A major milestone has been reached during the construction of an the City of Wolverhampton Council's new office development, i9.

Its roof structure in the process of being completed and contractor Graham has also started installing the brick-faced, pre-cast external façade on the six-storey building.

i9 is set in the heart of the City of Wolverhampton Interchange and emerged as a scheme following the success of the award-winning i10 complex on the opposite side of Railway Drive. The finished building will provide up to 52,000 sq ft of stunning Grade A office space, which has potential for 5,600 sq ft of retail or leisure space and is planned for completion in summer 2021.

City of Wolverhampton Council and leading property developer, Ion, selected Glenn Howells Architects' design for i9 as the winner from a strong field of ten UK leading architects and urban design practices in a national design competition.

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Councillor Stephen Simkins, Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: "It is hugely encouraging to see the progress being made with the i9 development, which is attracting strong interest from potential occupiers.

"This fantastic development will help us stimulate economic growth in the city, bringing hundreds of jobs and much-needed opportunities for local people in our recovery from the current Covid-19 crisis.

"As well as helping get Wolverhampton back on its feet, it is another step towards our aspirations of creating a commercial district in this area of the city centre."

Graham will target a BREEAM Excellent rating to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the building and lower any potential impact on the surrounding environment.

Graham Regional Director, Ronan Hughes, said: "The topping out of i9 is a significant milestone and a clear indication of the tremendous progress we are making in constructing this new signature office development. Coupled with the installation of the first pieces of brick façade, the vision of our partners is beginning to really take shape. i9 represents a positive step forward in the continued regeneration of Wolverhampton, and we are proud to be playing our part in constructing this high-spec office building, creating jobs for local people, and providing continued opportunities for local supply chain partners. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the wider project team to deliver a distinctive, showpiece building that is the benchmark for future developments in the city."