Neil makes it a hat-trick at national awards

TAYLOR Wimpey senior site manager Neil Gleeson, MCIOB, has made it a hat-trick of national awards for his hard work at the housebuilder’s Cook’s Shipyard development in Wivenhoe in Essex.

It is the third time that he has received the National House-Building Council’s (NHBC) prestigious Pride in the Job Quality Award since he’s worked at the waterside development of new apartments near Colchester.

The award is a tribute to the hard work he has put into co-ordinating construction and customer satisfaction at Cook’s Shipyard, and is confirmation of the high standard of craftsmanship which goes into such a prestigious development.

“It’s fantastic to get an award which recognises all the hard work you put into different areas of the job, but perhaps the most pleasing aspect of it all is being recognised for good man-management,” said the 42-year-old, from Ipswich.

“I’d describe my style as ‘a friendly pain in the backside’. I allow the people on site to get on with their jobs. It may sound simple, but you have to treat people with respect, and that brings the best out of them, and makes it a productive and happy site.”

Mr Gleeson and his team have shown particular skill when it comes to converting a former shipyard on the banks of the River Colne into a stunning waterside development.

“It’s certainly been different,” he says. “The project has thrown up so many challenges, as it’s a brownfield site with particular logistical problems, such as being surrounded by water and at the end of a road system that is centuries old.

“We’ve not just had to demolish old buildings, but slipways into the river, too, and refurbished an existing steel and concrete jetty. The build itself hasn’t been straightforward because all the apartments are one-off, bespoke designs.

“It’s been challenging, and I’ve needed the right people for the job, and I’m pleased to say we’ve had them and the end result is stunning.”