Trade body expands Huntingdon headquarters as part of growth plan

A national trade body has doubled the size of its headquarters as part of plans to further expand its growing training programme.

Property Care Association (PCA), based on the Hinchingbrooke Business Park, in Huntingdon has extended its offices to include a neighbouring unit to allow for additional staff and the introduction of more courses.

Steve Hodgson, chief executive of the Property Care Association, said: “We’ve been growing as an organisation for a number years and, with further developments on the way, this is a move which makes sense on many levels.

“Our training provision for professionals in a variety of sectors has increased considerably and our apprenticeship scheme on damp and timber is stronger than ever.

“With new courses planned for 2017, we feel extending our headquarters will give us the additional capacity we need both now and in the future.”

This latest development builds on a five-figure investment undertaken in 2015, which saw PCA create a new purpose-built training facility, offering a mix of practical areas and classroom environments, which is located close to its headquarters.

“The new space will enable us to enhance the availability of our current training, both in terms of the frequency of courses and the numbers we can accommodate, and it will give us much-needed office space for staff and member engagement,” added Mr Hodgson.

“The new space will also support the appointment of an associate for our Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, which will include a researcher working with us, and the university, to carry out a comprehensive study into the problem of excess moisture in the built environment.”

The organisation, which was established in 1930, supplies training courses for professionals and technicians working in a number of industries including the flood protection sector, structural repair and damp-proofing.