of our workforce and the public is HS2’s number one priority the Washwood Heath site is very well maintained by our contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI with strict waste management processes and robust dust suppression and monitoring in place "Enclosed waste skips are used for bagged waste and are emptied regularly with weekly site inspections carried out to check waste management "As part of our ongoing work to actively support the local community around the site the team has recently cleared fly tipped rubbish and carried out regular litter picks in the local area.” Sign up here for your daily business digest direct to your inbox Sign Up Discover our talented editorial team and the principles that drive them A construction firm has secured a contract to drive forward delivery of a “key” business hub on former van factory land Glencar will build warehouses at Birmingham’s Catalyst Industrial Park Bosses say the company will erect four units – ranging from 22,500sq ft to 64,250sq ft – on the site which was formerly home to an LDV commercial vehicle plant has been appointed by Aviva Investors to deliver the scheme The work adds to an existing partnership between the operators with Glencar working on a 60,000sq ft life sciences hub at Chesterford Research Park Glencar managing director for Midlands and North said: “We are delighted to receive this further instruction from Aviva Investors for this key location in Birmingham “Logistics and industrial projects are at the heart of what we do and we look forward to working with Aviva Investors and the full project team to deliver this outstanding scheme.” Aviva Investors’ head of real estate investment added: “We are pleased to partner with Glencar at Catalyst Industrial Park which is an exciting new development project “Building on our existing relationship at Chesterford Research Park we look forward to delivering four exceptional facilities that we expect will be highly attractive to firms.” Sign up to receive our popular morning National email for free the site of the old Metro-Cammell factory at Washwood Heath will soon have a new railway use Peter Plisner visits the site to find out how work’s progressing It’s a site that’s steeped in railway history about a mile outside Birmingham city centre under the ownership of Alstom) the Class 390 Pendolino tilting trains were assembled Or register with RAIL to keep up-to-date with the latest news RAIL is Britain's market leading modern railway magazine and is it being ‘gold-plated’ Phil Haigh examines the true cost of HS2… and what is being done to get those costs back under control HS2 Ltd has completed the first viaduct section at the Warwickshire site The problem is particularly acute in Drews Lane, Washwood Heath, an area already known as a rat hotspot Residents in Birmingham are battling a severe rat infestation with some describing rodents "the size of cats" plaguing their neighbourhoods The problem is particularly acute in Drews Lane SIGN OUR PETITION: CALLING FOR HARSHER PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE THAT TRASH OUR COUNTRY Locals report the vermin chewing through car cables and nesting in bonnets and wheelie bins The ongoing bin collection strike and nearby HS2 construction work are being blamed for worsening the situation Sign our petition to stop the litter blight across our United Kingdom told the BBC: "The rats are huge - they are like small cats and their tails are really chunky "They are in and out of our recycling bins and since HS2 has started across the road we've had more of an influx." Teacher Mariya Malik said a relative's car had been damaged three times by rats chewing cables She said people are anxious every morning as to whether the engine is going to start or if it would have been attacked by the pests Residents have said they are anxious every morning as to whether the engine is going to start or if it would have been attacked by the pests Sign our petition now to call on the Government to introduce a minimum fine of £1,000 for littering or fly-tipping and to enforce mandatory jail sentences of at least three months upon a third conviction. - SIGN HERE Do you have a story about litter you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing holly.bishop@gbnews.uk Unite the Union has listed strike days to continue into April Birmingham City Council introduced a £24 charge for rat control visits in 2024 which critics dubbed a "rat tax" Planning permission for the Washwood Heath HS2 Depot was granted in 2023 The site is set to become the main control hub for the entire HS2 network Malik noted: "Fly-tipping isn't helping Residents claim the council has stopped litter picking in the area City council reports from 2021/2022 revealed that B8 - the postcode containing Washwood Heath Ward End and Saltley - was a hotspot for vermin in Birmingham Residents claim Birmingham City Council has stopped litter picking in the area The area had more pest control call-outs than any other part of the city Blakeman claimed: "The council don't bother litter picking our road anymore People fly-tip and it's a perfect nesting site and the rats come and feed in our bins." The situation has left residents frustrated and concerned about health risks A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: "Whilst we acknowledge that industrial action is causing missed bin collections across the city we continue to ensure every household receives at least one collection per week." The council apologised for the inconvenience and confirmed they still treat for rats at a "contributory fee" HS2 responded: "The health and safety of our workforce and the public is HS2's number one priority." They added that "enclosed waste skips are used for bagged waste and are emptied regularly with weekly site inspections" to check waste management SIGN OUR PETITION: CALLING FOR HARSHER PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE THAT TRASH OUR COUNTRY Work to build the 3.5 mile Bromford Tunnel bringing high speed trains into Birmingham has taken a leap forward as excavation of the 22 metre deep west portal is completed The portal at Washwood Heath has been finished in readiness for the two 1,600 tonne tunnel boring machines (TBMs) building the twin-bore tunnel to complete their journeys from Water Orton in North Warwickshire The huge earthworks operation has taken a team of 130 people from HS2’s construction partner Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) nine months to complete Groundwork specialists from Coventry-based Duo Group supported BBV with the complex excavation programme to extract 53,400m3 of earth from the ground The spoil has been transported on specially built haul roads to support construction of the Delta Junction – a triangular section of 13 viaducts in North Warwickshire The Washwood Heath portal is the deepest of four tunnel portals on the Midlands section of the HS2 route A two-year programme of ground reinforcement works delivered by the Bachy Soletanche and Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering joint venture (known as SB3) began in November 2021 to prepare for the portal’s excavation The portal is at the start of a 750-metre-long cut and cover structure which is currently being excavated and built by SB3 This is where HS2 trains will emerge from the tunnel and travel below ground level before raising up onto a series of viaducts into Birmingham’s Curzon Street Station the first TBM to launch from Water Orton in 2023 is expected to break through the portal wall at Washwood Heath by the end of 2024 with the second TBM ‘Elizabeth’ set to finish her drive by Autumn 2025 At 65 hectares – the equivalent of 100 football pitches - Washwood Heath is one of HS2’s largest construction sites HS2’s Depot and Network Integrated Control Centre will also be built – acting the nerve centre of the high-speed rail network trains will be serviced and stored and the real time operation of the railway will be controlled The site has also spurred the development of a 24 hectare brownfield site which will unlock land for commercial use and logistics space creating opportunities for employers and the community and more than 1,000 new jobs for local people HS2 Project Manager responsible for main works civils delivery at Washwood Heath commented: “With two tunnel boring machines in the ground and excavation of the Birmingham tunnel portal complete the complex feat of engineering required to bring HS2 trains into central Birmingham is well and truly underway “Local businesses have played a huge role in this two-year programme of work which has been taking shape alongside our plans to build the new network control centre and maintenance depot - the beating heart of HS2’s operation here in Washwood Heath.” Project Manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “The Bromford Tunnel portal at Washwood Heath will act as the gateway that will take HS2 trains in and out of Birmingham city centre completing this huge excavation operation is a significant moment for the project “The team is now focussed on the next challenge on this vast site - a 750-metre-long cut and cover structure next to the portal where HS2 trains will emerge from the tunnel and travel below ground level over one million cubic metres of earth has been excavated with the recycled material cleaned and reused to level the ground paving the way for detailed design and construction of the new maintenance depot and control centre to start next year By recycling and reusing material on the site BBV have eliminated the need to import aggregate a strategy which has avoided over 50,000 lorry movements on local roads minimising the impact of HS2’s work on nearby communities is just one of the environmental design features planned for the site to provide local wildlife habitats and enhance its aesthetic appeal Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV) joint venture has completed the 22m deep tunnel portal at Washwood Heath in the east of Birmingham which is where High Speed 2 (HS2) trains will emerge on their way into the city centre The Bromford Tunnel will be a 5.6km twin bored tunnel between Water Orton in North Warwickshire and Washwood Heath in Birmingham Construction of the Bromford Tunnel portal involved a nine-month 130-person earthworks operation led by HS2’s construction partner BBV supported BBV with the excavation of 53,400m3 of earth ground the ground The spoil has been transported on haul roads built by HS2 contractors to support the construction of the Delta Junction The Delta Junction is a triangular section of 13 viaducts in North Warwickshire which will have trains from London arriving at the south and trains to Manchester via the northern part Bachy Soletanche and Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering joint venture (known as SB3) began a two-year programme of ground reinforcement works in 2021 to prepare for the portal’s excavation The portal is the deepest of four tunnel portals on the Midlands section of the HS2 route The portal at Washwood Heath is the start of a 750m long cut and cover structure which is being excavated and built by SB3. This is where HS2 trains will emerge from the Bromford Tunnel and travel below ground level, before rising up onto a series of viaducts into Birmingham’s Curzon Street Station the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) to launch from Water Orton in 2023 with the second TBM Elizabeth set to finish her drive by Autumn 2025 HS2 said the Washwood Heath site is 65ha and is one of its largest construction sites On the site next to the portal sits the area where HS2’s Depot and Network Integrated Control Centre will be built which will act as the control centre for the whole HS2 network trains will be serviced and stored and the real-time operation of the railway will be controlled “The site has also spurred the development of a 24ha brownfield site which will unlock land for commercial use and logistics space and more than 1,000 new jobs for local people.” More than 1M cubic meters of earth has been excavated from the Washwood Heath site and this has been recycled This material is cleaned and reused to level the ground ahead of detailed design and construction of the new maintenance depot and control centre that will start next year by recycling and reusing material on the site BBV has eliminated the need to import aggregate which has avoided over 50,000 lorry movements on local roads is one of the environmental design features planned for the site to provide local wildlife habitats and enhance its aesthetic appeal HS2 project manager responsible for main works civils delivery at Washwood Heath Alvin Pedzai commented: “With two TBMs in the ground and excavation of the Birmingham tunnel portal complete BBV project manager Tim Cook said: “The Bromford Tunnel portal at Washwood Heath will act as the gateway that will take HS2 trains in and out of Birmingham city centre completing this huge excavation operation is a significant moment for the project and for the region “The team is now focussed on the next challenge on this vast site - a 750m-long cut and cover structure next to the portal The secretaries of state for transport and levelling up have recovered an appeal by the local authority against the construction of a cutting in the area for the Bromford Tunnel at Water Orton A letter to Kate Radford at law firm Eversheds Sutherland from the Department for Transport and Department for Levelling Up Housing & Communities said: “the secretaries of state disagree with the inspector’s recommendations “They hereby allow your client’s appeal and grant approval to the Schedule 17 application.” The decision was made by Lord Davies of Gower Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Maritime and Security) on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Faith and Communities and Lords Minister) on behalf of the Secretary of State for Levelling Up The letter states that the decision is regarding the Water Orton cutting including the Bromford Tunnel east portal and Attleboro Lane overbridge and ancillary works The letter lists the works covered as: “The undertaking of engineering earthworks including the formation of a concrete lined cutting to become part of the “Water Orton Cutting” (the cutting) The cutting would comprise concrete retaining walls with the parallel facing retaining walls being supported by concrete joists (props) above the diaphragm walls consisting of a two lane carriageway with footways on either side which would carry the diverted Attleboro Lane over the cutting The diverted Attleboro Lane would in part be on newly formed embankments “The formation of a concrete tunnel portal