Willmott Dixon has been confirmed as main contractor on the £70m Flemingate mixed-use development in Beverley.
Flemingate is destined to be one of the North’s premier shopping and leisure locations. Key brands have already signed up for a place in the new complex: Zizzi, Arcadia, H&M, Wilkinson, Premier Inn and the anchor tenant Debenhams.
There will also be a five-screen digital cinema complex operated by Parkway Cinemas and multi-storey parking for more than 500 cars.
Work has started on the scheme that will create 700 jobs with a further 130-plus involved in the construction period. On the adjoining residential site, 130 new homes have already been built and work commenced two weeks ago on the new Beverley campus for the East Riding College.
Willmott Dixon’s managing director, Anthony Dillon, said, “Flemingate is a fantastic scheme that will bring major economic and leisure benefits to Beverley. We are delighted that work has finally commenced and we look forward to delivering a truly great shopping and leisure facility.'
Dominic Gibbons, managing director of developer Wykeland Group, said, 'Flemingate would significantly add to Beverley’s retail offering, making the town even more attractive to visitors, tourists and shoppers from across the Yorkshire region and beyond.'
He added, “Beverley is a beautiful town which already attracts significant numbers of people to its extensive offering of quality independent shops. We believe Flemingate, by focusing on larger, quality national brands, will considerably broaden the town’s retail offering, making Beverley a top location.
“With Arcadia’s commitment to Flemingate coinciding with work commencing on site, we have reached a significant milestone in the development’s history.'