Pan-European logistics and industrial real estate specialist VGP has unveiled its second UK development, confirming Sheffield as the latest location in its growing national portfolio. VGP Park Sheffield is being delivered on a brownfield regeneration site to the east of the city centre, close to the A361 and junction 34
GMI Construction Group has been confirmed as main contractor for 35 Fountain Street, a new office development in central Manchester that is being positioned as one of the city’s most sustainable commercial buildings. The scheme is being brought forward by developer Bywater and designed by Bennetts Associates. At its core
Boots is to open its first beauty-only store outside London, choosing Cabot Circus in Bristol as the next location for its specialist retail format. The 11,000 sq ft store will be the second dedicated Boots Beauty concept and forms part of the retailer’s wider strategy to elevate its in-store experience.
A major 900-home development delivering 50% affordable housing has broken ground at Bollo Lane in Ealing, marking one of the most significant affordable and sustainable housing schemes currently moving into construction in west London. Secretary of State for Housing, Steve Reed and Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential
Engineers working for the HS2 project completed the last of more than 2,000 concrete piles that will underpin the foundations of Birmingham’s Curzon Street station this week, as new images were published showing how the public spaces around the building will look. Stretching for more than 400m between Moor Street
Local leaders joined Vistry, the UK’s leading provider of mixed-tenure homes, and principal contractor Chasetown Civil Engineering, to watch a 600-tonne crawler crane lift the first major span of the new Walton Bridge over the River Trent. The lift took place on the morning of Friday 27 February 2026, following
Pan-European logistics and industrial real estate specialist VGP has unveiled its second UK development, confirming Sheffield as the latest location in its growing national portfolio. VGP Park Sheffield is being delivered on a brownfield regeneration site to the east of the city centre, close to the A361 and junction 34 of the M1. The scheme will provide more than 265,000 sq ft of warehouse and office accommodation, targeting a broad range of industrial and logistics occupiers. The site sits approximately four miles from Sheffield city centre and just 1.5 miles from junction 34 of the M1, offering strong connectivity to national distribution networks. Manchester Airport is around 42 miles away, while East Midlands Airport lies 49 miles to the south, reinforcing the park’s strategic positioning within the UK logistics corridor. In line with VGP’s wider development standards, the Sheffield park will be constructed to achieve BREEAM Excellent certification, reflecting the company’s focus on sustainable design and operational performance. Completion is anticipated in the first quarter of 2027. The launch follows the recent announcement of VGP Park East Midlands, the company’s first UK site, located adjacent to junction 24a of the M1 and the A50. That development offers units from 95,000 sq ft upwards, including tailored solutions for larger logistics operations. It is targeting BREEAM Outstanding and will incorporate rooftop solar panels to enable on-site renewable energy generation. VGP’s expansion into the UK market forms part of its integrated development model, which spans land acquisition, construction and long-term asset management. Once complete, the Sheffield assets will be managed directly by VGP, maintaining continuity from development through to occupation. With two strategic sites now underway, VGP is positioning itself to meet growing demand for high-quality, sustainable industrial and logistics space across key UK regions. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GMI Construction Group has been confirmed as main contractor for 35 Fountain Street, a new office development in central Manchester that is being positioned as one of the city’s most sustainable commercial buildings. The scheme is being brought forward by developer Bywater and designed by Bennetts Associates. At its core is a strong retrofit and low-carbon strategy, with the existing steel frame to be retained and integrated into a hybrid structural solution incorporating cross laminated timber. The use of CLT is intended to significantly reduce embodied carbon while maintaining structural performance and design flexibility. The completed building will provide 87,000 sq ft of workspace arranged over a basement, ground floor and eight upper levels. Two newly consented additional storeys will deliver a further 16,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation, supporting demand for high-quality, energy-efficient workspace in the city centre. The project reflects a growing trend in Manchester towards adaptive reuse and material retention as part of wider decarbonisation objectives. By combining the existing structure with modern timber technology, the development aims to demonstrate how new commercial space can be delivered with a substantially lower environmental impact. Chris Riley, development manager at Bywater, said the appointment of GMI marks an important step as the scheme moves into its next phase. He added that close collaboration with Manchester City Council, the contractor and the wider consultant team will ensure the project sets a new benchmark for sustainability, design quality and environmental performance in the city. Construction is expected to progress through 2026 and 2027, with the completed building offering flexible, future-focused workspace designed to meet evolving occupier expectations around energy efficiency, wellbeing and environmental responsibility. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Boots is to open its first beauty-only store outside London, choosing Cabot Circus in Bristol as the next location for its specialist retail format. The 11,000 sq ft store will be the second dedicated Boots Beauty concept and forms part of the retailer’s wider strategy to elevate its in-store experience. The new site will feature more than 200 brands across skincare, haircare, fragrance, cosmetics, premium beauty and electrical beauty categories. In addition to product ranges, the store will offer a suite of complimentary services, including skin scans and personalised wellness advice delivered by Boots’ specialist beauty team. The format is designed to provide a more immersive and service-led experience, reflecting changing customer expectations within the beauty and wellbeing sector. Shelley Taylor, senior asset manager at Hammerson, said Cabot Circus had been selected to support Boots’ national growth ambitions, noting strong demand for beauty and wellbeing brands among customers. She added that the new concept would introduce products not previously available in the South West and further strengthen the retail line-up at the scheme. The Bristol launch builds on insights from Boots’ recent store innovations, including its first beauty-only outlet at Battersea Power Station in 2023, the Boots Fragrance Boutique in the City of London and upgraded wellness-focused formats introduced in six stores nationwide. The expansion also aligns with a broader investment programme aimed at modernising the retailer’s estate and enhancing customer engagement. The move follows the recent signing of Sephora at Cabot Circus, with the global beauty retailer set to make its South West debut at the destination. By positioning Bristol as the first regional location for the concept, Boots is signalling confidence in both the format and the city’s retail appeal, as it continues to refine its physical footprint and respond to evolving consumer demand. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A major 900-home development delivering 50% affordable housing has broken ground at Bollo Lane in Ealing, marking one of the most significant affordable and sustainable housing schemes currently moving into construction in west London. Secretary of State for Housing, Steve Reed and Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development, Tom Copley joined partners today to mark the start of construction on the brownfield site, which will provide 450 affordable homes alongside new green spaces, shops and offices to create an outstanding new community in west London. Bollo Lane will be delivered in two phases. Phase 1, in partnership with Grainger, will provide high-quality homes for private and intermediate rent. Phase 2, delivered with Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, will include social rent, intermediate and private homes. The development is set to complete in December 2029. Delivered by the West London Partnership (WLP) – a joint venture between Places for London and Barratt London – the scheme will transform underutilised land next to Acton Town station into a new mixed-use neighbourhood, helping to address London’s acute housing need while improving connectivity between Acton and Chiswick. The affordable homes will comprise 50% London Living Rent in Phase 1, with 67% social rent and 33% shared ownership in Phase 2. Bollo Lane is a shining example demonstrating how well‑designed homes can be delivered on brownfield land next to a vital transport hub, and this comes as the government is proposing reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework that will encourage housebuilding in sustainable locations, giving a ‘default yes’ to suitable development near well-connected stations. The development forms part of the West London Partnership’s wider ambition to unlock more than 4,000 homes across eight London boroughs, alongside 285,000 sq ft of commercial space and the creation of approximately 9,600 jobs. It follows the success of Blackhorse View which delivered 350 award winning homes, with 50% affordable housing, and a new community. Places for London is committed to creating and curating a legacy that reflects London’s diversity, ambition and spirit. Starting at Bollo Lane, the partnership between Places for London and Barratt London will bring forward the largest Passivhaus programme in Europe. From Phase 2 onwards, homes will be built to Lo-E standard – exceeding Passivhaus energy efficiency to ensure a 60% reduction in heating costs and a 90% reduction in carbon emissions for future residents. Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for Housing, said: “Bollo Lane is exactly the kind of development we need and shows what’s possible when we work together to build the homes Londoners desperately need – more high-quality, affordable homes in well-connected places. “Working with the Mayor we are saying ‘yes’ to transforming brownfield land into new homes, jobs, and opportunities, building on our planning overhaul and emergency package that will put us firmly on track to fix London’s housing crisis.” Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: “Bollo Lane in Ealing is one of the largest and most important affordable housing schemes in London, supporting our action from City Hall to deliver thousands of new social and affordable homes across the capital. We will continue to make swift progress on a package of pro-housing, emergency measures with Government to accelerate housebuilding as we build a better, fairer city for everyone.” Craig Carson, Regional Managing Director at Barratt London, said: “Bollo Lane exemplifies the power of public and private partnerships in delivering the homes London needs. Through the West London Partnership, Barratt London and Places for London will make a meaningful contribution to tackling London’s housing shortage while creating a vibrant new neighbourhood for Ealing.” Graeme Craig, Director and Chief Executive at Places for London, said: “We and Barratt London are delighted to be breaking ground on a development that will see a new community of 900 homes with 50 per cent affordable homes in this well-connected part of the city. The first phase of 195 homes will be acquired by Places for London’s joint venture with Grainger, delivering long-term income to reinvest in the transport network. “With high levels of affordable housing and the largest rollout of Passivhaus homes in Europe, our West London partnership is setting the standard for the future of housebuilding in London.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Engineers working for the HS2 project completed the last of more than 2,000 concrete piles that will underpin the foundations of Birmingham’s Curzon Street station this week, as new images were published showing how the public spaces around the building will look. Stretching for more than 400m between Moor Street station and Millennium Point, Curzon Street will include seven platforms covered by an enormous arched roof inspired by the railway architecture of the Victorian age. Construction of the new station is now well underway, with engineers this week completing the last of 2,011 piles. These concrete columns – each between 6 and 24 metres deep – have been sunk into the ground to support the foundations of the building. HS2 Ltd’s Senior Project Manager, Alistair Morgan said: “Once complete, Curzon Street will be a new landmark for Birmingham – and provide a fitting city centre terminus for a railway that will improve journeys and free up space on the existing West Coast Main Line. These new images also show how it will be integrated into the rest of the city – with new green spaces, better accessibility and onward public transport links. “It’s great to see how much progress has been made on the foundation works and I’d like to thank everyone who’s been working so hard to get the job done. But we’ve still got a lot of work to do before the first passengers arrive, and I look forward to seeing more significant progress in the year ahead.” At the front of the station, passengers will pass through a paved ‘station square’ edged by gardens facing Moor Street Queensway. The new images released today show recent landscape design refinements that are being submitted to Birmingham City Council for approval. These include improvements to the management of rainwater drainage and improvements to the integration of cycling and walking routes connecting to the wider city. They also show the tree-lined promenade with landscaped terraces that will stretch along the side of the building. A second entrance at the other end of the station – giving access to Digbeth and the east side of the city – will include a tram stop and taxi drop-off points as well as improved cycle access. Next to the eastern entrance, a new square will face the disused Old Curzon Street station building which was built in 1838. A new terrace and gardens will be created to the rear of the old station to complement the setting of the historic building. The piling work, which began in Sept 2024, was delivered by HS2’s construction partner Mace Dragados joint venture (MDJV), working with Keltbray. As part of the project, the team installed an 8m high retaining wall at the western end of the site and excavated 47,000 cubic metres of material to create a level base for the station. Once the earthworks were complete, they brought in CFA piling rigs to install the reinforced concrete piles. MDJV’s Senior Project Manager, Rodger Storey, said: “Completing the foundation works for Curzon Street station marks a major milestone in the delivery of the project. The team is proud of the major achievement represented the extensive piling operation that forms the station’s foundations. “With this crucial phase now finished, we look forward to progressing the construction of the station building itself, which will create further jobs, apprenticeships, and supply chain opportunities as activity on site continues to ramp up.” Following a short pause to allow Network Rail to deliver some essential maintenance