Follow our Progress at North View

We have despite the typical winter weather you would expect in February in Manchester, progressed as planned in both the external and internal envelopes of the North View Development construction.

The external brickwork is nearing completion and will be fundamentally completed by the end of March.

The roof is now complete above the main entrance and administration office which has allowed us to commence the internal fit out of these areas.

 

The mechanical and electrical first fix services are continuing to be installed in several wards,  and also we have started to install the second and final mechanical and electrical first fix services in the first 2 wards.

The underfloor heating is now over 70% complete and we are looking to achieve full completion by the end of March, this is essential as this allows the final floor screed to be installed which then allows all the finishing trades aspects to conclude within these areas.

We have commenced the installation of the hygiene wall cladding and the sanitaryware installation in the patient bedroom en-suites.

In preparation of the air source heat pumps that are to be installed in the FM Yard, we have installed their foundations and associated services that lay under the ground in these areas.

The internal fitted furniture, doors and frames has commenced installation within the first 2 wards. We have recently commenced in the decoration and laying the vinyl flooring within these 2 wards as well.

 

The installation has started of the landscaping to the courtyards including the patient ward gardens.

 

The final landscaping elements have started to be installed in some of our internal courtyards. The brickwork has also progressed well and is now nearly 90% complete.

 

The roof and windows are now fully installed throughout the development, this is an essential element in keeping the internal building watertight.

 

 

 

 

 

The FM yard under ground installations have now been laid, this as allowed for this area’s preparation to continue and be ready for the final tarmac finish.

 

The internal partitions are over 75% complete which is allowing the walls to be plastered skimmed and painted.

 

 

The first patient bedroom in the PICU ward has been installed with the fitted furniture.

 

 

The first roof top garden is ready for the external windows to be installed which will be complete with decorative artwork. 

 

 

The under-floor heating installation is now complete in the first 2 wards.

 

 

 

We have encountered another challenging month within January but we're pleased to say that we are continuing to progress well with the development, including working through the snowy conditions.

 

 

The masonry brickwork is now fully complete in the first two wards and is also nearly complete in the second set of wards, including the external courtyards. Scaffolding has now been stripped from the area, allowing further construction work to be completed.

 

 

The roof and glazing elements are complete in 85% of the development, allowing for internal construction to take place in most areas of the site. This will help the project team deliver on time and within budget.

 

 

The internal partitions are now complete in the first two wards and are 90% complete in the next four wards.

 

  

 

With the internal envelope shaping up nicely, mechanical and electrical installations are well underway.

 

 

Construction of the lift shafts has also been finished, allowing for the lift installation to begin.

Despite the challenging weather conditions in December the building contractor has performed well and maintained a steady pace on the development.

 

The roof installation, masonry brickwork cladding and glazing facades are nearly complete in the first two wards. These elements are essential in ensuring the building becomes fully watertight to allow for internal construction work to be completed.

 

 

 

The first section of the roofing structure has also begun in the final zones, highlighting the speed with which the programme has been delivered to on this development.

 

 

The internal partitions are well underway in these final areas as well. With the base walls of the staff wards fitted, it’s much easier to visualise the space and how it will be used once completed.

 

  

We have witnessed huge progress on the North View Development over the past month and the project remains on track despite challenging autumn weather conditions.

Only six months after work started on it, the steel frame superstructure has been completed throughout the unit, which has in turn allowed for the installation of all ground and upper floor concrete slabs.

 

 

With these fundamentals in place, the construction team made big strides on other elements of the exterior, including the brickwork, glazing and roofing structure. But the construction domino effect didn’t end there; once the building became watertight, work immediately began on the interiors, and it is much easier to visualise the impressive ward layout now that some of the internal walls have been completed.

 

 

Construction colleagues reached another key milestone in October when they connected the electrical supply to the development. Being ‘fully electric’, our new mental health unit will be far less reliant on fossil fuels to operate, thereby helping NHS England deliver on its commitment to providing a ‘net zero’ health service. North View’s green credentials also extend to the construction process itself; electrification has removed the need for diesel-powered generators to assist in the build, greatly reducing carbon emissions released during the project.

 

 

The latest drone photos do a great job of capturing the striking size and quality of the new development.

In mid-September, North View partners opened a new community skills centre on the construction site of our new mental health unit. The centre will provide young people who aren’t currently in work, education or training with opportunities to gain skills and experience in the construction sector. As a joint venture between Integrated Health Projects, the Trust, Manchester City Council and the Skills Construction Centre, the centre is intended to partially plug a future skills gap in the area.

 

 

 

Each cohort of learners will receive a minimum of 70 hours of practical work experience and also have a chance to build on their digital, maths and English skills.

Work on the new mental health unit itself has also continued at a rapid pace. The project team held a bustling topping out ceremony on 21 September to mark the installation of the highest point of the build and the final structural beam being fixed in place.

 

 

With the steel frame in place, builders were able to make big strides on the exterior cladding to help make the facility watertight. This will allow for work on the interior electrical and mechanical fittings to go ahead.

 

 

Other achievements include the installation of all upper floor concrete slabs, as well as most of those on the ground floor.

Alongside the physical construction work, the development team has continued to discuss different possible uses of the wards with staff and service users, ensuring we get the most out of our final space.

Construction has progressed at a pace on site again this month, even though the weather has not been ideal for late summer. As the roofing starts to complete in some sections of the development, the internal walls ceilings and first fix electrical and mechanical works has begun, keeping progress on track.

The last sections of steel frame superstructure at the main entrance and admin block, at the northern end of site is virtually complete. This milestone will be recognised by the Topping out ceremony arranged for the 21 September, to mark the last piece of steel being fixed in place.

Metal decking and framing systems, ground floor slab works, intumescent painting of steelwork, steel framing systems, brickwork, windows, curtain walling, roofing and mechanical and electrical works are all continuing to progress from south to north across the site, at varying levels of progress.

 

High and low voltage infrastructure works continue within the electrical sub-station and the mechanical plantroom is structurally complete. The off-site high voltage point of connection to energise the sub-station on site, is programmed for 5October.

Finally, the Community Skills Centre is planned to open next month (12 September). The hands-on skills centre will support local residents ages 16-24 who are not in employment, education, or training to gain new skills and experience for employment and will help close the future construction skills gap.

 

The first trade cohort will support 15 trainees and provide the opportunity to gain a Level 1 Award in a construction trade of their choice, alongside basic digital, maths and English skills, a CV, Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Card and a minimum of 70 hours practical work experience.

The construction site has been transformed over the last month, flooded not just by rain but with materials, cranes and labour resource, it quickly has become a very busy site.

 

 

The steel frame superstructure is approximately 75% constructed and it is due to be 100% complete by mid-September. The steel framing system and metal decking is progressing across the volumes from south to north.

  

 

The electrical sub-station and mechanical plantroom are now both watertight and electrical switchgear is being installed. The new high voltage electrical supply is due for connection to site in September.

 

Windows, curtain walling, roofing, wall insulation and internal partitions are on-going on volume 4 (the first section of construction at the southern end of the site). Internal first fix mechanical and electrical works are due to commence in August, within this volume.

A ‘wet trades’ skills school has now been set up on the construction site for the local community, schools, colleges and NHS staff/families, to learn construction skills (plastering, bricklaying etc.). A ‘dry trades and seminar facility is due to open in August/September within an existing building on the existing Park House/North Manchester site.

Works are progressing at a pace with the steel frame superstructure being constructed from south to north on site. Steelwork to three volumes (ward blocks) has been completed and two others are ongoing.

 

Metal decking has been completed to volume 4 (first ward block) and ground floor slab works, intumescent paint and steel framing system has also commenced to this area.

The electrical substation masonry superstructure and roof is complete, and the transformer is now in-situ. The mechanical plantroom slab is cast and masonry underway.

Pedestrian access along Crescent Drive has now re-opened, following repositioning of site hoarding, the final section of Gabion Wall is underway adjacent to Central Drive.

To support social value activities during the construction of the North View development, the main contractor (IHP) is participating in many initiatives that hope to enhance the employment, skills, community resilience, health, and wellbeing to those living in the local area.

In late 2024, North View will replace Park House as the in-patient mental health unit on the North Manchester General Hospital site. It has been decided to mark the transition into the new state of the art building, with the burial of a time capsule.

Wording for the time capsule has been agreed and IHP are visiting local schools and community groups in North Manchester to develop the content.

IHP are planning the opening of a skills centre in August, within the Medical Education Building at Park House, to provide construction training, seminars and toolbox talks for local residents, schools, colleges, NHS staff and their families.

With the continuing dry weather conditions, works are progressing well on site. The steel frame superstructure including the pre-cast concrete staircases to Volume V4 (the ward block on the lower ground level at the southern end) has now been completed.

 

Pads and foundations for the adjacent (lower and upper) Volumes (V3 and V5) are complete and the steel work for these has commenced. Foundations and drainage to the next (lower and upper) Volumes (V2 and V6) moving north, has also commenced. Notes on Steel Frame: A volume represents a ward area, there are 8 volumes.  Our steel programme sequence starts on V4 followed by V3 then V5, V2, V6, V1 and finishes with V7.

   

The energy centre masonry is progressing well up to roof level and the mechanical plantroom foundations have commenced.

The main site cabins, welfare and offices have now fully relocated to the southern end of the site and the tarmac haul road is on-going.

The permanent site boundary hoarding on Crescent Drive is being moved back sequentially, to allow pedestrian access, now that adjacent Gabion Walls have been completed.

As part of the social value plan, Integrated Health Projects (IHP) - The Trust’s Principal Supply Chain Partner for North View – along with staff from the North View Project Team, Maple Ward and their service users, recently completed some garden tidying and planting on Maple Ward at Park House on the North Manchester General Hospital site. This was well received and made a difference physically and mentally for all.

 

 

Ex-England and Everton footballer Trevor Steven visited the IHP construction site on Tuesday 30 May, to provide a talk to their site operatives on mental health in construction. Another visit is planned to capture wider North View stakeholders.

 

Following some mixed weather conditions for April, building work on North View has continued at pace. This can now be evidenced with the above ground steel super structure works that is visible on site.

Area V4 Erection of structural steelwork

 Lower ground floor area steel frame for North View

Steelwork was delivered to site on the 17 April and a ‘bolt tightening’ event was held on the 25 April, to mark the specific milestone of steelwork erection. You can read more about this here: Steel Frame construction marks major milestone in building of North View, Manchester | News and Events | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT (gmmh.nhs.uk)

Trust Director of Finance and project Senior Responsible Owner, Suzanne Robinsonon site to tighten a ‘golden bolt’ with staff from Park House

Vibro piling, ground (lime) modification and soft spot remediation works have all been completed within the month. Pad/foundations to the upper and lower levels plus the masonry super structure to the electrical sub-station, has also commenced.

Completion of ground beam design

HV LV substation facing brickwork

Adjustments to site gate locations for access of steelwork and materials is underway and there are currently approximately 60 site operatives working on site.

Upper ground floor foul drainage manhole

A location beneath the seating/circulation area in the new North View Café Garden has been agreed, to locate the time capsule. Visits to local schools and community groups are on-going to discuss the time capsule content required.

Planning is also underway to accommodate a Skills Centre on site, so the local community, schools and colleges etc. can experience some basic construction skills, under the supervision of IHP Vinci Construction.

Despite the snow, ice and low temperatures, building work on North View continued. We are working from the South to the North of the site and ground works are well underway with the installation of ground bearing pad foundations to one of the patient wings on the lower level of the site.

Vibro piling, which is the installation of densely compacted columns into soil, has commenced on the upper level of the site and the sub-station foundations/slab and main drainage outfall are now complete. There are currently approximately 55-60 people working on the construction site.

