Selected for commissions via a competitive process against multiple suppliers, our comprehensive approach to asbestos management combines technical excellence with responsive service delivery, ensuring the highest standards of safety and compliance across educational facilities, leisure centres, commercial properties, heritage assets, and public spaces.
The Challenge
Manchester City Council (MCC) required a specialist asbestos consultant capable of delivering consistent, high-quality services across one of the UK’s most complex and diverse property portfolios. The CP&P Minor Works team manages an average of 400 projects per year, ranging from £10k-£3m+, requiring a partner who could adapt to varying project scales and complexities.
The building portfolio presents unique operational challenges. Working across heritage buildings like Manchester Town Hall requires specialist knowledge and sensitivity. The Council needed a partner with proven expertise in approved conservation methodologies and the ability to work collaboratively with conservation teams.
Beyond heritage properties, the portfolio spans educational facilities where safeguarding is paramount, leisure centres operating during peak public use, commercial properties with business continuity requirements, and public parks with community access considerations. Each property type brings its own access challenges, security protocols, and operational constraints.
MCC also required confidence in emergency response capabilities. When incidents occur, such as when fireworks damaged the roof of the City of Manchester Institute of Gymnastics, speed cannot compromise quality or safety.
The Council needed a partner who could mobilise within 4 hours for emergency situations and deliver 48-hour reporting turnaround whilst maintaining robust emergency protocols and business-as-usual service delivery across the portfolio.
Our Solution
Our approach centres on deploying dedicated local resources with proven track records on MCC contracts. We’ve appointed three Manchester-based dual-qualified senior surveyors, who hold BOHS P402, P403, and P404 qualifications and have worked on the MCC contract for the last three years, ensuring continuity and deep familiarity with the Council’s procedures, properties, and personnel.
Our surveyors’ experience with this complex heritage asset, combined with Enhanced DBS clearance and PASMA training for high-level access work, exemplifies the calibre of personnel we assign to MCC contracts. Our surveyors aren’t just technically competent, they understand the sensitivities of working in occupied public buildings, heritage environments, and educational settings.
The dual-qualification of our surveyors delivers tangible operational benefits. Because they hold both surveying and air testing qualifications, they can conduct air testing during survey works without mobilising additional staff. This proves particularly valuable in emergency response situations, where we attend properties following known or potential asbestos disturbances. Their dual competency also represents a higher level of expertise in asbestos risk assessment, enabling them to provide more informed advice and guidance to Council representatives, supporting better decision-making throughout project lifecycles.
Comprehensive Asbestos Survey Programme
Our integrated service approach for MCC includes asbestos management, refurbishment and demolition surveys, alongside re-inspections, consultancy, and emergency response capabilities.
We’ve completed 297+ individual projects since 2018, demonstrating our ability to deliver consistently across this demanding contract.
Now contracting through the PAGABO framework, we provide MCC with:
- Asbestos Management and Refurbishment Surveys conducted in accordance with HSG 264
- Demolition Surveys for major projects
- Re-inspection of known Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM)
- Air Testing and Monitoring services
- Emergency bulk sampling with 48-hour turnaround
- Asbestos Project Management for complex schemes
- Compliance consultancy and guidance
Our technical and operational infrastructure provides the foundation for efficient, trusted service delivery.
Our in-house UKAS ISO 17025 accredited laboratory can analyse over 1,500 samples per week, ensuring rapid turnaround even during busy periods. For emergency situations, we operate a fast-track courier service delivering 48-hour analysis turnaround.
