Name: Robert Setchell
Employer: Wates Construction
Project: HMP Bure, Coltishall, Norfolk
Contract: PPC 2000
Mired in planning delays that set back site start by nearly a year, Rob Setchell nevertheless notched up a triumph. His ingenuity, drive and knowledge rescued a construction programme that had been placed under severe strain. Rob not only handed over the first phase on time, but also completed the second phase six weeks ahead of the programme date.
He looked at every possible way of progressing the scheme. He resequenced the works. He undertook internal refurb and external services work to mitigate delay and leave the site ready for an immediate start once planning had been granted. He agreed a draw-down schedule that allowed the site to be mothballed at short notice if planning was not secured. His enthusiasm kept the project moving forward against what seemed an impossible programme.
He proposed many of the ideas that ensured the layout of rooms and services could be arranged within the existing spaces to comply with prison standards, maintain buildability and stick to the tight budget. He developed the steel subframes in the internal walls that provided a simple structural and security solution for the project.
Crucially, it was Rob who cracked the conundrum of the client’s wish for modular kitchens where no modular kitchen existed that satisfied Prison Service requirements. After exhaustively considering all possible kitchen suppliers, he finally negotiated a bespoke package with a supplier that had experience of prisons but not kitchens. It met all the requirements of the client brief and from initial design concept to kitchen completion took just 20 weeks.
Value: £54m