Wates lands £2.5m Derby Council House job

Contractor Wates Construction has been appointed to redevelop the ground floor of Derby City Council’s headquarters.

The Council House, on Corporation Street in the city centre, will undergo a range of renovations to maximise the space and improve the services offered to the residents of Derby that visit the building.

As part of the £2.5m appointment, Wates will reconfigure and redevelop the existing space in several phases while the Council continues to deliver front-line services.

The refurbished building will provide new office space allowing Jobcentre Plus Services to co-locate at the Council House. Other additions include new meeting rooms and an improved reception area.

The project was procured through the empa framework, which is managed by Scape Procure, a public-sector organisation, dedicated to creating ongoing efficiency and social value via the built environment.

Work recently began on site, and is expected to complete in mid-2018.

John Carlin, Wates Construction’s business unit director for the Midlands, said: “We’re very happy to be collaborating with Derby City Council to improve the services it is able to offer the local community. A priority for our team is ensuring minimal disruption to the staff and general public, who will continue to use the building while we refurbish the first floor of The Council House. We will consult with stakeholders throughout the build to ensure the very best standards and levels of continuity are achieved.”

Victoria Brambini, managing director of Scape Procure, added: “Having visited the project with the team during the final stages of design and decant, the complexity of the reconfiguration during times when the public and council staff will continue to use the building is a real challenge that the team have embraced. Managing the impact and safety is of paramount importance.

“When completed the new job centre for DWP, the new public library and the improved customer service centre will be fantastic community facilities for the people of Derby. We are really pleased to have been part of this efficiency project that has been delivered in a way that has provided training and skills development through work opportunities with Wates and their local supply chain.”

Councillor Baggy Shanker, Cabinet Member for Finance and Governance at Derby City Council, said: “We’re happy to be working with Wates to help us redevelop the space on the Ground Floor to improve facilities for customers who chose to visit us. This redevelopment means we’ll be able to provide even more services under one roof, including the co-located Job Centre Plus services.”