Press Releases
Work commences on new high quality office accommodation at key development site Riverside Business Park.
Riverside Inverclyde has appointed construction company Xircon to build 27,000 sq ft of flexible office accommodation at "Riverside Business Park", accelerating ri's £400m plan to attract investment and encourage company growth in Inverclyde - and generate new local jobs.
The new office accommodation has been designed by award winning architects Cooper Cromar, in line with ri's commitment to deliver high quality buildings, and raise the design standards of future developments. The much needed office accommodation will be constructed over two storeys, with suites available to lease from 750 – 1250 sq ft, although larger requirements can be accommodated to a maximum of 21,000 sq ft.
The main building materials will include a distinctive zinc clad roof, and terracotta rain screen cladding around a feature entrance, with the remainder of the building clad in blonde reconstituted stone. This development will reflect and complement other proposals for the immediate area including the refurbishment of the former Ladyburn School/Business Centre, which will commence in the next few weeks, and the A Listed Sugar Warehouse building which is currently being made wind and watertight under a £3.8m joint venture with Clydeport/Peel.
Environmentally, the building has been designed to a standard assessed and recognised industry wide as ‘very good', and will include a minimum of 10% recycled material in line with central Government targets. The building has been designed with facilities to help encourage sustainable transport modes such as cycling to work although the building does have a very generous car parking - in total 96 dedicated car parking spaces.
In terms of safety, the building has been designed with input from both Inverclyde Council and Strathclyde Police. To improve safe site access, ri will also be carrying out junction improvements at the corner of the A8/Pottery Street.
With an estimated construction period of 40 weeks, Xircon will begin on site during week commencing 8 September 2008. Significantly, the main contractor has been required by Riverside Inverclyde to employ at least six apprentices from Inverclyde postcodes during the construction of the project.
Bill Nicol, Chief Executive, Riverside Inverclyde said: "I am delighted that work is starting on the first phase of Riverside Business Park. This will signal further evidence of the regeneration of the waterfront area. The lack of well located modern office accommodation within Inverclyde has been identified as a constraint to business formation and expansion. This development together with other developments such as the Sugar Warehouse and Cartsburn/Cartsdyke (see 5 below) will go some way in addressing this shortfall. We welcome the opportunity to work with Xircon on this first phase of development at Riverside Business Park and I am sure that the contract will be professionally delivered by the company.”
Bill continued: "Linking need and opportunity is vital to the long term success of the regeneration programme ri is driving. The Community Benefit clauses we have deliberately written into ri's procurement contracts are one important way of achieving this."
Alex Miller Managing Director, Xircon said:" We are delighted to be part of this long term plan to regenerate the waterfront area. This is an exciting project for us with a building that is both innovative and addresses latest environmental targets that will raise the standards for future regeneration. We are also happy to assist the community by employing at least six local apprentices.”
Garry Williamson, Implementation Manager, Riverside Inverclyde added:"The new office build at RBP is a speculative scheme, available for occupation in summer 2009. We are encouraged by the initial interest in the development, but continue to welcome enquiries about space to ri's offices on 01475 755 080.