LOCATION
The Practice is based in the market town of Olney in the North of Buckinghamshire. This is approximately 12 miles from Northampton, Wellingborough, Bedford and Milton Keynes City Centre, all of which have rail links to London, the Midlands and the North of England. Access to the M1 motorway is at Junction 14, which is about 8 miles distance.
ABOUT US
Stuart Thomas Associates was founded as a partnership in 1978 Stuart Thomas and Keith Gasson.
Stuart had previously worked for Ove Arup and Milton Keynes Development Corporation as a senior Structural Engineer.
Stuart retired from full time work in 2008 and is enjoying his retirement.
Keith had previously worked for Jenkins and Potter and Milton Keynes Development Corporation as a senior Structural Engineer.
Keith retired from full time work but remains as support during periods of high workload.
The consultancy is situated in the centre of town in a self-contained office.
Malcolm Thomas joined in 1989 and brings over 35 years’ experience covering a wide variety of projects from warehousing, residential housing, barn conversions with related highways and drainage involvement.
Malcolm was appointed Director in 2025.
David Smith joined us in September 2020 as Senior Civils and Structural Engineer and brings over 35 years of experience. David has worked on a wide range of multimillion-dollar projects in the Energy and Chemical industry as lead Civil/ Structural Engineer, as well as Power and Water Supply industry projects in the UK and overseas.
David was appointed Director in 2025.
Lisa Thomas joined in 2014 as Office Manager and brings over 30 years’ experience in administration and accounting procedures.
Lisa was appointed Company Secretary in 2023.
PERSONNEL
D.Smith
BEng (Hons) CEng MIStructE
Director
M.F.J.Thomas
HNC & Endorsements in Both Civil and Structural Engineering
Director
K.W.Gasson
BSc. C.Eng. MIStructE. MICE.
Previous experience with Jenkins and Potter, and Milton Keynes Development Corporation.
Lisa Thomas
Office Manager /Company Secretary
OFFICE FACILITIES
The office is self-contained with all necessary large-scale plotting, printing, duplicating, Microsoft office, with access to Dropbox via fibre broadband.
Technology & Systems
We have invested heavily in extensive design software to aid in supplying efficient & cost-effective designs. Our Software suites include: -
Master Series – Full 3D analysis & design capability for;
Steel Framed Structures
Steel portal Frames including connections.
Reinforced concrete with automated detailing
Wind Analysis
Retaining Walls
Timber Design
Masonry Design
Full FEM analysis
Causeway Flow
Storm & foul drainage design including attenuation & flow controls incorporating SUDs features.
AutoCAD
Building Design Suite Premium
AutoCad Revit LT Suite
PDS
PDS Ground Modelling, Highway alignment and drainage packages including cross links to micro drain, swept path analysis.
CLIENT BASE
Our clients include small and medium scale Developers with a wide variety of interests, local Architects, and Contractors. We are also employed by Local Authorities including Milton Keynes Council, Hospital Authorities including Milton Keynes Hospital Trust, and Government bodies with establishments in the local area.
Relationships with our Clients have been established over many years and new clients often result from these long associations and our good reputation.
GENERAL PROFILE
The Consultancy has handled a wide variety of projects across the construction industry. These include business parks, residential housing estates with related highways and drainage and domestic extensions; office, storage warehouse and laboratory buildings, hospital improvements, barn conversions, Oil /Rapeseed Plant.
We have also been involved with new schools, and extensions to teaching blocks, sports, and drama halls. We have undertaken surveys for structural and external works, as well as fire escape staircases, providing reports in accordance with modern educational standards for nurseries across the country.
Specialist projects have included large private houses, firearms training centre, food processing installations, manufacturing facilities including complex support structures for the glass container making industry, chimneys and bases, waste management machinery, overhead craneage facilities, wind tunnels, printing plants and several MRI scanner installations, and in 2012 appointed for the design of the geometry and drainage for the Mk Rose Sculpture.
In previous years STA have been appointed in connection with separate projects for Milton Keynes General Hospital such as Walk-in centre, cardiology unit, Spinal injuries HQ, carparks, wards and office extensions.
With less frequency work is also undertaken in the fields of structural surveys (often for the local authority), building extensions and underpinning.
Civil works include site development roads and drainage, together with associated adoptions.
Steel frames are fully designed in house for most projects, and a design service is operated for local steelwork fabricators.
Site feasibility studies include geotechnical/environmental desk studies and setting up of subsequent intrusive investigations. Main services and natural drainage are investigated.
