Tor School – Pupil Referral Unit
Tor School
Glastonbury, Somerset
Archives
Project Details
Client
Somerset County Council
Project Manager
Somerset County Council
Architect
NVB Architects
Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd
Value
£2.9m
Contract Period
47 weeks
Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage
Form of Contract
NEC3 Option A
Size
830m²
Apprentices
6
Project summary
Tor School is a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) in Glastonbury, one of the first fully integrated PRUs in the UK, which brings together three streams of Somerset County Council’s educational facilities. The school offers alternative educational provision for vulnerable young people who struggle in a mainstream school environment and provides facilities for Key Stages 2, 3 and 4. The PRU includes a Learning Enhancement Centre with facilities for outreach staff. Designed with the needs of the young people in mind, the building’s layout enables direct access from each classroom to dedicated external spaces. The different year groups share specialist spaces, including a breakout room with low-level lighting.
Midas constructed this single-storey, 12 classroom educational building on a design and build contract. This well-insulated building features blockwork render on all elevations with a truss timber roof and robust internal fittings designed to accommodate the specialist needs of the pupils. Midas completed groundworks including drainage and service connections, with internal works including first fix M&E, dry lining, plastering and decorations.
The client scored the project 100% in the customer satisfaction survey at practical completion and the site received a CCS Bronze 2018 National Site Award.
“We were previously a number of different centres that were brought together as one school and in February 2018 we moved into new premises. This is one of the first fully integrated PRUs in the country. As such we try to avoid labelling young people in simplistic ways and we put the needs of the child at the centre of the learning plan we develop.”
Community Engagement
Career Opportunities
- Six apprenticeships provided through the project
Key Challenges
The client had a restricted budget with which to meet their project requirements
- Midas completed a best value review with the client early in the preconstruction process to offer a £566k cost reduction at Gateway 3, with £676k delivered at Gateway 4 including changing the render specification, changing the external paving to tarmac and rationalising the footpaths. Midas saved the client £20k by recommending metal soffits as an alternative product with an improved lifespan and by building for longevity by using hardwood doorframes and achieving an air tightness rating of 3.6m³/hm² (below the target of 5m³/hm²).
This constrained site contained a party wall and was bounded by commercial and residential properties, including a live ambulance station to the south and an adjacent Learning Difficulties Day Centre that remained open throughout the project.
- The team secured the site with Heras fencing, hoarding, signage and gate control, and liaised regularly with the client team and key stakeholders of the Day Centre. To manage the restricted space, Midas negotiated use of an adjacent unpaved area between the site and the ambulance station, used for ambulance parking. Midas created a hard-standing area shared between the ambulance service and the site team during the project, providing them with a finished car park at completion of works. Midas maintained open communication with their staff holding regular update meetings to maintain this amicable relationship.
The site contained hazardous underground and overhead live services including a high voltage (HV) cable that served half of Glastonbury. The project also included creation of a substation requiring rerouting of existing services and removal of redundant services.
- To manage the significant risk to operatives and the public presented by the live services, Midas commissioned a Utility Report and ground scans to provide an overlay of the site footprint and services. The team completed additional service locating procedures prior to breaking ground, with a subsurface scan of the entire site. Midas ensured operatives completed works under a permit to dig system, using site service drawings and hand-held locating equipment. The team coordinated with utility providers for solutions to mitigate the risk and made subcontractors aware of the risk through site inductions and Toolbox Talks. For diversion of the high voltage (HV) cable, the Midas Design Team, electrical engineer and services engineer, in collaboration with Western Power Distribution (WPD), designed and agreed a solution for a service diversion of the HV and low voltage (LV) cables. Midas established clear isolation zones around the buried services, using full barrier protection, with a strict no-dig rule implemented within these areas. Once WPD completed service diversions, Midas backfilled trenches to support and protect the services and reinstated protective barriers to fully segregate these areas from general construction activity. The team identified the location of diverted services using timber posts and Rhino Blocks.
