The new £1.5m sports hall accommodation at Saintfield High School was today officially opened by the Education Minister, John O’Dowd. Constructed by MSM Contracts, as main contractor, this project was delivered through the School Enhancement Programme.

Key elements of the construction works involved:
– a three court indoor sports hall constructed at first floor level with covered surface level car parking
– construction of a new entrance lobby, waiting room and Bursar’s office
– refurbishment works to construct new male & female team changing rooms, WCs, shower cubicles and accessible showers
– construction of a first floor link corridor
– construction of an access footbridge
– remedial works to the existing flat roof
– construction of an Anchor block retaining wall

Speaking during the visit, the Minister said:
“It is a pleasure to be here today to officially open the new £1.52million sports hall and changing facilities which were provided through my Department’s School Enhancement Programme. This investment has allowed the school to address the accommodation issues and I am delighted to be here today to see the end result.
“Ongoing investment in our schools estate is essential if we are to continue to provide a quality education. The School Enhancement Programme is an important way of providing much needed work to our schools estate and I am confident that this investment will help in the drive to improve educational standards.”

Saintfield High School principal Vivien Watt said:
“This is a wonderful day. I am just thrilled that money was made available through the School Enhancement Programme to make our dreams a reality for all our pupils. It is a magnificent sports facility, enjoyed by all our students, extra-curricular clubs and societies, and the boys and girls from Academy Primary School. This is a real investment in the future of our school – in the lives of our young people and the wider community.”

MSM Contracts have commenced works to construct a two-storey office extension at Radius Systems, located in the Halfpenny Valley Industrial Estate, Lurgan. Radius Systems is a leading company involved in the design, development and manufacture of plastic piping systems for the utilities, telecommunications and construction industries.

The project is designed by Tate Stevenson Architects, with a consultant team of W T Orr & Partners (quantity surveyors), George Dawson (structural engineers), Integrated Services Design (services consultant) and Hasco Europe (CDM Co-Ordinator). Works commenced during January 2016 with completion in early July 2016.

The completed building, with approximate internal floor area of 500m2, will be tied in to the existing factory and will comprise the following:

Ground floor: entrance lobby, reception and waiting area; two conference rooms; human resources office; workspace for ‘hot desking’; logistics office with dispatch room, driver access and counter; kitchen and toilets.

First floor: director’s office; board room; open plan office space; finance office; kitchen/canteen and toilets.

The building will be constructed using a structural steel frame on reinforced concrete pad & strip foundations, a ground supported in-situ concrete floor slab and precast floor slabs to first floor level. The building façade will combine Kingspan roof cladding panels, Polyroof Protec System to the annexe flat roof, blockwork external walls with coloured external render and ppc aluminium windows and doors.

A complete interior fit-out will be carried out, including mechanical, electrical and lift installations. External works will comprise kerbing, bitmac surfacing and line markings to form a 50-space car park and soft landscaping works.

MSM Contracts are currently progressing works to construct a new Dye House & Energy Centre for Ulster Carpets at their Castleisland factory in Portadown. Construction works are being delivered within a fully operational site, adjacent to live production facilities, with completion scheduled for summer 2016. Once completed, this modern 2,800m2 production building will accommodate a range of advanced technologies that will improve manufacturing capacity and sustainability performance, including a dedicated steam production plant and advanced heat recovery system. A standalone HV substation, transformer room and switch room will be constructed under this contract.

Following demolition works to clear the site, MSM Contracts commenced the construction works during September 2015. Foundation works comprised driven precast concrete piles and reinforced concrete ground beams to the building footprint. Extensive trenching, underground drainage works and reinforced concrete works were carried out to provide the below ground network of drainage runs and machinery bases etc. required to suit the future manufacturing processes.

High winds and heavy rainfall have created significant challenges to the programme during recent months, however, considerable progress continues to be made. The structural steel frame (in excess of 150 tonnes), purlins and cladding rails were erected during November/December 2015. The building design includes a Kingspan Multideck mezzanine floor, approximate area 870m2. As of early February 2016, the concrete works to the mezzanine floor level are approximately 50% complete. Substructure blockwork and facing brick to floor level is close to completion, whilst the formwork and reinforcement to the ground floor slab is progressing well.

Roof cladding works are approximately 75% completed, with wall cladding works due to commence during late February 2016.