NEC-procured projects again do well at British Construction Industry Awards

NEC projects again featured strongly in the 2023 British Construction Industry Awards, particularly those entered by UK local authorities. The event at London’s JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on 11 October 2023 saw projects delivered with NEC contracts winning or being highly commended for five of the 10 project-related awards. The others were delivered using JCT, Network Rail, IChemE and bespoke forms.

Transport winners

Leeds City Council’s £81 million East Leeds Orbital Route won the Transport Project of the Year and was highly commended for the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) Design Principles Award. The 6.8 km dual carriageway complete with cycleways, pocket parks and outdoor gyms was procured using an NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) Option C (target contract with activity schedule).

Transport for London’s (TfL) £700 million Bank Station Capacity Upgrade project, also delivered under NEC3 ECC Option C, was highly commended for the transport prize, while its £19 billion NEC-procured Elizabeth line was also highly commended for the NIC Design Principles Award.

Environmental prizes

Derby City Council’s £7 million Mill Fleam Pumping Station project won the Environmental Project of the Year. The 4500 l/s flood defence pumping station was delivered in just 15 months using an NEC4 ECC Option A (priced contract with activity schedule). Bridgend County Borough Council’s £6 million Porthcawl Sandy Bay Coast Scheme, procured using and NEC3 ECC Option A, was highly commended in the environmental category.

Also delivered under NEC3 ECC Option A was Milton Keynes City Council’s £32 million Glebe Farm School, which was highly commended for the Social Infrastructure Project of the Year. Finally National Grid’s multi-million-pound NEC4 ECC reconstruction of its fire-damaged French interconnector substation at Sellindge in Kent was highly commended for the Utility Project of the Year.

Shortlisted projects

Of the 45 project entries that were shortlisted for this year’s awards, 18 were procured by NEC contracts, 13 by JCT, nine bespoke, two each for Network Rail and ICC, and one IChemE.