Anchorsholme Park Case Study

Project Description

Project: Design and Build, New Build
Client: C2V+ and United Utilities
Contract Responsibilities: Main Contractor
Contract: NCE 3
Project Value: £2.7 million
Programme: Sept 2017 to Jan 2019

The Overview

A design and build project consisting of the full construction of four buildings for United Utilities and Blackpool Borough Council in an £80miillion redevelopment of Anchorsholme Park, Fylde Coast, Lancashire, in this project which is set to improve the bathing waters in and around the Blackpool Coastline.

The site consisted initially of parkland and a small bowling club which was to be demolished and reconstructed to a higher specification,

including a split usage building for the bowling club itself, and the local authority maintenance store and mess for the park maintenance teams. A new café and amphitheatre was also constructed for the local residents to enjoy, along with sports pitches and facilities and an outside adventure playground. The final parts of the development consisted of an operations and electrical MCC building and a large control building over a 40m deep stormwater detention tank.

The existing water treatment works at Fleetwood WTW had no additional spare capacity and therefore Anchorsholme Park was development to include a new detention tank and outfall under the proposed new seawall and promenade for storm water disbursal.

The Challenge

There were a number of key stakeholders concerned with the project from the Principle Contractor of C2V+ to the local authority, Bowling Club members and United Utilities themselves. The design of the ground works and substructure to three of the buildings was undertaken by Gallaway, with ground condition considerations through variable mediums. All buildings consisted of steel frames with suitable steel finishes through specification, and the coastal location of the site itself presented a number of challenges with high wind loads on all structures. Client interface on the performance specifications and end user requirements were ongoing throughout the course of the project.  Materials challenges and the selection of client proposed materials added challenge to the build process to ensure the scheme became workable.

The project can take pride on the improvement it makes to the environment with ecological and natural conservation, water quality improvements, hydrology and flood mitigation

The Solution

Gallaway have been involved at all stages of the design and build programme to co-ordinate between the client, Gallaway designers, statutory authorities, suppliers and other stakeholders. Weekly collaboration and planning meetings ensured overlap between the Gallaway works and those of the client and their own direct specialist trades were coordinated from a Health and Safety viewpoint whilst ensuring environmental and quality compliances were maintained at the highest levels  and ensure programme delivery on this marquis project.

Unit Fit-out Frontier Park Blackburn

Project Description

Project: Frontier Park Blackburn
Client: Taziker
Contract Responsibilities: Cast new pad foundations for client-installed steelwork and overhead traversing cranes. Office fit-out, including new stud walls to form office space, canteen, toilets, and storage rooms.
Contract: NCE 3 Option A
Project Value: £285,000
Programme: December 2022 to March 2023

The Overview

Our clients newly accuired unit required fitting out to accommodate their expanding business. Gallaway Construction were employed to break out pockets in the existing slab, excavate and cast new pad foundations to allow the client to install their steelwork and overhead cranes. We also expanded the exisiting office space to include new open plan and private offices, a large canteen with fitted kitchen, toilets with IPS cubicles, drying room and segregated store room for plant and materials. This included new drainage connections, upgrading the water and heating supplies, all decorated and finished to a very high standard.

The Challenge

The client had a very tight schedule to move from their existing facility, install the new steel and cranes and ensure minimum downtime in their production, along with coordinating site activities around the clients works.

The Solution

Gallaway’s thorough planning and diligent workforce were able to work around the client’s extraordinary requirements, working longer days and weekends to ensure no unnecessary loss of the client’s production time. The professionalism of Gallaway’s staff from Management to subcontractors has resulted a very pleased client and repeat business at various locations around the UK.

Williamsgate WTW

Project Discription

Project: Williamsgate WTW, Cumbria
Client: Balfour Beatty / MWH JV (Advance)
Contract: NCE 3
Project Value: £2,400,000
Programme: June 2019 to June 2021

The Overview

The project involved designing and constructing new water treatment works near Redmain in the Lake District. The proposal was to transport raw (untreated) water from Thirlmere Reservoir to the new plant for production into a freshwater supply. The site had been designed to merge into the natural contours of the surrounding environment, with considerate colour materials and one building incorporating a green roof to help the site blend into the landscape.

Once completed, the site would be capable of treating 80 million litres of water every day and service the Northwest demand with clean drinking water to strengthen the existing network. The new distribution pipes can take the treated water from the site to our service reservoirs, where it could be stored and ready to supply customers in West Cumbria. The new structures included an underground detention tank, Rapid Gravity Filter Building, Control Building, Workshop, Inlet Building and Sludge Building, including internal modelling, MEICA installations and fit-out.

