A landmark £1bn regeneration project set to transform part of north London into one of the UK’s largest film and television production destinations has received planning approval from Camden Council. The Camden Film Quarter development at Regis Road in Kentish Town will combine world-class production facilities, creative workspaces, education opportunities
Leeds’ rapidly expanding build-to-rent market is set for another major boost after Winvic Construction secured a £130m contract to deliver two landmark residential towers close to the city centre. The scheme, which has recently cleared the Building Safety Regulator’s Gateway 2 approval process, will provide 578 professionally managed rental apartments
Transformative plans for Piccadilly Gardens are being shared with Manchester people ahead of a full planning application being submitted this summer. The vision behind the scheme – to make Piccadilly Gardens more colourful, more vibrant, safer and more inviting – was announced by the Council last autumn, with indicative images released to
Reds10 Group has completed a strategic investment in façade specialist Mad About Facades (MAF), strengthening Reds10’s vertically integrated, industrialised construction model by bringing façade design and delivery fully in-house, enhancing quality, efficiency and control across projects. Mad About Facades is a specialist façade and cladding contractor, delivering façade design, manufacture
OCU Group today announces the acquisition of Volta Energy Group (“Volta”), an Australian energy advisory, design, project delivery and high-voltage commissioning business specialising in the development and delivery of major energy infrastructure projects. The acquisition further strengthens OCU’s growing presence across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) and expands the Group’s capability across the full energy project
Bellway has completed a deal to buy two additional land parcels at Linmere in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, with plans to build 236 more homes in the new neighbourhood. The housebuilder has already built 307 homes across two developments within Phase 1 of the project, and has submitted detailed plans for
By Tom Roche, Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance Twenty years ago, a piece of regulatory guidance quietly set a ceiling, quite literally, on what a warehouse could be without sprinklers. That 18 metre height limit in Approved Document B was, at the time, an outer boundary to signal a
When Geoff and Christine Stephenson decided to downsize to a new build bungalow, they knew it would be a positive move for their health and independence. What they didn’t expect was to find themselves reconnecting with old friends – and becoming part of a close‑knit community almost as soon as
Flexible workspace provider, Canvas Offices, has announced the appointment of Kit Naidoo as its new Finance Director. Bringing a wealth of experience from both the ‘big four’ and flexible office space sector, Kit boasts a proven track record in leading finance teams to advance and scale businesses at different stages
A landmark £1bn regeneration project set to transform part of north London into one of the UK’s largest film and television production destinations has received planning approval from Camden Council. The Camden Film Quarter development at Regis Road in Kentish Town will combine world-class production facilities, creative workspaces, education opportunities and new homes within a single mixed-use masterplan, creating a major new hub for the capital’s rapidly growing screen industry. At the heart of the scheme will be 11 purpose-built sound stages operated by Oxygen Studios, alongside more than 100,000 sq ft of creative workspace designed to support production companies, digital businesses and wider creative enterprises. The development will also deliver 485 new homes, with half of the properties designated as affordable housing. Housing provider Places for People will be responsible for delivering 243 affordable homes as part of the wider neighbourhood. Designed by architecture practice SPPARC, the masterplan seeks to create a fully integrated creative ecosystem where production, education, employment and residential communities can thrive alongside one another. A key feature of the project is the inclusion of educational facilities, with both the National Film and Television School and London Screen Academy set to establish a presence within the development. Together, the facilities are expected to support more than 500 learners, helping to create a direct pathway between education, skills development and employment opportunities within the screen sector. Developers estimate that the completed scheme will support almost 4,000 direct jobs, while generating more than 5,000 additional employment opportunities across the wider economy. Beyond the studios and housing, the plans include 1.1 hectares of public open space, the planting of 301 new trees, a new recycling facility and the restoration of the Grade II-listed Kentish Town Police Station, helping to preserve an important piece of local heritage. Yoo Capital, the developer behind the project, describes Camden Film Quarter as far more than a studio development, positioning it as a destination that brings together culture, education, employment and community within a single vision. The approval marks a significant boost for London’s creative economy at a time when demand for studio space continues to rise, driven by ongoing investment from global film, television and streaming companies seeking high-quality production facilities across the UK. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leeds’ rapidly expanding build-to-rent market is set for another major boost after Winvic Construction secured a £130m contract to deliver two landmark residential towers close to the city centre. The scheme, which has recently cleared the Building Safety Regulator’s Gateway 2 approval process, will provide 578 professionally managed rental apartments on the former International Swimming Pool site, further strengthening Leeds’ position as one of the UK’s most active regional residential development markets. Winvic has been appointed by Lisbon Street Developments, a joint venture between Marrico Asset Management and Helios Real Estate, to deliver the project, with construction expected to commence during the fourth quarter of this year. The development will comprise two residential towers rising 33 and 22 storeys above a shared podium and basement structure. Alongside the new homes, residents will benefit from a range of amenities including roof terraces, balconies, communal facilities and commercial space designed to enhance the vibrancy of the wider neighbourhood. The project forms part of the ongoing regeneration of a strategically important city centre site that is being transformed into a thriving mixed-use destination. Winvic is already familiar with the location, having completed a 548-bed purpose-built student accommodation scheme there just six months ago. The build-to-rent development represents the third major phase of investment on the site, following the student accommodation project and an aparthotel currently under construction. Sustainability has been placed at the heart of the design, with the scheme targeting a Home Quality Mark 3.5-star rating. Environmental features will include photovoltaic solar panels, decentralised air source heat pumps and enhanced building fabric designed to reduce operational energy consumption and improve long-term performance. Mark Jones, Managing Director for Multi-Room at Winvic, said the project would deliver high-quality homes in a thriving city centre location while contributing to Leeds’ continued growth and regeneration. The latest investment reflects growing confidence in Leeds’ residential market, where demand for high-quality rental accommodation continues to rise. With strong employment growth, significant inward investment and a thriving city centre economy, Leeds is increasingly attracting institutional investment and large-scale residential development, helping to reshape the city’s skyline and support its long-term growth ambitions. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Transformative plans for Piccadilly Gardens are being shared with Manchester people ahead of a full planning application being submitted this summer. The vision behind the scheme – to make Piccadilly Gardens more colourful, more vibrant, safer and more inviting – was announced by the Council last autumn, with indicative images released to give a flavour of improvements. Since then, a delivery team has been appointed to design and build the scheme. The team has developed a detailed scheme to make that vision a reality. Newly-released images show for the first time how the designed scheme will look. Key elements include: A pre-planning consultation around the plans starts today, Wednesday 17 June, and will run until Wednesday 15 July with a view to a final planning application for the scheme being made this summer. Previous consultations have captured people’s opinions on Piccadilly Gardens, its challenges and what people want to see there – and these views have been heard loud and clear. This pre-planning consultation does not repeat what has gone before. Instead it sets out how the designs have responded to those views and asks for feedback on them to help inform the final planning submission. Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “We’re getting on with sorting out Piccadilly Gardens. We all want to see a space which Mancunians can be proud of – a welcoming and attractive environment which people want to spend time in. “So as well other initiatives which are delivering more police and more CCTV, we’re bringing forward this scheme to transform the public space. That means investment in more flowers, more greenery, a new welcome pavilion, a new and bigger playground and an altogether more inviting Piccadilly Gardens. A bright new chapter is just around the corner.” The Council and partners know that delivering a better Piccadilly Gardens cannot just be about physical improvements but requires improvements to how the area is managed and maintained – ensuring that it is not just better-looking but also better looked-after. This process has already started with changes including a strengthened police presence through GMP’s dedicated neighbourhood policing team, set up to tackle issues and concerns in Piccadilly Gardens, and improvements underway to CCTV. A new management model for Piccadilly Gardens is being developed in tandem with the physical plans and more details will be announced in due course with a fresh approach to public – private partnerships, community involvement and civic pride. Once the physical works are completed, the Council aims to ensure a regular stream of bespoke family-friendly activity and seasonal events to enjoy. The new scheme will complement other changes taking place in the immediate vicinity of the Gardens, including the major Rylands redevelopment (of the Grade II-listed former Debenhams building) which is creating a new office, retail and leisure destination, and the recently-approved plans to refurbish and improve One Piccadilly Gardens . Further planned improvements to the area around Piccadilly Gardens in the coming years will include a multi-million pound investment by Transport for Greater Manchester to create a new, modern transport interchange. The consultation runs until Wednesday 15 July with a view to a planning application for the transformed Piccadilly Gardens being submitted in the coming weeks. More information can be found at www.manchester.gov.uk/piccadillygardens In addition, people will be able to view the proposals, talk to the team involved and provide feedback during three half day drop-in sessions at Manchester Art Gallery in Mosley Street, just down the road from Piccadilly Gardens. Sessions will be held on Tuesday 23 June (1pm-5pm), Friday 26 June (10am-2pm) and Saturday 27 June (11am-3pm.) Engagement sessions around the plans for an enlarged play area will also be held in early years settings and schools. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Reds10 Group has completed a strategic investment in façade specialist Mad About Facades (MAF), strengthening Reds10’s vertically integrated, industrialised construction model by bringing façade design and delivery fully in-house, enhancing quality, efficiency and control across projects. Mad About Facades is a specialist façade and cladding contractor, delivering façade design, manufacture and installation across the defence, education and residential sectors. The business has grown rapidly since launching, with a team of nine employees supported by a workforce of up to 30 operatives delivering projects across the UK. Notable schemes include Single Living Accommodation for the Ministry of Defence, alongside education projects at Thomas Telford School and Connaught SEND School. Reds10 and Mad About Facades have worked together since February 2025, with Reds10 acting as a key client across MAF’s growing portfolio. The investment formalises this relationship, with Reds10 becoming a strategic shareholder, supporting the continued scaling of the business while strengthening Reds10’s ability to deliver façade packages as part of a fully integrated model. Façades are a key component of modern offsite construction, and this investment builds on Reds10 Group’s wider strategy to bring critical construction capabilities in-house, supporting more efficient programme delivery and greater coordination across complex projects. Last month, Reds10 Group completed a strategic investment in steel fabrication specialist ESL Fabrication Engineers (ESL), which specialises in the comprehensive delivery of steel fabrication across the UK, from manufacture and installation to repair and maintenance works. Mad About Facades joins ESL as part of the Reds10 Group, bringing the total number of companies in the Group to twelve, including Reds10 and its sister businesses. The Group structure brings together complementary businesses under one roof to drive the industrialisation of construction, supported by data-led processes and AI integration across the development lifecycle. Paul Ruddick, Chief Executive of Reds10 Group, said: “Bringing façade capability into the Group is an important step in strengthening our fully integrated model. Mad About Facades has an excellent reputation for quality and delivery, and this investment allows us to align façade design and manufacture more closely with our wider operations. As we continue to grow, having this expertise in-house will be key to driving efficiency, innovation and consistency across our projects.” Warren Moses, Commercial Director of Mad About Facades, added: “Joining the Reds10 Group marks an exciting new chapter for Mad About Facades. We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved as a business, building our reputation on technical expertise, innovation and a commitment to delivering high-quality façade solutions. Reds10 has established itself as a leader in industrialised construction, and its vision closely aligns with our own ambitions for quality, efficiency and continuous improvement. By becoming part of the Group, we can combine our specialist façade expertise with a fully integrated delivery model, creating significant opportunities for growth, collaboration and innovation.” The investment follows Reds10’s continued growth and its ambition to further expand its presence across key sectors, including defence, education, justice and health, alongside an increasing focus on affordable housing and temporary accommodation. Reds10 manufactures all its buildings off-site at its advanced construction facility in Driffield, East Yorkshire, where it operates five factories totalling 300,000 sq ft. By investing in its own capabilities and supply chain, the Group is able to deliver sustainable, high-quality buildings with greater certainty, from concept through to completion. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
