Autumn 2013
The Oxford Oratory Stepnell complete ÂŁ1.5m extension and new-build scheme
Nuffield Health Hospital refurbishment in Eastleigh nears completion
Devizes New ÂŁ5.5m care home for OSJCT in Wiltshire
The end is in sight New care home in Coventry nears completion
“We have a strong track record in building high-quality care home accommodation and have brought that experience and our knowledge of the specific needs of older residents to the construction of this new facility.” Brendan Rourke, Contracts Manager.
The £5.6m Avalon Court care home on the corner of Banner Lane and Wickmans Drive, Coventry is due for completion in mid November. Designed by Robothams Architects, this fourstorey, 106-bed development for Restful Homes Developments Ltd features extensive facilities for residents and energy saving technologies. With the use of air source heat pumps to pre-heat the hot water system, ten per cent of the building’s energy will be generated on-site. The first floor is now fully decorated with the remaining floors set to be complete in the following weeks. Externally, kerbs are being laid ready for the hard landscaping to commence.
New teaching block at Abingdon & Witney College opens it’s doors to students Back in March 2013, we began construction of a new teaching block at Abingdon & Witney College. The £741k single storey development provides a permanent home for Advanced Engineering and Motor Vehicle Skills which had previously been taught in temporary classrooms.
Contemporary Facilities The 400m2, design and build, purpose-built contemporary facility houses a motor vehicle workshop with vehicle work bays and an MOT bay, a computer-aided engineering and IT classroom, a storeroom and an office. Designed by Robothams Architects, the building consists of a steel frame with a combination of brick and blockwork and Kingspan composite panels. The building also features around 15m2 of photovoltaic roof panels. The project was delivered in very tight timescales by our Wantage team.
The Oxford Oratory New build and refurbishment scheme for the listed Oxford Oratory is now complete In March 2012 we began work on a ÂŁ1.5m new build and refurbishment scheme at the Oxford Oratory located in Oxford city centre.
New accommodation for the Oratorian Community The project consisted of a new accommodation facility for the Oratorian Community, refurbishment of the parish centre and conversion of the old school hall into a new library to house valuable archives and rare autographed manuscripts. Designed by Ridge & Partners, the new extension houses a new parish office, kitchen, storage and utility rooms and toilet facilities on the ground floor. The upper floors contain five new en-suite bedrooms, one of which is equipped with disabled facilities, for the Oratorian Community. Constructed of brick and blockwork, the new extension connects to the existing parish rooms and school hall. The building utilises a pitched roof that was designed to be sympathetic to the surrounding architecture.
New Library Along side construction of the new parish centre facilities, we refurbished the parish rooms and installed
a lift to provide access to the new library and allow residents to reach their rooms at the top of the building. The parish centre also received a new efficient heating system. The library conversion involved works to strengthen the floor, new fenestration with specialised glass that blocks damaging ultraviolet light to protect the books and a mezzanine floor. New M&E systems enable the whole room to be climate controlled. We also installed an impressive oak staircase in the library that was built by our own in-house joinery department.
“A very difficult project, tackled heroically. Everyone is impressed by the quality of workmanship� Father Jerome Bertram, Cleric of the Works.
Start on site for £5.5m Devizes care home “We are delighted to have recruited Steve, we think he will be a great asset to the business and he will lead our on-site team in the delivery of this important project.” Tom Wakeford, Director.
In June 2013, we began work on a £5.5 million contract to design and build a new care home in Devizes, Wiltshire.
Modern, comfortable bedrooms, all equipped with en-suite bathrooms The 80-bed care home is being developed by specialist developer Brackley Investments for The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT). It will provide nursing and specialist dementia care and is due for completion in autumn 2014. Designed for Stepnell by Hunters Architects and arranged over three floors, the 4,184m2 building will provide residents with modern, comfortable bedrooms, all equipped with ensuite bathrooms. Residents will have access to a range of communal facilities including day lounges, dining area, tea lounge, launderette, first-floor terrace and a shop. The building will also feature staff offices and a laundry.
“We are excited to be starting work on this high-quality facility and once again to be working with OSJCT. Our skilled team draws on a strong track record in building new care home accommodation to the most exacting standards.” David Brill, Director.
The project is progressing well with the installation of piles and ground beams complete along with the precast concrete ground floor. The ground floor brick and block work are currently in progress with the installation of the precast first floor taking place over the next few weeks.
Local Labour Stepnell has recruited Steve Garlick, site manager, to lead the construction scheme. He joins us with a wealth of experience. As part of Stepnell’s commitment to creating jobs in local communities, all the construction labourers working on site will be drawn from the local area. The scheme has also enabled Stepnell to take on Andy Bennett, a new trainee site manager. These appointments are part of the development of Stepnell’s capabilities in the area and will strengthen the service that Stepnell can offer potential clients.
This is the latest in a number of care home developments designed and built by Stepnell for OSJCT including Athelstan House in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, and the Windsor Street care centre in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. In addition, Stepnell is currently building the new Springfield Road care home for OSJCT in Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Hospital refurbishment Our Poole team are currently involved in a ÂŁ2.2 million project refurbishing a private hospital for Nuffield Wessex Hospital near Eastleigh in Hampshire.
