‘EXCEPTIONAL’ RATINGS FOR PLYMOUTH LIFE CENTRE CONTRACTOR

 

Balfour Beatty, the main contractor working on Plymouth’s Life Centre has been described as ‘exceptional’ in a new report published as part of the ‘Considerate Constructors Scheme’, it has been announced today.

 

The company, which is building the project on behalf of Plymouth City Council, scored a total of 37.5 points out of 40 in a recent assessment of the Central Park construction site, as part of the Scheme’s Site Code of Considerate Practice.

 

Balfour Beatty received top marks in the categories of ‘considerate’, ‘environment’ and ‘respectful’ where it scored a maximum 5 points (exceptional and unique measures) in each area. It scored 4.5 (very high standards) in the five other categories of ‘cleanliness’, ‘being a good neighbour’, ‘safe’, ‘responsible’ and ‘accountable’.

 

Working with the local community, businesses, local schools, colleges and users of Central Park was highlighted by assessors and the way in which it organizes regular seminars, newsletters and updates community notice boards to keep people informed of progress on the Plymouth Life Centre. The work Balfour Beatty has done with Plymouth City Council’s arts team on the ‘Top Dogs’ project was also picked out.

 

On the environment, the energy reduction scheme to encourage local workers to travel to and from the construction site was recognized, along with providing bikes and lock-ups, working closely with the Environment Agency on going above and beyond best practice, as well as monitoring and reducing energy use on-site.

 

Assessors also noted the work on taking the safety message into Plymouth schools, visits to the construction site and its work experience partnership with engineering students at City College. The webcams and links to Plymouth City Council’s website were also highlighted.

 

Councillor Peter Brookshaw, Cabinet Member for Community Services (Safer and Stronger Communities and Leisure, Culture and Sport) said: “It’s a fantastic achievement for the whole team working on the Plymouth Life Centre that assessors felt it was an exceedingly well-managed site with compliance well and truly higher than high levels. It was decided that Balfour Beatty, on behalf of Plymouth City Council, was considerate in every way possible and I would like to congratulate everyone involved in achieving and maintaining these standards – very well done.”

 

John Bunker, Construction Director for Balfour Beatty, added: “We’re personally delighted with this score and to have the construction site and work areas described as immaculately clean, well presented with excellent welfare facilities is testament to the hard work by the whole team on-site. The Plymouth Life Centre is a project of which we’re all immensely proud and we’re very much looking forward to its opening next year.”

---