Socius and investor partner, Railpen, are delighted to confirm Skanska UK and Morgan Sindall Construction as main contractors for Botanic Place and Devonshire Gardens developments.
Skanska, one of the UK’s leading contractors, has secured the contract to build Botanic Place, the new 540,000 sq ft office scheme on Hills Road that is set to be the most sustainable speculative office scheme outside of London. The new premises will prioritise energy efficiency, designed to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer while using 70% less energy than traditional office buildings, and will be powered using renewable energy sources. The project will also preserve the historic public house, The Flying Pig, which is located on the development site, and the creation of 15,000 sq ft of internal amenities, events, and food and beverage space, alongside 40,000 sq ft of terraces on multiple levels for both private and communal uses.
Elsewhere in the city, Morgan Sindall, the tier one construction contractor, are to construct Devonshire Gardens at the repurposed Travis Perkins site on Devonshire Road. Devonshire Gardens will comprise a new community connected by a landscaped park. Located in the heart of Mill Road, it will deliver up to 150,000 sq ft of commercial space, 70 residential apartments, 8,500 sq ft of food and beverage space, and 1.55 acres of public open spaces.
During construction, the two projects are set to provide over 85 employment opportunities for local residents and generate over £115,000,000 in social value, which includes a £68,000,000 spend in the local supply chain through trades and materials acquisition.
Morgan Sindall is set to begin works on Devonshire Gardens in May, and Skanska is due to start on-site at Botanic Place in August, with estimated completion dates of April 2026 and April 2027 respectively.
