NEIGHBOURING residents to the £25 million leisure complex development in Yate have been updated on the progress of the works through a circulated newsletter.

A newsletter produced by contractors ISG for the Cineworld cinema-led development, called Riverside, has been distributed to residents over the last week giving information on works progress and a futures works programme.

Andrew Lowrey, Yate Shopping Centre manager: “Keeping local residents aware of what is happening on-site is an important part of the contractors’ communications process. In addition to distributing newsletters to local residences and town centre stakeholders, copies will also be placed on all the noticeboards within the shopping centre.

“We are very fortunate that the weather has been in our favour and work has been able to progress according to plan. Over the next few months the skeleton of the built development will start to take shape with ‘topping out’ expected to take place in mid July.”

It is anticipated the retail and restaurant units will be handed over to the end users for fitting out by mid September with opening scheduled for December and the cinema by next Easter.

The foundations comprising about 2,500 cubic metres of concrete – enough to fill an Olympic size swimming pool - are currently being laid ready for the erection of the steelwork to start later in April.

By the time the scheme is ready for ‘topping out’ over 500 tonnes of steel will have been erected.

Mr Lowrey added: “We are hoping to announce further exciting news about more operators in the very near future but it is fair to say that there is overwhelming demand for space in Yate.

"We will also shortly be starting work on plans to accommodate new tenants in the main shopping centre, an announcement for which can be extended in the next few weeks.”