Construction company Morgan Sindall has been appointed to build a new £5.4 million extension at a Stoke-on-Trent museum and art gallery.
The company has been commissioned by Stoke-on-Trent City Council to carry out the work at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery as part of a a major project to restore the iconic Spitfire RW388 and put it on public display in the city.
The scheme includes the erection of a transparent 3,800 sq ft building on the side of the Hanley attraction to enable the Spitfire to be viewed from the outside of the museum.
Light refurbishment will also be carried out at the museum's cafe, walls, ceilings and floors.
A team from Morgan Sindall is now on site preparing the foundations for the build ahead of planned completion in spring 2021.
Rob Cant, Scape Regional Construction framework director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said "Throughout the turbulence of the past few months, we have seen more than ever the importance of our local communities.
"Stoke-on-Trent's iconic Spitfire is emblematic of the city’s fighting spirit. We are proud to be involved in such an important scheme for both the city’s wider economic offering, and its own regional heritage, while also serving as a clear inspiration to the next generation of innovators and engineers.
"Work is progressing well thanks to a diverse and highly-skilled local supply chain we're collaborating with on this project and we look forward to seeing it come out of the ground in the months ahead."
Morgan Sindall Construction was appointed to deliver the project through the SCAPE Regional Construction framework, which is aimed at facilitating high-quality projects across the Midlands and East of England.
In line with this, the main contractor will ensure that at least a fifth of the project's investment fee is matched by social value contributions which will benefit the local community.
Property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle has been appointed as the city council's multi-disciplinary construction consultant.
