Stoke-on-Trent’s newest regeneration project has topped out having reached the highest point of the £34m new build that will house 174 rental apartments.
During the ceremony, guests also took a sneak peek inside the below-ground Vaults Warehouse. A 1980s installed mezzanine floor has now been part removed – a major engineering feat involving the careful removal of around 300 tonnes of material – to reveal the impressive double-height of the red brick warehouse. This magnificent area will become a leisure destination with events, co-working areas and a foodhall.
The topping out also marks a year since we started on site for developer Capital&Centric and in this short time our positive impact on the local community has been significant.
To date £4,898,881 of social value has been delivered on the project:
- 875 Stoke locals have benefitted from B+K’s educational support. This includes students from Stoke-on-Trent College, Staffordshire University and secondary and primary schools.
- Four work experience placements have been facilitated by us and our supply chain. Across the duration of the project, we will also be hosting 2 T-Level students from Stoke-on-Trent College, with the addition of site visits and education talks/activities.
- We have donated a total of £10,105 to local community causes: Regeneration Brainery and the Hubb Foundation.
- We have supported Stoke’s Restart programme with a careers fair and employability advice for those who are long term unemployed.
- To date B+K and our supply chain partners have created 6
- Six new jobs have been created by the Goods Yard project – all have been filled by Stoke residents.
- 33 new entrants have worked on the project – this is workers under the age of 24 who have a low level of experience within the industry.
- We will also be working with our subcontractors to create 4 roles for local Stoke residents who are classified as long-term unemployed.
- As a supporter of the Lighthouse Charity, the Goods Yard site team organised a Mental Health Standdown, where advice was shared by the Lighthouse on the variety of support offered to construction workers. Another standdown will be arranged for the new year.
- To date 18% of the workforce is locale to 20-miles of site with 73 workers residing within Stoke-on-Trent postcodes.
Tom Wilmot, Joint Managing Director at Capital&Centric, said:
“The site has transformed so much. It’s hard to believe it’s only this time last year when we got going to clear some of the old sheds on site. In that time, we’ve reached the highest point with the apartment building, revealed the original below ground warehouse in all its double-height glory and made a great start on the Pavilion workspace. We’ve also connected the neighbourhood to the District Heat Network so it will be heated by more sustainable, low carbon energy.
“Goods Yard sits in such a prominent spot next to Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station that you can’t miss the change that’s underway. The year ahead will be a really exciting one, with the spaces taking shape and our team gearing up to welcome the first residents, businesses and visitors. It’ll be a massive moment for Stoke-on-Trent when we open and we really can’t wait.”
It’s planned for the district to be super sustainable, with work to connect Goods Yard to the local, low carbon District Heat Network recently completed. The whole neighbourhood is expected to be done by around Spring 2025.
Councillor Chris Robinson, Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said:
“It’s very exciting to mark this significant milestone just one year on from the start of construction. The impact of Goods Yard is not just visual, throughout the construction local people have benefited from employment, work experience and educational support which is set to continue and grow.
“We look forward to providing a choice of living and leisure facilities for the people of Stoke-on-Trent and attracting people to the area. There’ll be space to encourage business growth with opportunities for home grown talent.
“The site is ideally located near to rail and canal and will be enhanced by the improvement works to Station Road and College Road providing better access for pedestrians and cyclists as well as links to rail and bus routes.”
Joining the team on site for the topping out were young people from Stoke-on-Trent College, who’ve been inspired to get involved in regeneration careers. Earlier this year they took part in a week-long ‘Regeneration Brainery’ – an immersive, not-for-profit programme set up by Capital&Centric to get young people fired-up about a career in property.