Contractor named for first phase of Shrewsbury's Flax Mill work
A lead contractor has been appointed to carry out the first phase of the multi-million pound development of Shrewsbury's historic Flax Mill.
Wates Construction has been appointed by Shropshire Council to do the first part of the work, which will be carried out if a £12.8 million bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund is successful this summer.
Work on the site will begin this September if the bid comes to fruition.
Andy Hands, business manager for Wates Construction in the Midlands, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded the contract to deliver the careful restoration of the world's oldest iron-framed building – a project to which we have and will continue to apply our extensive expertise in heritage restoration.
"We are looking forward to starting construction later this year and will spend the coming months in consultation with local sub-contractors to ensure that this is a truly local project for local people."
Until the outcome of the lottery bid is announced, Wates will contribute to the project design process.
This first phase of work will see the main historic buildings restored and brought back into productive use, including the historic main mill which was the world's first iron-framed building, as well as the kiln, the dye and stove house and the office and stables.
The project forms part of plans to transform the historic building into a community hub complete with bars, shops and offices, creating up to 1,000 jobs.
A proportion of the work will be sub-contracted to local businesses. Wates will also set up a visitor centre, and work with the Friends of the Flax Mill during construction to manage public access to the site.
Andy Evans, head of economic growth and prosperity with Shropshire Council, said: "We're pleased to have appointed Wates as the lead contractor for this hugely important project."
