WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff has been selected to provide engineering services as part of a shopping centre refurbishment project in Sheffield.

The Meadowhall shopping and leisure complex is being transformed as part of a £50m interior design refurbishment by British Land.

The appointment represents the latest in a number of retail and commercial projects Parsons Brinckerhoff has worked on for the property investment company.

The firm is providing building services, structural, fire engineering, vertical transportation and acoustic services.

BDP is the architect of the project.

The refurbishment, marking the 25th anniversary of Meadowhall Shopping Centre, will create a 'modern' environment where retailers will benefit from double height shop fronts that create additional retail space.


The design involves relocating major service gantries away from their current location above shops into the roof without compromising vital fire escapes.

In addition, existing ventilation has been removed so that the mall could be naturally ventilated for both fresh air and smoke ventilation, which will save future energy and operational costs.

WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff Senior Technical Director, Adam Selvey, said: "We are delighted to be working on this project with British Land having had some great successes on numerous retail and commercial projects with them, such as the Leadenhall Building in London. Our engineering team’s input on the project is instrumental to British Land’s vision to create a modern shopping centre environment."

Extensive phasing and sequencing of the works has been undertaken to ensure that when construction begins on site in the third quarter of 2015, customers will be unaffected.

The project is due to be completed by the end of 2017.

(LM)