- Midas undertook detailed site investigations to mitigate project risks and amended the substructure design as a result. Whilst this increased the project duration between Gateway 2 and Gateway 3 it provided more time certainty for the construction phase
Project Takeaways
Our Successes
- Midas came onto this project at RIBA Stage 1. The Midas Design Team used a Hazard Elimination and Management Schedule (HEMS) to identify, manage or resolve risks on the project. One of the major risks identified was the presence of live services that presented a significant risk to operatives and the public. Midas commissioned a Utility Report, stored in the Common Data Environment using 4Projects, and commissioned ground scans to provide an overlay of the site footprint and services. Midas, as the Principal Designer, reviewed solution drawings constantly; once all stakeholders concurred the best and safest solution, works proceeded as per the agreed design.
- There was a low risk of flooding on the site. To manage the relatively high water table, Midas designed and constructed the building with a piled foundation solution.
- The project involved unknown volumes of spoil removal with works including excavation of attenuation tanks and drainage. Midas put contingencies in place to manage this, including a provisional sum for the cost of removals to avoid any additional costs for the client. Midas monitored the volumes excavated, checked and agreed volumes and costs with the client, and reused excavated materials on site where possible.
Our Learnings
- Wessex Water initially declined our request to connect the new building to the existing sewer system, due to the position of a drainage ditch at the rear of the site. To address this Midas negotiated and agreed with the neighbouring properties to use a tractor on their adjacent land. The site team cleared the ditch and confirmed it was not in use as drainage. Midas issued a report to Wessex Water and secured subsequent agreement to connect to the sewer.
Added Value
- Of the total firms employed on this project, 96.2% were SMEs with 100% of the project value spent with local companies. The site employed 90% local labour, including advertising jobs through local employment vehicles that led to two full time placements.
- The team remained on site for two weeks after practical completion to assist with the handover process, resolve any outstanding snagging issues during the building’s initial use and for client services. The Midas team maintained constant communication with the Head Teacher during this period to resolve any issues and ensure a smooth handover.
KPI’s & Statistics
| Contract | Gateway 2 Planning | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Variation |
| Cost | £2,949,492 | £2,901,181 | -£48,311 (-0.3%) |
| Time | 34 weeks | 38 weeks | 4 weeks (11.8%) |
KPI Graphs
Apprentices 6
Graduates 1
Average AIR 0
Average CCS score 40.5
Waste diverted from landfill 92.1%
Cost/m2 £3,502m²
Cost/m2 excl abnormals £2,347m²
Yeovil Innovation Centre
Yeovil Innovation Centre
Yeovil, Somerset
Project Details
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
Project summary
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.
“The perfect location to nurture and grow your business.”
Community Engagement
Career Development
- 8 Apprentices through the project
Key Challenges
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.
Project Takeaways
Our Successes
- Upon review of the original design specification, Midas identified that the ties to secure the steel frame to the Porotherm structural block were unsuitable. Midas raised a technical query and provided an advance warning to the architect, requesting a replacement and utilising more traditional brick ties as a solution.
- Midas requested the precast concrete stairs be delivered with pre-cut pockets on the horizontal treads, so that the team could fit scaffolding bars directly into them when placing the sections on site. Midas then used these upright bars to connect handrails, providing a time-effective safety solution that avoided noisy cutting works on site and simplified the scaffolding required.
Our Learnings
- The site experienced several weeks of high winds, followed by weeks of extreme unseasonal snow during February and March 2018. The inclement weather hit as the team were preparing to install precast concrete planks and the block and beam using a crane. Midas successfully mitigated the impact of the weather and delivered the project on time.
Value Added
- Midas used a combination of best practice and added value solutions to deliver over £530k (35.5%) of client savings at practical completion Gateway 4. Midas worked with the client to complete a significant redesign of the superstructure at tender stage, including a reduction in floor area, to deliver £500k of savings. The team retained 1,800 tonnes of excavated soil on site, using it to form two acoustic baffle bunds and reusing the materials for base and landscaping for a saving of £22k.
