Morgan Sindall Construction’s North West team has started enabling works on site as part of its work on the £20m regeneration of Accrington Town Square projects, which include restoration of the Market Hall, Burtons Chambers and Market Chambers.
The start was marked by a groundbreaking event bringing together partners from Morgan Sindall and Hyndburn Borough Council (HBC), AEW Architects and Hive Projects to celebrate this key milestone.
HBC’s regeneration plans include the transformation of the existing Market Hall into a vibrant food and drink destination, the conversion of Burton Chambers into a modern co-working space, and the Market Chambers repairing and refurbishment, enabling future transformation into a cultural and heritage venue.
To enable the transformation, the Accrington Market traders have now moved out of the building and into new homes. Many have taken up residence in ‘Market on the Square’ — a temporary cabin set up on Accrington Town Square — and have reported increased turnover since the move. An official community launch event for the Market on the Square will be held in March.
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.
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.
The project is being accelerated through SCAPE Construction, a direct award framework designed to drive collaboration, efficiency, time and cost savings on construction projects.
Throughout delivery, Morgan Sindall will also maximise the usage of local supply chain partners and labour to deliver the works in line with its commitment to generating social value on its projects. The contractor arranged a Getting Connected event on 8th March to engage local workers and SMEs to discuss upcoming opportunities on the project.
Simon Arnott, Managing Director for Morgan Sindall in the North, said: “Regeneration schemes such as Accrington Town Square are breathing new life into historic towns and neighbourhoods across the UK.
“As a contractor committed to sustainability and enhancing communities, we’re glad to get out on site, as well as continuing to develop our relationships with Hyndburn Town Council and its constituents to deliver high-quality facilities fit to serve its community for years to come.”
Mark Robinson, Group Chief Executive from SCAPE, said: “Morgan Sindall has a fantastic track record of delivering high-quality, transformative projects through SCAPE which create local jobs, opportunities, and social value in the community. We are proud to be supporting HTC with these strategic upgrades, which form a key part of Accrington’s regeneration story.”
Cllr Mohammed Younis, Portfolio Holder for Levelling Up, commented: “I am delighted to witness the official groundbreaking, which marks the start of work on these important projects. We invite all community members to join us in celebrating this exciting occasion and look forward to the positive impact these projects will have on the growth and prosperity of Accrington.”
Accrington Town Square’s transformational projects have been made possible through the Government’s Levelling Up Fund. For further information about the Accrington Town Square transformation and to find out how to get involved in the various upcoming projects, head to Home – Accrington Town Square.
Rachel Tyrer, Artisan Bakery, Accrington Market Trader, added: “The outside stalls are amazing. We’re much more visible out here and we can trade six days a week, business has increased threefold. Now that we’re out in the open and all together, there’s real hustle and bustle about it and a community feel. I’m feeling positive and excited about the plans for Accrington Town Square.”
