Lindum built an award-winning waste and recycling depot along with seven business units for repeat client, North Kesteven District Council.

A traditional construction contract was awarded to us following a competitive tender process in late 2015.

But during pre-construction works, we called on the skills of our designers, planners, and heavy plant experts to enhance the original brief and ensure the scheme was fit for purpose, future-proof and cost effective.

NKDC was investing in the new waste depot at Scoley Court, off Moorland Trading Estate in Metheringham, to accommodate population growth and a subsequent increase in demand for services.

We offered to work ‘open-book’ to find a better operational design, at the same cost as the original tender, to allow for greater traffic numbers. As a result, the final depot design had a larger footprint and included a bigger yard and a one-way route around the site for lorries.

We were also able to increase the sustainability of the building by introducing A++ condensing boilers, LED lighting, PVs and rainwater harvesting.

In fact, our final design provided 20% betterment in U-values and a 10% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to existing depot. Meanwhile the rainwater harvesting system provided water for cleaning vehicles, saving more than a million litres of water a year.  

The new depot was £10k a year cheaper to run than NKDC’s previous depot (reducing the Council’s energy bill by 31%).

Lindum Construction MD, Simon Gregory, said: “As a Lincolnshire-based construction company, it is incredibly satisfying to work on something which will make a real difference to the local community. It is also rewarding to provide much-improved facilities for people who deliver such an important service to thousands of households. In addition to the depot building, the business units will enhance the commercial offering in this part of North Kesteven.”

The seven new business units comprise a total of 10,000 square feet and have been built next to the depot.

David Steels, Head of Environment and Public Protection, said: “This has been a timely investment by the Council. More houses are going to be built across the District and it’s important to ensure the services the authority provides alongside this are of the highest standards.”

The finished project was crowned winner of Best Commercial Building and Best Public Service Building at the 2019 NK Building Excellence Awards.