One of the largest and most dramatic project wins of recent years is finally over the line after an incredible series of ups and downs.
Orders are now being received for the £500m redevelopment of Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, which is known as “3Ts” as it includes trauma, teaching and tertiary care.
The project was initially a Twyfords and Reliance Water Controls specification but our sales team had turned it round to Armitage Shanks.
However, in a dramatic twist, the contractors dropped the bombshell that they were going back to the original specification just as our first orders were due in, in June 2018.
Only the constant efforts of Contract Sales Managers Katy Mullan and Steve Parker, Field Sales Manager Noel Talbot and Non-Residential Channel Director Tim Chappell brought the project – which is worth over nearly £390,000 in phase one alone – back to Armitage Shanks.
Katy said: “We worked so hard to bring it back but we all got stuck in and did everything we could to turn it back.
“Steve was talking to the offsite construction team, Noel and Tim were working with the IPS (integrated plumbing systems) manufacturer and I got in front of the hospital trust’s WSG (Water Safety Group) with support from Terry Moss, and worked with the site mechanical and electrical team.
“There have been a lot of highs and lows but it’s a fantastic feeling to have finally secured the win and to see the first orders coming in.”
The development is a new build which has three phases and includes A&E, cancer and clinical health departments.
Stage one (clinical and in-patient) will open in 2021, stage two (the cancer centre) in 2024 and the final works by 2025.