Wolves Appoint Buckingham Group as Main Contractor
Steve Morgan and Kevin Underwood
Wolves have appointed Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd as Main Contractor for Phase One of its ambitious redevelopment of Molineux, starting with the demolition and replacement of the Stan Cullis (North) Stand. The Contractor will be responsible for the £16 million project and will be working closely with Club officials to deliver a leading facility.
Buckingham Group has been established for over 55 years and during that time it has developed a strong track record in sports stadia and leisure complexes. It is responsible for building the London 2012 Handball Arena, Stadium MK in Milton Keynes and The American Express Community Stadium in Brighton. Buckingham’s Head Office is based in Stowe, Bucks and they also have regional offices in Warrington and Bristol.
The Contractor is aiming to complete the construction of the lower terraces of the new Stan Cullis Stand early in the new season, which would see some uncovered seats released back to the Club so that Molineux’s capacity is maximised throughout the construction. The exact timings are dependent on the progress of the project.
Jez Moxey, Chief Executive, Wolves, said: “We are delighted to be appointing Buckingham Group as the Main Contractor for this project. We undertook a rigorous tender and interview process to secure the most suitable Main Contractor, who not only has a track record and experience to deliver a facility which we can all be proud of, but one who has done so on time and within budget.
“I’d like to thank everyone who participated in the tender process. It was a very strong field packed full of first class expertise.
“I’d also like to pay early thanks to our project managers, Drivers Jonas Deloitte, our Architects, AFL, and all the companies who make up our professional team. The expertise and dedication of these companies and their staff has been invaluable in getting us this far, but the hard work starts now!”
Kevin Underwood, Partner/Director, Buckingham Group, said: “Buckingham Group, currently completing the £75.3m American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, are delighted to have been appointed as the Principal Contractor for this exciting, AFL designed project for Premier League Club, Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“We are really looking forward to working with the club to safely deliver a fantastic new stand for the fans and the community, and to set the benchmarks for quality, cost-effective and timely delivery that will influence further phases of the planned development. Additionally we are looking forward to extending the relationship with the professional team, many of whom we have worked with on other high-profile prestigious stadium projects”.