Construction of the final office building that forms part of Hull’s economy-boosting tech campus is underway, and it will boast some of the greeneset credentials ever seen in the city.
The transformational development of the waterfront area to form Wykeland Group’s @TheDock will complete with the addition of a further 11,000 sq ft of space, as revealed in August. It is envisaged a further 150 more jobs in the digital sphere could be created or welcomed in what will be a Net Zero build. It sits alongside the recently expanded Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) tech hub.
West Yorkshire-based contractor Castlehouse Construction is delivering the works, with the final building having been designed by leading county architectural practice The Harris Partnership.
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Around 300 workers will be on site across the various stages of the construction process, with the building scheduled to complete next summer.
John Gouldthorp, asset manager at Hull-based Wykeland, said: “It’s great that work is now underway on this exciting development. @TheDock has been a tremendous success and this latest phase underlines our confidence in the continuing growth of the tech sector in Hull and the wider region.
“Our previous investments on this site have generated dozens of new digital businesses and hundreds of highly-skilled tech jobs. This final building will create exciting new opportunities to be part of one of the UK’s most successful tech communities within a building with exceptional sustainability credentials.”
Site preparation and groundworks have been completed and piling work has now begun. A rotating, screw-type method has been chosen which will minimise noise disruption.
Founded in 2009, Castlehouse Construction has grown into a near-£30m turnover business, delivering projects in sectors including commercial, education, retail, healthcare and residential. It delivered the first phase of the £20 million transformation of the former Northallerton Prison site in North Yorkshire into the award-winning Treadmills mixed-used development for Wykeland.
Phil Dewell, construction director at the Leeds firm, said: “We’re pleased to have been appointed to build what will be a high-quality, sustainable commercial development in a prime location in Hull.
“Having previously worked with Wykeland, we were delighted to be chosen for this project. Wykeland has a track record of delivering developments which have a significant economic impact on the area they serve. The @TheDock tech campus is a perfect example of that and we’re delighted to be finishing what has been a transformational development for the city.”
Supported by the European Regional Development Fund, the building will be powered by a roof-mounted solar array, while a green roof and wall section will also support biodiversity, while adding to the building’s insulation.
Set to be rated BREEAM Very Good – the sustainability assessment will put it in the top 25 per cent nationally for non-domestic buildings. It will have an EPC energy rating of A – the highest possible to achieve – and will be mechanically heated, cooled and ventilated by a system that uses air source heat pumps. Undercroft car parking will feature electric vehicle charging points and cycle storage spaces, while energy efficient sensor lighting will be prevalent.
The speculative build is being marketed by Wykeland and PPH for single or multiple occupancy, with suites from 2,250 sq ft.
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