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when they played in what was then the First Division, culminating in reaching the 1983 FA Cup final (which they lost to Manchester United after a replay). However, it is the goings-on off the pitch that have tested


the patience of all those connected with the club. The problems started in 1997 when the then board of directors decided to sell the club’s former home, the Goldstone Ground – a move that provoked widespread protest. Without a home for two years, from 1997–99 the club


shared Gillingham’s facilities before returning to Brighton to play at the Withdean Stadium, where they stayed until the end of the 2010-11 season.


Warming up Finally, on 27 November 2008, Buckingham Group Contracting (BGCL) signed the construction contract for the new stadium and began preparation work on the site on 17 December, with a view to it being completed by May 2011. After taking part in a competitive tender, NG Bailey was


awarded the £12m contract to provide mechanical, electrical and information communication technology (ICT) services for what would later be named the American Express (AMEX) Community Stadium. Steve Campbell, NG Bailey’s technical director, comments:


‘One of the main reasons we were appointed was due to our broad experience in stadia design. We also worked with BGCL on the £50m Milton Keynes Dons’ Stadium MK project, and were able to utilise much of that knowledge


34 ECA Today September 2011


at the AMEX Community Stadium. We were also able to reduce maintenance costs and use the latest products and systems to reduce its carbon footprint.’


One of the reasons the project ran so smoothly was due to the collaborative attitude from all the team on-site


Kick off NG Bailey started work in March 2009 and, at the project’s peak, it had a management team of 12 along with a workforce of 100 personnel on-site. Designed by London-based architects KSS, the stadium


seats 22,500 fans and, as well as providing top quality facilities for general spectators, the scheme also incorporates the club’s office facilities, a club shop, corporate hospitality, education and conference facilities. Phil White acted as NG Bailey’s design manager on


the project and explains: ‘We were given the opportunity to influence the project at the initial design phase. The company developed a solution that would ultimately enhance the workings of the club, and we were also able to increase the M&E services’ contribution to the BREEAM assessment.’ The stadium has achieved a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating


and Energy Performance Certificate B – the first stadium in the UK to achieve such a high standard.


Practice makes perfect Being appointed at an early stage in the project’s development meant that NG Bailey was able to maximise the specialist knowledge and skills of its supply chain, making sure that only the most suitable products were used.


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