Member Article

Cumbrian energy development starts after £2.9m investment

Construction has started on a £2.9m office development in Whitehaven, Cumbria, to meet demand created by the region’s fast-growing energy industry.

Carlisle-based firm, Border Construction, has started work on the site at Westlakes Science and Technology Park, where a 2,000 sq m two-storey office block will be built.

Up to 200 employees will be based at the site, which will have built-in, environmentally friendly elements, including solar panels and an air source heat pump to regulate the interior temperature.

The office, called Pillar House, secured funding through the economic development agency, Britain’s Energy Coast (BEC) and Nuclear Management Partners (NMP), who are the parent firm for Sellafield Ltd.

BEC expects work on the Westlakes site to take 12 months to complete, where it will sit alongside more than 70 other organisations and bring the total headcount on the Science and Technology Park to approximately 2,000.

The park is owned and operated by BEC, which has become one of West Cumbria’s prime locations for the nuclear and energy industry, according to the firm.

Graham McKendry, general manager for NMP, commented: “Pillar House represents a £2.25m investment by NMP in West Cumbira, its construction will support the Cumbrian supply chain and Cumbrian jobs and the facility will provide a stimulus for growth in West Cumbria.”

Rae Tomlinson, BEC board member and property sub committee chair added: “Pillar House is a really exciting project for Britain’s Energy Coast and the fact that the construction contract has been awarded to a local company is an added bonus.

“Demand is being driven by companies looking to capitalise on local contract opportunities, such as those from Sellafield, as well as the desire to tap into world-leading R&D facilities at the park, such as established players UCLan and new arrivals the Dalton Cumbrian Facility.”

Pillar House was designed by Carlisle-based Architects Plus, who fought off fierce competition for the contact.

Baker Mallett, who are based at the Westlakes Park, have been appointed as the site’s project manager and quantity surveyors.

Stephen Jackson, partner at Baker Mallett, said: “We are please to continue our long association with Westlakes Science and Technology Park and to help deliver the construction of what will be an iconic addition.”

Border Construction’s managing director, Peter Conway, concluded: “We are delighted to have secured this prestigious and important project.

“We are particularly pleased that, as a Cumbrian company, the project will secure local jobs within our locally based workforce and supply chain, ensuring a maximum economic benefit to the local area.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .