Morgan Sindall appointed to landmark Accrington Town Square scheme
Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed by Hyndburn Borough Council to deliver the initial stages of the highly anticipated Accrington Town Square scheme.
These transformational projects represent a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to revitalise the heart of Accrington and enrich the local community.
The scheme is a vital component of the council’s plans to create a vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous town centre. It encompasses three iconic heritage sites: Market Hall, Market Chambers, and Burtons Chambers. These historic buildings are set to undergo a comprehensive programme of improvements and repurposing, breathing new life into their spaces for the benefit of the local communities.
The Victorian Market Hall (picture 1) will be refurbished and transformed into a vibrant food and drink destination. Burtons Chambers (picture 2) will be restored to become a modern co-working space for individuals and businesses, with events space while Market Chambers (picture 3) will be refurbished and repaired, aiming to enable its transformation into a cultural, arts and heritage venue for the future.
Funding for this project was secured through a successful bid for £20m to the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) earlier this year, with additional matching contributions from Lancashire Borough Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This substantial investment underscores the importance of Accrington Town Square as a hub for the Lancashire region, and the heritage sites as focal points of cultural and historical significance.
It is the contractor’s latest project in Lancashire, following its appointment earlier this year to build the University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) new Veterinary School.
As the Accrington Town Square Scheme is being accelerated through SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading procurement specialists, Morgan Sindall will imminently commence the enabling works to ready the site for the major refurbishment works due to begin next year. As part of its Intelligent Solutions approach to supporting its customers to decarbonise, Morgan Sindall will seek to retain and reuse original building materials wherever possible, whilst creating modern new facilities which reduce operational carbon through the lifecycle of the scheme.
Morgan Sindall was appointed to the project via SCAPE Construction, a direct award framework designed to drive collaboration, efficiency, time and cost savings on construction projects. As part of this, Morgan Sindall will deliver a targeted social value programme throughout the course of the build that will ensure its role on the project delivers a tangible legacy to Accrington.
As part of its social value commitments, Morgan Sindall will maximise usage of local supply chain partners and labour to deliver the works and recommend that interested parties register to the Local Supply Chain (LSC) platform to be notified of upcoming opportunities. Morgan Sindall will also be arranging Getting Connected supply chain and employment events imminently, which will be advertised locally and on the project website.
Simon Arnott, managing director for Morgan Sindall’s North West region, said:
At Morgan Sindall we are committed to helping create stronger and more resilient communities. Hyndburn Borough Council has developed an inspiring vision for the future of Accrington, built around a town square that will have significant social and economic benefits for the local community. It will be a privilege for our team to help deliver this catalyst for growth and community engagement.
Mark Robinson, SCAPE Group Chief Executive, said:
This is a fantastic project, which will make use of a strong local supply chain to revitalise and reimagine some of the most historic sites in the North West. We are delighted that the council has chosen SCAPE as the route to deliver this transformative programme; allowing Morgan Sindall to start on site at the earliest opportunity and ensuring a comprehensive package of social value and community enrichment activities are delivered from day one. These new facilities are going to boost the local and regional economy, create new jobs and ensure a positive, sustainable legacy is created in Accrington that will be felt for years to come.”
ENDS