structure the ‘Bromford Tunnel East Portal’(the BTEP) at the western end of the cutting The portal would be of a porous design,i.e The porous nature of the portal being intended to control the build-up of noisy pressure waves (piston effect) as trains exit a tunnel “Ancillary works including the provision of: maintenance vehicle parking areas; a balancing pond; and boundary and security fencing and vehicle restraint barriers.” The porous design of the portal is intended to reduce the piston effect where high speed trains exit a tunnel and create a significant volume of noise North Warwickshire Borough Council had declined “to determine the request for the approval of plans” and this decision by the council was overruled by the secretaries of state An HS2 spokesperson said: “We welcome the decision by the secretary of state to allow the appeal and grant Schedule 17 consent for the Bromford Tunnel east portal “The extension of this 5.6km tunnel between Birmingham and Warwickshire significantly reduces the overall impact of HS2 across the area removes 260,000 lorry movements from local roads and provides a more cost-effective method of construction for this part of the railway.” Lorry movements will be reduced because the tunnel extension moves the end of the tunnel out of a densely populated urban area and towards the delta junction which features a major HS2 work site Housing & Communities and the Department for Transport declined to comment Like what you've read? To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. Network Rail is gearing up to complete 359 projects worth £67.4M over… The A46 Kenilworth Bypass was reopened to traffic 30 hours earlier than… High Speed 2 (HS2) Ltd and the Department for Transport (DfT) remain… High Speed 2 (HS2) Ltd has said its work faces delays and… Rayohits radiobirminghamnewsTribute paid to man shot in BirminghamRiyan Ali was found with serious injuries in Alderson Road who died after shots were fired in Washwood Heath have said “he will be remembered for the warmth he brought to their lives.” was found with serious injuries in Alderson Road shortly before 10.30pm on Saturday (19 October) it said: "In loving memory of Riyan Ali a young man whose light shone brightly in the lives of everyone who knew him and inspiration for his family and friends and unwavering spirit touched hearts and created cherished memories that will forever resonate He had a unique ability to uplift those around him always ready with a smile or a listening ear “Whether pursuing his passions or sharing moments with loved ones he embraced life with enthusiasm and grace His dreams were as boundless as his potential and he approached each day with a sense of adventure “Though his time with us was far too short compassion and courage will endure in the hearts of his family We will remember him not only for his achievements but for the warmth he brought into our lives we hold on to the beautiful memories and the unbreakable bond that will always remain let us celebrate the love he gave and the impact he made He will forever be missed but never forgotten laughter and love shared by those he cherished most.” aged 40 who were arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on police bail while enquiries continue Another man who was arrested on Monday has been released without charge Detective Inspector James Mahon from our Homicide Unit said: “Our thoughts remain with Riyan's family at this incredibly difficult time “We are doing everything we can to establish what happened and why to get answers for his family “We understand the alarm incidents like this can cause and our officers will be providing reassurance to the community so please talk to them if you have any concerns.” First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app. Rayohits radiobirminghamnewsTeenager charged after nineteen-year-old died in shooting in Washwood HeathThe teenager was charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life A man's been charged as investigations continue into the murder of a 19-year-old in Washwood Heath. The incident happened after 10:30 in the morning, where shots were fired last Saturday (Oct 19th). Another 19-year-old was arrested and charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life. Faieq Ghazanfar was due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court today (Oct 25th). Enquiries are still ongoing and police are asking anyone with information to come forward. Balfour Beatty VINCI has completed the excavation of the 22 metre deep west portal for HS2 marking a leap forward on work to build the 3.5 mile Bromford Tunnel bringing high speed trains into Birmingham The huge earthworks operation has taken a team of 130 people from Balfour Beatty VINCI nine months to complete Groundwork specialists from Coventry-based Duo Group supported Balfour Beatty VINCI with the complex excavation programme to extract 53,400m3 of earth from the ground delivered by the Bachy Soletanche and Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering joint venture (SB3) Project Manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “The Bromford Tunnel portal at Washwood Heath will act as the gateway that will take HS2 trains in and out of Birmingham city centre HS2 Project Manager responsible for main works civils delivery at Washwood Heath said: “With two tunnel boring machines in the ground and excavation of the Birmingham tunnel portal complete Balfour Beatty VINCI have eliminated the need to import aggregate Balfour Beatty VINCI have also diverted Wash Brook All non-media related enquiries should be directed to +44 (0)20 7216 6800 or info@balfourbeatty.com Balfour Beatty plc is registered in England as a public limited company Registered No: 395826Registered Office: 5 Churchill Place,Canary Wharf By 2024-12-04T11:53:00+00:00 Commercial construction firm Glencar is set to build four logistics units at Catalyst Industrial Park in Birmingham range in size from 22,500sq ft up to 64,250sq ft dock loading and level access doors on unit 1 The units will be constructed targeting a BREEAM rating of excellent and EPC A rating and will also feature photovoltaic panels and electric vehicle charging infrastructure said: “We are working with Aviva Investors currently on construction of the new 60,000sq ft Sidney Sussex Advanced Laboratory & Life Sciences facility in Chesterford Research Park so we are naturally delighted to receive this further instruction in this key strategic logistics location in Birmingham “Logistics & Industrial is at the heart of what we do and we look forward to working with Aviva Investors and the full project team to deliver this outstanding scheme which features leading edge ESG credentials which are becoming standard in this sector.” Aviva Investors head of real estate investment said: “We are pleased to partner with Glencar at Catalyst Industrial Park “Building on our existing relationship at Chesterford Research Park Catalyst Park is located on the historic former LDV manufacturing site Direct access to the scheme is off Drews Lane close to both J5 and J6 of the M6 which are both less than 3 miles from the site Catalyst Park is also outside the Birmingham City Centre congestion charge but in easy reach of the Birmingham Inner ring road and city centre 4 miles southwest The West Midlands mid-box industrial market is