Wates adds to work at Central Square with £5m fit-out

Wates Construction, which is building Central Square on Wellington Street in Leeds, will create 50,000 sq ft of office space across floors seven and eight.

Once complete, the fit-out will include movable glass walls and a new audio-visual system.

Designed by DLA Design and WSP Global, the space will include bespoke carpentry, feature lighting, custom-made ceilings and bespoke artwork.

Wates has been on site since June 2014.

Built on the former Royal Mail site, the 11-storey development by Marrico and Roydhouse Properties will comprise 220,000 sq ft of office space and 30,000 sq ft of retail and leisure provision.

The fit-out programme on behalf of PwC is scheduled to complete later this year when it will become home to 800 employees in the region.

Paul Dodsworth, business unit director for Wates Construction Yorkshire and North East, said: “As the contractor appointed to deliver the base-build at Central Square, our team has acquired a first-hand in-depth understanding of the scheme and is therefore extremely well placed to facilitate the high-end fit-out works of PwC’s prestigious new office.”

Arif Ahmad, PwC’s senior partner in Leeds, added: “Central Square will be Leeds’ most iconic building, providing a first class working environment.

“We wanted the relocation process to be an opportunity for our people to have a say in how the new office should function and feel.”

He added: “We have had great fun creating a space that has the identity of the region and is somewhere people can collaborate and use technology to meet the demands of modern business working.

“It will also give us 15 per cent more useable space as we continue to recruit and attract the best talent so we can best serve our clients, to help them achieve their objectives.”