Vinci picked for £90m St Helens town centre revamp

Vinci will lead the construction of a new market hall flanked by a mixed-use area set around a 120-bed hotel, 64 new homes and 11,000 sq ft of retail space.

Initial works will see replacement of the existing bus station with a new interchange.

The project for St Helens Borough Council and The English Cities Fund (ECF) represents the largest ever single investment in the Merseyside town.

The scheme already has hybrid approval and is expected to a start on site in the first quarter of 2024, subject to a more detailed reserved matters planning application that is being submitted in the autumn.

The scope of works for Vinci Building is expected to cover the majority of the £90.7m that St Helens Borough Council and ECF have secured for the town centre regeneration. Specifics of the contract are to be agreed following reserved matters consent.

St Helens Borough Council leader David Baines said: “Vinci Building have been given the responsibility of delivering a high-quality and highly sustainable first phase development that, during the build programme, will benefit the people of St Helens through a wide range of social value measures.

“Everyone with St Helens’ best interests at heart shares in the belief we need to restore the town centre to its former glory. That means bringing back a sense of our true heritage but also future proofing our buildings, public areas, and transport so that they are fit for purpose. A great deal of time, energy and thought has gone into listening to what our community wants – a high-quality scheme that will be uniquely St Helens. Vinci Building has the experience and capability to help us deliver our vision of a town centre that is child and family-friendly, safe, and sustainable, with thriving places for local businesses, shoppers, visitors, and residents.”

English Cities Fund development director Max Bentham added: “Vinci Building has the experience and capability to deliver against our goal of a highly sustainable, large-scale transformation of the town. This a hugely ambitious and multi-faceted regeneration project that will leave a lasting positive legacy.”

Vinci Building was selected through a procurement process run by the North West Construction Hub.

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk