Capita wins contract on astrophysics centre

Consultant Capita Symonds has won a contract to cost manage the £3.1m Science Discovery Centre at Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Observatory. The firm will provide project management, cost consultancy, structural design and CDMC services on the scheme designed by architect Feilden Clegg Bradley Studio.

Jodrell Bank is the astronomical research centre for the University of Manchester. Featuring the 76m Lovell Telescope, the centre helps astronomers study how planets and stars form and reveal the nature of supernovae, neutron stars and black holes. It has also played a major role in the discovery of quasars and gravitational lenses, and in understanding pulsars.

Capita’s contract was procured through the £800m Buying Solutions Project Management and Full Design Team Services Framework - one of the biggest multidisciplinary public sector framework for property and construction services in the UK. The firm was appointed to the four-year framework last summer.

An investment of £2.1m will be made by the Northwest Regional Development Agency and £1m by Northwest European Regional Development Fund. An additional £600,000 will come from the University of Manchester.

Cheshire East council has granted planning permission for phase one of the scheme which will start on site next month. The first building could be complete around 3-4 months with all work expected to be completed within 12 months.