Hilton today announces the signing of London Bridge Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, as part of a franchise agreement with Gama Holdings, marking the debut of the lifestyle brand in the UK capital and becoming Hilton’s ninth brand in London. Set beside London Bridge Station in one of the city’s
Reds10 has started construction of 152 new prison places at HMP Kirklevington Grange in North Yorkshire, with prisoners themselves gaining construction and manufacturing experience as part of the delivery programme. The Ministry of Justice scheme is being delivered through its Rapid Deployment Cells (RDC) Programme, which uses Modern Methods of
Panattoni has appointed three leading property agencies to market its major Wakefield 500 development, as construction progresses on one of the largest speculative logistics projects currently being delivered in Yorkshire. Knight Frank, Colliers and Commercial Property Partners (CPP) have been selected as letting agents for the development at Wakefield Europort
How SPECTRSOLUTIONS LTD uses HIMACS, specified through James Latham, to deliver premium retail kiosks inside Westfield, Battersea Power Station and other landmark UK shopping destinations. A shopping kiosk has nowhere to hide. Standing in the middle of the mall, surrounded on every side by sometimes frenetic footfall, it has to
Multi-award-winning civil and structural engineering consultancy Will Rudd has supported the delivery of a major solar car port installation at Scottish Water’s headquarters in Stepps, Glasgow. The project has seen more than 1 MW of solar PV installed across eight canopies, covering approximately 243 parking bays and incorporating around 2,250
LaSalle Investment Management has secured an additional commitment of more than £300 million for a UK local authority investment mandate, taking the strategy to £1 billion and providing further capital for investment across the country’s property market. The expansion represents a significant vote of confidence in UK real estate at
Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has strengthened its real estate practice in London with the appointment of Simon Woodcock as a partner. Simon joins from Goodwin Procter. He advises on a broad range of transactional real estate matters, including direct and indirect investment, landlord and tenant matters, development and
Grainger has reported continued strong demand across its Build to Rent (BTR) portfolio as the UK’s largest listed residential landlord advances a development pipeline that includes its newly approved 425-home Cambridge North Residential Quarter. The FTSE 250 property company’s latest trading update, covering the 11 months to the end of
Biophilic design and plant maintenance specialists Universal Floral have achieved Carbon Neutral Certification in partnership with Carbon Neutral Britain™, demonstrating a genuine commitment to ESG principles and clear alignment with internal sustainability values. Universal Floral works with clients across the world to transform corporate spaces through plant displays, moss walls
The research reveals RTM formations hit record highs in 2025, with 2026 set to see even higher numbers Almost 1,000 groups of leaseholders became RTMs in 2025; a 79% increase in just six years Right to Manage (RTM) company formations have hit an all-time high, according to a new industry
Hilton today announces the signing of London Bridge Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, as part of a franchise agreement with Gama Holdings, marking the debut of the lifestyle brand in the UK capital and becoming Hilton’s ninth brand in London. Set beside London Bridge Station in one of the city’s most vibrant and well-connected districts, the 153-room hotel is expected to welcome guests in early 2028 after undergoing a more than £12 million transformation. Located at 8–18 London Bridge Street, the hotel will be within walking distance of some of the capital’s most iconic landmarks, including The Shard, Borough Market, Tower Bridge and the South Bank cultural district. A distinctive Central London stay The hotel, which will benefit from strong corporate and leisure demand, will offer 153 guest rooms, including unique garden vault rooms, delivering a broad range of options for business travellers and guests exploring the capital. At the heart of the hotel will be a redesigned ground floor experience featuring a number of different premium F&B outlets – all of which will be operated by leading hospitality partner Individual Restaurants. Expanding Tapestry Collection by Hilton in the UK Tapestry Collection by Hilton is a portfolio of independent hotels, each with its own vibrant personality and connection to its destination. Inspired by the locale, every hotel offers guests authentic experiences, thoughtful design and locally inspired food and drink, creating stays that are as unique as the places they call home. This London signing follows continued momentum for Tapestry Collection by Hilton across the UK and Ireland, including recent signings announced in Plymouth and Cork, with both due to open in 2027. The recent signings join a collection of four distinctive properties already open across the UK, including The Samuel Ryder Hotel St