MCALPINE PICKS UP COUNCIL CONTRACT

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council has appointed Sir Robert McAlpine for the design and build of a new £55m municipal office building in the town centre.

Sir Robert McAlpine will start construction on the riverside site in early 2011 once VHE have completed remediation of the site wichi will get underway  in the next few weeks.

The landmark building, due to completed in 2012, will provide open plan office accommodation for around 2,000 staff from its coucil and its partner organisations. It will also include a "one-stop" customer service centre and a state-of-the-art public library.

The current municipal offices  and bus station will make way for a £100 millions plus retail and leisure development. The new office building will be on the opposite side of the river to the new transport interchange, and close to the planned metrolink stop.

John Patterson, Executive Director at the coucnil said:

"This is a really exciting step forward. Both of these complanies have excellent reputations and we're already working with them to ensure we stay on track to deliver what promises to be a great building that serves Rochdale people and council staff for years to come".

Sir Robert McAlpine is now liaising with the council design team on the external design of the building, which the public gave their views on last September. The final design will be unveiled this summer.

Local suppliers will have the opportunity to find out what contracts are available in relation to the development of the building, at a special event at the Rochdale Town Hall on 15th July.