York picks Wates for £32m Castle Mills scheme

City of York Council has chosen Wates Construction to bring forward its £32m Castle Mills scheme.Wates has been appointed initially to carry out the detailed design and to provide a tender price for construction.The Castle Mills scheme involves the construction of 106 apartments, a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Foss, and the opening up of the rear of the Castle Museum in to a public riverside park.The new bridge is expected to play a large role in reshaping how the area is used, connecting Piccadilly’s community to the Castle Museum, and the riverside cycle and pedestrian routes that will flow around it.The commercial return generated from the sale of the apartments will help to pay for the majority of the public benefits and infrastructure of the wider Castle Gateway Masterplan, the council said.The anticipated construction value is within the range of £24m to £27m.City of York council executive will make a decision in October on whether to proceed with construction based on the actual tender cost provided by Wates.