Topping out celebrated at The Place in Great Yarmouth
Morgan Sindall Construction’s Eastern Counties business has marked reaching a key construction milestone at The Place in Great Yarmouth, as it invited guests and stakeholders to celebrate the topping out of the regeneration development.
Procured through SCAPE, a direct award framework designed to drive collaboration, efficiency, time and cost savings, the project on Great Yarmouth’s Market Place will look to house the town’s public library - replacing its current location in Tolhouse Street - along with adult learning provision, a registry office and other community services such as Citizen’s Advice.
With the first section of the roof now complete, the event provided an opportunity to see how the ambitious regeneration project is progressing, as well as to recognise the hard work of stakeholders and to thank the construction team.
The top-to-bottom refurbishment of the former Palmers department store is hugely complex, but work is on track for completion in the first half of 2025. The topping out ceremony saw beer – donated by Great Yarmouth brewery Lacons – poured on to the roof by the High Steward of Great Yarmouth, Henry Cator. The High Steward was joined by East Norfolk Sixth Form students, Amber Wells and Olivia Speed-Andrew, who are completing industrial placements at the building.
As part of Morgan Sindall’s work, the Eastern Counties business will deliver a brand-new multipurpose learning hub, general teaching classrooms, state-of-the-art IT labs, art and photography studios, technology and medical classrooms, as well as simulation hospital and function space.
This will be the base for the University Learning Centre, from where East Coast College and the University of Suffolk will offer degree and diploma courses, as well as access to higher education and adult learning courses.
Alister Broadberry, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Eastern Counties, said:
The Place promises to be a transformational scheme for Great Yarmouth and we are privileged to be delivering further works with Great Yarmouth Borough Council in a collaborative way.
The project team has a strong track record in the region and we are confident The Place will replicate some of our previous local successes at the Marina Centre, Middlegate Gardens, Charter Academy and North Denes Primary School and James Paget Hospital. We are committed to creating another inspiring place in Great Yarmouth that will enhance the community in which we all live, learn, work, play, care and protect."
Speaking at the topping out, Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: ‘
The transformation of this well-loved and iconic building is a key component of our regeneration plans for the town.
Seeing the progress that has been made as work continues towards creating a major new library and learning centre for the people of the borough is extremely inspiring. In less than a year, the doors to this amazing new facility will be open and welcoming people on to a wide range of superb courses. Our residents will also be able to enjoy a state-of-the-art new library and other facilities.
Raising the aspirations of those in our borough via educational opportunities is absolutely vital and I’d like to thank all of our partners and the construction team at Morgan Sindall for the progress made thus far.’’
Professor Mohammad Dastbaz, Deputy Vice-Chancellor University of Suffolk, said: ‘
We pride ourselves on being a community impact and civic university, raising aspirations and widening access and participation in higher education.
The Place has been all about collaboration between key stakeholders and community organisations who will benefit from a new library and a centre of high-quality learning. We are excited by the opportunity to create a vibrant learning community at The Place and to deliver skills-based courses and training programmes across a range of subjects.”
Mark Robinson, SCAPE Group Chief Executive, said:
It is fantastic to see the progress at the Place in Great Yarmouth. This project is an example of the high-quality outcomes that can be achieved for a community and its stakeholders when everyone is aligned under one vision and working collaboratively. By choosing to deliver through SCAPE, the council can work with the team at Morgan Sindall to ensure social value initiatives respond directly to local need; maximising their return on investment and creating a strong, positive legacy for the region.”
The £17m project is being funded via £8.1m from the Government's Town Deal, with a further £3.4m from the Future High Streets Fund. East Coast College and the University of Suffolk are contributing £3.5m and Norfolk County Council £2m.
ENDS