TH Real Estate’s flagship project, Edinburgh St James marked its first year on-site in October this year.
Supported by Redwood Consulting, the key moment for the £1bn redevelopment project in the heart of Edinburgh gained widespread local coverage and featured in the prime-time news slot on STV News.
Project Director of Edinburgh St James, Martin Perry, and Laing O’Rourke’s Project Director, Tim Kelly, were interviewed by STV about the accomplishments of the development following its first year and the near-completion of demolition. In addition, Cllr Gavin Barrie, Housing and Economy Convenor at the City of Edinburgh Council, spoke about the boost the project is bringing to the city’s economy, as well as the 3,000 full-time jobs it is projected to create.
As the main contractor for the project, Laing O’Rourke’s emphasis on having a positive local influence throughout the construction process has resulted in 1,000 out of the 1,300 people inducted on-site living within 100 miles of the project, and over 200 days of work experience have been provided for students from local schools and universities so far.
Furthermore, 19,700 tonnes of material from demolition being recycled and re-used on-site for construction purposes: the equivalent of 13,133 family cars or 164 blue whales.
The recent anniversary coverage comes with continued UK-wide coverage of Edinburgh St James, linking the development with the growth and positive outlook of Edinburgh as a city.
Redwood has worked on the project on behalf of TH Real Estate since 2014, and is responsible for overarching strategic communications, marketing and stakeholder engagement.
The retail and leisure element at Edinburgh St James is anticipated to complete in 2020, followed by full scheme completion in 2021. Designed by Allan Murray Architects, the development will comprise 850,000 sq ft of shopping space, 150 new homes, Edinburgh’s first Everyman cinema, and the UK’s second W Hotel.