A gas network construction project fundamental to a £1bn regeneration scheme in Liverpool has been completed three months ahead of schedule, despite the coronavirus lockdown.
Energy Assets Utilities (EAU) designed and completed the gas works for the Paddington Village Energy Centre and District Energy Scheme on behalf of Liverpool City Council’s main contractor Morgan Sindall to help pave the way for a world leading innovation district in health sciences.
EAU was recommended to Morgan Sindall by gas metering specialists Exoteric, another Energy Assets Group business, when potential delays to the original gas network construction schedule threatened to impact the wider development programme.
“We quickly met the construction team on site in Liverpool and within a few weeks had mapped the network and submitted multiple analyses of potential mains connection points to the client to avoid the need for reinforcement work,” said Daniel Goulty, EAU Multi Utility Design Engineer.
“A decision was taken and network design approval received at the end of January. Construction started over weekends in February, in line with Liverpool Council’s traffic management requirements…then came lockdown.”
It wasn’t until late April that work resumed under strict operating conditions, including regular temperature checks, social distancing, PPE, constant site monitoring and limited site access.
Yet, by early June – three months ahead of schedule – the complex design and construction programme, which included navigating a dual carriageway four-way junction, had successfully delivered a gas network comprising 160m of low pressure pipe supplying the Paddington Village Energy Centre and District Energy scheme. This energy infrastructure will enable Paddington Village to become a landmark mixed use development for world-leading MedTech businesses as well as residential accommodation and luxury hotel.
Andy Dinnage, Morgan Sindall Head of Building Services – North Construction, commented: “Paddington Central is a major development of international repute and in Energy Assets Utilities we found a gas network design and construction partner with the expertise, commitment and agility not only to meet our schedule but to beat it, despite the challenges presented by the coronavirus lockdown. They did a great job.”
Once developed, Paddington Central will be home to The Royal College of Physicians as part of a new Northern Centre of Excellence, which will also include University of Liverpool’s International College, and The Rutherford Cancer Centre North West, a proton beam cancer therapy treatment hospital.
Paddington Central will kick-start the entire Paddington Village development programme in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter, leading to the creation of thousands of highly skilled jobs.
