As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our south-west office, we look back on three decades of growth. The journey, filled with fantastic projects and lasting client relationships, highlights how far we’ve come in the south-west.
Three decades:
In 1994, Mark Saint’s move to Wiltshire from the Surrey office laid the foundation for our south-west office. Recognising a great business opportunity, the partners supported his relocation. Just a year later, MEA south-west began the first local project: the renovation of Chippenham Town Hall for Chippenham Town Council—a partnership that continues to thrive today. By the late 1990s, MEA had firmly established its presence in Chippenham with the first office and first staff member.
The next decade saw the addition of key team members, including Andy Allsopp-Jones and Denise Jackman, and the completion of notable projects like the Wessex Gallery at Salisbury Museum and Stowe Music School. Also, the nationally unique St. John’s School in Marlborough opened, leading to the birth of our sister company, Building Schools for Nothing.
The last decade has brought substantial growth, especially with our team’s establishment in central Bath. Following MEA’s 50th anniversary in 2017, the satellite office in Bath merged with the Chippenham office and moved to a new space in Queen Square. Shortly after, MEA acquired Clark Associates, forming MEA Clark to run alongside the main MEA business. We completed key projects including Three Rivers Academy, House of St. John’s, and East Quay Watchet. In 2022, William Kennett joined the business, Andy Allsopp-Jones was promoted to Director, and MEA was honoured as ‘Consultancy of the Year’ by the Bath Property Awards. Last year, Joe Soares joined as a Quantity Surveyor, the team moved to their new offices in Beehive Yard, and Alex Neal was welcomed as the Director of MEA Clark.
Reflecting on this journey, Mark Saint said, “We are thrilled to celebrate our 30-year anniversary in the south-west. It’s been wonderful to take some time to reflect on how far we have come, how much we have achieved, and the fantastic relationships we’ve built along the way. As we celebrate this milestone, we express our gratitude to our clients, colleagues, and team members who have been integral to our journey. We look forward to continuing our growth in the south-west and embracing the best of what’s yet to come.”
