Architects planning to vie for healthcare contracts

Skipton-based Bowman Riley's high-profile schemes include the 16m headquarters for HML, a subsidiary of Skipton Building Society, which is due to open next month.

HML, a specialist financial outsourcing organisation, commissioned Bowman Riley to design the building on the outskirts of Skipton.

When it opens, the building will accommodate 850 employees who are now based at four sites around Skipton.

The project was a collaboration between Bowman Riley Architects, Wates Construction, Rex Proctor & Partners and BSCP Engineers.

Some Skipton residents and councillors have opposed the scheme, claiming the building will spoil the view from the nearby Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Supporters say it is a high quality building which will provide an improved working environment for hundreds of local people.

The project marks the culmination of the career of Paul Hodgson, the managing director at Bowman Riley, who is due to retire next month after 23 years with the company.

Mr Hodgson's stake in the company has been sold to the remaining directors – Laurence Teeney, John Coultas, Darren Bush and Matthew Jones.

Mr Hodgson said: "I will continue to work with the practice on a consultancy basis, while being able to spend more time on my motorbike exploring the Yorkshire Dales."

Mr Bush said: "The practice had a strong year in 2009. We want to continue to grow and strengthen the business, and even in this economic climate we feel that there is still scope to do so."

Bowman Riley, which has 50 staff in Skipton, plans to expand into new sectors. As part of this strategy, Tim Smith, of Rance Booth and Smith, based in Shipley, near Bradford, has been recruited to lead the practice's new healthcare division.

Mr Coultas said the firm planned to use Mr Smith's experience of designing projects for the police and healthcare sectors to help it win more work.

He said the company had received a large number of inquiries, which he hoped would convert into projects.

Michael Feather has been promoted to associate director specialising in commercial and scientific research projects. Chartered surveyor Debbie Lewis has also been promoted to become an associate.

Mr Coultas added: "The environment is becoming more

and more important. You have to tick all the environmental boxes."

Bowman Riley was a finalist in the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards 2010 in the Built Environment: projects over 1m category.

The firm made the shortlist for its work on supermarket chain Morrisons' store in Halifax.

It is the first Morrisons supermarket in Yorkshire to get the coveted BREEAM Excellent rating.

It includes CO2 sensors to adjust ventilation rates. The store also has lighting and temperature zoning and includes the UK's first petrol station to be lit entirely by LED.

The company has also designed a sixth-form pavilion at Harrogate Grammar School and Toronto Square, a 90,000 sq ft BREEAM Excellent-rated commercial office development in Leeds for Highcross.

Other recent projects include a contract to design 50 apartments and communal facilities in the Ryedale area of North Yorkshire for Yorkshire Housing.

Firm with roots in the dales

Bowman Riley Architects was established in Skipton, North Yorkshire in 1968 and opened an office in Leeds in 2005.

It has been involved in a number of retail schemes, including the conversion of three former Somerfield stores and one former Co-operative store into new stores for supermarket chain Morrisons.

Bowman Riley also secured work in Hounslow, Mitcham and Worthing,

and has recently completed a project in Brentford.

The company has also designed a new supermarket, petrol filling station and car park on the site of an existing Morrisons supermarket in Illingworth, near Halifax.

It includes a cladding system which generates renewable energy in the form of solar air heating.

The store contains other energy saving features, including a combined heat and power unit.