Birmingham

5th Floor
One Cornwall Street
Birmingham B3 2DX

Our Experts

Based in Birmingham’s bustling business district, our office is ideally situated close to Snow Hill station. Our welcoming and diverse team is working on some of the most prestigious and innovative projects in Birmingham, across the UK and around the world.

From sustainability-focused offices and commercial premises to cutting-edge industrial and healthcare facilities and from award-winning infrastructure and transportation developments to major new residential communities, we are supporting schemes across a huge range of sectors. Find out more about a selection of our projects below.
You are always welcome to visit or contact us to find out more about our services and discuss how our team can support your next project.

Joe Smith
Director, Structures

Joe is a Chartered Structural Engineer with extensive expertise in delivering structural engineering designs for numerous complex mixed-use, retail, commercial and residential developments throughout the UK and internationally. He has a passion for providing high quality and economical design solutions. Joe’s approach to design sees him provide value engineering early in the design development process, whilst continuously engaging with the client, design team members and contractors to ensure clear and concise communication is achieved.

He is the author of ‘The Blueprint for Project Speed’ which showcases the lessons learnt by the design team during the Jersey General Hospital Nightingale Wing project which was delivered in just four weeks, and is a practical guide to speeding up design and construction.

Ruth Jeffs
Director,
Infrastructure and
Environment

Ruth is an experienced Senior Executive with excellent project management and commercial skills. She joined Waterman in 2016 as our Midlands Regional Director, and is also Chair of the ACE Midlands and joined the ACE National Board in 2018.Her extensive project portfolio includes strategic land sites such as Graven Hill and Mindenhurst, as well as the delivery of the Jersey General Hospital Nightingale Wing. Ruth has also secured local framework opportunities with ESPO, Midlands Connect, Birmingham City Council, Nottingham City Council, EEM, and Oxford City Council. Ruth leads Waterman’s infrastructure and environment team in the Midlands and is a proven project and programme Director who successfully delivers against challenging and complex criteria and timescales. She is passionate about providing trusted, pragmatic, and flexible advice on development and infrastructure projects for a range of private and public sector clients.

Jonathan Purcell
Managing Director,
Building Services
North

A Chartered Building Services Engineer with over 30 years’ design experience across a wide variety of sectors, Jonathan is Managing Director responsible the North. His extensive knowledge and experience allow him to simplify and streamline designs, avoiding overly complex strategies and ensuring deliverable solutions that bring best value. Jonathan is passionate about design and believes in developing strategies that holistically consider and adopt the principles of wellbeing and sustainability. His in – depth expertise in dynamic thermal and energy modelling have seen him deliver excellent solutions across multiple sectors of the built environment.

Jonathan has successfully managed the design of several prestigious new build and refurbishment schemes, including Liverpool’s award – winning Everyman Theatre which won the RIBA Stirling Prize and CIBSE Performance Champion Award.

He also designed Nottingham Trent University’s world – beating creative learning facility, the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies.

Net Zero
& Sustainability

We ensure sustainability and net zero principals are embedded in every project at every opportunity.

Acquisition
& Appraisal

The ability to accurately assess the true value of any acquisition or asset is pivotal in the decision making process of any scheme.

Planning &
Design

Exemplary designs need the best site teams to bring them to life, and we take great pride in helping you realise your vision.

Construction & Development

We cover all sectors and span all engineering and environmental disciplines, bringing the right expertise at each stage.

Operation &
Asset Management

Our in–house expertise provides you with a total solution to help you manage and operate your assets.

Divestment

We recognise the need to optimise the value of your assets whether they are newly constructed properties or existing building stock.

Project Lifecycle Support

Latest News & Projects

Pledge to Net Zero: Waterman to halve operational carbon emissions by 2030

Under our commitment to climate action and leading the transition to a Net Zero economy, Waterman has pledged to reduce our carbon emissions and reach Net Zero in line with the requirements for keeping global temperature rise under 1.5°C.

