Gorton Homes employees have more than 45 years’ experience in major Civil and Structural Engineering projects in the built environment and have worked all over the UK, Middle East and Australia. Since 1996 we worked on projects in the Middle East.
In the early stage of our projects in the UK were major hospitals and shopping centres, sheltered housing, sports halls and stadia. In the 1980s hospitals continued to expand and develop, the biggest example being Leeds St James hospital and medical / dental Schools, Nottingham, Plymouth, St Luke’s in Bradford and Westmoreland General.
Apart from these major projects we worked with two famous architects for the new St Mary Magdalen Church in and the Jamea Masjid mosque, both in Preston. These were very rewarding projects to work on benefiting the community.
During the 1990s we worked for a variety of clients all over the UK. Projects included bridge design and assessment, canal restoration, hotel conversions and extensions, commercial properties, and private houses.
Beginning our Middle East operations.
During 1996 we were engaged to work on the development of the Aqaba power station in Jordan to export electrical power to Egypt
Dubai a new beginning. Early in 2000 we moved to Dubai to manage a small branch office, which specialised in structural steelwork and reinforced concrete detailed design and production of production drawings, clients were major contractors, government utility companies and specialised suppliers of tensile structures, facades and feature timber structures.
Key Projects were Al Ghurair centre redevelopment, Etisalat Tower, Lexus Tower, Irrigation and Seawater Pipeline design, Stadia floodlighting, Dubai Autodrome Infrastructure and support buildings. A unique project was an enormous Falcon Free Flight enclosure for a Dubai Prince.
Working with a major international consultant structures department we were responsible for the entire Middle East region regularly visiting other Gulf States for major projects.
Major clients include Dubai Government, Abu Dhabi Government, Sharjah Government, Qatar Foundation, DUCAB (Dubai Cable Factory), Union Properties, DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre), Air Products, Qatar Navy, ADSB (Abu Dhabi ship building), Dubai Ports and Customs, Dubai International Airport, Sharjah International Airport, and Abu Dhabi International Airport.
The highlights were the design and construction of the Sheik Khalifa Mosque Abu Dhabi, Airbus A380 Hangars for Omani Royal Flight in Seeb Oman, Emirates Maintenance Centre Dubai Airport and Abu Dhabi Airport; a Massive Ship Construction Hall for ADSB and new Cable Factory in Abu Dhabi for DUCAB. Minor projects; but nevertheless complex and interesting were Royal flight terminals in Muscat and Abu Dhabi, Arts Academy in Sharjah, and Camel breeding centre.
Later working with a major Engineering Contractor as Design and Build coordinator for 2 high profile projects, Wafi Centre expansion including the iconic Raffles Hotel an extremely complicated Pyramid shaped Hotel in Egyptian style and Dubai Festival City Hillside Housing situated onto of a manmade hill. Working with a team of world-class Architects Engineers and a contractor committed to delivering the highest quality project.
With the launch of the latest of Dubai mega project “The World”. We were responsible for the design management and procurement of a group of island resorts for a private client. This $500 million development involving production of business plans for the resort development including apartments, townhouses, villas and the hotel. The development of the initial two islands comprised harbour and marine works together with comprehensive utilities supply of desalinated water electricity generation, wastewater treatment and recycling, district cooling, vacuum refuse system etc.
Another major project on the World Islands were we commissioned to design and produce construction documents for a group of islands in the Australia and New Zealand zone of the project and included a mix of hotels, apartments, and villas complete with a harbour, ferry terminals on the island and onshore. Staff accommodation and plant to provide electricity, water, and waste treatment were all located on the facilities island.
Following on from this project was the design of the infrastructure and land facilities for the Khalifa Port and Infrastructure Zone development in Abu Dhabi Emirate, this was the largest new port development in the world for several decades. It comprised a deep-water Island container and bulk goods terminal connected to the land by a breakwater and bridge, the onshore design comprised new roads railways and security gate buildings and perimeter.
Working with international FBO contractors on two major new Wastewater Treatment plants in the Desert of Abu Dhabi to cope with the expansion of Al Ain City and Abu Dhabi.
Towards the end of 2010 opportunities arose to work on projects in Western Australia in a major boom with huge projects in iron ore mining, and gas production. We were involved in Barrow Island LNG plant, for Chevron. Rio Tinto iron ore expansion railway fuel infrastructure and mine-site administration and amenities buildings. Wastewater treatment plant upgrades. Potable water supply tower. Great Northern highway realignment and structural verification of several highway bridges required to bypass the town centre and provide easier access to the port and industrial zones.
We are continuing to be involved in major projects in the UK. The projects we are working on are, Dubai Creek Hotels, Crossrail and HS2 Stations, Thames Tideway Tunnel, Gatwick Airport, London City, and Heathrow Airport, Swansea Tidal lagoon, Doha Metro as well as many minor projects in the greater London area.