Leading office interior design consultancy, OP, has completed the fit out of Cooper Parry’s new 18,000 sq ft London hub at Broadwalk House in Broadgate. The project has transformed the 5th floor space, consolidating Cooper Parry’s London operations into one central hub that reflects the rapidly growing accountancy firm’s unique
By Daniel Austin, CEO and co-founder at ASK Partners The 2025 Autumn Budget offered limited stimulus for the housing market and, persistent headwinds such as sticky inflation, higher for longer interest rates, elevated construction costs, and slow planning processes continue to impact development viability. But there are still reasons for
Muse, the nationwide placemaker, has joined the CyanLines partnership, supporting a growing network connecting Greater Manchester’s parks, waterways, streets and public spaces through walking, cycling and everyday journeys. CyanLines is a 100-mile-plus network linking rivers, canals, viaducts and neighbourhoods across the city region. The initiative is helping people rediscover familiar
BarhaleEnpure JV has completed an ?18m phosphorus removal programme at Dewsbury Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) in West Yorkshire to help improve water quality in the River Calder. Delivered in partnership with Yorkshire Water, the scheme has achieved a 90% reduction in phosphorus levels in the final effluent at the WwTW,
Leading partnership housing specialist Lovell Partnerships has exchanged contracts on a 13-acre parcel of land at Fairham in Nottingham, where it plans to deliver 199 new homes. The major new residential development sits within the emerging new community, Fairham, which is being facilitated by Homes England and Clowes Developments. Situated five miles
Almost a fifth of kitchen fitters, electricians, and small residential builders say AI will be among the top three trends shaping their roles over the next two years, according to research from Häfele UK. Over a quarter of respondents (26%) said rising material and tool costs will have the biggest
Vistry, the UK’s leading provider of mixed-tenure homes, has announced an exciting collaboration with Jigsaw Homes Group to deliver 43 much-needed affordable homes at its flagship Linby Meadows development in Nottinghamshire. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for the ambitious 763-home development in Linby, north of Hucknall. The project, supported
Clowes Developments has announced strong early interest at Viking Trade Park, Congleton, with four of the six units now under offer, just weeks after achieving practical completion on the speculatively built, prominent roadside trade park. Viking Trade Park comprises two modern industrial buildings, Viking F3 and Viking G3, each providing
Temporary works specialist, Altrad RMD Kwikform (Altrad RMDK), provided a comprehensive temporary works solution for Salford Rise, a new 220-metre pedestrian link delivered by Kilmartin Ltd in partnership with Wright Civil Engineering Ltd. As part of Salford’s wider regeneration programme, the bridge improves connectivity across the area. Project overview Salford
A bespoke Hochiki Europe fire detection solution has been installed at Willis Aviation Services Limited’s extensive maintenance base at Teesside International Airport, setting a new benchmark for safety across specialist aviation environments. Spanning 45,000 m² of hangars, workshops and office space, Hangars 7 and 8 house multifunctional facilities where engineers
Leading office interior design consultancy, OP, has completed the fit out of Cooper Parry’s new 18,000 sq ft London hub at Broadwalk House in Broadgate. The project has transformed the 5th floor space, consolidating Cooper Parry’s London operations into one central hub that reflects the rapidly growing accountancy firm’s unique brand personality whilst supporting team growth and client relationships. The building’s nickname – ‘the Flowerpot Building’ – inspired a botanical design concept woven throughout the workspace, with nature-inspired naming conventions including the Bloom Lounge business reception area and The Greenhouse central social space. The Bloom Lounge creates a welcoming first impression for drop-in workers and visitors, with the Bloom Room extending this area as a flexible space that doubles up as a training room when required. At the heart of the workspace sits The Greenhouse, a multifunctional hub serving as an alternative work setting, social space with gaming facilities, food preparation area, and event space for large gatherings. Open plan desk zones accommodate full-time staff, with creative layout and design elements avoiding traditional office aesthetics. A dedicated meeting village provides client suite areas with multiple meeting rooms featuring themed botanical names, enhanced through carefully selected wallpaper and carpet. Exposed ceilings throughout maintain an industrial aesthetic, whilst playful patterns on joinery and peach and red striped fabrics create unique personality elements. Sustainability was a key focus of the project, with OP implementing an extensive reuse strategy that retained 80% of existing architecture including meeting rooms. All existing desks and task chairs were reused prioritising retention over complete renovation and significantly minimising waste and carbon footprint. The London project builds on OP’s strong relationship with Cooper Parry, having previously delivered successful hub projects across Manchester, Reading and Birmingham. “Our vision was to create an inspiring workplace that supports Cooper Parry’s growth whilst maintaining their distinctive brand personality. The challenge was balancing high-density requirements with creating unique, aesthetically pleasing spaces.” Gary Tailby, Managing Director at OP “We needed to create a London hub that brought together multiple offices while supporting our continued growth. OP delivered exactly what we required and more. The transformation has given us a workspace that reflects our personality as ‘rebels of accountancy’ while providing the flexibility we need for our CPers and constant flow of visitors. The social spaces has become the heart of our operation - it’s where our culture comes to life. We’re absolutely over the moon with the results.” Jo Giles, Head of Facilities at Cooper Parry. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
