Trafford Council has approved plans for a new purpose-built ice arena and multi‑use event space at TraffordCity, Manchester; marking a major milestone for the region’s leisure and sports offering. The 3,000-capacity TraffordCity Arena will feature state‑of‑the‑art ice skating and ice hockey facilities, and a flexible event space designed to host
St Helens Borough Council has published a series of computer-generated images offering a first look at proposals to extend, refurbish and repurpose the landmark Gamble Building in St Helens town centre. Created by the project’s architects, Donald Insall Associates, the visuals highlight key elements of the scheme: a fully accessible
A major £500m mixed-use regeneration project close to London’s King’s Cross knowledge quarter has been given the green light, paving the way for hundreds of new homes and substantial employment space. The development, led by Camden Council in partnership with Ballymore and Lateral, will transform a complex site at Camley
Trafford Council has approved plans for a new purpose-built ice arena and multi‑use event space at TraffordCity, Manchester; marking a major milestone for the region’s leisure and sports offering. The 3,000-capacity TraffordCity Arena will feature state‑of‑the‑art ice skating and ice hockey facilities, and a flexible event space designed to host a wide range of entertainment and community activities. The development’s anchor tenant will be Planet Ice and will become one of their largest venues in the UK. Located on the former Soccer Dome site, adjacent to The Snow Centre, Trafford Golf Centre, David Lloyd, Fives Soccer, iFLY and The Padel Club, the arena will further strengthen TraffordCity’s position as the UK’s leading leisure destination. The project is being developed by ICITIES in partnership with Peel Waters, who have cleared the site to enable future leisure developments. The new arena will offer year-round ice activities, lessons and sessions, alongside premium hospitality experiences with future tenants offering family dining, bars, leisure and VIP areas. Designed with versatility in mind, the venue will also host concerts, screenings and immersive experiences, creating a dynamic destination for visitors. The decision follows a strong period of momentum for the TraffordCity area, which is currently experiencing a wave of transformational development activity. Work has now commenced on the £450million Therme Manchester wellness resort – an ambitious, next‑generation health and wellbeing destination set to include extensive indoor and outdoor pools, thermal experiences, botanical gardens, water-based family attractions, fitness and wellbeing facilities, and a diverse F&B offer. The project will be one of the most advanced wellbeing resorts in Europe and a flagship addition to TraffordCity. Meanwhile, Trafford Waters Care Home, the first residential development within the emerging Trafford Waters neighbourhood within TraffordCity, has now completed – marking the delivery of the first new homes on the site and establishing a key anchor for the growing mixed-use community. With planning now secured for the TraffordCity Arena, Peel Waters is actively exploring further development opportunities for adjacent plots on the former Soccer Dome site. These could include high-end lifestyle hotels as well as more exciting leisure and sporting experiences, providing new opportunities for partners and operators looking to join the UK’s most successful leisure destination. The TraffordCity Arena is expected to deliver significant economic benefits to the region. Peel Waters’ long-term vision for TraffordCity has already created 17,500 jobs, with plans to increase this to 33,000 over the next 20 years. The new arena will contribute to this growth by generating construction roles during the build phase and more than 50 permanent operational jobs once open, including hospitality, event management and leisure services. With the increasing popularity of ice sports, the development is forecasted to attract a significant number of new visitors annually, boosting the local visitor economy and driving further investment into Trafford and Greater Manchester. This influx of visitors will also benefit surrounding businesses and leisure attractions, reinforcing TraffordCity’s position as a premier destination for sport and entertainment. James Whittaker, Managing Director of Peel Waters, said: “Securing planning approval for the TraffordCity Ice Arena is fantastic news for the area. This is a significant step in delivering our vision for TraffordCity as a destination that offers something for everyone. The new arena will provide world-class ice facilities and enhance our growing portfolio of sport and leisure experiences; attracting new visitors, investment and employment opportunities to the region.” Nick Payne, Director of ICITIES, commented: “This approval allows us to move forward with creating a truly unique venue. Our design combines professional ice facilities with flexible spaces for non-ice events, ensuring the arena can serve a wide range of uses and audiences. The design includes approximately 20,000 sq. Ft of ancillary space for tenants offering complementary food, beverage and leisure facilities.” Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration, said: “Trafford Council is committed to the regeneration of the area and this project will bring a number of important benefits to the borough including the creation of 50 permanent jobs.” Heath Rhodes, Chief Operations Manager at Planet Ice, added: “As Planet Ice enters its 30th year, we’re delighted to see planning permission granted for this landmark project. Demand for ice facilities in the North West continues to grow, and this arena will help meet that need while delivering first class amenities for visitors. TraffordCity is the perfect location, with excellent transport links and complementary leisure attractions.” The contractors will be announced in the new year, with construction expected to begin in spring 2026 and an estimated build time of 12–15 months. Once complete, the arena will become a key part of Peel Waters’ long‑term vision for TraffordCity – to create an exciting, inclusive destination for sport, leisure and entertainment. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
