Buckinghamshire Council’s existing waste and recycling services depot on Pembroke Road, Aylesbury has been expanded to cater for the local population growth. The local Council identified the need to plan for and accommodate growth within the Aylesbury Vale district over the next 10 years and relieve associated pressures on the existing waste and recycling services. This has culminated in the Morgan Sindall team working closely with the Council to reconfigure the layout of the existing depot to optimise the site and to mitigate environmental impacts, the project was procured through the Southern Construction Framework.
Challenges of the redevelopment centred on the need to maintain the operation of the existing facility which entailed the works being undertaken over several phases and the fact that the site is bounded to the north and the south by two small rivers which have a history of flooding.
Towards completion of the project the Bear Brook river had already broke its north bank causing flooding across the site where defence measures were tested and successfully combined to prevent any flooding inside the new buildings.
The contract works were divided into an initial demolition enabling works package followed by two sectional completions to accommodate the different phasing of the site works. The first being the construction of a new 699 sqm commercial vehicle MOT workshop with vehicle repair and service facilities for both local taxi drivers and the depot’s own Rigid Vehicles fleet which will bring about additional revenue for the depot. The second phase provided a new 1825 sqm Waste Transfer and Recycling Station with a modern fire suppression canon system serviced by a 125,000-litre tank. The new buildings were supplemented with the upgrade of external slabs and wayfinding pedestrian routes with allocated fleet vehicle and staff parking areas. Specialist equipment provision included a new weighbridge, 2no industrial carwashes and a 45,000litre refuelling zone.
As part of the flood defences, we also provided a bespoke metal flood barrier system designed to be installed across each door and roller shutter opening.
The successful completion of the project culminated in the merging of the new and upgraded existing areas to provide a state-of-the-art depot ready to support the growing population needs of the Aylesbury Vale district.
100% payment within 30 days terms
99% waste diverted from landfill
100% timber responsibly sourced
Any site specific initiatives/stats
Zero RIDDORs
CCS Score 41/45
Any site specific initiatives
15 No of SMEs
18 beneficiaries
6 jobs created
154 apprentice trainee weeks and 16 Work Experience students
Schools engagement: 130 students
£300 donations to charity
£8,650 community investment project
£2.38 LM3
103% social value created
Soft landings for handover
Dedicated Morgan Sindall point of contact
On-line portal for notifying any defects with 3 priority categories for response times
Any site specific process/initiatives
Email: james.wright@hants.gov.uk
Phone: 07761 330560
Email: alan.smedley@morgansindall.com
Phone: 07967 686066
Daedalus Enterprise Zone was designated as one of 11 initial enterprise zones around the country by the central Government. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) owned most of the land and ran a programme for the regeneration of Daedalus along with the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH). Fareham Borough Council took ownership from the HCA that rest within the district of FBC.
In 2014/15 Fareham Borough Council constructed an Innovation Centre for new businesses, with Oxford Innovation assistance to provide business support services, enabling nurture and development. Due to the success of that building, a business case supported the construction of a Phase 2 extension.
The new extension consists of the construction of a two and three storey steel frame with associated external hard and soft landscaping, providing a range of office and workshop spaces for local businesses as well as additional space within the Enterprise Zone.
100% payment within 30 days terms
100% timber responsibly sourced
Zero RIDDORs
18 beneficiaries
Soft landings for handover
Dedicated Morgan Sindall point of contact
On-line portal for notifying any defects with 3 priority categories for response times
Any site specific process/initiatives
Email: james.wright@hants.gov.yk
Phone: 07761 330560
Email: alan.smedley@morgansindall.com
Phone: 07967 686066
Project Details
Procurement Type: Two stage
Form of Contract: JCT Design and Build Contract 2016
Contract Period: 42 weeks
Size: 1,329m2
Provision of much-needed grow out space for maturing STEMM (science, technology, engineering, maths and medical) businesses at Exeter Science Park.
Constructed to net zero carbon standards, the ‘BREEAM Excellent’ building is configured to provide 3 floors comprising bespoke laboratory and office accommodation, now known as The George Parker Bidder Building.
The building is the latest in a rolling series of developments in which ESP has demonstrated an approach of Continuous Improvement in its built estate, particularly relating to the environmental performance of buildings.
The project was externally funded. However, the funding cost and time envelopes were extremely challenging, necessitating a completion within 18 months of funding award. Morgan Sindall was formally appointed as Design and Build contractor in November 2021, leaving less than 14 months to take develop the RIBA 2 design price the project, agree the price and contract, and deliver the scheme.
Additionally, sustainability and climate change imperatives were at the heart of the project. This project’s Net Zero Carbon in Use is a steppingstone to the client’s ultimate aim of developing carbon negative buildings that generate more power than they use, creating a carbon “payback” within the lifetime of the building.
Working to develop the design “at risk” through the main contractor selection process, allowed the early appointment of key subcontractors, which was required to meet the challenging programme. Furthermore, the client supported Morgan Sindall’s procurement strategy through early instruction of programme-critical structural steelwork order.
The building was designed and delivered to meet the Green Building Councils definition of Nett Zero carbon in use. Our team employed a “Fabric First” strategy to achieve the required sustainability and climate change imperatives.
An Integrative, collaborative approach characterised all aspects of the project conception, design development and delivery.
The results of this approach are:
Furthermore, in achieving the required environment targets:
Soft landings for handover
Dedicated Morgan Sindall point of contact
On-line portal for notifying any defects with 3 priority categories for response times
100% payment within 30 days terms
Zero RIDDORs
CCS Score 40/45
The building was designed and delivered to meet the Green Building Councils definition of Nett Zero carbon in use. Our team employed a “Fabric First” strategy to achieve the required sustainability and climate change imperatives.
Zero carbon in use
BREEAM Excellent
“Fabric First” strategy, including U values of 0.17 (Wall), 0.1 (Floor) and 0.12 (roof), and air tightness of 3m3/h.m2K
The predicted in use Energy Use Intensity is 92.09 kWhrs/m2/a.
100% waste diverted from landfill
100% timber responsibly sourced
71 Tonnes of carbon Saved
32 No of SMEs
27 beneficiaries
32 SME’s
9 jobs created
160 trainee weeks
Schools engagement: 81 students
25 volunteer hours
83% social value created
Email: kingsley.clarke@devon.gov.uk
Phone: 07805760622
Email: alan.smedley@morgansindall.com
Phone: 07967 686066
London
Project Team
Architects: Capita
Electrical: Capita
MEP: Capita
The project was a design and build development of Oakleigh Road South Vehicle Depot to create a Barnet Council vehicle depot and a base for their fleet of 46 household recyclable waste collection vehicles.
There were several challenges faced throughout this project. There was restricted access on a long and narrow site which caused difficulties when trying to overcome other challenges such as dealing with the below ground water, removing underground drainage structures and the buried hazardous waste.
To overcome the narrow site, the Willmott Dixon team worked in a ‘patchwork’ fashion, sectioning off the works and moving operations around to keep the access road fully open throughout the build.
Willmott Dixon found existing sewers and then got permission from Thames Water to use them instead for the below ground water. They found a solution using a land drain pump to drain the ground water which was causing surface water.
Now built, the depot will allow Barnet Council to operate its vehicle maintenance and recycling collection fleet from single coordinated site, ensuring the most efficient service for residents across the borough. The construction also consisted of a tractor barn and car parking, together with associated ancillary facilities, a recycling waste transfer building and bulking facility, a two storey office and welfare building.
New Apprenticeships
Raised levels by introducing engineered ground geotextile, saving £720k
Resulting in programme saving £110k
Added surveys resulting in reduced risk on hazardous waste, saving £205k
Regular payments and payment periods did not exceed 30 days
Early contractor engagement realised that by raising finished floor levels by introducing an engineered ground geotextile design produced a saving of c£720k, helping significantly reduce excavated materials
Zero RIDDORs
2 starter apprentices who went on to gain full time graduate employment
SCF handover and aftercare promised carried out
Email: alex.nelhams@hants.gov.uk
Phone: 07717 003869
Email: guy.dawes@willmottdixon.co.uk
Phone: 07989179444
Client
South Somerset District Council
Project Manager
NPS South West Limited
Architect
NPS South West Limited
Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd
Value
£1.5m
Contract Period
40 weeks
Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage
Form of Contract
NEC3 Option A
Size
1,044m²
The Yeovil Innovation Centre is an evolving business community designed for small businesses and entrepreneurs that require high quality, low-cost and flexible work spaces with room for growth. Supported by funding from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, Midas constructed this two-storey extension for client South Somerset District Council to expand the capacity and update resources at this multi-office facility.Located on Lufton Trading Estate to the east of Yeovil’s town centre, the Innovation Centre provides reception and meeting areas for tenants and entrepreneurs looking for the flexibility of short term leases. This extension offers over 1,000m² office accommodation across two floors. The structure is strip footing foundations supporting a portal steel frame, with a block and beam ground floor and precast first floor and roof, and raised access flooring installed to both floors. It benefits from brise soleil solar shading, with internal plasterboard finish that allows for future reconfiguration of the ground floor to meet the changing needs of tenants. Midas’ works included a lift, shell and core finish to the first floor, a single ply roof and landscaping. The project received a score of 96% in the customer satisfaction survey at practical completion.
