M&S Foodhall

Overview

The Marks & Spencer Foodhall in Darlington comprised the construction of an 11,000 sq ft M&S retail unit with ground and concrete mezzanine floor to shell finish.

The development was complete with pedestrian and car parking infrastructure and perimeter landscaping, mains service containment, exterior building and car park lighting, boundary fencing, acoustic fencing and retaining wall.

The unit was constructed within Westpark Garden Village, a previously barren parcel of land transformed into a flourishing garden village, and addressed the requirement for a new M&S Foodhall in the vicinity of Darlington following the introduction of M&S’s five-year transformation programme.

The retail unit was of steel frame construction on driven precast square concrete piled foundations and a cast in-situ ground bearing slab. The building's envelope comprised aluminium framed curtain walling and glazing system, masonry cavity wall on facing brick and block internal skin, high-level insulated wall cladding and a built up roof system with insulated cladding.

The scope of our works also included:

• Site Establishment: Setting up temporary accommodation and welfare, site compound, the segregation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic and coordination with adjacent site user, site containment and security.
• Site Clearance: Excavation and ground works and the safe disposal of material off site.
• Excavation: In preparation for new services, drainage and the retaining wall as well as the excavation and formation of reinforced foundations and ground bearing slabs incorporating a gas membrane for the retail unit and the formation of lift pits.
• Infrastructure: The construction of a new road access and car parking infrastructure, service yard, footpaths and kerbing, associated hard and soft landscaping, paving, retaining wall, fencing, Armco barrier, street furniture and signage. A pre-cast concrete mezzanine was installed to the first floor along with a lift shaft. The retail unit was completed with decorating and painting ready for client fit-out.