Challenge

Estates solutions company Citycare wanted a new pharmacy to be built in a tight 16-week time frame, ready for LloydsPharmacy to fit out the building.

The pharmacy is opposite the Morrill Street Health Campus, which was built by Sewell Construction, so we knew the area, appreciated the significance of the location from a health perspective and had an existing relationship with Citycare.

Development

We used our regular, local supply chain, as we know how they perform and they know what is expected on site, as well as ensuring, where possible, material were sourced locally from the outset.

Due to the short time frame to complete the project, out of hours work was planned alongside some weekends.

As Morrill Street is a busy residential area, it was important to manage the traffic and be mindful of working in close proximity to properties.

We tailored our approach to piling to reduce vibration and monitored any potential movement to buildings, and also spoke to the Highways department, as roadworks needed to be carried out while the road was still partially open.

Health campus staff were kept informed and newsletters were sent to residents to keep them up to date with the work from the outset.

There were some specific hurdles to overcome on this project, including discovering Japanese knotweed, an invasive plant which requires a five-year treatment plan.

Although this posed a problem to us and remains an ongoing issue, it did not delay the overall completion date of the project, which was finished during the challenging winter months.

We also discovered syringes on the site before work began, so we enlisted the services of a private company to remove and dispose of them safely.

Delivery

There were several key milestones in the delivery of Morrill Street Pharmacy, including piling completion, installing the foundations, erecting the structural steel frame, block work, joinery, roof installation and covering, concrete floor installation and screening internally, window fitting, drainage and landscaping.

We held daily briefings for site staff, as well as weekly meetings for their supervisors and managers, and bi-weekly meetings with Citycare.

The health campus staff and local residents were also engaged weekly.

Waste to landfill was 95% and some hazardous waste was also disposed of.

Results

Morrill Street Pharmacy was delivered on time, on budget and without any accidents or defects.

Additional advice and guidance was provided to overcome the Japanese knotweed hurdle and discovery of the syringes.

A local supply chain was used and local labour was about 90% of those on site. We also had two apprentices on the team – one apprentice joiner and an apprentice electrician.

The quality of the building was really good and Sewell were very proactive in dealing with any challenges on site. They were very good to work with.

Dan Simmons Development Manager, Citycare