Career Development
Meeting the client’s design expectations within their budget
Budget: Early in the programme Midas’ market intelligence and cost benchmarking works identified a challenge, with the client’s design requirements exceeding their budget allowance. Midas’ commercial team worked closely with the client’s designers and our supply chain partners to deliver £550,000 of value engineering – including changing the structural frame, amending the window and natural ventilation configuration, amending hollow clay pot and lintel solution, and rationalising roof and gutter design – to make the project viable whilst achieving the client’s vision.
The Innovation Centre remained open and occupied throughout the works
Occupied building: Prior to commencement, Midas established a secure construction site perimeter to segregate live works from the Centre, and erected full perimeter Heras fencing with solid hoarding to the front elevation and post and rail fencing to pedestrian routes. Midas liaised with the client in advance of works and completed noisy works at agreed times. The team implemented acoustic protection measures including forming two baffle bunds from soils excavated on site. The team restricted and segregated noisy works, managed the movement of plant, and situated cement mixers on the opposite side of the site from neighbours. The team held regular consultation meetings to update neighbours on the project; allowing one to one discussions and providing advance notice of noisy works to Centre staff. The team monitored noise, dust and vibration levels through the works and across the site. Contractors completed cutting works in designated areas and made sparing use of damping down to manage dust whilst restricting the site’s water use.
The project involved connection of the extension to an operational building with live services
Live services: The project included demolition works to form a link opening to the existing structure, and service and utilities connections between the original building and the extension. Midas engaged early with the Centre’s management team and planned works in consultation with them. Thanks to the good relations with the client, the site team developed a mutually agreed programme. This ensured Midas could complete demolition, connection and security works during daylight hours, allowing time to address any potential issues. Midas installed a lockable partition early in the programme to segregate works and mitigate disturbance from noise or dust. The team then installed temporary works prior to commencing demolition to support the structural integrity of the façade whilst forming the structural opening. Midas brought new services to the edge of the extension and existing services to the connection point in the original building, before completing service connections overnight. This simplified the connection process, ensured services were not in use during works and prevented disturbance of the Centre staff.
Contract | Gateway 2 Planning | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Variation |
Cost | £2,117,646 | £1,474,292 | -£545,854 (-30.4%) |
Time | 42 weeks | 36 weeks | -6 weeks (-14.3%) |
Apprentices: 8
Average AIR: 0
Average CCS score: 41
Waste diverted from landfill: 99.2%
Cost/m2: £1,574m²
Cost/m2: excl abnormals £1,453m²
Cost/m2: Industry average £ m
Client
Devon County Council
Project Manager
NPS South West Limited
Architect
NPS South West Limited
Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd
Value £2.4m
Contract Period
37 weeks
Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage
Form of Contract
NEC3 Option A
Size 890m²
Apprentices
3
Situated in rural village surroundings, Loddiswell Primary School provides a welcoming and inclusive learning environment. The school is a 150-place, one form-entry single storey building with capacity to expand as the school grows. The school provides four classrooms, complete with interactive whiteboards and modern ICT equipment, a library, school hall and extensive outside space including a multi-use games area and playgrounds.
The building is timber frame with Structural Insulated Panels with a sectional roof, supported by glulam beams. The finished building features a 14kw PV array, larch weatherboarding and rubble stone walling, with an access road and car parking.Externally, Midas completed landscaping works and created a swale planted with wetland wildflowers as part of the Sustainable Urban Drainage Strategy, to help manage drainage, prevent flooding or run off, increase biodiversity and provide a source of natural interest for the pupils.The project scored 88% in the customer satisfaction survey at practical completion and received a CCS 2019 Bronze National Site Award.
Career Opportunities
The village of Loddiswell is off the gas grid, meaning the building could not benefit from low carbon gas grids and hydrogen solutions, and had no direct access to the cheapest heating options
To address the power supply Midas installed air-source heat pumps, with a 14kw PV array on the roof. The building includes wind-catchers to increase natural ventilation, designed through the Building Physics strategy to meet requirements for natural ventilation, solar shading and natural daylight.
