Merchant Gate, Wakefield
The completion of the first phase of development at Merchant Gate has created a new commercial quarter in Wakefield’s city centre, with 90,000 sq ft of office, retail and leisure space, 66 apartments and a £9 million investment in infrastructure and public realm.
Work is now under way on the second phase of development - a four-storey civic office building adjacent to the Grade 1 listed County Hall in Wakefield. Designed to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent', this 123,000 sq ft building will provide office accommodation for 1,200 employees of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council as well as a public atrium space and ground-floor café. Offering long-term energy savings through innovative environmental technologies, the building has been designed to provide a flexible space that allows for evolution over time. It will be complete early 2012.
Merchant Gate is one of the most important city centre developments in the region, and includes the sympathetic recognition of several fine listed buildings as well as elements of the ‘Emerald Ring’ concept put forward by Koetter Kim under the urban new start initiative.
The scheme is being developed by Muse as development manager (and partner) in English Cities Fund, a delivery vehicle created in partnership with Legal & General and the Homes & Communities Agency to pave the way for higher levels of private investment in the re-shaping of our towns and cities.