Hydrotherapy pool refurbishment Work began in September 2012 on the scheme, designed by Kendall Kingscott Ltd, which will see upgrading of surgical theatres, bedrooms and ancillary rooms on the ground and first floors. The Physiotherapy, Outpatients, Health Screening and Diagnostics departments will all be remodelled. Stepnell will also build a
new reception canopy and carry out external improvement work. The project is currently on course to finish in November with the scope of works now extending to include a full refurbishment of the hospital’s hydrotherapy pool.
Closer dialogue The phasing of the work has been a particular challenge to this contract, having increased from an original 22 areas to 34, which has meant further resources have been needed, both on and off site, to ensure
nears completion the successful delivery of the project. The biggest challenge of this project has been in planning and carrying out the works within a live hospital environment. The unpredictable nature of working in a live hospital environment has led to numerous programme revisions and required an ever closer dialogue with the hospital to ensure that we understand and meet their functional needs whilst also delivering high standards in construction. This will be the fifth scheme we have delivered for Nuffield Health since 2008.
“The greatest success of this project has been planning and carrying out the works within a live hospital environment� Kevin Green, Quantity Surveyor
University Challenge Our Wantage team are currently undertaking five projects for University of Oxford colleges Mansfield College
Oriel College
The £2.7 million refurbishment and newbuild scheme at Mansfield College (designed by Rick Mather Architects) has made good progress over the summer. The concrete frame extension to the Grade II Listed building’s east wing is up and the roof is on. The extensive propping inside the building has been removed and the lower terrace now has been formed as has the lift shaft.
In June we began a £3.75 million conservation programme which will create brand-new student accommodation for Oriel College.
Currently work is being undertaken to prepare the stonework that will become part of the new atrium.
Works involve stripping out of the existing soft furnishings, floor coverings and fixtures and fittings. Internal alterations include the removal of non-loadbearing walls and forming new structural openings.
Construction work is set to be completed in April 2014.
Mansfield College masonry repairs
The project consists of alterations, significant strip out of the existing rooms and refurbishment to the Grade II Listed Rhodes Building, located in the centre of Oxford.
Oriel College roof works and internal alterations
The east wing will be serviced by a new lift shaft which will require excavation, in-situ concrete lift pit and concrete block walls. The existing roof is to be removed and a new third floor introduced involving the Corpus Christi College roof works installation of steel beams, two of which span the full insulation has been installed and the counter width of the building. The new floor will be batons for the new roof are being fitted. timber joists notched into steel beams while the new roof will be of cut timber construction Additionally to the roof works, we are with a copper sheet finish. Six chimneys will undertaking remodelling and refurbishments also need to be raised. to provide en-suite accommodation and tuition rooms. The works to the existing façade include stone repairs, cleaning and gutter repairs and Work is due for completion in December replacement. 2013. Currently in progress is the erection of the St Catherine’s main scaffold to provide both access to the roof and the support for the temporary roof Over the summer we undertook re-roofing construction. and alterations to St Catherine’s House, part of St Catherine’s College. Internally, further demolition and remodelling on all floors, construction of the new lift pit Magdalen College and refurbishment of the existing windows is taking place. We have just started a £348k enabling works scheme in preparation for a new library The project is due for completion in July building at the college. . 2014.
Corpus Christi College Work has also recently started on a £278k project to reroof part of the Grade I Listed Corpus Christi College. At present the existing slate has been removed and is being dressed ready to be refitted, new
The project involves substantial archaeology as well as installing drainage and utilities. We are optimistic of subsequently being awarded the main contract.
Grantham care home passes the halfway mark
In the summer of 2012 our Grantham team began work on a £4m design and build care home for The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT). The 64-bed care home on Springfield Road is being developed by OSJCT in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council. Designed for Stepnell by Hunter and Partners Limited, the facility will create a 48-bed dementia unit and a 16-bed short stay and intermediate care unit.
2014 Completion On site, the masonry structure and roof are complete and we are carrying out plastering,
decoration and joinery works internally. Additionally, the M&E systems are being installed and the timber substructure to carry the zinc cladding is in progress. The project is due for completion in early 2014.
“It will provide a vital new facility to meet the growing specialised care needs of older people from the community of Grantham and the surrounding area.” Peter Loyd, Chairman. OSJCT
News in Brief During September and November we successfully completed four refurbishment and alterations projects at the University of Warwick totalling in excess of £6.5m. In June, we completed a £515k community centre for Swindon Borough council in May. We have just completed a £210k project to refurbish and remodel student accommodation at the Tudor Hall School in Banbury. Phase I of the £3m project to create new residential accommodation for sixth formers at Bromsgrove School is complete. £1m contract at Alderney Hospital to refurbish wards and build two extensions was completed at the end of September. The new £3.8m music school at Stowe School, Buckinghamshire is due for completion in the Autumn. The concrete frame is now up at Glebe House in Rugby, the £2.3m office block for Brethertons LLP Solicitors. We have just started work on a £5.2m redevelopment scheme for Bayards Hill Primary School in North Oxford.
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Photos: East Wichel Community Centre Tudor Hall School Bromsgrove School
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