- The project supported the local economy with 96.2% of the total firms employed being SMEs, of which 40.7% were based within 30 miles of the site.
- The team developed a Skills Plan for Yeovil college students, including a series of specific site visits and interactive events. The site employed apprentices from Yeovil College and supported two work experience placements through the site. The trainee site manager was a former Royal Marine, who Midas supported into a new career in construction. The team also developed local employment skills by advertising four jobs through local employment vehicles; delivering seven training plans, three supervisor training plans, one leadership and management training plan for subcontractors; and delivering four advanced health and safety training plans for subcontractors.
KPI’s & Statistics
| 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
Loddiswell Primary School
Loddiswell Primary School
Loddiswell, Devon
Project Details
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
Project summary
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.
“Our aim is to provide the best possible learning environment for all of the children in a caring supportive atmosphere.”
Community Engagement
Career Opportunities
- Three apprenticeships provided through the project
Key Challenges
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.
Project Takeaways
Our Success
- The client requested several changes near the end of the project. Midas collaborated with them, the consultants and representatives from the school to adjust the programme to accommodate these works and still complete on the agreed date. Midas liaised frequently with these stakeholders to maintain a positive working relationship and accommodate the client’s requests.
- The site team undertook extensive pre-start planning and consultation with NPS South West and the design team. The clients required the project to receive planning permission prior to them completing purchase of the land; Midas liaised with stakeholders at the preconstruction stage to collaboratively support the planning, in line with the philosophy of the SCF Framework, developing the design to maximise efficiency within the budget through an integrated team. Midas developed the cost plan and risk register with the client team to ensure a collaborative approach.
- Midas invited representatives from the school to attend regular site meetings, keeping them informed on the progress of works. The team completed a sample room early in the programme, to use as a quality standard for subcontractors, to allow the client and end users to view the planned final standard and décor of the rooms
Our Learnings
- The site experienced severe inclement weather during the winter and spring of 2017/18. To accommodate this, Midas liaised with the client and the school as a team to agree a solution. Midas completed works to the sports pitch, play area and gazebo at the end of the project during the school summer holidays, an adjustment that suited the school and enabled works to progress whilst mitigating the impact of the weather on the programme.
Value Added
- Midas delivered over £90k (3.7%) of savings to the client by project completion Gateway 4, with a combination of best practice and added value reviews including: saving £15k through programme mitigation; and saving £56k through early contribution to the risk register and managing potential issues.
- The project worked to the Employment Skills Plan, providing seven work placements for persons aged 16 or over; supported seven curriculum activities; advertised four jobs through local employment vehicles; supported three NVQ starters through subcontractors; completed seven training plans for subcontractors and supervisor training for one subcontractor; and provided advanced health and safety training for 21 subcontractors. The site provided four of the work experience placements through the ‘Step In Step Up’ careers campaign and subsequently made an offer of employment, with the candidate accepting a job with the site team.
- The site employed 100% SMEs, with 61% of firms based within 30 miles of the project
KPI’s & Statistics
| 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
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Wincanton Primary School
Wincanton Primary School
Wincanton, Somerset
Project Details
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
Project Summary
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.
“Children will have had individual Learning Experiences throughout the year that will focus on the build and the construction, as well as having opportunities to make time capsules and be part of momentous ceremonies such as ”Ground Breaking” and ”Bolt Tightening” to mark the end of the project. “
Community Engagement
Career Opportunities
- Four apprenticeships provided through the project
Key Challenges
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.
