WBA Phone line disruption on the 7th of November

We are making vital upgrades to our telephone system which means our phone lines will be temporarily unavailable on Thursday the 7th of November. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

If you wish to contact the office during the switch over please call us on 01943 871 448.

Leeds Primary School Extension Gets Planning Approval

Planning approval has been gained for the new extension to Rufford Park Primary School in Yeadon.

The design team has worked in collaboration with the school, Leeds Children’s Services, Pinnacle FM, and other stakeholders, to produce a scheme that supports the increasing demand for pupil places in Leeds.

The proposal will increase the original school (constructed by Watson Batty as part of the Leeds 10 PFI schools in 2005) from a one form entry to a one and a half form entry through a two storey extension, containing four classrooms. The extension has been designed to accommodate the needs of the school on a steeply sloping, tight site with the scale and proposed materials being sensitive to the surrounding character and existing school.

Higher Education Clients Shortlisted for University of the Year

Two of our key higher education clients, the University of Huddersfield and York St John University have been shortlisted for a number of The Times Higher Education Awards. The annual awards now in their 9th year celebrate the best in sector with a specific focus on teaching and research. The University of Huddersfield has been shortlisted for outstanding contribution to the local community. York St John University have been shortlisted for excellence and innovation in the arts, outstanding employer engagement initiative, international collaboration of the year, and both universities have been shortlisted for university of the year.

We wish them every success at the awards night on the 28th November 2013, at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Please follow the below links for further information.

http://www.the-awards.co.uk/

http://www.the-awards.co.uk/the2013/shortlist

WBA on University of Nottingham Design Services Framework

We are delighted to announce our successful appointment onto the University of Nottingham Architectural and Engineering Design Services Framework. We have partnered with Couch Perry Wilkes, providing environmental design, and Price Myers who will provide engineering support. The team offers a multi-disciplinary approach to the design and delivery of framework projects over the next 3 years. 

The appointment onto the framework strengthens our team’s experience of working with Higher Education Establishments across the country. We are currently delivering projects for Huddersfield, Bradford, York St John and Sheffield Hallam, and recently completed projects for Loughborough, Leeds Met and York Universities.

Heathrow International Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony for the new Royal Mail Heathrow International Logistics Centre took place on Friday 27th September. The event was well attended by Royal Mail Management, Communication Workers Union, Unite Union, Royal Mail Group Property, International Logistics staff, the main contractor VolkerFitzpatrick and Watson Batty Architects.

The building is key to Royal Mail’s international mail operation as it is through this building that all International Mail enters and departs the country. 

The project which opened in August 2013 was designed and administered on site by Watson Batty took a year to complete from inception to completion. 

Farmers Boy ready to roll

Watson Batty Architects Ltd have successfully delivered a new extension to the key production facility at Farmers Boy in Bradford. Originally designed and built in 1998 by Watson Batty Architects, Farmers Boy is a purpose-built fresh food factory. Watson Batty Architects have worked with Wm Morrison Supermarket Plc for a number of years undertaking internal alterations and extensions to keep up with Wm Morrison Supermarket Plc’s growing demands. The new extension will house new state of the art automated pie and quiche production lines.

Working with R N Wooler to construct this complicated extension, undertaking phased works of internal alterations to create new departments as well link in the plant and machinery whilst maintaining the facilities operational capabilities.       

Application lodged for £11m leisure centre in Washington

Watson Batty Architects as part of the Pellikaan Construction team, submitted a Full Planning Application to Sunderland City Council for the proposed £11m Washington Leisure Centre.

The new facility will include a six-lane, 25m pool; a learner pool, including leisure features and two water slides; a four-court sports hall; a multi-purpose hall designed to accommodate trampoline facilities; two glass-backed squash courts; a sauna and steam rooms; a wellness centre with 100-station gym; separate spinning facility exercise studio and two consultation rooms.

The centre will also feature a soft play area and six external 3G small sided football pitches.

Should the proposal be approved before the end of the year, the new Washington Leisure Centre could be open in 2015.

Click here for further information.

Elland Morrisons Final Works Complete

On Saturday 14^th September the Wm Morrison Supermarkets Petrol Filling Station in Elland opened for trade marking the final piece in a construction jigsaw that has taken over 18 months to assemble. 

This complex project comprised of: A new relocation building for Nu Swift (also by WBA); a new Wm Morrison Supermarkets (WMS) Foodstore on stilts, one of the first that WMS have completed; Section 278 highway works; a very demanding asbestos removal and demolition project; and finally, the construction of the Petrol Filling Station.

A big thanks goes to all parties involved in the successful delivery of this project.