Thomas Bow at Final Stages of Nottingham Broad Marsh Scheme

As the Broadmarsh Centre scheme concludes, Thomas Bow’s Construction Director John Allen reflects on our biggest public realm project to date. Commencing back in October 2019, the scheme kicked off with 6 months of extensive ECI, followed by an incredible two and a half years of complex, quality public realm works.

The intricate design includes concrete amphitheatre steps outside Nottingham City College, the entire remodel and pedestrianisation of Carrington Street and Sussex Street, public footways surrounding Middle Hill, integration of bespoke street furnishings such as rustic wooden benches with tables, bleacher-style street-seating, vast natural planters and grassed areas, creative spot lighting and irrigation systems, all designed to reflect the modern yet environmentally sympathetic design of the overall project.

A key factor of this scheme’s delivery was to ensure an optimised programme and budget control methods were in place in order to raise the bar of public realm delivery. However this job was not without its many challenges along the way; the continued soaring cost of labour, plant and materials have been an increasing concern throughout this scheme, while meeting criteria such as delivering an improved material selection strategy, utilising the latest design developments and ensuring that the space was created with the goal of reducing whole life costing became a daily challenge pushing budgets to their very limits. Working in collaborative design workshops reduced the overall unprecedented cost increase impact.

“We’re immensely proud of this scheme, our biggest public realm project yet. An exciting opportunity for our team to deliver on another high-profile development, collaborating with the contract administrator and the design team on behalf of Nottingham City Council Major Projects. We are thrilled to see the design concepts come to fruition and compliment the urban surroundings of the City Centre. It’s great that the first thing visitors to Nottingham see is a rejuvenated urban infrastructure incorporating so much natural material and greenery leading them into the city centre.” – John Allen Thomas Bow Construction Director.

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