The Christie Charity
Please see a full list of frequently asked questions about ongoing construction projects on The Christie site.
Q: When will the works be completed?
A: The Paterson building on Wilmslow Road is now ready for occupation.
Q: Do the contractors hold insurance?
A: Yes; all contractors working at The Christie hold the sufficient and relevant insurances. If you have any need to make a claim, please email construction@thechristiefeedback.co.uk with the specific details so we can inform the insurers.
Q: Are the working arrangements COVID-safe?
A: Yes; all contractors working at The Christie are obliged to comply with the Government’s current advice relating to workplaces.
Q: What are the working hours for the construction operations?
A: The normal hours of work will be in accordance with Manchester City Council’s (MCC) advice:
- Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm
- Saturday: 8:30am to 2pm
- Sunday and Bank Holidays: No noisy work.
We may need to work beyond these hours for certain planned site operations should the pausing of these activities impact upon the quality of the building. There are statutory arrangements to authorise extended working hours for specific planned situations. One such example is the pouring and curing of concrete.
Q: What should I do if I think the construction work is operating outside of the agreed hours?
A: Construction site working hours are prescribed through the planning permission and application to MCC. This permits the opening & closing of the construction site for staff before and after the commencement of the working hours.
In addition, out of hours noise can emanate from the existing occupied buildings at The Christie. For example, high powered generators may automatically turn on as an emergency response to power cuts, in order to maintain critical life systems at the hospital.
If you believe the contractor is not working to the agreed hours, please contact construction@thechristiefeedback.co.uk with specific details (date, time and nature of works) and we will investigate this. You are also able to report such matters to Manchester City Council through their website.
Q: Where can I get updates on the progress of the works?
A: You can sign up for specific notifications delivered via either email or post for particular construction works. In addition to this, The Christie Neighbourhood Forum and the e-newsletter will regularly update our neighbours on the various developments ongoing at The Christie. We will not be able to answer individual or very specific correspondence about the progress of the works, but we will notify you via the e-newsletter of the key activities.
To sign up to the construction projects e-newsletter, please email construction@thechristiefeedback.co.uk
Q: Does either the tiered car park project or Paterson project include any of the combustible cladding types currently being removed from high-rise residential buildings?
A: No.
Q: Are you using a drone for site progress photographs?
A: Yes. This is being undertaken by a qualified and licensed sub-contractor in accordance with the relevant Civil Aviation Authority Air Navigation Order 2016.
Permission is granted by the CAA for safety and privacy reasons for flights up to a height of 400ft but not within 50m of any building. Operating less than 50m would require permission of the building owner. Any images taken at a height of 400ft cannot identify people and are subject to General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act.
Q: Does the construction of the Paterson site give rise to increased risk of highway safety?
A: No. In terms of the specific risks, the sites are separate, and the relevant vehicle and pedestrian management systems are in place and coordinated.
Q: Where can we find out details about any highway improvements or road crossings that are being made to Cotton Lane and Heyscroft Road junctions?
A: You are able to view all submitted plans via the Manchester City Council planning website.
Q: What type of foundations are being used for the tiered car park?
A: The foundations are a series of pads with a ground-bearing slab.
Q: During the works, will there be contractors and Christie staff parking in the nearby streets?
A: Our contractor recognises the difficulties that contractor parking can cause and have instructed their workers and visitors to travel to the site by public transport and walking/cycling where appropriate. They informed all staff that parking in the Controlled Parking Zone or the surrounding area is not acceptable, with failure to comply leading to sanctions against the individuals involved, which could culminate in a ban from the site.
We continue to monitor parking in the area and we advise our staff not to park in the local area and encourage them to seek alternative travel arrangements. We cannot enforce parking restrictions against them.
Q: Will the construction works impact my property?
A: As with all construction works, there will be some unavoidable noise and vibration, we work with our contractors to reduce this as much as possible. For example:
- putting in place measures such as acoustic sound barriers during particular concreting activities on the tiered car park,
- regular wheel washing of the vehicles and the use of water sprays to suppress dust on site.
