With Phase One of the Viadux development now complete, Salboy is continuing the momentum by advancing plans for Viadux Phase Two. Located between Manchester Central Conference Centre and Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink Station, the development is poised to become a key addition to the city’s skyline and a vibrant destination for residents
MODERNISING operational policing requirements, work has commenced on the £55m redevelopment of Hertfordshire Constabulary headquarters, delivering a flexible and agile workspace for 600 operational staff. The new space, which involves the demolishment and consolidation of five buildings, will be set across 9,000 sqm and provide a new home for services
Proposals to transform the underused Eastpoint Business Park in Oxford into a new flagship life science campus have been approved for planning by Oxford City Council. Designed by Scott Brownrigg for Railpen, the scheme will bring an additional 200,000 sq ft much needed life science space to the Oxford-Cambridge Arc
Leading retirement BTR developer launches its first London community after recognising high and growing demand for housing suitable for older people in the capital Birchgrove, the UK’s leading provider of rented retirement homes, has today opened the doors to its fourth development, its first to open in the Greater London
Birchgrove has launched its fourth development and first in Greater London with the opening of Ayrton House in Mill Hill, North London. This new development offers 60 purpose-built one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments on the site of a former medical research institute. Residents can enjoy communal amenities such as a
MULTI-DISCIPLINE principal contractor, Miller Knight, is set to host its first annual Building Safety Forum on 6 November at the iconic Villa Park, home to Aston Villa football club. The event will centre on some of the major challenges the construction and property management sector are facing, predominantly in light
The new government’s net zero priorities and the impact of a Trump presidency on global climate action will be top of the agenda at Net Zero Festival 2024 next week (October 22-23 at the Business Design Centre in London). The UK’s leading event dedicated to accelerating the net zero transition
With Phase One of the Viadux development now complete, Salboy is continuing the momentum by advancing plans for Viadux Phase Two. Located between Manchester Central Conference Centre and Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink Station, the development is poised to become a key addition to the city’s skyline and a vibrant destination for residents and visitors alike. In November last year, Salboy and Domis introduced landmark proposals for a second phase of development on this site as part of a public consultation. Since submitting a planning application in April, plans for Viadux Phase Two have continued to develop and now include a hotel operated by an exciting global brand within the 76-storey building, with associated updates to the design, including a new combined residential and hotel entrance on Albion Street in place of the previously proposed retail unit. The revised design, created by architect SimpsonHaugh, will help ensure the area becomes a vibrant destination for both residents and visitors, with a public bar at ground level bringing more life to the Grade II Listed Viaduct and Great Bridgewater Street. There will also be a restaurant, available for reservations. The landscape design, led by Planit, will enhance Albion Street and Great Bridgewater Street by featuring green spaces and seating to create a welcoming public realm. The plans have also been updated to retain more of the historic Grade II Listed bridge over Great Bridgewater Street, preserving an important element of Manchester’s architectural heritage. Salboy remains committed to providing a range of housing options with the delivery of 133 affordable homes being unaffected by the revised proposals, ensuring that the city’s housing needs are addressed. Simon Ismail, Managing Director & Co-founder at Salboy, said: “With Phase One of Viadux now completed, we’re excited to carry this momentum into Phase Two. Our vision is to create a destination where people can live, visit and enjoy, combining high-quality homes, amenities and vibrant public spaces. “The addition of the hotel will not only elevate the development but also support Manchester’s growing tourism and visitor economy. This mixed-use development will be easily accessible by public transport and ensure that the benefits of the development extend across the city, contributing to Manchester’s ongoing growth and transformation.” Salboy are excited to make the community aware of the revised proposals and are keen to hear any feedback and comments before submitting the revised details. For more details on the revised proposals and to share your thoughts, visit www.viadux2-consultation.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MODERNISING operational policing requirements, work has commenced on the £55m redevelopment of Hertfordshire Constabulary headquarters, delivering a flexible and agile workspace for 600 operational staff. The new space, which involves the demolishment and consolidation of five buildings, will be set across 9,000 sqm and provide a new home for services and departments including the major crime unit, victim services and dog unit, along with the senior leadership team and operational support staff. Targeting BREEAM Excellent for ultra-high sustainability standards, the building is also set to include heat recovery units, solar panels, and sustainable drainage systems, while the new building will also respond to modern working requirements by prioritising hot desking and wellbeing initiatives in its design. Multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard, is behind the scheme, operating via Perfect Circle, in a technical advisory role from RIBA Stage 3 under the SCAPE Consultancy framework. The firm is working closely with Hertfordshire Constabulary and contractor Willmott Dixon to bring the project to fruition. Andy Robinson, director at Pick Everard, said: “This project recognises Pick Everard’s commitment to supporting the UK’s blue light sectors, providing industry-leading expertise that enables police, healthcare, and other emergency