Carillion to build mixed-use scheme for Abito

09/09/2005

Support services and construction company Carillion has secured £19.6M contract from Abito for the design and construction of ‘Greengate’ in Salford. Work started on site in July and is scheduled for completion in December 2006.

Greengate is the first scheme for Abito, a new wholly-owned subsidiary of Manchester-based property developers Ask Developments. It comprises 256 apartments over eight floors, with six commercial units at ground level.

Carillion operations director Frank Joyce said: “We are delighted to be carrying out this scheme, which is a new concept in city living and all about the elimination of dead space. Each apartment consists of a central prefabricated pod containing the bathroom, kitchen, utility space and service distribution. The central pod serves as the hub of the apartment, housing and hiding all the utilities to make full use of the available space.

“The contract came about as a result of the framework agreement we signed with Ask Developments earlier this year. Although this project does not actually come under the framework, we expect to be carrying out extensive further work for Ask in the future.”

Abito Greengate is the first part of a regeneration scheme within The Exchange Development Framework area of Salford. The plans, developed by Ask together with Salford City Centre and Network Rail, will see the entire area transformed from low grade industrial and car parking space to a new high density mixed use extension of the regional centre.