By Julian Whittle

Last updated at 12:39, Thursday, 20 December 2012

Infrastructure company Morgan Sindall has been appointed to deliver an £18 million office scheme in Whitehaven.

An artist’s impressions of how offices may look

Albion Square is a key project in Britain’s Energy Coast (BEC) programme to boost Whitehaven’s economy by attracting new workers to the town centre.

It will consist of two four-storey office buildings, totalling 100,000sq ft, in Swingpump Lane.

Once it opens, probably in mid-2014, the offices will house approximately 1,000 Sellafield Ltd office workers who will move from the nuclear site.

Steven Szostak, chief executive of BEC, said: “We invest nuclear-industry funding in projects which have greatest potential for businesses and communities. Albion Square ticks both boxes.

“We want it to symbolise a new, confident future for a town so rightfully proud of its past, but which has much more to offer as a great place to live, work and do business.

“It is good to see the progress being made on site and that someone of Morgan Sindall’s pedigree and stature is involved.”

NDA Properties Ltd – a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority – is the developer for the scheme and was responsible for appointing Morgan Sindall.

RMJM acted as concept and design architects, Hurd Rolland Partnership as project architects with project management by Drivers Jonas Deloitte.

Chris Brown, area director for Morgan Sindall, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed. Whitehaven is a town which harbours so much potential.

“The centralisation of approximately 1,000 people will give the local economy a significant boost.”

Morgan Sindall was recently confirmed as preferred delivery partner, in a joint venture with Arup, to provide essential infrastructure asset services to Sellafield.

The contract is potentially worth £1.1 billion and should be signed shortly.

Albion Square forms part of the wider West Cumbria Economic Blueprint, published by BEC earlier this year. The blueprint outlines how BEC will invest its funding to help west Cumbria capitalise on a potential £90bn of investment in the nuclear industry.

First published at 12:34, Thursday, 20 December 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk