Media centre

Thursday 3 Sep 2009

NETWORK RAIL UNVEILS PLANS FOR NATIONAL CENTRE AT MILTON KEYNES

Region & Route:

National

Network Rail today unveiled the first images of its groundbreaking new national centre, which will bring up to 3,000 jobs to Milton Keynes.

The proposed building – scheduled to open in 2012 – will be located near Milton Keynes Central railway station on the site of the former national hockey stadium, which will be taken down later this year.

The five shortlisted firms are:

• Balfour Beatty
• BAM
• Laing O’Rourke
• Skanska
• Sir Robert McAlpine

The short-listed firms have until the end of October to submit their tender proposals. The contract will be finally awarded in August 2010, with work due to start shortly thereafter.

Iain Coucher, Chief Executive from Network Rail said: “Milton Keynes is going places and we are keen to be part of it. We have got an exciting design for the new centre which will be one of the greenest buildings in the country and a stunning addition to central Milton Keynes.”

Network Rail is inviting people to find out more about the opportunities and other benefits for Milton Keynes at a series of exhibitions. At these events, members of the public will be able to speak with people working on the project, ask them questions and give their thoughts about our plans. Network Rail can then take this into account before submitting its planning application in early November.

Network Rail is aiming to achieve a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating for the centre. The design for the new building includes a host of eco-friendly features which will encourage diverse habitats for flora and fauna in the centre of the town and a rainwater harvesting system which will be used to flush toilets.

Network Rail plans to recycle material from the national hockey stadium and, wherever possible, materials will be sourced locally cutting the number of lorries and further reducing the carbon footprint of the building.