More Focus 鈥� Page 555
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Features
Union power is back
Meet the revitalised unions. They can vet bidders for PFI projects, they can influence the Treasury on ownership of hospitals, they can change government policy on staff transferral. Can the PFI survive?
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Features
Can Prescott save the village?
It’s decision time for John Prescott. The report on what went wrong with the Millennium Village is on his desk. Will he choose to resuscitate the model for 21st-century housing, or leave us with just another estate?
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Golden girl
Although she’s in her 80s, Mollie Parsons found herself roped into project managing the refurbishment of a Cornish village hall, complete with the full horrors of dealing with funders, bureaucrats and builders.
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Here’s the new plan
Forget Coronation Street and Brookside. Granadaland is leading the avant-garde in urban design and regeneration – as the next three pages of exciting projects demonstrate.
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The big comeback
Marks & Spencer’s huge new store is leading the regeneration of Manchester city centre after the bomb. And on page 46, a footbridge that celebrates M&S’ legendary hosiery.
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Stocking thriller
Shoppers will slip through a fishnet of steel rods to reach Manchester’s M&S store when a sexy new footbridge linking it with the Arndale opens this year.
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Cullinan’s funky new campus opens for term
Tarmac has delivered this striking university campus on time and within its 拢33m budget this week – but will it make the grade as an Egan demonstration project?
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Features
Experimenting with drugs
Pharmaceuticals projects are ridiculously attractive: rapidly growing, secure, high-margin work immune to the ups and downs of the business cycle. The only catch is that they’re a “bloody nightmare” to get.
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Features
The producers from hell
The Beeb got two feminists and a couple of builders to live together for a week, then filmed the ensuing scrap. But did they, in addition, do what they could to make sure it was as nasty as possible?
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Features
You know his vision…
… now see his practice. His firm's three buildings in the heart of Berlin are the very model of mixed-use, high-density design – as well as being stunning examples of the architect's art.
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Features
Discovering Columbus
In 1996, Ove Arup Partnership began exploring the uncharted waters of document management systems. The team was unimpressed by what it found. Then an expert from its own computer arm rang. The result is a gift to the industry.
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Features
Rough justice
A quality mark scheme with a consumer complaint element will hit cowboy builders hard. Alas, it will do the same to legitimate outfits.
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Features
The trouble with set-off
Construction firms have shown little reticence in using set-off provisions in contracts as a way of promoting positive cash flow. Adjudicators, like the courts, should be on the lookout for this iniquitous practice.
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Features
The cost of a holiday
The Working Time Regulations cause difficulties for companies that engage workers whose pay or hours fluctuate. On what basis do you work out their holiday pay?
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Features
PFI procurement
精东影视’s series of articles on different procurement routes continues with procurement for private finance initiative projects.
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Features
Cost study: Holiday Inn Express
The client wanted a budget hotel built for a fixed price with minimum risk. Thanks to the innovative use of a special purpose vehicle company, it was able to start operating the new Holiday Inn Express at Wellingborough after just 30 weeks on site
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Features
Just the job
The Chinese project manager helping Ove Arup build business in Asia tells Elaine Knutt what brought him to Manchester.
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Appointments
ContractorsBangor-based Watkin Jones Construction has appointed Nigel Tonge group business development manager.MJ Gleeson has appointed Steve Davies managing director of its property division.Roofing and cladding contractor Rogerson Group (Roofing) has appointed Bob Beattie managing director.HousebuildersTaywood Homes has appointed Claire Crawford field sales manager for Scotland.John Ireland has been appointed group ...
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Features
Together in electric dreams
IT Construction Best Practice promises to acquaint the small contractor with modern technology. Is this the advice that they've been waiting for, or is the FMB right in pointing to weaknesses in its approach?
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Features
Lead times
Workload is healthy as we approach the millennium, but as Mace's update shows, lead times are mostly unaffected. compiled by Mace and Gardiner & Theobald