Wates Group appointed to Parliamentary Northern Estate Programme

Wates Group is celebrating its appointment as framework contractor for the renovation of the Parliamentary Northern Estate.

As framework contractor Wates Group will comprehensively refurbish several historic listed buildings in and around Westminster – most notably Norman Shaw North and South, 1 Parliament Street and 1 Derby Gate – effectively future-proofing the estate for generations to come. Crucially, the renovation will also ensure there is space enough to accommodate the House of Commons as the Palace of Westminster undergoes its own restoration in the near future.

Built between 1864 and 1906, the Parliamentary Northern Estate collectively houses 950 people. Despite this there has been no significant investment for over 30 years, meaning that the buildings are costly to run and in varying states of disrepair. Beginning in 2019, the programme of works will greatly enhance the standard and amount of office space while boosting environmental performance and improving safety and accessibility.

Wates Group was appointed following a competitive procurement process and hundreds of jobs are to be created as part of the programme. Wates has also pledged to ensure the direct benefits of the scheme are felt across the country.

“We are delighted to have been chosen to deliver this nationally significant and exciting programme of work on the Parliamentary estate and look forward to continuing our successful relationship with Parliament,” said Paul Chandler, Group Managing Director of Wates Construction.

“These buildings are at the heart of the UK’s heritage and we understand the responsibility we hold in helping to preserve them for generations to come. We will bring more than 120 years of experience and knowledge to this project and will create a lasting legacy through our commitment to providing new training, employment and skills opportunities.”

The programme is currently in the design and planning stage for each of the individual buildings. The project team is currently working to identify the least disruptive and most cost-effective method of phasing the works.

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