The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) is set to consider and approve additional funding of £2 million so that construction of a new bridge at Fletton Quays can start this year. The request for funding will first be heard at the meeting of CPCA’s Investment Committee on Monday 13
The University of Salford has submitted a planning application for a cutting-edge Acoustics Building, poised to bring world-class research facilities to Crescent Salford’s rapidly developing innovation zone. The 1,300m² facility will house the university’s renowned Acoustics Department, consolidating its teaching, research, and commercial activities in a purpose-built environment. The new
Thames Water has issued a Periodic Indicative Notice (PIN) to update potential suppliers and investors about the next phase of its market engagement programme, aimed at supporting the development of a new reservoir in Oxfordshire. The proposed reservoir, with a capacity of up to 150 million cubic meters and a
Plans for a cutting-edge Day Case Surgery and Imaging Centre at Harrogate District Hospital are moving ahead, following the signing of a construction contract between Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) and Morgan Sindall Construction. The £50 million project, funded by HDFT and NHS England, will see the construction
Vistry Group has joined forces with Paradigm Housing Group and Leaf Living to deliver 370 homes on a newly acquired site in Kidlington, near Oxford. The development, situated near Oxford Parkway station and Oxford Park and Ride, has outline planning permission. Vistry is collaborating with Cherwell District Council to finalise
Bellway is finalising its Indigo Park development in Chichester as the three-year construction project approaches completion. The housebuilder has transformed the former Portfield Quarry and UMA House site off Shopwhyke Road into a collection of new houses and apartments. A total of 66 properties at the 88-home development have now
McCoy Contractors is playing a pivotal role in the £40 million redevelopment of Coundon Court School in Coventry. The project is part of the Department for Education’s 10-year Schools Rebuilding Programme. Working alongside main contractor Wates Construction, McCoy Contractors has successfully delivered an extensive groundworks package for two key structures,
Laing O’Rourke has officially handed the Everton FC’s new stadium over to the football club, after three and a half years’ construction work. Wxecutive Chairman Marc Watts and Interim CEO Colin Chong joined Laing O’Rourke Project Director Gareth Jacques for a ceremonial handover of the stadium. Everton will now oversee
The majority of the major infrastructure project to transform Bradford city centre is now complete. All major changes to the road network, the new bus loop, and the pedestrian core area are in place. Construction work began in July 2023 as part of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities
The sale of two plots of the Perry Barr Residential Scheme to Legal & General Affordable Homes will deliver 487 affordable homes, including a mix of rental and Shared Ownership properties. This, combined with another plot retained by Birmingham City Council for council housing, brings the total number of affordable
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) is set to consider and approve additional funding of £2 million so that construction of a new bridge at Fletton Quays can start this year. The request for funding will first be heard at the meeting of CPCA’s Investment Committee on Monday 13 January 2025. The CPCA’s Investment Committee will be asked to recommend the funding request, known as a change request, for approval at the Combined Authority Board in March. The project has received funding through Peterborough City Council’s successful Towns Fund bid, which secured £2m specifically for this initiative. Furthermore, £955,024 of developer contributions has been allocated, with the Combined Authority providing match funding. An additional £2m is now required to be able to begin construction for the following reasons: Following a successful public consultation, the bridge was named Cygnet Bridge and is a crucial infrastructure project to enhance connectivity and drive footfall to Fletton Quays, an area of the city which has seen a large amount of investment. Councillor Nick Thulbourn, Cabinet Member for Growth and Regeneration, said: “If the additional funding request is approved, it will be a critical step towards realising our future vision for Fletton Quays. “As the area develops, the need for a bridge will become increasingly apparent, especially with the addition of key projects like the Goods Shed. The bridge will serve as a cornerstone of the area’s development, providing essential infrastructure to better connect people. It is fantastic that we have been able to attract Government funding through the Towns Fund to help deliver such a vital project.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The University of Salford has submitted a planning application for a cutting-edge Acoustics Building, poised to bring world-class research facilities to Crescent Salford’s rapidly developing innovation zone. The 1,300m² facility will house the university’s renowned Acoustics Department, consolidating its teaching, research, and commercial activities in a purpose-built environment. The new building will replace the current acoustics facilities in the Newton Building on the Peel Park campus and will be located in the Innovation Quarter along Frederick Road. Morgan Sindall Construction, a long-time collaborator with the university, has been appointed to deliver the project. The initiative follows the commencement of work on Salford Rise in September and marks the second milestone in the Crescent Innovation redevelopment. The Crescent partnership, which includes the University of Salford, Salford City Council, and the English Cities Fund (ECF)—a joint venture