McBains Cooper - Offices Development - Northfleet, Police Headquarters
Date: 04 Apr 2005
Property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper was appointed as the multi-discipline design and cost consultant on a new £22m PFI development this week when Kent Police awarded preferred bidder status to the RHK consortium comprising Reliance Secure Task Management, HBOS and the Kier Group. McBains Cooper's selection in Kent is the fourth police PFI project won by them with Reliance.
The development in Northfleet to be built, maintained and financed under a 30 year term, will provide the new area headquarters and custody centre for North Kent. The striking four storey, 10,000 sq m building will replace cramped and undersized police facilities in Gravesend and Dartford.
The design provides Kent Police with flexible modern accommodation that meets their present space requirements. It also provides for substantial future expansion as the Gravesham area develops into the major Channel Tunnel interchange.
As well as a state-of-the-art custody wing, specialist areas, extensive interview and consultation facilities, the McBains Cooper design also provides the police personnel with a large south-facing atrium restaurant.
We're delighted to be appointed as consultants for this scheme and will build on our experience from working with Sussex, Gloucestershire and Cleveland Police, said Keith Young, Director of Architecture at McBains Cooper. Our aim is to develop a new policing environment to accommodate the evolving police process. The modern nature of the design will meet current and future operational needs in a way that can only improve the quality of the service for the people of north Kent.
Mr Young said they will consider using innovative geothermal heatpump technology, as pioneered by McBains Cooper at Gloucestershire Police headquarters. This is one of the largest geothermal heatpump schemes in the UK, and uses sealed water pipes incorporated into the foundation piles to keep the temperature constant throughout the year.
The stable temperature of the ground is used to cool water in the deep pipes which are connected to the building's air conditioning system. The whole system is therefore highly sustainable and uses substantially less energy than conventional cooling equipment.
McBains Cooper is providing architecture, engineering, cost management and health and safety services to the consortium.
UKPMS are the project managers for the scheme.
Financial close is expected to be reached in October 2005. Work on the 20-month project will start on site shortly after that.
New Northfleet Police Headquarters - Kent
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