OCU Group today announces the acquisition of Volta Energy Group (“Volta”), an Australian energy advisory, design, project delivery and high-voltage commissioning business specialising in the development and delivery of major energy infrastructure projects. The acquisition further strengthens OCU’s growing presence across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) and expands the Group’s capability across the full energy project lifecycle, from early-stage development and advisory services through to project delivery and operational support as an integrated end-to-end solution provider for clients. With offices in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, Volta has established a strong reputation for supporting large-scale renewable energy, transmission, datacentre, and energy infrastructure projects through a combination of technical expertise, commercial insight and practical delivery experience. Volta is an Approved Contractor in the state of Victoria, enabling the company to work on regulated electricity networks. The accreditation process is highly selective, with only a small number of companies achieving the exacting standards required for approval. The acquisition adds upstream grid connection, power systems studies and early-stage advisory capability – improving visibility of pipeline, grid constraints and project origination, alongside scarce downstream expertise in commissioning, substations, BESS and system integration. The addition of Volta to the Group further positions OCU as being able to offer a broader integrated service proposition across Australia and New Zealand, combining strategic advisory and design, project development and delivery expertise. “Volta adds an important capability to our growing Australia & New Zealand operations” said Sheldon Upton, CEO of OCU Group (ANZ). “The team brings deep expertise in energy project development, commercial advisory and project delivery, complementing the construction and engineering capabilities already established within OCU. Together, we are creating a stronger proposition for clients seeking support across the entire infrastructure lifecycle.” Ryan McKenzie, Managing Director of Volta added: “Volta was founded on the belief that successful energy projects require a combination of technical excellence, commercial understanding and practical delivery experience. Joining OCU Group gives us access to a broader international platform while allowing us to continue supporting clients with the same specialist expertise and collaborative approach that has underpinned our growth.” Australia’s energy market continues to evolve rapidly, creating demand for partners that can support projects from concept through to delivery. Volta’s experience in development, grid connection and project advisory adds significant value to OCU’s existing offering and strengthens the team’s ability to support clients as projects continue to become increasingly complex. The move further supports OCU’s disciplined international expansion strategy and continues to build the Group’s capability across renewable energy, power infrastructure and the wider energy transition market throughout Australia and New Zealand. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bellway has completed a deal to buy two additional land parcels at Linmere in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, with plans to build 236 more homes in the new neighbourhood. The housebuilder has already built 307 homes across two developments within Phase 1 of the project, and has submitted detailed plans for a further 161 homes within Phase 3. The new land parcels are within Phase 4 of Linmere and are covered by the outline planning permission in place for the wider project. Bellway will now finalise its detailed plans for submission to Central Bedfordshire Council, which will bring the total number of homes it is delivering as part of the scheme to more than 700. Neil Grainger, Land Director for Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “We have been part of the Linmere project since the start, and this latest land acquisition confirms our commitment to the delivery of high-quality housing in Houghton Regis. “We have completed over 300 homes to date within Phase 1, and are now looking forward to starting work on homes within Phase 3 subject to detailed planning consent. “Linmere is already becoming a well-established community, thanks to the focus on placemaking and provision of new facilities at an early stage within the neighbourhood. “Primary and secondary-age children are already benefitting from modern new school buildings, while the Farmstead community hub and Lidl supermarket put day-to-day amenities within walking distance for residents and provide a focal point for the community. “Linmere also features extensive areas of attractive open space with trees, footpaths and cycleways, enabling people to spend leisure time outdoors, which is so important for health and wellbeing.” Outline planning permission for Linmere was granted in 2014 and covers a development of up to 5,150 homes, a mixed-use local centre, schools, community facilities and public open space. Bellway received detailed planning permission for 153 homes at Bellway at Linmere, off Sundon Road, in 2020, while plans for a further 154 homes at Linmere Gateway, off Waterslade Way, were approved in 2021. The final homes here are now available to reserve. Detailed plans for Linmere Mews, in Phase 3 off Woodside Link Road, were submitted in August last year. This part of the project has been planned to comprise 161 houses and apartments, including 137 two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses for private sale, and 24 affordable one to four-bedroom homes for low-cost rent or shared ownership. For more information about Bellway’s homes at Linmere, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/northern-home-counties/linmere-gateway Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
By Tom Roche, Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance Twenty years ago, a piece of regulatory guidance quietly set a ceiling, quite literally, on what a warehouse could be without sprinklers. That 18 metre height limit in Approved Document B was, at the time, an outer boundary to signal a building that was going taller than perhaps the norm. Two decades on, warehouses look very different. The question is whether our thinking about protecting them has kept pace. I wrote recently about the sky’s the limit mentality driving speculative warehouse development. Buildings pushing past 18 metres that are designed apparently without full awareness of what the regulatory guidance requires and what fire protection can actually deliver at those heights. But height alone is not the whole story. The warehouses being built and occupied today present a more challenging fire risk than those the guidance was written for, and it is time the industry faced that honestly. The fuel load alone tells a story in itself. Modern logistics is driven by density. Automated storage and retrieval systems, multi-level mezzanines, and high-bay racking have transformed what sits inside these buildings. Where a warehouse twenty years ago might have held palletised goods with some degree of spacing and emerging plastics, today’s equivalent is a tightly packed, vertically stacked environment designed for maximum efficiency. Some systems extract every cubic metre of value from the building envelope. More goods are stored higher and closer together creating a predominance of plastic items and containers. The fire load has grown substantially, and with it, the potential rate of heat release in a fire. Electrical complexity Then there is the question of ignition sources. Where 20 years ago we were seeking to keep electrical installations out of the storage array. The electrification of the internal logistics environment has accelerated sharply in another direction. Automated guided vehicles, battery-charging infrastructure, conveyor systems and increasingly sophisticated control electronics are now embedded throughout the storage array itself, not just in ancillary areas. Each represents a potential ignition source, and unlike a forklift in an open aisle, many of these systems operate in and around the racking, in close proximity to the very commodity they are supposed to move efficiently. The electrical complexity inside a modern warehouse bears little resemblance to the relatively simple environments that informed earlier thinking on fire risk. Multi-level working adds another dimension. Intermediate floors and mezzanine structures, increasingly common as operators seek to maximise usable floorspace, create environments where fire behaviour becomes harder to predict and harder to suppress. Sprinkler design standards have kept pace with these configurations and the installations are complex. The result is a growing number of buildings where the occupier’s aspirations for how the space will function, and the technical capability of available fire protection systems need careful coordination otherwise they will be moving in opposite directions. A similar lesson It is worth recalling the lessons being learned, somewhat painfully, in the car park sector. Research commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive1 and incidents such as the Addenbrooke Hospital car park fire have confirmed that modern car park fires behave very differently from those the existing regulatory guidance was written for. Higher vehicle fire loads, greater parking density and the growing presence of electric vehicles have changed the risk profile significantly. The conclusion being drawn in that sector, that regulations built on historic assumptions are no longer sufficient, applies equally here. Warehouses twenty years on are not the warehouses the guidance was designed for. The fuel loads are heavier, the ignition sources more numerous, the configurations more complex. The industry needs to acknowledge that compliance with historic guidance is a floor, not a ceiling, and that the fire protection challenge has changed. Running out of road in silence is not an option. For more information about the Business Sprinkler Alliance visit www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
