Wesley House, Cambridge

Wesley House is a theological college located in Jesus Lane, Cambridge. Originally independent of Cambridge University, it was sold to Jesus College in 2014. With both a reduction in size and an adjustment of focus to post-graduate study, a redevelopment of the site was required to optimize the space and provide improved facilities. With construction starting in 2015, the new building was opened in April last year. A JCT Intermediate Building Contract was the form of choice. The original Wesley House was constructed in the…

New JCT BIM Guidance and Other BIM Developments

Blog Authors: Andrew Croft and Kevin Henderson – Beale & Co, and May Winfield – Buro Happold The 2011 UK Government Construction Strategy included a mandate to use BIM Level 2 on all centrally procured government projects by April 2016. Part of the strategy to encourage the adoption of BIM was the publication of standard documents, including the Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) 1192 series of standards, in particular PAS 1192-2, the “specification for information management for the capital/delivery phase of construction projects using building information…

Practical Completion

Blog Author: Peter Hibberd The recent Court of Appeal case of Mears v Costplan Services (2019) EWCA Civ 502 is seen by some to once again raise, amongst other things, the issue of whether contracts should precisely define what constitutes practical completion. Practical completion is sometimes contrasted to substantial completion and even practically complete. However, none of these terms requires work to be completed in all respects before it is certified or is deemed to occur. As stated in Mears, ‘If there is a patent…

Chair’s Letter: Is a Sustainable Built Environment Possible?

Blog Author: Richard Saxon, CBE The Extinction Rebellion movement has certainly rekindled the awareness of everyone that climate change is real, and that drastic action is essential. But what can we in the built environment do differently other than the slow, incremental changes that are in train? Recent books point the way and give rise to some optimism. There are two, related areas of change to consider. Firstly, energy use in both making and running buildings must become zero-carbon. Secondly, the linear approach to building…

Build and Create Your JCT Contracts Online with JCT Construct

  JCT Construct is a revolutionary new online contract drafting tool to enable you to draft, amend, and edit your contracts with confidence and ease. JCT’s new digital service, JCT Construct, is a contract drafting system with advanced editing features, enabling users to create and amend their JCT contracts in a secure, flexible, and easy to use online environment. The system enables the editing of the JCT contract text itself, so that users can add their own amendments, clauses, or other customised text. This works…

JCT On Demand – New Contracts Now Available

The next batch of JCT Contracts to be made available via the JCT On Demand digital service is now live, including a range of some of our best-selling sub-contracts. JCT On Demand enables users to purchase a digital version of the JCT hardcopy contract via the JCT online store and fill in the contract in a safe, secure, online environment. It uses an intuitive Q&A process to enable users to complete their contracts comprehensively. The system also enables saving and printing drafts, printing out a…

JCT Interviews… Kathryn Ladley

In this series we shed some light on some of the key people who are involved with or give their time to support JCT, to ensure that all areas of the construction industry are represented and can contribute to the development of our contracts. We will look at how our interviewees contribute to JCT specifically, and gain their views on JCT’s wider role within the industry.   BSc, FRICS, MAPM, FQSi Member, JCT Council, LGA Representative Associate director, Surveying and Compliance, NPS Leeds Ltd Kathryn…

JCT Interviews…John Littler

In this series we shed some light on some of the key people who are involved with or give their time to support JCT, to ensure that all areas of the construction industry are represented and can contribute to the development of our contracts. We will look at how our interviewees contribute to JCT specifically, and gain their views on JCT’s wider role within the industry. BSc. Dip.Adj. MRICS ACIArb. Founder and owner, Q-Consult Construction Consultants RICS representative, JCT Council John Littler came into the…

The Lookout, Lepe Country Park

The Lookout, on the coastal edge of the New Forest National Park, is a new visitor centre and restaurant providing visitors with stylish recreational space in a picturesque setting. Hampshire County Council was both client and designer for this project, which used a JCT Standard Building Contract. The Lookout at Lepe Country Park is one of the few points that provides easy access to the coastline within the New Forest. It has always been a popular spot with visitors, due to its history and stunning…

Court of Appeal Clarifies Meaning of “Practical Completion”

Blog Author: Joe Bennet – Associate and Alistair McGrigor – Partner, CMS A Court of Appeal decision in March has provided authoritative guidance as to when “practical completion” of construction works will be achieved. The existence of patent defects which are more than trifling will be sufficient to prevent “practical completion” and the intended purpose of the works is of relevance only in determining whether such defects are trifling. This considerably narrows the approach adopted by the TCC at first instance which allowed greater scope…