NINE-STOREY YMCA CAMPUS REACHES NEW HEIGHTS AS SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL MILESTONE MET@YMCA

NINE-STOREY YMCA CAMPUS REACHES NEW HEIGHTS AS SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL MILESTONE MET@YMCA

WORK at the £19 million YMCA campus in Milton Keynes has now reached roof level.

Milton Keynes has welcomed the creation of the 199-apartment scheme. The flagship project will provide crucial housing, support, training and employment opportunities to local young people, creating much-needed conference room facilities and training spaces for local businesses.

John Sharp, regional director at Pick Everard said: “We are delighted to be working on this transformational project with YMCA Milton Keynes, prominent developer Peveril Securities, leading development manager Mayforth and national contractor Bowmer + Kirkland.”

Pick Everard joined the project team as architects, lead designers and principal designers after a successful planning application. An efficient build programme was required as the new scheme will replace YMCA MK’s existing facilities. Bringing together a highly coordinated Building Information Model (BIM) of the entire scheme has successfully accelerated delivery timescales.

John continued: “The speed of construction has been impressive due to the careful planning and coordination of the entire team, with the project benefitting from use of a hybrid modern method of construction.”

Milton Keynes has seen this flagship YMCA campus rise quickly over the past few months due to its unique construction design. The lower two storeys have been constructed with a steel frame to accommodate community areas such as office space; meeting rooms; a nursery; a café and commercial units. The upper seven storeys of housing provision have been constructed from prefabricated panellised LSF walls and floor cassettes.

Gregory Malek, architectural associate at Pick Everard added: “The new campus will transform YMCA MK’s current offering and it’s a project we’re really proud to have been involved in. Once complete, this new campus will bring YMCA MK into closer contact with the wider community and will create affordable homes and valuable work experience and employment opportunities for Milton Keynes’ residents.”

Simon Green, CEO of YMCA Milton Keynes said: “Our new YMCA campus will create a housing pathway for young people experiencing homelessness as well as low cost housing for employed young people.  Our onsite social enterprise and commercial units will provide direct employment opportunities so that we can support young people to belong, contribute and thrive.”

The scheme is being completed by Bowmer + Kirkland and is being delivered in partnership with YMCA Milton Keynes, Peveril Securities and Mayforth. It is due to complete in December 2019.