Albans, Elmbank York, The Marcus Portrush and Dover Marina Hotel & Spa. Christian Charnaux, executive vice president and chief development officer, Hilton, said: “London and the broader UK and Ireland region continue to present tremendous opportunities for growth, and this signing is another great example of how we are driving value for owners and strengthening our network effect around the world. Through our partnership with Gama Holdings, we are delighted to introduce Tapestry Collection to the city, further expanding our lifestyle portfolio in one of the world’s most important travel destinations. This signing builds on the strong momentum we are seeing across our brand portfolio in the region and reflects continued demand from owners for the scale, commercial engines and industry-leading returns that Hilton delivers.” Simon Elias, president, Gama Holdings, said: “Having owned London Bridge Hotel for more than 30 years, it is incredibly rewarding to see the property enter this exciting new phase. We believe Hilton is the ideal partner to help realise our vision for the hotel’s future, and we are delighted to introduce Tapestry Collection to London. This partnership combines the character and heritage of the hotel with the strength of one of the world’s leading hospitality companies, and I am confident it will be something we can all be proud of for many years to come.” Guests will benefit from Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty programme. Members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences, and enjoy instant rewards and benefits, including contactless check-in with room selection and exclusive member discounts. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Reds10 has started construction of 152 new prison places at HMP Kirklevington Grange in North Yorkshire, with prisoners themselves gaining construction and manufacturing experience as part of the delivery programme. The Ministry of Justice scheme is being delivered through its Rapid Deployment Cells (RDC) Programme, which uses Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and extensive offsite manufacturing to increase capacity across the prison estate more quickly than conventional construction methods. Reds10 is the Principal Works Contractor for the Kirklevington Grange project. The development will provide the additional places across three new two-storey accommodation blocks, together with supporting facilities and infrastructure. A total of 181 modules will be used, with more than 85% of the accommodation completed offsite before being transported to the prison for installation. In an unusual example of construction being integrated with rehabilitation and skills development, prisoners are also participating in the project. Two inmates are working on the foundations on site, with the potential for participation to increase as construction progresses. Reds10 is also employing prisoners released on temporary licence to support the manufacture of RDC units for the wider prison estate. Three former prisoners have subsequently secured permanent employment with the modular construction specialist. The approach adds an important social value element to a programme primarily focused on increasing the capacity of the Government’s prison estate. Kirklevington Grange is an open prison supporting men preparing for release and resettlement in the North East, with employment and vocational training already forming an important part of its work. Mark Wood, Head of Construction, Justice Sector at Reds10, said the scheme demonstrates the benefits of combining MMC with an integrated delivery model to provide greater certainty, coordination and efficiency. He added that the contractor was proud of the opportunities being created for prisoners to develop practical skills and workplace experience while contributing directly to the delivery of much-needed prison capacity. The development forms part of a much wider Government programme to expand the prison estate. The Government has committed to delivering 14,000 additional prison places by 2031, with 3,300 delivered since July 2024. Other projects across the North East and Yorkshire include additional accommodation at HMP Northumberland and HMP Humber, alongside the recently opened 1,500-place HMP Millsike near York. Rapid Deployment Cells are increasingly forming part of this construction programme, with modular units manufactured away from operational prisons before being installed on existing sites. The approach can reduce the amount of work undertaken within live custodial environments while accelerating delivery and making use of smaller parcels of available land. For Reds10, Kirklevington Grange is its largest Rapid Deployment Cells Programme project to date and provides a notable example of how offsite construction, public-sector investment and social value can be combined within the Government estate. