Oak House Council Offices
Framework: SCAPE National Construction Framework
Client: Arc Partnership (on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council)
Location: Hucknall
Budget: £17.8m
Sector: Civic/Offices
Completion: May 2025
“We are very proud of this all-electric building which is built to standards which will rank it within the top 10 per cent of new UK (non-domestic) buildings in terms of environmental sustainability. Being centrally located in the county, it is the home of two front-line council services and it also the venue for council meetings, including full council.”
Wayne Bexton
Director of Economy, Environment and Assets at Nottinghamshire County Council
In support of Nottinghamshire County Council’s strategic estate management delivery, the £17.8m Oak House development brings key services together under one roof in an efficient, adaptable and environmentally conscious office building.
Delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction through the SCAPE Construction Framework, and designed, project-managed and cost-managed by Arc Partnership, a joint venture between Nottinghamshire County Council and SCAPE, the highly efficient three-storey office was delivered on time, on budget, with a 10/10 client satisfaction score.
Located at Top Wighay, a 43.66-hectare mixed-use regeneration site owned by Nottinghamshire County Council on the outskirts of Hucknall, Oak House supports Nottinghamshire County Council’s Building and Office Rationalisation Programme, which has consolidated 17 offices across the county into nine.
Designed to prioritise accessibility and user experience, the building offers a flexible mix of office environments, shared amenities and a multipurpose space that can be adapted for a wide range of civic functions, with a dedicated public viewing platform.
Construction commenced in November 2023 in challenging weather and ground conditions. Through collaborative planning, proactive risk management and transparent communication, the project stayed on track, with key spaces able to be handed over early, enabling a full council meeting to take place prior to the building’s official opening without compromising safety or quality.
Aligned with the Council’s ambition to reinvest in Nottinghamshire’s economy, the project was delivered through a strong, locally based supply chain, supporting jobs, skills and wider economic activity across the region.
This commitment is reflected in delivery, with 67% of labour and 72% of spend sourced within 20 miles of the site. The project also prioritised local SMEs, achieving 80% engagement and 93% spend. Fair payment also played a key role, with 100% of supply chain partners paid within 15 days, helping support business resilience and long-term relationships. The project achieved a 45/45+1 CCS score and 100% CLOCS compliance, along with strong satisfaction outcomes, including a 9/10 value-for-money score and 9/10 supply chain satisfaction.
Early engagement with the local supply chain improved efficiency and collaboration and helped to accelerate delivery, including reducing the steel frame installation programme from 15 weeks to nine.
Oak House has been designed to deliver long-term savings for the taxpayer and environment as part of a wider strategy to relocate front-line council services into cost-effective, modern and energy-efficient buildings. The project embedded a focus on operational performance and embodied carbon reduction, culminating in BREEAM Excellent certification.
The building’s low-carbon design incorporates high insulation levels and passive environmental features to minimise energy demand and reduce operational costs. Sustainable technologies, including photovoltaic panels, efficient LED lighting and air source heat pumps, provide low-carbon energy generation and efficient heating, while rain gardens support sustainable drainage and biodiversity.
During delivery, further carbon savings were achieved through close collaboration with the supply chain, including the use of Electric Arc Furnace steel, reducing embodied carbon by 214 tonnes of CO₂e – the equivalent of heating 80 homes in the UK annually.
The result is a building that delivers low operational costs alongside a comfortable working environment. The building's performance places it within the top 10% of new non-domestic buildings in the UK for environmental sustainability, reinforcing its role as a future-focused, resilient and energy-efficient asset.
Working with the community
A strong focus on education, sustainability and community wellbeing enabled Oak House to generate £9.6m of social value, equivalent to 54% of project value.
Building on a longstanding partnership with Nottingham Trent University, Morgan Sindall engaged with students at key points in their academic journey through guest lectures, careers events, apprenticeship open days and site visits. More than 80 students gained first-hand insight into live project delivery and careers in construction, helping bridge the gap between education and industry.
Supporting the next generation of built environment professionals, these activities formed part of a wider programme that generated 260 apprenticeship weeks and 58 hours of school engagement throughout the project. The impact of this partnership can be seen through Luke Melville, an NTU alumnus and Graduate Site Manager who played a role in delivering Oak House, demonstrating how strategic partnerships between education and industry can create clear pathways into construction careers.
Working alongside supply chain partner Morecrofts, the team supported local communities through charitable donations to Hucknall Food Bank and volunteering activities with SCAPE partners as part of the Trussell Trust Tesco Winter Food Campaign, helping provide vital support for local families through Hope Food Bank.
Why SCAPE?
Procured via the SCAPE National Construction Framework, the project benefited from early contractor involvement, enabling high levels of collaboration and a fast-tracked pre-construction phase. From initial engagement, the team worked at pace to align design, programme and cost, reducing an inherited cost plan without compromising quality or programme. This collaborative approach enabled contract award and mobilisation on site within just eight weeks and was a key factor in the project securing the Collaboration and Integration Award at the Constructing Excellence East Midlands Awards 2026.
“Working on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, Arc Partnership has led on the delivery of this project, providing expert design, cost, and project management services. Collaborating closely with Morgan Sindall and the County Council ensured high-quality outputs at every stage of the project, while creating real value that ultimately benefits the council and local community.”
Dan Maher
Managing Director, Arc Partnership
Social value outcomes
This project has been submitted by Morgan Sindall Construction as part of the collaborative Social Value in Construction Benchmarking Report. This report captures the latest insights into the regional and national trends in social value delivery; learn more here.
£9.6m
social value (54%)
58
school engagement hours
260
apprenticeship/T-Level weeks
53
volunteering hours
£85k
social enterprise spend
In collaboration with:
Meet the lead:
Ian Towlson
Senior Framework Manager | Construction
Project gallery
NTU students visiting the Oak House project site
The Morgan Sindall team delivering a lecture at NTU
The Morgan Sindall team at NTU's Careers Fair
The team protected a colony of bees discovered within the site’s steelwork, working with local beekeepers to safely relocate the colony and create a new habitat
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