The building needed to be made watertight as early in the programme as possible, to ensure the client-design timber frame retained its integrity
Midas implemented Structural Insulated Panel (SIPS) construction. This off site construction method is then fitted at the premises, enabling the team to make the building watertight sooner and resulting in a positive impact on the programme whilst also reducing waste, noise, dust and air pollution on site.
The site was in proximity to new houses, with a large population of children, with access only available via narrow roads through the existing housing estate
To manage the constrained access Midas restricted delivery vehicle size and scheduled deliveries to avoid rush hour and early mornings, directing site traffic to circumvent the village, and closely managed vehicle movements and timing to avoid disruption. The team reduced site movements by completing a cut and fill exercise, retaining 1,100m³ of excavated materials for the sports pitch and landscaping. The site team monitored the cleanliness of the access road, preempting the need for a road sweeper where necessary, and formed a tarmac car park within the site at the start of the project. Contractors used on-site parking to keep the residential roads clear and the vehicle controller monitored contractor parking to mitigate disturbance to the neighbours.
Our Success
Our Learnings
Value Added
Contract | Gateway 2 Planning | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Variation |
Cost | £2,238,653 | £2,420,067 | -£40,300 (8.1%) |
Time | 37 weeks | 37 weeks | 0 weeks |
KPI Graphs
Apprentices 3
Average AIR 0
Average CCS score 41
Waste diverted from landfill 41%
Cost/m2 £2,793m²
Cost/m2 excl abnormals £1,948m²
Cost/m2 Industry average £ m
Contact:
Email:
Client
Somerset County Council
Project Manager
Faithful & Gould
Architect
Atkins Ltd
Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd
Value
£3.3m
Contract Period
43 weeks
Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage
Form of Contract
NEC3 Option A
Size 1,020m²
Apprentices
4
The client commissioned Midas to construct a two-storey, eight classroom teaching facility at a primary school in Wincanton to increase the school’s capacity and meet the growing needs of the community. The school’s ethos is to deliver high standards of education within a supportive and stimulating environment. The bright and colourful design of the new building provides a visually striking building with extensive play facilities.
The project team delivered inclusive activities to engage pupils and the community with the project. Events included hosting a time capsule and beam-signing ceremony; having twice monthly site visits from Wincanton Primary and local schools; and hosting students from the local college. The school invited the Midas team to judge their ‘Best Digger’ competition and Midas donated £150 as prize money to the school raffle. The project also won a CCS Silver 2018 National Site Award.
The finished building features educational, administration and associated spaces. Midas’ works included partial demolition of a shelter, fit out of the finished building and all associated utilities connections. The structure is steel frame with block and beam flooring, precast concrete staircases and a lift. Midas created gardens and a play area, completed soft landscaping and provided car parking facilities.
Career Opportunities
In proximity to a live school site with challenging logistics
The team managed the live educational site through effective collaboration with the school to coordinate the programme of works and schedule external and noisy works around lesson times and exams, timing significant works to occur during school holidays to mitigate disruption. Midas maintained close communication through weekly and ad hoc meetings with the school as required, and detailed restrictions in contractor toolbox talks and during site inductions, with daily monitoring to ensure workers complied with restrictions. The Midas team clearly set out site rules and requirements to all members of the supply chain, confirming site standards and providing recognition and rewards for good performance, and providing copies of the traffic management plan and logistics plan to all operatives. The site scheduled deliveries to avoid busy periods, with no deliveries permitted before 9am and avoiding the end of the school day, and noisy works restricted to the afternoon (3.15pm to 5.00pm) to avoid disturbing lessons.
The school requested additional works late in the programme
To incorporate the request for additional works, Midas liaised with the school to agree a revised programme. The team implemented a countdown programme, completed additional hours and carried out quality checks during the works. The Midas team closely monitored contractors during the final stages of the project to ensure workers maintained safety standards during the busiest phase of the works, and maintained careful coordination of subcontractors. The team completed the total project, including additional works, to a high standard of quality and to programme.
The project included installation of a mains electrical substation
To ensure safe installation of the mains electrical substation, Midas completed a ground penetrating radar survey, identifying routes of new and existing services, before compiling a Risk Schedule/ Register. Midas collaborated with SSE (the services supplier who relocated services and removed redundant cables) ensuring the project benefitted from early risk identification. The team encouraged stakeholder input during regular risk meetings, established “no dig” zones along known service routes to reduce risk, used trial pits and hand excavation and completed groundworks under permits to excavate. The team secured Heras panels around the works, with clear signage, and installed protective barriers within public highways during utility connections. At the start of the programme, the site’s power supply ran from generators (with back-up) before connecting into the new mains following installation of the substation. Following this, Midas worked around live services, identifying and removing redundant services in association with SSE.
