Major Building Envelope Contractor Delivering £12m HS2 Contract

A MAJOR building envelope contractor in the northwest of England is delivering one of the HS2 high-speed railway contracts.

Contractor Longworth, based in Haydock, Lancashire is supplying and installing external zinc roof and wall cladding systems.

Together with associated façade works, Longworth is installing its systems to four of the ventilation and intervention shafts for the Chiltern Tunnel on HS2 Phase One, being delivered by the Align JV. The contract is worth just under £12 million.

The rural locations demand that the tunnel headhouses fit in with the natural beauty of their surroundings so the designs are based on agricultural buildings.

Major Building Envelope Contractor

Longworth was chosen by main contractor Align JV because of its established reputation in the use of traditional metal products. For this project, products include VM Zinc standing seam roofing and cladding, louvres, brises soleil, external doors and IKO Ultra Prevent membrane roofing.

Longworth has more than 50 operatives at the HS2 sites, plus management staff. The contractors are working on the head houses for the access and ventilation shafts located near Chalfont St Peter, Chalfont St Giles and Little Missenden. They are also working on the intervention shaft which will provide access for emergency services at Chesham Road. Lastly, the company is deployed at the North and South Portals which service the tunnels from each end.

“It is a great privilege for Longworth, to be part of building history,” said Paul Smith, Managing Director of Longworth. “HS2 will bring new economic opportunities for the UK for generations to come, and right now, is one of the largest on-going engineering projects, anywhere in the world.”

The company says the contract win not only underscores Longworth’s position as a leading player in the industry but also highlights its capability to undertake and deliver large-scale projects of national importance.

“For Longworth to have secured our largest ever contract and bring our expertise to a small part of this amazing feat of engineering is a huge honour,” Paul Smith adds.

The project is planned for completion in March 2025.

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