Project Takeaways
Our Success
- The school is situated halfway around a one-way system, with a bus stop directly outside and residential premises and commercial businesses in proximity. The school remained live during periods of the project, presenting a significant logistical challenge. Midas created a detailed, bespoke traffic management plan to avoid adversely affecting the neighbours and the local industry, and employed a full-time traffic marshal to supervise site access, ensuring site traffic and parking did not block buses or local access, and managing deliveries. The team installed airlock-type inner Heras gates, to allow delivery vehicles to pull off the public highway into a holding area, performed vehicle safety checks on arrival and departure from site, considered vulnerable road users in the logistics plan, and planned delivery routes to reduce left-hand turns in accordance with Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS) initiative requirements.
- The project manager issued weekly ‘Look Ahead’ newsletters for the school, providing details of works completed in the previous week and works planned for the forthcoming week, including warnings regarding potentially noisy works. These regular communications engaged the pupils and local community in the project and contributed to site safety.
Our Learnings
- The client’s representative raised a concern regarding the fitting of the rainscreen cladding. To assure them that the cladding had been installed safely and correctly, Midas organised a site inspection with a meeting between the representative and the cladding manufacturer. This inspection confirmed the cladding had been safely and correctly installed.
Value Added
- Midas delivered over £164k of savings for the client by practical completion Gateway 4, through a combination of best practice and added value solutions including drawing on specialist contractors to provide £125k of savings through design advice and alternative products.
- The site employed 100% SMEs including seven local firms that formed 36.3% of the workforce on the project.
- The team held regular site visits for the school pupils, providing updates on the site progress to the children, with weekly ‘Look Ahead’ newsletters and progress photos provided for the school’s website. The site manager organised hand-delivered copies of the monthly newsletter to 50 residences and businesses in the local area, and the site held weekly ‘Through the Fence’ presentations for up to 70 pupils at a time, with Wincanton Primary and other local schools. These presentations included safety awareness and progress updates. Midas made presentations to parents during a school fete; donated £150 as prize money for a school raffle; and judged the school’s ‘Best Digger’ competition
KPI’s & Statistics
| 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
Ashmole Primary School
A new-build 2FE school to provide a permanent new home for Ashmole Primary School. The school created 420 places for pupils aged four to 11 and provides teaching space for KS1 and KS2 along with offices, a sports hall, a community room and a canteen.
The Challenge
The school was built on a land-filled site with debris built up from previous excavations in the local area. The ground was found to contain asbestos and obstructions. The risk was quantified and a management strategy was put in place to remove the asbestos and obstructions from the site. This put significant pressure on the project programme.
The Solution
The use of SIPs achieved a 10 week programme saving during the pre-construction phase and a five week programme saving during the construction phase of the project. This has led to SIPs being used on subsequent SCF and Morgan Sindall projects. The frame, including the roof, floor and walls, was installed in 13 weeks, which is a significant saving compared to traditional construction methods.
The Results
The use of SIPs achieved a 10 week programme saving during the pre-construction phase and a five week programme saving during the construction phase of the project. This has led to SIPs being used on subsequent SCF and Morgan Sindall projects. The frame, including the roof, floor and walls, was installed in 13 weeks, which is a significant saving compared to traditional construction methods.
91.5%
SME Spend
£252k
Added Value
9/10
Client Satisfaction
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
100% payment within 30 days terms
Sustainability
98% waste diverted from landfill
100% timber responsibly sourced
Safe
Zero RIDDORs
CCS Score 39/45
Legacy
7 work experience placements
94 apprenticeship weeks
£5k charitable donations
23 SMEs
Aftercare
Soft landings for handover
Dedicated Morgan Sindall point of contact
On-line portal for notifying any defects with 3 priority categories for response times
SCF Framework Manager
James Wright
Email: james.wright@hants.gov.uk
Phone: : 07761 330560
Contractor Framework Manager
Alan Smedley
Email: alan.smedley@morgansindall.com
Phone: 07967 686066
Polden Bower School
Somerset
Project Team
Project Manager
Aecom
Architect
AWW
Civil Engineer
Services Design Solution
The Challenge
A challenging site that had to battle flooding after a string of winter storms, the team involved have overcome numerous obstacles to deliver the school successfully to Somerset County Council.