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Panattoni has appointed three leading property agencies to market its major Wakefield 500 development, as construction progresses on one of the largest speculative logistics projects currently being delivered in Yorkshire. Knight Frank, Colliers and Commercial Property Partners (CPP) have been selected as letting agents for the development at Wakefield Europort in Castleford, where Panattoni is delivering a 500,000 sq ft cross-docked logistics facility. Panattoni acquired the 23-acre site from Delin Property earlier this year and is developing Wakefield 500 in joint venture with Newport by Panattoni, with the project forming part of the Newport Logistics Fund III investment portfolio. Construction started in June, with the building expected to be ready for occupation in May 2027. The scale of the speculative investment reflects confidence in West Yorkshire’s logistics market at a time when the availability of modern large-format warehouse space remains constrained. Wakefield Europort is already an established distribution destination, with major occupiers including Asda, Royal Mail, Haribo, Warburtons and Menzies. Located close to Junction 31 of the M62, the development provides onward access to the M1 and A1(M), connecting occupiers with markets across Yorkshire, the North, Midlands and wider UK. Rail connectivity provides another important advantage. Wakefield Europort includes a rail freight terminal operated by Maritime, offering businesses an alternative to road-based distribution and supporting the decarbonisation of supply chains. Wakefield 500 is being constructed to a high Grade A specification, with a 15-metre clear internal height, 56 dock doors, eight level-access doors and yard depths of up to 50 metres. The development will also provide 62 HGV spaces, 384 car parking spaces, EV charging infrastructure and a 2.5 MVA power supply. Sustainability forms a major part of Panattoni’s development strategy for the scheme. Wakefield 500 is targeting BREEAM Outstanding, net zero carbon in construction and strong EPC performance. Environmental measures include roof-mounted solar PV, rainwater harvesting, water leak detection and energy sub-metering, alongside extensive natural daylight within the warehouse. Chris Brown, development director at Panattoni, said the building had been designed around the requirements of modern large-scale logistics occupiers, with factors including resilience, labour availability, power, sustainability and access to major consumer markets influencing its specification. The appointment of Knight Frank, Colliers and CPP will now step up the marketing campaign as construction advances. Iain McPhail, logistics and industrial property partner at Knight Frank’s Leeds office, said the project was arriving at a time when the supply of large-format logistics accommodation remained severely restricted across both the UK and West Yorkshire. Rob Whatmuff, director at Colliers, highlighted the combination of road and rail connectivity, workforce availability and modern specification, while CPP director Toby Vernon described Wakefield 500 as one of the most highly anticipated speculative industrial and logistics developments to emerge across the North. With its combination of scale, multimodal connectivity and ambitious environmental standards, Panattoni Wakefield 500 represents a significant addition to Yorkshire’s logistics development pipeline and a major vote of confidence in the region’s long-term industrial property market. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
How SPECTRSOLUTIONS LTD uses HIMACS, specified through James Latham, to deliver premium retail kiosks inside Westfield, Battersea Power Station and other landmark UK shopping destinations. A shopping kiosk has nowhere to hide. Standing in the middle of the mall, surrounded on every side by sometimes frenetic footfall, it has to perform as architecture, signage, storage and customer counter, all inside a footprint that rarely exceeds six metres by four. For SPECTRSOLUTIONS LTD, which has spent 15 years designing, producing, installing and maintaining kiosks for some of the country’s busiest and high-profile retail destinations, that compact footprint hides a much bigger challenge. “It’s never easy,” says Oleg Kacs, Managing Director at SPECTRSOLUTIONS. “Every project has to answer to three different rulebooks at once. It has to meet British Standards, the shopping centre’s own design guidelines and align with the brand’s identity. And it still has to draw people in.” A material that earns its place Around half of SPECTRSOLUTIONS’ projects are designed in-house. The other half arrive from leading British design agencies. Either way, the team takes the concept through production, installation and aftercare, with materials sourced in the majority of cases from James Latham. HIMACS, the solid surface material distributed by James Latham, has become the team’s default for kiosk work. It now sits ahead of comparable solid surface options on the SPECTRSOLUTIONS specification list. The reasoning is as much practical as visual. Shopping centres in the UK and across Europe insist on materials that are fire-rated, durable and capable of standing up to constant interaction. A kiosk is touched, leant on, brushed past and bumped into all day. HIMACS, a solid acrylic surface, is scratch resistant, hard to damage and available in a wide colour palette. That breadth of colour choice helps the team meet brand guidelines without resorting to finishes that would fall foul of shopping centre rules. Westfield’s kiosk guidelines, for example, rule out anything that scratches to reveal another colour underneath. That veto extends to laminates, vinyl wraps and most sprayed finishes. Whereas solid surface sits firmly within the approved list. HIMACS works hard across décor, side panels, counters and countertop surfaces, often employed in a single project. How the projects come together A typical kiosk measures around six metres by four. A standard build uses roughly five sheets of HIMACS in the primary brand colour, with one or two further sheets in accent shades for smaller features. Each sheet measures 3.68 metres by 70 centimetres, which decides how panels are cut, jointed and finished. The programme of design to assembly and installation runs to roughly three months. One month covers design, approvals and the technical drawings required by the venue. The remaining eight weeks cover production and installation on site. Specifying materials through James Latham allows the planning phase to operate alongside the order, so stock is moving while drawings are still being signed off. Where the real work happens The briefing is the point where everything has to come together. Brand teams arrive with a colour palette and a portfolio that needs to translate into three dimensions. Shopping centre managers ask for a sculptural object that contributes visual appeal to the mall and gives shoppers a reason to stop. Underneath all of that, British Standards govern fire performance, accessibility and structural detail. “Every project starts and ends with the client’s vision,” Oleg explains. “Then we look at inspirations, what the client likes, and we combine all of that with the shopping centre’s design guideline. The brand is the last layer, but it is the most important one. People recognise it from the other end of the mall.” The tension Oleg sees most often sits between the brand’s operational needs and the centre’s appetite for impact. Counters, storage, stock movement, hand wash provision in food and beverage units, and concealed CCTV all have to fit inside the same small footprint that also has to look striking from any angle. HIMACS gives the team a way to fundamentally shape the structure rather than simply dressing it. The James Latham link For SPECTRSOLUTIONS, working with James Latham takes one of the bigger variables out of a tight, three-month programme. HIMACS material is available in the colours, sheet sizes and quantities the team needs, with the supply chain reliability to hold installation dates. Debbie Northall, Specification Manager, James Latham says, “Projects like these put HIMACS to work in some of the most demanding retail settings in the country, in front of millions of shoppers a year. With more kiosks already in the diary at Westfield, Battersea Power Station and other UK centres, the partnership keeps building, one six by four metre footprint at a time.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Multi-award-winning civil and structural engineering consultancy Will Rudd has supported the delivery of a major solar car port installation at Scottish Water’s headquarters in Stepps, Glasgow. The project has seen more than 1 MW of solar PV installed across eight canopies, covering approximately 243 parking bays and incorporating around 2,250 solar panels. Once operational, the installation is expected to generate around 1 GWh of electricity each year, providing roughly one third of the site’s power and saving approximately 160 tonnes of carbon annually. Delivered within a live, high-traffic environment, the project presented a number of engineering challenges, including how to manage drainage across the existing car park while integrating the new structures with the site’s existing infrastructure. The initial proposal involved an underground drainage solution, but a detailed assessment of the existing site levels and surface water flows identified an opportunity to make greater use of the infrastructure already in place. Will Rudd developed a solution that incorporated the existing drainage network and sustainable drainage features, requiring just one new drainage connection to serve the proposed glass-reinforced polyester switch room. This reduced the need for extensive underground drainage works while providing an effective approach to surface water management, and reducing project costs. Will Rudd was appointed by OCS to provide civil and structural engineering services for the project, with its involvement beginning with a detailed review of existing information, site inspections and surveys of the proposed development area. The consultancy was responsible for the design of the foundations, substructures and drainage infrastructure, as well as swept path analysis to assess vehicle access and manoeuvrability around the new structures. Will Rudd also provided Structural Engineers Registration certification for the third-party canopy structures, prepared structural design submissions and supported the building warrant application process. Throughout construction, the team provided ongoing civil and structural engineering support, responding to site queries and resolving technical challenges to support delivery within the live site environment. Steven