A number of questions have to be answered: How many customers can we expect the scheme to attract? What will be the impact on traffic? What will happen to the small retailers in the town centre when the larger stores move to out-of-town locations? How many parking spaces are needed? Are there any environmental risks?
WSP is able to offer a range of different services
Once a scheme has been given the go ahead, WSP is able to offer a range of different services, including construction design, building management, market surveys and road engineering. There may also be a requirement for our experts on acoustics and lighting or escalators and lifts. Our landscape architects can offer their advice on designing the public areas in and around the particular retail scheme.
Cooperation and dialogue with the tenants are an absolute necessity in order to ensure that the retail premises match the tenant’s requirements. WSP's project managers understand their clients’ needs and, by being flexible in their approach, help them to find an effective solution.
Many of today’s retail projects involve the extension and refurbishment of older shopping centres, transforming them into state-of-the-art schemes for the modern customer.
One of WSP's major strengths lies in our ability to view and undertake projects within the broader, nationwide context. We are able to focus on the special requirements of the retail sector through our close cooperation with other professionals working in the retail sector. This, together with our involvement in the entire process from initial plans to the finished, successful retail development, means that we are able to relieve our clients of some of the burdens of project management.