2018 Recap & Merry Christmas !

During 2018, gcp has been continuing to work with Courtenay Investments on the strip back to shell refurbishment and extension of their 1950’s office block in Holborn, Central London.  Enabling works are now complete and construction work proper will commence in Q1 2019.

Elizabeth House, Holborn

Four schemes have been progressing in Lawrence Weston in North West Bristol with ongoing design work for Ambition Lawrence Weston, Pioneer Medical Group and Bristol City Council to try and bring the vision of a community hub building to fruition.  We are also working with social landlord Curo at Henacre Road and Corbett Close.  The 128 home scheme at Henacre Road will be on site by Easter next year following a painstaking search for any unexploded ordnance scheduled for the New Year.  The fourth scheme is for Bristol City Council to the rear of the Ridingleaze shops where we will have designed nine houses for social rent.

Henacre Road, Bristol

We have also been working on an inner-city housing scheme for Acorn Property Group at Brooks Dye Works in St. Werburghs, Bristol (106 units) and large rural schemes for Lindon Homes near Long Ashton (103 units for phase 1) and Stonewater at Northwick Farm near Worcester (62 units).

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been working with us on the development of their Urban Cricket Centre Concept, designed to bring playing opportunities to some of the most deprived post codes across East London, Birmingham and Bradford. The opening of the first site in East London is scheduled to coincide with the Cricket World Cup 2019.

ECB Urban Cricket Centre Concept

Halsall Construction continue to be a great supporter with design for projects completed at Silver Street in Willand and Station Road in Castle Carey.  In Swindon we have been working with the football club’s community trust to bring about the construction of a new pavilion building to support their new artificial turf pitch at the County Ground site.  In Malvern we have just secured planning consent for fourteen homes for c-t-s Construction and Broadway Heritage Ltd on the edge of a local conservation area in the grounds of a former convent.

Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust, Community Club Hub

It only remains for me on behalf of the Directors to express our warmest thanks to the staff, clients and fellow consultants who have made 2018 the most successful in our now 31 year history!

Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year to you all.

Jeremy Pilling

Managing Director

gcp chartered Architects

West Road, Lympsham

Corbet Close Consultation set-up

Corbet Close Site Constraint

Station Road, Brent Knoll

Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust ‘Community Club Hub’

gcp Chartered Architects has been appointed by Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust to work with Beard Construction to develop a detailed design for the Football Foundation funded ‘Community Club Hub’ at the County Ground in Swindon.

The design team of Kilminster Beer, SDS Consulting and Method Consulting is well on the way to achieving a start on site in January next year. Swindon Borough Council will very shortly be completing the necessary pre-commencement highway improvement works. 

The two- storey building amounting to 750m2 will accommodate four changing rooms to support the existing athletics track and a proposed floodlit all weather pitch as well as a café, clubroom, office space for the Trust and ancillary accommodation.

Next stage for Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park funding application!

Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park has been invited by the Rural Development Programme to the next stage of grant funding application, which will help to provide new and improved facilities at the park. We’re excited to continue supporting Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park in this, with the detailed application due in late September.

gcp working with the ECB

gcp are working with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), to support the delivery of their recently launched 11-point action plan to better engage with South Asian communities, which aims to diversify the game, remove barriers to participation and use cricket to make a positive difference to society.

Through the creation of the action plan, ECB identified that the most significant barrier to South Asian participation is limited access to cricket facilities in urban areas – where the vast majority of these communities live.  To address this, ECB plans to provide year-round access to facilities, tackling the challenges of availability, quality and cost, by installing affordable community cricket facilities in urban locations where demand is highest.  A key component of this action, is the piloting of three indoor Urban Cricket Centres during the next two years, with the ambition of creating more than 20 Centres over the next five years.

gcp have worked alongside ECB to develop the Urban Cricket Centre delivery model, and Ridge and Partners have worked with gcp and ECB to advise on costs.

This exciting opportunity follows up on gcp’s previous work with the ECB to develop the technical guidance note for indoor cricket facilities.

20+ new Urban Cricket Centres to be developed by 2024

st monica trust looks to the future

Cote Lane site, St Monica Trust

St Monica Trust is a long-established provider of retirement accommodation in Bristol offering over 55 flats on lease hold or a rental basis to long term nursing and dementia care.  They operate five sites in and around Bristol, with their Cote Lane site in North Bristol forming the hub of their activities.  The Cote Lane site, established in 1924 by the Wills family, now provides accommodation for over 320 residents in a range of fantastic buildings within a beautifully landscaped nine-acre site. The site also accommodates the Trust and over all the sites employs over 500 staff including care, hospitality and administrative functions.

gcp Chartered Architects have been appointed to develop a far ranging Five-Year Enhancement Plan for the site.  The Enhancement Plan is looking to upgrade many of the on-site facilities and create an ‘open retirement village’ where the gym, swimming pool, coffee shop, restaurant and hall are open to local people, schools and businesses.

The Trust is ambitious and is keen to future proof the site by ensuring it continues to provide sector leading facilities and standards of care. If approved by the trustees the works will be delivered over a five-year period starting in 2018.

During 2017, gcp supported the Trust with the development of B Block and Somer Dining, a restaurant forming part of the £60m Chocolate Quarter development in Keynsham.

chocolate quarter nears opening

BBlock Restaurant at The Chocolate Quarter in Keynsham

Signage for BBlock Restaurant at The Chocolate Quarter in Keynsham

St Monica Trust have invested over £60m in the redevelopment of the former Fry’s chocolate factory in Keynsham (between Bristol and Bath) in creating a new retirement community, The Chocolate Quarter.  As part of the soft launch and pre-opening staff training, staff at gcp enjoyed a wood-fired pizza in B Block, the gcp designed bistro / bar that forms a suite of facilities open to the public.

B Block and sister restaurant, Somer Dining, will open on Monday 6th November.

Following on from their work at The Chocolate Quarter, gcp Chartered Architects have been appointed to develop A Five-Year Enhancement Plan for the Trust’s prestigious Cote Lane site in North Bristol, the jewel in the Trust’s crown.

Hot Weather Endorsement for Practical Advice

Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park MegaFan Installation

After a month of hot weather, the children, parents and management in the Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park play barn near Bristol are delighted with the MegaFan installation as suggested by Jonathan Platt, Director at gcp.  Doug Douglas, Managing Director of Avon Valley outlines the main benefits for his business.

gcp Chartered Architects are currently working with Avon Valley to create a masterplan for the site. The aim of the plan is to improve user experience by using people flow analysis to help avoid bottlenecks at key points in the site by introducing new attractions and changing sightlines that encourages circulation around the site. The work includes further upgrades to the play barn, the introduction of party rooms, re-planning the visitor entry and exit and developing out of park facilities such as the farm shop.

The masterplan improvements will also enable Avon Valley to further develop their off-summer season events such as their multi-award winning Fear.