services to support its staff and the surrounding community effectively. “Policing is a job unlike any other, and with it comes its own unique considerations in design. Key to this is the thorough stakeholder management programme established on the project, which will result in a flexible workspace that responds to current need while being scalable for the future. “Working closely with Hertfordshire Constabulary and Willmott Dixon, we’re looking forward to the new space delivering a lasting legacy for police services across Welwyn Garden City.” As well as helping reduce the current Stanborough estate’s long-term running costs, the new building is also targeting a WELL Platinum Certification, a major benchmark for advancing health and wellbeing within a single building. Stewart Brundell, managing director at Willmott Dixon in North London and Northern Homes Counties, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside Hertfordshire Constabulary to deliver its new headquarters. As a proud Hertfordshire-based company, it is fantastic to be starting on site to provide a new facility for our county’s police force. “This project follows on from our successful delivery of the Bedfordshire Police’s new custody suite. The new HQ will provide Hertfordshire Constabulary’s people with a sustainable, flexible working environment which can be utilised for police and community groups as well.” Victoria Brambini, chief executive at Perfect Circle, said: “This project is a prime example of where Perfect Circle can add real value to the public sector. Commissioning our industry-leading consultancy experts at Pick Everard, we will provide the technical expertise for the redevelopment of the headquarters of Hertfordshire Constabulary, alongside ensuring the building will meet exceptional sustainability targets. “I’m delighted the project will be delivered through both SCAPE’s Consultancy and Construction frameworks, demonstrating that as SCAPE partners, we can provide all that is needed to deliver projects from start to finish.” Mark Robinson, group chief executive at the SCAPE group, added: “With sustainability in mind, the redevelopment of the headquarters of Hertfordshire Constabulary will provide a much-improved flexible work environment for the county’s police force. “This is a significant project for us as through the SCAPE consultancy framework, SCAPE and Perfect Circle will play an integral role in supplying consultancy services and expert advisory solutions in relation to the complexities of the project. SCAPE is also working in close collaboration with Willmott Dixon through the SCAPE Construction Framework, to deliver efficiency and cost savings throughout the project.” Designed by Vincent & Gorbing Architects, work will complete in summer 2026 on the new headquarters. For more information on Pick Everard and the services it provides, visit: www.pickeverard.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Proposals to transform the underused Eastpoint Business Park in Oxford into a new flagship life science campus have been approved for planning by Oxford City Council. Designed by Scott Brownrigg for Railpen, the scheme will bring an additional 200,000 sq ft much needed life science space to the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and provide a focal point for interaction with STEM and educational outreach within the local community. The site for the new life science campus is located adjacent to The Oxford Academy, five miles southeast of Oxford city centre in the district of Littlemore. Three four-storey laboratory buildings and a single storey amenity building are carefully positioned to buffer noise and pollution from the A road to the North, define a new public space, and enhance permeability across the site. Each fully serviced building is designed to suit a range of tenants and provide flexibility in occupancy, with 55% CL2 laboratory and 45% office space to support cutting-edge research and collaboration. A contextual material palette with distinctive horizontal banding and vertical flues references Oxford’s history while ensuring comfortable and naturally lit spaces within and views out. An emphasis on facilitating safe pedestrianised movement, activating ground floor frontages, and provision of high- quality public amenities supports the creation of an inclusive environment that contributes positively to the social, ecological, and educational fabric of Littlemore. A ‘Learning Lab’ will provide local students with access to state-of-the- art facilities and interactions with professionals in the field, while a publicly accessible café, social hub and green space will create a communal focus at the heart of the site. The scheme targets BREEAM ‘Outstanding’, WELL, Wired and Smart Platinum and Cycle Score Platinum with features such as the ‘Travel & Energy hub’ to promote sustainable travel and pocket parks with integrated planting to enhance user wellbeing. A fabric first approach combined with the latest building technology, renewable energy, and biodiverse balconies and roofscapes will reduce embodied and operational carbon and enhance biodiversity on site. Ed Hayden, Director and Head of Life Sciences at Scott Brownrigg said: “Securing planning approval for the Eastpoint Life Science Campus is a significant milestone in our vision to create world-class research environments. This project not only addresses the growing demand for life science space in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, but also contributes to the community with its focus on education, sustainability, and wellbeing. We’re excited to see how this campus will foster innovation and bring global talent to Oxford.” The new Eastpoint life science campus development is a cutting-edge facility designed to attract to industry leading talent from around the world. With a flexible, community focused design and commitment to sustainability, the new campus is poised to become a leader in life sciences in the Oxford market. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading retirement BTR developer launches its first London community after recognising high and growing demand for housing suitable for older people in the capital Birchgrove, the UK’s leading provider of rented retirement homes, has today opened the doors to its fourth development, its first to open in the Greater London area. The development, Ayrton House in Mill Hill, North London, contains a mixture of 60 self-contained, one-, two- and three-bed apartments, all purpose built on the site of a historic former medical research institute. Communal features of the development include a restaurant, club room, licensed bar and wellness suite, as well as landscaped gardens. The development marks Birchgrove’s first Greater London community and was set in motion in September last year, when it acquired Ayrton House. It is also planning to open a development in West London, having now obtained planning permission for 50 apartments on a site it purchased in Chiswick in 2022. A further site being built in the Hampton Court Estate is also aimed at the West London market, with its location just a few hundred metres from the famous Hampton Court Palace in Richmond. Honor Barratt, Chief Executive of Birchgrove, said:“Birchgrove is going from strength to strength and we’re excited to have our fourth development now open, particularly as it is our very first in London, where we know demand for senior living is especially high. “It’s a common misconception among some sectors that once they get older, people want to move to the country or live by the seaside. Surveys frequently show that many retired people want to live in the bustling Capital with all its cultural attractions and this is particularly true for those who’ve lived there a long time. “We know from previous research that many older Londoners live in homes far too big for them, with over-75s in the Capital typically having at least twice the number of bedrooms they need. In a city with such a tight housing market, freeing up some of these homes could contribute to improving the overall housing situation across many demographics. “Many older people would be interested in moving to smaller properties if more suitable local options were on offer. By providing a thriving community as we open our first London development, we’re hoping we can attract more of these people into our development and eventually, roll out more London communities for those who want to continue to live in the Capital but without the burden of maintaining a property too large for them.” A report released by Age Concern in September last year revealed there were 1.4 million people aged over 60 living in London and that this group was the fastest growing demographic in the Capital. Of these, 59% felt positive about living in London, rising to 64% of those aged 75 and over. The report also found that many Londoners had deep connections to the area, with 76% reporting being happy with their family and community connections and only 16% often feeling lonely. The report also found that 70% of older Londoners owned their own home. However, many of those homes are underoccupied and could be put to better use if older Londoners had more suitable options for downsizing. Previous research carried out by Professor Les Mayhew of the International Longevity Centre and Bayes Business School found that over-75s in the capital had more than twice the number of bedrooms they needed, while those aged 65-74 had 70% more bedrooms than necessary. Birchgrove’s new Mill Hill apartments are exclusively available to independently minded people in later life. In keeping with other Birchgrove developments, all of the residences are future proof, with level-access bathrooms, wider-than-standard doorways and lifts. In addition, all Ayrton House apartments have been fitted with Nobi smart lights. These AI-driven intelligent lights are designed to detect, help prevent and even predict falls among occupants. The building is the centrepiece of the “Ridgeway Views” residential scheme, a 47-acre, 528-home project in Mill Hill’s conservation area, with many of Birchgrove’s residences having sweeping views over Totteridge Common. Founded in 2017, Birchgrove also operates three other retirement communities in the South-East, with one of these now at full capacity and operating a waiting list. It has a fifth development set to open before the end of this year in Godalming, Surrey, and four additional communities under construction. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Birchgrove has launched its fourth development and first in Greater London with the opening of Ayrton House in Mill Hill, North London. This new development offers 60 purpose-built one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments on the site of a former medical research institute. Residents can enjoy communal amenities such as a restaurant, club room, licensed bar, wellness suite, and landscaped gardens. The acquisition of Ayrton House in September last year marked the beginning of Birchgrove’s expansion into Greater London. The company is also moving forward with plans for additional developments, including a 50-apartment complex in Chiswick, West London, where planning permission has been secured, and another in the Hampton Court Estate near Hampton Court Palace in Richmond. Honor Barratt, Chief Executive of Birchgrove, said: “Birchgrove is going from strength to strength and we’re excited to have our fourth development now open, particularly as it is our very first in London, where we know demand for senior living is especially high. “It’s a common misconception among some sectors that once they get older, people want to move to the country or live by the seaside. Surveys frequently show that many retired people want to live in the bustling Capital with all its cultural attractions and this is particularly true for those who’ve lived there a long time. “We know from previous research that many older Londoners live in homes far too big for them, with over-75s in the Capital typically having at least twice the number of bedrooms they need. “In a city with such a tight housing market, freeing up some of these homes could contribute to improving the overall housing situation across many demographics. “Many older people would be interested in moving to smaller properties if more suitable local options were on offer. By providing a thriving community as we open our first London development, we’re hoping we can attract more of these people into our development and eventually, roll out more London communities for those who want to continue to live in the Capital but without the burden of maintaining a property too large for them.” A report released by Age Concern in