Construction giant takes up residence in Lakes
CONTRACTOR Wates Construction has taken up residence in new offices in the Lake District.
The company says its move to premises at Helm Bank in Kendal underlines its commitment to Cumbria and its ongoing success across the county.
Launching just eight months after Wates announced its intentions to expand its Cumbria-based project portfolio, the new satellite office will provide a base from which the contractor will undertake project development in South Lakeland.
The new office follows Wates’ tenancy at Energus in Workington, where the business took up occupancy in April this year to support its growth across the county’s public and private sector markets.
The move also comes one year after Wates’ acquisition of a number of contracts and strategic framework positions from Shepherd Construction.
These included BAE Systems’ new Resolution Building in Barrow, which reached completion in September this year.
Tony Shenton, business unit director of Wates Construction North West, said: “Over the past year we have maintained a keen focus to ensure that our growth in Cumbria becomes an extension of our established reputation as a trusted and expert contractor across the North West.
“Our new office in Kendal demonstrates our commitment to the Cumbria market, in which we are becoming wholly immersed to ensure that we understand and cater to the diverse needs of our new clients across the county.”
The new office will be led by Wates’ project director Craig Abson who was appointed to the team in March this year alongside regional commercial manager Stefan Hargreaves.
Wates Construction was recently appointed by Cumbria County Council to deliver its flagship Campus Whitehaven, which will see a collaborative £30m investment from a range of partners. These include the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd, Copeland Borough Council, Copeland Community Fund, and Cumbria County Council.
Wates Construction’s growth plan for Cumbria builds upon its existing operations across the North West and underpins the Wates Group’s strategy to double turnover to £2bn.
