Member Article

Liverpool construction firm scoops national award

George Downing Construction has been recognised for its effective partnership working with local authorities at a prestigious national award ceremony in London.

The company won Best Partnership with a Local Authority at the LABC (Local Authority Building Control) National Building Excellence Awards for its work with Liverpool Building Control.

The LABC Building Excellence Awards recognise outstanding achievements in construction and technical building control. The awards showcase buildings and design teams that have had to tussle with technical issues or difficult sites, and develop innovative and creative solutions.

The LABC Best Partnership with a Local Authority Award recognises project teams which have shown collaborative and effective partnership working. George Downing Construction and Liverpool Building Control beat a shortlist of 15 firms to win the award.

Ian Orton, Director of George Downing Construction, said: “Effective partnerships between private and public sector parties are critical to the successful development of the UK’s cities and towns and its wider economic growth. We’re delighted that our collaborative work with Liverpool Building Control has been recognised in this way.

“Our team has worked together with Liverpool Building Control on a number of high profile, complex projects across the country and have developed an efficient and effective approach, which ensures that the best results are achieved across our varied project portfolio. We were up against some impressive competition, so it’s definitely an achievement to be proud of.”

Ian Cleveland, Principal Plan Examiner at Liverpool City Council, said: “George Downing Construction was one of the first large developers to use the Partner Authority scheme and have remained faithful to the Local Authority over many years and many projects.

“The relationships at both organisational and individual levels have developed to ensure a positive and effective approach is adopted to deliver high profile multi million pound developments across the country. The award is an excellent endorsement of how the private and public sectors can work together effectively to achieve high quality, sustainable developments.”

Paul Everall, LABC Chief Executive, said: “When developers work across sites – often miles apart – they don’t want to deal with several building control teams. That’s why our partner authority scheme is so important. It means multi-site developers can partner with just one building control team for all their projects – just like George Downing Construction has done with Liverpool. This is a long term relationship – going back 20 years and involving projects with a total value of £500 million.

“Our Building Excellence Awards are an opportunity for the industry to celebrate good practice. Our winners demonstrate how positive working relationships with local council building control teams achieve high quality, sustainable buildings. Our awards are unique because they recognise how this cooperation improves building standards and professionalism across the industry.”

George Downing Construction and Liverpool Building Control are working together on various projects in locations across the country. Projects include a multi-million student accommodation development in North Acton, London, a phased development in Newcastle totalling in excess of £150 million, the £55 million Central Village student accommodation scheme in Leeds, along with another four projects currently on site in Cambridge and Liverpool with values totalling a further £70 million.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .