Our future hospitals are quickly becoming a reality, with groundwork now officially underway on the new £12.8 million Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at Leicester Royal Infirmary. The site has been set up, hoardings are in place, and excavation has begun to prepare the foundation area for the new facility –
Winvic Construction Ltd will return to real estate event UKREiiF next month during its 25th year, leading its presence with the launch of a major new ESG whitepaper calling for regulatory action to accelerate net zero across the built environment. Demonstrating its continued commitment to the UK’s real estate, infrastructure
McLaren Construction Midlands and North has made significant progress at the £160m Upper Brook Street student accommodation development in Manchester. Since McLaren’s appointment late last year, work has advanced with both tower cranes now fully operational and concrete cores for both buildings reaching full height. The 23-storey UBS tower has
Landmark Jewellery Quarter build-to-rent neighbourhood opens for reservations following major city centre transformation Reservations have officially gone live at Makers Place, Moda Living and Apache Capital’s landmark Build-to-Rent neighbourhood in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, marking a major milestone in the delivery of a significant city-centre regeneration project. The scheme delivers 722
NG Block Management has secured funding through the Cladding Safety Scheme to support essential fire safety works at River Crescent, a residential development in Nottingham. The company took over management of the scheme in March 2023 and has since been working to address fire safety concerns and bring the building
AstraZeneca has received planning approval for a significant new office and conference building at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, marking the latest phase in the continued expansion of one of Europe’s leading life sciences clusters. Designed by Jestico + Whiles, the six-storey development will deliver the 12,000 sq m of high-quality
Complii, formerly known as Compliance Group, and one of the UK’s leading providers of building safety and regulatory compliance services, has announced the launch of a dedicated lift and escalators compliance division – the latest step in the company’s ambitious ‘buy and build’ growth strategy to deliver a fully comprehensive
Workman has made 57 promotions across the business, including seven new Partners. The promotions follow a year of sustained growth, and reflect the firm’s continued investment in specialist capability. The promotions span all 11 UK offices and cover a broad range of service lines; from property management, including retail &
Rapid construction at a major heavy-duty Sheffield industrial facility has seen main sub-contractor Cidon Construction continue with advancing the development. In order to facilitate high quality work, rapidly, efficiently and safely, the company has been working with National Pile Croppers (NPC), which has supplied Quad L and QXL pile croppers
Talan is supporting the delivery of a new industry trial designed to understand how students and trainees can be supported as they begin their careers in the gas sector, working on behalf of Gas Safe Register and the Health and Safety Executive. Talan has contributed to the development of the
Our future hospitals are quickly becoming a reality, with groundwork now officially underway on the new £12.8 million Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at Leicester Royal Infirmary. The site has been set up, hoardings are in place, and excavation has begun to prepare the foundation area for the new facility – a visible and exciting step forward for the project. This marks a significant milestone in improving urgent care services for patients across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The new UTC was announced in December 2025 and is expected to open in 2027. It will replace the existing Minor Injuries and Minor Illnesses (MIaMI) unit and will provide a modern, purpose-built environment designed around the needs of patients requiring same-day treatment for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions. Richard Mitchell, Chief Executive, said: “The start of groundwork on our new Urgent Treatment Centre is a really important and exciting moment for our Trust and for local communities. Seeing activity on site brings this investment to life and demonstrates our commitment to improving urgent care. This new facility will support our colleagues and significantly improve the experience for patients when they need us most.” As work gets underway, patients, visitors, and colleagues will begin to see changes across the Leicester Royal Infirmary site. The new Urgent Treatment Centre forms part of our future hospitals programme, which is focused on modernising hospital facilities and ensuring services are fit for the future. It will complement the £39m of funding secured in December last year from the national New Hospital Programme. This will fund essential enabling works to start this year, including the relocation of services such as the hearing and balance service from the Knighton Street campus to the East Midlands Planned Care Centre in early 2027. These works will support plans for a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital, with building expected to start in 2032. It is expected to bring maternity, neonatal, gynaecology and children’s services together into a single, state‑of‑the‑art building. Natalie Forrest, Chief Programme Officer of the New Hospital Programme said: “It’s great to see work starting on site at Leicester Royal Infirmary, marking real progress for local patients and communities. This new Urgent Treatment Centre will provide a modern, purpose-built space that supports faster, more effective care closer to home. We’re proud to be working with local partners to deliver facilities that meet the needs of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland now and into the future.” Dr Saad Jawaid, Consultant in Emergency and Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine at UHL, said: “The new Urgent Treatment Centre will give us a purpose-built space that reflects how urgent care is delivered today. It will help us improve patient flow, provide care in a more appropriate environment and deliver a better overall experience for patients.” The UTC builds on a period of significant investment across our hospitals over the past 12 months, including the East Midlands Planned Care Centre and Endoscopy Unit at Leicester General Hospital, the Preston Lodge rehabilitation unit in North Evington, and the Hinckley Community Diagnostic Centre. These developments are helping to deliver world‑class services closer to where patients live, supporting improved access to care, and contributing to the Government’s 10‑year plan for the NHS. Construction work is being delivered by Henry Brothers, one of the UK’s leading construction companies, with further updates to be shared as the project progresses. Ian Taylor, managing director of Henry Brothers, said: “Breaking ground on this new Urgent Treatment Centre marks a significant milestone. We’re proud to be working at the forefront of the health construction sector, helping to bring a vital and inspiring community resource to fruition. Once complete, these facilities will make a real difference to how local people access urgent care close to home.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Winvic Construction Ltd will return to real estate event UKREiiF next month during its 25th year, leading its presence with the launch of a major new ESG whitepaper calling for regulatory action to accelerate net zero across the built environment. Demonstrating its continued commitment to the UK’s real estate, infrastructure and investment sectors, Winvic will have an expanded ‘Winvic and Partners Pavilion’, which will be shared with partners Ridge, UMC Architects, Maber and M1 Agency, creating a collaborative hub for engagement, knowledge-sharing and industry dialogue. As part of its position on the advisory board of The Westminster Policy Liaison Group (PLG) on ESG, Winvic has spearheaded the whitepaper, positioning the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard (UKNZCBS) as a critical framework for delivering genuinely net zero carbon assets. Drawing on insights from a broad range of industry bodies and experts including investors, developers, contractors, consultants, designers and policymakers, the paper sets out clear, targeted recommendations for government to help accelerate adoption at scale and inform the future direction of net zero policy. Contributors to the whitepaper include UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Building Research Establishment (BRE), Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Winvic Construction, BWB Consulting, Firethorn Trust, Panattoni, Ridge and Partners, Royal London Asset Management (RLAM), Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), UMC Architects and Wordsworth Excavations. Further insights were gained from The Lord Porter of Spalding CBE and Lancaster City Council at a recent PLG round table where the UKNZCBS was discussed. The ‘Winvic and Partners Pavilion’ will host a programme of panel discussions and interactive sessions throughout UKREiiF, including a dedicated session exploring the whitepaper’s findings involving a number of the contributors and Mike Reader MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) on the BuiIt Environment and Infrastructure, Business Champion for Construction and MP for Northampton South. Wider topics will include social value and planning reform, build-to-rent, data centre viability, and what makes “good” industrial and logistics development. In addition to its pavilion programme, Winvic will engage with a range of partners and initiatives during the three-day event. Leeds Children’s Charity has been selected as its local charity partner, with funds raised during the event supporting its work in the region, social enterprise Fusion21, Invest Warwickshire, developer Prologis, and partners Ridge and Maber will also host panel sessions within the pavilion, reinforcing Winvic’s collaborative approach across the industry. As it marks 25 years in business, Winvic’s presence at UKREiiF and its launch of the whitepaper celebrates its legacy, and its commitment to help shape policy and accelerate the adoption of net zero standards across the industry. Danny Nelson, Managing Director – Industrial, Logistics & Data Centres at Winvic, said: “Over the past 25 years, Winvic has evolved in step with the industry, from a regional contractor rooted in Industrial & Logistics to a trusted national delivery partner across Industrial & Logistics, Multi-Room, Civils & Infrastructure and now Data Centres. That journey reflects a business responding to change while maintaining a disciplined approach to delivery. “It’s particularly meaningful to be at UKREiiF during our 25th year, sharing this milestone with partners and peers. This whitepaper is an important step in bringing together industry insight to help shape the policy and regulatory environment needed to deliver net zero at scale. Strong, collaborative partnerships are key to solving the sector’s most complex challenges.” Arun Thaneja, Technical Services and Sustainability Director at Winvic, said: “We’re proud to share a whitepaper that sets out a clear call to action for regulatory backing of the standard. Drawing on insights from across the industry, it