The £15.9 billion Cross Rail project to improve transport in London, and driving the construction sector forward, will be the focus of a major industry conference to be held at Gaydon’s Heritage Motor Centre in October.
Joanna Lewis from Cross Rail will be the key note speaker at the tenth annual construction conference to be staged by the nationally-renowned construction team at Midland law firm Wright Hassall on Friday, October 4.
Lewis will outline the supply chain opportunities for the construction sector, drawing on her experiences working on the huge Cross Rail project that plans to link parts of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to Essex and South East London, via central London.
The project supported the equivalent of 13,800 full time jobs across the UK last year and is seen as one of the linchpins of the recovery in the sector.
Costain-Skanska’s Tim Ryall will then describe working on the C360 Eleanor Street and Mile End Park tunnel and shafts, part of the Cross Rail development.
Martin Yardley from Coventry City Council and Chief Executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP will discuss opportunities for infrastructure projects in the immediate area. Stephen Reynolds will then talk about the future of the Friargate development in Coventry.
Friargate, a mixed-use scheme centred around Coventry station, is due to get underway in early 2014.
Matthew Rhodes is the Managing Director of leading consulting engineering and web applications company Encraft, who will detail economic opportunities in the low carbon economy. Barrister Michael Wheater will look into recent developments in case law.
Philip Harris, partner in Wright Hassall’s construction department, will host the event.
The free event has already had to be moved to a larger venue to cope with demand for places as well as attracting sponsorship from accountants Chantrey Vellacott DFK, Circle Insurance, Hays Recruitment and architectural interior designer Monteith Scott.
This is the tenth time that Wright Hassall has hosted this annual industry address and Harris has been pleased with the way it has grown over the years.
He said: “We have an excellent line-up of speakers this year that we are really excited about.
“It has been fantastic to see the conference develop over the years into an occasion that is highlighted on the calendar of many in the industry.
“This is down in no small part to the impressive calibre of speakers we have been able to attract through our standing, as a firm, in the sector.
“This year’s speakers will share an insight into future and ongoing developments as well as highlighting opportunities for growth across the industry.
“There will be plenty of useful information for anybody involved in construction.”
