Specialist logistics developer Padrock has submitted plans to speculatively develop a 245,000 sq ft Grade A urban multi-let industrial (MLI) and logistics development in Elstree, Hertfordshire. The proposed scheme will comprise 13 units ranging from 10,500 sq ft to 130,000 sq ft and have a gross development value of around
MILWAUKEE® introduces its latest addition to the job site the M18™ Lift Air Fan, built for versatility and quick adjustments. Built for demanding job sites, this fan delivers powerful personal cooling with full airflow control, a quick‑adjust scissor lift mount, and all‑day versatility on the MILWAUKEE® M18™ battery platform. The
Lincoln’s retail sector is set to receive another boost this summer as fashion brand Superdry prepares to open a new flagship-style store at the Waterside shopping centre, reinforcing confidence in well-located retail destinations and the continued evolution of the UK’s high street. The retailer has secured an 11,200 sq ft
Millions of homeowners waiting for permission to extend their homes, convert lofts or make other improvements could see faster decisions, with two new AI tools unveiled today (Wednesday 17th June) to modernise England’s planning system. The first is a new AI prototype that aims to halve the time it takes
BW: Workplace Experts (BW) is introducing mandatory raspberry hi-vis for subcontractor operatives across all its new fit out projects, creating a standardised identification system which is currently spanning 14 live sites and 137 supply chain partners. The London-based fit out contractor is implementing the raspberry hi-vis for all subcontractor operatives
Accent, who has head offices in Bradford and Peterborough, is celebrating double success at this year’s Housing Heroes Awards, recognising both its commitment to customer voice and the people-first culture they have built together over the past 18 months. Accent winners included customer Richard Wilkinson, who received the Lifetime Achievement
FIS has launched a short, targeted e-learning module: The Building Safety Act Wales 2026 to help contractors, designers and specialists prepare for significant changes to building regulations in Wales coming into force on 1st July 2026. From that date, a new building safety regime will come into force in Wales,
Specialist logistics developer Padrock has submitted plans to speculatively develop a 245,000 sq ft Grade A urban multi-let industrial (MLI) and logistics development in Elstree, Hertfordshire. The proposed scheme will comprise 13 units ranging from 10,500 sq ft to 130,000 sq ft and have a gross development value of around £120m. The 17-acre brownfield site was acquired by Padrock in March this year and is located adjacent to the established Centennial Park business estate in Elstree. The site is also strategically positioned next to the A1, three miles from the M1 and six miles from the M25, providing strong connectivity to central London and the national road network. All units at the development have been designed to deliver best-in-class sustainability credentials including BREEAM Outstanding and EPC A+ ratings, plus alignment with EU Taxonomy objectives. Subject to planning, construction is anticipated to commence in autumn of this year, with practical completion expected in late 2027. Padrock founding partner, Mark Symonds, said: “Our plans will provide Elstree with a highly sustainable economic asset that will help satisfy the latent demand in the region for high-specification, new-build urban MLI accommodation. “Our scheme will appeal to a wide range of occupiers due to the versatility and flexibility of our proposals and the diversity of tenants we would hope to attract would be one of its strengths. “With all of our developments we want to create outstanding sustainable environments with excellent connectivity for businesses to grow, employ people and achieve their commercial objectives. “We intend for our Elstree scheme to be another great example of Padrock’s distinct approach to development and we now look forward to our plans being heard at committee.” Headquartered in London, Padrock is a property developer and asset manager which specialises in sustainable urban MLI and logistics assets across the UK and Europe. The company has around 1m sq ft of Grade A MLI and logistics accommodation under construction or ready for development with a combined gross development value of £500m. Its current development portfolio also includes Hertford Logistics Hub in Hertford, Dagenham Logistics Hub and Leyton Logistics Hub, both in east London, and Erith Logistics Hub in south east London. For more information on the company, search ‘Padrock’. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MILWAUKEE® introduces its latest addition to the job site the M18™ Lift Air Fan, built for versatility and quick adjustments. Built for demanding job sites, this fan delivers powerful personal cooling with full airflow control, a quick‑adjust scissor lift mount, and all‑day versatility on the MILWAUKEE® M18™ battery platform. The integrated variable speed dial provides precise control, allowing users to adjust airflow to suit the application and job site conditions. Featuring up to 350° of horizontal fan head rotation and up to 210° of vertical tilt, this fan delivers exceptional control to direct airflow exactly where it is needed. A quick adjust clamp design enables fast, secure mounting to any scissor lift, reducing setup time and keeping airflow where operators need it. Designed for maximum compatibility, the quick adjust clamp securely mounts to both square and round rails, allowing the fan to be installed in seconds on any scissor lift. An integrated tether point allows attachment of a tool lanyard, providing added security when used at height. Engineered with an impact‑resistant housing and protection against dust and water ingress, the fan is built to withstand demanding job site conditions. Powered by a high‑performance brushless motor, this fan delivers airflow speeds of up to 30 km/h and a volume of 1.274 m³/h, optimised for personal cooling in demanding commercial job site environments. Delivering dependable run time, the fan operates for up to 3.5 hours on high and up to 8 hours at 75% speed when paired with an M18™ 5.0 Ah REDLITHIUM™ battery. Specifications M18™ Lift Air Fan M18 LAF-0 Kit Includes: (1) M18™ LAF To find out more about M18™ Lift Air Fan see video footage of it in action or find your nearest store, please visit www.milwaukeetool.eu. Visit Milwaukee Tool UK’s Instagram and LinkedIn for further information. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Lincoln’s retail sector is set to receive another boost this summer as fashion brand Superdry prepares to open a new flagship-style store at the Waterside shopping centre, reinforcing confidence in well-located retail destinations and the continued evolution of the UK’s high street. The retailer has secured an 11,200 sq ft unit across two floors within the popular retail and leisure destination, with fit-out works now underway ahead of an anticipated opening at the end of July. The new store has been designed to provide dedicated retail environments for both menswear and womenswear, with the ground floor showcasing the brand’s women’s collections and the upper floor focused on men’s fashion. The arrival of Superdry further strengthens Waterside’s occupier mix, joining a portfolio of established national retailers including H&M, Next, Rituals, The Body Shop, New Look, Accessorize and Office. The announcement represents another positive milestone for Waterside following recent investment by property developer and investor Wykeland Group. Wykeland initially acquired the 130,000 sq ft shopping centre through a joint venture with Lincolnshire Co-op in 2023 before taking full ownership earlier this year, signalling its long-term commitment to the destination. Jason Platten, Head of Retail and Leisure at Wykeland, described Superdry as a major addition to the centre, noting that the retailer’s decision to invest in Waterside reflects growing confidence in the scheme’s strong footfall and its position at the heart of Lincoln’s retail and leisure offer. He added that Wykeland remains committed to investing in the centre to enhance the customer experience while attracting high-quality occupiers that support its long-term success and strengthen its appeal to both shoppers and brands. For Superdry, the opening forms part of its wider strategy to invest in physical retailing, recognising the continued importance of well-designed stores in delivering engaging customer experiences alongside its online channels. Founder and Chief Executive Julian Dunkerton said the new Lincoln store reflects the company’s commitment to creating attractive retail environments that showcase the brand’s evolving identity while bringing its latest collections closer to customers. The investment highlights the continued resilience of high-quality regional retail destinations, with landlords increasingly focused on curating strong tenant mixes and investing in their assets to create vibrant, experience-led environments that support long-term commercial success. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Millions of homeowners waiting for permission to extend their homes, convert lofts or make other improvements could see faster decisions, with two new AI tools unveiled today (Wednesday 17th June) to modernise England’s planning system. The first is a new AI prototype that aims to halve the time it takes to process householder planning applications – down from eight, to four weeks in an average case. It is in early stage testing with Barnet, Camden and Dorset councils. The prototype triages applications, summarises key information and provides planning officers with an initial assessment they can consider when making their decision. It has been created by Government together with Google DeepMind, Google Cloud, Faculty and local planning authorities. The second is that another tool, Extract, is now available to all councils in England as promised by the Prime Minister last year. It uses AI to help planning officers convert decades-old planning documents and maps, sometimes with handwritten notes, into readily useable data in minutes. Householder applications account for nearly 70% of planning applications each year. By reducing the time spent on straightforward cases, the prototype being tested in Barnet, Camden and Dorset could help planning officers focus more on complex applications, including new housing and major developments communities rely on. If successful, the technology will be rolled out nationwide by 2027 – with every assessment reviewed and approved by a qualified planning officer before any decision is made. The announcement marks another step in the government’s commitment to build 1.5 million homes and use technology to improve public services. Minister for Data and Modern Digital Government Ian Murray said: “When someone wants to add a bedroom or convert their loft, they shouldn’t be waiting months for a straightforward decision. And planning officers shouldn’t be spending hours digging through decades of paper records when making the decisions that really matter. “These tools give planning officers better support to make quicker decisions – and give families the answers they deserve, faster. “This isn’t about replacing the expertise and judgement of planning professionals; it’s about taking admin off their desks so they can focus on the skilled work their communities need most.” Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook said: “Our planning system remains heavily reliant on cumbersome paper-based processes that consume the time of expert planning officers and cause delays on even the most routine types of application. “We are dragging the system into the twenty-first century by harnessing the power of AI to streamline the planning application process, freeing up planners to make quicker and better decisions and reducing unnecessary delays.” Naisha Polaine, Executive Director for Growth at Barnet Council said: “The tool’s ability to collect relevant information, undertake a provisional assessment, and draft the foundations of a report has the potential to save significant officer time spent working on the administration of planning applications and direct this to speeding up the decision-making process for residents. “In turn, this will contribute significantly to delivering our house building growth targets in the borough.” From today, Extract is now available to all local planning authorities in England. It will slash the estimated 250,000 hours a year spent by planning officers manually checking these documents. Digitising and publishing these documents, as data, helps officers and the public access high-quality planning data more easily, and create the right foundation for the next generation of tools that could dramatically reduce delays that plague the system. Around 350,000 planning applications are submitted a year in England, yet the system remains heavily reliant on checking old documents. For every application, planning officers must check the local planning rules that apply, many of which are hidden away in hundreds of pages of documents, before reaching a decision. This represents a step-change in productivity, freeing up thousands of hours for planning officers to focus on decision-making to speed up housebuilding. It will also accelerate the delivery of much-needed housing, improve reliability in the planning process, reduce costs and save time for councils and developers. It comes as the Government laid regulations in Parliament earlier this month to overhaul planning committees – speeding up decisions on small planning applications, such as larger home extensions and loft conversions, through a new National Scheme of Delegation. Marc Waner, CEO of Faculty, CTO of Accenture, said: “For decades, England’s gummed up planning system has slowed families seeking simple home improvements – like new windows, or attic conversions. “By using AI to support planning officers with clear recommendations – with humans retaining final sign off – we will help cut approval times on simple renovations in half. “This will give councils more time and resource to focus on the bigger infrastructure projects that will improve communities and drive economic growth.” Lila Ibrahim, Chief AI Readiness Officer, Google DeepMind said: “The UK has an opportunity to build the homes our communities need, but local councils face a mountain of paperwork. “That’s why we’re co-creating a sophisticated planning tool directly with councils to solve real-world bottlenecks. This will help significantly cut decision times, freeing up planners to focus on the future to get Britain building faster.” Following trials across 20 local planning authorities in England including Exeter and Hillingdon, Extract is expected to save the average council around 255 hours of manual work digesting documents into digital form. This is down from more than 500 – giving staff more valuable time back to focus on complex work that delivers value for the communities they serve. Last year the Prime Minister announced that Extract would be made available to every local planning authority in England by Spring 2026 – today the government is delivering on that commitment. Extract was developed by the Government’s expert applied AI team, the Incubator for AI (i.AI), working with MHCLG’s Digital Planning programme. You can read more about i.AI’s work here: https://ai.gov.uk/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
BW: Workplace Experts (BW) is introducing mandatory raspberry hi-vis for subcontractor operatives across all its new fit out projects, creating a standardised identification system which is currently spanning 14 live sites and 137 supply chain partners. The London-based fit out contractor is implementing the raspberry hi-vis for all subcontractor operatives working across its new project sites, forming part of a three-colour identification system. BW project teams wear black hi-vis, visitors wear white, and subcontractor operatives wear raspberry. In the past 30 days alone, more than 1,660 operatives from 137 partner companies have signed in across BW sites, accounting for almost 19,000 individual site entries by its supply chain. On active fit out and refurbishment projects, where multiple trades and subcontractors often work simultaneously, clear identification plays an important role in supporting day-to-day coordination, emergency response and workforce wellbeing. BW’s colour-coded system gives site teams an immediate reference point to understand who is on site and their relationship to the project. Lorna Killick, Head of Business Transformation at BW: Workplace Experts, said: “On a busy site, you can have dozens of people from different companies working in the same space. Knowing who is on site, who they work for and whether they’re supposed to be there is an important part of running a safe, well-managed project. “We wanted a system that reinforced our commitment to Defect Free project journeys by enhancing the full site experience from day one. Where safety messages sometimes blend into the background, particularly in environments where people are exposed to the same visual cues every day, raspberry is an unmistakeable signal of a BW site member. It stands out. “This isn’t about changing hi-vis for the sake of it. It’s about creating consistency across our projects and supply chain. The colour is becoming a shorthand for accountability, familiarity and looking out for each other.” Unlike project-specific branded PPE, which is commonplace in the industry, the standardised raspberry hi-vis can be used by operatives as they move between BW projects. This creates a consistent experience for returning supply chain partners while reducing the waste associated with single-project PPE that cannot be used elsewhere. To mark the roll-out of the initiative, BW has launched a ‘Raspberry Week’ campaign from 22-26 June 2026, turning its logo, website, sites and support centre raspberry to highlight the thinking behind the policy and encourage conversation about visibility and accountability in live construction environments. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Accent, who has head offices in Bradford and Peterborough, is celebrating double success at this year’s Housing Heroes Awards, recognising both its commitment to customer voice and the people-first culture they have built together over the past 18 months. Accent winners included customer Richard Wilkinson, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Accent’s Culture and People team, who were named Team of the Year (Over 10,000 homes). 72-year-old Richard, from Bradford, is not only a long-standing customer of 35 years, but he was also Accent’s only customer Board member, helping ensure that customers’ voices are heard at the very highest level. His journey with Accent reflects something deeper than tenancy, it is a lifelong commitment to community, fairness and making a difference to his community and the wider sector. Richard said: “I was honoured and humbled to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award. I do so really on behalf of hundreds of residents who, over the years, have worked with landlords to improve outcomes for customers and their communities.” Nick Apetroaie, CEO at Accent, added: “I am incredibly proud of everything we’re achieving at Accent. Our investment in people and culture is making a real difference, and it’s fantastic to see that recognised. Congratulations to our Culture and People team on this well-deserved award, and to Richard Wilkinson, whose dedication and contribution to Accent and the wider housing sector have been truly exceptional. I’d also like to congratulate all of this year’s finalists from Accent and across the sector.” Debbie Hinbest, Executive Director of People and Culture, said: “I am beyond proud to see Accent recognised through awards that celebrate the outstanding work taking place across our organisation. These achievements reflect the dedication, passion and commitment of our colleagues and customers, who work every day to make a difference. “Our People Strategy is more than a plan on paper. It is brought to life by leaders and colleagues who care deeply about creating a great place to work, helping people thrive and enabling us to deliver the very best service for our customers. “Accent is a place to grow, belong and make a difference together. A special congratulations to Richard on this well-deserved recognition.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
FIS has launched a short, targeted e-learning module: The Building Safety Act Wales 2026 to help contractors, designers and specialists prepare for significant changes to building regulations in Wales coming into force on 1st July 2026. From that date, a new building safety regime will come into force in Wales, introducing fundamental changes to how building work is regulated, approved and enforced. While closely aligned with the principles of the Building Safety Act 2022 introduced in England, the Welsh system is not identical and will operate through different regulators, processes and documentation requirements. What is changing in Wales? Wales is introducing a dutyholder‑led regulatory framework that applies to all regulated building work, with additional and more stringent requirements for higher‑risk buildings (HRBs). The system has strong parallels with the English regime, but there are important practical differences that contractors, designers and specialists need to understand. Key features of the Welsh regime include: A significant difference from the English system is that Wales has not created a standalone Building Safety Regulator. Higher‑risk buildings and enforcement remain within the jurisdiction of local authority building control, with different approval routes, statutory declarations and appeal mechanisms. The Welsh regime also defines higher‑risk buildings more broadly, capturing buildings with at least one residential unit as well as hospitals and care homes with overnight stays. What the FIS Wales 2026 module covers The new FIS training module is targeted at those who have already completed the Introduction to the Building Safety Act and now need to understand how the Welsh system works in practice. It provides: Preparing for July 2026 Transitional provisions mean that some projects already in the system before 1st July 2026 will continue under the current arrangements. However, any project that has not deposited full plans or secured acceptance of an initial notice by that date will need to comply with the new Welsh regime from the outset. With increased emphasis on competence, accountability and documented compliance, now is the right time for organisations to ensure their teams understand how the Welsh system operates. FIS remains committed to supporting the finishes and interiors sector through the biggest regulatory change in a generation. Alongside this new Wales‑specific module, FIS continues to provide guidance, training and practical tools to help members manage risk, improve safety and remain compliant. To access the course, visit the FIS E-Learning Academy. For any questions about the regulations contact the FIS team at info@thefis.org or 0121 707 0077. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals