Work under way on landmark new town centre office (12/07/10)

Work has started on site to build Walsall Housing Group’s (whg) new £6.5million town centre office.
The site, at the corner of Littleton Street East and Hatherton Street, Walsall, is currently being cleared in preparation for the main build programme to begin.

Representatives from whg and contractor John Sisk & Son Ltd. (Sisk) met on site on Friday (9th July) to mark the start of work.

Contractor Sisk is building the new office for whg, which is the borough’s biggest social landlord. The site forms part of the new Walsall Office Corridor and it is hoped the new office will kickstart the area’s regeneration.

whg’s Chair Fred Bell said: “It is fantastic to see work now under way on site and it is a very exciting development for both Walsall Housing Group and the town as a whole. It will be a real landmark building in the borough and we are proud that it will be the first office to be built in the new Walsall Office Corridor.”

The 4,000 sq m office will include various sustainable features including a sedum roof, rainwater harvesting, photovoltaic and solar thermal renewable energy systems and air-source heat pump technology.

Chris Dyer, Sisk’s Director Midlands and North West Region, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Walsall Housing Group to build and deliver what will be an impressive building, providing high quality workspace with sound environmental credentials for the town.”

The new building will achieve the BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) excellence standard, which will be testament to its sustainability.

The office is due to be completed before the end of 2011.

It will bring colleagues currently located across several sites together, including those based at Tameway Tower in Bridge Street. whg will retain a strong presence across the borough through its network of local offices.

Photo shows (left to right) Walsall Housing Group (whg) Chair Fred Bell, whg Group Chief Executive Gary Fulford and Sisk's Director Midlands and North West Region Chris Dyer, mark the start of work on whg’s new town centre office.