The Challenge

The project’s budgets were keen; therefore, the proposals needed to be rationalised with the consideration of additional build techniques or specifications. The former of the two was difficult because the works represented merely a building fit-out, and the scope for change in techniques was limited. Specifications and finishes, however, needed to be challenged, and Gallaway was pivotal in doing so. Access and egress to the sites were further limited due to other key trade packages, the timeliness of the Gallaway works and access due to working alongside the newly installed tracks. Just-in-time deliveries needed to be carefully considered and managed. Some materials needed to be delivered and stored well before the works commenced to minimise disruption and enable safe access.

Midway through the construction period came the Covid-19 crisis. Gallaway quickly adapted to the considerable challenges the virus brought, from our team’s delivery of the project to maintaining and growing the supply chain as necessary to continue the works on this key status project. Gallaway amended Risk Assessments and methods of working promptly and maintained site operations to deliver on agreed dates through the crisis period and for the critical MCC units and plant to be installed directly from the manufacturer to the site without any standing periods or storage requirements.

The Solution

Gallaway undertook a rigorous Value Engineering exercise by offering a full design and build package and amendments to specifications but within the confines of the performance specifications. Gallaway further offered external building remodelling to the buildings’ shape and elevations, including materials specification, to offer the best value through equally comparable and approved materials, which offered similar aesthetics and provided cost efficiencies through materials themselves and the simplification of construction. The new proposals sought to amend the existing planning application, to enact the changes and design proposals for exterior materials and samples.

As is often the case, the Gallaway programme considerations were governed by the requirement to maintain our client’s key dates for sectional handovers and, in some instances, the handover of individual rooms. Through collaborative planning sessions, Gallaway amended and adapted the build sequence to suit the client’s important critical dates to hand over areas of our working building to specialist subcontractors. In doing so, Gallaway amended the HSEQ considerations on site for our works and those working around other contractors to ensure the works were completed correctly.

Home Bargains Refurbishments

Project Description

Project: Alfreton Store
Client: Home Bargains & Richard Jackson Ltd
Contract: Bespoke agreement
Project Value: £256,000
Programme: 12 weeks

The Overview

Our regular client has an existing store building in the town centre of Alfreton, Derbyshire which has had problems with water ingress from the car park which sits on top of the building. The ingress was beginning to affect the store building below. The consideration initially was to provide a new waterproof deck to form a new reusable car park on top of the store building. However, later the client decided to utilize the car park with a new covering to form a roof over the store.

The Challenge

The store needed to remain fully operational during this complex project. Therefore, solutions are needed to work around store opening and delivery hours and with particular regard to staff and members of the general public through our work interfaces. Also, to accommodate continuing deliveries in retaining access and ramps.

Using their knowledge of the performance requirements, Gallaway shortlisted from their extensive supply chain several technical departments from roof membrane and painting system providers list to discuss the technical challenges of the bespoke project. Gallaway offered several specifications and cost options to the client to obtain the best value.

The Solution

The final scope provided the most workable solution offering the best value and long-term warranties. The works considered the removal of existing car park deck finishes, replacing drainage including a new drainage system for surface water and various concrete repairs throughout. Gallaway worked shift patterns and introduced dual supervision during the day, evening, and weekends to ensure the store remained watertight at all stages of the works.

Barking Sub Station

Project Description

The Overview

Project: GIS Substation
Contract: NEC 3 Option A
Project Value: £151,594.00
Programme: October to December 2020

Barking GIS Substation is Power Station. The project was to build a new 132,000-volt substation next to an existing National Grid site, including installing a new steel-framed building with new cables to connect the National Power Network.

National Grid will operate the new substation to secure power supplies for homes and businesses within the surrounding area. The new building involved designing and constructing a new 20-bay gas-insulated switchgear (GIS Substation) to replace, reinforce, and add resilience to the local network.

The whole site will be completed by February 2023, and the substation will form a key part of the local electricity infrastructure, which will be integral to the regeneration of the Barking and Thames river areas.

The Challenge

Gallaway Construction was contracted to undertake various elements within the building once fully constructed and on a live site with other contractors. The works included supplying and installing louvres, windows, internal timber fire doors and flashings to the glass windows.

