Construction and infrastructure firm, Morgan Sindall, has begun work on the £13.7 million leisure extension to the White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds.

Land Securities awarded the 65,000 sq ft design and build contract to the company, which will be delivered by the major contracts team at Morgan Sindall, whose regional office is based in the Hunslet area of Leeds. The contract will also provide for a 15 month maintenance period.

Included in the project is a plan for an 11 screen cinema, which will be operated by Cineworld IMAX, along with a number of attractive public realm features and six family friendly restaurants.

The cinema will feature the latest in IMAX technology and will have a 44,269 sq ft net internal floor area, while the plans will also feature the installation of specialist padding around the steel work to allow for the very best acoustics.

Chiquito, TGI Fridays, Wagamama and Pizza Hut have already been confirmed as tenants in the six retail units which will total 25,000 sq ft.

Upon completion, it is estimated that 350 new full and part time jobs will be delivered to the area thanks to the extension.

Morgan Sindall Area Director, Barry Roberts, said that the project is a fantastic one to be involved in and will benefit a significant number of people in West Yorkshire and beyond.

He added: “It will be a remarkable addition to the family leisure offering of the region and we understand our responsibility in making the vision of the developer a reality.”

Meanwhile, Land Securities Portfolio Director, Rob Jewell, explained that the decision to appoint Morgan Sindall in the delivery of the latest improvement to the White Rose Centre was an easy one to make because of the company’s excellent previous work on the project.

It is hoped that the new extension will be in use by the summer of next year.