Cathedral Quarter first phase begins
Eric Wright Construction has started on site at the £25m Cathedral Quarter scheme in Blackburn town centre, with new images released of how the area will look once completed. [GALLERY]
Piling and foundation work has begun ahead of construction of a 32,000 sq ft office, a 60-bed Premier Inn hotel and car park as part of the first phase.
A clergy court will provide offices, library, apartments and townhouses, together with a public refectory for Blackburn Cathedral.
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The town centre regeneration project is being led by Blackburn & Darwen Council, Blackburn Cathedral and Maple Grove Developments to create a mixed-use quarter around the Cathedral fronting the railway station and a bus interchange.
The office has two ground floor units to let to a retail or leisure occupier, while a 3,500 sq ft restaurant will be on the ground floor of the Premier Inn alongside the entrance to the hotel.
The buildings will be arranged around a public square and garden, with completion scheduled for September 2015.
Graham Pilkington, senior development surveyor for Maple Grove Developments, said: "We are very excited with the progress that is now being made on site. Once the current piling work has been completed, the next phase of the development will be the construction of the steel frame for the office and hotel building. This is expected to commence early September and will be completed before Christmas. Once the steel frame is up, people will be able to gain a real sense of the space that is being created by the Cathedral Quarter."
Bradys and Knight Frank are agents on the scheme. BDP is the architect, Planit-IE designed the public realm.
Click any image to launch gallery
- Cathedral Quarter on site
- Public realm space
- Hotel with restaurant unit
- Retail and offices
- Full view of hotel and restaurant
- Second unit under offices
