Caunton Engineering have been awarded the contract for over 2000te of structural steelwork for the new extension to the Arndale Centre in Eastbourne. The main contractor is Kier, the leading property, residential, construction and services group, who are delivering phase two of Eastbourne Arndale Centre’s £85m extension for Legal & General and Eastbourne Borough Council. Kier have made use of Caunton’s Value Engineering service to re-engineer the scheme, which has helped to make considerable savings on costs, site durations, and improved build-ability.

The Arndale Centre is already a major retailer for the town, and the new 170,000 sq. ft. scheme, that includes the demolition of some buildings , will bring an additional twenty two new retail units, approximately three hundred extra car parking spaces, seven restaurants and a nine-screen cinema to Eastbourne.

Caunton are supplying the steel framing for the retail units, as well as the new car park. The extra 300-plus extra parking spaces will be provided through the construction of two new decks of car parking above the existing multi-storey car park. The car park frame has been re-engineered to help reduce the loads imparted into the existing car park structure. A lightweight concrete deck has been specified, supported on a durable metal deck consisting of a Colorcoat finish. This has helped to reduce the reinforcement work to the existing concrete structure and has helped to speed up site erection times.

The nine-screen cinema complex, also steel framed, is positioned over the Retail Units. The scheme is split by a central concourse with a feature glass roof over. Link bridges are suspended over the concourse to link the upper retail and cinemas spaces together.
In addition, Caunton’s Secondary Steelwork Division is supplying the ancillary steelwork comprising stair towers, stairs, ladders, hand rail, and access hatch ladders. It again proves that Caunton Engineering can therefore provide a fully comprehensive service in steelwork, and are pleased to be contributing to such an important development for Eastbourne.