Provision of temporary access utilising HAKI system scaffold for internal and external works to support the largest collaborative partnership between the NHS and the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Catterick Garrison is home to over 14,000 military personnel, and the Catterick Integrated Care Centre (CICC) is the largest collaborative partnership between the NHS and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to date, measuring over 12,000 m². The new £110m government-funded healthcare facility is projected to treat up to 1,000 people per day, split between military patients (75%) and NHS patients (25%).

Tilbury Douglas was awarded the construction contract in 2021 by the MOD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). The new Care Centre incorporates sustainable infrastructure and will be powered solely by electricity to support the NHS and MOD ‘Net Zero by 2040’ commitment. With climate resilience and sustainability in mind, the building design includes 600 m² of solar PV roof panels, air-source heat pumps, electric vehicle charging points, low-energy lighting, and intelligent building management systems to reduce energy consumption.

The CICC will provide medical services for military personnel based at Catterick Garrison and nearby RAF stations, as well as delivering primary and community NHS services, including rehabilitation, mental health support, and specialist treatments for members of the public and military families living in the surrounding area.

Before the scaffolding was erected, the principal contractor, Tilbury Douglas, a leading UK building, infrastructure, engineering, and fit-out company, completed the supporting steel framework for the three-storey, 18-metre-high building. They installed the concrete floor slabs, fixed the external cladding and curtain walls, and then installed the roof, making the E-shaped building, when viewed from above, fully watertight. At its longest point, the building measures 113 metres in length and 54 metres in width.

To support Tilbury Douglas during the finishing stages, we erected HAKI scaffolding up to eight lifts high to facilitate brickwork, external cladding installation, and the fit-out phase of the large-scale construction project. Loading bays were integrated into the scaffolding to allow for the safe and efficient delivery of materials to work areas, while HAKI staircases provided safe access and egress for tradespeople at all levels. Handrails were installed to ensure safe rooftop access, and additional loading bays were added within internal void areas to support the client with the installation of infrastructure and plant equipment. Additional protection decks were erected to allow access for rooflight installation. The configuration was further adapted to enable access through the scaffolding to internal loading bays on the first and second floors.

HAKI system scaffolding is up to 60% quicker to assemble and dismantle compared to traditional scaffolding due to its modular design, minimal components, and unique “hook-on” method.

Enigma’s Operational Team worked closely with the client’s representatives on-site to devise an efficient schedule and identify potential coordination and sequencing issues through collaborative working with all subcontractors operating on-site. This process helps to eliminate possible problems before deployment on-site. We also continued to liaise proactively with all subcontractors to ensure any concerns were addressed promptly, avoiding unnecessary delays that could hinder the progress of the works.

Enigma’s in-house design & engineering team supported the overall project, and the team on-site adapted the configuration on the east elevation by inserting a bridged beam, enabling the safe removal of uprights to create an entrance passage. To support the internal fit-out stage with the delivery of materials and equipment.