Morgan Sindall Construction hands over major £48 million Slough developments six-weeks early

Morgan Sindall Construction has successfully completed a major series of schemes worth £48 million for Slough Urban Renewal – a joint venture between Slough Borough Council and national urban regenerator, Muse Developments – including a double-decker hotel, six-weeks ahead of schedule.

The nine-storey development features two new Marriott International hotels stacked on top of each other. They will be operated under the Moxy and Residence Innbrands and managed by Cycas Hospitality, the award-winning hotel management company. Thanks to an excellent working relationship between the project partners, both hotels were able to open three-months ahead of schedule, safely and in line with government guidelines.

The Moxy hotel boasts 152 luxury bedrooms in total, while the Residence Inn features 92 long-stay suites. Next door is Novus Apartments, a collection of 64 apartments, with 4,100 square feet of restaurant and retail space on the ground floor.

The new development is located in the town centre at the site of the former library. It is also situated near to The Curve, Slough’s iconic library and cultural arts centre which Morgan Sindall Construction began building in 2014, and which opened in September 2016.

Slough Borough Council is the long term investor of the two new hotels with Cycas as their hotel operator and franchises with Marriott International for the Moxy and Residence Inn brands.

As an homage to the iconic British TV series, Thunderbirds, which was originally filmed on the Slough Trading Estate and is an important part of the town’s history, the Moxy hotel boasts interior décor featuring themed signage and artwork.

The building has achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ – a rating rare for a hotel given their typically large energy consumption. Photo-voltaic (PVC) solar panels have been installed on the roof of the hotels to help offset the building’s energy consumption, while the main contractor installed natural ventilation heat recycling units (NVHRs) in both the hotels and apartment block to minimise carbon-emissions.

As part of the project plan an employment skills initiative was also drawn up. Thirteen local secondary-school pupils were given work experience placements on the project to learn more about careers in construction, while fourteen degree-level apprentices received on-site training. More than three hundred people working for regional subcontractors were also employed to drive wider social value to the community both during and post-construction.

James York, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We are proud to have delivered this new development for Slough Borough Council two months ahead of schedule, during the logistically-challenging conditions COVID-19 has presented. Building a large multi-room development in an urban area is challenging in any normal year. The speed and efficiency of this project was made possible thanks to a fantastic working relationship with our project partners.

“By using a predominantly local supply chain on the build, we were able to provide a number of training opportunities on the project and we look forward to the new legacy it will bring to this historic town.”

Andy Howell, general manager for Slough Urban Renewal, SUR, said: “It is testament to the whole team that we were able to adapt quickly, implementing new measures to enable construction works on the site to continue safely, throughout the pandemic. As a result we are delighted both hotels and the new homes are ready ahead of schedule.

“The hotels are a fantastic asset and our projects continue to be a catalyst for change in the town. As well as the essential accommodation they will provide for both business and leisure users, the additional bar and lounge facilities will give a new sense of life to this area of the high street.

“Sat alongside Novus Apartments, our new collection of homes, we have created an exciting and enticing new hub for the benefit of the wider town.”

• For more information about this news release please contact Helena Young at Influential on 07708896211 email [email protected]