to the railway viaduct alongside the site, the final piles were installed during late February and early March 2026. With the piling now complete, the main focus has turned to preparing the way for the Digbeth extension to the West Midlands Metro – which will stop under the station on New Canal Street – and completion of the remaining foundation works. In total, more than 19,000 tonnes of reinforced steel and 69,000 cubic metres of concrete are needed for the sub-surface work, with 7,000 tonnes of reinforcement already installed and 29,000 cubic metres of concrete poured. Elsewhere on the site, progress is also being made on the temporary office block that will be the nerve centre for the next stage of construction. At the peak of the work, more than a thousand people are expected to be employed on the Curzon Street project, both directly and via Mace Dragados’s UK supply chain. Progress is also being made on the viaducts that will carry HS2 services into the city centre, with the massive Curzon 2 viaduct almost complete. This 40-metre-high structure – the tallest on the project – will be slid into place across the Cross City line in the summer. These structures are being built by another of HS2’s contractors, Balfour Beatty VINCI. In total, more than 33,000 jobs are supported by the construction of HS2, with the project recently celebrating the appointment of its 2,000th apprentice, a 19-year-old from Bordesley Green in Birmingham. However, there is still significant work to do across the whole 140 miles between London and Birmingham. Mark Wild, HS2 Ltd Chief Executive, is now leading a comprehensive reset of the project to ensure the remainder of the route is delivered as efficiently as possible and for the lowest reasonable cost. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Local leaders joined Vistry, the UK’s leading provider of mixed-tenure homes, and principal contractor Chasetown Civil Engineering, to watch a 600-tonne crawler crane lift the first major span of the new Walton Bridge over the River Trent. The lift took place on the morning of Friday 27 February 2026, following two earlier postponements caused by flooding and high winds. Vistry and Chasetown Civil Engineering were joined by stakeholders from Derbyshire County Council, South Derbyshire District Council, Staffordshire County Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council, Walton Parish Council and Drakelow Parish Council for the opportunity to watch the operation and capture the occasion with a group photograph. Drone footage was also recorded during the lift. * Phil McHugh, Divisional Managing Director of Vistry North West Midlands, said: “After the challenges posed by the weather, it’s fantastic to see the first span of Walton Bridge finally lifted into place. This is a major milestone for the project and a vital step in improving transport links for both existing communities and future residents.” The new bridge forms part of the new 1.5km bypass construction project to replace the existing one‑way weight restricted, traffic signal controlled, bailey bridge at Walton‑on‑Trent, which has long acted as a bottleneck for traffic. Once complete, it will provide vital unrestricted access across the River Trent, improving connectivity for local residents and for the 2,000 new residents planned at Dracan Village, Vistry’s major regeneration project on the former Drakelow power station site. The scheme is also expected to support economic growth across the wider area. Work on the £25m bypass project began in February 2025, following planning consent from South Derbyshire District Council and East Staffordshire Borough Council. The bridge is 150 metres long and constructed from three spans, with the central span across the River Trent measuring 64 metres with157 tonnes of steelwork, while the eastern and western spans each measure 43 metres and weigh 93 tonnes. The total weight of the structural steelwork is approximately 510 tonnes, including bracings. The underside of the bridge has been designed to allow around 2.6 metres of flood clearance, and the highway construction will include six culvert structures to cater for flood waters, enhancing long‑term resilience. Installation of the bridge will take place in six separate lifting phases, with approximately nine weeks required to install the girders and main deck elements. Abutment and pier construction is already complete, with surfacing and finishing works to follow once the main structure is in place. In total, around 10,750 tonnes of tarmac will be used as part of the scheme. A full trial assembly of the bridge steelwork took place in December 2025 at Jamestown’s steel manufacturing facility in Portarlington, Ireland. In‑person inspections were carried out during production and the bridge installation executed through Chasetown Civil Engineering and their collaborative Shropshire Alliance partnership with Beaver Bridges and Foundation Piling.** Matt Procter, Head of Business Development from Chasetown Civil Engineering said: “It is an incredibly proud moment for everyone involved. This is a perfect example of how strategic infrastructure unlocks communities – connecting people, places and new homes while solving long-standing local transport challenges”. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals