Engineering expertise from Yorkshire firm HJ Consulting Engineers (HJCE) will play a key role in a major new retail, leisure and healthcare development in Wakefield.

The Wakefield-based company has secured an undisclosed contract from Asset Capital, the investment company behind the Central City Fields development in East Wakefield, where groundworks on the 100,000 sq ft scheme are due to begin this month.

The project is designed to attract a wide range of occupiers, including food and non-food retailers, leisure operators, healthcare providers and community facilities, complementing neighbouring residential developments and the wider City Fields scheme.

Aldi, M&S and Starbucks have already committed to taking space on the site, alongside several smaller retail operators, a medical centre, day nursery, public house and gym operator JD Gyms.

Located east of Wakefield city centre, the wider City Fields scheme will eventually deliver more than 2,500 homes, a new primary school, parkland and other public spaces, connected by the new Wakefield East Relief Road.

HJCE will be involved from initial concept through to detailed design, providing extensive technical and consultancy support for a number of purpose-built commercial units, which will be constructed using the latest low-carbon methods.

The engineering practice, which also specialises in highway and drainage design, continues to see strong demand for its expertise as clients progress their commercial development plans.

HJCE director Mark Holloway said the firm is playing a pivotal role in what he described as a ‘transformative’ development, delivering a range of engineering and design services.

He added: “This is another fantastic project for us to be involved with, seeing us contribute significantly to the delivery of this important strategic site. The work will once again showcase our capabilities together with the engineering skills and design work available locally to help bring forward first class projects.”

Asset Capital’s project manager Terry Shaw said: “We’re delighted to be able to bring forward this latest phase of development, as we know how important this will be for local people and businesses. And HJCE is an integral partner in helping us to deliver our ambitions for the site and vision to create top-class facilities.”

Based at Wakefield 41 Business Park, HJCE employs a 26-strong team of engineers and is actively recruiting additional staff.

The company also counts landowner Harworth Group and property developer Opus North among its current clients.