Road sweepers are also in operation to reduce as much as possible dust and mud on the highway during the seasonal weather periods.
During the construction we will be painting the steel beams - this paint provides fire protection. We can assure you that the paint is not hazardous in the ventilated open environment, but it may give off an odour at times. We do not believe the construction works will have any adverse impact on existing properties surrounding the site.
We continue to monitor noise, vibration and dust.
Q: How is the contractor addressing antisocial behaviour?
A: The contractor via weekly “tool box talks” reiterates to site staff a zero tolerance to antisocial behaviour, such as littering, smoking and loitering in the surrounding area with failure to comply leading to sanctions against the individuals involved, which could culminate in a ban from the site.
Q: Will the lights in use on the building site affect my property?
A: All the main site lighting is turned off during the night time and outside of the permitted working hours. Any remaining lights are associated with providing safe access for security and emergency response teams. If the level of background lighting is affecting you, please contact us at construction@thechristiefeedback.co.uk and we will endeavour to adjust it.
Q: What should I do if I think the construction works has had a direct impact on my property?
A: Please contact us at construction@thechristiefeedback.co.uk with a picture record of the current visual condition of the internal and external areas of your residency, taking numerous and clear date stamped pictures of the issue such as any damp ingress, structural cracks. This will protect your interests and assist you in evidencing your complaint.
Q: During the works, what do I do if my mobile phone or television system is affected?
A: We are aware of some instances where residents have reported changes in television and wi-fi reception. In accordance with the planning permission, our contractor will commissioned a TV, radio impact and Wi-Fi assessment study of the existing television signal commencing on Monday 4 October 2021. The survey will be undertaken in the area defined in the original survey and will identify any measures necessary to maintain at least the pre-existing level and quality of signal reception together with a timetable for such works. This information is required to be approved by the local planning authority following which any works will be implemented. We will not require access to any properties to undertake the survey and we will share the information submitted for approval.
If you are having trouble with any other utility service at your property, please report the fault to your service provider in the normal way.
Q: What is being done to coordinate works across the various operational construction sites at The Christie to reduce the impact on the neighbouring areas?
A: Weekly coordination meetings are held with the projects, sharing senior staff and both are coordinated by The Christie capital projects team. At the coordination meetings, consideration is given to site traffic management, site operatives, safety, potential road closures and any issues that are brought to our attention by our neighbours. In addition, periodic foot patrols monitor vehicle movements in the surrounding area and the behaviour of site staff which could be considered antisocial.
Q: Will the construction works, and the tiered car park increase the flood risk in the area?
A: No. The drainage system is modern, and aims to reduce surface water flooding, improve water quality and enhance the amenity and biodiversity value of the environment. The extensive landscaping on the new car park will also complement the existing surface water drainage which is designed to convey the anticipated flows and to sustain the physical loads imposed.
Q: Will the landscaping arrangements on the tiered car park reflect the scheme granted planning permission?
A: The scheme increased the number of indigenous trees by over 16 (after the removal of some non-native species) and provides screening between the tiered car park and surrounding houses.
Q: What should I do if I see a genuine emergency on the site?
A: If you see what you believe to be a genuine emergency on the site, you should call the emergency services on 999, or 101 when you want to contact the police but it’s not an emergency. They will coordinate with The Christie response team as required.
Q: Does The Christie have an active travel strategy for its staff?
A: The Trust promotes and supports active travel through an award-winning green travel plan. You can view this on our green travel plan webpage.
Q: Will the new buildings be energy efficient?
The buildings are designed to meet the current standards for energy efficiency and incorporate energy efficient building engineering solutions. The development of the Paterson site is designed to achieve improvement on carbon emissions as calculated under the recommended approved documents. The building achieves a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method) Very Good rating.
Q: Who should I contact if I have questions?
A: If you have further general questions and cannot find the information in these FAQs or online, please email construction@thechristiefeedback.co.uk. We will endeavour to respond but cannot guarantee to answer all questions.