Interchange Multistorey Car Park

Year: 2023
Region: West Midlands
Award Category: Integration and Collaborative Working
Organisation / Individual: Cundall Johnston and Partners LLP, Urban Growth Company (UGC), VINCI Construction UK Limited, Associated Architects, Fira Landscape Ltd, WT Partnership, Burdus Access, HS2 Ltd, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council – Local Planning Authority, D Department for Transport (DfT), Arden Cross Ltd
National / Regional Winner: Regional Winner
Constructing Excellence

The team approach to successfully achieving planning permission and receiving HS2’s L3 certification for the Scheme Design of Interchange Multistorey Car Park (MSCP) project has been an exemplar of Integration and Collaboration. Despite extremely tight timescales being set by the Urban Growth Company (UGC), both the planning permission and L3 certification were secured on time and to the level of quality that exceeded all parties’ expectations. This success was only possible through the integration of the diverse team into a single entity with a common set of goals, and the highly collaborative nature of the team’s approach throughout the course of the Concept and Scheme Design periods.

UGC commissioned Cundall, Associated Architects and Fira in 2021 to develop a concept design for multistorey car parking for the site to determine the opportunities for land release; UGC subsequently commissioned VINCI (with the incumbent design team continuing to provide consultancy services via VINCI) in December 2021 via the Pagabo Framework to complete the Concept and Scheme Designs, to secure planning permission and achieve L3 certification acceptance from HS2. VINCI’s selection as UGC’s partner for the project was primarily based on VINCI’s approach to delivering the design, the Social Values proposals for the projects and their collaborative working style rather than being based on cost.

UGC’s approach of employing VINCI from the Stage 2/Concept Design period as a Design and Build lead consultant and contractor enabled extremely early involvement of the supply chain (through VINCI’s established relationships) and a strong focus on buildability and lean construction throughout the design process.

Three Winning Facts:
  1. Successfully achieved a hybrid planning permission (including EIA) for a complex multi-phase scheme within a very short timeframe–this was only possible via successful collaboration integrating all of the parties into a single team.
  2. The integration of the requirements of a wide range of stakeholders into the Scheme Design, planning application and HS2’s L3 certification within a short time frame.
  3. Successfully meeting the client’s brief to increase the land available to enable economic growth and commercial development.