The main challenge was working in and around a live building nearing its target “live power on” date, thus resulting in an extremely tight programme with very short lead-in periods. Access to this building was a challenge due to external works still being undertaken and bespoke internal equipment in the working areas. Another challenge was to work with National Grid with their extremely tight programme and key completion dates.

The Solution

Gallaway Construction arranged for a bespoke access plant to overcome the various internal and external access issues and specialised glass lifting equipment for the glass panes. The window frames were installed to pre-formed openings and allow other works to be completed by National Grid with the glass panes and then installed on separate visits. The louvres were installed around equipment protruding from the building, which was undertaken with skilled labour to ensure the integrity of the equipment and the louvres.

The internal timber doors had their bespoke installation programme to ensure that individual key dates were achieved via live programming and a dedicated resource team on site working to the agreed sequencing. Unplanned National Grid Shutdown threatened to affect the programme. However, due to Gallaway’s reactiveness to review and revise the programme, a resource was remobilised in areas to mitigate any overall programme completion date delay.

Further details of this project may be found at https://www.murphygroup.com/news/murphyawarded-substation-contract-by-national-grid

Blackburn Diocese Extension

Project Description

Project: Extension
Client: Blackburn Diocese.
Project Value: £120,000
Programme 10 weeks duration

The Overview

The works consisted of the extensions and alterations to the existing church to provide additional community spaces in the form of a double-storey building to the existing gable end of Grade II listed church.

The form of the building was of a traditional build from concrete strip foundations and masonry cavity wall construction finished with pebble dash render.

On the roof, a match for the existing roof slate was found with the introduction of conservation roof lights.

Internally there were timber floors, internal plastered walls, a timber staircase, a kitchen and WC fit-outs.

The Challenge

There were several considerable challenges on the project, firstly with the graded listing of the building and the requirements to ensure adherence with any planning conditions.

Secondly, there was the probability of encountering graves within the location of the building footprint which was founded. Therefore, Gallaway had to ensure the correct processes were followed regarding notifications to the Department of Constitutional Affairs, now the Ministry of Justice.

Gallaway completed the exhumations in full consultation with the necessary regulatory authorities and the Diocese of Blackburn to enable the works to continue. Further, of course, ensuring the highest standards of decency and respect along with clear consultation and support for the operatives and management undertaking the works.

The Solution

Communication was key to the project between Gallaway, the Diocese and the regulatory authorities to ensure bereaved families, parishioners, residents etc., were all consulted correctly.

Outside of the significant complications through the exhumations, the project remained, throughout its duration, open to interest and the building needed to remain open for church services to continue.

Cleanliness of the site, respect and integrity remained a major consideration, and the Gallaway team performed to the highest standards expected of them.

INX International Building

INX International Case Study

Project Description

Project: Remedial Mezzanine Floor Works
Client: INX International
Contract Responsibilities: Main Contractor
Contract: JCT Intermediate Works
Project Value: £124,724
Programme: May to June 2020 (During COVID-19 Pandemic)

The Overview

INX International are an American-based company producing inks for the food packaging sector. Their recently constructed warehouse was built to satisfy a desire to expand business in the beer and beverage can markets throughout Europe and the Middle East. It features the most efficient ink-producing equipment for two-piece metal decorating inks.

The new building was constructed to enable INX to install more state-of-the-art equipment dedicated to producing certain colours and provide greater efficiencies regarding production up time and waste elimination. There was a flaw within the construction of the original building in that a mezzanine floor was defective and not specification compliant. As the previous contractor had entered administration, Gallaway was appointed as contractor to undertake reactive remediation of the previous defects, which took place promptly within 3 weeks from the order agreement to commencement of the works on site. Gallaway was appointed to bring the facility up to specification with a fire rating and structural provisions to ensure insurance compliance and enable the facility to operate at increased capacity during the Covid crisis.

After the original contracted works and midway through the original contract period, Gallaway was appointed to undertake additional work to extend the external service yard to offer increased storage capacity for raw materials to enable INX to fulfil increased requirements.

The Challenge

The building consisted of a highly explosive and dust-free environment within the areas of working. Therefore effective temporary screening and ventilation requirements were critical to ensuring the works could take place without environmental contamination risk and to ensure the health and safety requirements were achieved. The works further took place over the existing office spaces, with necessary breaking out of existing mezzanine screed flooring giving rise to potential debris falling into the office ceiling space below or worse, into the offices themselves, and potential damage to the existing precast concrete floor units through the breaking out process.

