North Shields-based Carney CDM, is celebrating a successful first year with a recruitment drive and strong forward order book.
In March 2022, Carney Consulting Holdings announced the launch of Carney CDM, appointing Caroline Morton as a director and principal designer.
In its first year the firm secured 26 assignments on construction projects that ranged from less than £1 million to £30 million in size.
The portfolio included two new-build hotels with The Inn Collection Group and IDPartnership, various schemes with The Stack, healthcare projects at the RVI and Freeman Hospital with Robertson Construction, and two large leisure contracts with Alliance Leisure, working alongside GT3 Architects.
Most recently, Carney CDM has further strengthened its relationship with UK Land Estates having been appointed as principal designer for the refurbishment of the Axis Building, Maingate at Team Valley, Gateshead.
Carney CDM provides both the principal designer and CDM advisor role services in accordance with the construction, design and management (CDM) Regulations 2015 across England, Scotland and Wales and comprises of Caroline plus directors, Angela Carney, David Wadds and Martin Crammond. David and Martin are also directors of sister company, Carney Consultancy.
Established in 2002 by Angela Carney, Carney Consultancy specialises in construction and engineering, providing health and safety consultancy and training.
Caroline, said: “It has been a really successful first year for Carney CDM and in 2023, so far, we have already secured 15 projects. As such, we are in the process of advertising for a new consultant to provide the principal designer / CDM advisor role. As the business continues to grow it is our aim to be the consultant of choice in the North East for principal designer services.
“Growth has been achieved through a number of ways including building on good relationships with existing Carney Consultancy clients and, as a result, we developed further relationships through recommendations. I have also leant heavily on my own networks and we have won projects by being recommended or simply via word of mouth. We also have extensive knowledge of the construction sector across both Carney CDM and Carney Consultancy. In many cases, clients want to work with someone they know and trust.
“As principal designer, Carney CDM embeds itself into the design team working closely with all parties to influence how risks to health and safety are managed throughout a construction project. We communicate with all duty holders from concept stage to completion, ensuring they are all aware of their duties under CDM Regulations 2015, and work closely to ensure all design decisions made during the pre-construction stage, secure the health and safety of everyone both during the construction phase and end users of the project.”
Carney CDM is passionate about giving back to the areas in which it operates and champions a number of local organisations and charities including the National Association of Women in Construction, of which Caroline was regional chair from 2019 to 2022, The Lighthouse Construction Industry Club, OneVoice Construction Strategy, Working Well Together and Newcastle Construction Safety Group.
In March 2023, Caroline was announced as a future leader nominee in the upcoming Generation for Change (G4C) Awards, led by Constructing Excellence in the North East. It is her desire to champion young people in construction as well as her ability to lead, which saw her become nominated.
Caroline added: “Over the last year, we defined the core values that will underpin how we do business. This was a very important moment for Carney CDM as we have very ambitious plans and we are aware that reputation and trust are vital in all the relationships that we forge. Our four core values of integrity, professionalism, kindness and fairness are highlighted in everything we do and that includes our recruitment strategy, commercial transactions, behaviours and actions.”