The team had to undertake a major value engineering process, which led to a substantial redesign to bring the project in to budget, as well as building on a site with significant drainage issues.
The team designed a bund to provide acoustic protection for the school from the neighbouring motorway (M5), all while maintaining strong and collaborative working relationships between all parties.
However, Willmott Dixon are experts in navigating complex and challenging builds, finding solutions and making sure the works carried out meet expected requirements, so we were able to successfully deliver the project to a high standard.
The Solution
Construction of a new 160 Place All-Through Special Educational Needs School (SEN) with administration facilities, hydrotherapy pool, sensory areas, carparking and other required facilitating and external works on greenfield land. Also include the construction of a spine road to facilitate access to the new school.
The Results
Willmott Dixon’s team of education specialists have constructed a state of the art, new two-storey SEN School in Bridgwater creating 160 school places, bringing pupils from two existing sites under one roof.
The new all-age school includes accessible classrooms, dining hall, sports hall, sensory and therapy rooms and a hydrotherapy pool. Outside a sensory garden, multi-use games area and adventure playground will provide lots of spaces to support the pupils’ physical and sensory needs.
5
Apprentices
95.7% were local
SME Spend
£3.8m
Added Value
9/10
Client Satisfaction
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
99% prompt and fair payments
Legacy
- 20 work experience placements
- 12 local jobs created
- 19 construction careers information, advice and guidance events
- 4396 hours spent dedicated to construction support, mentoring and training for both under 24s and over 24s
- Apprentices spending 585 training weeks on site
- 30 construction qualifications gained
- 21 hours in school doing H&S assemblies and site visits
- 658 hours spent on other initiatives across the community (legacy projects, support with qualifications, community engagement)
Safe
Zero Harm
Sustainability
97% waste diverted from landfill
Aftercare
Handover & Aftercare Contractor Promise
SCF Framework Manager
Kingsley Clarke
Email: kingsley.clarke@devon.gov.uk
Phone: 07805760622
Contractor Framework Manager
Guy Dawes
Email: guy.dawes@willmottdixon.co.uk
Phone: 07989 179444
St Michael’s Catholic School
St Michael’s Catholic Secondary School
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Project Details
Client
Buckinghamshire County Council
Project Manager
WYG
Architect
BAM Design
Contractor
BAM Construction
Value
£24.6 million
Contract Period
68 weeks
Procurement Type
Design & Build
Form of Contract
JCT 2017
Apprentices
9
Project Summary
BAM built Buckinghamshire’s first ‘satellite’ school in Aylesbury – an extension of St Michael’s Catholic Secondary School, High Wycombe, which opened in September 2019.
The satellite plan, a partnership between the county council, St Michael’s governors and trustees, and the Diocese of Northampton, caters for 900 students aged between 11 and 19. The new school is based on the former Quarrendon School site, where there is a Bucks CC Adult Education Centre, a pre-school and youth club. There is also a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), a grass pitch and 3G all-weather pitch. The new building and grounds will be available for community use outside school hours. This includes main assembly hall and sports facilities.
“I have been in this job with building schools and refurbishing for nearly 30 years and this was both the most impressive site I’ve seen.”
“BAM have been proactive in progressing the design. They have fully understood the project brief and the vision for the school. They have worked well with the end user and have managed their expectations throughout the design development stage.”
Community Engagement
Career Opportunities
- Five apprentices came through the project. One was direct for BAM as a QS, two from the Cotrain, and two other apprentices from the electricians and plumbers
- Short term work placements were provided as part of Getting into Construction Programme with the Prince’s Trust.
- Two presentations were given to careers leaders in conjunction with Bucks Skills Hub and Amazing Apprenticeships.
Educational Aspects
- School visits were arranged for Year 7 pupils currently attending the school.
- There were site visits for Bucks UTC and West Herts College as part of Open Doors 2019.
