Salboy Group, the nationwide property development and funding company, has issued new imagery for its 375-home Castle Irwell scheme in Salford as keys to the final phase of new homes are handed over to their new owners. The Castle Irwell scheme launched in November 2020 after Salboy took ownership of
Luxury Indian hotel brand Oberoi Hotels & Resorts is set to open its first UK location in London’s exclusive Mayfair district. The hotel will be part of Grosvenor’s landmark South Molton development and will occupy a prime position at 40-46 Brook Street, promising to deliver Oberoi’s renowned elegance, exceptional service,
Councillors have given the green light to an ambitious plan to bring a fresh, entertainment-focused venue to Wolverhampton’s Mander Centre. The new leisure hub, developed by real estate and investment firm Catella APAM in collaboration with Superbowl UK, is expected to open its doors in early 2025. The multi-faceted entertainment
Leading housing association Bromford has today announced a strong set of financial results for the six months to September 2024 with the publication of its mid-year trading update. The results show another period of robust financial performance for the Tewkesbury-based housing association which continues to invest in its existing homes
LNT Care Developments has purchased Sewardstone House and Chapelfield Nursery, a 5.1-acre freehold site in Chingford, North East London, from Lochinvar Care Limited. The site, which includes planning approval for a modern, two-storey care facility with 66 bedrooms, marks the first new care home development in the area in over
The restoration project for a historic Huddersfield hotel has received a further cash injection of £9.8 million from Kirklees Council. The vacant George Hotel was purchased by the council four years ago after lying dormant since 2013, with a number of improvements still required for it to be available for
A former cotton mill in Huddersfield is undergoing work to transform into luxury residential apartments, as part of a £5.4 million development project. Bespoke housebuilder Virtu Homes has been given the go-ahead to refurbish the Grade II listed 24,000sqft facility based on Stoney Lane into a highly desirable collection of
MWH Treatment has completed the detailed design for Severn Trent Water’s state-of-the-art Witches Oak Water Treatment Works in Derbyshire, with civil construction substantially complete and mechanical and electrical installation well advanced for the plant, which will deliver crucial water security for approximately 224,000 households. The new plant will provide an
Ideal Heating Commercial has released a new CIBSE approved CPD: Understanding refrigerants & how they affect the choice of commercial heat pumps. It addresses both synthetic and natural refrigerants, and provides valuable advice for customers seeking the most energy efficient commercial heat pump. A concise CPD, ideal for a lunchtime session,
Don’t miss out on your chance to watch the country’s top construction talent go head-to-head at the SkillBuild National Final 2024, the largest and longest-running multi-trade skills competition in the UK. The free event, delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), is taking place at the Marshall Arena, Milton
Salboy Group, the nationwide property development and funding company, has issued new imagery for its 375-home Castle Irwell scheme in Salford as keys to the final phase of new homes are handed over to their new owners. The Castle Irwell scheme launched in November 2020 after Salboy took ownership of the site of the infamous Manchester Racecourse. Located in a part of Salford that needed significant regeneration, the emergence of Castle Irwell is helping to transform the fortunes of the local area – a stone’s throw from central Manchester. At the point of completion, Castle Irwell was fully sold out and 98% of homes were already occupied. The remaining new residents are expected to move in over Christmas. Made up of 375 new homes, Castle Irwell is targeted at Manchester and Salford’s young professionals, students and young families. Buyers have a choice of 2, 3 and 4-bed houses, with nine types of houses to choose from, ensuring diversity and a visually interesting site in every direction. Partnering with Domis Construction and Wright Landscapes, Salboy has demonstrated its commitment to place making and making use of the natural or manmade landmarks surrounding its schemes. Castle Irwell is constructed around three-acres of appealing public realm areas. The river that runs through the site has been adapted with walking trails and organic play areas to provide the sort of peaceful and tranquil setting residents might look for. Developed over four years and with a £110m GDV, Castle Irwell meets all high and continuously evolving sustainability requirements and expectations. Solar panels on the roofs of all houses enable residents to make sustainable energy choices that suit their individual family needs. Simon Ismail, Managing Director of Salboy, comments: “Manchester Racecourse holds deep significance for the Salboy team. Many of us grew up nearby and love the history and