Latest wins for the Liverpool waterfront-based consultancy include major construction projects in Leeds, Croydon and Southampton. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool construction safety consultancy Project Four is set to take on more people in early 2019 after securing contracts to work on three major building projects across the UK worth a total of more than £200m.
The latest wins continue the rapid growth of the firm since it was launched just two years ago. In the summer it was revealed that the construction, design and management (CDM) experts were already working on schemes worth in excess of £500m.
Run by directors Alan Robson and Max Meadows, Project Four play a crucial role in helping developers, contractors and architects comply with tougher CDM regulations introduced in 2015 and takes on the role of ‘advisor to the principal designer’.
Across the UK
Having established itself as the ‘go-to’ CDM specialist in the North West, Project Four is now extending its reach across the UK with contract wins on projects in Southampton, Croydon and Leeds.
Working on behalf of FI Real Estate Management, Alan and Max’s team will advise on CDM compliance on Nelson Gate, a £165m project in Southampton that will transform a 1970s office block into a 150-bed hotel, 43,000 sq ft of offices and 250 apartments.
FI is also the client at a multi-million pound residential development in Croydon called Leon Quarter, which will comprise 350 homes, restaurant as well as a public square and gardens. And in Leeds, housing developer Neighbour has hired Project Four for its Flax Place and Richmond Street scheme, comprising a 14-storey building housing 300 apartments.
Just a few weeks ago it was also revealed Project Four would apply its CDM expertise to a 200-bed hotel that will be built next to Liverpool’s new Cruise Line Terminal, as a consultant to the main contractor on the scheme, Wates Construction.
Extra staff
The growing pipeline of deals has meant Project Four, based at Avenue HQ in Liverpool’s Mann Island, has had to recruit extra skilled staff to cope with the influx of work. Max Meadows anticipates more people coming on board in the New Year.
He said: “When we launched Project Four in 2016 we knew we had a great offer. Both Alan and I were already well established in the North West business sector. But even we are delighted at the pace of growth so far.
“Key to that growth, we think, has been the introduction of the latest CDM regulations in 2015. Too many operators in the construction sector were not prepared for the level of compliance demanded by the new rules.
“And, we have seen in recent weeks how the Health & Safety Executive is now making a serious effort to target those responsible for compliance. Not just the easy targets among the building firms, but also architects and developers.
“This is all good news for Project Four as we anticipate our expertise will be needed more and more in 2019. We have established ourselves as the leading player in the field.”