By Daniel Austin, CEO and co-founder at ASK Partners The 2025 Autumn Budget offered limited stimulus for the housing market and, persistent headwinds such as sticky inflation, higher for longer interest rates, elevated construction costs, and slow planning processes continue to impact development viability. But there are still reasons for cautious optimism. The UK economy is forecast to grow by 1.4 per cent this year. This is expected to outperform the eurozone and should support investor confidence. The UK also remains an attractive destination for global capital, with ongoing interest from the Gulf, Southeast Asia and deepening UK United States investment links, particularly through the technology sector. ASK recently surpassed £2 billion in total lending. This milestone reflects the importance of disciplined, relationship-led financing and flexible structuring in a challenging market. It also highlights the growing appetite for income-producing real estate debt. With public equity markets at elevated levels and real estate pricing looking comparatively attractive, 2026 is likely to see increasing interest in secured credit strategies that offer predictable cashflows and downside protection. Looking ahead, several segments of the market offer clear potential for investors. The flight to quality is expected to continue as businesses compete for modern, energy efficient and amenity rich workspace that supports hybrid working. Best-in-class offices in central London continue to achieve strong rents and stable yields. Although secondary and tertiary offices face challenges linked to obsolescence and environmental compliance costs, some well-located secondary assets are becoming more investable as prime rents rise. Refinancing pressures and selective refurbishment opportunities will provide value-add prospects for well-capitalised investors able to move quickly. Buyer appetite is expected to soften due to higher taxation, reduced ISA allowances and the absence of stamp duty reform. Despite this slowdown, the UK remains structurally undersupplied in housing. With so many smaller landlords exiting the sector due to increased costs and regulatory complexity, professionally managed rental formats are becoming more important. Build-to-rent and co-living are particularly well positioned to serve younger, mobile workers who seek affordability, connectivity and community. Mid-market suburban and commuter belt schemes may outperform prime central locations, especially in areas benefiting from new infrastructure such as the Lower Thames Crossing. Storage, logistics and light industrial assets remain among the most resilient parts of the market, supported by the continued expansion of online retail, SME activity and the need for flexible urban distribution space. Alongside these uses, demand for data centres has become a major structural driver. Growing adoption of artificial intelligence, cloud services and high-performance computing is placing unprecedented pressure on power capacity and suitable land, making data centres an increasingly strategic real estate category. The combination of long-term contracted income, critical infrastructure status and limited supply of appropriate sites means this segment is likely to remain strong. Mixed-use industrial schemes that accommodate logistics, data infrastructure and urban services will offer particularly attractive, income-led opportunities in 2026. The hotel sector has rebounded strongly, supported by domestic leisure travel, international visitors and the ability to adjust room rates in line with inflation. Conversion opportunities, particularly the transformation of under-utilised office buildings into hotels, are creating new avenues for investors. The asset class continues to appeal to private investors and family offices seeking income diversification and long-term value. Operational real estate, including healthcare, specialist care, education and supported living, provides stable and often inflation linked income streams. Demographic shifts, including an ageing population and rising demand for specialist services, support the long-term resilience of these sectors. Although certain subsectors such as life sciences are recalibrating, operational assets backed by strong occupier demand remain attractive. Conclusion In 2026 the UK real estate market is likely to offer opportunities grounded in the resilience of the asset class rather than wider economic growth. As interest rates begin to edge lower and transaction pipelines reopen, investors who have been waiting on the sidelines may return. If base rates move toward 3.5 to 3.75 per cent, many schemes that have not been viable in recent years could start to work again. Those who focus on income-producing assets, structure deals carefully and navigate planning challenges with discipline will be best positioned to secure stable returns in a subdued economic environment. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Muse, the nationwide placemaker, has joined the CyanLines partnership, supporting a growing network connecting Greater Manchester’s parks, waterways, streets and public spaces through walking, cycling and everyday journeys. CyanLines is a 100-mile-plus network linking rivers, canals, viaducts and neighbourhoods across the city region. The initiative is helping people rediscover familiar places while making it easier to move between them, improving access to green and blue spaces and supporting healthier, more connected communities. Since launching in September, CyanLines has brought together public, private and third-sector partners with a shared ambition to improve everyday routes and connections. Muse joins a partnership that includes local authorities, developers, landowners, designers and community organisations, all working together to shape routes that reflect how people already use the city, while opening up new connections over time. As part of CyanLines, routes such as the Irwell and Castlefield Loop connect Greater Manchester through historic waterways, riverside paths and re-imagined spaces including Castlefield Viaduct’s sky garden. This route runs through Salford, where Muse has been working for more than two decades to create new homes, workplaces and public spaces designed around walking, cycling and access to nature. This partnership builds on Muse’s long-term work in the area through both Muse and ECF – the placemaking partnership between Muse, L&G and Homes England. In Salford, this has included the transformative New Bailey neighbourhood as well as the emerging £2.5bn Crescent city neighbourhood district being delivered in partnership with ECF, Salford Council and the University of Salford. Across these places, walking routes, cycling connections and access to green space have been designed in from the outset to support everyday life. Salford Rise, for example, will connect Crescent Innovation and the University of Salford with surrounding communities. The elevated five-acre green walkway will improve accessibility and will help both new and established communities to reach new employment and education opportunities. Through CyanLines, Muse will support the partnership’s wider ambition to connect neighbourhoods, improve everyday routes and help people experience the city in new ways – whether commuting, exercising or simply spending time outdoors. Phil Marsden, Managing Director at Muse, said:“CyanLines is about making it easier for people to move through the city in ways that feel natural and part of everyday life. In Salford, we’ve seen how well-designed routes, green spaces and connections can change how places are used and valued. Joining CyanLines is an opportunity to support that thinking at a city-region scale, working alongside partners to help people reconnect with the places around them.” Steve Connor, Interim Programme Director, CyanLines said: “It is great to welcome Muse on board, an organisation doing so much to transform large parts of Manchester, Salford and Greater Manchester. They have an amazing track record of integrating nature into their developments – like the outstanding Eden at New Bailey. We couldn’t ask for better champions for our CyanlLines vision and we are really looking forward to working with them on new routes and projects that bring people and nature together.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
BarhaleEnpure JV has completed an ?18m phosphorus removal programme at Dewsbury Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) in West Yorkshire to help improve water quality in the River Calder. Delivered in partnership with Yorkshire Water, the scheme has achieved a 90% reduction in phosphorus levels in the final effluent at the WwTW, exceeding Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) targets for England. Fourteen existing primary settlement tanks (PSTs) have been replaced with three new larger tanks and two new primary sludge pumping stations. Prior to construction an existing beck was diverted to accommodate the new tanks’ footprint. The project took advantage of off-site manufacturing to precast the concrete wall sections before they were assembled on site to form the new 45m diameter, 8.5m deep (deepest at the central desludge cone) settlement tanks. BarhaleEnpure JV constructed a new chemical dosing plant and installed a UMON4 device to upgrade monitoring to MCERTS (monitoring certification scheme) standards. This confirms that the works is treating permitted flow to full treatment (2,350 litres per second) when the storm overflow is operating. The team also completed process improvements and created a 2.5ha biodiversity and rewilding area. The WwTW, which serves a catchment of 200,000 people, remained fully operational throughout the construction process. Phosphorus is a normal component of domestic sewage, entering the sewer system from products such as shampoos and detergents. It can also enter rivers through agricultural run-off and natural soil erosion, which can be difficult to control. Small amounts of phosphorus are harmless and are essential to many ecosystems, but higher concentrations can become damaging to aquatic life. BarhaleEnpure JV Contracts Manager Brian Harrold said the joint venture moved into the design and construct phase in the third quarter of 2023 following extensive early contractor involvement. “This has been a relatively long-term project to deliver essential water infrastructure for a large part of West Yorkshire,” he said. “We worked closely with Yorkshire Water throughout and successfully completed and commissioned all the new works on schedule and under budget. “The improvements are already delivering a measurable impact, including better water quality in the River Calder, a healthier and more enjoyable environment for people and wildlife and improved opportunities for recreation.” Philip Lister, Yorkshire Water’s environmental permit compliance lead, said: “Yorkshire Water is committed to looking at innovative ways to improve the operation of our sites to meet our phosphorus removal targets. This particular project adopted a number of measures designed to reduce the carbon impact and speed up the duration of the improvement works. “We have committed over ?350m to reduce the levels of phosphorus going into watercourses at 85 of our wastewater treatment sites across the region in the next five years, continuing the work we began in 2020 – 2025.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading partnership housing specialist Lovell Partnerships has exchanged contracts on a 13-acre parcel of land at Fairham in Nottingham, where it plans to deliver 199 new homes. The major new residential development sits within the emerging new community, Fairham, which is being facilitated by Homes England and Clowes Developments. Situated five miles from Nottingham City Centre in the Borough of Rushcliffe, Fairham is a 606-acre, £800m neighbourhood that will ultimately deliver around 3,000 new homes, alongside new infrastructure including employment space, a new school and community facilities. Subject to planning, the scheme will comprise 99 properties for open market sale and 100 affordable homes, contributing to the continued growth of one of the region’s most significant new communities. Lovell Partnerships’ regional managing director, Beth Bundonis, said: “Exchanging contracts at Fairham Phase Four is an important milestone for Lovell Partnerships and reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality new homes as part of well-planned, sustainable communities. “Fairham is a landmark development for Nottingham, and we look forward to submitting our plans for this next phase in partnership with Clowes, Homes England and the wider project team.” Once complete Fairham will be the East Midlands’ most significant mixed-use development. With world-class connectivity, future forward homes, new amenities and a wealth of employment and business opportunities it is set to become the region’s prime commercial and residential destination. Homes England head of disposals, Mark Laidow, commented: “The exchange of contracts with Lovell Partnerships marks another important step forward in the delivery of Fairham. This latest phase will help maintain momentum across the site, bringing forward much-needed new homes alongside the infrastructure and amenities that will support our long-term vision. “This is a prime example of how we are working collaboratively with partners like Lovell to achieve our mission to build vibrant, new communities that people can be proud of.” Planning for the development is expected to be submitted in spring 2026. To find out more about Lovell Partnerships visit the website. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Almost a fifth of kitchen fitters, electricians, and small residential builders say AI will be among the top three trends shaping their roles over the next two years, according to research from Häfele UK. Over a quarter of respondents (26%) said rising material and tool costs will have the biggest impact on their industry in the next one to two years, closely followed by labour shortages (21%) and client expectations around speed of delivery (20%). However, AI ranked fourth among the likely trends to influence the building industry in the near future, with 19% selecting it as one of their top three. Häfele UK undertook research with 500 kitchen fitters, electricians and small residential builders to understand the pressures and opportunities facing the building trades in the coming years. The findings point to a sector expecting continued strain from rising costs and labour shortages, while also preparing for growing customer demands and the influence of artificial intelligence (AI). As well as exploring the trends most likely to impact the sector, the research also examined how the challenges will affect different trades specifically, recognising that experiences will be affected by the types of work, customer demands, and the skills their businesses rely on. For kitchen installers, customer expectations around speed ranked highly (26%), with the profession feeling particular pressure to turn jobs around more quickly. For electricians, however, the standout issues were the declining number of skilled tradespeople (25%) and the impact of increased workload, with 34% saying their biggest challenge will be managing burnout. Carpenters and joiners reported different experiences. While cost pressure remains a concern (36%), it is closely followed by rising client expectations around speed (35%), with just one percentage point separating the two. Conversely, builders reported a broader set of pressures. While increasing costs ranked as the trend most likely to impact their sector (30%), finding consistent work (32%) and customer financial pressure (30%) ranked highest in the top three challenges, by some margin. Commenting on the results, Rachel Tuckey, Chief Product and Marketing Officer for Häfele UK, said: “These findings show that trades are under pressure from multiple angles. While challenges with tool and material costs are long-standing and ever-present for tradespeople, customer expectations around speed of service and technologies like AI are also quickly shaping the building landscape. “Now, more than ever, tradespeople need services, products, tools and support that help them save time and improve efficiency. That’s why we’ve developed our new Trade Hub, bringing together more than 25,000 products into one place, from fixings and consumables to tools, lighting, storage and fittings. It gives trades a single dependable route to the essentials they need, alongside next-day delivery, product guarantees and simple returns. “And for trades feeling the squeeze on time and labour, we also offer a broad range of services.” Through the Trade Hub, users can access Häfele’s Service+ options, all designed to make installation faster, easier, and more profitable. Services include pre-assembled and custom wooden drawers, cut-to-size lighting and plinth panels, and custom sanding belts. Häfele UK has also launched a new Lighting Configurator to help customers save vital time with their room and furniture lighting designs. Rachel continued: “By bringing these services and systems together, Häfele is helping trades respond to the current and emerging pressures on their roles. Whether the need is to save time, reduce preparation work, simplify sourcing, or offer customers more personalised designs, faster, the tools are there to support a smoother, more predictable way of working in the years ahead.” For more information, visit www.hafele.co.uk/trade-hub Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Vistry, the UK’s leading provider of mixed-tenure homes, has announced an exciting collaboration with Jigsaw Homes Group to deliver 43 much-needed affordable homes at its flagship Linby Meadows development in Nottinghamshire. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for the ambitious 763-home development in Linby, north of Hucknall. The project, supported by Nottinghamshire Country Council, will offer a vibrant mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes, maisonettes, and apartments. Andy Reynolds, Managing Director for Vistry South East Midlands, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jigsaw as a partner at our Linby Meadows development. Together, we’re building more than just homes, we’re creating a thriving new community where families can flourish. After listening to local residents and shaping the scheme to meet their needs, we’re now on site, building a new community of high-quality, mixed-tenure properties for people in the area to call home.” Garnet Fazackerley, Operations Director of Development at Jigsaw Homes Group, added: “As a significant housing development providing new homes via a Section 106 agreement, this scheme demonstrates how planning policy can meaningfully deliver both quality new homes for sale and much‑needed affordable housing. This project is a strong example of how partnerships can translate policy into real, positive impact for local communities. There is a real and growing need for quality, affordable homes in this area, and we’re proud to join forces with Vistry to provide properties that offer comfort, security and opportunity for local people. Our partnership is about more than bricks and mortar – it’s about supporting communities and creating green, welcoming spaces for everyone.” The land acquisition from the Council in March 2025 has unlocked a £6 million investment in local services, including substantial funding for education, highways, public transport, and healthcare. The scheme will also introduce new parks, sports facilities, wildlife corridors, and safe pedestrian and cycle routes, as well as a brand-new primary school. Vistry looks forward to welcoming the first residents to Linby Meadows later this year as the vision for a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable community comes to life. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Clowes Developments has announced strong early interest at Viking Trade Park, Congleton, with four of the six units now under offer, just weeks after achieving practical completion on the speculatively built, prominent roadside trade park. Viking Trade Park comprises two modern industrial buildings, Viking F3 and Viking G3, each providing 12,220 sq ft of high-quality commercial space. Designed with flexibility at the forefront, both buildings can be subdivided into three terraced units of approximately 4,000 sq ft, making the scheme ideally suited to a wide range of trade counter and industrial occupiers. One occupier has secured the entirety of Unit G, while another has taken Unit F1, leaving just two units remaining. The final space can be let either as two individual 4,000 sq ft units (F2 and F3) or combined to provide a single 8,000 sq ft opportunity. The development occupies a prominent roadside location on Viking Way, adjacent to the recently opened MKM Building Supplies branch, offering excellent visibility and convenient access. Marc Freeman, Development Director at Clowes Developments, commented: “We are delighted to confirm that already two thirds of the trade park is under offer. This level of demand reflects both the strength of the location, quality and flexibility of the accommodation we’ve delivered.” Andrew Groves and Mark Sillitoe, joint agents at Viking Park, Congleton, added: “Demand for Viking Trade Park has been very strong from the outset. The combination of a prominent location, high quality development and flexible unit sizes has appealed to a wide range of trade occupiers, and we anticipate the remaining units will be let quickly.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Temporary works specialist, Altrad RMD Kwikform (Altrad RMDK), provided a comprehensive temporary works solution for Salford Rise, a new 220-metre pedestrian link delivered by Kilmartin Ltd in partnership with Wright Civil Engineering Ltd. As part of Salford’s wider regeneration programme, the bridge improves connectivity across the area. Project overview Salford Rise comprises a central span formed from precast U-beams supported on three reinforced concrete piers reaching up to 7.5 meters high. The bridge’s 27-degree skew and varying deck profile required careful temporary works planning to ensure accurate positioning of pre-cast units, safe access for installation and ongoing structural stability during construction. Altrad RMDK was tasked with designing and supplying all the temporary works systems for both the primary U-beams and the precast edge string courses. Close coordination with the contractor, Kilmartin Ltd, was essential to align the temporary works with the construction sequence and programme. The challenge The bridges angled alignment introduced a risk of lateral movement during installation, particularly before the stitch pours achieved continuity between beams. The variable deck heights required the temporary support to adapt along the length of the bridge, providing consistent working platforms and maintaining precise tolerances for both alignment and level. Additional challenges included supporting heavy precast units at varying heights while maintaining overall stability, providing safe and efficient access for lifting and installation operations, and ensuring that the temporary works could accommodate programme constraints without compromising construction safety or increasing project risk. The solution Altrad RMDK engineered a two-phase temporary works solution that combined high load capacity with adaptability for the bridge’s complex geometry. Megashor towers were used in the first phase to support the precast U-beams; their modular design, adjustable head arrangements, and high load capacity allowed them to accommodate the varying deck heights and skewed alignment. To address the 27-degree skew of the bridge, rubber pads were installed between the beam supports, to prevent any slippage under load pressure and to ensure the precast units remained secure during the installation and subsequent stitch pours. Once the stitch pours had fully cured, the second phase involved Megashor being stripped out and replaced with Rapidshor to support the precast string courses along the edge of the bridge. Rapidshor’s modular design enabled the upper sections to remain consistent while the lower sections were extended to match the required height variations. This configuration simplified assembly and improved efficiency whilst maintaining precise alignment along the full length of the bridge. Throughout the project, Altrad RMDK maintained close communication with Kilmartin Ltd and Wright Civil Engineering Ltd’s engineers and site teams. Regular design reviews planned site inspections and open communication ensured that the temporary works were installed safely and in line with the construction programme. Early engagement and the existing relationship ensured that the teams had clear understanding of processes and quality expectations, and this mutual trust helped to streamline operations and maintain efficiency. Dermot Donelon, Senior Sales Representative at Altrad RMD Kwikform said: “The 27-degree incline and changing bridge level made this an engineering challenge, but the modular design of our equipment allowed us to adapt quickly and aid the construction of this new transport link.” Liam Kilmartin, Managing Director at Kilmartin Ltd, said: “Having worked with Altrad RMDK before, we already had a lot of trust there. We know what their kit can do and put trust into the engineering excellence of the team. The collaboration between our teams made this project successful as open communication allowed for a smoother and more efficient delivery of the project.” For more on Altrad RMD Kwikform, please visit www.rmdkwikform.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A bespoke Hochiki Europe fire detection solution has been installed at Willis Aviation Services Limited’s extensive maintenance base at Teesside International Airport, setting a new benchmark for safety across specialist aviation environments. Spanning 45,000 m² of hangars, workshops and office space, Hangars 7 and 8 house multifunctional facilities where engineers work with high-value aircraft and potentially flammable materials, a combination that demands uncompromising fire protection. To meet these demands, Willis Aviation partnered with local life-safety specialist Render Alarms to design and install a fully tailored system built around Hochiki’s advanced intelligent detection technology. At the heart of the installation is Hochiki’s ESP intelligent fire detection system, offering open-protocol flexibility and future-proof performance aligned with the forthcoming BS 5839-1 2025 standard. Across office environments, adjustable smoke and heat detectors provide highly reliable detection while helping to reduce unwanted alarms, an essential factor in maintaining operational continuity. In busy workshop areas, wall-mounted sounder beacons deliver clear visual alerts in high-noise conditions, ensuring warnings are both seen and heard. For the expansive and structurally complex hangar voids, Hochiki’s FIRElink aspirating detection system was specified, using laser-based technology to monitor large areas efficiently with enhanced sensitivity and reduced maintenance requirements. Render Alarms’ installation team also utilised specialist design software to optimise the aspirating pipe network around the hangar’s structural framework, ensuring complete coverage and compliance. Luke Render, from Render Alarms, and the lead engineer on the project commented “Hochiki’s bases are a game changer, one base fit all devices. The sensors effortlessly twist-fit onto the bases, which significantly reduced the install and commission time, without compromising quality.” The result is a robust, intelligent fire safety solution that protects people, aircraft and infrastructure, while minimising disruption and supporting long-term operational resilience. As safety standards continue to evolve across aviation and industrial sectors, this project demonstrates how carefully specified, expertly installed detection technology can deliver confidence today and adaptability for tomorrow.Learn more about this story and the ranges featured. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals