This contract for Ards and North Down Borough Council involved the newbuild construction of a part four-storey/part three-storey community building including basement. The GIFA of the completed building is 1,430m2 and comprises the following facilities:
– Basement: an indoor projectile range (25m long) with controlled private accesses from street level
– Ground floor: entrance lobby with main reception; a double-height multi-functional hall and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (Bangor Office) including reception, interview rooms, offices and staff rooms
– First floor: 3nr multi-functional rooms, 1nr meeting room, circulation space, stores and welfare accommodation
– Second floor: 1nr multi-functional hall, kitchen, stores and welfare accommodation

The external works involved forming a car parking area; laying paved areas; soft landscaping works; fencing & gates and provision of a bin enclosure.

The site was located adjacent to a busy junction between Hamilton Road and Mills Road in Bangor town centre, with a busy footpath, neighbouring public buildings, commercial properties and public car park further adding to the project complexities.

During the early stages of the contract, our site team completed (i) the demolition of the Borough Gymnasium building and general site clearance works and (ii) installed a contiguous piled wall to retain the existing footpath along Hamilton Road and Mills Road.

Construction works involved:
- extensive reduced level excavation to reduce the building footprint to basement formation level
- installation of 55nr 450mm dia. CFA piles
- reinforced concrete works, including waterproofing, to construct the basement slab, perimeter and internal walls
- structural steel frame with blockwork cavity walling, precast slabs and precast stair units
- timber roof trusses with loose structural steelwork and roof slating
- PPC aluminium windows/doors
- StoTherm Classic K insulated render
- Tegral cladding panels
- Trocal flat roofing

Interior fit-out works involved:
- M&E services incl. lift installation
- metal stud partitions; drylining; acoustic linings to the ceilings, walls, floor and openings to soundproof the basement projectile range; internal plastering and quick drying screeds
- suspended ceiling grid systems
- timber doors; hardwood screens
- soft flooring finishes
- ceramic wall & floor tiling
- decoration
- fitted furniture (washrooms/kitchen/reception & offices)