North West Construction Hub

1. Tell me about North West Construction Hub.

The North West Construction Hub (NWCH) is a leading public sector construction procurement framework serving the North West of England. Established in 2009, it was created to improve efficiency, accountability and collaboration in public sector construction delivery. NWCH operates as a not-for-profit framework, enabling clients, contractors and consultants to work together through early engagement and a one team approach and delivering better value for money.

NWCH has delivered hundreds of projects across the region, promoting high standards in quality, sustainability and social value. Its governance includes an independent board drawn from public-sector organisations, with Manchester City Council as the legal entity behind it. NWCH is also an active partner of the National Association of Construction Frameworks (NACF), helping shape national best practice in two stage collaborative procurement.

Overall, NWCH is recognised for providing a compliant, efficient route to market, strong client support, and a focus on community impact through its innovative and collaborative construction projects.

2. Why Do Clients Love North West Construction Hub?

Clients value the NWCH for its trusted, collaborative delivery model and consistently high-quality outcomes. The Hub provides a reliable, relationship driven route to procurement, supported by a knowledgeable team with strong construction and procurement expertise. This enables us to fully understand project requirements and guide clients toward the most effective route to market.

Communication is central to how we work, we maintain open, consistent dialogue between clients, end users, and delivery partners to ensure shared understanding, clear expectations, and transparent decision-making. Acting as a connector, we translate strategic objectives into practical delivery while keeping technical detail, budgets, and programme requirements aligned.

Our partners appreciate the collaborative strong working relationships this approach creates, unlocking innovation and efficiency across every scheme.

As an organisation rooted in the North West, we also bring a deep understanding of local priorities, championing social value through jobs, skills and economic growth, while adapting to evolving sector needs such as sustainability, modern methods of construction and emerging national standards.

3. What Are Your Most Innovative Public Sector Builds and What Makes Them Special?

 The North West is home to some of the most innovative and culturally significant public sector developments in the UK, and several stand out for the impact they have had on their communities and the wider region.

1. Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot represents a unique fusion of heritage and modern design, creating a world-class performance space inspired by Elizabethan theatre while acting as a catalyst for investment, skills, and local regeneration.
2. Storyhouse in Chester is a groundbreaking multi-arts venue that successfully integrates a theatre, cinema, library, and community spaces under one roof, demonstrating how cultural buildings can be reimagined to maximise accessibility, inclusivity, and public engagement.
3. Eden Project Morecambe represents a multi-million pound regeneration investment, supported by £50 million of Levelling Up funding, aimed at transforming the town into a world‑class eco‑tourism The project is expected to attract between 585,000 and 760,000 visitors annually, significantly boosting the local visitor economy and stimulating wider regeneration through increased footfall, job creation, and new commercial opportunities.

Collectively, these projects highlight the region’s commitment to design excellence, social value, and creating spaces that inspire, connect, and elevate communities. Something we at NWCH are extremely proud of.

4. What Makes You Proud to Be Part of the North West?

Having lived in the North West all my life, I’m constantly reminded of how special this region is, and how proud I am to be part of it.

The people are, without question, at the heart of it all. There’s a friendliness and authenticity here that you just can’t manufacture. Whether you’re in a small town or a major city, you’re met with warmth, humour and a sense of community.

The fast-paced lifestyle is something I’ve come to love. The North West has this incredible energy, there’s always something happening, always something being built or improved. It’s a region that doesn’t stand still

The development across the region has been inspiring to watch. From major city transformations to infrastructure, culture, and industry, the North West feels like it’s constantly evolving.

Each year brings new opportunities, new investment, and new reasons to be optimistic about the future. Being involved in the construction and frameworks space means I get to see this progress up close, which makes me feel both proud and privileged.

And then there are the cities themselves, each with its own personality and charm. From the vibrancy and creativity of Liverpool to the dynamism and economic strength of Manchester, to the heritage of places like Chester, Preston, and Lancaster. The North West region offers a rich mix of culture, history, and innovation.

5. What Do You Do to Support Local Communities?

The Framework takes its role very seriously in understanding and maximising the positive impact we have on our communities. We don’t just focus on project‑specific social value, we orchestrate, convene and lead on broader objectives that bring together our contractors, consultants, clients, and local partners to deliver meaningful, lasting benefits where they are needed most. Our aim is simple: to add real value to people’s lives, whether it’s linked to a construction site.

Examples of this include coordinating employability programmes for residents who are furthest from the job market, arranging school and college engagement sessions to inspire future careers, supporting local charities through volunteering days, and partnering with community groups to improve public spaces or tackle issues such as digital exclusion.

We also bring partners together to run special interest groups, mentoring schemes, fundraising initiatives, donation drives, and wellbeing workshops. By aligning our contractor partners to shared goals, we ensure our collective effort generates social value that is genuine, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the communities we serve.

6. How Did You First Become Involved with the NACF?

My involvement with the National Association of Construction Frameworks (NACF) naturally evolved through my work with the North West Construction Hub. Being part of the NWCH meant regularly engaging with national best practice, public sector collaboration, and the wider framework community, so the NACF was a space I was already closely connected to.

I was initially invited to support the main NACF forum alongside our Framework Lead. This gave me a deeper insight into the breadth of work happening across the country and allowed me to work alongside colleagues from other regional frameworks, sharing lessons learned and shaping collective improvement.

Following that experience, I became a proud member of the NACF Marketing Group. This role has allowed me to be more actively involved in promoting the value of public sector frameworks, strengthening national messaging, and helping share the great work being delivered across the regions. It’s been a really rewarding journey and one that continues to grow as the NACF evolves.

7. Why Is the NACF Important in the Construction Industry?

 I believe the NACF is important to the construction industry because it leads the adoption of procurement best practice across local government, working closely with the LGA to shape national strategy and support key government initiatives.

Its frameworks provide a more integrated, collaborative and eficient alternative to traditional procurement, addressing long standing issues of fragmentation and ineficiency by fostering long-term relationships, common incentives, and performance-based improvement, which deliver measurable benefits in cost, quality, and delivery outcomes.

Operated by the public sector, for the public sector, NACF frameworks deliver consistent value, are tailored to regional needs, and have contributed over £20bn of improvements to the public estate, demonstrating their scale and impact.

The NACF also plays a vital role in promoting social value, supporting mental health initiatives, and collaborating with central government and industry bodies to drive innovation, efficiency, and socioeconomic impact across public sector construction.

8. What Would Be Your Best Piece of Advice for a Public Sector Organisation Considering Using a Framework?

The best piece of advice for any public sector organisation considering the use of a construction framework is to focus on selecting a framework that offers more than just a route to market, and instead delivers genuine added value, expertise, and long-term collaboration.

High performing frameworks particularly those aligned with the Gold Standard, provide early feasibility input, support risk reduction, promote innovation, embed social value, and maintain strong supply chain accountability, all of which are essential for achieving better project outcomes.

Organisations should seek frameworks operated by the public sector, for the public sector, ensuring they benefit from impartial best practice advice, regional understanding, and proven track records of delivering consistent and tangible value to the public estate.