Community & Residence
- Regular meetings were held with the local resident’s association.
- The site team attended the Bucks County Council Apprentice Roadshow, Bucks skills Show and Big Bang @ Bucks.
Local Supplies
- Timber was separated and collected by RAW Workshop based in Oxford. The timber was either sold, made into products or chipped for use. The initiative employs those that are furthest from the job market. The spend on this social enterprise was £6840 – 379 cubic yards of waste timber of which 77% was recycled, 23% was reused.
Key Challenges
Tight deadline
The project had a tight programme, with completion in 68 weeks. Working with our in-house disciplines BAM Design, BAM Plant and BAM Services Engineering, allowed us to improve the speed and efficiency of how the project was managed and delivered on site. The project was designed in a 3D environment under BIM level 2 requirements. The BIM execution plan was discussed in detail with the client upfront to understand exactly what the client wanted, and to minimise costs.
Heavy Clay Ground Conditions
Extensive groundworks were required at the start of the project due to heavy clay. A decision to use piled foundations and ground remediation reduced the construction risk on site.
Project Takeaways
Our Success
- Lessons learned workshop early within design process to iron out potential design, buildability and operational issues.
- Early contractor appointment essential to ensure robust affordable design prior to planning submission. The team worked hard to achieve this ahead of planning.
- Fully transparent cost management built trust and confidence early on.
- Complex highways / utilities works outside the red line to have dedicated management to ensure timely close out of issues.
Our Learnings
Value Added
- BAM delivered £290K of added value benefits during the design development process.
- 100% of waste was diverted from landfill i.e. through segregation of waste on site and recycling. Eco cabins used onsite to reduce power usage on site.
- Sustainable design using PV panels, natural ventilation and LED lighting saving energy and running costs.
- Fully federated digital models saved time and cost. We integrated our supply chain design models; used clash detection software to iron out issues prior to manufacture. This reduced any potential down time / abortive works providing programme certainty.
KPI’s & Statistics
| Contract | Gateway 3 Contract Formation | Gateway 4 Final Account | Variation |
| Cost | £24,642,019 | £24,613,801 | £28,218 (saving) |
| Time | 68 weeks | 68 weeks | Nil |
Contact: Darren Birch, Framework Manager
Email: dbirch@bam.co.uk
Oakmoor School
The Challenge
The school, previously known as Bordon Secondary School needed to meet the requirements of 900 school places and relocate from the eastern side of town to a more central location for children in both Bordon and neighbouring Whitehill. In 2015, Bordon and Whitehill were selected by the NHS’s Healthy New Towns scheme in hopes to develop a healthier environment, a strong sense of community and better care services within the local area. It was therefore imperative that the new school included facilities that would boost the children’s well-being.
Due to constricting budget restraints, it was crucial that Kier worked closely with Hampshire County Council’s team and maintained consistent communication throughout the project to help bring their dream school to life.
The Solution
In order to create a modern and cohesive learning environment that satisfies the councils’ design, a proposal was approved for a collegiate style campus with four separate buildings connected by a central courtyard. This courtyard was intended to be a social and teaching hub, therefore encouraging a positive and well-connected community.
As part of the town’s Healthy Living Masterplan, extensive consultation with Sport England was carried out to devise a diverse range of facilities that could be used by the children all year round, therefore encouraging activity. The school was built in an area easily accessible for residents of Bordon and Whitehill, acting as a gateway to intertwine the communities.
To prioritise sustainability, the project adopted a low-energy, fabric-first strategy by making the most of the surrounding and historical Woolmer Forest. This resulted in the school possessing beautiful views of nature, boosting student and faculty morale. Additionally, a large expanse of PV panels on the southern teaching wing’s roof provides 10% of the school’s energy requirements.
