Hull site with host of historical challenges scoops construction award

Published by Diana Maccarthy for Frank Haslam Milan in Housing and also in Communities

FRANK Haslam Milan (FHM) scooped a top construction award for a landmark project in Hull which included searches for unexploded WWII bombs and archaeological remains of a defence network built by Henry VIII.

FHM, part of the Keepmoat Group, received a Bronze National Site Award at this year’s Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) Awards for The Crossings, a £5 million homeless centre in Great Union Street for client Riverside-ECHG.

The awards, which follow scored site visits, recognise exceptional standards of consideration towards local neighbourhoods and the general public, the workforce and the environment.

The awards are only given to the highest scoring 7½% of sites. The Crossings received a site visit score from CCS monitors of 36.5 out of a possible 40. More than 650 winners were selected from some 8,500 eligible sites to win Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards.

The historical legacy of the site presented a host of challenges for the FHM team, led by Project Manager Gary Williams. Hull was one of the most severely bombed cities during WWII and the project had to accommodate specialist searches for unexploded bombs.

The site was also documented as lying in a part of Hull which contained town defences established by Henry VIII. The team also worked with archaeologists on site, who were searching for traces of the early defences, thought to consist of a curtain wall which linked a castle and an outer fort or blockhouse. 

Coupled with the physical location of the site, next to a dry dock, the River Hull and an occupied warehouse, The Crossings proved a unique project to work on.

Martin Smithurst, FHM Managing Director, said: “The construction challenges the unique historical context presented were circumnavigated by our committed team, who maintained exemplary site standards throughout, leading to this prestigious Bronze National Site Award.”

Andrew Williamson, Riverside Development Manager, said: “Gary and his Team demonstrated the highest standards throughout this project. This was a complex tight site with a number of unique issues. This award is well deserved and recognition of all their hard work.”

The Crossings has already proved an award winning project:

• FHM’s Project Manager Gary Williams won a trio of gongs at the National House-Building Council Pride in the Job Awards for the North East region. He received a prestigious Pride in the Job Quality Award, followed by a higher accolade a ‘Seal of Excellence’, presented to the top 130 site managers. He then scooped the North Eastern regional award in the Multi-Storey Category. He went on to the National Pride in the Job Awards receiving the runner up award in the Multi-Storey Category.

• Gary also received a hat-trick of awards in the National House-Building Council’s Health and Safety Awards. He received a commended for the development in the Multi-Storey Category and a highly commended, in recognition of the extra challenges faced. He was then crowned regional winner for the development in the category.