To achieve this, we have set an interim target to halve carbon emissions resulting from our operational business activities by 2030. This 50% reduction will be measured against a 2019 baseline established across our entire value chain, including Scope 1,2 and 3.

The Pledge to Net Zero was established by the environmental services sector with the goal of making the sector a leader for taking action on climate change. In 2021, the Pledge partnered with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Race to Zero campaign to rally fast climate action from business, cities, regions, investors and universities ahead of COP26.

Waterman’s COO of Infrastructure & Environment, Neil Humphrey, said: “Setting this interim carbon reduction target marks the first significant milestone on our journey to becoming a Net Zero business and highlights our commitment to helping keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C. To achieve this interim target, we are working closely with our supply chain partners to reduce carbon emissions in several key business operation areas, including travel, facilities, and procurement.”

For more information on the Pledge To Net Zero, click here.

The Pledge To Net Zero initiative is a partner to the UN’s Race to Zero campaign. Click here for more information.

Manufacturing Technology Centre

A world class, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the research and demonstration of innovative manufacturing processes. A government funded catapult scheme with the aim of bring manufacturing into UK by bridging the gap between academia and industry.

MIRA Technology Park

This 87.5 hectare, 1.5 million sq ft development is a platform for the rapid delivery of bespoke R&D centres ranging from start-up facilities right up to major European R&D operations.

Graven Hill

Graven Hill is a unique 187 ha development located just to the south of Bicester, Oxfordshire, and will become the UK’s largest self-build housing scheme. Outline planning is in place for up to 1,900 new self-build homes, along with a new village centre with local amenities and employment space

Dudley Bus Station

Designed for the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). The new facility replaces an existing bus station which is being relocated due to the route of a proposed extension to the Midland Metro Tram network. The new bus interchange will provide connectivity with the proposed new metro stop and enhanced pedestrian and cycling links between Dudley Town Centre and the interchange.

Bullring

The Bullring Shopping Centre, the UK’s largest city centre-based shopping centre and has been an important feature of the city since the Middle Ages.

Delia Derbyshire Arts & Humanities’ building at Coventry University

IStructE Awards: Coventry University

This exceptional scheme received a commendation in the ‘Education’ category at the 2021 Institution of Structural Engineers Annual Awards in the Midland Regional Group.

Connor Webb shortlisted for Apprentice of the Year

Connor Webb has been named as a finalist in the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation West Midlands Awards.

31 October 2023

Waterman supports successful bid for transport innovation world congress

Birmingham NEC will host the 2027 Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress following Transport for West Midlands’ successful bid.

17 August 2023

Laura Smith shortlisted for Property Week’s Inspiring Women in Property Award

A Senior Consultant in our midlands team, Laura has been shortlisted in the ‘Rising star – Commercial’ category for the upcoming Inspiring Women in Property Awards.

17 April 2023

Midlands launch for Colas’ ANAIS digital road inspections following Waterman collaboration

The road safety-boosting system will be trialled for one year across National Highways’ network of motorways and trunk roads around Birmingham.

1 November 2022

Waterman appointed to Midlands Connect Technical Framework

Waterman is delighted to have been appointed to the Midlands Connect Technical Framework to provide environmental assessment services.

3 February 2023

Frederick Perks: A day in the life of a Civil Engineering Apprentice

Frederick Perks sheds light on what he gets up to on a day-to-day basis as a Civil Engineering Apprentice.

3 November 2022

Embedding climate resilience in the built environment through green infrastructure

The recent growth in awareness of how human activity is impacting the natural world has led to a widespread desire to make an active difference before it’s too late. Responding to the threat of the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis, the development sector has been focusing on reducing its environmental impact, whilst promoting the environmental and ecological benefits which can be achieved through careful scheme design.

Birmingham

Birmingham

Our Experts

Joe Smith
Director, Structures

Ruth Jeffs
Director,
Infrastructure and
Environment