Case Studies

About the project

Built in 2015, Highfurlong School works from a purpose-built facility on Blackpool Old Road.

Built for 79 pupils with a range of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the school had over 100 pupils attending, meaning it was working at well over capacity.

In 2022, Blackpool Council approved £4.8M to fund the construction of a two-storey building linked to the existing facility by an elevated covered walkway.

This building will allow the capacity at the school to be increased to 180 – more than doubling its capacity and reducing the need for out of borough placements.

The upper floor will comprise of classrooms and spaces for secondary aged pupils, with the existing building to be used by primary age pupils.

The building will include six classrooms and a specialist teaching room for the delivery of practical subjects such as science, food technology and life skills. Phase 2 of the project also included the creation of a hydrotherapy pool.

Our role in the project

Aegis was actively involved in the work to ensure that the consideration of all elements of safety were considered throughout the design and construction of the new facility.

How we helped

From the early stages Aegis were appointed which enabled us to influence the development of the design and ensure that all designers had adequately considered the buildability requirements and access and maintenance requirements of the project. Aegis worked closely with the contractors, architects, and design teams

This proactive approach ensured that design risks were mitigated throughout the duration of the project.

Key areas of focus included:

• Buildability – considering the on-site constraints and requirements of the Client to ensure the new facilities met with the Client brief
• Access and maintenance – Ensuring that designers considered the ongoing access and maintenance requirements of the new facility
• Fire safety – ensuring fire safety was addressed as part of the design, specifically in relation to the charging stations required for charging wheelchairs
• Safe refuge areas: Incorporating designated refuge areas equipped with communication systems, allowing students and staff who cannot immediately evacuate to wait safely for assistance.
• Hydrotherapy pool – reviewing the design of the pool and ensuring the proposed design considered the requirements of the school
• Construction safety – Consideration of the design in relation to how the contractors will build the facility and mitigate associated risks. Including interface issues with the existing school and adjacent Aspire Academy.

Beyond the technical specifications, Aegis facilitated regular communication between the project stakeholders to address potential challenges during construction.

By keeping the focus on practical implementation, we ensured that the final design met both the fire safety requirements and the unique needs of the school community.

For more information on how Aegis can add value to your project and make it a success, get in touch with our team today.

About the project

Leighton Hospital in Crewe was constructed in the 1970s using Reinforced Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (RAAC) planks, but over time this light weight material started to deteriorate.

The Mid-Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (MCHT) has been carrying out a rolling programme of condition surveys and structural inspections since it was first notified of the risks in 2019.

To date, over £55m has been invested in the remedial works, with a further £29.3m to be spent for further works.

MCHT has undertaken surveys of Leighton Hospital and commenced a re-survey programme to continually monitor the condition of the planks.

Where necessary, MCHT has been closing some areas and installing steelwork supports before bringing the affected areas safely back into use.

These supports provide immediate, additional stabilisation and support for the RAAC roof planks before installation of permanent steel supports. They are removed once the remedial work has been completed.

Our role in the project

Aegis provided CDM principal designer services and general health and safety compliance assurance to the Leighton MCHT estates RAAC team and the MCHT capital developments team.

Our main role was to collate relevant information for the development of the pre-construction information document and the hazard and risk register.

Once the principal contractor had been appointed, we ensured suitable information was developed within their construction phase plan and helped identify the management controls needed when working within live wards and buildings.

How we helped

We reviewed all on site construction operations and provided advice and feedback to the contractors and the estates team.

We issued weekly reports, identifying good and bad practices, to the estates team and discussed with the principal contractor to identify causes and controls to be implemented to improve site operations.

We conducted management reviews with the principal contractors to ensure on-site processes and procedures were suitably developed.

We assisted in the development of safe systems of work and permit systems for when contractors or maintenance staff need to access the roof areas, ensuring compliance with the RAAC guidance to limit additional weight on the roof planks.

We worked closely with the structural engineers and surveyors to identify where hazards were present and agreed suitable controls, minimising the impact on hospital staff, patients and visitors but ensuring works could be delivered within the programme timescales.

For more information on how Aegis can add value to your project and make it a success, get in touch with our team today.

Aegis was appointed by its client Eureka! The National Children’s Museum to provide building and mechanical and electrical (M&E) clerk of works services to the first phase of its new £11.4 million visitor attraction being developed on the Wirral waterfront.

Eureka! is the only fully interactive museum totally dedicated to children aged 0 – 11 in the UK.  The existing museum, located in Halifax, was designed, informed and guided by children, created in a child-friendly way and designed to be 100% interactive with no complex instructions or “do not touch” signs. 

A prime site for a second Eureka! visitor attraction was identified on the Wirral at Seacombe ferry terminal, directly linked to Liverpool’s Pier Head by the Mersey Ferries and easily accessed by road and rail. The site was occupied by Spaceport, a small visitor attraction created by Merseytravel in 2005. But after visitor numbers declined, Merseytravel was keen to explore alternative options for the site, which capitalised on the investment already made into the buildings and supported the increasing focus on the visitor economy/leisure market, as set out in Mersey Ferries’ long-term strategy.

The aim of the new Eureka! Science + Discovery Centre Mersey project was to inspire children, young people and their families to explore dynamic science, technology, engineering, arts and maths themes through hands-on experimentation and discovery. The facility would provide 2,700m2 of high-quality interactive environments along with makerspaces, a shop and a café.  An estimated 187,000 people were expected to visit the museum annually, including 12,000 school children, creating between 90 and 160 jobs directly and indirectly.

Working with principal contractor Seddon Construction Ltd, Aegis’ team provided clerk of works services to the first phase of the project, which involved the refurbishment of the ferry terminal buildings to provide a shell and core for the museum itself.  Aegis had slightly less involvement in the second phase, mainly on the M&E side, which saw the fit out of the exhibitions.

For more information on how Aegis can add value to your project and make it a success, get in touch with our team today. 

Aegis provided NEC3 Supervisor services to support the creation of the Construction Skills Centre at Tameside College in Ashton-under-Lyne. Designed in consultation with local employers, the £7m facility provides state of the art learning environments for the next generation of bricklayers, plumbers, electricians, painter and decorators and civil engineers to develop key skills, enhancing training and employment opportunities. 

The project comprised of the design and construction of a two-storey facility with part mezzanine floor. Inside the building there are training bays for students undertaking building trade training courses, as well as general teaching spaces and welfare areas for students and staff to benefit from.  

The project also involved external works being carried out, including hard and soft landscaping and the demolition of the existing Portland 2 building and substation. 

Aegis supported the project from October 2020 through to February 2022. Our NEC Supervisor had a significant role in making a difference and ensuring the delivery of a quality facility, as demonstrated by there being only 14 outstanding items recorded on the practical completion certificate. 

A virtual tour of the Tameside College Construction Skills Centre can be found here.

For more information on how Aegis can add value to your project and make it a success, get in touch with our team today.

Aegis worked alongside principal contractor Conlon Construction on this project which saw the complete redevelopment of the YMCA’s National Centre in the Lake District.

Our role was to act as CDM Principal Designer on the £6.8m project which ran from June 2017 until July 2019.

The YMCA purchased the site in 2010 and started fundraising to pay for the redevelopment of what was a 60-year old building into a schools and youth centre.

The eco-friendly building incorporates hi-tech entrances, sophisticated security access, en-suite dormitory rooms, eight recreation rooms and an integrated climbing wall.

Situated beside Lake Windermere, the centre has 1.5 miles of Lake Windermere waterfront and 100 acres of woodland enabling it to provide over 50 outdoor water and land-based activities.

Architecturally, the building is designed to ‘disappear’ into the landscape, minimising the visual impact on the local area.

Aegis was appointed as the CDM Principal Designer for the UK’s first ever double-launch rollercoaster that reaches heights of 88.5ft, with drops of up to 82ft.

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What the project involved

Two-Michelin starred Moor Hall Restaurant is a historic grade II listed building which dates back to 1282. It was acquired by Andy and Tracey Bell in 2015 and the pair have invested significantly. Aegis has been involved in the first phase of the multi-million pound renovation and refurbishment of the building turning it into a contemporary restaurant with seven guest rooms.

The second phase involved the restoration of a large former barn into a more informal dining space that will also feature a small dairy, charcuterie, and meat curing room.

Since opening in 2017 the restaurant has gained first one, then two, Michelin stars.  In 2019 it was named as the best restaurant in the UK.

