Grade I-listed Leeds markets take a step further

KIRKGATE MARKETS’ £12m revamp is moving a step further after contractors appointed Leeds firm Adept Civil and Structural Consulting Engineers to help with the project.

The Grade I-listed market is due to complete by Autumn 2016, and is “well-placed to benefit” from the £150m Victoria Gate development which is due open the following year.

Leeds Kirkgate Market was the birthplace of Marks and Spencer in the 1880’s.

Main contractor Interserve has appointed Adept to help design the Market’s retail units and service areas, as well as an event space that will become one of the Market’s key focal points.

Matthew Ramsden, director at Adept, said: “This is a complex project because the Market was mostly constructed in four main periods dating back to 1875, 1904, 1976 and 1981 and each section has its own history and challenges. Large parts of the building are in need of repair and the drainage system is antiquated by today’s standards.
“As a local Leeds based business, we’re delighted to be involved with this project. The work we’re doing will help to safeguard the future of the Market and ensure that one of the City’s most iconic buildings remains a valuable and sustainable asset in Leeds for many generations to come.”
Eamonn Cahill, senior project manager for Interserve added: “This is a hugely exciting project for Leeds at a time when the City’s retail offering is going from strength to strength. Once this work is complete it will enable Kirkgate Market to complement its neighbouring developments and greatly enhance the experience for shoppers visiting the Market.
“Adept’s team has a wealth of experience working on other large-scale and historical buildings and immediately understood the project’s requirements, which made them the ideal engineers for us to work with.”