GROUNDBREAKING
EVENT MARKS START OF WORK AT LANDMARK
NOTTINGHAM DEVELOPMENT,
January 2006
Jeff Moore, Chief Executive of
East Midlands Development Agency
(emda) donned a hard hat today
(Thursday 12 January) to mark
the start of construction at Nottingham's
latest prestige project - Bildurn
Properties' Pod development in
Bottle Lane.
Gordon Mitchell,
Chief Executive of Nottingham
City Council Gordon Benson of
award-winning London architects
Benson+Forsyth also attended
the groundbreaking ceremony,
hosted by contractors Laing
O'Rourke on behalf of Bildurn
Properties. Benson+Forsyth were
winners of Bildurn Properties'
£150,000 competition to
select the Pod's architects,
held with the aim of attracting
internationally-renowned architects
to Nottingham.
Laing O'Rourke
will now begin working on site,
which has remained undeveloped
since its final assembly 15
years ago, with the £25
million scheme expected to be
completed by July 2007.
Jeff Moore
from emda said: "Nottingham
is in the throws of a renaissance
that is already making the City
one of the fastest growing commercial
centres in the country. Bildurn
and The Pod, are playing a crucial
role in emda's collective vision
for Nottingham and should be
commended for their vision for
this Bottle Lane development."
Gavin Scarr
Hall of Laing O'Rourke added:
"The Pod is a significant
addition to the Nottingham retail
scene and will become a major
landmark in the city in its
own right. We are very excited
that we are now able to start
work on site."
Gordon Benson
of Benson+Forsyth added: "We
are extremely pleased to have
been chosen to design a modern,
eye-catching building in part
of Nottingham which has a strong
industrial heritage, and has
emerged as a fashionable and
desirable part of this vibrant
city.
"The
challenge for us is to create
a contemporary development which
will integrate into the conservation
area, while adding something
to the City's architectural
environment as well."
The eye-catching
108,000 sq ft Pod development
provides a central focus in
one of the most sought-after
parts of Nottingham, linking
Nottingham's historic Lace Market,
the Bridlesmith Gate fashion
district and the new retail
units at One Fletcher Gate.
The Pod will
house three levels of retail
units aimed at the fashion sector
and larger space users, plus
a new city centre 142-bedroom
hotel - the most central hotel
in Nottingham - occupying the
upper floors.
The scheme's
architects, Benson+Forsyth,
are best known for designing
the stunning Museum of Scotland,
close to a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in Edinburgh's old town.
ENDS
For
further PR information contact
Kathryn Greenwood at Eden PR
on 0115 852 4717, fax 0115 950
9175 or email Kathryn@edenpr.co.uk
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