An excavator loads earth into an articulated dump truck. Soil was dug out and moved elsewhere on the site to prepare for construction.

Members of the Electrical Department secure data cables. This building will be used for temporary office space and a dining room during the construction of the new branch facilities, located nearby.

An aerial view shows the outline of the new traffic circle and access road to the branch property. To the left of the traffic circle, preparations are under way for a garden and a pond, with a viewing area for local residents and visitors.

Concrete gathered from the site is crushed and reused to build roads on the premises.

In the foreground, workers construct temporary and permanent roads. They use rolls of white geotextile membrane, a permeable fabric that stabilizes the base of the road. In the right background of the photo, a road roller compacts the base before the membrane is laid.

Volunteers obtain information at one of 18 regional events arranged across Britain and Ireland by the Construction Project Committee. Over 15,000 Witnesses attended those events, and many attendees offered to participate in the project.

Landscapers mulch around a newly planted white willow tree. This is one of over 700 trees planted in the area. The attenuation pond is designed to reduce flooding after heavy storms, storing rainwater and then releasing it at a controlled rate.

On a foggy day, earthmoving activity increases as the adjustment of ground levels enters its final stage. In all, contractors excavated and moved about 160,000 cubic meters (209,000 cu yd) of material​—enough to fill more than 10,000 of these dump trucks!

The landscaping team prepares the soil for planting a hedge on the border of the regional species garden. This garden and the surrounding area have been planted with 11 varieties of trees and 16 varieties of plants, all native to the region.

To the left, a piling rig drills a hole for a foundation. First, a hollow-stemmed auger bit drills into the ground. Next, concrete is pumped through the hollow stem of the auger as it is removed. Finally, as seen in the center of the photo, contractors place steel rebar into the poured concrete to complete the foundation. Over 360 piles have been installed as part of the foundations for the residence buildings.

On a frosty morning, a plumber connects a water pipe that will supply the temporary site offices.

An amphibious excavator removes accumulated silt and debris from a pond on the perimeter of the site. Several of these ponds were in poor condition and needed to be restored. Structural improvements made to the banks of the ponds will protect against erosion and reduce the risk of flooding. More than 2,500 fish were carefully relocated to other ponds on the site before restoration work began.

An aerial view of the site from the east. In the foreground, early foundation work for two of the residence buildings is under way. At the bottom right, the tops of the pile foundations are exposed. At the bottom left, concrete pile caps have been poured. In the center, a piling rig continues to drill pile foundations.

A member of the finishes team caulks a doorframe in the Visitor Center prior to painting. Here visitors will be able to view an exhibit featuring details about the project and to see the progress of the construction from an elevated viewing deck.

The slewing ring, which supports the rotation of the tower crane, is lifted into place. This crane, with a height of some 40 meters (131 ft), can lift up to 16 metric tons (18 tn).

The exposed concrete piles are cropped to the required level. The rebar protruding from the center of each pile will be tied into the concrete pile cap when the cap is poured.

Electricians install one of two JW.ORG signs on the slate-clad walls that flank the entrance to the branch property.

An elevated view of the completed traffic circle on the busy road that passes the main entrance. At the top left, newly installed JW.ORG signs advertise the branch property. The attenuation pond and regional species garden, when finished, will complement the entryway.

Within the radius of its 65-meter (213 ft) jib, the tower crane spans the area that will be occupied by four of the five residence buildings. In the foreground, contractors pour a concrete slab for vehicle parking in the basement of one of the residences. Reinforcing steel is in position, ready to be used for the columns and core walls of the building.