stories that surround it. Charged with transforming the site into a place where people want to live and build families was a huge honour and responsibility. I am, once again, delighted to turn over the keys to our scheme’s new residents on time and on budget. We look forward to seeing how this pocket of Salford develops and adds value to the local community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Luxury Indian hotel brand Oberoi Hotels & Resorts is set to open its first UK location in London’s exclusive Mayfair district. The hotel will be part of Grosvenor’s landmark South Molton development and will occupy a prime position at 40-46 Brook Street, promising to deliver Oberoi’s renowned elegance, exceptional service, and signature attention to detail. Grosvenor secured planning approval for the restoration of this 33,000 sq ft listed building in 2022, making it a focal point of the South Molton scheme. This ambitious project is the West End’s largest mixed-use development, combining the hotel with new offices, housing, cafés, shops, restaurants, and community spaces. The development also includes two office buildings spanning 267,000 sq ft through a joint venture with Mitsui Fudosan UK, creating new corporate headquarters on Brook Street and Davies Street. South Molton is poised to become a new gateway to Mayfair, anticipated to generate an annual £6.5 million spend, and create 1,000 permanent jobs, along with 450 jobs and apprenticeships during construction. Work began in November 2023, with all phases expected to conclude by the end of 2027. Rachel Dickie, Executive Director of Investment and Development at Grosvenor, expressed excitement about the Oberoi partnership: “Securing such a prestigious brand as Oberoi Hotels & Resorts is a clear step towards creating an internationally significant destination in the heart of Mayfair.” Mr Arjun Oberoi, Executive Chairman of The Oberoi Group, highlighted the significance of the project, stating, “Our partnership with Grosvenor is a pivotal step in our international expansion. London is a key market for us, and we are thrilled to bring our distinctive hospitality style to Mayfair.” Vikram Oberoi, Managing Director and CEO of The Oberoi Group, added, “Bringing the Oberoi experience to London, especially in such a vibrant and iconic location, marks a major milestone for our brand. The Oberoi, Mayfair, will offer an intimate retreat embodying both luxury and the city’s dynamic spirit.” JLL acted on behalf of Grosvenor, while EIH London Investments Ltd was represented by Johnny Sandelson. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Councillors have given the green light to an ambitious plan to bring a fresh, entertainment-focused venue to Wolverhampton’s Mander Centre. The new leisure hub, developed by real estate and investment firm Catella APAM in collaboration with Superbowl UK, is expected to open its doors in early 2025. The multi-faceted entertainment venue will feature 12 bowling lanes, a soft play area, interactive darts, a bar and diner, and a SEGA Prize Zone arcade. This innovative mixed-use concept aims to revitalise vacant retail space within the Mander Centre and contribute to the council’s vision for a more connected, vibrant city centre. Superbowl UK’s plans to revive this space align closely with Wolverhampton Council’s ambitions to boost the local economy by creating new homes, jobs, and learning opportunities. The new development spans over 17,000 sq ft across multiple units, and Catella APAM’s contracting arm, Vantage, is expected to oversee £500,000 worth of retrofitting work to bring this vision to life. Harry Wilce, Asset Manager at Catella APAM, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Superbowl UK as the centrepiece of our leisure offering at the Mander Centre. This development will extend our operating hours, enhance customer choice, and significantly increase footfall in the city centre.” Councillor Chris Burden, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for city development, jobs, and skills, commented, “This new addition perfectly aligns with the council’s recent improvements to Victoria Street. With planning approval now granted, it’s exciting to see construction set to begin soon. This development will boost leisure options for residents and visitors, drive foot traffic, and provide a much-needed economic uplift to support both established and emerging local businesses.” The new Superbowl UK facility is expected to create 30 new job opportunities, including management roles and guest experience hosts, contributing to the city’s ongoing economic development. The council hopes this addition will also attract further investment, with plans for additional leisure and dining options being actively pursued in partnership with Catella APAM. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading housing association Bromford has today announced a strong set of financial results for the six months to September 2024 with the publication of its mid-year trading update. The results show another period of robust financial performance for the Tewkesbury-based housing association which continues to invest in its existing homes and provide new affordable, energy efficient homes. Key highlights: Chief Finance Officer Paul Walsh added: “We are pleased to report another strong set of financial results for the six months ending 30 September 2024. “Like the rest of the sector, we have faced persistent cost pressures and increased demand for our repairs and maintenance services. In the first six months of the year we have invested £34m in our existing homes to respond to this demand and significantly reduce our repairs backlog. We are committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for our customers whilst also maintaining financial discipline and have maintained our social housing operating margin at the leading edge of the sector at 34%.” After being named the country’s biggest builder of social rent homes1, Bromford has continued to invest in its development programme and has completed 457 new homes during the past six months, of which 220 were for social rent. Bromford’s in-house construction team built 53 of the completed homes and is forecast to finish another 170 in the second half of the year. The housing association also completed 108 shared ownership homes and four for outright sale. During the six months to September 2024 Bromford published its first results against the regulator’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures. Bromford collected data from customers during their annual conversation with their neighbourhood coach, with more than 10,000 customers taking part. Chief Customer Officer Paul Coates said: “Our coaching model is unique; it seeks to build a strengths-based relationship rather than a one size fits all and encourages connections between customers, neighbours and communities. “Ninety-three percent of customers not only know their neighbourhood coach but over 88% of customers would recommend them. This investment provides us with a great platform to deliver from and we know it delivers results – including sector leading figures on customer advocacy, 90%, and against the regulator’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures we score 83% on customer satisfaction, marking us out as a top 20% performer.” During the six months to the end of September 2024 Bromford raised an additional £200 million through a new sustainable finance deal with NatWest, with targets linked to reducing the intensity of its Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions and building new homes for social rent. It also retained its sector-leading credit ratings of A+ and A2 from S&P and Moody’s respectively. Matthew Rose, Director of Treasury, said: “We expect to return to the market for new funding over the coming year and have significant capacity for additional borrowing. We will aim to strengthen and develop relationships with existing investors and continue to explore opportunities to diversify funding streams, especially as the merger with Flagship creates one of the strongest UK housing associations.” In June 2024 Bromford announced its intention to merge with Norwich-based Flagship Group in 2025, to create an 80,000-home housing association and to enable additional development capacity to deliver new homes on a larger scale. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
LNT Care Developments has purchased Sewardstone House and Chapelfield Nursery, a 5.1-acre freehold site in Chingford, North East London, from Lochinvar Care Limited. The site, which includes planning approval for a modern, two-storey care facility with 66 bedrooms, marks the first new care home development in the area in over a decade. The planned care home will feature premium amenities such as a café, bar, dining rooms, quiet lounges and family rooms, a library, garden room, cinema room, and an on-site hairdresser. Staff facilities will include fully equipped catering areas along with showers and changing rooms. Designed with accessibility in mind, the care home will have spacious corridors and levelled pathways throughout, as well as ample parking, with 30 spaces in total, including six electric vehicle charging points and two accessible bays. Set in Chingford, in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the site is conveniently located with access to Sewardstone Road, the M25, and central Chingford. Public transport is also available with the 215 TFL bus service offering direct connections to Chingford Station, Chingford Mount, and Walthamstow Central tube station. Surrounded by residential areas and peaceful parks, the site promises an attractive setting for future residents. Mandip Bhogal, Partner for Healthcare at Knight Frank, commented, “With no new care homes recently constructed in Chingford and an ageing population, there’s an undersupply of modern care facilities in the area. This transaction will deliver a much-needed, purpose-built care home that will benefit the local community.” Richard Hardy, Managing Director at Lansdown (parent company to Lochinvar Care Limited), added, “It’s been a pleasure working with Knight Frank on the sale of Sewardstone Road, which will soon provide a sustainable, high-quality care home to meet the increasing demand in this area. This is the first of several key care developments we’ll be advancing across London in the coming years.” Keeley Sharp, Strategic Land Director at LNT Care Developments, shared, “We’re thrilled to bring 66 essential care beds to Chingford. Site work has already started, and we’re excited to welcome the community to this new facility by early 2026.