Capita Symonds - Our work

Our work

Wembley National Stadium, London Chris (on site at Wembley)

Location: Wembley, North London

Client: Wembley National Stadium Limited (WNSL)

Project timescale: 2002-08

Project Value: £798m

The Project:

The construction of the new Wembley National Stadium has been one of the most famous engineering projects of recent years - a cauldron of 90,000 screaming fans in a world class venue that cost £798m and nearly seven years to design and build.

A team of internationally renowned architects and engineers ensured that the state-of-the-art facilities were matched by a design that creates an electric atmosphere - making it the ultimate stage for major events.

The stadium features an iconic arch 133 metres tall above the external concourse which, with a span of 315 metres, is the longest single span roof structure in the world. The roof rises to 52 metres above the pitch; its foundations are formed from 4000 separate piles; there are 35 miles of heavy-duty power cables; 90,000m3 of concrete and 23,000 tonnes of steel were used in its construction; and there are even 2,618 toilets.

What was Capita Symonds role on the project?

A Capita Symonds team was seconded to Wembley National Stadium Limited (WNSL) around financial close in 2002 to respond to due diligence process and develop and implement the management control processes for the stadium's construction phase.

The company initially had a small team of six and we assisted WNSL through a difficult phase - convincing the funders and government that they were ready to take on such a large project and establish confidence that the project was going to be well controlled before the funds were released. We spent nine months before financial close making sure that they had appropriate management and financial systems in place and a top quality, experienced and resilient team.

The team's role was then expanded to utilise its troubleshooting and risk management skills to consider and mitigate problems that arose between the various parties involved in the project.

Although the stadium is complete, there's still work to be done. For example, we're currently overseeing the correction of the defects and the completion of all the outstanding contractual obligations like record drawings, operational maintenance etc. It's basically a case of managing the defects and polishing up the stadium - everything from an incorrectly wired speaker upwards. The end of the defects period will be 9 March 2008.

What was YOUR role on the project?

I guess the key thing for me personally was that the project showed how Capita Symonds is always willing to give people the opportunity to gain more experience and further their careers.

I was originally a Programme Manager for the Cumbria Road Safety Scheme and an Assistant Project Manager for the M1 widening scheme, based in our Carlisle office. However, I had a real desire to move South and work on the most challenging projects the company had to offer. My bosses were really helpful and understanding. I had an interview with a senior director and was soon on the company's Major Projects team. An opportunity on the Wembley project quickly came up and soon I was a project manager, eventually leading a team of eight.

It was a fantastic opportunity to develop my skills in a challenging, varied role. It also shows the variety of projects and roles that can become available in a company like Capita Symonds. It was a major feather in my cap and I'm now project managing a huge £100m mixed-use development in Brighton.

Has the project won any awards / accolades?

We've earned plaudits across the board for our work on the project. We really pushed ourselves hard - regularly working into the small hours to get the job done.

Most importantly, the client has always felt that we were an integral part of their team and have been consistently impressed with staff that have joined the project from all corners of the country. It really has been a great team to work with and a great project to work on.

The stadium is utterly immense and I'm extremely proud to have played a part in the construction of what is one of the finest arenas on the planet.

What's more, I got to play in the first match on the Wembley pitch in a game against the principal contractor Multiplex…which we won!

Oh, and I also got tickets to the first FA Cup Final…