The Results
The new Oakmoor School is a modern building with two-storey teaching wings spanning from the central courtyard, with school halls and sports halls at either end. The covered courtyard effectively reduces internal floor area and prevents the corridors from becoming overcrowded. Additionally, entrances to teaching wings are defined by staircases, once again minimising the volume of students within corridors. Passing through the courtyard promotes a healthier lifestyle as students and teachers will get a breath of fresh air while traveling easily between classes.
86.4%
SME Spend
£362,000
Added Value
8.6
Client Satisfaction
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
Sustainability
10% energy requirements from green energy
Safe
Zero RIDDORs
Legacy
900 academy places
Aftercare
Handover & Aftercare Contractor Promise
SCF Framework Manager
James Wright
Email: james.wright@hants.gov.uk
Phone: 07761 330560
Contractor Framework Manager
James Parr
Email: james.parr@kier.co.uk
Phone: 07794218011
Oceansgate
Oceansgate
Plymouth, Devon
Project Details
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
Project Summary
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.
“Oceansgate occupies a 35 hectare site on the southern edge of Devonport Dockyard, one of the largest naval dockyards in Europe.”
Community Engagement
Career Opportunities
- Thirteen apprenticeships provided through the project
Key Challenges
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.
Project Takeaways
Our Success
- Midas liaised with the neighbouring Ministry of Defence (MOD) site in advance of commencing works to coordinate logistics and ensure the site kept MOD access clear at all times. The site employed several gate controllers and traffic managers to ensure safe site access, with radio-linked site management teams.
- The site contained multiple underground services, including a gas governor and electrical transformer. During excavation works the site team uncovered more than 130 services, not included on any plans or surveys, including underground external drainage. The team hand dug excavations to expose cables and arranged for the isolation of services, with utilities proved dead before works proceeded. Midas included a service grid system over the site survey, overlaid on a plan of the new buildings.
- The project had restricted site access that presented challenging logistics, which had a significant impact on the construction programme. Midas mitigated this by utilising weekend working and employing a high volume of staff, including increasing the number of managers on site.
Our Learnings
Value Added
KPI’s & Statistics
| 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
Nexus Training and Production
Surrey County Council
Project Team
Architect
HGP Architects
Civil Engineer
Lyons O’Neill
The Challenge
As part of its global expansion, L3 commissioned a new £40m training and production facility on a site owned by Surrey County Council just a few miles from Gatwick Airport. The Nexus Training and Production Facility is critical for the UK’s aviation industry, as it will attract huge amounts of inward investment.
Engineering solutions were required due to the ground contamination and temporary works were needed on the existing retaining wall which made meeting the programme end date a challenge.
The Solution
Willmott Dixon deployed a team of commercial building specialists to create the exact conditions needed for the fixed-based simulators as well as briefing rooms, classrooms, meeting rooms and a restaurant.
To meet the challenge of having a fully operational facility by summer 2019 an experienced management team were on hand to ensure any requests for changes were accommodated and fitted into a complex building schedule, making sure the 60,000 square foot facility came in on schedule.
The Results
The project involves creating two rather special buildings. The first is a global centre for excellence in airline training and houses eight flight simulators, each costing £12m. It also includes a number of fixed-based simulators plus briefing rooms, classrooms, meeting rooms and a restaurant.
The second building, opposite, is a similarly sized facility to manufacture 30 simulators a year and be a base for more than 300 employees.
6
Apprentices
96.8
SME Spend
£5.6m
Added Value
9/10
Client Satisfaction
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
99%
Sustainability
Waste diverted from landfill: 99%
Solar power was used to power temporary site accommodation
Safe
Zero Harm
Legacy
Shortlisted for LABC awards 2020
Safety tours undertaken on for local school children
Aftercare
Handover and aftercare process followed
SCF Framework Manager
Kingsley Clarke
Email: kingsley.clarke@devon.gov.uk
Phone: 07805760622
Contractor Framework Manager
Guy Dawes
Email: guy.dawes@willmottdixon.co.uk
Phone: 07989179444
