A YORK-BASED construction company has won a contract to transform a well-known garden centre on the city’s outskirts in a £1 million refurbishment project.

The work at Dean’s Garden Centre in Stockton-on-the-Forest will bring the facilities up to date and in line with the latest retail space design trends.

Evora Construction will transform the current building using a combination of masonry, steelwork and glulam timber structures, complete with a specialist zinc roof covering and aluminium windows and doors in order to make it light, bright and modern.

Set for completion in March next year, the refurbishment and extension is the third phase of a long-term development plan for the family-run centre.

Evora director Mark Reynolds said: “Dean’s Garden Centre is a hub of the community, so we feel extremely privileged to be the ones making a mark in the history of the centre.

“Loved by both locals and occasional visitors, the centre will be completely transformed to offer something new for its loyal customers, while maintaining the traditional atmosphere and values that make it so successful.”

The refurbishment and extension of the centre will bring forward a new focal point, with the creation of a state-of-the-art coffee shop and kitchen facility, as well as a total remodelling of the toilet and back-of-house facilities to increase its capacity and meet demand.

Opened in 1968, the centre has been serving local gardeners for more than 47 years.

Richard Dean, from Dean’s Garden Centre, said: “We are really looking forward to the refurbishment. It’s somewhat long-due, but we know that this refurbishment will future-proof the centre and leave it looking and feeling fresh for years to come.

“We chose Evora due to their history of providing a fantastic service to businesses in this area. We have seen first-hand their dedication and attention to detail, so knew that they were the right choice for us when it came to turning our vision into reality.”

The project has been carefully planned in order to minimise disruption to customers. Remaining open throughout the entire refurbishment, the centre will continue to offer the same service to its customers.

The project is designed and project-managed by York architects Walker Nicholas, supported by WT Partnership cost consultants, Dossor MCA structural engineers, Preston Barber services consultants and Eurosafe safety consultants. People can follow the progress of the project on social media using/twitter.com/evora09