Focus Consultants completes eight-year PM role at key museum
An eight-year redevelopment at St Fagans National Museum of History, project managed by Focus Consultants, has successfully completed and been topped with a highly commended accolade at the RICS 2018 Grand Final Awards.
The Nottingham-based company first began working with the Welsh museum in 2010 when Focus was appointed for the preparation of a Heritage Lottery Fund bid. The bid was successful – securing £11.5m in HLF grant funding for the museum on the outskirts of Cardiff. At the time, in 2012, it was the largest HLF grant ever awarded in Wales.
Focus was subsequently retained to provide business planning, quantity surveying and project management services for the £30m redevelopment at the site, which is Wales’ largest and most popular heritage attraction.
“Over the last eight years, the team at Focus Consultants has watched with pleasure as the redevelopment of St Fagans National Museum of History has gone from strength to strength,” said Richard Aston, partner at Focus Consultants, which also has offices in London, Leicester, Newark and Boston, in Lincolnshire.
“We consider ourselves very fortunate to have been involved in a project that contributed over £27m to the UK economy via the construction industry and supported numerous volunteering, school and employment initiatives, including 160 work placements and three apprenticeships.
“It’s been a fascinating journey and we are proud to have played a key role in such a significant cultural scheme which gives insight into 230,000 years of life in Wales.”
The revamp has added new features and exhibitions, and revitalised others at the museum, which has been open to the public since 1 July 1948 and is celebrating its 70th birthday this year.
