Ordnance Survey build project starts (From Daily Echo)

Ordnance Survey build project starts

9:50am Tuesday 7th April 2009 in News By Echo Business

An artist’s impression of the new Ordnance Survey building.

WORK on the future home of Southampton-based mapping agency Ordnance Survey, pictured, got under way with a ceremony at the site on the edge of the city.

John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills and Vanessa Lawrence CB, Ordnance Survey director general and chief executive, broke the earth using traditional “silver spades”, alongside representatives from leading property developer Kier.

The new Ordnance Survey head office, sited at Adanac Park alongside the M271, will be a flagship corporate building at the gateway to Southampton, the city that has been the agency’s home for over 160 years.

Mr Denham said: “I am delighted to be able to cut the first turf for Ordnance Survey’s new headquarters. This exciting and innovative new building means that Ordnance Survey will continue its long association with Southampton. The project will also see up to 200 building workers employed which is good news for the construction industry in the downturn. I also hope that some apprentices will be involved with the construction.”

Building is expected to take 17 months, with staff set to move from the existing Maybush offices at the end of 2010. The current site is set for redevelopment.

Vanessa Lawrence said: “Our new head office will safeguard Ordnance Survey’s long-term future as an innovative and world-class organisation based in the Southampton area. The building will offer staff significant improvements to their working environment and I am delighted to see construction work begin.”

Ordnance Survey’s existing site – opened by The Queen in 1969 – was designed when business and technology needs were markedly different to today. At that time there was more than 3,000 head office staff, compared to current numbers of around 1,100.

The new head office and onsite nursery will cover 16,400sq m and has been designed to be a very low energy user, making maximum use of natural resources and minimising greenhouse gas emissions. This includes using the ground as a source, through heat pumps, to heat and cool the building and natural ventilation to reduce the need for air conditioning.

A main feature of the external design is a large, textured brick wall that will act as an “acoustic buffer” to minimise the motorway noise on the office areas of the building.