News - Wakemans Welsh Office Defies The Credit Crunch

The Caernarfon office of national property and construction consultancy Wakemans is working hard to defy the credit crunch and having a considerable degree of success, after winning a series of development and building surveying projects  which could be worth £150million over the next five years.

Following the successful launch of Bala’s rural life centre, Wakemans has now been appointed on phase two of the development – a £500,000 expansion programme involving the construction of a new canopy over the amphitheatre, a bigger office area and new toilets.   Read Construction, the contractor on the original development, has also been reappointed on these latest works and Wakemans’ client, environment and culture development agency Antur Penllyn, has obtained additional funding from the Arts Council of Wales.

Wakemans has a seven year partnering contract with Gwynedd Council and their plans to transfer the housing stock to a private company will create the opportunity to bid for works valued at £30m per annum over five years. Wakemans is also acted as quantity surveyor on a £500,000 development at Tywyn School.  Gwynedd Council secured a grant from the Welsh Assembly to build an extension to the music block, including a new sound proof room, plus fitting out with equipment.  Contractor J & S Seddon of Bangor has just completed this project.

In Menai Bridge Wakemans was appointed by Anglesey Council to oversee planned maintenance valued at £770,000.  The programme focussed on the external refurbishment

of council-owned properties to bring them in line with the Welsh Quality Housing Standard.  

In Abersoch, Wakemans is appointed on a £500,000 residential development – while in Bangor it is acting as designer and CDM co-ordinator on a new nursery at Glancegin School.  Gwynedd Council is developing the facilities under the Flying Start Scheme to enable the school to increase its intake of children up to the age of four.  Wakemans has also worked on similar projects in Tremadog and Felinheli.

“There is no doubt that the economic slowdown is having an impact on the construction industry in Wales, but we have excellent relationships with many local authorities and are  winning new development projects on the strength of our ongoing building surveying work,” says Wakemans managing director John Woodhall.

“We have been investing to develop our team and expand the range of services we offer to ensure we continue to provide the very best standards of service.”