Tag Archives: refurbishment

Construction, Construction News, News, North of England

MC Construction completes facelift for 18th century mansion house

An historic council-owned building in Stockport has been refurbished to provide modern offices for community-based adult social workers.

Salford-based MC Construction has completed a project which has created new office space on the first floor of Gatley Hill House, a former public library on Church Road, Gatley.

The Georgian mansion house, built in the mid-18th century, houses a community centre on the ground floor which the council rents out for meetings and social events.

The first floor had been vacant for years but has now been brought back into use as office space for around 40 social workers covering Gatley, Cheadle and Bramhall, who are relocating from other existing offices around the borough.

Jo Smith, construction lead for Stockport Council, said: “Thanks to the successful completion of this project, the team has a much better and bigger working environment and will be able to operate more effectively.

“It is pleasing to bring the first floor of Gatley Hill House back into use, while also carrying out improvements to the ground floor for the benefit of the wider community.

“The works carried out by MC Construction have preserved and significantly enhanced the condition of the building in a manner that is sympathetic to its heritage, which is extremely satisfying to see.”

MC Construction undertook a programme of external and structural works as well as an internal revamp of the two-storey building, which is set in parkland and lies within the Gatley Village Conservation Area.

The project included the installation of a new roof, windows and rainwater goods, underpinning, interior partitions and doors, new mechanical and electrical systems, a refurbishment of the kitchen and washrooms, new office access and fire alarm systems, a rewire, and decoration. Original features were repaired and refurbished wherever possible.

Electric vehicle charging points have been installed in the grounds as part of the scheme.

David Lowe, managing director of MC Construction, said: “The project has greatly modernised a lovely historic building which was in need of significant repair, leading to an improved appearance, restoring the first floor to good use, improving the energy performance of the building and positively benefiting the environment with the installation of electric vehicle charging points.

“I’m extremely proud of our team who worked on this scheme, which truly showcases our expertise in sympathetically and successfully updating and regenerating heritage buildings.

“Alongside our own staff, we were delighted that all of the contractors appointed to work on the project were located within a 30-mile radius of the building, ensuring a significant sum went back into the local economy and once again demonstrating our commitment to adding social value to the work we undertake.”

Construction, Construction News, News, North of England

MC Construction brings historic cottages back to life in £1.1m project for One Manchester

A row of historic cottages in Manchester which lay empty for nearly a decade have been brought back to life as affordable homes following a £1.1m refurbishment project.

The six terraced houses known as Westwood Cottages, which have Grade II listed status and are owned by One Manchester, have been given a facelift by Salford-based contractor MC Construction.

The cottages, in Raby Street, Moss Side, were built in 1876 as alms houses by prominent industrialist John Robinson in memory of his sister, Edith Marianne Robinson. They stand as individual dwellings in one block built in Flemish Gothic style.

The cottages were vacated almost a decade ago and their condition subsequently deteriorated. They became a target for vandalism and anti-social behaviour, and many of their original features were removed.

One Manchester, which provides housing and community services across the city, appointed MC Construction to carry out the renovations following the granting of planning approval and listed building consent.

The cottages are in an area of Moss Side earmarked for regeneration, including the delivery of new and suitable housing stock.

MC Construction’s team carried out a comprehensive programme of internal and external repairs and refurbishments and the cottages have now been returned to use as two-bedroom homes for affordable rent.

The project team worked closely with planning and local heritage officers to ensure the building was sympathetically refurbished. This involved retaining and restoring key features, including original gothic arched front doors, and using heritage-approved materials such as cast iron guttering, timber framed casement windows, and ironmongery.

Each cottage has had a complete internal refurbishment, including the installation of a new kitchen, bathroom, boiler and heating system and a rewire. Additional living space has been created at each property with a single-storey rear glazed extension to form a conservatory, making the homes more suitable for family accommodation.

Historical features such as mosaic porch floor tiles and the front doors have been retained.

The external works have included a refurbishment of the roof, new windows, repairs to the brickwork, chimneys and stonework, and landscaping.

David Lowe, Managing Director at MC Construction, said: “The refurbishment of Westwood Cottages has been a tremendously satisfying project for MC Construction.

“Working closely with a number of key stakeholders, we have successfully retained a part of the city’s heritage while giving a new lease of life to this historic building to provide affordable and energy-efficient homes for families in an area where there is a need for this type of accommodation.

“It has been a pleasure working with One Manchester, the city council and the other parties involved to bring this scheme to a successful conclusion.”

One Manchester Chief Executive Nicole Kershaw said: “I am delighted to see the Grade II listed Westwood Cottages back in use as affordable homes for local families.

“The cottages had been empty for several years, and we have worked hard to create light and spacious contemporary homes internally, whilst preserving the heritage qualities and landscaped shared gardens.

“We have also improved the insulation levels to achieve our 2030 energy efficiency targets, meaning the homes will be warm and affordable to run.”

News

RECOM Solutions on the Rise with new framework appointment

Construction project management consultancy RECOM Solutions is celebrating a major boost with its latest framework appointment.

RECOM has been appointed following a tendering process to a £600m framework for ethical regeneration schemes across northern England and North Wales.

It is the latest to be launched by Liverpool-based framework operator Rise. RECOM has won places for general construction, refurbishment, safety and compliance and project management work.

Users of the new framework will include NHS Foundation Trusts and clinical commissioning groups, schools, academies and universities, social housing providers, local authorities, community-led housing organisations, charities, emergency services and third sector groups across the north west and North Wales, Yorkshire and Humber and Lincolnshire.

Rise is a pro-social business procurement group which provides agency services to construction frameworks, and supports communities by investing profits into local initiatives.

RECOM director Jason McKnight said: “Securing places on the new Rise framework is a tremendous endorsement of the quality and range of work that we currently undertake, and presents a fantastic opportunity for the company.

“It’s a very prestigious and significant initiative for our client base, as well as ourselves.

“Rise is very focused on social value, which chimes with our own ethos as a company. We are involved with a number of local organisations as a way of giving back to the community, including The Broughton Trust to offer employment opportunities to disadvantaged young people, and Salford Lads Club, where our head of operations James Holmes is on the board of trustees.”

RECOM, which has 30 staff, recently moved to new headquarters on the Waters Edge Business Park at Salford Quays.

The company, which was founded by Joseph Dillon and Jason, undertakes construction project management and main contracting work across sectors including healthcare, education, retail and leisure, commercial and residential.

It also provides consultancy services to assist in the delivery of projects, such as design, risk, quality, health and safety and sustainability alongside passive fire protection and cladding.

Clients of the company include Barry’s Bootcamp, Pot Kettle Black, Urban Village Bars, WUKPG, Arrowsmith Investments, The Derwent Group, Fletcher Bond, the University of Manchester and the NHS.

RECOM already has places on frameworks with the University of Manchester, NHS Shared Business Services and Fusion21.

RECOM’s roles on these frameworks involve project management, passive fire protection, facilities management, main contracting and building safety and compliance work.