Morgan Sindall lined up for first phase of Civic Centre revamp in Plymouth

Morgan Sindall has been lined up to carry out the first phase of a scheme to the 1960s Civic Centre n Plymouth into a new college with apartments above.

The FTSE 250 contractor is being recommended for the £6.5m first phase of work with a decision due to be made by councillors next Monday.

The 14-storey Civic Centre was built in 1962 but has been empty for more than a decade after council staff moved out in 2015. It was given a grade II listing in 2007, saving it from the wrecking ball.

Under proposals drawn up by BDP for developer Capital & Centric, the podium level will be occupied by City College Plymouth with the tower above becoming 144 BTR apartments.

Scaffolding is expected to start going up next month with the first phase including removing external cladding to enable external structural surveys, removing all remaining asbestos and internal and external demolition works, including a 1970s extension.

Stage 2 of the work will be tendered while the first phase of work is being carried out with a council report recommending starting stage one now rather than face delays of up to a year and rack up associated inflationary costs.

Planning approval and listed building consent were given last month with other work including adding a new staircase core for building safety reasons. Homes England has granted £18m to the scheme.

Tim Heatley, chair and co-founder of Capital & Centric, said: “Working shoulder-to-shoulder with Plymouth City Council to bring this absolute icon back to life has been brilliant – proper partnership, shared ambition and a city getting stuff done.”