New custody centre

Gloucestershire Constabulary identified the need to replace their existing custody facility in the centre of Gloucester.

The authority decided to replace outdated and localised holding facilities with a new centralised facility including the latest technological and communications to provide a modern building to meet both the needs of the police and provide a safe and secure establishment for detainees and a positive working environment for staff.

A two-stage tender was undertaken, commencing in July 2012, with a preferred contractor selected in October 2012.

The project has been designed in line with the Home Office Police Buildings Design Guide for Custody 2009 (HOPBDG). A high number of derogations have been incorporated to meet or exceed the updated 2012 version of HOPBDG.

By combining the information held on our in-house cost database and using our experience gained in working on the Ministry of Justice framework (which involves wide-ranging projects within prisons), we were able to provide robust cost advice from RIBA Stage C by transferring our knowledge and experience to the project of the police custody facility.

The innovative nature of the design and the client demands meant costs escalated during the second stage tender process. To manage this, we undertook a lifecycle cost exercise on a key building component and employed a detailed value engineering exercise to drive down costs. This enabled us to maintain client expectations for both the budget and the building, maximise usability and protect the future flexibility of the building for the client.

By employing Currie & Brown as both quantity surveyor and employer’s agent, the client benefited from our effective communication streams and accessibility of information across the roles.