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DISTRICT COUNCIL’S TOPPING OUT CEREMONY

6 Oct 2003

South Cambridgeshire District Council is moving offices in May next year. It is moving from its three current sites at Station Road and Hills Road, Cambridge and on Water Lane, Oakington. A one-stop-shop Cambridge office, with cash office, is also planned, in conjunction with Cambridge City Council.

The ‘topping out' ceremony was attended by SCDC staff, councillors and Cambourne Business Park's joint developers, Development Securities PLC and Wrenbridge Land Ltd.

The new offices and site will boast a high number of green and modern building design credentials. The building design has achieved an ‘excellent' BREEAM 1998 (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) rating and this will include mixed mode ventilation, sound reducing measures, low energy lighting and appliances and provision for cyclists/cycling to work.

Councillor Mrs Daphne Spink said: “Building an office from scratch has presented South Cambs with an opportunity to practise the green credentials it often preaches. The Council has signed up to the Nottingham Declaration for Climate Change, which means it must work to reduce carbon emissions. Our new office is being built with the proviso that all aspects of the project had to be as environmentally sound as possible. It is going to be an attractive and modern building and an excellent place for our staff to work and residents to visit.

“This event is a celebration of the completion of infrastructure for the new Council offices. If all other works go to plan we aim to move into the new building in May 2004.”

One of the UK's largest construction companies, Alfred McAlpine Special Projects, is constructing the building and the project is progressing on programme with completion planned for the end of March 2004. An Alfred McAlpine spokesman stated that: “This is a next generation building which encompasses the industry's requirements of sustainability, cheap running costs and state of the art design and materials to meet the client's requirements.”

Julian Barwick, Joint Managing Director of Development Securities said, “We are delighted with the progress that has been made on the building which we expect will be completed on schedule in the second quarter of 2004. The arrival of the Council will serve to enhance the profile and status of the Cambourne Business Park, which in turn will attract other quality occupiers.”