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Search forSouthGate's big dig complete
Friday, December 05, 2008, 07:00
Multi, the company behind the nine-acre shops and housing scheme, has completed excavation for the 860-space car park underneath the development.
Contractor Sir William McAlpine's staff have removed the final bucketful of earth from the basement car park which will partially open in autumn next year.
The centre itself will open in four phases, beginning with a £13 million bus station due to see its first passengers in spring next year.
The project will then continue with three retail blocks, featuring stores from Swedish fashion retailer H&M and Boots, opening in autumn next year.
The second and third retail phases will then be staggered through 2010 with a flagship 125,000 sq three-storey Debenhams store opening along with a £10 million revamp of Bath Spa railway station in autumn of that year.
At its peak more than 300 lorries were going in and out of the site every day.
The majority of the 130,000 cubic metres of soil excavated from the SouthGate car park has been recycled and used to develop a new golf course.
Multi Development UK Ltd development manager Jon Munce said contractors at the site were now free to complete the structure of the three-storey car park up to ground level.
He said: "The completion of this dig will now allow the piling and reinforced concrete frame to progress in order to complete the underground car park structure early next year.
"By recycling the soil from this area and using it to create a new golf course we have reduced waste, reduced the need for excess transport and also reduced costs, which will ultimately benefit the end user."
Multi is working closely with Bath and North East Somerset Council on the scheme.
B&NES cabinet member for major projects Cllr Terry Gazzard said: "Multi have done very well and we have done very well to get to this point without any significant problems with the archaeology and the Bath spa water.
"It is a siginifcant step forward for the project and it is great to be making progress."
Architect Adrian Stiff designed the Players Club golf club near Chipping Sodbury which has benefited from the rubble removed to build the SouthGate car park.
Mr Stiff said the soil from the basement car park had helped to shape the land and make it more interesting.
He said: "The topsoil needed to be removed initially and the subsoil from SouthGate was added to create shape to the new course.
"We are delighted that the ground taken from the SouthGate site has been recycled for this project."
Multi has also recently picked up two awards for its Victoria Square scheme in its home city of Belfast.
The company was named Northern Ireland Developer of the Year and picked up the prize for Northern Ireland Commercial Development of the Year for Victoria Square in the The Irish Property Awards hosted by trade magazine Property Week.
Multi has been talking to more than 100 retailers looking to secure one of 56 units in SouthGate.
The firm is hoping to name more retailers in the next few weeks.
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