HomegrownStepnell work with local Architect on landmark office building in home town No quick fix

Chief construction adviser visits Stepnell

head officesUniversity challenge£2.7m refurb and new-build scheme for Oxford college

Spring 2013

Image courtesy of Rick Mather Architects

University challenge

£2.7m refurb and new-build scheme for Oxford college under way

Our Wantage Office has recently started work on a major £2.7 million refurbishment and new-build scheme for Grade II* listed Mansfield College at the University of Oxford.

The project, designed by Rick Mather Architects, involves a new-build extension and refurbishment of the east wing of the College’s Main Building. The new extension, featuring an atrium with a frameless glass rooflight, will provide access to all parts of the east wing and will also house new kitchens.

Improvements for students, staff and visitors

On the refurbished ground-floor, Stepnell will create a new student refectory and café/bar through the

remodelling of the current Victorian kitchen and back-of-house areas.

Two stone-framed windows will be converted to glass doors to a new south-facing sunken terrace opening on to the historic College quad. The overall scheme will double the catering capacity of the College as well as enhancing its conference, fine dining and corporate event facilities.

A new feature stairway and lift will link the extension to the rest of the College. Stepnell will also refurbish existing tutor rooms through the project, which was awarded following a competitive tendering process. In addition, the scheme includes the creation of a new workshop building. Construction work is set to be completed in February 2014.

Homegrown

Stepnell work with local Architect on landmark office building in home town

The purpose-built £2.3 million, three-storey state-of-the-art, energy-efficient building will enable local solicitor’s firm Brethertons to bring together its entire Rugby team – currently based in three offices - under one roof.

Rugby-based HB Architects have designed the 1,616m² building incorporating architectural features which are sympathetic to the local Rugby School conservation area. It will benefit from an open-plan, flexible design with break-out rooms and individual meeting rooms for clients. Sited on its own detached plot, there will be a new vehicular access from Moultrie Road and car parking to the rear.

The building incorporates features designed to reduce overheating without the necessity for air conditioning including thermally-controlled motorised louvres to dissipate warm air at night. Brise soleil sunscreens will be included on the aspects that will get the most sun during the summer. Electricity-generating solar panels will be fitted on the roof.

“The green features should significantly reduce energy demands in controlling the working environment over a 12 month period” Says Stepnell Developments Director Peter Wakeford

The new office is set to be completed in spring 2014.

“As a Rugby-based company, we are delighted to be working on this project to create a new high-quality building providing state-of-the-art office accommodation for Brethertons,” says Stepnell managing director Mark Wakeford.

The new office is being built on the site of the former Glebe House building which has been demolished by the Stepnell team. The restricted town centre location means that a tower crane will be used by the construction team to move heavy materials around the site. Mark Wakeford says “Working with consideration for the local community is of the utmost importance to our team and ensures that the impact on neighbouring properties is kept to an absolute minimum.”

Brethertons senior partner Richard Pell confirms “Brethertons is a long established law firm which has been serving the Warwickshire community for over 200 years. It would be an understatement to say that we are excited about our new premises. Bringing over 100 people under the same roof in Rugby will be another landmark date for our firm.”

No quick fixConstruction adviser to the government visited Rugby for strategic talks with the West Midlands construction community

Peter Hansford, the government’s new chief construction adviser, visited the Rugby head offices of Stepnell in February to discuss how the construction sector and government can work more effectively together to tackle barriers to growth, employment, industry innovation and carbon reduction in the West Midlands. During his visit Peter Hansford toured a Stepnell construction site and met with construction workers, project teams and West Midlands representatives from the National Federation of Builders to hear their views and strategies for regional growth.

No quick fix

“I was pleased to accept the invitation to visit Stepnell and join local business leaders to discuss the future of the construction industry in the West Midlands,” said government chief construction adviser Peter Hansford. “It’s clear construction is facing challenging times. However, there is no quick fix, particularly in regards to up-skilling the workforce, which is why Government is developing its Industrial Strategy for Construction alongside industry to create a pathway to long-term growth.”

Working for long-term client, the University of Warwick, we carried out work worth more than £2.4 million transforming student accommodation and part of the university library.

In-house joinery department

The modernisation included the installation of new kitchens and bathrooms at seven blocks of student accommodation. The team also redecorated over 370 student apartments in the blocks, put in new

flooring and redecorated communal areas and corridors.

Our in-house joinery department, who produce many items of bespoke furniture for our contracts, created a stylish new look for the turnstile and reception area of the library and carried out the installation of a bespoke reception desk. Shelving, racking and computer desks on the fourth floor were also refurbished.

The University of Warwick - combined refurb

Portland primary school receives first intake of students

In February our Poole office completed the new £6m IPACA Osprey Quay Campus building, part of The Isle of Portland Academy which caters for 315 pupils with an additional 26 place nursery. The building is of traditional steel frame construction with brick and local Portland stone cladding. An external multi-use games area and outdoor play area was also created as part of the scheme.

