A £9.1 million redevelopment of Parsons Vehicle Workshop and Depot which drives forward Sunderland’s plans to become a carbon neutral city has been delivered by Esh Construction.
A brand-new depot building has been built on the Washington site and features workshops, maintenance bays, charging points for the council’s growing electrical vehicle fleet, and vehicle testing bays. It has accommodation and garaging for winter maintenance, groundworks and environmental, and cleansing plant and equipment.
The development features an array of low carbon technologies, including a solar photo voltaic and battery storage system, which was match funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) captures the energy produced by the roof-mounted solar panels – limiting the electricity required from the grid – and provides a charging facility for the council’s growing electric vehicle fleet.
Work initially commenced in summer 2021 after Esh Construction was appointed to deliver the scheme via the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) and led the planning application. Esh’s commercial build division and civil engineering division worked together to deliver the scheme.
Paul Waller, Operations Director at Esh Construction said: “Esh Construction is proud to have delivered a scheme which leads the way in improving sustainability and carbon reduction for the City Council’s vehicle fleet.
“As a local contractor we delivered social and economic value throughout this scheme, with a key focus on procuring a local supply chain, employing a local workforce and providing on-site training opportunities.”
As part of Esh Construction’s commitment to delivering social value throughout the scheme, a £2,000 donation was made to a grassroots football tournament in Sunderland. A Get into STEM session was delivered to Fatfield Academy in Washington, and Building My Skills employability sessions were delivered at St Roberts of Newminster Catholic School and Castle View Enterprise Academy. Esh also delivered 89 days of work experience, 107 training weeks and 139 apprentice weeks across the scheme.
Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet Member for Clean Green City, Councillor Claire Rowntree, said: “We are moving towards our aims of being a carbon neutral city and the Parsons Depot is part of this big picture. The hi-tech updates for energy consumption, carbon emissions and its environmentally friendlier facilities allow us to expand our capacity for specialist electric and other low carbon EVs.
“Parsons helps towards meeting our moves of making the council carbon neutral by 2030 and having a carbon neutral city by 2040. We have to look ahead and the new building here with all these facilities is a foundation stone for more low carbon work.
“Our City Plan is delivering a more dynamic, healthy and vibrant Sunderland and we are moving towards becoming carbon neutral – Parsons is part of this.”
Esh Construction worked in partnership with Howarth Litchfield Architects, Portland Consulting Engineers and Desco to deliver the project.
Esh Construction is proud to have delivered a scheme which leads the way in improving sustainability and carbon reduction for the City Council’s vehicle fleet.
As a local contractor we delivered social and economic value throughout this scheme, with a key focus on procuring a local supply chain, employing a local workforce and providing on-site training opportunities.”
