Oak House
Located at Top Wighay - a 43.66-hectare mixed-use regeneration site owned by Nottinghamshire County Council on the outskirts of Hucknall - Oak House supports Nottinghamshire County Council’s Building and Office Rationalisation Programme, which has seen 17 offices from across the county amalgamate to 9.
Designed, project and cost-managed by Arc Partnership, and delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction via the SCAPE Construction framework, the new three-storey, 3,400m2 building provides high-quality, multi-functional office accommodation within a forward-looking, sustainable environment. Rated BREEAM Excellent, the office represents the catalyst for unlocking investment and development potential in the area.
Construction on a greenfield site as part of the wider Top Wighay development presented several key challenges. The absence of existing infrastructure such as roads and utilities required a significant investment on the client's behalf, and the project team had to address the coordination of groundworks, utilities infrastructure and civil engineering alongside the new building construction. Additionally, ground conditions proved particularly demanding due to the predominant clay soil type, compounded by inclement weather throughout the construction period, including nine named storms, which led to excess water and localised flooding on site. To help alleviate significant flooding in the future, rain gardens for rainwater attenuation were included throughout the development.
The greenfield nature of the development site naturally required careful consideration of environmental, ecological, and landscape impacts during the planning process. A series of public engagement sessions were held to address and alleviate the concerns of the local community. Feedback from these sessions helped shape elements of the design and delivery approach, ensuring the development aligned with community expectations and local sensitivities.
Oak House has been designed to deliver long-term savings for the taxpayer and environment as part of a wider strategy to relocate front-line council services into cost-effective, modern and energy efficient buildings.
Achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating marks a significant milestone, not only for Arc Partnership as its first BREAAM-rated building, but also for Nottinghamshire County Council and the wider Top Wighay site. As an anchor within the development, it supports the ongoing regeneration and helps attract further investment within the employment zone.
Now home to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) for vulnerable children and adults, and the Council’s customer service centre which handles all public enquiries, the facility brings together frontline services in a single, purpose-built environment. The project was successfully completed on time and within budget.
Running parallel to the A611, Oak House creates a strong gateway presence into the Top Wighay development, while also providing a natural buffer between the employment zone and residential areas.
The three-storey building has been designed with flexibility at its core, accommodating a variety of workspace configurations, from open plan hot-desking areas to formal meeting and chamber spaces, supporting effective collaboration between MASH partners, including the Council, Police, Health, Probation Services and education providers.
The layout prioritises accessibility and user experience. Public-facing services are located at ground floor level, with secure access controls separating operational areas, including informal seating spaces, meeting and training rooms, and open-plan office areas. A double-height space, designed to function as both an open-plan workspace and a council chamber, features a first-floor viewing gallery and creates a central focal point within the building.
Sustainability is embedded throughout the design. The low-carbon, all-electric building achieves an air permeability score of 2.8 and incorporates air source heat pumps, heat recovery systems, roof-mounted photovoltaic panels and EV charging infrastructure. Feature brise-soleil provides shading to glazed facades which maximises natural light into the building while reducing solar heat gain and overall energy demand.
As a result, Oak House delivers low operational costs alongside a comfortable, modern and fit-for-purpose working environment. The building's performance places it within the top 10% of new non-domestic buildings in the UK for environmental sustainability, reinforcing its role as a future-focused, resilient and energy efficient asset.
The delivery of this project reflects our partnering ethos with our supply chain and consultancy partners, winning the Integration and Collaborative Working award at Constructing Excellence East Midlands Awards 2026.
Working with Morgan Sindall Construction and our local supply chain, and as part of our commitment to giving back to the local community, the project generated £9.6m social and local economic value, equating to approximately 59% of the project value.
With a significant focus on supporting local employment, skills and boosting the local supply chain, more than £8m was spent with local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) within a 20-mile radius. The project also delivered 259 apprenticeship weeks helping to develop future talent and sustain local economic growth.
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