Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced plans to invest over £300 million into its store estate this year, as part of a significant expansion and modernisation programme. The retailer will open 16 new stores in 2025, including 12 food halls, two full-line stores, and two outlet branches. Among these are
Construction is underway on the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) – a pioneering research and technology centre that will tackle some of the biggest challenges in children’s healthcare. Located at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, the flagship NCCHT project is being delivered by Henry Boot Construction in partnership
AEW Architects has successfully secured four Gateway 2 approvals under the Building Safety Act for a housing estate in Newton Heath, north east Manchester. Comprising 312 homes across four high-rise towers and two low-rise terraced blocks, the scheme will be its largest retrofit project to-date. AEW is both the architect
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the results of the second survey among its members into attitudes towards, and usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The RIBA AI Report 2025 shows a jump in the number of architects’ practices now using artificial intelligence, from 41% in 2024 to
The first images have been revealed showing what the homes and street scenes at Bellway’s new Elemore development in Easington Lane, near Houghton le Spring, will look like when work is complete. The CGIs have been released by the housebuilder ahead of the launch of the development on Saturday 31
HG Construction Invests £1.2m in ‘Revolution Battery’ Leading UK contractor HG Construction is partnering with Dumarey Green Power to decarbonize its crane and hoist operations across the company’s UK sites. HG Construction has made a £1.2m investment into Dumarey’s ‘Revolution Battery’ following a successful trial on two HG sites earlier
ASSA ABLOY Door Group has expanded its popular Design 4 Doors platform with the addition of SR2 security doors and high-performance thermal doors, giving trade customers more flexibility, performance assurance and compliance support when selecting steel door sets for commercial and industrial projects. Design 4 Doors is ASSA ABLOY’s innovative
JP Morgan Asset Management and its joint venture partner, Graftongate, have secured a pre-let agreement with a global vehicle manufacturer for the first unit at Reading International Logistics Park. The occupier has signed a 15-year lease on a 36,736 sq ft building, which marks the initial phase of development at
Victoria Hills, who has led the RTPI for nearly eight years, is to step down from her post as CEO. She will be moving on to take up the role of CEO at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Victoria will remain in post until later in the year to
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced plans to invest over £300 million into its store estate this year, as part of a significant expansion and modernisation programme. The retailer will open 16 new stores in 2025, including 12 food halls, two full-line stores, and two outlet branches. Among these are the already confirmed full-line stores at Bath SouthGate and Bristol Cabot Circus, along with new food halls planned for Bell Green Sydenham, Abingdon, Cannock, and Farnham. In addition to the new openings, M&S will be extending nine existing stores and refurbishing a further 12 as it continues to enhance its in-store experience for customers. Over the past year, M&S has signed agreements for 47 new or renewed stores, all scheduled to open by the end of the 2028 financial year—exceeding the total number opened over the previous three years combined. The company also revealed that it is actively assessing more than 300 potential locations across the UK as it looks to further expand its national footprint. Stuart Machin, Chief Executive Officer of M&S, commented:“This year we are stepping up the pace of our programme and investing over £300 million to rotate and renew stores across the country. We have a rigorous strategy to ensure we have the right stores in the right places, and this year we will deliver 37 new and renewed stores showcasing the best of our food, fashion, home, and beauty to our 32 million customers.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction is underway on the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) – a pioneering research and technology centre that will tackle some of the biggest challenges in children’s healthcare. Located at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, the flagship NCCHT project is being delivered by Henry Boot Construction in partnership with Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust – almost 150 years since both organisations were founded in Sheffield. The construction contractor was appointed to deliver the £17 million scheme earlier this year. The purpose-built, world-leading research and technology centre will bring together global clinical expertise with cutting-edge innovation, helping to revolutionise children’s healthcare. Spanning an estimated gross internal area of around 43,000 sq ft, the NCCHT will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology and modern facilities that will act as a beacon of excellence for the NHS. Initial enabling and site establishment works are now complete, and steel installation will commence in July. The project is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating, with a strong focus on sustainability embedded into the design. Funded by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity and Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, the NCCHT will bring new healthcare technologies to the heart of service and care delivery for children and young people. The new facility will also expertly position Sheffield Children’s to deliver on the Government’s ten-year plan to improve patient outcomes – moving care from hospitals to communities, making better use of technology and focusing on preventing sickness, not just treating it. Ryan O’Loughlin, Regional Director at Henry Boot Construction, said: “As a business that