Industrial & Process

Green light for investment by McBraida plc

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After lengthy negotiations over the final Section 106 Agreement between all parties, we received last week on behalf of our client, McBraida plc the Planning Decision Notice that backs up the unanimous committee decision in favour of the development.

McBraida plc are a tier 1 aerospace component manufacturers with production facilities in both the UK and Poland. This approval allows them to realise their long-held ambition to more than double their head office footprint in Bridgeyate, between Bristol and Bath.

Throughout the development of the planning application, gcp as lead consultant, received valuable, impartial opinions on the proposal from development control and economic development officers at South Gloucestershire Council. They provided honest, clear and unambiguous comments on the proposal to the design team that allowed the planning design to evolve in response to site constraints and stakeholder consultations to ensure this vitally important investment in high technology engineering is secured for the county, the region and the UK.

The recent signing of the 106 Agreement clears the last hurdle before the green light can be pressed for the detailed design. We look forward to picking up a conversation with the client in the next few weeks to plan the next stages for this exciting and strategically important development.

Planning Submitted for Aerospace Engineering Company

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gcp have recently submitted for planning consent a scheme to extend and reimagine the McBraida factory building at Bridgeyate near Bristol. McBraida plc have operated at this plant supplying precision machined parts to a domestic and an increasingly important international aviation market.

Over the last 30 years, as the business expanded, the original brick factory unit has been expanded in piecemeal fashion without any fundamental re-planning of the production space, or strategic view to the future. Consequently, the site is now operating at significantly below optimum efficiency due to the resulting cramped conditions. Likewise, the industry shift into computer aided design and manufacture requires an expansion in office area to accommodate these increasingly desk based manufacturing processes.

Driven by overseas sales success and the lack of space at the Bridgeyate plant, in 2013 the business opened a second production base in Poland. This is a purpose-built modern factory unit with an efficient layout and high levels of staff satisfaction with the workspace environment. It is equipped with all facilities expected of a modern engineering production plant including offices, laboratories, testing facilities, meeting rooms and a client presentation suite. There is a stark contrast between the highly efficient McBraida Polska plant and the somewhat dated, inefficient, sub-optimal accommodation at Bridgeyate.

The proposed extensions will envelope most of the existing factory and will give increased production area, storage, new offices and staff facilities to a high modern standard. The public image of the McBraida works will be transformed from its current anonymous appearance. The intended design aesthetic is ‘modern industrial’; appropriate for the company’s business although to a higher specification than a standard industrial unit. The public-facing façade of the building will express the forward-looking aspirations fitting for this high technology company.

Iconic water tower to get a face lift

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The Iconic Durdham Down Water Tower

The Iconic Durdham Down Water Tower

Durdham Down Tower is known to generations of Bristolians simply as the Water Tower.  Built in 1954 for Bristol Water it stands at the highest point for miles around and is due for a major overhaul later this year.  gcp has been appointed to design and co-ordinate the refurbishment which comprises extensive concrete repairs externally and lining internally as well as reroofing, improving access and safety for routine maintenance.  A substantial amount of telecoms equipment will be relocated to scaffold during the works which will last 16 weeks and complete by November. This is the latest of a number of projects gcp has carried out for Bristol Water over the last twenty-five years.

The Water Tower

The Water Tower

gcp helps dairy grow and become greener

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BV Dairy solar roof

BV Dairy solar roof

BV Dairy are a widely respected, independent milk processor based in North Dorset selling a wide range of speciality products such as soft cheese, yogurt, clotted cream and mascarpone. Operating since 1958, the company has grown steadily whilst maintaining the traditional values of a local, family run business. As a consequence of incremental development of the site, more stringent regulatory controls and higher supplier production standards, gcp Chartered Architects were appointed in early 2013 to devise a development strategy for the site. The strategy focused on improving product flow, operational efficiency and opportunities for future development.

In late 2013 gcp submitted and secured planning approval for a wide range of improvements across the site, which included simplifying vehicle movements and increasing on site HGV parking, development of new production space, dedicated storage, improvements to product flow around the dairy and provide much needed additional administrative accommodation. The first major project developed was a state of the art 1800m2 1000 pallet temperature controlled storage facility comprising of loading bays, offices, meeting rooms and an engineering workshop. The cold store was delivered following detailed planning approval secured in July 2015. 

 The scheme included a sustainable drainage system (SuDS) involving permeable block paving and surface water run-off from the building roof directed through a series of berms, swales and basins, allowing gradual percolation back into the soil. The building also hosts 222KW of solar PV array on the entire roof. The project opened for business at the end of 2016.

 

BV Dairy Storage area

Completion: Waste Transfer Depot, Gossington

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Tercon Ltd have just completed a new domestic waste transfer station for Stroud District Council at Gossington.  The project involved the construction of a new 1,200m2 high bay sorting area with a single storey office facility.  An existing transport workshop on the site has also been refurbished as well as the completion of an extensive external works package.  gcp chartered Architects supported Tercon Ltd through the construction phase of the project which is due to be open for business in the new year.

Gossington Waste Transfer Depot

Gossington Waste Transfer Depot