St Helens Borough Council has published a series of computer-generated images offering a first look at proposals to extend, refurbish and repurpose the landmark Gamble Building in St Helens town centre. Created by the project’s architects, Donald Insall Associates, the visuals highlight key elements of the scheme: a fully accessible entrance foyer; a purpose-built, modern Archive benefiting from improved environmental controls; an engaging and inclusive Youth Hub; and a new café and communal spaces within a state-of-the-art St Helens Library intended to serve as the borough’s ‘living room’. The plans also include a Business Connect Service and flexible office accommodation on the upper floors. Released following a public engagement event at The World of Glass on 30 January, the images underscore a heritage-led approach, showing how contemporary, future-proofed facilities will complement and enhance the Gamble Building’s historic architectural features. Work to advance the project is under way. Around £1.2m of external repairs have already been completed, and Liverpool City Region-based Krol Corlett Construction is on site delivering enabling works including asbestos removal, stripping out redundant equipment and outdated facilities, and removing flooring and false ceilings to prepare the building for the main phase. Councillor Richard McCauley, Cabinet Member for Regeneration at St Helens Borough Council, said: “It is fantastic to share these images offering an insight to our vision for the Gamble Building with residents and stakeholders. As a Council, we made a commitment to bring the Gamble Building back to its former glory and these images demonstrate the bold ambition we have for the next chapter of this historic landmark. The designs allow people to understand our vision for the Gamble and how it truly will act as the living room of our Borough where there is something for everyone to access, enjoy and feel proud of now and for future generations.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A major £500m mixed-use regeneration project close to London’s King’s Cross knowledge quarter has been given the green light, paving the way for hundreds of new homes and substantial employment space. The development, led by Camden Council in partnership with Ballymore and Lateral, will transform a complex site at Camley Street, bordered by railway lines and split by a major road. Delivered through the Council’s Community Investment Programme, the scheme is being positioned as a model for how local authorities can unlock challenging inner-city locations. Planning approval covers the unification of two brownfield sites to provide 401 new homes alongside more than 350,000 sq ft of office and employment space. Around half of the homes will be classed as genuinely affordable. The scheme will be built across six buildings ranging in height from eight to 30 storeys. Site A will be led by Camden as developer and will feature three interconnected mixed-use residential blocks, designed in terracotta and red brick, rising between eight and 13 storeys. Site B will accommodate a 30-storey residential tower, a 12-storey commercial building, and an eight-storey mixed-use block with homes above ground-floor commercial space. Under the agreed structure, Camden is providing the land on a long leasehold basis to the joint venture. While Ballymore will oversee demolition works on Site B, the Council will initially fund these works, with costs later reimbursed through partner contributions and the first land receipt payment. More than 200 private-sale homes delivered by Ballymore will generate capital receipts, which Camden plans to reinvest into the delivery of social housing on Site A and other Community Investment Programme projects. The proposals are rooted in a landscape-led approach, prioritising walking and cycling routes, public squares and play spaces designed to enhance health, wellbeing and biodiversity. A car-free strategy will improve connections to Regent’s Canal and protect future links to the proposed Camden Highline, reflecting a broader national shift towards low-car, active-travel neighbourhoods. Camden Council estimates the development will create more than 1,000 job and training opportunities, including apprenticeships and school placements. These are intended to open pathways into life science, technology and digital careers for local residents, while maximising the wider economic benefits of the scheme. The first homes are expected to be ready for occupation by late 2030. The project team includes architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and Morris + Company, with Hoare Lea providing MEP services and Aecom and Gardiner & Theobald acting as cost consultants. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals