A £50 million mixed-use development set to catalyse regeneration in Waterside area of Leicester has been completed by Morgan Sindall Construction. The main contractor has been working with developer Charles Street Buildings Group (CSB) and Leicester City Council on the four-and-half-acre site since 2018. Known as Great Central Square, the
Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed by Arc Partnership, on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, to build a new primary school near Edwalton, Nottingham. The £8 million project to provide 315 new pupil places for the area, together with a 26-place nursery, is being undertaken on a challenging site and
Supported and third sector businesses operating throughout Scotland are being invited to meet up with some of the country’s biggest building contractors to explore the possibilities for joining the sector’s supply chain. The hub South West partnership is hosting its third annual Hidden Gems supplier showcase as part of its
The £80 million National Grid contract that will help restore views of the Dorset landscape has been offered to Morgan Sindall. The 400kV electricity cable project has been awarded as part of the four year Engineer, Procure and Construct (EPC) framework. This is the first scheme delivered as part of
Contractor Morgan Sindall has achieved a number of key construction milestones at a £50 million regeneration scheme in Leicester. Project Medius is a mixed-use development in Leicester city centre featuring two new hotels, 35,000 sq ft of space in a new five-storey office, a new public realm area called Great
Morgan Sindall has completed the transfomation of the Lucas Lane cricket grounds in Hertfordshire as a new state of the art sporting centre. First opened in 1866, Hitchin Cricket Club and Blueharts Hockey Club’s ground now includes a new two-storey club pavilion, with catering facilities, a bar and a function room and
The contract to complete a £5 million school project in Derby has been handed over to Morgan Sindall, who will deliver a new primary school and nursery on Radbourne Lane. Hackwood Primary will house six classrooms and a 26-place nursery, adding more than 200 new school places to the area.
Morgan Sindall’s annual scholarship programme has welcomed 18 new undergraduates. Developed by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Quest programme aims to encourage students studying Civil Engineering to choose a career in the industry. “We’re thrilled to welcome our latest Quest scholars to the business and provide them with a
CONSTRUCTION of the University of Huddersfield’s new £30 million centre for the study of art, design and architecture is months ahead of schedule, and it has witnessed an unusual “topping out” ceremony conducted by the granddaughter of Dame Barbara Hepworth, the famous artist who has given the building its name,
Morgan Sindall has completed the £1.8 million redevelopment work for the City of Birmingham School Kings Centre pupil referral unit. The work included the renovation of the internal areas, fitting out the food technology and design technology rooms and reconfiguration of the existing floor layout to form a gym area.
A £50 million mixed-use development set to catalyse regeneration in Waterside area of Leicester has been completed by Morgan Sindall Construction. The main contractor has been working with developer Charles Street Buildings Group (CSB) and Leicester City Council on the four-and-half-acre site since 2018. Known as Great Central Square, the scheme is seen by the local authority as key to revitalising an under-utilised area of the city, while boosting the overall visitor economy and business community. A programme of highway works to construct a super crossing over Vaughan Way was carried out initially by Morgan Sindall Construction, to facilitate safe access for pedestrians and cyclists over the ring road, to the north west of the city centre. Included amongst the new development are two major new hotels, both operated by the Accor hospitality group. A 10-storey Novotel offers 154 bedrooms and a variety of indoor facilities including a gym, meeting rooms, and a ground floor bar and restaurant. While an Aparthotel Adagio boasts 95 luxury studio or one-bed apartments, spread over six floors. Another key building in the scheme is a new five-storey commercial development called No.1 Great Central Square, which provides 33,000 square feet of modern Grade A office space. It was handed over eight weeks early last November, allowing it to host the launch event of the prestigious Leicester Business Festival. In addition to the work carried out by Morgan Sindall Construction, CSB has carried out its own building work to renovate and repurpose the disused Great Central Railway Station, while also delivering a car park for the new hotels and office block. National property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard worked in partnership with the main contractor throughout. During early excavation work, CSB commissioned University of Leicester Archaeology Services to assess the site. They discovered a significant number of Roman artefacts which have been preserved. The architects involved in the scheme were Stephen George + Partners which acted as master planners and designed the office and station; Leech Rhodes Walker which designed the hotels; and the Andrew Davis Partnership which designed the Great Central Square public realm. Richard Frape, Project Director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Delivering a mixed-use regeneration scheme comprising leisure, retail and commercial space of this scale in less than two years has