Three of our project managers have been shortlisted for the 2021 Construction Manager of the Year Awards (CMYAs)

Talented people are the key to our success and we’re proud to say congratulations to James Wood, Steven Vaux and Dale Harris who have been shortlisted in their respective categories at the prestigious, 2021 Construction Manager of the Year Awards (CMYAs).

The CMYAs have been organised each year since 1978 by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The awards celebrate those who are working to deliver outstanding examples of projects in the construction sector. Delivering buildings to extraordinary standards, that will make a positive impact on the lives of the people who use them.

Find out more about the Morgan Sindall Construction finalists here:

James Wood, project manager, London & Home Counties team, who has been shortlisted in the schools under £20 million category

James was shortlisted for his role in delivering the Vandyke Upper School in Leighton Buzzard. A fast-tracked, £10.6 million remodelling of the existing school building and the construction of a brand new, modular, three storey block of 12 science labs, 10 maths classrooms and a sixth form centre. The team utilised off-site manufacturing on the project to minimise disruption, create cost and time efficiencies, and enhance the building’s sustainability performance.

Ten weeks into the project the national Covid-19 lockdown was announced in March 2020, yet despite this the strength of relationships and under James’ leadership the project continued to achieve the planned 33-week site programme. During this time, the Morgan Sindall Construction team was also delivering the nearby Gilbert Academy School, and so careful attention was paid to scheduling and logistics as the sites were across the road from each other and delivered by one collaborative team.

James has been a part of the Morgan Sindall Construction team for almost two years, and is now working to deliver the £31.5 million Glebe Farm School in Milton Keynes, an all-through school with 1,569 school places for pupils aged five to 16. The team is using innovative and sustainable construction methods to build a greener building, which will have less of an impact on the environment during its lifespan.

Steven Vaux, project manager, Central & West team, who has been shortlisted in the accommodation over four storeys category

Steven was shortlisted for his role in the successful delivery of the new £48 million, Moxy and Residents Inn Hotel and Novus Apartments for Slough Urban Renewal, which is a joint venture development collaboration between Morgan Sindall Group and Slough Borough Council.

With two hotel brands in one building and apartments facilities attached, stakeholder management was key to the projects success and ensured that the project was delivered two months early, safely and according to government guidelines. A great achievement for an industry such as hospitality which has already taken a significant hit during the Covid-19 pandemic. The project was heralded as a hugely positive example of collaborative working.

Steven has been with Morgan Sindall Construction for almost three years, and more recently is now working to deliver the Orion Academy in Oxfordshire. A brand new £12 million, 108-place SEN School for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Take a look at the Moxy Hotel in Slough here:

Dale Harris, Central & West team, who has been shortlisted in the refurbishment and restoration over £10 million category

Dale was shortlisted for his role in the £16 million restoration of the historic Pantycelyn Halls of Residence for Aberystwyth University. The building was first opened in 1951 and was home to Prince Charles during his time as a student of the University, it also featured prominently in the last season of Netflix’s The Crown.

The restoration involved sympathetic external renovation, along with internal refurbishments spanning 70,000 square feet. This included the creation of modern, en-suite bedrooms, with high-speed internet access for up to 200 students. In addition to communal catering and laundry facilities, study and leisure spaces have also been delivered for use by both students and the local community.

Pantycelyn Halls of residence was delivered on time, during a tricky year for the higher education sector. Dale has been part of the Morgan Sindall Construction team for almost three years.

Members of the Morgan Sindall Construction team have been hugely successful at the Construction Manager of the Year Awards in the past. With Neil Lock, operations director for the Northern Home Counties team being awarded the overall Gold medal award in 2016 and Kelly Attwood, site manager for the Northern Home Counties team being awarded the first Gold medal as part of the new Rising Star category which was introduced in 2020.

The category winners will be awarded their gold & silver medals at a glittering ceremony at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House hotel in London on 29 September 2021, hosted by George Clarke, architect and presenter of Channel 4’s “Remarkable Renovations”.

• For more information about this news release please contact Alice Hickling, communications and digital manager here.