Project details

Project Value: £16.8m

Contract: JCT Design and Build

Role: Cost Consultant and Internal Commercial Lead

Description

High-Quality CAT B Office Fit Out within Green Park Campus, Reading to create Virgin Media’s central hub and office Head Quarters.

 

Function of the Building

The final product is a “smart building” that contains many brand-aligned, high impact features – for example, an app to highlight available workstations for staff, an immersive, futurist pitch centre with multiple interactive screens, a large atrium that floods the interior with natural light, and a concierge-style reception designed to ease the visitor journey – all of which are essential elements of the Virgin Media brand.

Virgin Media’s youthful, life-affirming values are also reflected throughout the workplace. The Green Park campus where it is located operates with the philosophy that “the equity of the natural environment where we work, eat and play affects how well we function”, and provides

access to running tracks, a gym and a multipurpose sports court. In addition, our work on Virgin Media’s site has placed wellness at its core, through a retreat room, and the selection of a prestigious caterer to operate a 190-cover restaurant that promotes healthy eating.

 

Nature of Involvement

The challenge was to manage an ambitious 25-week fit-out programme that would be able to accommodate up to 1600 Virgin Media staff from day one and meet the lease events and expiries in their previous estate.

 

Our priorities have included

  • Implementation of a procurement and tender strategy
  • CAT B office fit-out with agile workplace settings
  • Tight control of the project budget
  • Management of the design process, ensuring it embeds Virgin Media’s brand values and promotes enjoyable, collaborative working

TCQ did not only carry out traditional cost management duties. We were at the forefront of the Virgin Media Commercial Management team in assisting with overall development costs, internal directs i.e. furniture and IT, cost tracking and cashflow forecasts, and liaising closely with internal stakeholders and finance teams in order to manage the budget.

 

Project Performance

TCQ were able to influence the design team and stakeholders involved to manage and offer cost-effective solutions and deliver the project within the overall cost envelope.

Our support in advising on the appropriate procurement strategy from the outset helped provide programme advantages for early on-site commencement.

Client Response

TCQ has brought a high level of commitment, professionalism and competence to the projects they have delivered and provided excellent support to the Virgin Media Property Management Team. The service offered and provided has always been exemplary and the staff both courteous and knowledgeable.

James Fiddian
Virgin Media