Kier Construction has been awarded a £3m contract to build a new facility for HR Wallingford, the world renowned civil engineering and environmental hydraulics company.

HR Wallingford is extending its Froude Modelling Hall by 17,000sq ft to house the company’s new 70m-long wave simulator, believed to be the largest of its kind in the world, along with its state-of-the-art ship simulation centre.

The facility will allow engineers to accurately model the erosion around bridges and other water-based structures. It will also feature an electronics laboratory, where the company’s wave-makers and instruments will be made.

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Kier has already started construction work on the project, which is situated at Howbery Business Park, the UK's first solar-powered business park and one of only a few in the UK to see a new building commissioned amid the challenging economic climate.

Howbery Business Park Chief Executive, John Ormston, commented: "The development is fantastic news for Howbery Business Park and HR Wallingford. We have outline planning consent for further pre-lets and we hope our latest development will inspire other thriving Oxfordshire and Berkshire businesses to follow suit and add to our growing community."

The development is Kier's third project at Howbery Business Park following its successful completion of two award-winning sustainable office buildings in 2004 and 2009, which are occupied by the Environment Agency and HR Wallingford.

(CD/IT)