TOWN & CITY REGENERATION
FACADE DELIVERS ARCHITECT’S DESIGN INTENT Bought by Chorley Council in 2013, Market Walk already comprised more than 30 shops and an outdoor parade, with excellent local parking. The local authority has since rolled out ambitious plans to attract both big-brand stores and independent retailers to Chorley town centre. £17m Market Walk project T heincludes a new six-screen Reel Cinema, an M&S Food Hall, an Escape Entertainment bowling and adventure golf complex and a Loungers bar and restaurant, along with public realm improvements. The high-calibre project has been designed to offer a quality environment that enhances the town centre, both aesthetically and economically, and the specification of the SureClad Ceramic Granite system from Shackerley supports both of those goals. The SureClad system delivers a high-end and resilient appearance for the facades, while engaging a local manufacturer, with Shackerley based just minutes from the project.
Building the custom experience into the specification A key element of the strategy for constructing the Market Walk extension was to encourage local residents to stay and spend in Chorley and attract footfall from surrounding districts.
32
Explains Councillor Alistair Bradley, Leader of Chorley Council from Chorley Council: “Since we acquired Market Walk, it has played a key role in our town centre strategy, adding to the existing draw of our traditional markets and providing a knock-on effect throughout the town centre by attracting footfall both during the day and in the evening. “The new extension builds on that success by creating compelling reasons for people to come to Chorley and for local people to spend their time and money locally. That’s why it was so important that the specification for the project complements the character of the town and offers a high-quality, enjoyable experience.”
Practical approach The Market Walk project was designed by AEW Architects. The practice’s brief was to design a building that would create impact, and this was achieved by using materials that combine a natural aesthetic drawing inspiration from the local built environment, with metallic, anodised aluminium. Initially, the planning department required the use of natural stone but the AEW team suggested Shackerley’s SureClad Ceramic Granite system as a practical and attractive alternative. Explains Bernard Lam from AEW Architects: “The planning department stipulated natural stone to maintain consistency of materials with other local landmark buildings, but we were concerned that using stone would involve longer lead times, along with cost and material handling implications.