provides practical recommendations for policymakers, highlighting where greater clarity and alignment can accelerate adoption of the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard. Our focus is on ensuring ESG strategy translates into real outcomes on projects and across communities, helping to underpin the next phase of progress across the built environment. I look forward to sharing this at UKREiiF.” Recognised as the nation’s leading ‘shed specialist’, Winvic recently celebrated the construction of 110 million sq ft of industrial space and has expanded into data centre delivery. The company has also built a strong reputation in complex civil engineering and infrastructure, delivering over 125km of highways works and six Rail Freight Terminals to date. In the build-to-rent and student accommodation sector, Winvic has delivered more than 15,000 beds. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McLaren Construction Midlands and North has made significant progress at the £160m Upper Brook Street student accommodation development in Manchester. Since McLaren’s appointment late last year, work has advanced with both tower cranes now fully operational and concrete cores for both buildings reaching full height. The 23-storey UBS tower has progressed to level five floor slabs, and the nine-storey K block has reached level four. The project team has also completed the installation of the attenuation tank and established exemplary site accommodation nearby. Current works are focused on progressing the concrete frame with floor slab construction ongoing across both buildings, and this phase will continue over the coming months with façade installation expected to commence in the summer. Modern methods of construction remain central to the scheme, and the project incorporates a full concrete frame and fully unitised prefabricated façade panels. The development is targeting high sustainability standards, including BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings, alongside a broader commitment to reducing environmental impact through efficient construction practices. The project has set social value deliverables including creating local jobs, dedicating time supporting unemployed people back into work, improving local skills including by hosting site visits, creating apprenticeships and supporting young people into work, 20% of construction value to be spent locally, and supporting local community projects to help increase green space and biodiversity. The team has started to develop this by working closely with local organisations, including initiatives in partnership with the Salvation Army, to provide work experience opportunities. Engagement with community groups is also ongoing, with discussions underway to support a local Scout group and a proposed greenhouse project linked to a nearby residents’ initiative at Brunswick allotments. Upper Brook Street will deliver 737 student beds across two buildings of 9 and 23 storeys, alongside a range of shared amenities including study areas, fitness facilities and social spaces. Once complete, the development will provide new public and community-focused facilities, contributing to the wider Oxford Road Corridor. Luke Arnold, Regional Director at McLaren Construction Midlands and North, said: “Progress on Upper Brook Street has been excellent, with the team achieving key structural milestones in a short period of time. Reaching full height on both concrete cores is an achievement and is testament to the collaboration and expertise across the team. As we move forward, we remain focused on maintaining this momentum while continuing to deliver meaningful social value within the local community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Landmark Jewellery Quarter build-to-rent neighbourhood opens for reservations following major city centre transformation Reservations have officially gone live at Makers Place, Moda Living and Apache Capital’s landmark Build-to-Rent neighbourhood in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, marking a major milestone in the delivery of a significant city-centre regeneration project. The scheme delivers 722 high-quality rental homes across a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses, forming a long-term, operationally efficient rental neighbourhood in a key central Birmingham location. The project has reactivated a long-vacant city-centre site that had remained undeveloped for over 70 years in a key gateway position. Contributing to the ongoing regeneration of the city’s renowned Jewellery Quarter, Makers Place brings the plot back into use and establishes a thriving new gateway neighbourhood the centre of Birmingham. The development comprises three buildings ranging from five to 39 storeys, forming a distinctive new addition to Birmingham’s skyline and joining The Mercian – Moda and Apache Capital’s first Birmingham development and one of the city’s tallest residential buildings. Designed by Ryder Architecture and delivered by Sisk, Makers Place has been shaped through a highly contextual design approach, responding directly to its position between the historic Jewellery Quarter, with elegant, elaborate brick work in a low-rise design, blending seamlessly into the more contemporary design high rise design on the edge of the nearby Colmore Business District. The project has also delivered significant economic and social value during construction. Over 600 jobs were created through Sisk and the wider supply chain, with 788 employees in project-related roles based within 11 miles of the site. The scheme has supported 185 individuals previously long-term unemployed into work, alongside care leavers, prison leavers, ex-military personnel and individuals with disabilities. In addition, 42 apprentices, graduates and interns have been engaged, with 116 people under 24 supported into employment or training. To further integrate the neighbourhood into its Jewellery Quarter community Moda launched reservations with the introduction of five local Makers – creative individuals running independent businesses in the area – to embed the local character into the resident experience at Makers Place from day one. The makers include: Residents will also benefit from the Moda Apache JV’s most considered and elevated range of amenities to date, including a sky lounge and bar with views over the city, co-working spaces, private dining rooms, rooftop terraces and landscaped courtyards, alongside a 24-hour gym and fitness studio and cinema room. Strategically located within walking distance of Snow Hill and Birmingham New Street stations, Makers Place sits within a well-connected city centre location. Richard Smith, MD Operations at Moda Living, said: “Makers Place is an exciting and important addition to our Birmingham portfolio, and we’re pleased to now have reservations live ahead of welcoming our first residents to this amazing new neighbourhood in the summer. “As the Build-to-Rent market continues to evolve, differentiation is key. At Makers Place, we’ve focused on creating a neighbourhood that reflects the character of the Jewellery Quarter, while delivering the quality, consistency and service that define Moda. The inclusion of our local makers plays a central role in bringing that to life, ensuring residents feel connected to the area and their homes from day one.” Richard Lawrence, Executive Director for Place, Prosperity and Sustainability at Birmingham City Council, said: “Makers Place is a landmark development for Birmingham, and it’s exciting to see it reach this important milestone. The scheme has transformed a site that stood vacant for decades into a vibrant new part of the city centre, and in doing so sets a new standard for ambitious, design-led regeneration. “It shows what can be achieved when partners work together with a shared vision to create places that genuinely add to the life of the city.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
NG Block Management has secured funding through the Cladding Safety Scheme to support essential fire safety works at River Crescent, a residential development in Nottingham. The company took over management of the scheme in March 2023 and has since been working to address fire safety concerns and bring the building in line with current regulatory standards. After a fire risk assessment identified issues with the external wall system, NG Block Management introduced a waking watch as an immediate safety measure. It also oversaw a full upgrade of the building’s fire alarm system, allowing the evacuation strategy to move from ‘stay put’ to simultaneous evacuation. The firm then began progressing a long-term remediation plan, supported by the building consultancy team at NG Chartered Surveyors. As River Crescent leaseholders qualify as protected leaseholders under the Building Safety Act 2022, an application was made to the Cladding Safety Scheme to help fund the required works. Initial approval enabled the creation of a specialist project team and allowed the scheme to move into the design and tender stages. Full approval has now been granted by the Building Safety Regulator following months of coordination. Remediation works are due to begin shortly, with scaffolding expected to be installed on the first elevation in the coming weeks. Jamie Pervin, facilities management surveyor at NG Block Management, said the project had been complex and demanding from the start, but resident safety had remained the company’s priority. He added that securing approval from both the Cladding Safety Scheme and the Building Safety Regulator was a major step towards delivering the works. The project team includes BEFS Ltd as fire engineer, Boothe King as structural engineer, CEB Services as principal contractor and Craig Foster Partners as architect. NG Chartered Surveyors has also been involved in contract administration and cost consultancy. Paul Rogers, head of building consultancy at NG Chartered Surveyors, said the project highlighted the firm’s experience in delivering complex refurbishment and remediation schemes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
AstraZeneca has received planning approval for a significant new office and conference building at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, marking the latest phase in the continued expansion of one of Europe’s leading life sciences clusters. Designed by Jestico + Whiles, the six-storey development will deliver the 12,000 sq m of high-quality floorspace, including offices for more than 700 staff. The scheme also incorporates a 200-person conference centre, a 450-seat auditorium and a 110-cover restaurant, creating a flexible environment geared towards collaboration, events and knowledge sharing. The building will be located on Francis Crick Avenue, positioned just south of AstraZeneca’s landmark headquarters designed by Herzog & de Meuron, which was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize. The project forms part of a wider masterplan for the campus, with Herzog & de Meuron acting as masterplan and design architect, supported by landscape architect Gillespies. The scheme is intended to support AstraZeneca’s long-term strategy of consolidating its Cambridge-based operations, bringing together research, commercial and partner teams within a single, integrated campus environment. By enhancing connectivity between disciplines, the development aims to strengthen innovation and collaboration across the organisation. A multidisciplinary consultant team has been assembled to deliver the project, including Ramboll on civils, structures, MEP and transport, Bidwells on planning, MFS on façades and The Fire Surgery on fire engineering. The site, spanning approximately 2.2 hectares, is currently used as a temporary car park and construction support area for the neighbouring Rosalind Franklin building, designed by Hawkins\Brown and being delivered by Mace. The new development will sit around 150 metres from the forthcoming Cambridge South station, further enhancing accessibility to the campus. While earlier outline consent for a commercial building on the site formed part of a wider application submitted in 2010, the approval had lapsed in 2021. As a result, AstraZeneca brought forward the current proposals as a standalone application, while still adhering to the overarching principles of the original masterplan. The project represents a further investment in high-specification, research-led commercial space, reinforcing Cambridge’s position as a global hub for life sciences and innovation-led development. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Complii, formerly known as Compliance Group, and one of the UK’s leading providers of building safety and regulatory compliance services, has announced the launch of a dedicated lift and escalators compliance division – the latest step in the company’s ambitious ‘buy and build’ growth strategy to deliver a fully comprehensive building compliance offering. The new lift and escalators division expands Complii’s portfolio of specialist building compliance services, which already spans water, air, fire and electrical compliance. With lift and escalator safety a critical and increasingly regulated area of building management, the launch positions Complii as the go-to single-source partner for building owners and operators seeking to reduce risk and assure compliance across all major aspects of their estate. The launch of the lifts and escalators division marks a significant milestone in Complii’s rapid expansion. The business has grown substantially in recent years through a combination of strategic acquisitions and organic growth, building out a network of specialist businesses that together provide building compliance services across all major risk areas. With the lifts and escalators division now in place, Complii serves a broad range of sectors, including hospitality and leisure, manufacturing, social housing, care homes, the public sector, construction, healthcare, pharmaceutical, education, and retail. Sarah Dixon, CEO of Complii commented: “The launch of our lifts and escalators division is a proud moment for Complii and a clear signal of our intent. Our vision has always been to offer building owners and managers a single trusted partner for their compliance needs – one that removes complexity, reduces risk, and delivers consistently high standards across every discipline. We are growing quickly, but we are growing with purpose, and we remain absolutely committed to the quality and expertise that our clients depend on.” For Complii’s clients, the expansion means greater convenience, consistency, and confidence. Rather than managing a fragmented network of specialist contractors across different compliance disciplines, building owners and managers can now rely on a single partner with proven expertise across every major area of building safety – from fire, water and air through to electrical and now lifts and escalators. It is a model built around making compliance simpler, not just safer. With the addition of the lifts and escalators division, Complii now offers one of the most comprehensive building compliance portfolios available in the UK market. The company’s integrated model – combining specialist expertise across water, air, fire, electrical, and now lifts and escalators – enables clients to consolidate compliance management through a single partner, delivering both operational efficiency and greater consistency of compliance outcomes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Workman has made 57 promotions across the business, including seven new Partners. The promotions follow a year of sustained growth, and reflect the firm’s continued investment in specialist capability. The promotions span all 11 UK offices and cover a broad range of service lines; from property management, including retail & leisure, to building consultancy, client accounts, sustainability, compliance, and HR. The geographic spread and breadth of disciplines reflect a business growing consistently across every part of the firm, while evolving with the creation of new teams in areas like building safety and data analytics. The seven new Partners are: Matthew Pateman, Managing Partner, said: “We’re a property firm, but we’re really a people business. These 57 promotions are the clearest sign of that. People have grown here, built careers here, and are now leading the next chapter of what Workman is becoming. That’s exactly what we’re working towards — building the kind of firm where talented people can do the best work of their careers.” Charlotte Bradley, Group Head of HR, said: “Fifty-seven promotions, including seven new Partners – and every single one of them has earned it. We’re in a period of real progression at Workman, and the people being recognised today are central to that. We are building the best culture in the sector, and that takes genuine investment in the people who show up and deliver every day.” With more than 900 specialists across 11 UK offices and a growing presence in Europe, Workman continues to develop talent at every level. The firm recruited 35 graduates and apprentices in 2025, with further intake planned for 2026. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Rapid construction at a major heavy-duty Sheffield industrial facility has seen main sub-contractor Cidon Construction continue with advancing the development. In order to facilitate high quality work, rapidly, efficiently and safely, the company has been working with National Pile Croppers (NPC), which has supplied Quad L and QXL pile croppers and round the clock support for the project. The ongoing redevelopment of a heavy-duty industrial facility in Sheffield is part of a contract valued at £138 million, which will support construction of a 13,800m2 building. VINCI Building will deliver the project to provide foundations, a 40 metre high superstructure and building service solutions for the facility, alongside teams of subcontractors and supply chain partners. Due to the structure of the building, with its high load bearing walls and superstructure, secant piles were initially chosen due to their ability to be constructed and form excavations in areas of high-water table. They are also able to be high load carrying whilst suffering from less vibration during construction. These were cropped by VINCI Building using a NPC monster cropper, the QXXL, which proved ideal for dealing with the 1,050mm piles. Next stage and more cropping The initial cropping of the secant piles was undertaken using a NPC Quad XXL, which has been designed and developed to deal with piles of between 1,050mm and 1,200m. “The development of the Quad XXL has proved to be the ideal tool for this project. It has the size to get over the 1,050mm piles and reduce them effectively. It is the only piece of kit capable of fitting in between the primary/secondary piles that have a range of 1,050mm – 1,200mm. Piles of this size often come oversized generally at the top,” explains NPC company director Scott Fitchett. This work was undertaken by VINCI Building working in conjunction with NPC. The pile cropping of the other non-secant tiles is being undertaken by sub-contractor, Barnsley headquartered Cidon Construction, which is a specialist reinforced concrete contractor with over 20 years’ experience in the delivery of complex concrete structures. For dealing with the smaller 600mm to 750mm bearing piles until the end of Jan 2026 an NPC QL was used. Following on from that, and for cropping the larger 750mm to 950mm piles, an NPC QXL will be used. Quad designed to be productive All three members of the NPC Quad family work in a similar fashion. The cropper is lowered over the top of the pile to recommended height – on ‘de-bonded’ piles this could be 500mm or more. The jaws are closed until a pile section pops free, with the reinforcement bars being kept straight for ease of removal, with the broken pile section easily lifted to dumper or an identified safe area. The Quad family uses four powerful and fully synchronised rams with specially designed blades to give a superb pile cut. Best utilised on piles with ‘debonded’ reinforcement bars, the Quad design gives it a very small footprint to enable access into tight spaces. “The Quad family has certainly delivered on the Sheffield project. Both VINCI Building and Cidon Construction have been impressed with the performance. It’s been a pleasure to work with both companies on what has proved to be a demanding project,” concludes Scott Fitchett. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Talan is supporting the delivery of a new industry trial designed to understand how students and trainees can be supported as they begin their careers in the gas sector, working on behalf of Gas Safe Register and the Health and Safety Executive. Talan has contributed to the development of the trial from its early stages, including designing a range of student-facing resources such as career pathway guidance and the new Gas Safe Register Student Hub. The hub has been created to provide a clear and accessible landing point for trial participants, giving them easy access to information and support throughout the trial. The initiative invites individuals training to become gas engineers to take part in a structured programme that offers practical support. The trial offers guidance covering registration, safety, career progression and the future skills needed in a changing industry in a ‘Student Hub’ found on the Gas Safe Register website. There are also plans to hold live webinars with gas engineers during which students can ask questions. As part of its role in the trial, Talan has worked closely with the Gas Safe Register to shape the structure and presentation of the Student Hub, ensuring that information is easy to navigate and relevant to the needs of trainees at different stages of their learning journey. Talan are using surveys to collect feedback from students on the quality of the support so it can be improved and developed further in future. Talan have engaged with awarding bodies and training providers across the sector to support participation in the trial and help ensure it reaches students in a range of training environments. Will Taylor, Principal Consultant at Talan, said:“Our role has been focused on supporting the development and delivery of the trial in a way that works for trainees in practice. That has included shaping resources such as career pathways and guidance, as well as working with Gas Safe Register on how the Student Hub is structured so it’s clear, accessible and easy to use. We have also worked closely with awarding bodies and training providers to help ensure the trial reaches students across the sector. Bringing together that engagement with practical support gives a stronger understanding of what trainees need as they start out and how that support can continue to improve.” The trial will run until 31st July 2026 and is available through the Gas Safe Register Student Hub. For more information, visit: www.gassaferegister.co.uk/student-hub/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals