A high profile construction project opposite the Albert Dock has won a major national award for the way it has been managed.
The £50m Baltic Village development by Promenade Estates received Silver in the national Considerate Constructors’ awards for projects valued from £10m to £50m at a glittering ceremony at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester.
The development, which comprises 324 luxury apartments for rent and 360 underground car parking spaces in 3 blocks next to the famous Baltic Fleet pub, was singled out for its safety record and the respect shown to its workforce by contractors Balfour Beatty.
Work will be completed on site in May and so the award comes just in time to thank the workforce, says Promenade Estates chairman Peter Hynd.
“This has been a complex build from the very start as we inherited a part-built site with basements and building core that had been open to the elements for many years. Just draining the site was a task in itself.
“It’s a great credit to the team at Balfour Beatty that the way they have gone about the work on our behalf has been recognised in this way. As a respected developer, the quality of our supply chain is critically important and we have worked with Balfour Beatty on many previous schemes where they have shown their absolute commitment to providing a safe, disciplined environment for all personnel on site” added Mr Hynd.
The Balfour Beatty team, which has been on site for 27 months, scored highly for the site’s appearance; the provision of cutting edge welfare facilities for site operatives; the way they sought to protect the environment from the impact of their work; the safety policies and procedures deployed; and the way the company values its workforce.
Commenting on the award, project manager Warren Milnes said:
“The qualities we demonstrated are part of our DNA and never wavered throughout the project. It’s been a tricky scheme, not least because of the impact of high winds, but one we’ve enjoyed immensely.”
The development, which has been pre-sold to London-based Vista Fund, will include new landscaped public squares surrounded by cafes and restaurants with many of the apartments enjoying uninterrupted views across to the Albert Dock.
