Yorkshire shopping destination Meadowhall is sourcing local trades for its £60m refurbishment. To date, 70% of Meadowhall’s construction budget has been awarded to local businesses and trades, with eleven companies having been commissioned for the project so far.
The biggest single investment so far in the centre since it opened 25 years ago, the redevelopment has been designed by leading architect BDP, which has offices in the heart of Sheffield, and project managed by Arcadis.
Delivery partner Laing O’Rourke has placed 285 new roles in just three months, developing existing external relationships as well as creating opportunities to build new working relationships with local companies. It is estimated that 63.5% of the overall spend of the refurbishment will be with local businesses.
Some of the local firms involved in the project include:
Dearneside, architectural metalworkers located in Parkwood Springs, with the company designing and supplying 1,200 metres of glass balustrade
- SCS Group is installing 3D GRG cladding and plasterboard/metal panel tile ceilings, with the work undertaken by the company’s Wakefield office
- Sheffield-based EE Ingleton Engineering is providing 3,000 m2 of high quality coloured perforated metal cladding that will be used to decorate specific areas in Meadowhall, the gallery will feature a striking cutlery design stamped out in metal panels to recreate traditional tableware manufacturing methods, and reference Sheffield’s strong steel heritage.
- Clear Line, the structural glazing specialist based in the city, will be reglazing the centre
- Waste removal firms EMR of Sheffield and Ron Hull Group from Rotherham, have both helped to contribute to 98% of waste diverted from landfill, and to date the project has diverted nearly 650 tonnes
Darren Pearce, Meadowhall Centre Director, said: “Being such a key economic contributor, it is vitally important for Meadowhall to invest in the regional economy whenever we can. As with our focus on providing employment opportunities to people living in the Sheffield City Region as a direct result of the refurbishment, we have made an equally important commitment that local businesses will benefit too.”
Tony Hodges, Managing Director of EE Ingleton, added: “Being a local business, it is very satisfying to work closely with other locally based companies on such a prestigious project. We have been involved in a number of major schemes in recent years, but this one is particularly important to us, as our staff and families will be able to see the fruits of their labours whenever visiting Meadowhall for years to come.”
Last month it was announced that around 400 construction roles in total will be required for the refurbishment, which is due to be completed in late 2017.