experiencing significant momentum high quality warehouse and logistics space according to a report by Savills Birmingham industrial and logistics director Christian Smith Glencar has completed construction of two prime industrial & logistics units of 76,231 and 145,454sq ft for Baytree a pan-European developer of logistics buildings Construction firm Glencar has completed four industrial units near Barking in east London totaling 215,000 sq ft Aquila Truck Centre’s Gloucester facility has been appointed a full sales adding to the company’s Tipton and Worcester sites to complete its support network along the M5 corridor to the Midlands Logistics UK has hailed the launch of the Maintenance Provision Rating Scheme (MPRS) which is designed to raise standards across the unregulated commercial vehicle maintenance sector as a “beacon of confidence” for the haulage industry The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has launched a cargo community advisory body which will focus on the impact of the planned massive redevelopment of the cargo village at Heathrow Airport and the associated freight management systems 29 August, 2024 By The tunnel boring machine (TBM) excavating the first bore of High Speed 2’s (HS2’s) 5.6km Bromford Tunnel into Birmingham has reached the halfway point has excavated 2.8km of the first bore of the tunnel since it was launched from a site near Water Orton in North Warwickshire in August 2023 The 125m long machine has excavated under the Park Hall Nature Reserve and River Tame and is now passing under Castle Vale Driving at around 30m underground each day it will continue adjacent to and under the M6 before breaking through at the western tunnel portal at Washwood Heath in Birmingham early next year The second bore is being excavated by TBM Elizabeth that was launched in March 2024 and is due to break through at Washwood Heath in autumn 2025 The 22m deep western portal has been finished in readiness for the two TBMs Construction of the portal involved a significant earthworks operation carried out by a team of 130 people over nine months The eastern portal of the tunnel will be located off Attleboro Lane in Water Orton To minimise the noise of trains as they exit the tunnel HS2 Ltd contractors will be constructing a “porous portal” – achieved by providing perforated structures The full Bromford Tunnel programme is being delivered by around 450 people working for HS2’s contractor on this section The design JV is made up of Mott MacDonald and Systra Each bore will take around 16 months and 1.87M.t of material will be excavated and sifted at the on-site slurry treatment plant to be reused on nearby sites at the Delta Junction Costain and Strabag (SCS) joint venture is gearing up to assemble and install the final two TBMs at Old Oak Common that will take the high-speed rail line into central London Want to read more? Subscribe to GE’s enewsletters and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn Tagged with: Enabling works on the £10bn Lower Thames Crossing scheme – a 4.2km twin bore road tunnel under the river between Kent and Essex – could begin in October of this year Buckinghamshire Council’s decision to reject HS2 Ltd's planning application for a groundwater monitoring chamber in Wendover could cost “tens of millions of pounds” Concrete elements that will form a 1.8km long immersed tunnel in the River Scheldt were recently floated in a dock ahead of their journey to Antwerp An Implenia and Hochtief JV has been appointed by Deutsche Bahn to deliver the eastern section of a new partly tunnelled railway line in Munich Sign in or Register a new account to join the discussion 28 JUN 2024BookmarkTile Cross Academy is celebrating moving out of special measures (Image: Tile Cross Academy)Two significant achievements highlight the remarkable educational transformation at Tile Cross Academy It has been taken out of Ofsted special measures to achieve a 'Good' Ofsted rating and been given Voice 21 Centre of Excellence Status The double win marks a significant milestone in the school’s ongoing journey towards educational excellence Having been under Ofsted’s special measures for several years and facing numerous challenges it joined Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust and under the leadership of the new headteacher the school embarked on a transformative journey The very positive Ofsted report summarises the strength of the school Pupils speak positively about the changes they have seen and are clear that this is a school where expectations for pupils are high where behaviour is good and where staff will go the extra mile to provide opportunities “Pupils are happy and know that all are respected from different backgrounds as the school prides itself on the welcome it gives to pupils." Headteacher Paul Marano said: "Our journey has been challenging but incredibly rewarding To move from special measures to a 'Good' rating in five years especially with the added difficulties of the pandemic is a testament to the resilience and commitment of our entire school community." The small and caring school for 11 to 16-year-olds aims to develop and nurture the values skills and attributes which create good citizens and lifelong learners Tile Cross Academy is committed to ensuring that every student regardless of their background or prior social and academic experiences By maintaining high expectations for all students the school focuses on character development aiming to nurture each child into an outstanding learner and responsible citizen The academy provides a broad and balanced curriculum that equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate a rapidly changing society This comprehensive educational approach ensures that students are prepared and eager to seize the opportunities available to them fostering a positive outlook on their futures Tile Cross Academy's dedication to excellence not only aims for academic success but also prepares students for meaningful and impactful lives beyond the classroom Tile Cross Academy has been designated as a Voice 21 Centre of Excellence the third school in Washwood Heath Multi Academy Trust to receive this prestigious accolade Voice 21 is a national charity dedicated to promoting oracy in education as it is acknowledged that the development of oracy leads to higher academic standards as well as giving young people the skills to articulate themselves - essential in the workplace and society This prestigious recognition is awarded to schools that demonstrate outstanding achievement in embedding oracy into their curriculum Mr Marano said: “Becoming a Voice 21 Centre of Excellence underscores our commitment to developing our students' communication skills Effective communication is a cornerstone of success and we are proud to lead the way in oracy education.” Tile Cross Academy's recent achievements are a source of immense pride for the entire school community The recognition from Ofsted and Voice 21 reflects the school's and the Trust's dedication to providing high-quality education and fostering a supportive and dynamic learning environment "We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved together," said Mr Marano “These accomplishments are just the beginning We remain committed to continuous improvement and to providing the best possible education for our students.” As