THE first contracts have been awarded to local suppliers to carry out works which will pave the way for the £90m St Helens town centre transformation scheme to take place.
Following the closure of the 115,000 sq ft Hardshaw Shopping Centre, three local firms have been engaged by the main contractor VINCI Building for enabling works.
This will support the early stage of the transformation programme to deliver a new market hall flanked by a mixed-use area that includes a 120-bedroom globally branded hotel, 64 new homes and 11,000 sq. ft. modern retail space.
The large-scale regeneration scheme is being brought forward by St Helens Borough Council and ECF, a partnership formed of Homes England, Legal & General and Muse.
By reimagining the space where the enclosed Hardshaw Shopping Centre currently stands, the project aims to create new high-quality public spaces and streets, better walking and cycling routes and areas for children to play. There will also be extensive landscaped areas.
Contractors named
Ayesa, a company located on the Mere Grange Business Park in St Helens, has won the contract for the initial site investigation work. The firm has had an office in St Helens for 25 years via two companies it acquired - Byrne Looby and Terra Consult.
Ayesa’s work will help determine the requirements for the building foundations.
The process involves drilling rotary boreholes 30 metres deep into the ground, which provides important information about the geology of the site including the level of water table; type of subsoils (clay or sandy); depth to bedrock; any coal seams or mine workings. This information will help the designers to produce efficient foundation designs.
Meanwhile, A&B Engineering, a mechanical and electrical contractor based at Old Swan in Liverpool, has also joined the team to provide early specialist contractor involvement.
Their appointment will aim to bring knowledge and expertise in the design and installation of complex mechanical and engineering systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, power supply, and water supply.
According to developers, through their input at an early stage, the mechanical and electrical designs can be maximised, efficient and practical, saving time and money later on in the build process.
The third contract awarded has gone to HA Civils, a national contractor that has a longstanding operational base in St Helens, which will help deliver the temporary bus hub on Chalon Way West.
Further work packages will be announced via a project website sthelenstowncentre.co.uk/local-suppliers/
'Social value'
In a statement, Cllr Richard McCauley, cabinet member for inclusive growth and regeneration at St Helens Borough Council said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime transformational project that will give St Helens town centre a vibrant, attractive and sustainable future.
“But the future starts now and we are determined to make sure the programme of work creates social value outcomes through jobs, training and skills opportunities in accordance with our Inclusive Growth Strategy.
“Our project partners are fully committed to this goal and we are pleased to see local firms benefiting from some of the first works contracts.
“As the scheme progresses there will be lots more opportunities for locally based firms to bid for various work packages as we progress the exciting transformation of St Helens town centre.”
'Local firms and community benefit'
On behalf of ECF, Muse senior project manager Chris Bishop said: “From the outset of this landmark scheme the partners have all shared a commitment to see local firms and the wider community benefit.
“We ensured this was a contractual obligation when procuring the main contractor Vinci to deliver phase one of development.
“From our perspective, ECF has decades of experience when it comes to shaping and progressing regeneration programmes so that social value is at the forefront of decision-making.
"That’s starting to happen now with these early-stage contract awards and will remain a priority throughout.”
What are the next steps?
Enabling works and the process of stripping out the interior of the Hardshaw Centre is now underway, disconnecting all the utilities and installing hoarding to ensure that the site remains safe and secure.
The full-scale demolition of the main structure will then follow. Whilst much of this next stage will not be visible to the public, St Helens Borough Council says it is committed to ensuring regular updates and videos are made available so that the progress can be seen by all.
A town centre ‘interim movement strategy’ has been devised by the council, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Merseytravel and ECF, working with public transport operators.
It will aim to ensure that "travel remains safe, easy and straightforward" while the town centre undergoes its multi-million-pound transformation.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel