CHASE Christopher's

Christopher's Childrens Hospice, Guildford, Surrey

Client: CHASE Hospice Projects

Client Brief
CHASE is an organisation that cares for children who have a life expectancy of no longer than their 18th birthday. CHASE wanted to build a new hospice facility that would be used by the families as a respite care facility during, what can be, long periods.

CHASE already had Planning Permission for the scheme but the designs did not meet their requirements. CHASE needed a Client Representative/Project Manager, initially to review the current plans and then to represent their interests to ensure that the new designs were suitable, appropriate and within the budget.

Why Woodley Lucas?
Woodley Lucas were recommended to CHASE by a previous Client. Prior to any appointment, CHASE asked Woodley Lucas to carry out a reasoned cost review of the project (value engineering). The review had to be reliable such that it could be presented back to the Design Team and ultimately to the Board of Trustees for approval and then used as the anchor for the project to move forward.

Project Summary:
The first step was to implement the Cost Review and to manage the changes required to give the Client a product that met their needs; the Design team needed clear instructions and strong management during the redesign process. Woodley Lucas also consulted extensively with care staff and parents, both within CHASE and other existing children's hospice facilities.

Having successfully completed the construction works, Woodley Lucas were retained to manage the fit out and furnishing works which they did by procuring individual supply and installation contracts. During the fitout period of 4 weeks, Woodley Lucas maintained a fulltime site presence to ensure that the works went smoothly.

Christopher's Hospice was opened in November 2001 on programme and below budget and was formally opened by the Duchess of Wessex on 16th October 2002.