between Homes England, Legal & General, and Muse—aims to drive economic growth and strengthen links between academia, research, and business. The Acoustics Building will feature state-of-the-art, all-electric infrastructure, including highly efficient building services, photovoltaic panels, and advanced acoustic testing chambers recessed into the floor slab for accessibility. Designed to meet the highest technical and measurement standards, the facility will support Salford’s global reputation in acoustics and sound engineering. A new entrance will provide an enhanced experience for students and industry users, while the building’s design targets a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, incorporating low-energy, low-carbon technologies to reduce its environmental impact. Situated on a former industrial site on Lissadel Street within the 29-acre Crescent Innovation area, the building represents a major step in the area’s transformation. If approved, construction is set to begin in summer 2025, with completion expected by spring 2027. The project underscores the university’s commitment to sustainability and innovation while contributing to the ongoing regeneration of Salford. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Thames Water has issued a Periodic Indicative Notice (PIN) to update potential suppliers and investors about the next phase of its market engagement programme, aimed at supporting the development of a new reservoir in Oxfordshire. The proposed reservoir, with a capacity of up to 150 million cubic meters and a surface area of approximately 7 square kilometers, will serve as a key regional asset, providing water to 15 million people across the area. Designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, the reservoir was recently included in the company’s Water Resource Management Plan 2024, which was approved by the government. Set to be operational by 2040, the reservoir will support Thames Water, Southern Water, and Affinity Water in ensuring a safe and secure water supply during droughts. It will also help address the growing challenges of climate change and the increasing demands of a rising population. As part of its early market engagement, Thames Water is seeking to inform contractors and investors about the development of the reservoir, including the commercial and procurement strategies for two major opportunities: The market engagement also offers a chance for cross-sector discussions to align the project with market trends and gather insights from both contractors and investors. Interested organisations are invited to register for the SESRO spring market engagement event, which will take place on Monday 17 March 2025. Registration closes on Friday 24 January 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans for a cutting-edge Day Case Surgery and Imaging Centre at Harrogate District Hospital are moving ahead, following the signing of a construction contract between Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) and Morgan Sindall Construction. The £50 million project, funded by HDFT and NHS England, will see the construction of a two-storey facility housing state-of-the-art medical equipment and patient care areas. The new centre will include two operating theatres, two treatment rooms, a day case ward, and an imaging department, with construction set to begin in February 2025 and completion expected in 2026. The imaging department will feature enhanced diagnostic capabilities, including two MRI scanners, two CT scanners, three x-ray rooms, seven ultrasound scanners, bone density (Dexa) scanning, and fluoroscopy technology, which provides real-time imagery of tissues and organs. The centre will be built on the site of the former Therapy Services building, which was demolished earlier this year as part of the Trust’s initiative to eliminate reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) from its infrastructure. This project is the latest milestone in the Trust’s ongoing transformation programme, which has already delivered major upgrades, such as the redevelopment of Harrogate District Hospital’s Emergency Department, the establishment of Emergency Department 2 for minor injuries and illnesses, and the launch of a Community Diagnostic Centre at Ripon Community Hospital to provide faster access to tests and scans. Throughout the construction phase, patient care will remain uninterrupted, with services maintained and minimal disruption for patients, visitors, staff, and the local community. The building site will be self-contained, ensuring access to other hospital areas is unaffected. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Vistry Group has joined forces with Paradigm Housing Group and Leaf Living to deliver 370 homes on a newly acquired site in Kidlington, near Oxford. The development, situated near Oxford Parkway station and Oxford Park and Ride, has outline planning permission. Vistry is collaborating with Cherwell District Council to finalise a Reserved Matters application for the site. As part of its broader strategy, Vistry has pre-sold 139 homes to Paradigm Housing Group. These homes will be offered under shared ownership and affordable rent tenures, providing vital housing options for local residents. Additionally, Leaf Living has acquired 56 homes to be offered as private rentals. This marks another milestone in Leaf’s ongoing partnership with Vistry, announced last year. Vistry will also sell 46 homes under the First Homes scheme, offering discounted market rates for qualifying buyers, while the remaining 129 homes will be sold on the open market through its Bovis Homes brand. Beyond housing, the development will provide significant benefits to the local community. Plans include new allotments, public open spaces, play areas, and an on-site sports pitch. Vistry will also invest approximately £8 million in local infrastructure, including improvements to education, transport, and sports facilities. Construction is set to begin once final approvals are in place, with the site poised to deliver much-needed homes and amenities for the Kidlington area. Supriya Ray, Regional Managing Director of Vistry Cotswolds, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Paradigm and Leaf Living here in Kidlington. The site will deliver a significant number of high quality, mixed-tenure homes, giving local people a real chance to own or rent a new home, whilst we will also be providing a range of other community services and facilities. Additionally, we will utilise the quality of our Bovis Homes brand to sell the open-market homes, perfectly demonstrating the unique strengths of our Group.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bellway is finalising its Indigo Park development in Chichester as the three-year construction project approaches completion. The housebuilder has transformed the former Portfield Quarry and UMA House site off Shopwhyke Road into a collection of new houses and apartments. A total of 66 properties at the 88-home development have now been occupied, and work on the final homes is to be completed in March next year. The scheme is delivering 77 properties for private sale and 11 affordable homes for rent and shared ownership, alongside public open space with a children’s play area. The homes range from one and two-bedroom apartments to three and four-bedroom houses. As part of the planning agreement for the development, Bellway has contributed £230,120 towards improvement work on the A27 and £51,000 towards Chichester Harbour Special Protection Area. Daniel Williamson, sales director for Bellway South London, said: “As we approach the final stages of construction, it’s wonderful to see how a strong sense of community has developed here. “Indigo Park has welcomed a diverse range of residents, from first-time buyers and downsizers to growing families, attracted by the varied mix of apartments and houses, attainable prices and attractive location on the outskirts of Chichester. “We’re proud to have delivered a development which has provided high-quality new homes and breathed new life into a previously vacant brownfield site. “Alongside this, our financial contributions have supported vital infrastructure and environmental schemes which will benefit not only new residents but the wider community.” Bellway’s plans for the Indigo Park development were approved by Chichester District Council in November 2021 and construction work began on site in April the following year. The first residents moved into their homes in May 2023. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McCoy Contractors is playing a pivotal role in the £40 million redevelopment of Coundon Court School in Coventry. The project is part of the Department for Education’s 10-year Schools Rebuilding Programme. Working alongside main contractor Wates Construction, McCoy Contractors has successfully delivered an extensive groundworks package for two key structures, Block 1 and Block 2. The redevelopment aims to transform the school into a modern, net-zero carbon campus while preserving its historic buildings and respecting the surrounding green belt. Six outdated blocks are being demolished and replaced with three state-of-the-art teaching facilities. Meanwhile, four teaching blocks and two locally listed buildings will remain, blending modern infrastructure with the school’s heritage. Spanning a 3,500m² site, McCoy’s work has included earthworks, site drainage, concrete floor slabs, installation of new utility services, and hard landscaping. One of the project’s significant challenges has been ensuring the school remains operational during construction. This has required the creation of temporary classrooms, fencing, barriers, and alternate access routes to maintain a safe learning environment for students and staff. The redevelopment represents a key step forward in providing sustainable, future-ready educational facilities for Coundon Court School and its community. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Laing O’Rourke has officially handed the Everton FC’s new stadium over to the football club, after three and a half years’ construction work. Wxecutive Chairman Marc Watts and Interim CEO Colin Chong joined Laing O’Rourke Project Director Gareth Jacques for a ceremonial handover of the stadium. Everton will now oversee a six-month fit-out phase, with interior designers, tradespeople, and audio-visual engineers completing the stadium’s bars, restaurants, and other facilities. Laing O’Rourke will maintain a presence at the stadium in the early months of 2025 to ensure quality standards are met. Everton’s Executive Chairman Marc Watts said: “I feel privileged to be here today to be part of the handover of this magnificent stadium in this stunning, unrivalled location. It is an illustrious moment in the history of Everton and marks a new era for the Club on many levels. The stadium will play a key role in supporting our commercial vision for the Club – hosting events and activities all-year round – but first and foremost, I have no doubt that it will be a venue that every Evertonian will be proud to call home.” A series of three test events will take place in 2025 before the Club stages its first competitive fixture at the stadium at the start of the 2025/26 season. More information on how Evertonians can qualify for and access the test events will be released in the New Year. Everton Interim CEO Colin Chong added: “Our thanks go to Laing O’Rourke, their workforce and extensive supply chain, along with the many people who have helped bring our vision to fruition. “Everton’s passionate supporters deserve immense praise for investing fully in this journey, right from the initial consultation phases and throughout the three-and-a-half-year build process. “Construction has not been without its challenges, but we have remained on schedule despite a worldwide pandemic and a war in Ukraine, which threatened to affect the delivery of materials