Morgan Sindall Construction appointed to £35 million Knowledge Quarter hotel

Liverpool City Council has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to deliver a new £35 million joint hotel and aparthotel for its £1 billion Paddington Village scheme in the city’s Knowledge Quarter.

It is anticipated that, subject to planning approval, construction will begin in summer 2019 with completion expected in 2021. The build programme will support 400 construction jobs, two thirds of which will be recruited from the local labour supply chain.

The appointment continues Morgan Sindall Construction’s involvement with the Paddington Village scheme following its appointment to two projects in January 2017. This included the design and build of the new £35 million northern headquarters of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), The Spine, set for completion in 2020. It has also been recently announced that Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure is to build the Rutherford Diagnostics Centre North West at the Knowledge Quarter.

Accor Hotels has been appointed as the operator of the hotel development, which will involve a 160-bedroom Novotel and 60-bedroom upscale aparthotel, will be operated by Legacy Hotels & Resorts.

Located opposite the new Royal Liverpool Hospital, the striking 18-storey tower will have a commanding presence across the city as its highest venue, and when lit at night it will be the beacon for KQ Liverpool.

To be designed by Ryder Architecture, the four star hotel will include a generous reception foyer and atrium with multi-purpose conference and event facilities, function bar, restaurant and executive bar lounge, fitness suite and meeting rooms.

As well as a landmark building, the hotel has already provided a boost to the city’s economy with all the appointed designers coming from Liverpool: Ryder (architects), Curtins (structural engineers) and Steven Hunt Associates (mechanical and electrical). Furthermore 65% of the hotel’s projected £2.5 million annual spend is set to be procured within the Liverpool city region.

Barry Roberts, managing director at Morgan Sindall Construction in the north, said: “This announcement is the latest key stage of the development of what will be a pivotal element of the Knowledge Quarter, and we are looking forward to working with Novotel and the wider project team to make their ambitious plans for this hotel a reality.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of our work at Paddington Village is the positive impact it has on the wider city, and we will continue to ensure our ongoing presence benefits the regional economy through the incorporation of local businesses in our supply chain, as well as creating jobs and training opportunities for local people.”

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson said: “I’m delighted we’ve appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to build this hugely important new hotel for Paddington Village. They are a hugely experienced construction firm and will be leading a largely Liverpool-based consortia in the hotel’s design and build phase. In many ways this will be an iconic landmark for the city, by the city and echoes everything we are aiming to achieve in Paddington Village to underpin the city’s position as a world leading innovation district.”

• For more information about this news release please contact Tom Carlin at Influential on 0161 804 1400 or email [email protected]