A blog by Ryan Liversage
Area Director for Essex, Morgan Sindall Construction.
When I first joined the Essex team, I knew Morgan Sindall built a lot of schools and had a great reputation in the education sector here. But now that six months have passed, I’ve experienced the breadth of our portfolio first hand, and can say with confidence that the capabilities of the team stretch far beyond my expectations.”
It has been a real privilege to hold the title of Area Director for our Essex team over the last six months. During this time, I have observed the many ways Morgan Sindall Construction goes above and beyond to deliver extraordinary projects. I worked in construction for 19 years before starting my role here, delivering schemes across a variety of sectors, including education, healthcare, science and research and ministry of justice. But in my role at Morgan Sindall, it means a lot to make a positive impact in the place where I live and work, helping to building a real community through new developments and spaces. It’s something that is definitely unique here – that decentralised approach means we have local offices, with local people who live and breathe the communities they’re serving and are empowered to do so at a local level.
Early Contractor Engagement: The Secret to Success
Something I’ve learned about Morgan Sindall over the past few months is just how passionate the team is about creating meaningful spaces. It’s why we have such a commitment to early contractor engagement in projects, making every choice in construction count.
Morgan Sindall emphasises the importance of early involvement in the design stages as the key to a successful project. This approach allows the team to address potential construction issues before they escalate later down the line, as well as manage cost and viability early in the planning stages. With in-house tools like CarboniCa, which highlights elements of buildings that will result in higher carbon emissions and in turn suggests lower-carbon alternatives, our early engagement in projects is essential to choosing the most sustainable designs possible, all based on meaningful data.
It's through our growing success in early engagement in projects that we’ve built long running relationships with institutions like Essex County Council and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, collaborating on projects from day one to create developments that have robust build plans and stand the test of time.
In fact, during our current work on St Margaret’s Community Diagnostic Centre, where we have been involved since the concept stage, we have been able to assert our expertise early to overcome construction challenges before even breaking ground. Between challenges in future proofing the development and a phasing challenge that could see the reception section open last based on the schedule of works, we faced numerous planning obstacles prior to construction.
Our team worked over a period of 4 months to take the project back to a blank sheet of paper, liaising with the estates team and clinical teams to review the best options for now and the future. So, in addition to working on St Margaret’s UKPN HV package to help save them £3 million, which wasn’t part of our initial scope of works, we also opted to use another section of their existing estate, which we could then extend to link into another part of the estate in the future. As a result of our early involvement, we crafted a plan which re-uses existing stock, secures a better phasing strategy, and futureproofs this facility to link with the rest of the estate.
The Next Generation of Construction
I actually started my career in the industry through an apprenticeship, so I’m incredibly passionate about encouraging young people to get involved in construction through this route. There’s a real skills shortage of young people in construction right now, which is why Morgan Sindall is so committed to creating opportunities that can help fill that gap during every project, showing students and those not in education or employment all the incredible opportunities that are available to them. We already have six apprentices out of 51 members of staff, and are looking to bring in three more in September. It’s always a great pleasure to be the team who introduces our young people to the world of construction.
I think there’s a misunderstanding that construction is all about building and being on site. And while this is an important part of the industry, there are countless other roles waiting for the right people. Between project management, surveying, estimating, supply chain managing, engineering, and so much more, the prospects in construction are endless. The developments we deliver are legacies – they become key elements of a community – so there’s great pride that comes with any role here. I’m so grateful for my own start through an apprenticeship. If it wasn’t for the person who introduced me to the industry, I never would have known just what’s possible in construction.
Pictured: The launch event of "Building a Lasting Legacy" - a 5 year programme of school engagement our Essex business has set up with three schools in Essex.
Where Potential Knows No Limits
It’s only been half a year, but the team in Essex has surpassed my expectations with their persistent quality and highly refined approach across a full scope of projects. Between the expansion of Eversley Leisure Centre, breaking ground at St Margaret’s Hospital CDC, and upgrading Thurrock Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) and Broomfield Hospital as part of our work with Mid & South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, the ambition is admirable and our craftsmanship second to none.
While my initial impression of Morgan Sindall’s portfolio was primarily focused on its work with local schools, this is by no means a limitation. The Essex team’s outstanding reputation in the education sector is built on years of delivering high-quality facilities, demonstrating a strong partnership with Essex County Council. Highlights include the recent handover of the net-zero Limebrook Primary School and the steel signing at Castledon School (SEN) – both testaments to Morgan Sindall’s commitment and credibility in this vital area.
And we bring this vast experience to an array of other sectors, whether that’s leisure, residential, higher education, healthcare, heritage sites, multi-purpose developments, retail, or something else entirely, we’re always looking to create innovative, highly sustainable spaces that bring communities together.
A Note on the Future
Morgan Sindall’s future in Essex is bright. Between our increasingly implemented net-zero standards, community focused construction, and high-calibre project delivery, our work in Essex has so much space to grow. It’s an honour to be part of that and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.