Tile Cross Academy continues to build on its successes the future looks bright for its students and staff The school's commitment to excellence and community spirit ensures that it will continue to thrive and inspire Birmingham City Council granted Schedule 17 approval under the HS2 Phase One Act 2017 This is where HS2 trains will be maintained Network Integrated Control Centre (NICC) and Cleaners and Drivers Building All the buildings have been designed to celebrate engineering and provide sustainable working as well as outdoor amenity spaces for staff The designs have been produced by HS2’s Engineering Delivery Partner (EDP) HS2’s Light Systems Programme Client said: “We’re pleased that Birmingham City Council’s planning committee has approved our plans for the HS2 depot at Washwood Heath marking a significant milestone for HS2 in the Midlands “Over 550 jobs will be created by the Depot’s operations in a range of disciplines including facilities management We’re working closely with Birmingham City Council and other stakeholders to maximise these job opportunities for people in the local area.” “Good functional design has been a vital part of developing the plans for the Depot including ensuring this new large-scale facility contributes to improving a significant area on the outskirts of Birmingham and streamlining operations for the railway Our design team have worked closely with the Council to make sure we deliver the right design for the local area “The Washwood Heath Depot is a true asset for the region bringing the heart of the HS2 network to Birmingham Investment in job creation and aspirational standards of sustainable design have guided the development of the architecture and integrated railway infrastructure Elegant industrial buildings are set within a heathland landscape with staff safety wellness and operational efficiency at the core of each building’s design.” “It is incredible to see the transformation of the site which has always been part of the UK’s railway history and we look forward to the next stages of creating the operational heart of the HS2 railway network.” The Maintenance Building will be the primary hub of operations within the site used to maintain the HS2 train fleet along with facilities to store materials and equipment Around 250 staff will work in the building The Network Integrated Control Centre will oversee the whole HS2 network and is located centrally within the Washwood Heath depot site designed to accommodate the operational and management functions of the HS2 network The Cleaners and Drivers Building is located in the depot’s western area and will host facilities for train servicing teams and driver training This building will be linked to the stabling yard area where trains will be cleaned and replenished The Stabling Yard area is located towards the west side of the depot site and will be where the trains are parked whilst not in operation The design of the buildings provides for a high level of controlled natural lighting and reduces the need for artificial lighting during the daytime reusing rainwater runoff from some of the building roofs low carbon materials and intelligent lighting provide additional environmental benefits during construction and operation Accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists has been incorporated into the design with dedicated pedestrian and cyclist routes connecting with Birmingham’s future transport network provision is included for electric vehicle charging points cycle and motorcycle parking for staff and visitors and parking for individuals with limited mobility at all depot facilities alongside taxi and delivery vehicle drop off zones Work on site to date includes demolition of buildings and groundworks to prepare the site for the construction of the new Depot and Control Centre We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports The demolition covers a site larger than 110,000 square-metres and is being carried out by HS2 Ltd alongside their early works contractor The site at Washwood Heath was originally home to a depot that measured 782,622 cubic metres of buildings and structures and these are now in the process of being demolished This has yielded a total of 412,464 tonnes of demolition materials the equivalent weight of 68 Birmingham BT Towers significantly reducing the need for landfill and lorry movements The site at Washwood Heath was originally home to a depot that measured 782,622 cubic metres Programme Director of Phase One in the Midlands there is a huge amount of work going on at sites in the Midlands road improvement works and utility diversions We currently have 62 live sites across the whole Phase One route and over 300 companies in the Midlands are already working on the project HS2 trains will be maintained at Washwood Heath and activities at the facility will include cleaning and routine repairs of the new high-speed fleet The depot will employ up to 500 staff working in shifts or train drivers who will start and finish their day there It will be HS2’s only rolling stock maintenance depot for Phases One and 2a of the UK’s new high-speed rail network Formerly known as the Washwood Heath Railway Works It is the preferred location for HS2’s future depot because it is centrally located in relation to the completed HS2 network The press and media enquiries line is for accredited journalists only Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details Check if you already have access from your company or university Work to prepare the ground for HS2’s new Network Integrated Control Centre (NICC) and train maintenance depot in Washwood Heath as the team passed a huge earthworks milestone WATCH: Washwood Heath Site progress - https://youtu.be/6zqMU7iRnVg led the operation to excavate over one million cubic metres of earth at the Washwood Heath site the recycled material has been cleaned and reused to level the ground effectively the ‘nerve centre’ for the HS2 network will accommodate around one hundred staff that will control the real time operation of the railway a maintenance building for the preparation of HS2’s fleet of trains and facilities for staff who will drive and service the trains the site is expected to support around 550 jobs The Washwood Heath site has a long-standing rail history when it was first used as a railway sidings and marshalling yard Its heavy industrial use over the last century meant the ground was highly contaminated have led the intense programme of work to clean up the site ready for its new beginnings at the heart of the new high-speed network BBV’s recycle and reuse approach to the ground remediation and earthworks programme eliminated the need to import and export aggregate materials Approximately 27,200 road wagons or 54,400 vehicle movements are estimated to have been avoided to date minimising the impact of HS2’s work on local communities “We’re absolutely delighted with the progress made on site The earthworks and ground remediation programme for Washwood Heath is nearing completion and we’re on track to handover to HS2’s Rail Systems team who will lead the next stage in this exciting programme of work to bring this once-derelict site back to life.” “Excavating one million cubic tonnes of earth is a great achievement demonstrating the progress we’re making at Washwood Heath Every effort has been made to