Member Article

Newcastle's Surgo appointed to £1.7m Skoda project

Newcastle-based Surgo Construction (Surgo) has been awarded a contract to construct a new £1.7m Skoda showroom in Belmont, Durham, for the Pulman Group.

The construction company successfully tendered against five other contractors to secure the appointment.

Planning for the new showroom was obtained earlier this year by Pulman Group’s project manager on the scheme, Newcastle-based Silverstone Building Consultancy (Silverstone).

As well as acting as client’s agent for the scheme, the consultancy is also responsible for assembling the full design team comprising architects, Ian Belsham Associates, Portland Consulting Engineers and mechanical and electrical contractors, Sine Consulting.

Richard Farrey, director at Silverstone said: “It was evident that Surgo had put considerable effort into putting together a very competitive bid, which demonstrated their enthusiasm for securing the client. We are looking forward to working with Surgo and the design team on what will be our third project management instruction for Pulman.”

The bespoke design includes a car showroom area which will have the capacity to accommodate nine display vehicles as well as a servicing workshop, external sales forecourt, cafe and catering kitchen.

The energy efficient design will include solar panels, water recycling and high specification cladding and glazing. The client has been very involved in the process and design of the building to ensure it meets their business needs.

Speaking about this latest contract win, Surgo’s managing director, James Walker, said:

“We are very pleased to have secured a contract in the retail motor sector again where we have completed many similar schemes in the past and hope it will provide the platform for us to win further work in this buoyant sector in the months ahead.”

Work on the showroom will commence in June with completion due in February 2016.

Surgo has also recently been awarded a second contract in Durham to build a new data centre for Durham University on the Josephine Butler Campus. This 13-week scheme is being undertaken as part of the university’s wider New World Programme, which commenced in 2013 and which is aimed at making significant improvements to its IT services.