Deloitte Real Estate and AECOM with HOK reappointed to support the Palace of Westminster’s Restoration and Renewal programme

A Deloitte Real Estate-led consortium with AECOM and HOK has been reappointed to support the Palace of Westminster’s Restoration and Renewal Programme, working as part of an integrated team with the client. The agreement to extend the contract that was awarded to the consortium in December 2013 for the preparation of the independent options appraisal (IOA) was announced by Rt Hon John Thurso MP, spokesman for the House of Commons Commission, and Lord Sewel, Chairman of Committees of the House of Lords, in a written statement to Parliament.

The IOA report containing the findings is expected to be published in June/July 2015. The report will form the basis for consultation and engagement in the next Parliament, with a decision on a preferred way forward for the Palace of Westminster’s Restoration and Renewal Programme expected by spring 2016.

While the IOA will provide detailed information to help the two Houses make a broad decision in principle, further studies are also required to support the more detailed planning and design process that must follow that decision.

Deloitte Real Estate and AECOM with HOK have been retained to progress a range of further studies through to spring 2016, all aimed at supporting the more detailed planning and design process that will follow a decision in principle. These studies are beginning now so that Parliament is ready to commission design work once a decision has been made. This will keep the programme on track for a potential 2020/21 start date without anticipating the selection of a particular scenario.

Dr Richard Ware, Programme Director for Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal, said: “The building is getting older faster than we’re able to deal with it. We are bringing in the necessary expertise to advise on repairing this historic building of national importance so that it is equipped for the future.”

Alex Bell, the consortium’s Programme Director and a Partner of Deloitte Real Estate, said: “It is clear that the UK’s most iconic national treasure is in need of significant investment and it’s been a privilege to help build a picture of understanding.

“We are delighted that further joint early stage analysis and planning will be progressed over the next 18 months in accordance with accepted best practice and drawing on all the recent mega-project successes of UK PLC.”

John Hicks, Director and Head of Government & Public sector at AECOM, said: “Other major public projects consistently demonstrate that effort put into early planning is rewarded later with better assurance around delivery. The Olympics and Crossrail are testimony to this approach. A focus on shared goals and a real spirit of collaboration between the public and private sector have also contributed to the success of the programme.”

End

Notes to editor
The programme has been established to tackle the significant work that needs to be undertaken at the Palace of Westminster.

Further information on the programme can be found on the Parliamentary Website or using the following link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04pvk2b/newsnight-20112014.

About Deloitte Real Estate
Deloitte Real Estate redefines the concept of a full-service real estate business, offering a breadth of capability and an innovative approach unequalled in the market.

Our team combines traditional property services with financial and business advisory expertise to deliver integrated solutions on the most simple assignment to the most complex.  We apply a depth of insight drawn from our understanding of all industries and sectors to advise occupiers, lenders, investors and the public sector on every aspect of real estate in an increasingly complex world. www.deloitterealestate.co.uk

About AECOM
With nearly 100,000 employees — including architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management and construction services professionals — serving clients in more than 150 countries around the world following the acquisition of URS, AECOM is a premier, fully integrated infrastructure and support services firm. AECOM is ranked as the #1 engineering design firm by revenue in Engineering News-Record magazine’s annual industry rankings. The company is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, oil and gas, water, high-rise buildings and government. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering solutions that create, enhance and sustain the world’s built, natural and social environments. A Fortune 500 company, AECOM companies, including URS Corporation and Hunt Construction Group, had revenue of approximately $19.5 billion during the 12 months ended Sept. 30, 2014. More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.

About HOK
HOK is one of the world’s most influential architectural design firms, with 1,700 staff in 25 offices around the globe. It celebrates diversity through the geographic reach, project genre and form and the talents of its multidisciplinary design professionals.

Renowned for designing some of the world’s most complex buildings, HOK's 170-person team in London has designed a variety of significant projects in the capital including: the Commons and Lords Committee Rooms; the Cabinet Office and the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms; the Ministry of Defence Headquarters; Foreign Commonwealth Office; Canada House; Kings Library; British Medical Association; Darwin Centre at the Natural History Museum.

The information contained in this press release is correct at the time of going to press.

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