Construction work on the £70m mixed-use WestQuay Watermark development in Southampton’s city centre is to kick off in the new year.

Having won planning permission for the leisure-led project in June, developer Hammerson has appointed Sir Robert McAlpine as the main contractor, with construction works due to start on 5 January 2015. ACME is masterplanner and architect for Watermark WestQuay, Grant Associates is the landscape designers and Barton Wilmore provided planning advice on the project.

WestQuay Watermark will be developed in two phases. Phase one, expected to open in Q3 2016, will deliver a 10-screen cinema, up to 20 restaurants and a new public plaza for the city. It will sit next to the current WestQuay shopping centre, which Hammerson jointly owns. The second phase has the potential to include a hotel and residential tower with flexibility for retail and office space, subject to further planning approvals.

“Starting on site in the new year will mean we have reached a significant milestone in the development process and is testament to the hard work of everyone involved to get to this stage,” said Hammerson development manager Guy Wells.

“Having already secured the first Showcase Cinema de Lux for the region, we are continuing to make good progress in delivering Southampton with a range of exciting new restaurants, some of which will be a first for the city.”