Our Success
Our Learnings
Value Added
Contract | Gateway 2 Planning | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Variation |
Cost | £3,229,311 | £3,250,840 | £21,529 (0.7%) |
Time | 37 weeks | 37 weeks | 0 weeks |
KPI Graphs
Apprentices 4
Average AIR 0
Average CCS score 42
Waste diverted from landfi ll 93.7%
Cost/m2 £2,995m²
Cost/m2 excl abnormals £2,342m²
Cost/m2 Industry average £ m²
Client
Plymouth City Council
Project Manager
AECOM
Architect
Form Design Group
Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd
Value £6.1m
Contract Period
63 weeks
Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage
Form of Contract
JCT Design & Build 2011
Size 3,000m²
Apprentices
13
Oceansgate is the UK’s first marine enterprise zone, occupying a 35 hectare site on the southern edge of Devonport Dockyard, one of the largest naval dockyards in Europe. Delivering new opportunities and economic regeneration to a deprived area of Plymouth, Oceansgate has transformed derelict land into a site that aims to bring together marine-based businesses to create a world-class hub for industry. The development, designed by local architects, uses a layout and materials that
reflect the area’s naval history.
The project features a three-storey office and two single-storey industrial terraces, arranged in parallel rows and offering nearly 3,000m² of office and industrial space with provision for up to 21 businesses. Completed to a high standard, the finished buildings are steel portal frame with brickwork and blockwork, curtain walling and power floated concrete slabs; they feature fibre connectivity and internal floor layouts that can be subdivided to suit tenant requirements. Externally, Midas completed car parking, access roads and planting to improve the site’s appearance and ecology.
The development has been shortlisted in the ‘Regeneration’ category of the 2019 South West RICS awards and was shortlisted for ‘John Bracey Building of the Year’ in the 2018 The Building Forum Awards.
Career Opportunities
The project had demanding site conditions, including the discovery of underground wells, basements, oil and asbestos
Prior to commencement of works, Midas reviewed all Ordnance Survey maps of the area and commissioned a ground penetrating radar scan of the site for unexploded ordnance, as Devonport Dockyard was heavily targeted for bombing during World War Two. During excavation works the team discovered several voids including basements, bank vaults and foundations of buildings destroyed during the Blitz. Midas pumped 400 tonnes of Type 1 granular fill compactable material into the holes, solid enough for the 55-tonne crane to sit on, and filled other excavations with concrete. The site fenced off excavations, with a vehicle controller in place to guide operations of plant and excavation machinery, and tested the ground for stability before each stage of the works. The team completed excavations under close, careful management, utilising remote compactors over the arches and basements to avoid risk to operators.
The development had a challenging, innovative design that included a kinetic wall, the first of its kind in the West Country
Midas joined this design and build project at RIBA Stage 2. The innovative design included use of a kinetic wall to reflect light and move with the wind, and random rubble stone cladding to some elevations. Midas constructed the kinetic wall, which is nearly six metres wide and over seven metres high, with 1,786 aluminium shingles affixed to steel wires attached to a full-height screen over the main entrance. It is the first of its kind in the west country and provides a distinctive feature of the development. Midas completed and connected the gable ends of the buildings early in the project, adjusting the programme to mitigate this requirement and completing the gable ends as soon as possible to make the buildings watertight and enable progression of interior works. Internally, the structural grid and division walls were designed to be easily combined to provide larger floor plates to respond to market interest.
The client required achievement of BREEAM Excellent
Midas successfully achieved BREEAM Excellent through provision of bicycle storage; attaining a lower Building Emission Rate than the Target Emission Rate; and installation of one bat box, one bird box and one bee brick on each building. Midas fitted a PV array to the roof of the office, with an estimated annual generation of 19,616.00kWh and a declared net capacity of 20.00kWh. The team also planted verges and trees, improving the site’s ecology, and achieved a 98% recycling figure, with demolition waste sent for reprocessing and reuse.
Our Success
Our Learnings
Value Added
Contract | Gateway 2 Planning | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Variation |
Cost | £5,809,000 | £5,425,000 | -£384,000 (-6.6%) |
Time | 48 weeks | 48 weeks | 0 weeks |
KPI Graphs
KPI Graphs Apprentices 13
Average AIR 0
Average CCS score 40
Waste diverted from landfi ll 98.9%
Cost/m2 £3,837m²
Cost/m2 excl abnormals £3,017m²
Cost/m2 Industry average £ m²