Added complication existed in that the new structural concrete deck could not contain a damp-proof separation layer between the proposed new slab and the existing precast concrete units, and the risk of water seepage upon installation of the new concreting was possible. Different shift patterns and health and safety considerations, particularly noise and dust, for the existing workforce and the end user product needed to be eliminated. Mitigation of disruption to the business, enabling their shift patterns to continue, limiting disruption, and separating the office workers/limitations of car parking from the construction workers and construction disruption were key to the successful delivery of the project.

The Solution

As Principle Contractor, Gallaway instigated a series of mitigation procedures to overcome the effects of the disruptive nature of the construction works. Gallaway and INX discussed the critical working times within the existing factory, peak working times for staff attendance, and car parking provisions. Further discussions took place around client delivery schedules, vehicular movements, the client-required storage areas and access provisions. The result was Gallaway managed external areas suitable for a dedicated site compound, materials storage bays and external building access for the works. The key importance was for Gallaway operatives to remain separated from the INX workforce with consideration to limit interface and interruption to the INX production but put Covid control measures in place. Gallaway provided site layout plans, exclusion areas, temperature checks, separate welfare provisions, and additional PPE such as face fit masks, handwashing provisions, etc.

The agreement was made to penetrate the external first-floor wall of the building via the removal of external cladding and steelwork to provide their isolated site compound and access provision. Temporary scaffolding and access staircases were installed externally to separate construction movements from the factory, warehouse and offices. In addition, Gallaway installed temporary screening measures around the works area to eliminate dust and introduced positive ventilation pressures to extract construction dust from the building. Night shift and weekend working were utilised to separate the construction works from the peak operations of the factory and warehouse. In adopting night-time working procedures, Gallaway ensured through collaboration with the client that out-of-hours call inspections and dedicated client liaison were in place in the event of necessary hold point inspections. Equally, Gallaway ensured senior members of management were on call to resolve any necessary factors during all night-time working.

Gallaway utilised inspection test plans and records as standard by all projects. However, on this project, Gallaway introduced additional hold points and checking procedures to ensure dust, vibration and noise pollution were monitored regularly as early indicators of potential problems, allowing additional measures if required. Risk assessments and method statements, as standard, consider plant and equipment which limit dust, noise and vibration to a minimum to protect the environment of all stakeholders but to limit welfare/health and safety exposures of workers to HAVS, dust inhalation, noise and general personal protection.

INX Warehouse Space
INX International Building
INX Work In Progress
Cog Moors Picture

Cog Moors WwWT Case Study

Project Description

Project: Cog Moors WwTW, Pre and Post THP Buildings
Client: Skanska and Welsh Water
Contract Responsibilities: Design & Build Steelwork, Cladding, Mezzanine Floor, Fit Out
Contract: NEC3
Project Value: £850,000
Programme: 20 Weeks

The Overview

Cog Moors WwTW is a wastewater treatment works between Barry and Dinas Powys in South Wales to serve the residents of Dinas Powys, Sully, Penarth, Barry and the West of Cardiff, and which was first opened in 1990.

Welsh Water invested over £50 million to install an Advanced Anaerobic Digestion (AAD) plant as part of an overall upgrade to the treatment works on the site. As one of the largest energy users in Wales, Welsh Water had looked at ways of generating electricity on their sites to lower their costs in maintaining a network of sewers, sewage treatment works and reservoirs to become an energy-neutral business. To achieve this, further investment is needed in AAD, solar, hydro, wind and other renewable technologies.

The Cog Moors AAD site will assist Welsh Water in meeting its 100gGWh production of electrical, renewable energy target for 2020. In addition, the AAD plant will enable the Cog Moors Wastewater treatment site to work self-sufficiently and become a carbon-neutral site. The new AAD facility will also enable more green (bio) gas to be recovered from the waste.

The Challenge

Gallaway was contracted to complete these two buildings’ designs, including fire protection to external cladding and intumescent painting to steelwork. The design and coordination of fire-stopping details around service penetrations were required to offer a suitable building performance for the end usage. Quality and environmental considerations were high on the project, and the necessity for off-site application of fire protective coatings was considered to limit environmental impact.

Following consultation, the decision was made to treat the steelwork on site to mitigate the risk of damage to painted surfaces through transportation and lifting of the steelwork. Therefore leading to better quality but providing environmental considerations which needed to be overcome. In addition, screening, masking and ventilation were introduced to nullify the implications of site painting applications.