required a truly collaborative approach from everyone involved. The local authority and Charles Street Buildings have been great customers to work for and our consultants in the supply chain deserve credit too. “The finished project is one which evidences Morgan Sindall Construction’s ability to design and build both the flagship developments befitting of a city centre prime site, and the accompanying infrastructure work vital to ensuring they’re well-received and accessible. “We’re incredibly pleased to have completed on schedule for the start of the New Year and confident Great Central Square will play an important role in Leicester’s continued economic development for decades to come.” Joseph Murphy, director at CSB, said: “Having worked for a number of years through various possible use cases for the site, we’re naturally delighted that Great Central Square is finally complete. Building work concluded on several elements ahead of schedule, so we’ve already had healthy occupier interest in the commercial space. Public reception of the newly-opened hotels has been incredibly positive too. “The local authority has taken a holistic view to revitalising the Waterside area of Leicester, with the connectivity investment key to this. As a family business with deep local roots, we’re incredibly proud that this development can be the catalyst to drive this long-term strategy and we look forward to working with the council on future schemes in the city.” Leicester’s City Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, said: “I am delighted that the city council has been able work closely so with local developer Charles Street Buildings and contractors Morgan Sindall Construction on the major redevelopment of this important site. They have been thoroughly professional and a brilliant team to work with. “The ambitious scheme has helped to transform a long-neglected part of Leicester and, by incorporating major highway and public realm improvements, has created an attractive new gateway between the city centre and the Waterside regeneration area.” Graeme Milligan, Director at Pick Everard said: “We’re delighted that the scheme is now complete, creating 100 new jobs for the city. It’s a real regeneration success story for the city and I’m sure we’ll see a huge increase in tourists and businesses visit Leicester as a result.”
Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed by Arc Partnership, on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, to build a new primary school near Edwalton, Nottingham. The £8 million project to provide 315 new pupil places for the area, together with a 26-place nursery, is being undertaken on a challenging site and includes the provision of a temporary mobile village, to enable the school to open in September 2020. The contract was procured through the four-year Scape Regional Construction Framework (RCF), through which £1.1 billion of work is expected to be tenured. Morgan Sindall Construction will celebrate two years on the framework in February 2020. Following enabling works, which have taken place over the last two months, construction is now underway on the main building. The site is near to existing housing development projects currently being built as part of the Edwalton Strategic Development Allocation. A two-storey, 22,066 square foot main building is at the heart of the plan. Inside will be nine general purpose classrooms, offices, a hall and a kitchen. There will also be a library and a nurture room, which provides alternate learning space for children with specific needs. Four outdoor sports pitches will feature alongside a soft play area, tarmac playground, and a garden for nursery pupils. Parents and staff will also benefit from a new car park with 35 spaces; including two for disabled usage and two for electric vehicle charging. Construction is expected to complete by late 2020. In order for the school to open in September, at the start of the academic year, steel framed modular units will be used as temporary accommodation until construction is completed. Rob Cant, framework director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We are incredibly pleased to have begun work with Arc Partnership on the new primary school, delivering a modern learning environment to Edwalton that is fit for 21st century education. “We are also proud to be celebrating nearly two years on Scape’s Regional Construction Framework, which has proved many times over that cost-efficient procurement and early contractor engagement can produce great results.” “Temporary modular units are a great interim solution to allow the school to start teaching on the site before the main building is completed, allowing students to continue their education without disruption.” Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, commented: “As our communities grow, it is vital that they are provided with enough school places to ensure that education standards do not drop. It is reassuring that Nottingham County Council, in their planning of the Edwalton Strategic Development Allocation are not only planning for infrastructure, homes and facilities but also for the education of the new residents. Nottingham County Council can be confident that by procuring Rosecliffe Spencer Academy via the Regional Construction framework the project will be delivered with efficiency and socio-economic benefits at heart.” Daniel Maher, Arc Partnership Managing Director, commented, “I am proud to have Morgan Sindall Construction delivering this project on behalf of Arc Partnership. Through early and continuing contractor engagement we have created a truly collaborative working partnership.”
Supported and third sector businesses operating throughout Scotland are being invited to meet up with some of the country’s biggest building contractors to explore the possibilities for joining the sector’s supply chain. The hub South West partnership is hosting its third annual Hidden Gems supplier showcase as part of its on-going commitment to an inclusive supply chain offering opportunities to local businesses and organisations throughout the area. This year’s event is being held in partnership with hub West, the development partnership established in April 2012 covering the west of Scotland. Featuring 10 organisations with the potential to sell their products and services into the sector, the supplier showcase will be held on Tuesday September 24 at The Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries (RSBi) in Glasgow’s Edgefauld Avenue. From its roots as a supported factory for the visually impaired, the RSBi has grown into one of the country’s leading examples of social enterprise, combining commercial success with socially responsible practices. It is committed to providing opportunities to people with disabilities, as well as helping towards the economic regeneration of the local community and beyond. Wholly owned by Glasgow City Council as part of its City Building limited liability partnership, RSBi is credited as the largest supported business in Europe. It manufactures a wide range of products including kitchens, office and educational furniture, beds and soft furnishings, timber building kits, metal products and storage solutions. “The RSBi is a fantastic example of a business from which the whole of society profits, and is therefore the perfect location for this year’s Hidden Gems event,” hub South West chief executive Michael McBrearty said. “There are many such organisations throughout Scotland providing much-needed employment and support for local people, and we want to showcase how they can benefit from contributing to the construction industry in general, and in particular to Scotland’s hub programme.” The hub South West partnership was established in 2012 to deliver value for money on public sector community-based infrastructure projects to generate growth in local economies across Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway. It is currently processing a general pipeline of £1.1bn of works. Hidden Gems forms part of the regular series of workshops organised by hub Club, the networking initiative of hub South West aimed at engaging local businesses and encouraging them to share their experiences. Events from hub Club are open to all members and aspiring members of hub South West’s Territory Supplier Network. Tier 1 contractors represented on the day at Hidden Gems will include Interserve, Kier, Morrisons, Graham, Morgan Sindall, BAM, CCG and Linear Design & Construct. Registration begins at 2pm and places can be booked here.
The £80 million National Grid contract that will help restore views of the Dorset landscape has been offered to Morgan Sindall. The 400kV electricity cable project has been awarded as part of the four year Engineer, Procure and Construct (EPC) framework. This is the first scheme delivered as part of National Grid’s Visual Impact Provision (VIP) programme, which aims to reduce the visual impact of existing electricity transmission infrastructure in some of the most precious landscapes throughout England and Wales. “We are delighted to have been awarded the first of National Grid’s VIP projects. This award further strengthens our high voltage underground electricity cabling capability which has grown significantly over the past few years. We look forward to further enhancing our long term relationship with National Grid and delivering this complex and important scheme,” said Simon Smith, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure managing director. A new 8 kilometre 400kV double circuit underground cable system will be designed, built, tested and commissioned as part of the £80 million construction contract, which also includes other associated works in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). In addition, the project will involve the removal of the existing overhead line and 22 pylons that form part of the existing landscape in the AONB. Construction work is expected to begin in early 2019. “This contract marks a major step forward in a unique opportunity to restore views from the Hardy Monument across Dorset AONB,” added Michelle Clark, senior manager VIP projects, from National Grid. “The project has been driven by local and national organisations dedicated to conserving the landscape and countryside throughout England and Wales. We welcome Morgan Sindall Infrastructure on board and are looking forward to working with them as our delivery partner to turn the plans into a reality.”
Contractor Morgan Sindall has achieved a number of key construction milestones at a £50 million regeneration scheme in Leicester. Project Medius is a mixed-use development in Leicester city centre featuring two new hotels, 35,000 sq ft of space in a new five-storey office, a new public realm area called Great Central Square and a major highways and traffic management scheme. “We’re incredibly pleased to reach this important milestone as we move ever closer to delivering this exciting project for the people of Leicester. Project Medius is set to play a central role in revitalising this area of the city. We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts with everyone involved over the coming months as we deliver this once in a generation scheme,” said Richard Frape, Project Director at Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure. The milestones include the completion of the concrete frame on the 10-storey Novotel hotel, with work on the outside façade cladding and internal fit out of the hotel underway. Internal fit out works are also progressing on the office block. The hotel will offer 154 bedrooms when complete, including executive rooms and suites, a gym, banqueting facilities, meeting rooms and a ground floor feature bar and restaurant. In addition, the Charles Street Buildings (CSB) development will also feature the six-storey Aparthotel Adagio hotel. “The progress that has been in made in constructing two new hotels, a new office block and new public realm in Leicester City Centre is very pleasing. Our ambitious regeneration plans, along with those of Leicester City Council, in this area are now having an impact on Leicester’s sky line and street scene,” said Joseph Murphy, Director, at CSB. “Completion of superstructure works for the Novotel and Adagio marks the next phase of tangible delivery of this transformative development and starts the countdown to the arrival of exciting new hotels, along with work and leisure facilities at No1 Great Central Square and Leicester Central,” he added. The scheme aims to help create an attractive new gateway to link the city centre to the Waterside area. Construction work is expected to be complete by the end of 2019.
Morgan Sindall has completed the transfomation of the Lucas Lane cricket grounds in Hertfordshire as a new state of the art sporting centre. First opened in 1866, Hitchin Cricket Club and Blueharts Hockey Club’s ground now includes a new two-storey club pavilion, with catering facilities, a bar and a function room and a balcony overlooking a new all-weather hockey pitch. “We are delighted with the outcome of the completed project, the new Cricket Club Ground is a fantastic community asset with professional standard facilities that will support the needs and ambitions of two local teams long into the future. We are confident that the refurbished facilities will enable the club to build upon their rich local history at the Lucas Lane site and provide a brilliant community sporting resource for generations to come,” said David Rowsell, Morgan Sindall Construction and Infrastructure’s area director for the Northern Home Counties. New changing rooms, an equipment store, cricket nets, and a brand new scoreboard are also part of the new state of the art centre. Morgan Sindall also demolished the ground’s existing clubhouse, built a new external car park and extensive soft landscaping in order to create an attractive environment. “Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure helped us to deliver a state of the art new home for Hitchin Cricket Club and Blue-harts Hockey Club at Lucas Lane,” commented Hitchin Town Cricket-Ground Chairman Geoff Edwards. “It is a truly exceptional facility that will be enjoyed by our members and the local community for many years to come. We would like to thank the whole team at Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure for their hard work, dedication and professionalism throughout this project, and for helping us to achieve this pivotal milestone in the history of both clubs,” he concluded.
The contract to complete a £5 million school project in Derby has been handed over to Morgan Sindall, who will deliver a new primary school and nursery on Radbourne Lane. Hackwood Primary will house six classrooms and a 26-place nursery, adding more than 200 new school places to the area. The school will also be a Sunesis Mosaic model. The school project is being delivered through the Scape Venture framework, with funding from Redrow Homes East Midlands and Miller Homes as part of their plan to build more than 700 new homes on the neighbouring Hackwood Farm estate. “Innovative framework procurement options offer long-term social value for councils and the communities they serve. We are pleased to be delivering the new, first class education facilities at Hackwood Primary School as part of Scape’s Venture framework,” said Rob Cant, framework director at Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure in the Midlands. The project management and quantity surveying services of the school project are being provided by independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard, which is currently being fabricated off-site in Hull. “Hackwood Primary School is a perfect example of how the private and public sector can work together through the Scape Venture framework to deliver a new community facility in the most efficient way. It’s an innovative and exciting collaboration with Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure, Lungfish and Sunesis working together utilising our Mosaic offsite product to ensure the school is delivered quickly with minimal impact on the environment,” added Mike Salter, Group Development Director at Scape Venture. The project is expected to be complete in time for the new academic year in September 2019.
