Beauty giant Sephora has opened its first UK store of 2025 at Liverpool ONE, marking the brand’s eighth location across the country. The 6,727 sq ft store brings Sephora’s signature range of beauty and self-care products to the heart of the popular retail destination, joining a strong line-up of existing
Willmott Dixon Interiors has completed the transformation of Atlantic House in Reading, delivering the new Reading Police Station for Thames Valley Police (TVP). The fit-out and refurbishment specialist has repurposed over 37,000 sq ft of office space across three floors, providing TVP with a facility that delivers the operational requirements
A new report by CBRE, commissioned by West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), has highlighted the acute need for more grow-on space for life sciences, and in particular digital health companies if the region is going to fulfill its potential and retain its home-grown talent. CBRE’s research found that with over
New Uswitch analysis of government data has revealed the UK’s top-performing local authorities for renewable energy generation per household, with Moray in Scotland emerging as the national leader. Table 1: Top ten local authorities with the largest renewable energy capacity in megawatts per 1,000 households Rank Local authority Capacity in
Earlier last week, the workplace and facilities management (WFM) community celebrated World FM Day and its theme of “Resilience in action: thriving in a world of change”. While professional resilience and organisational resilience are integral for the WFM sector to do its best work, IWFM’s Strategic Leaders Forum (SLF), Sustainability
Beauty giant Sephora has opened its first UK store of 2025 at Liverpool ONE, marking the brand’s eighth location across the country. The 6,727 sq ft store brings Sephora’s signature range of beauty and self-care products to the heart of the popular retail destination, joining a strong line-up of existing UK locations including Westfield London, Trafford Centre in Manchester, and Birmingham Bullring. Liverpool ONE’s new addition is the first in a string of upcoming launches for Sephora, with further stores planned for Meadowhall in Sheffield, Manchester Arndale, and St David’s in Cardiff later this year. Rob Deacon, director of asset management at Liverpool ONE – Landsec, commented: “The hugely anticipated Sephora UK store is the latest in a series of milestone launches here at Liverpool ONE as we reach the halfway point of the busiest year of openings since the destination launched in 2008. “This flagship 6,727 sq ft space is the epitome of what Liverpool ONE is known for — a UK hotspot for best-in-class brands and standout experiences. We’re delighted to welcome Sephora, a global beauty powerhouse, adding even more reasons for shoppers to visit.” The launch coincides with a wider retail uplift at Liverpool ONE, including the opening of TFG London’s multi-brand flagship on South John Street, featuring products from Hobbs, Phase Eight, Whistles, and Inside Story. Sephora’s continued UK expansion underscores growing demand for experiential retail and premium beauty offerings, with Liverpool ONE proving to be a strategic and high-profile step in the brand’s rollout. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Willmott Dixon Interiors has completed the transformation of Atlantic House in Reading, delivering the new Reading Police Station for Thames Valley Police (TVP). The fit-out and refurbishment specialist has repurposed over 37,000 sq ft of office space across three floors, providing TVP with a facility that delivers the operational requirements for the area. The completion of the project enables TVP to consolidate its operations and transition from its previous premises on Castle Street in Reading. Each floor of Atlantic House has been fully refurbished with new ceilings, partitions, and high-quality finishes, alongside upgraded MEP systems. Police officers and staff working from the new facility also benefit from new locker and shower facilities, and other improvements such as communal break-out areas which enhance workplace wellbeing. The project worked to high environmental standards and is set to achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating. It was delivered via the Southern Construction Framework (SCF). As part of its commitment to social value, Willmott Dixon Interiors invested in the local community through supplier partnerships, engagement with schools and colleges, and employment opportunities. Nick Kent, project director at Willmott Dixon Interiors said: “The successful refurbishment of Atlantic House provides TVP with a high-quality, efficient, and sustainable workplace tailored to the needs of a modern police force. Beyond delivering a first-class facility, we are proud to have made a meaningful contribution to the local community, supporting employment, skills development, and social initiatives that leave a lasting legacy.” James Wright, head of SCF (South East & London) said: “The completion of this modern and sustainable workspace is a big milestone for TVP and will enable their teams to continue delivering the highest standards for the community. It has been a pleasure to support such a crucial public service in the delivery of these new facilities.” Willmott Dixon Interiors has completed more than 50 fit out and refurbishment projects in the blue light and secured environment sector in recent years. These include projects for the Ministry of Defence and Defence Infrastructure Organisation, and the provision of justice and custody facilities for the Ministry of Justice. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new report by CBRE, commissioned by West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), has highlighted the acute need for more grow-on space for life sciences, and in particular digital health companies if the region is going to fulfill its potential and retain its home-grown talent. CBRE’s research found that with over 600 health and life sciences companies, including 250 MedTech firms and over 90 digital health enterprises, West Yorkshire is emerging as a top ten cluster due to its vibrant start-up culture, skilled graduates and strong research network. The 51,618 sector professionals across the region represent a 10% annual growth and Leeds has a significantly higher density of these employees than the national average. The UK is aiming to develop 21 million sq ft of lab space by 2030 and investment currently remains concentrated in established hubs. CBRE’s report shows increasing investor interest in the sector, with 58% of funding from Venture Capital funds into West Yorkshire going to life sciences and technology. However, if the region is going to continue to attract investment and retain home grown talent, it will need to address the supply issue. Jonathan Lowe, Head of Science & Technology for the North at CBRE, explains: “West Yorkshire has done a fantastic job of enabling start-ups to get established, evidenced by the fact that Leeds University’s Nexus incubator is nearing capacity, so the question now is where these companies will move to. The key is to keep that talent, innovation and the associated jobs within the region and provide a range of flexible space with a combination of offices, labs and industrial facilities to satisfy demand. It is important to encourage clustering to enable knowledge and resource sharing and avoid new facilities becoming too disbursed.” CBRE’s report shows there are 44 live occupier requirements in West Yorkshire, with remaining lab availability limited at Nexus in Leeds and Huddersfield’s 3M Buckley Innovation Centre. All of the available lab space across the region is within suites of 2,000 sq ft and below, leaving little room for growth. Most grow-on requirements start above 5,000 sq ft, therefore intervention is required to bridge this gap. Lowe continues: “The repurposing of office stock is certainly a viable solution, particularly for digital health companies who don’t typically require the same specific requirements of wet lab facilities. Redundant space within medical and university estates could present opportunities, providing the buildings have the underlying building infrastructure fundamentals within locations surrounding the key research institutions.” Looking ahead, there is 45,166 sq ft of lab and office space to come forward at Old Medical School in Leeds but this isn’t set to be available until 2027. The future development pipeline for West Yorkshire also includes future phases of Innovation Village in Leeds, the National Health Innovation Campus in Huddersfield and the focus in Bradford on the Knowledge Quarter. CBRE’s report concluded that the West Yorkshire life sciences sector holds significant growth potential and that by addressing specific real estate needs, fostering clustering and investing in targeted incubator and grow on development, the region can solidify its position as a competitive player in the UK life science landscape. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New Uswitch analysis of government data has revealed the UK’s top-performing local authorities for renewable energy generation per household, with Moray in Scotland emerging as the national leader. Table 1: Top ten local authorities with the largest renewable energy capacity in megawatts per 1,000 households Rank Local authority Capacity in megawatts per 1,000 households 1 Moray 47.4 2 North East Lincolnshire 41.4 3 Boston 32.0 4 East Lothian 27.3 5 Highland 26.3 6 Lancaster 23.1 7 Dumfries and Galloway 18.9 8 North Norfolk 18.8 9 Argyll and Bute 17.3 10 East Suffolk 15.8 Moray leads the UK with 47.4 MW per 1,000 households, followed by North East Lincolnshire at 41.4 MW. Other notable regions include Boston (32.0 MW), East Lothian (27.3 MW), and Highland (26.3 MW). Scottish local authorities rank highly, reflecting a mix of strong investment and favourable conditions for wind power, such as higher wind speeds and suitable terrain. The data highlights how both geography and different local approaches play a role in shaping the UK’s renewable energy landscape. Areas with the most solar and wind power The UK regions with the highest solar, onshore, and offshore wind capacity per household (excluding other renewable sources due to data limitations). Solar photovoltaics: East Cambridgeshire leads with 4.4 MW per 1,000 households, followed by South Cambridgeshire (4.3 MW). Pembrokeshire and Torridge each generate 4.0 MW, with several rural areas making strong gains in solar capacity. Onshore wind: Highland tops the list with 18.3 MW per 1,000 households, followed by Dumfries and Galloway (13.1 MW) and South Ayrshire (12.7 MW), showcasing Scotland’s dominance in wind energy. Offshore wind: North East Lincolnshire leads with 40.4 MW per 1,000 homes, followed by Moray at 35.0 MW. Other key contributors include Boston and East Lothian, highlighting the importance of coastal regions in offshore wind generation. North East Lincolnshire’s growth is driven by major projects like the Hornsea Wind Farm series, Hornsea One and Two, with capacities of 1.2 GW and 1.4 GW respectively. They are the largest offshore wind farms in the world as part of Ørsted’s East Coast Hub in Grimsby. Table 2: Top ten local authorities with the largest growth in renewable energy capacity over 5 years (2018–2023) Rank Local authority Change in capacity over 5 years 1 North East Lincolnshire 1017% 2 Boston 985% 3 East Lothian 734% 4 Inverclyde 608% 5 Rugby 444% 6 Aberdeen City 437% 7 Sutton 273% 8 Hammersmith and Fulham 263% 9 Spelthorne 262% 10 Barnet 215% North East Lincolnshire leads with a 1,017% growth in renewable energy capacity from 2018 to 2023, followed by Boston (985%) and East Lothian (734%). Urban areas like Sutton, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Barnet also show substantial increases, reflecting rapid growth in both rural and urban renewable energy generation. Table 3: Five-year change in renewable energy types (2018–2023) Renewable energy type 5 year change (2023-2018) Offshore Wind 80.20% Municipal Solid Waste 37.10% Photovoltaics 24.30% Anaerobic Digestion 19.70% Onshore Wind 15.00% Sewage Gas 8.60% Plant Biomass 2.70% Hydro 0.70% Animal Biomass 0.00% Landfill Gas -0.30% Wave/Tidal -52.00% Methodology & Sources We took UK government data on renewable energy generation for the last 10 years and used it to calculate: Where local authority changes had taken place in the period covered data from the old authorities was grouped into the relevant new authority to allow for comparisons. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/regional-renewable-statistics Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Earlier last week, the workplace and facilities management (WFM) community celebrated World FM Day and its theme of “Resilience in action: thriving in a world of change”. While professional resilience and organisational resilience are integral for the WFM sector to do its best work, IWFM’s Strategic Leaders Forum (SLF), Sustainability Special Interest Group (SIG) and Rising FMs explored the theme’s practicalities during an in-person and online event. At London’s Guildhall, the groups and attendees delved into the crucial role of resilience in ensuring the endurance and prosperity of heritage buildings. As WFM professionals pursue net zero, maximise the efficiency of buildings and respect historic architecture, what were the key takeaways shared? Heritage challenges: retrofitting historic buildings requires balancing preservation with modernisation, often facing structural limitations and strict regulations. Open communication with heritage authorities about the benefits of eco-friendly upgrades is critical, as is minimising disruption during upgrades through phased implementation and effective stakeholder coordination. Strategic sustainability: tailored climate action strategies, focused on decarbonisation through smart controls, insulation and renewable energy, are essential. Data-driven decisions, continuous monitoring and workforce training are also key to embedding positive sustainability practices. Climate resilience: With rising temperatures and increased extreme weather events, proactive adaptation is key.This entails risk assessments, early monitoring and climate-conscious design (like green roofs and shading). For heritage sites, vulnerability audits, stakeholder engagement and staff training in sustainable practices ensure the integrity of historic buildings in a warming climate. Additionally, the Skyline Skills Hub was highlighted, connecting the future of historic buildings to the insight and capabilities of today’s WFM professionals. Click here to access the event recording and click here to access the slides. Remember, IWFM hosts a suite of learning resources for professionals looking to achieve sustainability success. IWFM Certified or Fellow Member? Stay up to date with the latest news, expert insights and exclusive event invitations. Simply log in to your IWFM account and update your contact preferences by opting into the Strategic Leaders Forum. Need help? Watch their short video Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
