Speller Metcalfe wins development prize at South Worcestershire Awards

National building contractor, Speller Metcalfe, scooped the Development Team Award at the inaugural South Worcestershire Building Excellence Awards ceremony that was held in Worcester recently.

The awards formally acknowledge and celebrate the high levels of skills and professionalism within the local building industry, with great consideration also given to energy conservation and sustainability.

Speller Metcalfe received the prestigious award as a result of substantial re-development work carried out under challenging circumstances at Malvern College.

With a contract value of £2 million, the project consisted of rebuilding a Grade II listed 19th Century boarding house, after it was virtually destroyed by a fire, and the refurbishment of an adjacent boarding accommodation structure, all whilst the school remained in use.

Small Works Director of Speller Metcalfe, Bill Cave, said: “Speller Metcalfe was presented with quite a challenge after the fire, firstly to demolish sections of the unsafe building and render the building safe for use, before then carrying out building work whilst the College remained open, so this award is in recognition of the project team who did such a fantastic job.”

Malvern College being a listed complex meant that all features had to be restored to their original condition as much as possible, so key features of the project included the use of reclaimed bricks, restoration to stone work and decorative cornices as well repairs on extensive areas of lime plaster, together with the refurbishment of 88 student bedrooms, all of which led greatly to the decisions of the judging panel when allocating the award.

Reza Saneie the Head of South Worcestershire Building Control Partnership added: “Building standards and regulations have a big impact on the built environment, our homes, places of work, schools and hospitals. Not only will awards like this encourage future standards to be high but they will inject a ‘feel good’ factor within the local construction industry.”

The South Worcestershire Building Excellence Awards are co-coordinated by the South Worcestershire Building Control Partnership whose members include Malvern Hills District Council, Wychavon District Council and Worcester City Council.

Issued: 19/07/2011