Cheyne Capital has acquired City Link House in East Croydon, a vacant office building set to undergo a £210 million transformation into a modern co-living development. The scheme will deliver 485 co-living units alongside 84 affordable homes, while retaining space for flexible commercial and community use. This large-scale project aims
A planning application has been submitted for the first phase of the transformative £1 billion Northern Gateway development, one of the largest employment-led projects ever proposed in the North of England. The scheme is being delivered by the Northern Gateway Development Vehicle – a partnership between Harworth Group and Russell
Partnership aims to position Nemetschek as an AI-first industry leader, drive market expansion and enhance sustainability. The Nemetschek Group, a global leader in digital solutions for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AEC/O) and media industries, today announced a major partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate AI-driven innovation, expand into
Leading multi-use developer, Rockwell, has marked a significant milestone with a traditional topping out ceremony at Hurlingham Waterfront, its landmark 3.2-acre luxury riverside development in SW6. The official topping out was celebrated by Rockwell and the wider project team, local partners and key stakeholders including Palace and Hurlingham ward councillor,
Costa Coffee has renewed and expanded its long-standing partnership with Savills as it gears up for a new phase of nationwide growth across the UK. Marking 20 years of collaboration, Savills has been reappointed to advise on the coffee chain’s property strategy, with an extended remit now covering the entire
Taylor Woodrow, building on its long civil engineering heritage, is pioneering artificial intelligence technology in the plant sector following a full site-based trial of the UK’s first autonomous excavators. At the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Sheffield a dedicated demonstration site was set up so that the Taylor Woodrow
The House Builders Association (HBA), the housebuilding division of the National Federation of Builders (NFB) has reignited its campaign for the planning system to adopt five clear site size definitions, replacing the current, arbitrary ones of ‘Minor’ (one to ten homes) and ‘Major’ (ten and above). Richard Beresford, Chief Executive
PRINCIPAL retrofit contractor Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd (SBS) has secured two major contracts worth a combined £15+ million to deliver large-scale energy efficiency upgrades to hundreds of mixed-tenure homes across North East Derbyshire. Funding comes from the government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 (WH:SHF) and the newly
Cheyne Capital has acquired City Link House in East Croydon, a vacant office building set to undergo a £210 million transformation into a modern co-living development. The scheme will deliver 485 co-living units alongside 84 affordable homes, while retaining space for flexible commercial and community use. This large-scale project aims to support the continued regeneration of Croydon, offering a new form of urban living that prioritises affordability, convenience, and community engagement. City Link House is the latest in a series of strategic investments by Cheyne Capital in the UK’s growing flexible-living sector. Previous projects include notable redevelopments in Canary Wharf and Central London, underscoring the firm’s commitment to redefining urban housing solutions. Matt Floyd of Cheyne Real Estate commented: “We are proud to support a project that will contribute to the revitalisation of Croydon and enhance its appeal as a place to live and work. This development reflects our ongoing focus on high-quality, flexible-living solutions that respond to evolving urban lifestyles.” The transaction was facilitated on behalf of the seller by advisory firms acting for Wittington Investments and its development partner, Fifth State. A representative involved in the deal added: “This acquisition demonstrates the sustained demand for premium, purpose-built shared living schemes across the capital. Co-living offers an attractive proposition for a wide range of residents seeking a balance of independence, community, and urban connectivity.” The development marks another step in the broader shift towards alternative housing models across London, as developers respond to rising demand for innovative, space-efficient and sociable living environments. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A planning application has been submitted for the first phase of the transformative £1 billion Northern Gateway development, one of the largest employment-led projects ever proposed in the North of England. The scheme is being delivered by the Northern Gateway Development Vehicle – a partnership between Harworth Group and Russell LDP – and represents a major milestone in the regeneration of Greater Manchester. Spanning approximately 500 acres, the first phase alone proposes up to 6.5 million sq ft of employment space, targeting advanced manufacturing, logistics, robotics, AI, and research and development. The ambitious development is strategically located at the junction of the M60, M62 and M66 motorways and falls within the Atom Valley Mayoral Development Zone. Once fully built, the wider Northern Gateway site has the capacity to support up to 20,000 jobs and contribute an estimated £630 million annually in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the regional economy. The outline proposals submitted to Bury and Rochdale councils include flexible employment units, as well as plans for a hotel, leisure and retail facilities, green open spaces, and a connected network of walking and cycling routes. These features are designed to support a sustainable and inclusive employment hub that attracts both domestic and international investment. The site also benefits from long-term strategic planning, having been designated within Greater Manchester’s “Places for Everyone” spatial development plan. A supplementary planning document has already been approved, helping to shape a masterplan focused on innovation, sustainability and connectivity. Helen Hartley, planning associate director at Russell LDP, said: “This is a major milestone in delivering a nationally important employment destination in the North West. Northern Gateway is a transformative opportunity that will create thousands of jobs and bring long-term benefits to the region through high-quality workspace and integrated infrastructure.” Lynda Shillaw, chief executive of Harworth Group, added: “Northern Gateway will act as a catalyst for growth in the North West. By focusing on emerging sectors and high-quality industrial space, we’re creating a platform for regional expansion and global investment.” Further plans for residential development adjacent to the employment zone are also being prepared and will be subject to future public consultation. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Partnership aims to position Nemetschek as an AI-first industry leader, drive market expansion and enhance sustainability. The Nemetschek Group, a global leader in digital solutions for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AEC/O) and media industries, today announced a major partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate AI-driven innovation, expand into new markets, and enhance digital workflows across its portfolio. Through this collaboration, Nemetschek will leverage Google Cloud’s advanced AI and cloud technologies at a group-level and across its portfolio reinforcing the commitment to innovation and collaboration. The partnership will further accelerate Nemetschek’s growth into new markets, such as Saudi Arabia and India, while reinforcing its presence in Europe, the USA and APAC. “Our partnership with Google Cloud marks a pivotal moment in our mission to redefine how digital solutions drive efficiency, collaboration, and sustainability in the AEC/O industry,” said Charlie Timmermann, Group VP of Strategic Alliances at the Nemetschek Group. “The best innovations often emerge through partnerships. Growing alongside Google Cloud further strengthens Nemetschek as a leader in the digital transformation of the AEC/O industry.” “We are proud to partner with the Nemetschek Group, a leading provider in the AEC/O and media industry, to accelerate its AI-driven innovation and integration,” said Dr Marianne Janik, Vice President, EMEA North, Google Cloud. “With a trusted AI platform that is easy to use, offers choice and extends to an ecosystem of partners, we provide customers solutions that set them up for success in today’s competitive environment. As we share values with Nemetschek around customer centricity and innovation, we see this global partnership as a natural step for us.” A Three Pillar Partnership The collaboration between Nemetschek and Google Cloud is built on three key pillars: driving AI-powered innovation and simplification, accelerating global market expansion, and enhancing efficiency and sustainability. The first pillar focuses on AI and cloud innovation and simplification, with the Nemetschek Group advancing its AI-first strategy through its cloud initiatives. This is a strategic move towards a multi-cloud, AI layered ecosystem designed to strengthen collaboration and automation across design and construction workflows within the groups’ strong brands. As part of the first pillar, Nemetschek is integrating Google Cloud’s AI capabilities to enhance productivity and creativity for architects, engineers, and construction teams. One of Nemetschek’s BIM authoring brands, Graphisoft, has a longstanding collaboration with Google Cloud, which has played a pivotal role in scaling its cloud-based solutions such as its collaboration platform BIMcloud. Over the years, the collaboration has enabled Graphisoft to achieve substantial growth, not only in user adoption and engagement but also through ongoing enhancements and