A major milestone in the redevelopment of Aldershot town centre was recently celebrated by Rushmoor Borough Council with a topping out ceremony at Union Yard.
The ceremony marked the completion of the building’s concrete structure and councillors, staff and representatives from the Hill Group joined together to pour the topping concrete on the roof.
Councillor David Clifford, Leader of Rushmoor Borough Council, said: “This is a proud moment for us. Union Yard is going to transform Aldershot town centre, and it is clear for all to see the progress that has been made. So much hard work has gone into this, and we are grateful to everyone.”
Councillor Martin Tennant, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Major Projects and Property, added: “This part of the build has taken little over 12 months to complete, emerging out of the ground at great pace, and we expect for the project to be finished by the summer of next year.”
Andy Hill, Group Chief Executive at The Hill Group said: “We are delighted to mark this significant milestone and celebrate the hard work of the teams involved. We are proud to be working in partnership with the council on the impressive Union Yard development, which will form an essential part of the revitalisation of Aldershot town centre.”
In 2019, Rushmoor Borough Council finished acquiring key properties in Union Street and High Street, so that the redevelopment work could move ahead.
Planning permission for the scheme was granted in June 2020, with construction work started in November 2021 following demolition and clearance works on the site.
Once complete, the scheme will offer 100 new town centre homes, accommodation for 128 local students, alongside a mixture of retail, commercial and community space in the heart of the town centre. Among the features will be a makers’ yard, with a new public square and creative space for small and independent businesses.
Work will now continue on the scheme’s final external appearance. Inside, fit-out will continue on the residential floors, with stud walls going in alongside the utilities including electrics and drainage connections.
Rushmoor Borough Council is now looking to appoint a commercial agent to market Union Yard and to be the point of contact for potential end-users as the units are offered to the market ahead of the scheme’s completion in summer 2024.
Further information about the Union Yard development including the latest photos from the site and a time lapse video of the early demolition work is available on our Union Yard page.