Harris Partnership to upgrade Foundry Park

Leading Yorkshire-based architects, The Harris Partnership, is set to begin a retail redevelopment project at the Foundry Retail Park in Rotherham.

Work on the 120,000 sq ft site, which was built in the 1980's, is due to commence later this month and it is anticipated the new-look park will be completed by the end of the year.

The retail terrace set for the makeover is currently home to occupiers including Harvey's, Staples and Carpetright, all of which will continue to trade throughout the exterior enhancement works.

The Harris Partnership recently completed an eye-catching, stand-alone new store for the sofa specialist, CSL, on the Retail Park, which is now fully operational.

The award-winning architects plan to draw inspiration from this contemporary design for the entire retail terrace.

Darren Till of The Harris Partnership comments; "Our aspirations for the site are very high".

"We want to exceed the expectations of our client, the local council and the tenants, to provide an updated shopping experience".

"Our inspiration for the site was taken from the recently completed CSL building.

Introducing similar materials into the terrace refurbishment will promote a modern and unified feel across the entire park".

"Maximum amounts of glazing have been incorporated at pedestrian level to create significant shop windows alongside the glazed entrances"".

"This will increase the visibility of the retailers products and, along with new high quality paving, create a contemporary, high-street feel".

Darren Till continues; "The refurbishment will be carried out in a way to minimise the amount of negative impact on trading tenants, and most importantly, will allow safe, un-interrupted customer access at all times".

Chris Heap of Savills Commercial, who project manage the refurbishment projects on behalf of UBS Global Asset Management, adds; "We felt the Park was in need of updating and the existing tenants have welcomed these works".

"It is anticipated that giving the units a contemporary facelift will increase the popularity of the Park as a retail destination".

Chris Heap continues; "There is currently one 6,000 sq ft unit not producing income on the Park and following the commencement of the refurbishment programme, this unit will become let".

The Harris Partnership has been working with UBS for the last three years to rejuvenate a number of key retail parks across the country.

The national architects practice is currently mid-way through the external refurbishment of the 75,000 sq ft Hardwick Retail Park in Kings Lynn.

Work was also completed earlier this year on the GBP1.6 million refurbishment of Forbury Retail Park in Reading.

Following completion, the Retail Park tenants, which include Furniture Village, land of Leather, DFS, Comet and Staples, have experienced an increase in footfall and the Park is attracting interest from a number of potential new occupiers.

Savills are the retained Project Managers acting on behalf of UBS for all three Retail Parks.

Vector Build is the appointed building contractor.

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