recycle and reuse the material on this brownfield site allowing us to repurpose part of Birmingham’s celebrated industrial history “This more efficient approach is good news for both the environment and nearby communities drastically reducing the number of lorry movements on local roads.” BBV’s work at the 65-hectare Washwood Heath site – equivalent to the size of 100 football pitches - will now focus on completion of the west tunnel portal in readiness for two tunnel boring machines breaking through as they complete their 3.5 mile journey linking Warwickshire and Birmingham one bogie of a wagon derailed on a set of points as it crossed between lines at Washwood Heath West Junction The bogie ran derailed for 121 metres before re-railing itself as it ran through another set of points The train driver was not aware of the derailment The signaller noticed irregular indications on his display panel stopped the train and asked the driver to examine it The driver found that the tenth wagon in the train showed signs of having run derailed The train comprising a locomotive and 24 container wagons had been travelling at 15 mph (24 km/h) while negotiating the series of crossovers The wagon that derailed was a container-carrying ‘Megafret’ IKA wagon which consisted of two flat platforms permanently coupled together The derailment caused significant damage to track and signalling equipment The track where the wagon derailed was curved and found to contain a twist fault of a magnitude which Network Rail’s track maintenance standard specified should be rectified within 36 hours Network Rail was not aware of the existence of this fault at the time Wagons should be capable of negotiating a track twist of a magnitude which the track standard allows to remain in a line open to traffic the wagon which derailed was found not to meet the requirements of the relevant Railway Group Standard for resistance to derailment due to track twist a component on the centre pivot of the bogie was found to be worn beyond its maintenance limit The liner is made from a plastic material and allows relative movement between the body and the bogie The worn liner had restricted the freedom of the bogie to rotate The worn liner also caused increased wheel unloading on track twists Both of these factors reduced the wagon’s ability to resist derailment causing it to derail when it encountered the track twist on the curved track at this location The worn liner had not been identified during maintenance of the wagon as the maintenance instructions were unclear about when it should be inspected the wagon owner instigated a check of part of its UK fleet which revealed that a number of other wagons of the same type had experienced a similar degree of centre pivot liner wear RAIB has made three recommendations and four learning points Two of the recommendations are made to the wagon owners and cover the maintenance procedures for Megafret wagons and the process for dealing with any problems found with the wagons One recommendation is made to Network Rail and covers the training and briefing of staff on the maintenance of points of the type used at Washwood Heath West Junction One of the learning points concerns wagon maintenance and three are related to track maintenance The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety While our investigations are completely independent of the railway industry we do maintain close liaison with railway companies and if we discover matters that may affect the safety of the railway we make sure that information about them is circulated to the right people as soon as possible and certainly long before publication of our final report This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology By 2023-06-28T06:00:00 Winner on Washwood Heath scheme due early next year The bidding process for one of the last major building projects yet to be awarded on the first phase of HS2 has been extended by three months Existing subscriber? LOGIN Stay at the forefront of thought leadership with news and analysis from award-winning journalists technical project know-how and the latest innovations Get your free guest access  SIGN UP TODAY Subscribe to Building today and you will benefit from: View our subscription options and join our community the company building the UK’s new high speed rail line has partnered with Birmingham-based Craftspace and Dual Works to run a series of creative workshops at the Heart of Birmingham College Vocational College (HBVC) based in Washwood Heath gave College learners an opportunity to develop imaginative ideas for the planned public space around the Washwood Heath Depot HS2’s national maintenance facility which will be built near the College During workshops and field trips the learners visited the HS2 construction site and used their research to generate ideas that connect Washwood Heath Depot with the local community The series of workshops culminated in a sharing event and open day for carers just before the College finished for the summer holiday The project is part of HS2's arts and culture programme which explores ways to incorporate creative practice into the development of the railway and works closely with creative practitioners and arts organisations to build relationships with communities reflecting and enhancing their skills and aspirations Washwood Heath Depot will be HS2’s maintenance facility and main control centre for the whole HS2 network it is set to create over 550 jobs in the local area “HS2 is committed to working with communities in the areas around our construction sites and this project was a great opportunity to engage local students in a creative way putting creativity and community at the heart of HS2s forthcoming development of the depot “It’s been fantastic working with the College to involve the young learners in thinking creatively about their public space We are working with our construction partners Balfour Beatty VINCI to explore ways to bring some of the learner's ideas for their garden space to life.” HBVC is an independent specialist college for learners aged between 16 and 25 with special educational needs and/or autism Community and Development Coordinator at HBVC “It was great for our students to be involved in this project which gave them the opportunity to visit the HS2 Depot construction site opposite the College Our learners really enjoyed putting on the hi-vis jackets and hard hats to learn a more about what HS2 is doing They were also very engaged with learning about the design process and contributing their own creative ideas to what the outdoor space around the Depot could look like.” “We developed a programme for the young people to investigate the transformation of and relationship to an outdoor space in ways that are meaningful for them as learners and to engender a sense of belonging “The programme involved taking the learners on a journey through the design process and introducing the different stages of the process to build their confidence They used their research and developed their thinking to imagine what could be in the green space A project run by Sähëlï Hub in Birmingham has been awarded £75,000 from HS2’s community funds taking the total amount awarded to local projects around Washwood Heath to £225,000 It is the third project in Washwood Heath to receive funding from HS2 with £75,000 already awarded to for the Dolphin Community Centre in Ward End Park and another £75,000 to support an environmental project aimed at improving water quality in the Wash Brook The Sähëlï Hub was originally set up as a ‘women-only’ facility to provide health and wellbeing activities taking into account the culturally sensitive needs of local Muslim women Sähëlï Hub has been running sessions for residents in Washwood Heath Operating from three 'hubs' across Calthorpe Park in Balsall Heath the project's activities already benefit over 1,500 women every year to get involved in group-based sports activities including cycling and tennis in and around Washwood Heath During a tour of Ward End Park to see HS2’s community funding in action “‘Our amazing community groups have now secured nearly a quarter of a million pounds of HS2 support in Washwood Heath alone It’s all part of our plan to make sure HS2’s arrival transforms East Birmingham with the biggest investment programme for decades This is one more vital step along the way!’” "Even before the Washwood Heath Depot is built and open for business the area is reaping the rewards of HS2 and this grant to the Sähëlï Hub is the latest community boost Sähëlï Hub’s activities have already benefitted hundreds of people and the new project will further tackle health inequalities in East Birmingham." the Washwood Heath development will be an amazing local asset providing over 550 high quality jobs for local people it’s important for us to support the communities nearby so direct funding to community-led projects like Sähëlï Hub can ensure local residents feel supported throughout the construction period of HS2.” The HS2 Community and Environment Fund (CEF) provides funding to communities along the HS2 route for organisations disrupted by the construction of the new high speed railway HS2 is currently preparing for the construction of the Washwood Heath Depot which is where HS2 trains will be maintained the Depot will provide over 550 high quality HS2 was granted Schedule 17 approval by Birmingham City Council for the Washwood Heath Depot Work on the Washwood Heath site to date includes demolition of buildings and groundworks to prepare the site for the construction of the new facility HS2’s funding schemes will provide up to £40m throughout the construction timeline of HS2 supporting community-led projects that improve the environment such as tree planting and energy efficiency measures Plans to install bus lanes on a busy east Birmingham commuter route have been brought forward to keep services running smoothly during a major long-term road closure which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has accelerated plans for the installation of dedicated bus lanes on Washwood Heath Road to support several popular bus services It is one of a wider range of cross-city bus route improvements being planned to improve connections and help link communities across Birmingham city centre and the surrounding suburbs  These include the installation of bus lanes which will enable buses to bypass traffic jams and provide more reliable and faster journey times Proposed Cross City bus routes: map courtesy of TfWM The cross-city bus routes are part of the region’s Bus Service Improvement Plan and are funded from a £70 million allocation from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) awarded by the Department for Transport to the WMCA Following the introduction of similar bus priority measures on the A34 and A45 last year Transport for West Midlands has reported that 82% of bus passengers surveyed along the A34 noticed improvements in journey times and reliability Combined with a commitment to introduce additional zero-emission buses these initiatives will both improve reliability of bus services and play a vital role in delivering a more connected and integrated public transportation network Making buses a more attractive alternative to the car will also contribute towards the region’s #WM2041 plan to become carbon-neutral within the next two decades As part of the High-Speed Rail (HS2) project two road bridges across existing rail lines are being replaced and upgraded with Aston Church Road set to close from the end of March 2024 Saltley Viaduct will then close to allow its replacement Work is expected to begin early in 2024 and will be completed ahead of the Aston Church Road closure at the end of March and commuters in the Washwood Heath Road area are being urged to plan ahead “This expedited installation is part of our long-term project to improve the reliability and efficiency of bus services in Birmingham ensuring minimal disruption to passengers during the closure of Aston Church Road and Saltley Viaduct “Early delivery means that passengers on the 94 95 and 14 services will enjoy the benefits of improved journeys sooner and disruption will be kept to a minimum.” we are committed to driving improvements in bus services for our existing loyal customers and to encourage new customers to consider ditching their cars and switching to more sustainable travel choices alongside our great value fares and investment in cleaner vehicles will make bus travel even more attractive by supporting reliable and quicker journey times “It’s worth remembering that a double decker bus can take up to 75 cars off the road which helps make our bus services more efficient due to reductions in congestion makes our roads safer and the air cleaner for everyone to breathe.” TfWM will also make future improvements on more cross-city routes covering: Significant progress has already been made on the Druids Heath to Dudley route Bus lanes and bus priority upgrades on the Alcester Road have been completed and work on the bus priority measures on the Summer Hill section of the route between the A4540 ring road and Edward Street in Birmingham city centre is due to take place between January and March 2024 TfWM plans to continue improvements on additional cross-city routes aiming with operators to establish genuine cross-city bus services that reduce the need for passengers to change buses in the city centre For more information about the works on the Saltley Viaduct in Birmingham, visit the HS2 website Receive email alerts when we post new articles subscribe today and be in the know at all times © West Midlands Combined Authority 2025 The first design images have been revealed of Washwood Heath Depot HS2’s maintenance facility and main control centre for the whole HS2 network which will create over 550 jobs in the local area Landscape design and green spaces play a key role with each building having a specifically designed landscape theme and areas which restore biodiversity and wider habitat connections The designs have been produced by HS2’s Engineering Delivery Partnership (EDP) “Our design team have been focused on ensuring sustainability is incorporated into our Washwood Heath Depot site and it is a great example of HS2’s environmental ambitions It’s also a pivotal site providing hundreds of crucial jobs for people in this area of Birmingham highlighting the long-term economic benefits that HS2 is delivering for the region “We’re also working closely with Birmingham City Council and other key stakeholders to achieve aspirations for the wider area to the south of the Washwood Heath Depot site which provides the opportunity to create more jobs Project Manager at HS2’s Engineering Delivery Partnership said: “These images are part of an ongoing design process which will be refined and developed over the coming months by our expert team Before we submit the designs to the local Council for approval later this year we are sharing them with the community and asking people for feedback around areas of our design.” Two face-to-face community information events are scheduled in July providing a chance for residents and businesses to speak to members of the project team The contract – worth an estimated £275m – will see the winning bidder work with HS2 Ltd to transform the 30-hectare brownfield site into the nerve centre of the HS2 network The Washwood Heath train depot and network control centre will create around 500 long-term jobs in the area HS2’s fleet of high-speed trains will be serviced and maintained The Washwood Heath depot will include a rolling stock maintenance building automatic vehicle inspection building and 14 sidings where trains can be stored overnight Also on the same site will be the network integrated control centre, the centre of the network’s signalling and control systems as well as office buildings for cleaners and drivers HS2 Ltd’s procurement and supply chain director said: “HS2 will transform rail travel across the UK – as a brand new North-South railway offering passengers fast low carbon journeys between many of Britain’s largest cities “Washwood Heath will be at the heart of the operation – servicing and maintaining the trains as well as controlling the operations. The site will also be a major boost for the local community, with around 500 long term jobs set to be created at the site and extra land freed up for development “That’s why it’s great to see such a strong shortlist for the design and construction.” Contracts are expected to be awarded in 2023 and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Building & Construction Today website is the place to come for compelling and informative features news and products for a diverse audience serving a wide construction sector Birmingham City Council has granted planning approval for construction of High Speed 2’s maintenance and control hub at Washwood Heath and the facility includes the maintenance building Network Integrated Control Centre and staff facilities Around 250 staff will work in the maintenance building which will also store materials and equipment while more than 100 will work in the standalone control centre which will operate and manage the HS2 network A stabling facility will be built on the west side of the depot Subscribe to Key Modern Railways now to access the wealth of information on offer completely ad free Subscribe now Key Publishing Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with Company Number 2713662 High Speed 2 expects to award track contracts worth around £1.5 billion in the second quarter of 2024 including the Birmingham section (value estimated by HS2 in 2020 as £434 million) Each deal has a different shortlist of the following contractors: BBVT joint venture (comprising Balfour Beatty Ferrovial Construction/BAM Nuttall joint venture; and Rhomberg Sersa/Strabag joint venture Other contracts expected to be awarded around the same time include the signalling and traffic management deal (estimated in 2020 at £540m with a shortlist of Alstom and the overhead contact system deal (£302m HS2 Ltd is tendering for the construction of Washwood Heath depot and the line’s Network Integrated Control Centre which will also be located at Washwood Heath HS2 estimates the contract’s value at £275m and has shortlisted three companies: Gulermak The Washwood Heath contract includes designing constructing and commissioning depot buildings stabling sidings (14 roads) and the control centre HS2 said the depot would have around 250 staff while the control centre would house over 100 staff It will use the site of the old Alstom factory that built Avanti West Coast’s Class 390 Pendolino electric multiple units in the early 2000s Washwood Heath also marks the western end of HS2’s 5.6km (3.5-mile) twin-bore Bromford Tunnel from Water Orton The first bore is being dug by TBM Mary Ann Elsewhere on HS2’s route between London and Birmingham the company has begun work to build foundations for a bridge that will take the A43 over the railway at Brackley These foundations involve driving 52-metre piles that will support the 66-metre bridge deck that will carry the A43 HS2 will move the road onto it and then dig under the deck to make space for the railway HS2 has realigned the road’s carriageways to create an island between them in which to work RAIL Briefing brings you the most important stories analysis of the biggest issues and critical scrutiny from leading industry experts which will put you at the heart of a successful British railway Registering and logging into the site also gives you access to gated content on the RAIL website Signal fault in north London could not be fixed in time for earmarked date Ryde Pier had been closed to trains since September 2024 Regulation has been in place since 2014 and has been branded "absurd" 17 Feb 2021 By HS2 is searching for firms to deliver a train maintenance depot and control centre in Birmingham worth £275m The facility at Washwood Heath will be the sole maintenance depot for HS2’s rolling stock in phase one and 2a It will include an integrated control centre where the operation of the line will be overseen HS2 is inviting firms to submit applications to bid for the job with construction due to start in March 2023 and finish by March 2028 The winning bidder will be responsible for the design construction and commissioning of the facilities roads and rail tracks will need to be installed Up to four contractors are expected to be invited to bid for the job The Laing O’Rourke/Murphy joint venture has carried out demolition on the site (pictured) which housed an old maintenance depot used by Alstom The 412,000 tonnes of demolition material will be reused on the project The Balfour Beatty/Vinci joint venture is currently using the Washwood Heath rail site to transport aggregate for its work on the main civils package The train maintenance depot is part of HS2’s rail systems and so is being procured separately from the civils work HS2 said it chose the Washwood Heath site in Birmingham for its maintenance depot as it will be in a central location relative to the entire line once completed Earlier this month, parliament approved plans for phase 2a of the £88bn project, which will extend the line 58km from the West Midlands to Crewe. Procurement for a £50m early civils work package on phase 2a was launched in November last year Balfour Beatty has already secured a ground investigation contract for the phase worth up to £30m HS2 will undergo board changes this year, with chairman Allan Cook set to stand down in July and recruitment for a new non-executive director to focus on the project’s communications efforts also under way Plans to complete HS2 at Euston remain “a good way off” and… Government plans to slash the statutory pre-consultation period for major projects have… A planning decision to block HS2 from upgrading a crucial farm lane… Balfour Beatty boss Leo Quinn has pushed back against suggestions by HS2… Tom Pashby An updated business case for the revised programme of works…