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The restoration project for a historic Huddersfield hotel has received a further cash injection of £9.8 million from Kirklees Council. The vacant George Hotel was purchased by the council four years ago after lying dormant since 2013, with a number of improvements still required for it to be available for use. Once restored, the George – a key priority within the Huddersfield Blueprint, Kirklees Council’s masterplan to transform the town centre – will be managed by internationally renowned hotelier Radisson. The Grade II* listed building has already received £20.2 million from the council’s Cabinet two years ago, but increases in construction costs and additional issues found on site, mostly due to the nature of the historic building and its complexities, meant further funds were required. The latest influx in cash will bring the project’s total to £30 million, with the hotel aiming to be open in 2027. The council have also explored the possibility of increasing the number of rooms planned from 91 to 108, in a bid to help the George generate more income to repay the Cabinet’s investment. Councillor Carole Pattison, Leader of Kirklees Council, said: “The George Hotel plays such a key role in Huddersfield’s past, and for people travelling by rail it will always be one of the very first buildings to welcome you as you enter the town centre. “Bringing this building back to life is one of our priorities within the Huddersfield Blueprint, and we’re unwavering in that commitment. “As with many of our regeneration plans – particularly projects which involve the refurbishment of such beautiful, historic structures – it’s a hugely complex process, greatly impacted by the current economic climate. “What we’re proposing is a more streamlined vision for the hotel, with greater capacity and solutions that take better care of this beautiful building’s history. She added: “I’m pleased that Cabinet continue to see bringing this beautiful building back into use as a priority.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A former cotton mill in Huddersfield is undergoing work to transform into luxury residential apartments, as part of a £5.4 million development project. Bespoke housebuilder Virtu Homes has been given the go-ahead to refurbish the Grade II listed 24,000sqft facility based on Stoney Lane into a highly desirable collection of 34 contemporary one and two-bedroom apartments. In a nod to its heritage, the original name of Valley Mill will be retained for the new development. Externally the building will remain much the same, however, internally each apartment will benefit from individual styling, high ceilings and large picture windows that reflect the historic character of the building and provide a comfortable place to live. Managing director at Virtu Homes, Adam Harrison, said: “We are delighted to get started on work at Valley Mill. Initial remediation on the building has commenced, with site clearance, groundworks and repairs to the roof and internal joists already underway. “Located in the historic market town of Huddersfield, we are confident that Valley Mill will appeal to both investors and owner occupiers looking to make the most of urban life close to an exciting and emerging town centre.” It is estimated that the Huddersfield cotton mill development will take approximately two years to complete with a show apartment within the mill expected in autumn 2025 and first occupancies by the end of that year. The first properties are available for sale now with a starting price of £125,000. Virtu Homes purchased the site from PJ Livesey, while the architect for the scheme was ADS Structural and Aticus Law advised on legals. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MWH Treatment has completed the detailed design for Severn Trent Water’s state-of-the-art Witches Oak Water Treatment Works in Derbyshire, with civil construction substantially complete and mechanical and electrical installation well advanced for the plant, which will deliver crucial water security for approximately 224,000 households. The new plant will provide an additional average flow of 65 million litres per day and increase resilience of the Derwent Valley aqueduct (DVA) network, which supplies the East Midlands grid. The project is part of Severn Trent Water’s £566 million Green Recovery Programme, with MWH Treatment, an RSK Group company, appointed as principal contractor and designer, drawing on the company’s specific skills across design, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning. MWH Treatment was also able to incorporate its recent design and construction experience with Severn Trent Water’s Church Wilne granular activated carbon plant. MWH Treatment Project Director Richard Thomson said the project team had installed the innovative ceramic membrane pressure vessels, pipework, pumps and ancillary equipment. All the other process plant has been manufactured and installed during the summer months to make the most of the dry weather. The complex electrical control panels have been factory tested, installed and are now being connected for commissioning. The HV network was energised in October which is a major milestone achievement and has allowed commissioning to commence. He said: “The ceramic membrane technology offers advantages, such as effective removal of pathogens, suspended solids and organic compounds to produce high-quality water. Ceramic membranes provide efficient microfiltration with superior fouling resistance, easier cleaning, higher flux rates and lower maintenance requirements. Ceramics have stronger mechanical strength, enabling them to handle higher solids loading and ensuring a longer asset life of 25 years.” MWH Treatment has utilised digital delivery tools, including digital surveying, interactive visualisations, intelligent 3D models, 4D rehearsals and digital inspection and test plan field management. Richard said: “In the hands of experienced engineers, these tools enable much greater project efficiency, with 3D elevating the design process and allowing construction sequencing and overlapping of site activities to optimise the schedule and reduce build time. “The ability to view the project in such intricate detail, effectively being able to see inside the 3D model for the treatment works, offers real game-changing opportunities for project management. It becomes a truly interactive experience and one in which we can engage all our supply chain partners. Also, with multiple teams carrying out work across the site, being able to visualise who is working where and the challenges and opportunities this can create is a considerable step up from the 2D drawings of the past. This enhances the health and safety of the site team by improving communication and reducing risks.” Richard said project highlights included a £7.4 million saving achieved by identifying the opportunity to use existing capacity for sludge management at Derby Sewage Works rather than providing sludge dewatering at Witches Oak. A further £1.6 million saving was generated through a whole life cost appraisal of an OSEC system versus sodium hypochlorite. This value engineering has funded additional scope that has improved process resilience on the new plant and been used to mitigate project risks. Owing to the water quality challenges in treating the River Trent, and the new technologies being implemented, Severn Trent Water conducted a comprehensive series of pilot trials, which provided invaluable data to confirm the basis of design and operating parameters. A second pilot plant is now treating the Derwent raw water so that the commissioning parameters can be confirmed based on seasonal variations throughout 2024. As a result, the process designers have introduced two raw water balance tanks to the project. This will allow blending, storage and control of the flow from the abstractions at Witches Oak lakes and River Derwent upstream of the in-line coagulation and adsorption (ILCA). Richard said: “Next steps for this project include collaborative planning and implementing complex commissioning processes to allow all the new assets to be brought into service safely. MWH Treatment’s experienced commissioning engineers will train the Severn Trent Water operators to give them confidence to run the plant. This will ensure compliance with the stringent water quality standards set by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.” He said that a new high-voltage power supply has been provided by National Grid and this would improve water supply resilience to customers. The team aims to have water into supply by the end of May next year, with project completion following in December 2025 after process optimisation and performance testing. In addition to MWH Treatment, other RSK companies are carrying out work as part of the project. These include Stephenson Halliday (landscape appraisal), ADAS (soil surveys), Hollywood Civil Engineering (high voltage substation and backwash buried pipework), LDE (specialist surveys), CR Civil Engineering (ILCA coffer dam and excavation) and Cognica (operations and maintenance manuals). Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ideal Heating Commercial has released a new CIBSE approved CPD: Understanding refrigerants & how they affect the choice of commercial heat pumps. It addresses both synthetic and natural refrigerants, and provides valuable advice for customers seeking the most energy efficient commercial heat pump. A concise CPD, ideal for a lunchtime session, it opens with a brief introduction to heat pumps and how they operate, including the refrigerant cycle and key principles such as co-efficient of performance (COP) and global warming potential (GWP). It then proceeds to explain the different refrigerant types (synthetic and natural) and their key features, and the factors to take into account when designing an efficient heating system using the different refrigerants. The CPD also addresses