{"id":518938,"date":"2025-04-22T12:45:10","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T11:45:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?p=518938"},"modified":"2025-04-22T12:05:04","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T11:05:04","slug":"morgan-sindall-finally-to-replace-willmott-dixon-on-troubled-newcastle-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/buildings\/morgan-sindall-finally-to-replace-willmott-dixon-on-troubled-newcastle-job-22-04-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Morgan Sindall finally to replace Willmott Dixon on troubled Newcastle job"},"content":{"rendered":"

Newcastle City Council expects to sign a deal \u201cshortly\u201d with Morgan Sindall to replace Willmott Dixon on a long-delayed \u00a334m leisure centre project in the city.<\/span><\/p>\n

The local authority this week insisted that work on the West Denton scheme, initially<\/span> due for completion over a year ago<\/span><\/a>, would finally start on site this summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Willmott Dixon<\/span> secured the Outer West leisure centre job in February 2023<\/span><\/a> through Pagabo\u2019s Major Works Framework.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, little over six months later,<\/span> the council revealed<\/span><\/a> that it was \u201cseeking a new partner\u201d, with the project forecast at \u00a36m over its initial budget after enabling works finished.<\/span><\/p>\n

In July 2024, the local authority<\/span> said it had \u201cappointed\u201d Morgan Sindall<\/span><\/a> to complete the job, and that work to prepare for construction would begin \u201cin the next few weeks\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

A council spokesperson said this week: \u201cWe hope to sign contracts with our construction partner shortly so construction can begin on the building in the summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe remain absolutely committed to delivering this exciting leisure centre and swimming pool complex for the city\u2019s residents.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the cost and time increases, the spokesperson said the project was \u201cprogressing well\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUtilities such as gas, water and telecoms cables have been diverted around the site, and Northern Powergrid will be making changes to the electric supplies in the area soon,\u201d they said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOld mine workings have been filled in with concrete to stabilise the site and work continues on the surface to level it in preparation for construction. Works to divert the site\u2019s access road to the shopping centre will begin soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The finished leisure centre will feature an eight-lane swimming pool, as well as a training pool, gym, library, sports hall, cafe and children\u2019s play area.<\/span><\/p>\n

Newcastle City Council received almost \u00a320m in levelling-up funding from the previous Conservative government in 2021 to replace the former West Denton pool, which closed during the Covid-19 lockdowns and never reopened.<\/span><\/p>\n

The cash was supposed to be spent by March 2024, and the deadline has been extended twice.<\/span><\/p>\n

The council said last summer that \u201cchallenging economic conditions\u201d had driven the overall cost of the leisure centre up from \u00a326m to \u00a334m.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the firm was appointed last summer, Alex Isted, <\/span>Morgan Sindall Construction<\/span><\/a> area director for the North East and Cumbria, said: \u201cWe are delighted to see this project move forward and to be able to utilise our expertise in order to help Newcastle City Council overcome the difficult, nationwide challenges posed by historically high levels of inflation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A spokesperson for<\/span> Willmott Dixon<\/span><\/a> said at the time: \u201cOur team worked closely with Newcastle City Council under a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) to develop the first stage of this project and we really wanted to make it work given our strong presence in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, with a rise in costs, we agreed that we couldn\u2019t meet the council\u2019s expectations for the leisure centre within the available budget. We therefore both decided to conclude our involvement at the end of the PCSA last year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Both contractors have been contacted for comment.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Newcastle City Council expects to sign a deal \u201cshortly\u201d with Morgan Sindall to replace Willmott Dixon on a long-delayed \u00a334m leisure centre project in the city. The local authority this week insisted that work on the West Denton scheme, initially due for completion over a year ago, would finally start on site this summer. Willmott …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":87938,"featured_media":503053,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[547,540,546],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n