An event at Castle Meadow Campus hosted by G F Tomlinson and Henry Brothers Construction provided an opportunity for Fbe and ProCon members and guests to look at the new University of Nottingham city centre redevelopment site.
The collaborative event was held at the Grade II Listed site where current works include the transformation of the former HMRC headquarters – the Central Building being delivered by G F Tomlinson, and the remodelling of Buildings D and F, by Henry Brothers, into modern office spaces.
Encompassing seven buildings, the complete redevelopment is set to establish the Castle Meadow Campus as a vibrant hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, featuring state-of-the-art facilities for its community of students, academics, and industry partners.
60 members of the Fbe (Forum for the Built Environment) East Midlands and ProCon Nottinghamshire – both of which are professional regional construction and property groups – attended the event, and were treated to a morning of insightful presentations, networking opportunities and firsthand experiences of the ongoing redevelopment works.
While enjoying breakfast sandwiches and hot refreshments, representatives from the University of Nottingham, Arup, and Bond Bryan provided detailed site plans, offering a comprehensive overview of the campus scope and objectives.
Visitors were given guided tours of the current works by G F Tomlinson and Henry Brothers, providing a unique insight into the intricate renovation processes. A highlight of the event was the demonstration of the large-scale Projection Augmented Relief Model (PARM) by Dr. Gary Priestnall from the University’s School of Geography. The interactive 3D model of Nottingham city centre showcased the innovative use of digital and data tools in urban planning and development.
Led by Director, Prof. Paul Grainge, University of Nottingham, ‘City as Lab’ also presented work on leveraging digital and data innovation to address real-world challenges in the Nottingham city region, emphasising the role of the campus as a catalyst for technological advancement and community engagement.
G F Tomlinson, a longstanding partner of the University of Nottingham, is leading the refurbishment of the Central Building, including the complex replacement of the tensile fabric roof and the addition of a new mezzanine level, designed to enhance the building’s functionality and sustainability.
Adrian Grocock, Managing Director of G F Tomlinson, said: “The event at Castle Meadow Campus was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the extensive work being done to transform the Central Building.
“We were delighted to share our progress with the community and our industry peers and we are extremely proud to contribute our expertise to such a landmark project.
“We have a long-standing working relationship with the University of Nottingham, with this being our 8th scheme working together. It is a real pleasure to combine our university and heritage experience to help the university to deliver another world class facility.”
Henry Brothers Construction, alongside a consortium of industry experts, is nearing completion of the remodelling works on Buildings D and F. Managing Director of Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Construction, Ian Taylor said: “The Castle Meadow Campus is a hugely exciting project for the University of Nottingham and for the city as a whole and we are proud to be playing a part in it.
“Henry Brothers has extensive experience of working with universities across the Midlands to improve their facilities. This is our first contract with the University of Nottingham, and we are really pleased to see the partnership creating such fantastic new facilities in our home city. They will be a tremendous asset to the community, and we are honoured to have jointly hosted this event for our peers in the local construction and property sector.”
James Hale, Building and Design Lead for Castle Meadow Campus, University of Nottingham, said: “We’re pleased to be working together with our partners on the Castle Meadow Campus development. The chance to welcome ProCon and Fbe members and guests to showcase the great work that’s already happening to transform the site was excellent.
“We’re pleased that members and guests showed a keen interest in this historically significant site. With more work to come, we are determined to create an accessible and sustainable world-class campus environment.”
