NBT Media Release
23 May 2008
For immediate release
Preferred contractor for new Leeds dance building announced
Leeds City Council has announced that it will be working with Wates Construction as the
preferred participating contractor for the new £12 million city centre dance building
for Northern Ballet Theatre (NBT) and Phoenix Dance Theatre (Phoenix), which will be built
at Quarry Hill.
As the project moves through the design process, Wates will work with the architects, the
Strategic Design Alliance – a partnership of Jacobs Architecture and Leeds City
Council's in-house architectural consultancy, to develop the design proposals, solve any
potential logistical problems and cost the building construction. The contractor for the
building project will be confirmed towards the end of 2008, and work will start on-site in
spring 2009 with completion in summer 2010.
Throughout this process NBT and Phoenix will continue with momentum, the campaign to raise the
final £1.5 million required to complete the £12million project. £10.5million
has already been raised from Leeds City Council, Arts Council England and Yorkshire Forward.
In February Leeds Metropolitan University announced that it would be supporting the
momentum campaign. For further information visit
building-momentum.co.uk
Councillor Andrew Carter, Deputy Leader of Leeds City Council, welcomed the news:
“This is an important step forward in our vision to put Leeds on the map as a national
and international centre of excellence for dance, and provide a fitting home for our two
renowned dance companies.
‘Many partners have been working closely together on this scheme, and we are all
determined to deliver a first class building.”
- Ends -
For further information, media opportunities and images contact:
- Laraine Penson, Head of Media & PR, Northern Ballet Theatre
Editors' Notes
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Wates is one of the UK's largest family-owned construction services and development companies.
Established in 1897, it remains privately owned by Wates Family Holdings. Wates employs more than
2,200 people and had a turnover of £949 million in 2007. The company works across a range of
sectors, including education, public sector frameworks, affordable housing, retail fit out and
refurbishment, office interiors, land development and commercial buildings. Safety is a top priority
within Wates Group, and our excellent safety record has resulted in RoSPA Gold Awards for Occupational
Safety and the British Safety Council Awards for the past five years. In mid 2007 Coutts Bank named
the Wates Group as the ‘Best UK Family Business’
, which follows on from the 2006
win of the JP Morgan award for Overall Excellence in the Family Business Honours awards.
-
The Strategic Design Alliance is an award winning partnership between Leeds City Council's
architectural design services and Jacobs Architecture. The partnership began in July 2006 to ensure the
council has access to the best architectural services for its wide range of construction projects
across the city. Since its formation the SDA has won many awards, most recently for its restoration of
The Tiled Hall at Leeds Central Library and notably for its inclusive approach to the design of New
Bewerley Community School and Children's Centre in Beeston.