Construction giants appointed for university masterplan
THREE construction contractors have been selected by the University of Manchester to deliver the lion’s share of its £1bn capital investment programme.
The trio picked, Balfour Beatty, Laing O’Rourke and Sir Robert McAlpine, have been appointed to a partnership framework to carry out the bulk of the University’s building and development projects worth more than £10m over the next eight years
The University of Manchester’s Campus Masterplan is the largest capital programme in the institution’s history and one of the largest currently underway in the higher education sector.
The projects to be carried out by the contractors include the £350m Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD), which will bring together the University’s four Schools of Engineering in one location and also provide teaching and office space.
University director of estates and facilities, Diana Hampson, said: “This Construction Partnering Framework is probably unique within higher education. The scope and scale of the Campus Masterplan requires a huge amount of resource and presents significant delivery challenges. A collaborative, partnership arrangement was therefore vital in ensuring both quality and value.
“It will benefit all partners and importantly it will have environmental as well as social benefits such as providing training and creating jobs for unemployed people. We are looking forward to working closely with the three contractors on some landmark developments across our campus.”
Jon Adams, Balfour Beatty managing director for Northern Major Projects, said: “Our start-to-finish infrastructure capabilities, from design through to piling, construction and mechanical and electrical services enables us to meet the demands of this framework which will provide an improved built environment for the 40,000 students the university serves.”
Steve Coleby, leader for Laing O’Rourke Construction UK said: “The values underpinning the Construction Partnering Framework align well to ours and will help ensure all partners drive – and importantly share – innovation and best practice for the benefit of the University and its stakeholders, while we deliver a world-class campus.”
Richard McAlpine, director, Sir Robert McAlpine added: “We share with the University a passion for innovation and a commitment to providing world class facilities which inspire future generations to push the boundaries of what is possible.”
