Taylor Woodrow - Mixed-Use Development - Bury St Edmunds, Contractor Appointed for Cattle Market Development

Date: 22 Nov 2006

Centros Miller and St Edmundsbury Borough Council have awarded Taylor Woodrow Construction the £47 million building contract for their new mixed-use development on the former Cattle Market in Bury St Edmunds. The scheme will extend the town centre by forming two new shopping streets and a new public square.

The 12-acre (4.8 hectare) development will include a Debenhams department store, around 35 new shops, 62 apartments, a public venue building and more than 800 parking spaces. It is being developed by Centros Miller in partnership with St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Development finance for the retail and residential elements is being provided by RBS. The public venue is being funded by the Council with support from an EEDA grant. Construction is due to start on site in the next few weeks and will last for approximately 24 months.

Ivan Stephenson, Development Manager of Centros Miller, said: "We are delighted to announce Taylor Woodrow as the main contractor for the Cattle Market and look forward to working together with them to bring this important scheme to fruition. This much-needed expansion of the heart of Bury St Edmunds will widen the town's appeal as a destination for shopping, living and leisure within the East Anglian region.

"In addition to the many construction workers required during the development phase, many of whom will be recruited locally, it is anticipated that when complete the Cattle Market development will create hundreds of new jobs and attract an estimated one million additional visitors to the town every year."

With an exemplary track record, Taylor Woodrow is an active participant in the Considerate Contractor's scheme, in which it guarantees to carry out all operations in a safe and considerate manner. It will also have to adhere to noise restrictions outside of normal working hours, provide wheel washers for site vehicles, facilitate a park-and-ride scheme for workers, use an out-of-town holding area for delivery vehicles and minimise disruption to local homes and businesses. In addition, Taylor Woodrow will have a dedicated neighbourhood liaison manager available on site at all times during working hours as first point of call to resolve any problems with local residents, businesses and the public.

Managing Director, Tim Peach, said: "We are sensitive to the character of Bury St Edmunds and will be working extremely hard with Centros Miller, the Council and our supply chain, to minimise any effect construction work will have on the local business and residential communities. We have an excellent record in delivering complex projects on time and on budget, which is recognized in the number of regional and national awards that the company and our people win. These awards recognise the way we work, our people, our excellent health and safety record and the quality of the work we produce."

To help fund the development of the new multi-purpose, 500-seat venue and other public realm works, the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) has granted £1.5 million to the Council. Equipped to host a variety of events and entertainment, the venue will add to the town's tourism offer and be a focus for social activity in the town outside the normal shopping hours.

An environmental energy initiative in the form of 80m+ deep boreholes tapping into geothermal energy will be used to heat and cool the new venue once it opens. The borehole system will provide an environmentally friendly alternative to using fossil fuels and, in addition, the technology is projected to save St Edmundsbury Borough Council's taxpayers an estimated £20,000 per year in energy and maintenance costs.

The Debenhams department store is the main retail 'anchor' for the scheme, while other retailers to have signed up include Topshop/Topman, H&M, River Island, Monsoon/Accessorize, New Look, Wallis, Next, HMV and Waterstones.

Centros Miller is owned by a joint venture comprising The Miller Group and Delancey, who will hold and manage the completed investment.

Illustration of the new Cattle Market mixed-use development in Bury St Edmonds.

Where do I go now?: » View the latest news items » View the news archive » Subscribe to Weekly Construction Newsletter » Submit news