How the client is benefitting

Aegis was instructed by the project team at Moor Hall to provide clerk of works services to the project to assist them in making sure that the quality of the construction and finishing work was of the highest order.

Originally only instructed on a three-month project, Aegis’ contract was extended for a further six-months as the project team realised the benefits of using an experienced clerk of works in ensuring a high level of quality was delivered throughout the refurbishment project.

Why it is crucial to understand the client and their needs

The Clerk of Works is an on-site representative of the Client responsible for monitoring the works and providing quality control to ensure that construction is compliant with the design and specification. They perform a vital function in ensuring that a client’s objectives are met.

Aegis’ Clerks of Works undertake their duties with rigour and proactively assist Clients and Project Managers in identifying solutions to problems and without a Clerk of Works onsite, this can sometimes result in projects not being delivered on time and budget.

What the project involves

Aegis provided clerk of works – or site inspector – services to a new Sports Hall development at the Grange School near Northwich, Cheshire.

The 2,500 sq m sports hall comprises a modern, high-level facility including netball, football, basketball and badminton – and is large enough for all four badminton courts to be used at the same time.

Other facilities include an area for yoga, dance, gymnastics and aerobics, along with a dedicated space for rowing machines and free weights. In addition, there is an external climbing wall and state-of-the-art classrooms.

The project also includes a multi-use games area for sports such as netball and tennis, which will be fully floodlit and incorporate a high-performance surface. New changing rooms, along with catering facilities have also been included in the design.

How the client benefitted

Aegis provided professional support for all aspects of the development of the ultra-modern sports hall from January 2018 until the facility was handed over to the client at the end of March 2019.

Aegis’ clerk of works used his 34 years’ experience in construction to proactively assist the client and project manager in identifying problems and finding solutions.

Why it is crucial to understand the client and their needs

As the client’s on-site representative the clerk of works is responsible for ensuring effective quality control. This means monitoring that construction fully complies with the design and specification, as well as the requirements of good construction practice.

What the project involves

Aegis provided CDM Principal Designer services to BAE Systems’ Project HELIOS at Samlesbury, Lancashire, from April 2014 through to December 2016.

The project required managing the health and safety aspects of installing a photo voltaic solar system that covers an areas equal in size to eight football pitches.

How the client is benefitting

Aegis played a pivotal role in the construction of the HELIOS system, which comprises 9,000 solar panels and provides nearly 20 per cent of the Samlesbury site’s peak electrical consumption.

This energy is used in the manufacture of high specification components for aircraft including Eurofighter Typhoon, Hawk advanced jet trainer, and F-35 Lightning II, the world’s latest and most advanced fighter.

The HELIOS panels are capable of generating 10,000 KWh every day and have a DC capacity of 2.6MW. This reduces the site’s electricity bill by nearly £400,000 annually, while cutting CO₂ emissions by 1,500 tonnes.

Why it is crucial to understand the client and their needs

We have worked collaboratively with BAE Systems on numerous major projects at locations across the UK.

What the project involves

In 2018, planning was granted for the creation of a 43,000ft², 35-car Porsche dealership in Preston. Complete with a 13-bay workshop, the state-of-the-art showroom was designed by architects Cassidy and Ashton. Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2019, making it the 40^th Porsche centre in the UK, with the landmark project anticipated to create 30 jobs.

How the client is benefitting

Aegis was appointed to provide CDM Principal Designer services to the client Bowker Motor Group, in addition to health and safety advisory services and site inspections during an enabling phase of the works, which involved the demolition of three pre-existing buildings located on the site.  With one of the largest teams of CDM consultants in the North West, Aegis has the skills, experience and knowledge required to deliver these essential services.

Why it is crucial to understand the client and their needs

The high-profile project, situated on Watery Lane on the outskirts of the city centre, presented a number of constraints. In order to ensure a successful project, the smooth facilitation of co-ordination between the appointed design teams, in addition to the provision of advice and guidance on all aspects of CDM and health and safety, was crucial.

For nearly a quarter of a century, Aegis has proved value-adding CDM services for major development schemes and has worked on a range of commercial projects, including Ringtail Retail Park, Burscough and the James Hall Distribution Centre, Preston.

Since the initial introduction of the CDM regulations in 1994, we have been instrumental in numerous major projects across the North West. This means we have developed deep knowledge and specialist insight into our clients’ specific requirements.