Published Tuesday 3 May 2016 at 10:25
Capita will be locating services to the state of the art One Cathedral Square office building in the Cathedral Quarter, signalling the start of a busy summer for the newly transformed area.
Denise Park, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Deputy Chief Executive, said:
“One Cathedral Square is at the heart of the new multi million pound Blackburn town centre improvements and signifies the ongoing confidence and ambition which is very much alive in the borough.
“It’s about building on our proud past and nurturing the new and thinking big and bold for the future. So it’s especially fitting that part of the office will now be home to some of Capita’s technical services as we launch this next generation partnership. Stimulating investment and jobs to create growth and prosperity is what we all want. The new contract will play a significant role in delivering this.”
The flexible partnership between the Council and Capita, first announced in February 2016, will see Capita providing a blend of services and business cases that will deliver savings, income and growth for the borough.
Ian Richardson, Blackburn with Darwen partnership director for Capita, added:
“Blackburn with Darwen is once again leading the way. We are really excited about delivering some of our key partnership services out of One Cathedral Square. The Cathedral Quarter is an outstanding location that will not only be a fantastic place for our staff to work but it will also really put our new partnership on the map in Blackburn with Darwen.”
The five-storey building, located in Piazza Square, was designed by architect, Gary Wilde at BDP, Manchester with Maple Grove Developments as the developer and constructed by Eric Wright Construction.
The development is the result of a partnership by Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackburn Cathedral and Maple Grove Developments and is part funded by the European development fund (EDF).
The sustainability of the building that has been graded as ‘excellent’ by BREEAM the world’s leading sustainability assessment for buildings and projects was also considered
It has just won has won best large commercial building in the North West at an award at the Local Authority Building Control Building Excellence Awards.
The Cathedral Quarter will come alive this summer with a host of events including the popular Countryside Comes to Town festival which will return on Saturday, June 25.
The festival main stage and big screen will take place in the new public events space and will host international artists, big bands and well-known personalities including Nadiya, winner of the Great British Bake Off and Mr Bloom from CBeebies and his brand new band.
Visitors can also look forward to the Blackburn Cathedral Flower Festival on June 23 – 26. The event that is being run with Barton Grange Garden Centre will see stunning contemporary flower installations decorate the Cathedral by internationally renowned designer Bill Dixon.
And in early summer the much anticipated Café Northcote at the Cathedral will open its doors. The venture will see the team behind Northcote, the Michelin starred restaurant and luxury hotel, open a 78 cover café in a newly constructed building at the Cathedral. Opening seven days a week and will serve breakfast, lunch, coffees, teas, cakes and hot drinks and lunches to go.