Story Contracting were contracted by Landmarc to carry out the project to construct a new 1214m2 industrial style training building for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) within the Catterick MOD base.
Story Contracting were contracted by Landmarc to carry out the project to construct a new 1214m2 industrial style training building for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) within the Catterick MOD base. The project was procured by the DIO on behalf of the British Army, and represented part of a major programme of investment into urban training environments within the MOD Defence Training Estate.
The existing Catterick site did not include an indoor urban training facility, meaning this facility would be the first of its kind in the region, with the capacity to provide facilities for up to 40 soldiers at a time.
Following the completion of the building, the internal fit out was to be complete by veteran owned 4GD, to create an immersive close combat training environment, including a customisable panel wall system and the use of light, smoke and sound effects.
The completed building will be used by the British Army and Emergency Services to train in urban scenarios, including a range of combat and rescue situations.
The project involved the following main work activities:
• Significant earthworks
• Construction of a new retaining wall
• Completion of all building foundations
• Installation of attenuation tank
• Erection of steel portal frame
• Installation of cladding to building roof and walls
• Installation of concrete floors throughout
• Installation of over £1m of M&E equipment including specialist air handling units, heat source pumps and heat recovery units
• Retrospective install of 27 additional structural steel beams in order to carry the extensive M&E equipment
• Completion of external drainage works
• External surfacing and landscaping works
In order to meet programme restraints, the project began by carrying out the major muckshift operations of the project during the winter months, with the team overcoming the adverse weather and poor ground conditions to successfully complete this element of the works.
As works progressed, the team were also proactive in working with the design team to highlight issues with the existing design and facilitating the development of remedial design solutions, equating to over £800k of additional works and including the installation of 27 extra structural beams to hold the state-of-the-art M&E equipment installed in the facility
The site was within Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) land at Catterick Garrison, so we worked closely with them to ensure that our activities did not disrupt the ongoing operations. This included works taking place next to live armed forces training areas, with troops regularly training in close proximity the boundaries of site.
Activity which increased in order to train Ukrainian Armed Forces following the outbreak of the war with Russia. This required the team to liaise daily with the DIO to ensure compatibility between our upcoming works and operational needs, particularly around vehicle movements for deliveries. This ensured that all interfaces were proactively managed throughout the project.
BAE Systems
Story Contracting were contracted by BAE Systems to carry out the project which was a mixture of civils and building works to prepare the site for the new University of Cumbria facility.
Holmen Iggesund
In 2021 Story were appointed to assist the design team to produce the most efficient construction sequence to carry out the construction of a new Effluent Treatment Plant at the Iggesund factory in Workington, Cumbria.
Carlisle City Council
The ground floor of the building was badly impacted by the floods caused by Storm Desmond in December 2015 and had been unused for six years as a result. Extensive refurbishment works were required to repurpose the ground floor which previously housed a large amount of the council’s public-facing operations.