High Speed Two (HS2) has named the contractors shortlisted to build Birmingham Curzon Street station – the high-speed rail project’s landmark city-centre terminus.
The companies that will be invited to tender for the £570 million contract are:
- BAM Ferrovial – a joint venture consisting of BAM Nuttall and Ferrovial Construction (UK)
- Laing O’Rourke Construction
- Mace Dragados – a joint venture consisting of Mace and Dragados UK
HS2 stated that, following on from the government’s recent go ahead for the civil engineering elements of the project, “this announcement will help provide confidence for Britain’s construction and engineering sector, with the contracts set to secure hundreds of jobs as the industry moves out of coronavirus lockdown”.
While the jobs will indeed be in the UK, it is interesting to note that the five companies mentioned include two from the UK (Mace and Laing O’Rourke), two from Spain (Dragados and Ferrovial) and BAM from the Netherlands. However much the government doesn’t like it, HS2 will be an international project.
Curzon Street station – which recently became the first HS2 station to gain planning approval – will be net-zero-carbon in operation and will adopt the latest eco-friendly design and sustainable technologies, including capturing rainwater and utilising sustainable power generation, with over 2,800 square metres of solar panels located on platform canopies.
It is designed to meet a ‘BREEAM excellent’ standard, which is an industry recognised standard for buildings that reduce energy usage and materials waste and minimise their impact on the natural environment.
HS2 procurement and commercial director David Poole said: “Birmingham Curzon Street is absolutely at the heart of the HS2 project and will help transform the city and the economy of the wider region. We are looking for a partner to take on the highly complex construction phase, working with us to deliver this logistical and engineering challenge.
“It’s great to see how much interest there is in the competition and we look forward to working with the successful bidder to deliver, what will be a new low-carbon architectural landmark for Birmingham and the UK.”
HS2 worked with WSP and Grimshaw Architects on the design for Curzon Street, which is inspired by the great arched roofs built by the Victorian railway pioneers. The design takes that inspiration into the 21st Century, ensuring accessibility and a focus on the open space and landscaping around it.
The two-stage ‘design and build’ contract will see the winning bidder work closely with HS2 to develop the detailed design. Contracts are expected to be awarded next year.
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