Image: Wates Group
Wates has been appointed framework contractor for a number of buildings on Parliament’s northern estate.
The deal will see the refurbishment of listed heritage buildings in London’s Westminster, including Norman Shaw North and South, 1 Parliament Street and 1 Derby Gate. The value of teh contract is undisclosed.
The work will provide space and facilities for the House of Commons to move out of the Palace of Westminster when it undergoes a multi-year programme of restoration and renewal in the mid-2020s.
The buildings, built between 1864 and 1906, currently provide office accommodation to over 950 people but many have had no significant investment for more than 30 years and are in varying states of disrepair, according to Wates.
Systems and services are said to fail regularly and the buildings are uneconomical to run.
Work on site is expected to start in 2019 and will increase the amount and standard of office space.
Wates has pledged to create more than 160 apprenticeships on the project and create a nationwide programme to train heritage craftspeople such as stonemasons, traditional plasterers and joiners.
Wates is currently working on upgrading the Palace of Westminster’s automatic fire detection and alarm system as part of its Life Safety Systems programme.
It also recently completed the renovation of a section of Millbank House, the Grade-II-listed, six storey building used by the House of Lords.
Paul Chandler, group managing director of Wates Construction, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to deliver this nationally significant and exciting programme of work on the parliamentary estate and look forward to continuing our successful relationship with Parliament.
“These buildings are at the heart of the UK’s heritage and we understand the responsibility we hold in helping to preserve them for generations to come. We will bring more than 120 years of experience and knowledge to this project and will create a lasting legacy through our commitment to providing new training, employment and skills opportunities.”