Morgan Sindall’s annual scholarship programme has welcomed 18 new undergraduates. Developed by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Quest programme aims to encourage students studying Civil Engineering to choose a career in the industry. “We’re thrilled to welcome our latest Quest scholars to the business and provide them with a head-start into the industry. After 10 years of being a part of this scheme, it’s fantastic to see how Quest scholars from previous years are continuing to develop their careers with us and I wish our latest cohort well as they join the Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure family,” said Simon Smith, Morgan Sindall’s Infrastructure managing director. Over the next four years, the scholars will undertake placements around the business, while being mentored by a member of the previous Quest cohort and a chartered supervising civil engineer. “I am incredibly proud of what these young people achieve. Our Quest scheme offers scholars the opportunity to work on some exciting high-profile and major civil engineering projects across all of our sectors. They undertake highly responsible roles from their first undergraduate placements and; when they graduate they progress quickly in their early careers. I’m pleased to say that in recent years we have seen an increase in women amongst our Quest cohort where we now typically have a 50/50 representation of men and women scholars,” commented Tony O’Donnell, the company’s engineering director. Freya Buchan, Quest Scholar, also talked about his excitement to start working with Morgan Sindall and learn about the industry and its prospects. “I have been impressed by how closely they work with their Quest scholars so I’m eager to get the best out of the experience.” Applications for the 2019 Quest Scholarship open in March.
CONSTRUCTION of the University of Huddersfield’s new £30 million centre for the study of art, design and architecture is months ahead of schedule, and it has witnessed an unusual “topping out” ceremony conducted by the granddaughter of Dame Barbara Hepworth, the famous artist who has given the building its name, in the presence of the main contractor’s MD for Construction. Dr Sophie Bowness – who is an art historian and a trustee of the world-famous Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield – was invited to turn a bolt on one of the 146 aluminium panels that will be fixed to the glazed walls of the new building. Their function will be to reduce solar glare, but architects AHR have ensured that they are also an artistic adornment. One of the great sculptors of the 20th century, Barbara Hepworth, who lived from 1903 to 1975, was born and educated in Wakefield. She was the first choice to be commemorated by the new University of Huddersfield building and at the topping out ceremony Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan thanked Dr Bowness for giving permission to use her grandmother’s name. The ceremony was attended by key figures from building firm Morgan Sindall, including its Managing Director for Construction, Pat Boyle. Morgan Sindall recently completed the University’s £28 million Oastler Building, opened in 2017, which was announced as the Best Education Building at the West Yorkshire Local Authority Building Control Awards. After Dr Bowness had carried out the ceremony, Professor Cryan said that the University’s policy of naming buildings after famous local people was designed to inspire students, and the legacy of Barbara Hepworth would be sure to do that. Professor Cryan praised the “dream team” from Morgan Sindall who had ensured that construction work was nine weeks ahead of schedule. The Barbara Hepworth Building will be completed in the spring and be ready for use at the start of the 2019 academic year. As the five-storey, 7,500 square metre Barbara Hepworth Building takes shape, the University was pleased to welcome Morgan Sindall’s MD for Construction Pat Boyle and Dr Sophie Bowness, granddaughter of Wakefield sculptor Barbara Hepworth, to the ‘topping out’ ceremony
Morgan Sindall has completed the £1.8 million redevelopment work for the City of Birmingham School Kings Centre pupil referral unit. The work included the renovation of the internal areas, fitting out the food technology and design technology rooms and reconfiguration of the existing floor layout to form a gym area. The tiled roof was also renovated and extensive masonry works repairs were carried out on the existing facade. Delivered on behalf of Birmingham City Council, the project was part of the Constructing West Midlands (CWM) framework and was managed in collaboration with the council’s design and contract delivery partner Acivico. “We’re committed to ensuring that all of our construction projects deliver wide-reaching social value to the communities in which we work, and have routed more than half a billion pounds through local suppliers during our time on the CWM framework,” said Richard Fielding, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure. “Throughout this refurbishment, the site team has organised several local initiatives, including the donation of a blood pressure monitor to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, and a charity football day at St Andrew’s Stadium which the pupils loved. Everyone involved with the project can be rightly proud of the legacy they’ve left; both in terms of the finished building, and the meaningful community engagement throughout,” Richard added. The renovated school unit was officially opened by rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio. “Today marks two important milestones for our school: the launch of the partnership with Rugby Works, and the official opening of the newly-refurbished ‘wing’ of one of our Centres. This is a strategic step towards providing pupils with outstanding facilities and the widest curriculum offer available. Thanks to Birmingham City Council and Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure for their work on the project,” concluded Steve Howell, headteacher at City of Birmingham School.
