Nottinghamshire County Council’s project to establish a cutting-edge headquarters, Oak House, is progressing steadily, with completion slated for March 2025.
Approved by Full Council in July 2023 with an initial budget of £18.4 million, the project showcases a commitment to environmental sustainability and operational efficiency.
Oak House, located in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, has been designed to meet the BREEAM Excellent standard—placing it among the top 10% of non-domestic buildings in the UK for environmental impact and energy efficiency. This aligns with the Council’s climate change emergency declaration and its Net Zero by 2030 goal.
Key sustainability features include:
• Low Carbon Design: Incorporating high insulation levels, solar shading, and energy-efficient building systems.
• All-Electric Energy Strategy: Avoiding fossil fuels entirely, with photovoltaic solar panels contributing to electricity needs.
• Sustainable Transport Facilities: Providing secure cycle storage, showers, lockers, and EV charging points to promote greener commuting options.
• Biodiversity Enhancements: Landscaping with wildflowers, native hedgerows, and trees to boost local biodiversity.
• Water and Pollution Management: Surface water drainage systems to reduce runoff and prevent pollution of natural watercourses.
Additionally, the building will be adaptable for future needs, incorporating design elements that allow for flexibility and easy disassembly to reduce waste.
Construction began in December 2023 but faced significant challenges during the winter of 2023-24. Adverse weather, including 10 named storms and heavy rainfall, caused site flooding and disrupted progress. Foundation engineering required remediation, and the project lost 17 working days due to these extreme conditions.
Despite these setbacks, proactive measures, such as deploying an additional crane to accelerate the erection of the building frame, helped recover much of the lost time. The project remains on schedule for its March 2025 completion.
Budget Adjustments
While the original estimated cost was £18.4 million, inflationary pressures and the adverse weather have pushed the projected final cost to £19.8 million—an increase of £1.4 million. Mitigation efforts, including the use of £527,000 in capital contingency funds, have reduced the additional funding requirement to £888,000. In fairness it is worth noting that the original quotes for the Oak House project from constructors were £20 million plus – and contract negotiations brought that figure down.
• £2.5 million County Hall annex demolition among £7.5 million investment in services
The Council aims to hold its first meeting in the new Oak House headquarters in March 2025, marking the culmination of a project that not only promises to transform its operational base but also sets a benchmark for environmentally responsible public buildings.
