Northern Gas Networks (NGN), the North of England’s gas distributor, has won the country’s Most Considerate Site Award (project value under £500k) at the annual Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) National Site Awards.

In an online ceremony today, NGN was presented with the award for the care and consideration it showed towards the local community while it worked to upgrade an above ground installation (AGI) in Selby, North Yorkshire.

The win was just one of 19 for NGN sites across the North East, Northern Cumbria and Yorkshire which were shortlisted for the 2020 awards. In total, NGN also garnered seven bronze awards, seven silver awards and four gold awards.

NGN invested £316K in the Selby project, which included the demolition of buildings at the site and the relocation of a new governor, which reduces the gas pressure when this is required.

James Barker, Project Manager at Northern Gas Networks, said: “This was a major project which took place near a busy road into Selby town centre, close to homes and businesses. And because there was an element of demolition involved, there was the potential for disruption, noise and dust.

“With that in mind, we wanted to show consideration and care to our customers and make the site the best it could possibly be.

Ryan Mallinder, who managed the project alongside James, said: “The project scored highly in all categories but the most satisfying for me was valuing our workforce. The facilities were outstanding for the workers; we paid for membership at a local gym and on Fridays home-cooked meals were brought to site and shared.

“We also took care over the look of the site; putting up flags and banners, and fencing everything off tidily. We also recycled as much waste material as we could, and also created a ‘considerate garden’ with wild flowers and bee-friendly plants, which was left to thrive after we had completed the project. Bird feeders were put up around the site to encourage birds to come to the area.”

In its citation, the CCS judges said: “The AGI site in Selby had the ‘wow’ factor. Visitors and operatives were greeted with an exceptional, well laid-out and tidy establishment that clearly prioritised operative safety.”

Among NGN’s others wins were a gold award for the successful demolition of a gas holder in Darlington, and a silver award for a complex, 60-week project to replace gas mains in Huddersfield, when NGN co-ordinated works other companies such as Yorkshire Water and a fibre optic network builder upgrading the town’s broadband, so that the same stretch of road did not have to be excavated repeatedly. This saved a good deal of disruption for local residents and businesses.

Ian Whitehead, Major Projects Programme Manager at Northern Gas Networks, said: “We are delighted to have won the Most Considerate Site in the UK Under £50k for the third time. The AGI project in Selby is a fantastic example of how thought, care and attention to detail can have a positive impact at a site.

“I’m incredibly proud of all our colleagues who have worked so hard to produce such excellence. Our other 18 other wins are testament to the hard work of our teams, who strive to make sure all our sites observe CCS best practice in terms of appearance, protecting the environment, safety, valuing the workforce and respect for neighbouring communities.

“As the first gas distribution network to sign up to the CCS, these awards show the commitment NGN has made towards ensuring that our works can have a positive impact on communities, and that we’re delivering the best experience we can for our customers and our engineers.”

Since 1999, the CCS has been rewarding the UK’s most considerate sites for the contribution they have made towards improving the image of construction.

It looks at the measures a site has put in place to be more considerate towards local neighbourhoods and the public, the workforce and the environment.

All NGN projects scheduled to take more than six weeks to complete are registered with the CCS and NGN has rolled out CCS principles to all sites, including Emergency and Repair, and Connections projects.

NGN is dedicated to maintaining its high standards on site, both for its customers and contractors. The company is constantly monitoring best practice and in doing so, regularly improving its processes and site efficiency.

To find out more about the work of the CCS, please go to www.ccscheme.org.uk

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