Portland were initially commissioned by the Kier North Tyneside joint venture on inception of the project and the appointment straddled the conclusion of the ten-year framework where the commission continued as a direct appointment to North Tyneside Council. The multi-faceted, staged project included the following:
- Reorganisation of the 7-hectare site to accommodate the municipal vehicle fleet including refuse, highways operation and road gritting vehicles.
- Refurbishment of the Grade 2* listed administration centre, once the British Gas Research Station
- Refurbishment of a former storage building to create new dining and mess facilities
- Extension and refurbishment of the vehicle workshop
- Design and installation of solar canopies parking and battery storage
- Assessment of all the on-site buildings for adequacy to receive photovoltaics.
- Creation of new parking facilities
- Creation of new materials storage yard and bulk bays
Decarbonisation was fundamental to the design ethos of the project with the roofs of the existing buildings providing an opportunity to maximise the potential. As such, each of the numerous existing buildings were surveyed and assessed for their structural ability to receive the panels. To supplement the roof areas, bespoke site specific parking canopies were devised.
