Challenge

Clarence Dock in central Leeds is the city's largest mixed-use urban waterfront development, featuring over 1.2 million sq. ft. of attractions including restaurants, café bars, shops, a hotel, casino, office space, and residential apartments. The development for The Clarence Dock Company transformed the city's waterfront area into a modern, vibrant, and innovative urban destination, aiming to attract 1.5 million visitors each year.

Marshalls was involved from the start, helping to integrate design, product, material, and processes to create a unique flagship development in bustling Leeds. The challenge was to produce an elegant yet durable, modern landscape that blended into Leeds' cityscape.

Solution

Marshalls used a mix of bespoke and standard products supplied over two years. Where non-standard items were insufficient, bespoke solutions were developed. Marshalls supplied market-leading concrete, granite, and Yorkstone paving and kerbing solutions, and installed bespoke granite seating, planters, and litter bins through Marshalls Street Furniture division. Technical experts designed a bespoke slot drainage solution to cater for varying construction build-ups, and schedule documents were created to assist on-site efforts.

Working closely with Shepherd Construction’s site team, Marshalls provided value engineering exercises, drainage design, installation advice, and product schedules. With limited storage on site, Marshalls carefully planned material deliveries using timed deliveries and stock-holding, which proved critical in meeting the contractor’s requirements.

Chris Daykin, Key Contractor Manager at Marshalls, said:

“We have deployed a variety of resources from across our business to assist Shepherd’s efforts onsite at their Leeds office and Head Office in York. From value-engineering to site appraisals, we have assisted Shepherds in their efforts in meeting strict quality and time targets.”

Benefits

The development was finished ahead of schedule and is an excellent example of how Marshalls’ products can create a cohesive and integrated landscape and drainage solution. The availability of advice and support at every stage ensured suitable products were selected and installed to the client’s satisfaction, creating an aesthetically pleasing and durable hard landscape.

Neil Clarke, Construction Manager at Shepherd Construction, commented:

“This prestigious development in the heart of Leeds was truly a test of team working. As part of our preferred supply chain, we worked together with Marshalls to deliver a development which has completely transformed the area into one of Leeds' most vibrant destinations. Our partnership with Marshalls on this project was a successful one, and any problems were efficiently dealt with.”

The technical expertise throughout Marshalls’ many disciplines is evident throughout the Clarence Dock development, offering hard landscaping solutions that blend perfectly into its urban surroundings.

The project won the ‘Built in Quality’ award in the ‘New Build’ category at the West Yorkshire Built in Quality Awards, recognising and rewarding good quality building practices across a wide range of categories.