The Solution

Further challenges were provided midway through the contract when the Covid-19 pandemic occurred. Gallaway engaged closely with our client through the Covid-19 period of lockdown and worked as key workers to ensure the building was handed over with minimal delays caused by the pandemic. Following the lockdown, Gallaway implemented detailed amended Risk Assessments and methods of working over two weeks. The works were ready to remobilise in full accordance with the Government Guidelines. They were awaiting confirmation of acceptance of the RAMS from our client and letters confirming key worker status. Gallaway recommenced the works three weeks after the lockdown, fully following the new requirements through legislation.

Cog Moors Picture
Cog Moors Picture 2
Stafford Stores

Stafford MDU Stores

Project Description

Project: Stafford MDU Store
Client: Laing O’Rourke for Network Rail via Staffordshire Alliance
Contract Responsibilities: Construction of New Store, Mess and Office Building.
Contract: NEC3.
Project Value: Circa £290,000
Programme: Contract start date September 2017. Contract duration 16 weeks.

The Overview

This project formed the second part of a previously completed scheme by Gallaway at Stafford MDU. This included decommissioning the previously constructed temporary office and store and the new build store building, incorporating a large store area, office and mess facilities.

The works involved designing, constructing and delivering a new store building for Network Rail at their Maintenance Delivery Unit of Wolverhampton Road in Stafford. It comprised a steel frame building with exterior wall and roof cladding, internal blockwork plastered walls, suspended ceilings, mechanical and electrical installations, floor/wall finishes, fixtures fittings, and equipment.

The Staffordshire Alliance project, a joint venture of Laing O’Rourke, Network Rail, Atkins and VolkerRail, has been named the winner of a Collaborative Working accolade at the 2016 UK Railway Industry awards.

The team recently handed over the £250m upgrade to the West Coast Main Line, including 10 kilometres of a new line, under budget and over a year ahead of schedule.

The Challenge

The works were carried out adjacent to the operational West Coast Main Line, with live overhead cables close to the building.

One major challenge was completing the steelwork erection and installing the external cladding, ensuring safe working practices were adopted within our construction methods and by all team members.

This was further challenged by the proximity of the live West Coast Main Line and working around clients and contractors on this operational site.

The Solution

Gallaway coordinated the crane lift plan to ensure limits were imposed on the lifting height to avoid exceeding the safe working distance from the live cables above.

We also utilised GRP Scaffolding and ensured our standard daily briefings and weekly toolbox talks specifically about the task.

Timber baulks, barriers and hoardings were utilised to segregate working equipment to a prescribed safe working distance from the trackside.

Stafford Stores
Stafford stores

Oswestry Water Treatment Works Lime Building

Project Description

Project: Lime Building
Client: C2V+ and United Utilities
Contract Responsbilities: Design and Build Steel Frame, Cladding, Concrete Security Panels, internal Mezzanine and Finishes and Security Doors and Louvres
Contract Value: £139,000
Programme: 7 weeks

The Overview

The Lime Dosing Building on the Oswestry Water Treatment Works treats raw water from Lake Vyrnwy Reservoir. It provides quality water to a million domestic, commercial and industrial customers in Liverpool and Cheshire.

The new plant design included a new clarification process to improve colour removal from the water, modification to the filtration process, disinfection within a new contact tank using lime water, and a new clearwater tank to provide on-site storage of treated water for use as required.

The Challenge

The largest technical challenge on the building was the requirement to undertake the construction stage of steelwork erection and cladding elements around major excavations and the inclusion of the external tank, all of which were installed before the building commencement. In addition, Gallaway was requested to partially erect the steel frame to enable the client installation of various tanks and equipment into the building through the roof before the Gallaway internal building crane installation.

Gallaway was then required to complete the cladding elements in stages, taking the roof and each elevation as isolated elements to aid the client’s intended M&E programme. Similarly, a series of return and isolated visits were requested for the treatment and closure of penetration enclosures around conveyors and incoming services.

The Solution

The Gallaway programme was largely built around the client programme’s requirements, including their requirements for external works and large underground water storage facilities. Gallaway had to be adaptive to accommodate the changing external conditions while attempting to coordinate with the client regularly to establish their weekly requirements. Bespoke flashing closure details were adopted for the conveyor openings. All of which leads to a complex but good quality end product for our client and United Utilities.