Chief Executive Cuts First Sod at New £60m Centre
Severn Trent Water Chief Executive Tony Wray has cut the first sod to mark the start of building work on the utility’s new £60million eco-friendly operations centre being developed by Stoford Developments in Coventry.
The seven-storey scheme is being built by BAM Construction with the support of Coventry City Council and Advantage West Midlands and aims to set new industry standards with one of the lowest carbon footprints for any UK office building.
Senior representatives from Coventry Council, BAM, AWM and Stoford also attended the ceremony at the St John’s Street site in Coventry city centre.
Set to accommodate 1,700 people, the 170,000sq ft building has achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’ not only for its low energy use but also for its location in relation to the local infrastructure and its impact on the environment.
Stoford has worked with Birmingham-based Associated Architects, Webb Gray Architects, and engineering services consultants ESC on the sustainable design.
Tony Wray said the ceremony was a symbolic moment for Severn Trent, signalling the start of another new chapter for the company: “Some time has passed since we declared our intention to build here. Now that work has started in earnest, we are really looking forward to seeing the project take shape over the coming months.”
He added: "Our new centre will offer excellent standards at a low whole-life cost, and be a great place to come and work. Huge investment is being put into Coventry and we welcome the chance to be a part of the city's bright future.”
David Brown, Stoford Director, said: “This is another important step not only in the regeneration of Coventry city centre but also for office development on a national level. It will lead not just to the completion of a building that is iconic but one that will provide an excellent environmental benchmark for the design of future offices premises throughout the UK.”
He added: “In the 12 months it has taken to procure and appraise the final design solution, Stoford Developments, Severn Trent Water, Coventry City Council and Advantage West Midlands as stakeholders adopted a partnership approach that has required full co-operation to ensure that the professional team has been able to implement the delivery of what is sure to be an exceptional example of sustainable office development.”
Cllr Kevin Foster, Deputy Leader of Coventry, said: "We are delighted that Severn Trent is relocating to Coventry and that things are moving so quickly on what will be a very impressive and sustainable building in the heart of our city centre.
"Over the next 15 to 20 years the city centre will be transformed and this new development will help us to set a high standard of design and build for others to match. Coventry is set to become a unique and special place again and we are delighted that Severn Trent will be at the heart of this exciting time."
Richard Dakin, BAM Regional Director, said: “BAM Construction is proud to have secured such a prodigious project in the heart of Coventry. We are looking forward to working on the Severn Trent Centre and forming new relationships with Stoford Developments, Severn Trent and their teams.
He added: “In the current climate it is pleasing to see such a cutting edge and quality development moving forwards. This project provides us with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to Stoford Developments and Severn Trent the capabilities of BAM Construction.”
Henriette Lyttle-Breukelaar, AWM Partnership Director, said: “It is tremendously important – particularly at a time of economic uncertainty – that Coventry and the West Midlands are able to attract and retain high value companies and high quality jobs. This scheme forms a major opportunity for the area’s highly skilled workforce and we are proud to work with Stoford to make this a reality.”
