Wellington builder scoops award for Midlands dog centre project

The Wellington company has already landed a string of top awards for its work on the Dog Trust's new premises at Roden, near Shrewsbury, but has now added a further gong to its mantelpiece with a follow-up project for the charity in Loughborough.

The redevelopment of an old pig farm into what is thought to be the most eco-friendly animal welfare centre in the world, for abandoned dogs, near Loughborough, won the Project of the Year title in the East Midlands Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Awards 2013.

Joint managing director Peter McPhillips said: "This is the second award-winning dog rehoming centre that we have built for the Dogs Trust and their hopes and vision for the centre were an inspiration.

"This is justifiably being called a world-leading animal welfare centre and McPhillips are very proud to have built it."

The centre has room for 135 dogs and aims to rehome 1,000 animals each year. New buildings include dog training and veterinary facilities, and an operating theatre with outstanding glass-fronted kennel accommodation. Twenty-five jobs have been created along with opportunities for local volunteers.

The project also won the Design and Innovation award and the team will go forward to represent the East Midlands in the national RICS Awards in London in October.

Work on the project involved removing asbestos before demolishing animal sheds and recycling materials from the 4,000 sq m livestock buildings and work on 3,500 sq m of contaminated soil. All buildings were built with green roofs, with solar panels producing electricity.

McPhillips also won Project of the Year for the £5.25 million Shrewsbury Dogs Trust development in the Constructing Excellence National Awards 2012 – its seventh award for the development.

Other schemes recently completed include Telford College of Arts & Technology's new £1 million Construction Training Centre and a £1.3 million factory and office refurbishment for Less Common Metals in Ellesmere Port.

Two phases of The Wrekin Housing Trust's £6.7 million Parkwood Extracare facility in Telford and the £4 million engineering and infrastructure work for the redevelopment of the Southwater development in Telford have also been carried out.

Recently announced new contracts include infrastructure, foundations and a road junction for 127 new homes at Tarvin in Cheshire for Taylor Wimpey and a new sixth form centre for Adams Grammar School in Newport.