Cara Strengthens Relationship With Morgan Sindall With £24m Contract For Surgical Nicu At Alder Hey Hospital

Cara Group’s Brickwork division has secured another significant project with Morgan Sindall Construction, continuing to build on their strong partnership.

Cara Brickwork has been appointed to deliver the masonry work for the £24m Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Morgan Sindall, one of the UK’s leading construction and infrastructure companies, has a long-standing commitment to delivering socially responsible, high-quality construction projects across sectors including healthcare, education and commercial development.

Their decision to award Cara Brickwork this contract reflects the continued growth and trust in the working relationship between the two companies. Project partners on the Surgical NICU include Hoare Lea, Gilling Dod Architects and WSP.

This new state-of-the-art Surgical NICU will be the first of its kind in the country, designed to provide family-integrated care. It will include 22 neonatal cots and 18 individual family rooms, allowing parents to stay alongside their babies while they receive expert medical care.

On the ground floor, the facility will also feature a Same Day Emergency Care Centre, bringing together paediatricians, emergency care clinicians, advanced clinical practitioners, primary care and family support workers, creating a safer and more comprehensive service for young patients.

Work on the main masonry will commence in January 2025, following preliminary works in October 2024. Cara Brickwork’s team will be integral to the successful delivery of this critical healthcare infrastructure, with the overall project expected to be completed by Autumn 2025.

Neil Allen, Managing Director of Cara Brickwork, said: “We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Morgan Sindall, especially on such a prestigious and vital project as the Surgical NICU at Alder Hey. This project further cements our relationship, which has seen us working together on several major contracts over the years. We share a commitment to high standards and creating a lasting positive impact in the communities we serve.”

In line with Morgan Sindall’s dedication to providing social value, Cara Brickwork will be participating in initiatives such as ‘have a go days’ to provide local apprentices with practical, on-the-job experience. Cara is also working closely with ‘Liverpool in Work’ to offer unemployed local residents the opportunity to gain meaningful employment on this project.

Shaun Thomas, Morgan Sindall Construction’s Project Manager at the Alder Hey site, said: “Once completed, the new Alder Hey Surgical NICU will become a vital linchpin in providing quality care to families in the Liverpool community. As such we are pleased to continue and strengthen our relationship with Cara Group’s Brickwork division in the knowledge that the experience and expertise that they bring will enable us to deliver a state-of-the-art facility.” 

As a core division of Cara Group, established in 1993, Cara Brickwork continues to expand its operations across various sectors, with ongoing projects in healthcare, education, and commercial developments.

With six divisions including brickwork, construction, utilities, flooring, nuclear and landscape, Cara Group serves clients from its offices in Manchester, Yorkshire and Merseyside, delivering high-quality service at every stage of the construction process.

Neil added: “With the masonry works set to begin, Cara Brickwork looks forward to further enhancing its reputation for quality craftsmanship and strengthening its relationship with Morgan Sindall Construction as we work together to bring this landmark healthcare facility to life.”