July 8, 2013 12.10 pm This story is over 127 months old

Lincoln firm named as Waterside redevelopment contractor

Keeping it local: Simons Construction will be leading the work needed in the Waterside Shopping Centre development to bring H&M and Next.

A Lincoln construction company will undertake the work to redevelop the Waterside Shopping Centre, starting this month.

Simons Construction, based off Doddington Road, will start the work now in time for the first phase of reopening in December 2013.

This isn’t the first time the company has worked with Waterside owners Capital and Regional, and the firm has also refurbished and altered the shopping centre in the past.

Paul Hodgkinson, Chairman of Simons, said: “Simons are really pleased to have extended its long relationship with Capital and Regional, by helping to support the whole team and deliver a fabulous refurbished facility.

“Our team has an excellent track record of delivering complex projects on live trading locations and we have every confidence that the Waterside project will be another best case example of how to serve the multiple customer groups that a project like this involves.”

Simons is also in talks with the University of Lincoln to give students and graduates the opportunity to help with projects on the build.

General Manager for the Waterside, Roy Greening, added: “The Waterside Shopping Centre is at the heart of Lincoln and as such we will be using local contractors wherever possible.

“Our partnership with Simons is hugely important to us in helping to deliver our vision for the centre and Lincoln as a whole.

“We have listened to the city’s shoppers and will be bringing two of the most sought after retailers into Lincoln over the coming months with H&M and Next scheduled to open in August and September of 2014 respectively.

“This redevelopment will bring a new energy and vibrancy to the Waterside Shopping Centre and we are delighted to have appointed Simons to make our dream a reality.”

As previously reported, the redevelopment will cost £9 million, and bring H&M and Next to the city centre.

Additionally, New Look will receive an extended store at 14,000 square feet and Burger King will relocate to the lower ground floor.

The escalators and other existing units will also be moved around the building to help accommodate the 22,000 sq ft store for H&M and a 15,000 sq ft store for Next.