When Geoff and Christine Stephenson decided to downsize to a new build bungalow, they knew it would be a positive move for their health and independence. What they didn’t expect was to find themselves reconnecting with old friends – and becoming part of a close‑knit community almost as soon as they moved in. The couple, both 74, moved into a believe housing home at Bishops Park in Bishop Auckland in 2024, drawn by the comfort and convenience of a bungalow. Although sad to leave their previous home and neighbours, Geoff and Christine quickly began uncovering connections with new neighbours, including Allyson and John Gibson and Trudie and Melvin Thompson, who had also moved into believe housing bungalows. Some of those connections stretch back decades. Allison and Trudy were firm friends at school, attending St Helen’s Primary and King James, where they remember sitting together in class and occasionally playing truant. Years later, they worked together at the nearby Claremont clothing factory, along with Christine, who spent more than 35 years of her working life there during its time as Steinberg’s and Sara Lee Courtaulds. Together, these shared histories, alongside new friendships, have helped create a supportive, caring community, giving neighbours a real sense of safety, belonging and connection. Geoff said: “We had a good relationship from about day five, and it’s stayed strong. It makes a real difference to how you feel about where you live. We’re alright here, we’ve certainly got good neighbours and it’s a lovely place.” Trudie added: “It’s just nice to know you can call on each other, rely on each other and watch out for one another.” Bishops Park is being developed by Vistry (Linden Homes) and will eventually provide around 500 new homes. Of these, 200 are being delivered by not-for-profit housing association believe housing, offering a mix of homes for social and affordable rent as well as others through affordable routes to home ownership. Kate Abson, Director of Assets and Development at believe housing, said: “We’re seeing firsthand how the right home, in the right place, can support people’s health, independence and quality of life. “From first homes to family houses and accessible bungalows, this development is already making a positive difference to the people who live here, and it’s fantastic to see how well residents are now settling into their new homes and their new community. “We work closely with our partners to deliver high‑quality, energy‑efficient new homes for customers, but it’s also just as important to us to see such a strong sense of community forming so quickly, where people feel safe, settled and proud of where they live.” For more information about believe housing’s new build homes, including at Bishops Park, visit developments | believe housing. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Flexible workspace provider, Canvas Offices, has announced the appointment of Kit Naidoo as its new Finance Director. Bringing a wealth of experience from both the ‘big four’ and flexible office space sector, Kit boasts a proven track record in leading finance teams to advance and scale businesses at different stages of development. Established in 2018 by founding partners, Yaron and Oren Rosenblum, Canvas Offices provides bespoke, design-led flexible workspaces throughout London. Since the company launched, it has sourced, refurbished and launched 16 office buildings in prime locations including Mayfair, Shoreditch and Holborn. Now focused on increasing market share across London and overseas – while ensuring the Canvas brand is positioned at the forefront of the flexible workspace sector – Kit’s appointment comes at an exciting time for the business. Here, she will play a key role in integrating new technologies and in incorporating strategic finance leadership to ensure the business can keep pace with industry trends and developments, all while driving continued growth and expansion. Commenting on her new role, Kit said: “The role of finance is continuously evolving and has now moved beyond just numbers. For me, it’s about working closely with the leadership team to help deliver a proactive strategy that really shapes and helps drive growth. “Canvas Offices is at a really exciting stage, where one of my initial priorities will be building core financial and operational foundations that will support the business as it continues to scale. This includes embedding more agile systems to enable faster, smarter decisions, while allowing the business to respond proactively to industry trends and developments. I am already enjoying working with the team and look forward to playing a key role in this next growth phase.” Yaron Rosenblum, Co-Founder of Canvas, added: “We’re excited to welcome Kit to Canvas Offices. She brings impressive financial expertise, together with a modern and collaborative approach to leadership that aligns perfectly with our culture and ambitions for future growth and development – particularly when it comes to technology. Having already made an early impact, we are in no doubt that her people-focused mindset and strategic approach will be invaluable as we continue to expand the Canvas brand and strengthen our position within the flexible workspace market.” Headquartered in High Holborn, Canvas boasts an average 92% occupancy rate across its portfolio, with its spaces home to hundreds of thriving businesses – including leading brands such as Rough Trade, Stockx, Football Co, and Augustinus Bader. For further information please visit: https://canvasoffices.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals