Shipley Market Square Renovation to Source Materials Globally

A report has disclosed that materials sourced from as far as China are slated for use in the renovation of Shipley’s Market Square. The multimillion-pound regeneration project will also incorporate granite and various other construction materials originating from Italy and Portugal. These specifics were contained within a report concerning the delayed £4 million initiative, scheduled for presentation to councillors at a later time. The report additionally verifies that Kelbray Highways Ltd. is the favored company selected to execute the work, which is anticipated to commence next year. The refurbishment work for the Market Square was initially set to start in August and conclude by May 2025; however, the commencement date has since been postponed to January, meaning completion of the work is improbable before November 2025. Previously, Bradford Council attributed these delays to the escalating cost of materials, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Later, members of the regeneration and environment scrutiny committee will be apprised that the £4 million scheme is receiving funding from the government’s Shipley Towns Fund and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Despite the official appointment of contractors not yet having occurred, the report indicates that the process of procuring building materials has already commenced, owing to the extended delivery times associated with these items. The report stated: “Estimated scheme costs have increased significantly due a combination of rising inflation and material costs which include continued increases to shipping charges.” It further noted: “Comprehensive site investigations have been carried out during project development to mitigate unforeseen site condition risk as far as possible.” It specified that specialized granite and porphyry materials sourced from China, Italy, and Portugal are designated for use in the construction process. The report went on to state: “A separate tender has previously been awarded to the successful bidder arising from a robust procurement process to ensure that all materials will be available for the commencement of the construction and significantly reduce any potential claims for delay.” Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.