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Independent living scheme gets royal seal of approval National property maintenance, refurbishment and new build contractor, Novus Property Solutions had just two weeks to redecorate an Independent Living Scheme in Dunstable prior to a visit from Her Majesty the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.
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riory View, run by Central Bedfordshire Council, is an award-winning Independent Living Scheme for over 55s. The facilities and layout of Priory View, which includes 83 individual apartments, five recreational lounges, a café, bar and restaurant, salon, rooftop garden and spa therapy rooms, are designed to build a sense of community and promote independence. Having received notice of the royal visit, Novus Property Solutions was called on to refresh the décor throughout Priory View to make sure the building was at its best for the visit.
On completion of the project, Novus worked with Crown Trade to create a bench made entirely from recycled paint tins used on the job. Paul Thapar MBE from Central Bedfordshire council: “The royal visit was absolutely wonderful for us – both the staff and residents enjoyed the event immensely. We wanted to thank all the team at Novus for their hard work redecorating Priory View in such a short space of time and making it look just like new again. The recycled paint can bench went down a storm and we’re
looking into getting more of them if possible.” Tony Ronayne, operations manager at Novus Property Solutions commented: “This was a particularly challenging project due to the scale of the works required with such a short notice period before we were due to start. I’m very proud of the whole team who all pulled together and worked so efficiently to ensure we delivered the high standard of work within budget and timescale and it’s fantastic to hear the event was such a success.”
During the fast-track project, nine Novus operatives worked around the clock to carry out a full internal redecoration revitalising the paintwork in the health spa, communal corridors, restaurant, library, bar area and reception to ensure Priory View was ready to welcome its royal visitors. The work was completed in under two weeks from start to finish – all while the Independent Living Scheme remained fully furnished and fully operational. With extremely short notice given before the project got underway, Novus pulled out all the stops to hit the deadline. The project team called an emergency specification meeting with Crown Trade to guarantee a perfect colour match for the existing colours used in the communal areas. The team also carried out minor maintenance and repair works to the exterior including laying new turf to front of the building and unblocking roof drainage and interior where the team fitted corner protectors, changed lightbulbs and fitted backing protection on to the walls.
£6 million facelift for University’s science building
RRNews - Issue 25
Work on the redesigning the University of Huddersfield’s Joseph Priestley Building is under way and completion is due around the end of the year.
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t started life in the 1960s, down to its shape, as the “Z Building” and has been upgraded and adapted many times over the years. Now it is named the Joseph Priestley Building and undergoes its most ambitious refit yet, which will provide exceptional new facilities for the study of science at the University of Huddersfield. The £6 million project is underway, and is the first collaboration between the University and Manchester-based Bardsley Construction. The lowest three of the four storeys are being gutted and will be completely remodelled internally. The external appearance will change too, with a new façade – featuring finned metal cladding – that will harmonise with the aesthetics of the surrounding campus. Work is due to be completed by the close of 2017. Before its most recent name change – commemorating a local scientist famed for his discovery of oxygen – the block was known as the West Building and was home to students and staff in both Applied Sciences and the Humanities. But the recent completion of the £28 million Oastler Building, which is a new base for Humanities, means that the Joseph Priestley can become a dedicated science block. “This allows the School of Applied Sciences to grow and from next year its students will have better facilities than ever,” said University of Huddersfield Director of Estates and Facilities Colin Blair. The development also has an eye on the future,
because part of the project is the construction of a link that will be in place to connect the Joseph Priestley Building to an all-new science block planned for an adjacent space currently in use as a car park. However, the next major development at the University of Huddersfield will be a new £30 million home for the School of Art, Design and Architecture, to be constructed on a site that has been cleared to the west of the Campus. It is to be known as the Barbara Hepworth Building – after the famed Wakefield-born sculptor – and is scheduled for completion by autumn 2019. The University of Huddersfield aims to work with both national and regional contractors and suppliers on its building projects, so a first collaboration with Bardsley Construction – which has a Leeds office – was a welcome development, said Mr Blair. Rick Smeaton, Bardsley regional manager in Yorkshire, commented: “This contract represents our first major project for the University of Huddersfield and provides our Yorkshire office with an ideal opportunity to enhance our reputation for the delivery of high quality and bespoke educational facilities.” Other companies involved in the project include the architectural practise AHR – now a global firm but with historic roots in Huddersfield. It was responsible for the design of the much-praised Oastler Building, opened in April by the University’s Chancellor, HRH The Duke of York.