Posted 10/02/2022
High scores for Blackwall Reach - Considerate Constructors scheme
The NU living construction team on site at Swan Housing Association’s flagship Blackwall Reach regeneration scheme, working in partnership with the Greater London Authority and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, is celebrating an ‘Exceptional’ rating by assessors from the ‘Considerate Constructors’ scheme, with a score of 46/50, positively reflecting the site’s health & safety approach, care for the environment, site appearance, community interaction and in creating a healthy workforce. The team have also gained several ‘Innovation’ points for projects which have been implemented above and beyond the expectations of the scheme.
The ‘Considerate Constructors’ scheme is a not-for-profit, independent organisation founded to raise standards in the construction industry. Construction sites, companies and suppliers voluntarily register with the scheme and agree to abide by the Code of Considerate Practice, designed to encourage best practice beyond statutory requirements. This Code of Considerate Practice’ has three areas: Respect the Community, Care for the Environment and Value their Workforce. Blackwall Reach has excelled in all areas.
Attributing the highest score that a NU living site has previously achieved, Blackwall Reach has been commended for:
- Improving the appearance of the site by regularly updating the hoarding, making sure it is clean and graffiti-free, planting flowers and plants around the site office and seeding wildflowers on unused site land to benefit the local environment.
- Regular updates to the community, based on site activity, including newsletters and site progress updates through the innovative use of video from the point of view of the team on site which is highlighted on the community website.
- Working in partnership with local training organisations to develop a Blackwall-specific traineeship programme to open up barriers to employment in the construction industry.
- Increasing safety for operatives and the public on and off site, with better lighting to be installed around the vehicle entrances and to increase visibility of traffic marshals.
- Improving the health and wellbeing of site workers throughout the pandemic, making sure there is enough break-out space with fresh air, including a new heated outdoor lunch area on site.
- Communicating clearly with the local community about the site’s outstanding environmental performance (with an above 90% average environmental score across the site) through notice boards and new designs.
Blackwall Reach regeneration scheme is a partnership project with Swan Housing Association, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the Greater London Authority and is being delivered through a number of phases of regeneration, to provide 1,575 new apartments and family homes in Tower Hamlets, of which 300 will be for social rent and 50% will be affordable housing. Additionally, the project has already delivered, amongst new homes, a new community hub and faith building in the first phases, is providing a district heating system to serve the development along with enhanced open green space and new commercial facilities, to support a vibrant and accessible community environment.
Image - Fred Howarth / Haworth Tompkins