NMS Awarded Prestigious £2m Accrington Town Square Redevelopment Contract

Works on the historic £2 million public square in Accrington are set to begin this month after a contractor was appointed.

Hyndburn council has awarded the contract to NMS Engineering Ltd from Wigan and the project is set to be completed by July 2018.

The area in front of the Market Hall and Town Hall will be transformed to commemorate the sacrifice and bravery of the Accrington Pals.

It will also include the restoration of historic, retail and commercial buildings in the town centre.

The first phase of the works will target the public realm area before the second phase to restore buildings on Blackburn Road between Eagle Street and St James’ Street begins in the New Year.

Coun Clare Cleary, cabinet member for Accrington town centre, said these are ‘exciting times’ for the town.

She said: “I’m looking forward to seeing the works progress on site as a new phase of history unfolds, with the creation of a new town square and public realm scheme outside Accrington Town Hall and Market Hall to commemorate the Accrington Pals.

“The Townscape Heritage Initiative team have worked hard to finalise the details of the scheme since the planning permission was granted in January this year.

“A detailed tendering process has taken place and the team are pleased to announce that the contract has been awarded to NMS Engineering Ltd from Wigan.

“Hyndburn Borough Council and Lancashire County Council (LCC) will continue working together to make the plans become reality over the coming months.

“Honouring the Accrington Pals is at the heart of this scheme and this will be realised through six bespoke benches supported by granite pieces, containing text and images depicting the last 300 years’ history of Accrington with the battalion as a central theme.”

Designs for the ‘simple, high quality and flexible’ square have been created by Landscape Architects IBI Group with funding secured from Hyndburn council, LCC and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

County Councillor Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, said the scheme will ‘deliver a high quality public space’ and also provide a ‘focal point for events and creating an attractive environment which helps to support the local economy’

Below is a copy of the press release posted by the Accrington Observer