A MECHANICAL and engineering contractor in Leigh is beginning work on a landmark hotel project in Manchester city centre after securing a multi-million pound contract.

Chapel Street based Genlec has started on the 20-storey Motel One and Staycity project on behalf of Russell Construction.

And their commitment to the 328-room hotel and 256 studio and one-bedroom apartments complex should keep staff busy for around 21 months.

Working on behalf of the Property Alliance Group, the prestige development will see a replacement constructed for Peterloo House in St Peter's Square, opposite the city's central library.

Before their main contribution even began, Genlec was supplying modular units to concrete suppliers for precast fixing.

The ground to eighth floors will encompass the Motel One side of the development, with the apartments installed from floors nine to 20.

Jonathan Twentyman, the Leigh company's managing director. said: "This is a huge project overall, and a particularly large-scale mechanical and engineering contract that applies a range of approaches from traditional install to precast/modular.

"The busy and confined city centre location has to an extent dictated this approach and this will undoubtedly be the biggest challenge throughout.

"A close collaborative working relationship between the client and the rest of the supply chain will be incredibly important throughout."

Around 20 operatives, alongside an in-house management, are already on site, though during busy spells the Genlec workforce there might swell to 40-plus.

Gareth Russell, director of Russells Construction, added: "The new 3 St Peters is really starting to take shape and we're pleased to be working with Genlec to get started with the M&E elements as planned on programme."

Last month Genlec, which has also been on-site at Sellafield and Loom Wharf in Leigh recently, announced ambitions to double its £15m turnover for 2018 within five years.