Four Year Old is Appointed "Site Foreman"
24 February 2009
Four year old Joshua Hewitt-Smith has been made Site Foreman at a new housing development by Bournville Village Trust in Shenley near to where he lives in South Birmingham.
Contractor, Kier Partnership Homes Ltd. and developer Bournville Village Trust have kitted Joshua out with safety helmet and hi-vis vest for his dedicated regular visits to the £22 million development in Black Haynes Road.
Joshua gets his love of construction from his great grandfather, Mick Smith who worked on the Green Meadow Road building site in the 1950’s, building the first maisonettes and flats for Bournville Village Trust. Since the demolition of these homes in March last year, Joshua has been visiting the site with his great grandmother at least once a week.
Mrs Smith says: “Joshua has always been interested in building works, especially the diggers. Whenever I pick him up from nursery he says can we go down to the buildings today nanny. If it’s not wet or too cold, we have a walk down and spend at least an hour there.”
Steve McNally, Kier Partnership Homes Ltd, Site Manager said: “As regular as clockwork Joshua appears, vying for the best view of the excavators and other site machinery. In all weather, accompanied by his Nan, he stands in awe of the site hustle and bustle.
“A chip off the old block I would say, as his grandfather helped to construct the homes which stood on the site prior to our redevelopment. It is refreshing to see a lad so interested and committed, let us hope that he continues and becomes a part of the next generation of the construction industry. He is great from a Site Manager’s point of view as he is always wearing the correct P.P.E.!”
The second phase of the Bournville Village Trust development will include 167 new social rented homes on the Lower Shenley estate. Work commenced in July last year and is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.
Phase One of the major redevelopment is already complete and includes fifty six new bungalows, flats and homes as well as unprecedented levels of landscaping, striking public artwork and unique security lighting.
Local shopping facilities in Shenley were upgraded and the car park extended. Paving and lighting have been renewed and there is now a close circuit television. The medical centre has state of the art facilities and there is a new park with specifically commissioned public art work.