New contractor appointed at £12.5m Albion Mill scheme
Carroll Build, part of the Liverpool-based Sovini Group, has been appointed to complete the £12.5m Albion Mill extra care facility in Blackburn following the collapse of Bardsley Construction.
The Dukinfield-based family-run firm was placed into administration in December 2019.
The scheme, for Cheshire-based Verum Victum Healthcare (VVHC), has only lost four weeks of its programme, with Blackburn with Darwen Council praising the developer’s speed in appointing a new contractor.
“We’re pleased with the responsiveness and concerted efforts of VVHC and its appointment of Carroll Build as we have older people in real need of these facilities,” said Sayyed Osman, prevention and strategic commissioning for people, at Blackburn with Darwen Council.
“They began discussions almost immediately after the news of Bardsley Construction’s collapse and fast-tracked their negotiations in order to minimise downtime. We’re looking forward to seeing the scheme completed.”
VVHC chief executive, Roy Kenny, said: “We have been able to keep the supply chain in place to support Carroll Build, which is a great help in our efforts to make up for lost time. We’ve worked with the Carroll Build team on a number of developments and they deliver on time and to budget, every time.”
Mr Kenny said the scheme should complete in June and confirmed that workers are now back on site finishing the project, which will provide 109 beds, including 50 extra care apartments, 31 en-suite rooms for intermediate care, 24 dementia apartments and four rehabilitation apartments.
Two four-storey residential blocks will be linked by a three-storey building providing communal areas for use by the residents, including dining room, TV lounge, library, hair salon, gym, consulting rooms, kitchen and staff accommodation.
The development will also include provision of landscaping, parking, roadways and footpaths.
Carroll Build managing director, Terry Carroll, said: “We’re familiar with building this type of accommodation and understand the needs of the ultimate residents who will live here.”
