Johnson Fellows to project manage £4M Telford new build for doctors24th October 2012

Johnson Fellows has started work as project managers on a £4 million new build project for a Telford medical practice, Donnington Medical Practice, which will provide the local community with state-of-the-art facilities.

The Birmingham-based chartered surveyors have also been appointed to provide architectural design services for the redevelopment of the medical practice. The existing building is being demolished and then rebuilt and extended.

Andrew Rowson, building consultancy partner at Johnson Fellows, said: “The new 20,000 sq ft, two-storey building in Wrekin Drive, Telford, will provide ample space to accommodate the existing 25-strong team as well as any future recruits. The flexible layout will complement changes in medical procedures and comprise a minor operation suite, consultation rooms, pharmacy, and clinical space for the practice’s eight doctors.”

Bryan Henshall, business manager for Donnington Medical Practice, said: “Our current building is a 1960’s single storey design that is out-dated, cramped and not compliant with current primary care standards. We needed to upgrade the building to enable us to offer more services to our 12,500 registered patients.”

Angela Crompton, practice manager for the Donnington Medical Practice, said: “It is important that the practice remains operational throughout the building work, so initially only half of the building has been demolished while some of the team has been moved to temporary modular accommodation.”

Johnson Fellows has experienced challenges during the project after the team discovered a below ground culvert in the former coal mining area, which required the designs to be revised.

The surveyors have also been advised by Telford & Wrekin Council’s geotechnical team to carry out exploratory boreholes to see if previous coal mine workings are evident.

Andrew added: “This project hasn’t been without its challenges so far, with the risk of unrecorded coal mines being discovered. We’ve also had to install a sub station so we could disconnect and divert all main services, which were connected to the adjacent ambulance station, to the new building. However, we’re now all set to start building the fantastic new state-of-the-art facility.”

The new building, which will be built to BREEAM Very Good standard, is due to be completed by October 2013. Halesowen-based A&H Construction is the contractor on the project.

Johnson Fellows is a commercial retail agency established in 1984, working on acquisition and disposal instructions in England and Wales. The company has assisted in the expansion of retailers from their initial units through to being national multiples.

The practice encompasses several specialist departments and acts for a variety of clients including retailers, investors, developers, financiers and occupiers of commercial property. It specialises in providing professional advice, current market information, guidance through the constantly changing laws and statutes which govern the use of property and, above all, in providing a service which seeks to achieve the optimum commercial outcome for clients. Its team of dedicated surveyors advises many of the UK’s national multiple retailers on a nationwide basis. For more information please visit www.johnsonfellows.co.uk.