September last year revealed there were 1.4 million people aged over 60 living in London and that this group was the fastest growing demographic in the Capital. Of these, 59% felt positive about living in London, rising to 64% of those aged 75 and over. The report also found that many Londoners had deep connections to the area, with 76% reporting being happy with their family and community connections and only 16% often feeling lonely. The report also found that 70% of older Londoners owned their own home. However, many of those homes are underoccupied and could be put to better use if older Londoners had more suitable options for downsizing. Previous research carried out by Professor Les Mayhew of the International Longevity Centre and Bayes Business School found that over-75s in the capital had more than twice the number of bedrooms they needed, while those aged 65-74 had 70% more bedrooms than necessary. Birchgrove’s new Mill Hill apartments are exclusively available to independently minded people in later life. In keeping with other Birchgrove developments, all of the residences are future proof, with level-access bathrooms, wider-than-standard doorways and lifts. In addition, all Ayrton House apartments have been fitted with Nobi smart lights. These AI-driven intelligent lights are designed to detect, help prevent and even predict falls among occupants. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MULTI-DISCIPLINE principal contractor, Miller Knight, is set to host its first annual Building Safety Forum on 6 November at the iconic Villa Park, home to Aston Villa football club. The event will centre on some of the major challenges the construction and property management sector are facing, predominantly in light of the country’s legislative changes surrounding building safety and fire regulations. Bringing together industry leaders, the Building Safety Forum will serve as a platform to explore key regulatory updates, initiate conversations, and encourage collaboration, while aiming to create the future of a safer and more accountable built environment. With speakers from BB7, TFT, Quelfire, Blackhurst Budd, the Fire Protection Association (FPA) and Miller Knight’s team of experts themselves, attendees will gain insights into the changing regulatory landscape and the robust fire protection safeguarding solutions needed for the future. The event comes in the wake of the 2017 Grenfell disaster, which has been a catalyst for a stringent focus on building safety and compliance. The Building Safety Forum aims to ensure that the industry continues to use past failures as grounds to improve building practices that adhere to the highest safety standards. Wayne Woodland, business development director at Miller Knight, said: “We have all witnessed the devasting consequences of non-compliance. To ensure tragic events of the past are never repeated, we must take responsibility and unite the industry around a shared goal of safeguarding health and safety. “With the Building Safety Forum, we aim to move the conversation from talk to action. The event provides the much-needed opportunity for collaboration between key industry professionals, combining our expertise to create a safer, more compliant and sustainable future.” As a leading name in remedial fire protection and refurbishment, Miller Knight is known for delivering high-quality passive fire protection services across the UK. The company specialises in fire stopping, fire doors, and compartmentation services, ensuring that buildings not only meet current safety standards but are also future proofed against changes in regulations. The Building Safety Forum aligns with Miller Knight’s long-term commitment to advancing safety and compliance. By facilitating dialogue and sharing expert knowledge and experiences, the event will help to generate an industry wide conversation as a new regime of regulation continues to work its way into the process of remediation and refurbishment projects. For more information and to register for the event, contact: enquiries@miller-knight.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The new government’s net zero priorities and the impact of a Trump presidency on global climate action will be top of the agenda at Net Zero Festival 2024 next week (October 22-23 at the Business Design Centre in London). The UK’s leading event dedicated to accelerating the net zero transition will bring together 2,000 business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers and campaigners across two days to showcase the best of the UK’s green economy and explore strategies for turbocharging decarbonisation. New Labour MP and environmental campaigner Polly Billington, green entrepreneur and Labour donor Dale Vince and Google’s sustainability lead Adam Elman are among the more than 150 expert speakers leading keynotes, panel discussions and workshops during the event. Other speakers will include: Now in its fifth year, the CPD accredited event remains free to attend, and will this year feature keynotes, presentations, panel discussions, and workshops across four stages: Inspiration, Action, Engage, and Showcase. Meanwhile visitors can upgrade their ticket to gain access new arena, the BusinessGreen Intelligence stage, which will provide a series of deep-dive sessions, offering exclusive insights into how to develop a best-in-class net zero strategy. James Murray, co-founder of Net Zero Festival and editor-in-chief of BusinessGreen said: “Action on climate change is more critical than ever, so this year’s Net Zero Festival promises to be our most impactful yet. “We’ve seen an incredible surge in interest in this year’s event, reflecting the urgency and importance of the net zero agenda and how serious it is being taken by our new government. Our focus now is to convert this enthusiasm into actionable collaboration during the festival and so we are bringing together a diverse group of leaders to collaborate on tangible solutions for a sustainable future.” Keynotes, panel discussions and workshops will include: To secure your place at the Net Zero Festival 2024, register at netzerofestival.com/register. Attendees can upgrade their free tickets to access the BusinessGreen Intelligence Stage for specialised content tailored to sustainability executives and green business leaders. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
