The Majestic, Leeds

Value: £17,000,000

Staus: Completed

Completion: 2020

Client: Gardiner & Theobald / City Square Developments

Main Contractor: Sir Robert McAlpine/Rushbond Group

Hickton provided Clerk of Works inspections on this redevelopment project at City Square in Leeds, a Grade II listed seven-storey office block and now the national headquarters of Channel 4. The scheme involved a threeyear, multi-million-pound transformation of 66,000 sqft of office space. We worked alongside our Client Gardiner & Theobald and there were many challenges faced by the construction team with the most crucial being the preservation of historic fabric. The design and construction teams were able to successfully overcome these challenges and retain the original external façade, all whilst constructing new floors and a new atrium and a reinstated new ‘Palm Court’. This development was recognised at the Yorkshire Property Awards 2020, winning an award for its outstanding contribution to the built environment in terms of design, execution, and impact.

With the building’s listed status, our Clerk of Works conducted inspections to monitor that heritage elements were protected and integrated seamlessly into the new design. This included monitoring techniques for façade retention and structural tie-ins that respected the historic structure. We monitored workmanship, especially during the integration of modern building systems and the construction of the new atrium and Palm Court within the constraints of the original building fabric. Our Clerk of Works provided independent advice on quality assurance, supporting Gardiner & Theobald and the wider design team in monitoring compliance with specifications, regulatory standards, and listed building consents.

Image Credit: Duncan Lomax, Ravage Productions