AtkinsRéalis, Mott MacDonald and Stantec have been appointed by United Utilities for a £269M framework to provide detailed designs for sustainable water and wastewater solutions across the north west.
United Utilities’ Design Development Partners (DDP) framework is for works relating to the eighth asset management period (AMP8), between 2025 and 2030.
It will see nature-based, blue/green and hybrid solutions as major focus areas for the six year framework that includes options to extend for up to five more years.
The partners will take concepts put forward by United Utilities’ strategic solutions team to create detailed designs for schemes across its sites as well as bio resource and rainwater management projects.
AtkinsRéalis, Mott MacDonald and Stantec will be tasked with developing scalable, repeatable and future-proof designs, with the aim of improving efficiency and reducing operation and maintenance risk in the future.
The signing of the partnership comes after United Utilities recently announced seven partners who will help to deliver its major infrastructure projects and 18 detailed design and build partners.
United Utilities has recently submitted a £13.7bn investment plan for 2025-2030 to Ofwat to try and deliver cleaner rivers, more reliable water supplies and improvements to services in its operation area of the north west of England. However, this has been scaled back to £12bn in Ofwat’s draft determination.
Ofwat’s final determination of the business plan will be published in December 2024. The regulator’s draft determinations, published earlier this month, scaled back the sector’s plans to £88bn overall.
Stantec operations director Neil Croxton said: “We’re excited to see the DDP Framework harnessing Stantec’s local and global specialist design skills to transform United Utilities’ vision into actionable designs, ensuring efficient project execution and delivering best value outcomes for UU customers and communities.
“Working collaboratively, with a focus on both community and the environment is what we do best at Stantec.
“By working across the built environment alongside public and private sector organisations, we take a holistic approach to our designs and redefine what’s possible for our clients.”
Mott MacDonald UK water and environment general manager Tim Hill said: “We’re very pleased to have been selected by United Utilities and to be able to share our industry leading expertise with them during this critical AMP8 investment period.
“We have an enviable track record of delivering pioneering frameworks in the UK water sector and a considerable reputation for effective collaboration.
“We’re confident that together, we will deliver a more sustainable water landscape, incorporating a dedication to environmental sustainability and innovation for the benefit of the north west.”
United Utilities capital delivery director Jane Simpson said: “We’re delighted to have chosen three leading design and development partners for our ambitious investment plans.
“We’ll benefit from their expertise in developing and delivering world-class solutions to allow us to deliver the transformation to our infrastructure that we know our customers want to see.”
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