MCBAINS COOPER “BLUE LIGHT” TEAM, WORKING WITH NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE, SECURES PLANNING CONSENT FOR NEW POLICE STATION

MCBAINS COOPER


PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE



December 9, 2010.



MCBAINS COOPER “BLUE LIGHT” TEAM, WORKING WITH NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE, SECURES PLANNING CONSENT FOR NEW POLICE STATION



McBains Cooper, the international interdisciplinary property and construction consultancy, has designed a landmark Police Station in Yorkshire that will operate to the highest possible environmentally-sensitive standards.



Planning permission has been granted for the multi-million pound North Yorkshire Police Station on the outskirts of Harrogate. The new project will replace the existing 1930s building which would have taken half the cost of the new build to repair and maintain over the next ten years.



“The latest available technology and environmental features will be applied in the new Police Station. It will meet all Home Office guidelines, and is set to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ in terms of assessing the building’s environmental performance,” said Mark Baseby of McBains Cooper.



“We have also managed to turn a tight, sloping site, surrounded by protected mature trees, into a well-organised master plan. Locating the custody element of the building partly below ground and within the landscape has given the Police Authority a naturally secure environment in which to operate.”



North Yorkshire’s Chief Constable, Grahame Maxwell said: “This is not just an exciting project because it is something new and highly significant for the force, but because it is also clearly one of the most advanced Police Stations of its type which will benefit our communities for many years to come.”



Mark Baseby said: “The distinct architectural design treatments of the three entrances to the building – custodial, staff and public - form a significant part of the design approach and arrangement. Each entrance has a different look and feel and is located separately. A key element of the design brief was ‘civic dignity’, and this is achieved in what is a landmark building which sits on a very tight and complicated site.”



The 16-cell custody suite will be located in the stone “podium” base of the building, while office accommodation for 200 officers and staff will be in a predominantly glazed, two storey element above, making it an extremely pleasant working environment whilst at the same time, striking the right balance between openness and the required security considerations.



There will also be a two-storey car park, with the lower storey providing operational vehicle parking, vehicle maintenance and storage.



Michael Thirkettle, Chief Executive of McBains Cooper, said: “We have now been involved with the design and construction of several Police Headquarters and Operational Accommodation in the UK and have become internationally recognised for our expertise in this area. We have contracts for similar work as far away as Latin America where we have been engaged on a number of government-funded custodial and security-related construction projects.”





Ends



Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com



Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Lima (Peru) and Mexico City, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com