FP McCann was in attendance at the annual CEF/Specify Construction Excellence Awards, which highlight and celebrate the remarkable achievements of construction companies across Northern Ireland.

The construction industry in Northern Ireland has an annual total output of £3.4 billion, employs 85,000 people and makes a contribution of 12% to Northern Ireland’s Gross Value Added (a measure of wealth creation that has replaced GDP) making it one of the largest single industrial sectors.

The Awards programme commences each year with the Call for Entries in spring. From the Written Submission the judges select the finalists. All finalists are then visited on site by specialist judges, specific to that area of construction.

FP McCann was shortlisted for the Social/Community Construction Award, based on the Derry City Centre Public Realm Scheme which created a high quality, vibrant and modern urban environment. Work involved the upgrading of underground utilities including water and gas mains, electricity and telecommunications. Granite paving was laid with renewed street lighting, furniture and a digital water feature with integrated lighting.

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The scheme received a CEEQUAL “Excellent” rating with a project score of 92.1%, the highest scoring public realm project to date.

In excess of 400 people attended the Culloden Hotel for the prestigious ceremony which is now firmly established as the highlight of the construction calendar. The audience consisted of guests from the political, public and private sectors and included newly appointed Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Dr Malcolm McKibbin.

John Armstrong, CEF Managing Director, spoke about the importance of the awards in the current challenging economic climate: “Let me be very clear, our Assembly and Executive have put the economy at the core of their agenda. If we are to be rebalance our economy we need a sustained period of private sector growth. The seeds of private growth will not take root on barren ground.

“It is only through radically increased levels of investment in buildings and infrastructure that we will be able to create the fertile environment in which the private sector can grow. In this context, it has never been more important for us as an industry to showcase what we can do to improve the built environment for all the people of Northern Ireland."

(GK)