Moderna MITC is first UK major Life Sciences project win for Sisk
Sisk has been selected by Moderna as its preferred bidder for the fit-out of its new UK drug substance and manufacturing facility at the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC), located on the Harwell Science Campus in Oxfordshire. The MITC development will encompass a research, development and manufacturing facility, providing the UK public with access to mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 and potentially other emerging respiratory health threats. When complete the facility will have capacity to produce up to 250 million vaccines per year in the event of a pandemic, bolstering the UK’s future pandemic resilience strategy. Construction on site has already begun with the facility expected to become operational in 2025, subject to planning and regulatory approvals. This win cements Sisk’s Life Sciences & Technology team in the heart of the UK’s biopharma-rich ‘golden triangle’ between London, Oxford and Cambridge. Harwell is the UK’s leading science and innovation campus, where government, academia and industry work together to solve the critical problems facing our planet. The campus is home to £3bn national facilities and 6,000 colleagues committed to scientific discovery and understanding. Donal McCarthy, COO, Life Sciences, Data & Tech, Sisk said: “Sisk is pleased to announce that we have won our first major life sciences project in the UK. We have a demonstrable track record of working with key US blue chip clients in Ireland and across Europe. After some key appointments internally, we now have the capability to bring this skillset to the UK. We look forward to delivering a world class facility for Moderna and growing our Life Sciences offering across the UK.” Nicolas Chornet, Senior Vice President for Resilience Operations and MITC Site Head at Moderna, said: “Construction of the MITC is well underway and we are delighted to collaborate with Sisk on this vital phase of the project. Upon completion, the facility will leverage cutting-edge mRNA technology to develop innovative vaccines for the UK public and we look forward to contributing to the UK’s dynamic life science sector through the onshoring of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
John F Hunt appointed on former Candle Factory in Battersea
John F Hunt has been employed directly by Belgian developer Ghelamco to undertake demolition, enabling works and the construction of ‘The HiLight’, a new 24-storey structure on the site of the former 1830s Price’s Candle Factory in Battersea. This includes the demolition of the existing steel showroom, which sits above podium level, followed by the excavation of a single-story basement, complicated owing to the presence of an existing Thames Water sewer which bisects the site. Following demolition, enabling works will commence by installing a combination of sheet and secant piling followed by the bearing piles to create a large basement box. The RC structure will then be carefully built back to ground level in a sequential manner, around and above the Thames Water sewer. Basement completed, John F Hunt will build the 24-storey RC frame, starting with the core using the slip form method, following on with the RC slabs. Hunt will then hand over to Ghelmaco’s in-house construction team, ready for the next phase in the creation of The HiLight’s luxury waterfront apartments. John F Hunt’s Head of Civils and Structures, Lance Wimble, said, “We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to work with Ghelamco on this high-profile historic building. However, it does have its complications, as the site is on a busy bus route and has a significant sewer running underneath it.” The 250,500 sqft ‘The HiLight’ development will transform the site into 113 landmark luxury waterfront homes with amenities that are heavily focused on health and wellbeing, views of the Thames and easy access to London’s transport links. ‘The HiLight’ will also meet the gold standard in sustainability with credentials such as EDGE Certification as well as being carbon neutral. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ashe awarded major projects at Bedford North Wing Hospital
Ashe Construction has been awarded £14m of contracts to transform Bedford’s North Wing hospital site. The two projects will create a one-stop shop for primary and secondary care to create better access to healthcare and diagnostics, without the need for patients to attend Bedford’s acute hospital site. The first project for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is valued at £11.8m, and has been procured through the Pagabo Major Works framework. It will transform the existing Gilbert Hitchcock House (GHH) in Kimbolton Road, to provide diagnostic services such as MRI, CT, ultrasound, x-ray and cardiology services for increased demand in the area. Around 400-600 appointments currently take place in the building each day so the project will be delivered in two phases to ensure existing services can be maintained throughout the works. David Carter, Chief Executive of Bedfordshire Hospitals said: “We welcome this major investment at Bedfordshire Hospitals which will bring crucial tests closer to home and help us improve outcomes for patients with serious conditions, by diagnosing health conditions earlier, faster and more accurately. “The new facilities will allow patients to access planned diagnostic care in a more convenient location without the need to attend our hospital sites, taking some pressure off our acute hospitals and allowing us to focus resources on more complex cases and urgent and emergency care.” Ashe will have a team of between 45 and 50 working on the site for the year-long project, with vehicle movements carefully planned and co-ordinated to maintain safety at all times. A new substation and backup generator will provide failsafe power and GHH will benefit from improved energy efficiency with ground and air source heat pumps installed. Ian Robbins, managing director at Ashe said: “We are very experienced at working in live healthcare settings so understand the needs of service users, and healthcare providers, and how to minimise the impact of our works during projects like these. We are really looking forward to delivering these improved services, taking the pressure off the main South Wing Hospital, and increasing much-needed primary and secondary healthcare capacity for patients in North Bedfordshire.” The existing gym at GHH will be converted into consulting rooms, MRI and CT scanners. phlebotomy, retinal screening and therapy services will also be accommodated there. Adjacent to the project at GHH, Ashe will work on a £3m refurbishment project at Bedford Health Village for Assemble Fund Co. Ltd to develop an Enhanced Service Centre (ESC) to provide primary healthcare services in two phases. It will bring together a number of GP practices and community services to the health village, giving patients easy access to potentially life-saving tests for a range of conditions, quickly and easily at neighbouring GHH. The project consists of full refurbishment works over three floors of the building, with phase one due for completion in July and phase two due to complete in October. Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded £24m of national funding to enhance facilities on the site. Ashe has undertaken four projects for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in recent years. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
COWI celebrates contract award for Transpennine Route Upgrade
COWI, a leading international engineering consulting group, has been awarded a design contract by Network Rail for a section of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) scheme between Stalybridge and Huddersfield. The project forms part of the TRU scheme, a major programme of railway improvements across the Pennines, better connecting passengers between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York. Working collaboratively within a major delivery organisation, consisting of specialist consultants and contractors, COWI’s role is to develop engineering solutions for the route with the objective of minimising impacts on adjacent communities, reducing construction duration and costs, all with sustainability and safety oversight. Bringing specialised expertise in dealing with historic tunnels and construction methods, COWI will be responsible for the tunnelling works for three Victorian era tunnels; Stalybridge tunnel, Scout tunnel and Standedge tunnel. Works include accommodation for W12 gauge clearance and electrification, including 1.7km of track slab installation to facilitate track lowering. This will enable larger freight trains to pass through, allowing for greener transportation of cargo which would typically be moved by lorry. As part of the W2BC project, COWI will also be delivering off track drainage and geotechnical work. Providing specialist teams, the geotechnical work will focus on retaining walls and earthwork stability while the off-track drainage enhancements will increase flood resilience. Andy Sloan, Managing Director, COWI in the UK, comments: “We are looking forward to collaborating closely with TRU and its supply chain through its new hub and spoke model. The work presents unique challenges due to the age of the infrastructure, requiring a balance between modern engineering solutions and the preservation of historical integrity. Our teams have been working on the TRU project for over seven years so we are delighted to continue our involvement on this additional section of the programme.” The upgrades aim to bring greener, more frequent and faster journeys with improved reliability for passengers between Manchester and York. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Local contractor appointed to restore former National Picture Theatre
Local contractor, Hobson and Porter have been appointed to restore and preserve the last remaining WW2 civilian ruin in the UK, National Picture Theatre on Beverley Road. Thanks to funding from Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the façade will be restored to its former period style, including its iconic windows and signage. Structural elements, including the two large concrete beams, which saved the lives of the 150 people inside the theatre on the night it was bombed, will also be preserved. Set to become a flexible space for community events and education, it will also become a place of reflection for the 1,200 Hull civilians that died during WW2. Hobson and Porter have delivered other heritage projects within the city and work on this historical site will get underway in the coming weeks. Gillian Osgerby, Programme Director at Hull City Council, said: “It is great to reach this key milestone in restoring this iconic site and tell its remarkable story. It’s a reminder of how civilians on the home front were affected by the Blitz. “After London, Hull was the UK’s most bombed city during World War 2 and thanks to National Lottery players, we can now remember and recognise the sacrifice that was made.” The former National Picture Theatre was designed by architects Runton and Barry for the De-Luxe Theatre Company and was constructed in 1914. The building was badly damaged during a Luftwaffe air raid on 18 March 1941, although none of the 150 people inside the cinema at the time were killed or seriously injured. The former National Picture Theatre gained Grade II listed status in 2007 due to its significance as a rare surviving bomb-damaged building from the Blitz of the Second World War. Air raids on Hull went on longer than on any other British city and, out of Hull’s 91,660 houses, only 5,945 survived the air raids undamaged. Remedial work to stabilise the building took place in 2020 and now the major works are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks. It is expected to be complete in the autumn. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Sir Robert McAlpine appointed to deliver 2 Finsbury Avenue
Due to be completed in 2027, the 750,000 sq. ft. project is the largest yet to be undertaken at the Broadgate campus… Sir Robert McAlpine has today announced that it has been appointed by the Broadgate joint venture, between British Land and GIC, to deliver 2 Finsbury Avenue (“2FA”), a dual high-rise, mixed-use building located in the heart of Broadgate. Sitting at a height of 170 metres and due to be completed in 2027, 2FA will be an instantly iconic addition to Broadgate and to London’s skyline. The appointment follows work undertaken by Sir Robert McAlpine in delivering 100 Liverpool Street and 1 Broadgate, extending the longstanding partnership with British Land. The building will boast a 21-storey West office tower and 36-story East office tower, characterised by triangular patterns combining a solid and glazed sawtooth-shaped façade that supports double height spaces. The towers will be linked by a 12-storey podium, incorporating green, leisure and a range of publicly accessible spaces, with a single-story Winter Garden at level 13 connecting the two towers. 2FA will raise the bar in its sustainability strategy. It will be all-electric, and a smart-enabled development ensuring leading carbon and energy efficiency in operation, as well as BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum, WIRED Platinum, Nabers 5-star and EPC ‘A’ accreditations. The office design, designed by architects 3XN and sustainability consultants GXN, includes green spaces and terraces that are designed to foster creative collaboration and social interaction. Community engagement with the scheme took place amid COVID restrictions, seeing a successful online exhibition facilitated through a dedicated public website, replacing the traditional public consultation. Invitations reached 800 local properties and Broadgate tenants, with local City members and residents expressing excitement to the scheme. Commenting on the news, Grant Findlay, Executive Managing Director of Buildings at Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “We are thrilled to be delivering another world class building for British Land and GIC. 2 Finsbury Avenue is the sixth scheme in the Broadgate framework, following the multi-award-winning 100 Liverpool St and 1 Broadgate projects. This is testament to exemplary industry collaboration and our commitment to nurturing close relationships with our clients to better realise their aspirations and deliver technical excellence.” David Lockyer, Head of Development at British Land, said: “Our longstanding and collaborative relationship with Sir Robert McAlpine has delivered fantastic buildings for us at Broadgate, so we are delighted to be working with them to deliver this iconic new building at the campus. 2FA will set a new standard for workspace in London and is further proof of the continued demand for world class, sustainable workspace in well-connected locations.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals