Torbay Council, together with TDA, Heart of the South West LEP and Kier Construction is pleased to announce the successful completion of construction works for the highly anticipated Wickes store at Edginswell Business Park.
The site has been formally handed over to Wickes who are now fitting out the store ahead of its grand opening next month. The purpose-built store, spanning over 2,300 square meters will offer more DIY product choice to consumers.
The construction project started in September 2022 after facing unprecedented challenges in the sector. Since then, Kier Construction has worked in all weathers to bring valuable and much needed employment space to Torbay.
Despite the challenges, the project team were able to substantially reduce costs and the impact on the environment by repurposing surplus material to the nearby Nightingale Park Solar Farm project. Rather than transport surplus material to Tavistock, it was used to fill in the hollows and provide a level platform at Nightingale for the solar panels to be placed upon. In total more than forty-three thousand tonnes, approximately 10 Olympic sized swimming pools of material were moved between the two sites – with minimal impact on the local highway network, and drastically reducing the carbon footprint associated with this project.
The construction project benefitted from a significant grant award from the Heart of the South West LEP’s Getting Building Fund which allowed for site enablement works, as well as construction and development works. Torbay Council also invested substantial funds to ensure the successfully delivery of this project.
With just weeks to go until the store formally opens, Wickes is currently training its new team members who will be taking up a range of full and part-time customer facing roles.
Cllr Chris Lewis, Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth for Torbay Council, said; “The delivery of this project is great news for Torbay. I’ve been watching the construction works for the past few months, so it is fantastic to see this brand-new purpose-built structure completed. With the keys now in the hands of Wickes, I look forward to visiting the store when it opens next month.”
Karl Tucker, Chair of the Heart of the South West LEP, said; “This achievement represents a significant milestone in Torbay’s ongoing economic recovery. We are proud to have supported the Torbay Gateway project, which will open up numerous employment opportunities, as part of our commitment to growing the local and regional economy.”
Wickes Property Director, Sarah Tait, added; “As a proud digitally led, service-enabled retailer, the new Wickes store will offer residents of Torbay and the surrounding areas a wide range of home improvement products, services, and expert advice from our knowledgeable staff. The new store will be open on 3 November located at Orchard Way, Torquay, TQ2 7FA.”