This month, we held open days for the public, staff, and visitors to learn more about our new mental health inpatient unit as part of an Open Doors event. Participants had the opportunity to look around the ‘live’ construction site as part of a site tour, which demonstrated a mixture of planned, in-progress and completed works. During the tour, the team told participants about the project and their roles in the construction process and answered questions. Here’s an update from one of the tours: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust on LinkedIn: #gmmhimprovingnorthmcr 

Open days will be repeated further down the construction calendar, as the works progress.

 

 

 

 

 

Building works are continuing and we are making good progress on site, with the formation of attenuation tanks to store excess rainwater and main drainage outfall. We are continuing with site boundary vacuum excavation work and limescale modification. Backfill to the retaining wall has been completed and gabion walls are 75% complete.

This month, as part of the social value plan, stakeholders from GMMH, DAY Project Management Ltd, and Integrated Health Projects (IHP) - The Trust’s Principal Supply Chain Partner for the new North View building - spent time litter picking in Crumpsall Park and surrounding areas. Positive feedback was received by residents, passers-by and ‘Keep Manchester Tidy’. 27 bags of rubbish were collected. You can read more about this here: Clean up crew around North Manchester hospital site! | News and Events | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT (gmmh.nhs.uk)

Also, within the month, IHP held a ‘Safety Moment Stand Down’ session, a guest speaker provided a very poignant Health and Safety presentation, to compliment a very informative event. Further events will be held as construction progresses.

 

 

 

We are making good progress on the new unit. Demolition of all remaining buildings on the site is now complete. We now have full access to the entire site with the final restricted area handed over from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust to GMMH and Integrated Health Projects, our Principal Supply Chain Partner, in December 2022.

Due to the size and nature of the land, a significant amount of work in the early stages is required to level up the site. New reinforced concrete retaining walls, down the centre of the site, which also form the central access corridor for the new building, will be completed by the end of January 2023. Stone gabion retaining walls being constructed along the Crescent Road site perimeter will support the building's external grounds and gardens.

Over the next 3 months, work will continue across the site, largely below ground as the core building infrastructure is put in place, including the installation of new below ground drainage and utility services that will enable the new development to function.

Other works includes the buildings foundations and the installation of the prefabricated, structural steel frames. This is when the outline of the building will become very much visible!

Watch our construction video to see how the new building will take shape. We are currently around the 20 sec mark.  

Building works for North View - our new purpose-built development – continues on the North Manchester General Hospital site.

The photos below show the construction of the reinforced concrete structural retaining walls that also form the central access corridor for the new building.

 

The photos below show the stone gabion retaining walls being constructed along the Crescent Road site perimeter that will support the building's external grounds and gardens.

A ‘ground breaking’ ceremony was held on Thursday 24 November 2022 and invited partners to celebrate and mark the key milestone in the project. Read more here: Ground Breaking marks official start of North View – Manchester’s new £105 million mental health unit | News and Events | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT (gmmh.nhs.uk)

 

Piling and concrete pouring takes place to form the foundations for the central spine of North View.  

Concrete pouring takes place

Piling to form the foundations of North View

Work is continuing to demolish the remaining site buildings and isolate any ‘live’ site services that were left in-situ. 

Demolition removal work

 

Building work continues on site. IHP have been erecting safety fencing to secure the site perimeter and deployed welfare facilities for construction staff. Initial works are underway to level the site off, including removal of old basement structures on the site. ​ 

Bulldozers levelling the site 

We’ve taken possession of the site for our new development alongside our contractor, IHP, to begin the construction of North View. Demolition has concluded by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), and the site has been formally handed over to us. 

Below are start and finish photographs showing the work completed on the site of our new development. 

Start of demolition & asbestos removal work

Completion of demolition work

Materials were kept on site for re-use in the foundations and earthworks for North View (stockpile shown above). 

Materials were salvaged for reclamation to minimise impact on landfill.