Sustainable features

In addition to the state-of-the-art learning facilities the school utilises a number of sustainable features including green roof, rainwater

harvesting and biomass boiler.

Throughout the project the site team engaged with local schools, conducting site visits and giving safety talks for future pupils of the school.

Situated close to Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, the venue for the sailing events during the 2012 Olympics, the school and site was used as a facility for competing athletes during the Games.

Following the Games, we returned to the school to carry out the alterations and final fit-out to ready the school for its first intake of pupils.

We have recently started work on a £3 million project to create new residential accommodation for sixth formers at Bromsgrove School - a leading independent co-educational day and boarding school - in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

State-of-the-art facilities

The development will create 49 modern and comfortable study bedrooms in two, two-storey blocks for sixth-form

boarding house Housman Hall. The first new building will be completed in October 2013 with work on the second due to be finished by the end of August 2014. The state-of-the-art facilities, designed by Warwick based Robothams architectural practice, will replace two existing boarding wings.

Our Rugby office has now completed a major extension to the teaching facilities at Stratford Girls’ Grammar School, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Stepnell began work in October 2012 on the £793,000, 740 sq m extension to the existing school buildings which will house six classrooms, a learning resource centre, offices and other accommodation together with a lift. The new building also features an energy-saving ground source heat pump.

New residential accommodation for sixth formers

Stratford school extension complete

Our Grantham office began work on the new Springhill Medical Centre in February 2012 to allow the practice to relocate from their outdated building to a new modern facility nearby.

The 750m2 building houses five GPs, a trainee GP, three practice nurses, a healthcare assistant and all associated administration staff, accommodated over two storeys. The internal spaces are divided between consulting, registrar, health education, training and treatment rooms as well as a conference room and office space.

BREEAM 'Very Good'

Built using traditional construction methods, the medical centre achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’. This was, in part, for the extensive use of sustainably resourced materials which

included concrete, brick and blocks, steel, plaster, roof tiles and timber.

Warwickshire medical centre complete

Windsor Street Care Centre, Cheltenham

Avalon Court, Coventry

Springfield Road care home, Grantham

£7.8m Avalon Court Client: Restful Homes Developments Ltd

The four-storey, 106-bed development, will feature extensive facilities including communal lounges, a café, computer rooms and a hair and beauty salon as well as dining rooms, staff facilities and laundry and kitchen areas.

Ten percent of the building’s energy will be generated on-site through the use of air source heat pumps to pre-heat the hot water system.

Work is due for completion this summer.

£4m Springfield Road care home Client: OSJCT

The 64-bed care centre on Springfield Road is set to be completed in early 2014. It will create a 48-bed dementia unit and a 16-bed short stay and

intermediate care unit.

The home will provide residents with single occupancy bedrooms with en-suite bathroom facilities, Sky and digital TV, Wi-Fi and 24-hour nurse call facility. Residents will also have access to a communal living area, sitting room, dining room and winter garden, a shop, tea room and hair salon.

Outside, there will be a fully landscaped sensory garden with raised planters, vegetable patches and water features, as well as a secure terraced area.

£5.4m Windsor Street Care Centre Client: OSJCT

Recently completed, the Windsor Street Care Centre is a three storey residential care home providing 81 en suite single occupancy bedrooms and ancillary rooms, 36 of which will be dedicated dementia care rooms.

Windsor Street Care HomeBanner Lane Care HomeSpringfield Road Care Home

Stepnell Care Home Expertise

Head OfficeStepnell HouseLawford RoadRugbyWarwickshireCV21 2UU

01788 574511info@stepnell.co.uk

Grantham Office65 South ParadeGranthamLincolnNG31 6HT

01476 564726Grantham@stepnell.co.uk

Wantage OfficeCane LaneGroveWantageOxfordshireOX12 OAB

01235 772772Wantage@stepnell.co.uk

Poole OfficeUnit 10 Stepnell Reach541 Blandford RoadHamworthyPoole, DorsetBH16 5BW

01202 632324poole@stepnell.co.uk

www.stepnell.co.ukwww.linkedin.com/company/stepnell

Despite the rigours of a long wet winter and the late arrival of spring, completion of a number of ongoing projects is now iminent. These include the £2.3 million Hinckley Hub (a 41,000 square feet office development) for Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and a £300k refurbishment at St Ann’s Hospital, Poole for Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Also nearing completion are:• £515k community centre in East Wichel• £750,000 accommodation and

refurbishment scheme for the Oratory in Oxford

Ongoing contracts include:• £1 million medical centre in

Wellingborough• £3.7 million contract for a state-of-the-

art Music School at Stowe School, Buckingham

• £2.2 million student accommodation block in the centre of Oxford

• £1 million extension and refurbishments at Alderney Hospital, Poole

• £2.2 million refurbishment project at Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital

Images Top: Hinckley Hub Middle: Cantay House Bottom: Stowe School

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