Yorkshire Water awards new land and property maintenance contracts worth £5m

Yorkshire Water has recently awarded three land and property maintenance contracts worth over £5m in total.

The new contract partners include Leeds, York and Hull-based Mason Clark Associates, Bedale-based Fountains Forestry along with Wakefield-based Freedom Group.

The contract partners will provide three different services to Yorkshire Water.

Mason Clark Associates, which won the Rural Buildings and Housing Maintenance Management Services contract, will manage and improve the houses and rural buildings (mainly traditional stone structures) across the Yorkshire Water estate.

Ian Cook, director of Mason Clark, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Yorkshire Water managing and upgrading their rural buildings over the next 3 years. Our company and staff are at the heart of Yorkshire and delighted to be awarded such a prominent contract within our region. We’ll carry out a full inspection of all the Estate buildings and develop a 25 year maintenance programme to keep them in tip top shape.”

As one of Yorkshire’s biggest landowners, Yorkshire Water owns and takes care of 70,000 acres of countryside which includes 4,000 acres of forest and ancient woodland. Fountains Forestry specialise in forestry and woodland management and will support the restoration of Yorkshire Water’s ancient woodland sites as well as the development of climate resilient woodlands for the future.

Richard Jowett, operation director at Fountains Forestry, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Yorkshire Water on their very important and sustainable ancient woodlands and climate resilient woodland projects.”

Freedom Group will provide countryside management services to maintain and develop safe access for customers whether on foot, wheel or equestrian to the company’s reservoir catchment land. The Group will be focusing on the opening up of Yorkshire Water land for those with disabilities and groups not represented within the usual visitor profile.

Martin Buckland, director of Professional Services for Freedom Group, also commented: “Freedom are excited to have won the opportunity to work with Yorkshire Water to deliver a wide range of specialist land management services under the new countryside management contract. This new contract extends our partnership with Yorkshire Water, building on the existing grounds maintenance services which Freedom provides. It also offers the opportunity for us to apply our expertise in estate management and construction to enhance Yorkshire Water’s stunning catchments.”

Peter Garrett, head of land and property at Yorkshire Water, concluded: “Following a 12 month selection period, we are pleased to welcome the three new partners all of whom have bases in Yorkshire. They will work closely with us to manage and enhance our land and properties over the next 5 years for Yorkshire Water and our customers.”

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