calls Sheffield home, we’re incredibly proud to be delivering this flagship healthcare project in partnership with Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. “Having delivered many transformational developments across South Yorkshire – from urban regeneration schemes within Sheffield’s Heart of the City masterplan to innovation hubs within the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre – we understand the long-term impact such projects can have on our region. “The NCCHT has the potential to change lives and deliver lasting health benefits for children and young people not only across South Yorkshire, but far beyond.” As building work progresses on site, Sheffield Children’s is simultaneously delivering events and initiatives at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park in the lead up to the facility’s official opening in 2026. Ruth Brown, Chief Executive at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, added: “Sheffield Children’s has come a long way since caring for 29 patients in 1876 – our first year and from one building. Last year we provided over half a million patient contacts and provide care from many buildings and across communities. “The National Centre for Child Health Technology is a significant milestone for our 150th anniversary. Through our work with patients, clinical colleagues, academia and industry we will reimagine care for the next 150 years by embracing innovation and providing the very best care, with and for children and young people. “We are delighted that the NCCHT is being built by another leading Sheffield organisation on the only Olympic Legacy Park outside of London. Already, we are seeing the impact of collaboration between partners, and we are looking forward to developing this further as we create a healthier future for children and young people.” The NCCHT will open in 2026 during Sheffield Children’s 150th anniversary year and the 50th anniversary of the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
AEW Architects has successfully secured four Gateway 2 approvals under the Building Safety Act for a housing estate in Newton Heath, north east Manchester. Comprising 312 homes across four high-rise towers and two low-rise terraced blocks, the scheme will be its largest retrofit project to-date. AEW is both the architect and retrofit designer on the development and worked collaboratively with Manchester City Council (client), Casey (principal contractor) and several specialist sub-contractors to develop a robust set of proposals for the regulator. AEW’s proposals will help Croydon Drive become a 21st Century, model social housing estate. Each block will undergo a PAS2035 compliant Retrofit under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) route to dramatically improve its energy efficiency and safety. Proposed works include installation of new insulation, upgrades to existing insulation, new windows and doors, introduction of new passive fire measures and creation of winter gardens. In addition to performance improvements, another key element of the project is enhancements to building and estate aesthetics to make them more contemporary. Colin Savage, director at AEW Architects, said: “This achievement is a unique milestone for AEW and reaffirms our commitment to delivering safe, sustainable and high-quality refurbishment. As we move forward, we remain focused on setting the highest industry standards. “Our team has worked tirelessly with the key stakeholders to ensure we meet every requirement and this approval from the Building Safety Regulator is a testament to its dedication and expertise.” Gateway 2 is part of a series of critical gateways introduced under the 2022 Building Safety Act to enhance safety standards for higher-risk buildings, introduced in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The focus is now on site works and maintaining a robust Golden Thread of information throughout the construction phase required for Gateway 3. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the results of the second survey among its members into attitudes towards, and usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The RIBA AI Report 2025 shows a jump in the number of architects’ practices now using artificial intelligence, from 41% in 2024 to 59% in 2025. With many contributors now reporting that they view AI as having the potential to be a valuable tool for addressing some of the significant challenges the industry faces. Well over half the architects taking part — some 65% — think that AI will have an increasingly positive effect on productivity in the construction industry. 65% also feel it will help the sector meet its net-zero targets, and 63% believe it will enable architects and developers to create buildings that will better meet current and future performance requirements. Only 18% of practices envisage that AI will lead to job losses, and just 4% of those surveyed think that human creativity will no longer be needed for building design because of AI. Nevertheless, a significant proportion (35%) remain concerned that AI will threaten the profession, 67% worry that it will increase the risk of work being imitated, and 44% are concerned that it will enable those without sufficient professional knowledge to design buildings. Despite this, however, the overriding sentiment among the architects who responded is that AI offers a route to enhancing some of the professions’ core offering and boosting design innovation and creativity. RIBA is working to develop guidance and demand greater transparency to ensure that architects can harness AI without losing agency over their creative output. UK architects are increasingly interested in the latest developments in AI technology and RIBA’s first AI in Practice Summit, held this May, attracted 240 members. RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki said: “What a difference a year makes. The sharp rise in AI use among our members illustrates how all-encompassing this technology is becoming and how willing architects are to embrace new ways of working, to achieve even better results. Despite the very legitimate concerns many have around imitation and the reliability of data, it’s clear that architects are keen to be on the right side of digital innovations and lead by example rather than be left to catch up. RIBA is committed to making sure the profession continues to reap all the benefits that AI offers and I’m excited to see what the future holds.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The first images have been revealed showing what the homes and street scenes at Bellway’s new Elemore development in Easington Lane, near Houghton le Spring, will look like when work is complete. The CGIs have been released by the housebuilder ahead of the launch of the development on Saturday 31 May. Work started on the 135-home scheme inMay,and the first residents are expected to move into their completed properties in November. Elemore is taking shape on a 12-acre site south of Murton Lane where the Forest Estate housing development stood until it was demolished in the early 2000s. The new development will be made up of two to four-bedroom properties all featuring solar panels and electric vehicle charging points. Emma Chesterton, Sales Director for Bellway North East, said: “Elemore will be a very desirable place to live as it is in a fantastic village location that is well placed for transport links, with the A19 just a 10-minute drive away. “These CGIs bring our vision to life so that people living nearby and potential buyers can get a feel for what the finished development, which is transforming a disused brownfield site, will look like. “Elemore has been carefully and thoughtfully designed so that our new residents will be able to enjoy the outdoors and feel that they are living in a spacious and sustainable location. “It features a variety of house styles to suit a wide range of needs and budgets, which will help to meet the significant demand for high-quality and energy-efficient homes in the area.” Planning permission to develop the site was granted in October last year and when complete there will be 21 two-bedroom, 58 three-bedroom, and 56 four-bedroom properties. A network of footpaths and cycleways will be integrated into the site, and public open space, a pond and a village green are planned. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
HG Construction Invests £1.2m in ‘Revolution Battery’ Leading UK contractor HG Construction is partnering with Dumarey Green Power to decarbonize its crane and hoist operations across the company’s UK sites. HG Construction has made a £1.2m investment into Dumarey’s ‘Revolution Battery’ following a successful trial on two HG sites earlier this year. The investment will enable HG Construction to significantly reduce carbon emissions and operational costs on its sites, and is aligned with the company’s commitment to adopting more sustainable construction practices. HG Construction partnered with Dumarey Green Power to run trials on its Moritsch crane fleet at two London sites earlier this year. In one trial, a single Revolution Battery powered two Moritsch RTL 195 luffing cranes using a 32A 3-phase mains supply, replacing two 200 kVA diesel generators that ran 50–60 hours weekly. The results were transformative: Adam Quinn, CEO, HG Construction, commented: “The performance of the Revolution Battery during the trials was exceptional – reducing carbon emissions and running costs by over 90%. These results speak for themselves and made our decision to invest a straightforward one. The fact that the technology has been developed and produced locally also aligns with our commitment to source from local suppliers where possible. This investment will enable us to make great strides on our journey towards decarbonisation of our operations, improve site efficiency and reduce waste. Looking forward, we remain committed to embracing innovations that deliver tangible environmental and operational benefits.” Unlike conventional battery systems that store large amounts of energy for high peak power, the Revolution Battery, an industrial battery energy storage system (BESS), decouples energy storage from output power. This innovation allows high power delivery from minimal energy storage, resulting in a smaller, more efficient system with fewer battery cells and lower embedded emissions. If mains power is unavailable, the battery can be charged by a 40 kVA generator, running less than three hours daily based on trial data. Alex Keys, Sales and Marketing Director, Dumarey Green Power, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with HG Construction as the business makes a bold step towards decarbonising its crane and hoist operations. The construction sector faces challenges in the years ahead to meet emissions targets, and switching from diesel-powered generators to efficient battery systems can make a huge impact. HG Construction’s adoption of this technology underscores its commitment to achieving its net-zero goals and sets a new standard for sustainable construction.” Manufactured in the UK by Dumarey Green Power, the Revolution Battery leverages local labour and suppliers, minimising transport emissions and supporting the UK construction market. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
ASSA ABLOY Door Group has expanded its popular Design 4 Doors platform with the addition of SR2 security doors and high-performance thermal doors, giving trade customers more flexibility, performance assurance and compliance support when selecting steel door sets for commercial and industrial projects. Design 4 Doors is ASSA ABLOY’s innovative approach to simplifying the door specification process, automatically providing the customer with a price and drawing for the configured solution. The software offers clearly defined categories – Fire, Security, Thermal, Personnel and Acoustic – to help trade professionals quickly identify the right product for their application. Now, the platform includes SR2-rated security doors, tested and certified to LPS 1175: Issue 8 standards, offering robust protection against forced entry while maintaining the aesthetic flexibility and manufacturing quality ASSA ABLOY Door Group is known for. The SR2 doors are ideal for critical infrastructure, data centres, defence, utilities, and sensitive commercial applications where enhanced security is a requirement. Alongside this, the introduction of advanced Thermal Doors, which achieve low U-values for optimal energy efficiency, supports customers seeking to meet Part L building regulations and improve sustainability credentials. These doors combine thermal insulation performance with durability and weather resistance, making them well-suited for external installations across a range of sectors. Kevin Campbell, Sales Director at ASSA ABLOY Door Group, said: “We developed the Design 4 Doors concept to make life easier for our trade customers. By organising our steel door offering into clear categories, specifiers and contractors can quickly match doors to project requirements with confidence. “The addition of SR2 and Thermal options strengthens the platform even further, helping customers meet rising expectations around safety, security, and sustainability, all backed by ASSA ABLOY’s rigorous testing and compliance support.” All doors in the Design 4 Doors platform are manufactured in the UK to exacting standards and are available with a wide range of hardware, vision panels, louvres, and finishes to suit the specific needs of each project. To learn more about Design 4 Doors, visit: https://www.assaabloy.com/uk/en/services/project-management-design-and-construction/design4doors To learn more about Door Group and the range of products and services it provides, go to https://www.assaabloy.com/uk/en. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
JP Morgan Asset Management and its joint venture partner, Graftongate, have secured a pre-let agreement with a global vehicle manufacturer for the first unit at Reading International Logistics Park. The occupier has signed a 15-year lease on a 36,736 sq ft building, which marks the initial phase of development at the 8.5-acre site. The park has detailed planning consent for a c.160,000 sq ft last-mile logistics scheme, located adjacent to Jct 11 of the M4 motorway. Construction of the unit is scheduled to begin this month, with completion targeted for Q1 2026. Magrock has been appointed as the main contractor. Reading International Logistics Park was acquired by JP Morgan Asset Management and Graftongate in May 2025, as part of a new £500 million joint venture aimed at delivering high-quality, sustainable urban logistics space. The scheme will comprise four prime warehouse units ranging in size from 25,262 – 67,704 sq ft, all designed with a strong focus on sustainability. Features will include photovoltaic solar panels, LED lighting and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with the development targeting EPC A+ and BREEAM ‘Excellent’. Reading International Logistics Park is strategically located at the heart of the east-west motorway corridor, just 40 miles from London, and provides immediate access to the M4, with excellent connectivity to the M25, M40, M3, and M5. The area is home to a number of major distribution and logistics operators including Tesco, DPD, DHL, Yodel, Argos, and 3663. Haslams and DTRE acted for the landowner. The occupier was represented by Knight Frank.For further information please contact joint agents, Jake Huntley and Maddie Moriarty of DTRE, and Neil Seager of Haslams. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Victoria Hills, who has led the RTPI for nearly eight years, is to step down from her post as CEO. She will be moving on to take up the role of CEO at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Victoria will remain in post until later in the year to allow for a smooth transition while the Board of Trustees begins a recruitment process for her replacement. Chair of the Royal Town Planning Institute Meeta Kaur said: “After nearly 8 years as chief executive at RTPI the positive impact Victoria has had is clear for all to see. The Institute has become the voice of planners to Government and the membership has grown steadily as a result. Her leadership through the pandemic provided a steady hand not only for the organisation but the membership at large. The rate of delivery against the corporate strategy has been phenomenal and the results of that are to everyone’s benefit. “The Board of Trustees has appreciated the clear-eyed support she has provided and has been incredibly pleased to see the institute go from strength to strength under her leadership. “The Chartered Institute of Building is lucky to have appointed such a well-regarded and influential chief executive and Victoria will be much missed by all at the RTPI. “I would like to take this opportunity to assure staff and members that despite Victoria’s departure, the RTPI is on firm foundations and well equipped for the future. The Senior Executive Team is well established and clear on the organisation’s strategic direction. Trustees will shortly commence a recruitment process for a new chief executive and we will keep staff and members appraised throughout.” RTPI Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Hills, said: “It has been an absolute honour to be the CEO of the RTPI, not only because of the important place planning holds for our communities, but also because it is my own membership body. I could not possibly have imagined as a student member in the 1990s when I was going through my APC that I would one day have the opportunity to take the helm of the organisation. “During my time here we have seen planning rise further and further up the political agenda, both domestically and internationally, and the RTPI has been able to provide a voice for our 27,000 members throughout that process. I am so proud of everything we have collectively achieved. I leave the RTPI in a position of strength at an incredibly exciting time for the planning profession. “As I prepare to move forward onto my next chapter, I look back over the last seven years with a sense of pride that I have been able to play my part in elevating the status of planning professionals in the built environment sector. We need planners for the greater good of society, and it’s been an honour to be a part of acknowledging and amplifying their important role.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
