Energy firm appoints contractor to build modular offices for the £18bn power plant

The UK’s largest modular construction contract has been awarded to provide temporary office accommodation at Hinkley Point C for the £18bn nuclear plant’s expected 5,600-strong workforce.

Yorkshire-based specialist Premier Modular will build offices and site welfare facilities across several locations next to the planned plant in Somerset.

The 38,000 sqm of office space will accommodate all the management and technical personnel required during Hinkley’s construction.

Some of the buildings will be converted after construction to remain as offices for the permanent site.

Ahead of construction of the modular project, almost 1,000 steel framed modules are being constructed off-site at Premier Modular’s manufacturing facility in East Yorkshire.

The modules will then be transported to Hinkley for assembly and fitting out – a process set to take 16 months from manufacture to hand over.

The firm was named as preferred bidder for the contract in July 2015, and has now been confirmed for the job a year later after EDF finally made a final investment decision on the £18bn Hinkley project.

David Harris, divisional director at Premier Modular, said: “This project is one of the most significant modular projects in history and will really put modular construction on the map.

“We foresee that this project is not only important for Premier but will also be of significant benefit to the local economies in Yorkshire and Somerset in terms of both sub-contractor and supplier opportunities required to support this major construction project.”

Harris added that his firm expects to take on “a number of apprentices” throughout delivery of the scheme.