Our team is very proud to have worked at Chatham Historic Dockyard for more than 10 years. We have carried out a number of projects ranging from feasibility studies to large capital projects of circa £8m. Projects of note include:

• No. 7 Covered Slip, 2004 - 2006, £3.5m
• Three Ships Attraction, 2003 - 2006, £3.5m
• No.1 Smithery building, 2007 - 2010, £8m

The restoration of No. 7 Covered Slip and the formation of the Three Ships attraction. Each of the projects has included multi-funding sources and close liaison with English Heritage and Conservation groups due to the Scheduled Ancient Monument status of the areas.

All the projects have been carried out while the Dockyard has remained open as a visitor attraction. The work in No. 7 Covered Slip included surveys of floor areas which were of particular interest to English Heritage due to the surveying and setting out of new foundations when the brick paving had to be taken up and stored.

Challenges/Achievements

Our current work at Chatham includes project management of the new repository for the national collection of maritime models (including galleries and visitor display areas) within a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the No.1 Smithery building. A feature of the project is the new construction and archaeological investigation where archaeologists have carried out pile probing and a reduced level dig. The original pipe bending floor has been conserved and protected during the works and is to become a key feature of the visitor attraction on completion.

Construction methods have been chosen to minimise impacts on the building and rigorous approvals have been needed for example for each and every fixing into the existing structure. Stakeholders include SEEDA, NHMF, Imperial War Museum, National Maritime Museum and Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.

In addition, we are carrying out the programme management of a series of projects which is currently at funding application stage. This programme includes a new security lodge, the redevelopment of the Fitted Rigging House to form a new Faculty of Journalism and a Faculty of Fine Arts for the University of Kent. A feature of the Fitted Rigging House (9,200 sq m in area) are the floors which are double-boarded and incorporate in part old ship’s timbers which need to be protected and preserved within this Scheduled Ancient Monument.