decarbonisation in the heating sector and refrigerant phase-down, and closes by touching on the future of refrigerants. The new ‘Understanding refrigerants & how they affect the choice of commercial heat pumps’ CPD was officially launched at the BESA Annual Conference on 17th October, where it was presented by Ideal Heating Commercial Head of Specification Richard Brown. The new CPD has been introduced to raise awareness of refrigerant types, following the recent expansion of Ideal Heating Commercial’s ECOMOD range of commercial heat pumps to include natural refrigerant models for the first time. ECOMOD heat pumps are now available with R32 refrigerant, and with natural refrigerants R290 (ECOMOD 290HT) and R744 (ECOMOD CO2) which are capable of delivering high temperatures while providing ultra-low GWPs. This latest CPD joins Ideal Heating Commercial’s expanding collection, which covers the latest industry developments and provide advice of new ways to add value, performance and efficiency to customer projects. Further CPDs address low carbon systems, heat networks and heat interface units, plant room surveys, and boiler heat exchanger materials. For more information on any of Ideal Heating Commercial’s CPD, and to book a place, go to https://idealcommercialboilers.com/cpd-courses. CPDs are delivered by Ideal Heating Commercial’s specification team managers either online or in person nationwide. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Don’t miss out on your chance to watch the country’s top construction talent go head-to-head at the SkillBuild National Final 2024, the largest and longest-running multi-trade skills competition in the UK. The free event, delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), is taking place at the Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes, from 20 – 21 November and brings to life the excitement and variety that a career in construction provides. A total of 78 students will demonstrate their skills in ten different construction trades, including bricklaying, carpentry, and roof slating and tiling. The competitors will be expected to construct a project within an 18-hour period. An expert panel of judges will assess them on several aspects – including technical ability, time management, problem solving, skills working under pressure, and compliance with health and safety requirements. A winner will be crowned from each of the ten construction trades on display at the SkillBuild National Final. Alongside the competition is the Construction Showcase, an experience hub filled with activities and demonstrations for children and young people. Brands such as Crown Paints, British Gypsum and STEMPOINT will also be delivering sessions. Previous winners of SkillBuild and construction influencers will deliver a series of TED talks to visitors sharing their journeys and inspiring others to join construction. Attendees include Luke Mabbott, a former Love Island contestant and owner of Brotherhood Properties, a construction company which buys and renovates houses, and Charlie Collison, two-time winner of Super Trowel, a speed skimming and bricklaying competition, and construction business owner. Richard Bullock, Head of Careers Products at CITB, said: “We’re really looking forward to the upcoming SkillBuild final. With CITB’s forecast indicating a need for over 250,000 new construction workers by 2028, SkillBuild is more important than ever in spotlighting the sector and the wide array of roles available within it. “This is a critical time for skills development in construction. SkillBuild motivates newcomers, showing the immense value that trainees and apprentices bring to the industry. It’s a unique opportunity for young people to see first-hand skills in the construction industry and discover how exceptional a career in construction is. It’s also a great opportunity for those with an interest in any of the featured trades to come along, support, and learn from some of the best in the industry. I also hope the quality of work on show inspires employers to invest in apprenticeships and trainees within their own teams. “To all our National Final competitors, we wish you the best of luck, and we look forward to celebrating your success in two weeks’ time!” CITB would like to thank all the fantastic sponsors and supporters of this year’s SkillBuild competition: Albion Stone, BAL Adhesives, Band of Builders, Brick Development Association, British Gypsum, Careers Wales, CITB NI, Clivedon Conservation, Crown Paints, Felder Group, Festool, FIS, Hambleside Danelaw Building Products, Institute of Carpenters, Marley, N&C Nicobond, NFRC, NSITG, Saint Gobain, Schluter, SIG Roofing, SPAX, Stone Restoration Services, TARMAC, The Tile Association, Tilgear, Weber, Wienerberger, The Worshipful Company of Masons, and The Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers. The SkillBuild National Finalists for 2024 are available here. Tickets for the SkillBuild National Final 2024 (20-21 November 2024) are available here. The competition will be open to visitors on Wednesday 20 November 2024 and Thursday 21 November 2024 from 9am. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
