The SCS Group has finished installing the final phase of billion-pound development Westfield Stratford City.

SCS Group installs ventilation at Westfield Stratford City

The shopping centre in east London, billed as the biggest in Europe, was fitted with mechanical and natural smoke ventilation systems designed by SCS.

The building services company won the £275,000 contract from the Westfield Group, one of the world's largest retail property companies, after successfully completing work on the first phase of the development.

Hailed as the gateway to the 2012 London Olympic Games, the Westfield Stratford City development, at 1.9million sq ft, will be the largest urban shopping centre in Europe when it opens in 2011. It comprises over 300 shops across three levels including John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, and Waitrose.

During the four-month project, SCS fitted three UniForce shafts and 12 UniVent systems across 15 blocks of the retail development. The devices act as extraction fans in the event of a fire, drawing smoke away from stairwells enabling shoppers and staff to exit the building.

The SCS Group previously completed a major contract with the Westfield Group for another of its landmark shopping centres, Westfield London in Shepherds Bush, west London.

SCS Group project engineer, Robert Davies, said:  “We impressed the client with our quick and efficient two-week turnaround during the first phase of construction, which helped us secure a larger contract for the second and final phase of the shopping centre.

“Through working on a variety of retail developments across the UK we have built up a wealth of experience and strong credentials in this sector. Ahead of the Olympics, it’s great to have the opportunity to work on prestigious projects like this and be part of the international buzz that is building up around London.”