Award winning construction firm McPhillips has started work with the National Trust for the very first time – on a project at Calke Abbey in Derbyshire.
The site, which is home to one of the most distinctive country houses in the UK, is undergoing a major upgrade of its car parking facilities.
The project will see McPhillips carry out drainage works and implement re-enforced grass parking, while improving and extending the all-weather parking provision.
Planning permission for the site was granted earlier this year with works on the estate beginning in June.
The project will also see McPhillips plant more trees around the car park and develop an area for wildflower planting.
It marks a major step for McPhillips as they work in conjunction with the National Trust for the first time. The project comes after the award-winning firm was selected as part of transport frameworks in both the Black Country and Herefordshire in recent months.
McPhillips director Stuart MacKenzie said they were pleased to be working alongside the charity to create new facilities for the benefit of visitors.
He said: “We’re extremely pleased to be linking up with the National Trust to deliver this significant project.
“The work being carried out will improve the parking infrastructure and enhance the visitor experience for those heading to Calke Abbey.
“Work on a site like this does bring its unique challenges and careful planning has gone into this project.
“We’ve worked closely with the National Trust team to manage operations around the estate, including tree protection work, to ensure there is minimal disruption for both visitors and the working landscape.
“The project is being delivered with extensive ecological and habitat measures in place, to meet the site’s planning requirements and ensure areas are safeguarded throughout.”
Calke Abbey’s general manager, Stewart Alcock, explained the works ensure visitors can enjoy their trips to the National Trust site all-year round.
He added: “These improvements will help provide more reliable access to Calke, particularly during periods of wet weather when parts of our existing overflow parking can become unusable.
“Improved drainage and more resilient parking will also help the estate to adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather conditions, ensuring visitors can continue to enjoy Calke throughout the year.
“We know Calke is a place that people deeply care about, so we’ve worked hard to ensure the scheme is delivered as sensitively as possible within the landscape.
“We’re grateful to our visitors for their patience while the work is underway, and we look forward to welcoming people to experience the nature, beauty and history of Calke for many years to come.
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