The construction of The Co-operative Group’s new £100m head office in Manchester, which officially began today (16 July), is set to have an immediate impact, with economic, social and environmental benefits for the city.
The Co-operative has appointed BAM Construction, which has already prepared the site, to build its new home on Miller Street that will comprise of 325,000 sq ft of open plan office and support space.
More than 4,000 workers from 90 companies will be involved in the construction of the16 storey building, which is scheduled to be completed by August 2012.
The Co-operative and BAM Construction will work with Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Greater Manchester Employers Coalition and Jobcentre Plus with the aim of ensuring that 8 per cent of the workforce are apprentices. That will equate to 1 in 12 jobs on the building site at any one time.
The Co-operative is determined that its new building, which will be one of the most environmentally sustainable to be built in the UK, will also make a positive impression on the immediate vicinity with much enhanced public space in front of the new office.
When completed the new head office will have its own source of locally generated green energy and in the longer term the new and existing properties, which will be part of the wider plans for regenerating this quarter of the city centre, will benefit from similarly innovative, low carbon and environmentally sensitive energy solutions.
This will put Manchester at the forefront of tackling climate change in city centres in the UK. Further community benefits are also planned, including a partnership with its new neighbours, Lifeshare, the voluntary organisation for the young homeless. As well as fundraising, staff from The Co-operative will have an opportunity to volunteer for Lifeshare, and it will offer professional and technical support to help enhance their work.
The Co-operative is committed to working with local schools and colleges and is developing curriculum materials through its partnerships with Co-operative Trust schools and the new North Manchester Academy. The building phase will give practical learning and work experience opportunities to pupils and students. They will offer school visits and will engage with both local FE and HE colleges to support faculties teaching architecture, construction and urban planning.
Speaking at a special ceremony to mark the start of the building phase, Peter Marks, Group Chief Executive at The Co-operative Group, said: “The Co-operative is proud to say that after nearly 150 years we still believe in Manchester. We have a long past in the city and now we plan to have a long future too.
“Our new head office will not only enable us to continue our commercial contribution to city life but will also play a part in helping to make Manchester a 21st century leader in sustainable development.
“I am confident that in the coming decades this new building, like those we occupy at the moment, will become part of the famous Manchester skyline and that journey towards iconic status starts today.”
Director of BAM in the North West, Steve Byrne said :“The Co-operative Group's new home and the ambitious programme to deliver it is a great showcase for how BAM builds. The project will bring long term economic, social and environmental benefits to the community around it. And as so many of us live and work in and around the City it will give BAM real pleasure to see its rapid progress happening.”
Additional Information
The Co-operative Group stands apart from other major retailers in the UK as a business which is owned, not by a small group of shareholders, but by more than five million consumers. With core interests in food, financial services, travel, pharmacy, funerals and farms, it has an annual turnover of £14 billion, employs 123,000 staff and operates over 5,000 retail trading outlets handling more than 20 million weekly transactions.
Following the acquisition of the Somerfield supermarket chain in March 2009, The Co-operative Food is the fifth largest food retailer. The Co-operative Financial Services is one of the largest and most diversified financial mutual businesses, operating The Co-operative Bank, The Co-operative Insurance and Britannia.
The Co-operative is the UK’s number one provider of funeral services, the third largest retail pharmacy chain, a leading travel retailer, supplying the travel needs of more than three million people annually, and is the UK’s largest farmer.
Among its other businesses are The Co-operative Motor Group, The Co-operative Electrical and The Co-operative Legal Services.
More details of the head office project are available at:
www.co-operative.coop/newheadoffice
For further information contact:
Dave Smith
PR Manager Corporate
0161 827 5289
dave.smith@co-operative.coop