Pick Everard helps council ‘go green’ with new waste facility

Electric car charging, bicycle storage and other green incentives will be main features of a new £4.5 million waste facility in Horsham.

Instructed by Horsham District Council, leading independent management, design and construction consultancy Pick Everard is delivering architecture, structural and civil engineering services through the East Sussex County Council Framework.

Pick Everard played a key part in securing planning permission for the new Hop Oast Depot to transform the dated building into a more efficient working environment with high quality facilities for drivers, maintenance technicians and council staff.

The development will see three new waste vehicle maintenance bays, offices and staff facilities replace the existing depot buildings.

John Sharp, director at Pick Everard, said: “This project will create a more efficient workplace for Horsham’s waste management services within a state-of-the-art facility. We hope it will become a benchmark facility for other local authorities.

“We understand the restraints that local authorities need to work to in terms of schemes being delivered swiftly and within a tight budget. We are delighted to be working with the council to deliver this facility and it further strengthens our expertise in this sector.”

As part of the development, the site will be realigned to enable more accessible entry and exit and accommodate additional waste vehicle parking, vehicle wash facilities and additional secure fuel storage.

Horsham District Council’s cabinet member for finance and assets, Cllr Brian Donnelly, said: “As we face increasing pressure on financial resources it is essential that we secure the best possible value from how we deliver our services.

“I am delighted that we are moving ahead to the construction phase of the Hop Oast redevelopment in order to deliver improved cost efficiencies and services levels for our residents.”

Work is due to start on site in September and it is expected that the building contract will be completed and the depot operational from the new facility in autumn/winter 2017.

Pick Everard’s work on Hop Oast builds upon a growing portfolio of waste management facility projects across the UK, including the Colchester Waste Transfer Station in Essex, which won the East Region RICS Infrastructure Award earlier this year.