the introduction of new innovations. The adoption of geospatial integration with Google Maps and Earth will furthermore enable the BIM authoring brands of the Nemetschek Group, such as ALLPLAN and Vectorworks, to optimise planning and resource allocation. The Nemetschek AI implementation will be guided by three core principles: privacy and data governance, protecting IP rights and creativity, and business integrity, ensuring responsible and transparent adoption. The second pillar centres on business growth, with Nemetschek integrating its solutions within the Google Cloud Marketplace and Google Workspace Marketplace ecosystems to increase Workspace integration, expand market reach and unlock new revenue opportunities. This includes a series of initiatives with for example the Nemetschek brands Bluebeam, GoCanvas, Spacewell and Vectorworks, aimed at accelerating digital adoption to increase collaboration and broaden customer access. The Workspace and Marketplace initiatives will benefit both small and medium-sized architects, engineers and construction companies as well as large enterprises. Sustainability is a core focus in the third pillar, with the Nemetschek Group and Google Cloud collaborating to establish Nemetschek as a leader in sustainability technology for AEC/O. Google Cloud’s AI-powered solutions will help the industry meet sustainability goals such as reducing carbon footprints, assessing lifecycle impacts, and improving energy efficiency. Brands like ALLPLAN, Graphisoft and Vectorworks are embedding AI-driven services to facilitate sustainable design and regulatory compliance, while Spacewell is advancing smart facility management solutions to enhance energy efficiency in the operation phase of the building. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading multi-use developer, Rockwell, has marked a significant milestone with a traditional topping out ceremony at Hurlingham Waterfront, its landmark 3.2-acre luxury riverside development in SW6. The official topping out was celebrated by Rockwell and the wider project team, local partners and key stakeholders including Palace and Hurlingham ward councillor, Amanda Lloyd-Harris. The development, which sits on the site of an old Curry’s superstore, is completely rejuvenating 150 metres of waterfront, rendering it a destination in its own right. Hurlingham Waterfront combines the tranquillity of waterside living with the excitement of the city, offering 269 beautifully designed apartments complete with private outside spaces and over 39,000 square feet of sustainably planted green spaces. Rockwell has provided an incredible range of choice for buyers with over 90 residency types, each of an exceptional standard and products of quality craftsmanship. Hurlingham Waterfront’s onsite amenities will be some of the best in London, with a 19-metre swimming pool, luxury spa facilities, a state-of-the-art gym, generous co-working facilities, a cinema room, 24-hour concierge and pet grooming facilities among them. Set within one of London’s most sought-after postcodes, SW6, the development is also in close proximity to some of London’s finest shops, restaurants, bars, galleries and green spaces in ‘one of London’s leafiest boroughs.’ Throughout construction and once complete, Hurlingham Waterfront will generate hundreds of new jobs for the local economy, in addition to 45 much-needed new affordable housing units for the local community. David Gaffney, Construction Managing Director at Rockwell said: “We are incredibly proud to reach this special milestone for both Hurlingham Waterfront and Rockwell. Topping out is a major achievement for this luxury waterfront development which is transforming the local area and offering over 260 new homes at a time when they are so desperately required. Thanks to its exceptional apartments and amenities, Hurlingham Waterfront will stand as one of the Capital’s finest regeneration projects in recent years. “As we move forward to the final stage of construction, we are proud to deliver a world-class collection of homes in one of London’s most sought-after postcodes.” For more information, visit https://www.hurlinghamwaterfront.co.uk or contact Savills or Knight Frank. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Costa Coffee has renewed and expanded its long-standing partnership with Savills as it gears up for a new phase of nationwide growth across the UK. Marking 20 years of collaboration, Savills has been reappointed to advise on the coffee chain’s property strategy, with an extended remit now covering the entire country outside the M25. Previously, the real estate advisor focused on expanding Costa’s footprint across the South West, Wales, and Scotland. Under the renewed partnership, Savills will identify opportunities for a variety of formats including drive-thru, drive-to, and travel hub locations. The search will prioritise prominent roadside and retail park sites with ample parking to support customer convenience. As part of its wider strategy, Costa Coffee is not only targeting new locations but is also actively rightsizing and upsizing existing outlets to better align with consumer demand and operational efficiency. Matt Brown, director at Savills, commented: “Our extended role reflects Costa Coffee’s ambitious plans and our shared commitment to securing high-quality sites that meet their evolving business needs. We’re proud to continue supporting their expansion across high streets, retail parks, and transport locations nationwide.” Tom Falk, head of property at Costa Coffee, added: “We’re entering a new phase of growth, and it’s vital we work with experienced partners who understand both the market and our brand. Savills has played a key role in our property success over the past two decades, and we’re looking forward to building on that foundation with this expanded agreement.” The move underlines Costa Coffee’s ongoing investment in its UK estate and its focus on adapting to changing consumer behaviours with flexible and accessible store formats. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Taylor Woodrow, building on its long civil engineering heritage, is pioneering artificial intelligence technology in the plant sector following a full site-based trial of the UK’s first autonomous excavators. At the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Sheffield a dedicated demonstration site was set up so that the Taylor Woodrow innovation team and its partners Gravis Robotics could put the intelligent machine through its paces. The autonomous excavator successfully passed a series of exercises including autonomous excavation to various depths in differing ground conditions, real-time LiDAR capture of the excavation, emergency safe stop as well as autonomous manoeuvring. The project was overseen and verified by experienced site managers, engineers and machine operators treating it as a real project. All the excavation tasks were taken from a real, upcoming scheme to robustly evaluate how it would perform if deployed there, and it worked! This trial was about more than just an excavator without an operator in the cab. This is about supporting the development of physical AI, the new technologies that will allow Taylor Woodrow to transform how physical work is done. Increasing inclusivity, productivity, safety, and accuracy whilst reducing environmental impact and waste. Taylor Woodrow is proud to have helped Gravis Robotics conduct early testing, helping to shape the v2 solution that was demonstrated at Bauma with a number of their partners and where attendees saw a video of the trial at the AMRC that showed how the Anywhere Autonomy approach developed by Gravis provides in-cabin copilot and remote autonomy. The next step is for the SV100-7 to go live at Taylor Woodrow’s project at Manchester Airport. Phil Skegg, managing director of Taylor Woodrow said: “Over the last 10 years our industry safety record has not improved, and our productivity has declined. As an industry around 20% of the cost of what we build can be attributed to not getting it right first time (GIRI). We believe that increasing the mechanisation and automation of the tasks we undertake on site will help address these problems, removing people from danger, being more productive and improving quality of workmanship. Computer controlled machines could be the way forward and as an industry leader we want to be an early adopter and trial what is available. This is an exciting first step made possible by our partnership with Gravis Robotics supported by Yanmar Construction Equipment and AMRC.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The House Builders Association (HBA), the housebuilding division of the National Federation of Builders (NFB) has reignited its campaign for the planning system to adopt five clear site size definitions, replacing the current, arbitrary ones of ‘Minor’ (one to ten homes) and ‘Major’ (ten and above). Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the NFB, said: “In order to build 1.5 million new homes and save our SME builders, we need a planning system that is fit for purpose, prioritises placemaking, and enables builders of all sizes. Our proposal for five different site sizes based on development impact would end the arbitrary, problematic two site size approach and aligns with what is already going on in local planning, while ensuring the Government’s planning reforms can deliver growth and good planning outcomes.” In 2018, the HBA was successful in inserting a paragraph into the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support small and medium-size sites. However, with the then Conservative government focusing on tweaks rather than reforms, the HBA scaled back it’s ask to a ‘Medium’ sized site of between 10 and 50 homes. Although this was never taken up by the Conservative government, the term ‘medium’ was added to the NPPF, alongside a site size of ‘up to one hectare.’ NPPF reforms did not achieve their intended ambition. Data shows an increasing reliance on large site allocations, while non-allocated ‘windfall’ sites, typically under one hundred homes, are not given as great planning focus, however they can make up more than 50% of new local supply. To address this, the NFB and HBA are calling for the following site sizes to be included in planning policy: Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Policy and Market Insight for the NFB, said: “Smaller sites of 1 to 10 homes support projects best targeting local demand. Sites of 10 to 50 are focused on organic growth. Sites of fifty to one hundred support almost all SMEs and do not greatly impact existing infrastructure. Meanwhile sites of 100 to 249 and 250+, whether urban or rural, create a threshold which ensures planners can strategically build out their communities or boundaries. Different site sizes also allow planning reform to avoid unintended consequences, such as making planning more expensive for SMEs, creating more burdens for non-allocated sites, or to target support, for example streamlining planning for sites creating the lowest levels of local impact. Although redefining site size is not a silver bullet to fix planning, it ensures that from the outset the system and reforms are set up to succeed, so we can achieve a planning system that supports better placemaking and recognises the value of all builders, whether micro, small or large.” The NFB’s ‘Size Matters’ report will available in the ‘Research and Political’ section of Ask NFB https://ask-nfb.builders.org.uk/documents-category/research-and-political/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
PRINCIPAL retrofit contractor Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd (SBS) has secured two major contracts worth a combined £15+ million to deliver large-scale energy efficiency upgrades to hundreds of mixed-tenure homes across North East Derbyshire. Funding comes from the government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 (WH:SHF) and the newly launched Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH: LG), with work spanning both social and privately owned housing over the next three years. Rykneld Homes’ £10.4m project partly funded through WH:SHF includes almost 400 properties, while North East Derbyshire District Council’s £5.1m project funded through WH:LG will target more than 300 fuel-poor households in the region, taking an area-based approach to retrofit. Retrofit measures planned across the projects – to help all properties reach an EPC rating C – include external wall insulation, cavity wall and loft insulation, window and door replacements, solar photovoltaic systems and air source heat pumps. Fabric, renewable and clean heat measures are planned to provide a reduction in energy demand and a switch to low carbon heating. Daniel Owens, regional director at SBS, said: “Being appointed to deliver this scale of retrofit in North East Derbyshire is especially rewarding given our long-standing relationship with Rykneld Homes and the local council. We understand the local housing stock and community and have built foundations that will ensure trustworthy and efficient delivery from day one. “These programmes enable us to continue making a real difference to people’s homes, health and energy bills, while contributing to local net zero goals and creating skilled jobs in the region. It is a fantastic opportunity to build on everything we have achieved here over the past decade, so we can’t wait to get started.” SBS will continue its established partnership with Rykneld Homes to help deliver energy efficiency measures to social homes across the district. This builds on recent projects, including a £21 million retrofit scheme that upgraded more than 640 properties under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2. Niall Clark, deputy managing director at Rykneld Homes, said: “You only have to look at our track record of work with SBS and the partnership we have developed, to understand the difference we’re making in the region. SBS has worked extensively in North East Derbyshire, holding vast experience in the retrofit sector and vital knowledge of local housing. “Through various schemes, we have improved thousands of homes with an approach that priorities customer engagement, as well as high quality results and service. The contractor’s values align very closely with our own, making this appointment an easy decision as we look to quickly mobilise our upcoming retrofit programme.” The two programmes are designed to tackle fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and improve comfort, health and wellbeing for residents in some of the region’s least energy efficient homes. SBS has been appointed to deliver both programmes via direct award through EEM’s Property Improvements and Decarbonisations Works Framework. With dedicated teams already operating in the region, the contractor is well-placed to ensure consistent delivery across all property tenures included. To find out more about SBS, visit www.sustainablebuildinguk.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
