Norwest Holst wins first packages on £140m Wakefield regeneration scheme

Norwest Holst has won two of the first packages on the £140m Wakefield Westgate regeneration project.

The Wakefield office of Norwest Holst’s building division has been awarded the £10.8m design and build contract for a five-storey multi storey car park.

And the French-owned firm's civil engineering business has taken a £6.8m deal to redevelop the road network around the project. This includes roads drainage, hard and soft landscaping, site preparation, demolition and the construction of a temporary car park.

The news that work on the project is due to start is a tremendous boost for the local construction economy.

"The fact that we're pressing ahead, despite the tough market conditions, underlines our belief in Wakefield and the determination to bring this project to fruition," said Emma Cordingley, development director of English Cities fund, one of the scheme's backers.

Phase one is due for completion by summer 2010 and includes around £10m-worth of infrastructure work, 8,360m² of office and retail accommodation, 66 apartments and a car park.

Work on phase two, involving further office and residential developments, is likely to start on site towards the end of 2010.

The council is working with Network Rail and Metro to deliver a new railway station during the second phase.

The full scheme will cover a 6.8ha site between Westgate railway station and the city centre and feature 270 homes, 27,870m² of office accommodation, 4,645m² of retail and leisure space, a hotel, plus open spaces.

The scheme is being delivered by English Cities Fund, a partnership between Muse Developments, Legal and General, plus national regeneration agency English Partnerships, with financial support from Wakefield Council.

The £140m city centre redevelopment is set to begin in January.