Construction Work Restarts on Plaza Site

Published on: 12 Oct, 2023
Updated on: 12 Oct, 2023

The Plaza site. Signage still shows the former contractor Henry but owners Tiger Developments have now appointed CField Construction.

By Martin Giles

Construction work at the Plaza site at the bottom of the Portsmouth Road by the Cannon Pub has restarted.

There have been signs of preparatory work in recent weeks and workmen have said that some quality repair work had been necessary before the project could properly get under way once again.

Work stopped suddenly on the site in June when the building contractor Henry, reported to have had an annual turnover of £400 million, went into administration.

Renewed site activity includes further piling

In July, Tiger Developments, owners of the site, near St Nicolas Church, said: “We are working extremely hard to appoint an alternative contractor to complete the scheme as soon as possible…”

Today they have told The Dragon that they have appointed a new contractor, CField Construction, based in London and Cork. It is expected that the scheme will be completed in summer 2025.

The scheme is set to deliver 300 communal living units suitable for young professionals spread across four blocks connected by a lower ground floor amenity space that links all blocks together.

An artist’s impression of how the new development on the Plaza site, designed for graduates and young professionals, will look when viewed from the bottom of Portsmouth Road.

Local resident Darrol Radley said: “Having just returned from a long break we noticed immediately the constant cycle of trucks coming down Lawn Road and along Millmead Terrace, navigating the parked cars quite skilfully, it seems.

“The site now seems to be completely reorganising the ground layout and removing much of the hardcore that had previously been brought in.

“My hope is that the new contractor has a more effective plan to keep the surrounding roads in good order, as the weather deteriorates, than the previous contractors achieved.”