and destabilised financial markets. “That is a testament to everyone involved and I am sure I speak for all our staff and supporters by saying we are absolutely delighted to take control of a site which will soon become one the best football stadiums in world football. “I often describe our new home as Liverpool’s Fourth Grace, and I truly believe this magnificent stadium is one that the whole city can be proud of.” The Club formally took possession of the site on Monday, 26 July 2021, with construction partners Laing O’Rourke immediately working on putting in place welfare facilities for their 12,000 construction staff. Everton Stadium, recognised as the largest single-site private sector development in the country, will contribute an estimated £1.3bn to the UK economy and attract 1.4m visitors to the city of Liverpool, annually. The scheme, which has led to the creation of thousands of jobs and forms part of Peel L&P’s £5bn Liverpool Waters project in the city’s Northern Docks, will act as a catalyst for more than £650m worth of accelerated regeneration directly benefiting the nearby Ten Streets development. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The majority of the major infrastructure project to transform Bradford city centre is now complete. All major changes to the road network, the new bus loop, and the pedestrian core area are in place. Construction work began in July 2023 as part of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund. Key changes include a new Croft Street gyratory, a new pedestrian and cyclist crossing, and significant improvements around the National Science and Media Museum and Alhambra Theatre. The new bus loop connects key areas of the city centre, including North Parade, The Broadway Shopping Centre, and the university area. New cycleways and bus stops have been installed throughout the city centre. All new pedestrianised areas are now open to the public, creating a safer and more accessible space for pedestrians. Landscaping and planting are mostly complete, with the remaining work to be finished early in the new year. Work in the Norfolk Gardens area, the final piece of the project, is progressing well, with the majority of the groundwork now complete. The project team will return to the city centre after the festive break to complete this final section. Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport praised the work of those constructing the scheme and said: “The teams working on the scheme have pulled out all the stops to get the project to this stage in time for the Christmas break. “We are already seeing the benefits of moving the heavy traffic out of the core of the city centre. Air quality has improved, and the new traffic-free public spaces are making it easier to get around and between shopping and entertainment areas. “As each area has been opened up the feedback from the public has been great and we can’t wait to showcase Bradford to the country next year as the UK City of Culture. The remaining work at Norfolk Gardens to complete the project will begin in earnest in the new year and is scheduled to be completed in the next few months, creating a fantastic new green park in the heart of the city centre.” The Bradford City Centre Walking and Cycling Improvements project is being delivered through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund, which is a capital grant transport fund, provided by the Department for Transport and cannot be used for other purposes, such as delivering day to day services or other projects. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The sale of two plots of the Perry Barr Residential Scheme to Legal & General Affordable Homes will deliver 487 affordable homes, including a mix of rental and Shared Ownership properties. This, combined with another plot retained by Birmingham City Council for council housing, brings the total number of affordable homes in the first phase of the scheme to 700. This significantly exceeds the initial affordable housing target of 312 homes set out in the planning application. Legal & General Affordable Homes is committed to providing high-quality, affordable housing options and has a strong track record of delivering community-focused developments. Cllr Sharon Thompson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, said: “Delivering much needed affordable housing for the city through the Perry Barr Residential Scheme has been a key priority for me. “The number of people on the housing register in Birmingham has never been higher, selling these plots will provide a welcome boost to the supply of affordable homes in the city. “We are pleased to sell these plots to such a reputable operator of residential properties, one with a commitment to addressing the chronic undersupply of affordable housing in the UK. “Legal & General Affordable Homes have an excellent pedigree for investing, growing, and maintaining communities in the long term. We could not have asked for a better partner in Legal and General Affordable Homes and are pleased that we will be working with them towards the long term regeneration of Perry Barr. “Selling these plots delivers on our aims to provide a sustainable future and legacy for Perry Barr. This multi-award winning scheme provides a catalyst for the continued regeneration of the area and ongoing housing growth for the city.” Ben Denton, Chief Executive at Legal & General Affordable Homes, said: “Our vision is to provide everyone with an affordable, high-quality and environmentally sustainable place to live and grow. Our acquisition of the Perry Barr homes shows our commitment to delivering on this and investing in high quality stock, improving our asset portfolio and achieving improved returns. “Perry Barr is an exciting opportunity to help create a thriving new neighbourhood that contributes positively towards the local area and supports the council with tackling its housing challenges.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
