Carillion wins Royal Mills regeneration contract

02/09/2004

Construction and business services company Carillion has won a £34m contract to renovate and convert a complex of listed mill buildings in Manchester.

Carillion has secured the contract from ING Real Estate for Phase 1 of the repair, renovation and conversion of the Grade 2 listed Royal Mills buildings, overlooking the Rochdale Canal in Manchester.

Phase 1, which started on site in August, comprises the refurbishment of two of the mills and construction of two new 7-storey buildings. The 500,000 sq ft development will contain 198 residential apartments, retail units, restaurants and cafes, a business centre, and a multi-storey car park.

The apartments will be a mixture of one, two, and three-bedroom flats and some duplexes. The centrepiece of the development will be a stunning curved glazed atrium, which will arch over the original Mills courtyard.

Tony Lenehan, Carillion Building managing director said: “Carillion is delighted to have secured this major redevelopment project situated within the historically neglected but now rapidly developing Ancoats area of Manchester. The Royal Mills scheme builds on our experience at nearby recently completed projects Piccadilly Gardens and Manchester Magistrates’ Courts. Both of these schemes include ongoing asset management contracts, allowing us to demonstrate our engagement of local communities within the regeneration process. “

He added: “Some time ago we identified urban regeneration as one of our key sectors. These recent successes demonstrate our commitment to the sector and reward the investment we have made in the appropriate resources and expertise, which enable us to offer fully integrated solutions for the built environment.”

Carillion has been on site at Royal Mills since December 2002 carrying out enabling works worth £5m. The four existing buildings required substantial renewal including reconstruction of collapsed areas, major repairs to external brickwork and cleaning, repair and replacement of stonework. The enabling works contract also included construction of a marketing suite and two show apartments.

Royal Mills Phase 1 will take two years with completion scheduled for August 2006. Phase 2 is planned to start after completion of Phase 1, and will involve the conversion of the remaining two mill buildings. In Phase 2 an additional new build on the north east corner of the site will also provide basement car parking, retail and residential space.

The four listed cotton mill buildings were constructed between 1820 and 1913 and have been standing derelict for some years. ING has employed a historian who has written a number of papers on Royal Mills and has the freedom of the site to examine any historical finds. A number of buried oil and water tanks have been found and several old artefacts recovered from the buildings including machinery, signage, bottles and tools.