In the north, the firm picked up a £26m job to build a headquarters, training centre and station for West Yorkshire firefighters, while in the south at Medway in Kent it will build a £24m leisure centre and swimming pool.

Procured via the SCAPE framework, the firm has started demolition on a site in Birkenshaw, south east of Bradford, to make way for a new firefighter urban search and rescue training centre.

The project forms part of wider modernisation plans for West Yorkshire fire stations, which will enable the service to deliver its vision to keep West Yorkshire people and communities safe.

The old headquarters – currently based in the on-site Grade II listed Oakroyd Hall – will be sold once the new build is complete. 

Planned new Splashes leisure centre in Kent

Meanwhile Medway Council has picked Willmott Dixon to deliver ‘Splashes’, a new leisure centre with swimming pools, gym, fitness studio and cafe.

Building work at the site in Bloors Lane, Rainham, will begin in the new year with the intention that residents can use the new Splashes by summer 2024.

Medway Council is investing £23.7m on the development, replacing the former Splashes entre, which was demolished in February 2022 after extensive surveys were carried out to assess the building’s condition.