Williams, Assistant Engineer at Will Rudd, said: “Projects such as this demonstrate how engineering can help organisations make practical use of existing sites to support their transition towards more sustainable energy. “Working within an operational car park presented a number of challenges, particularly around drainage, access and the integration of the new structures with the existing site. By taking a detailed approach to the existing infrastructure, we were able to develop solutions that supported the installation while minimising disruption and unnecessary additional works. “It’s a great example of how careful civil and structural engineering can help deliver renewable energy infrastructure that works effectively within an existing environment.” The project forms part of Will Rudd’s growing work in the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors. The consultancy is currently working with OCS on a number of projects across the UK, including structural assessments of non-traditional housing stock in Scotland to support the installation of Tesla Powerwall energy storage systems, alongside surveys and feasibility assessments for solar PV installations across DWP buildings in England and Scotland. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
LaSalle Investment Management has secured an additional commitment of more than £300 million for a UK local authority investment mandate, taking the strategy to £1 billion and providing further capital for investment across the country’s property market. The expansion represents a significant vote of confidence in UK real estate at a time when institutional investors are increasingly focused on assets capable of delivering resilient, long-term income alongside strong environmental and social performance. The mandate is being led at LaSalle by Sophie Simmonds and Philip La Pierre, with the additional capital significantly increasing the scale of the investment programme. For the UK built environment, the commitment has the potential to support further investment across property sectors where long-term institutional capital can play an important role in development, regeneration and the improvement of existing assets. Residential property, including Build to Rent (BTR), remains one of the areas attracting significant institutional attention as investors look towards professionally managed housing and other living sectors as part of diversified real estate strategies. The increase in LaSalle’s mandate to £1 billion also comes against a backdrop of continued change across the UK property investment market. Investors are increasingly assessing buildings not simply on location and rental performance, but on energy efficiency, operational performance, sustainability and their ability to meet changing occupier requirements. This creates opportunities throughout the construction and property supply chain. Institutional investment into new and existing assets can support development, refurbishment, retrofit, building services upgrades and improvements to public realm, while also creating longer-term requirements for asset and facilities management. LaSalle is one of the world’s major real estate investment managers, operating across a broad range of property sectors and investment strategies. The latest commitment provides the business with substantially greater capacity to pursue UK opportunities on behalf of its local authority mandate. With more than £300 million of additional capital now committed and the mandate reaching the £1 billion mark, the move demonstrates the continuing importance of large institutional investors to the future of the UK property market. For developers and the wider construction sector, the deployment of that capital will now be closely watched, particularly as investment opportunities emerge across residential and BTR, regeneration and other areas of the built environment. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has strengthened its real estate practice in London with the appointment of Simon Woodcock as a partner. Simon joins from Goodwin Procter. He advises on a broad range of transactional real estate matters, including direct and indirect investment, landlord and tenant matters, development and asset management. His practice spans multiple asset classes, including office, retail, student accommodation, PRS and industrial. Simon has significant experience advising investors, developers, asset and fund managers, and financial institutions on high-value UK and pan-European transactions. He brings strong relationships across the real estate sector and a track record of delivering on complex mandates. His appointment further enhances Norton Rose Fulbright’s real estate offering and supports the firm’s continued growth across key sectors and markets. David Hawkins, partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, commented: “Simon is a highly regarded real estate lawyer with an impressive track record advising on major UK and European transactions. His experience, market reputation and client relationships make him an excellent addition to our team.” Simon Woodcock commented: “Norton Rose Fulbright’s international platform and sector strengths provide a compelling proposition for clients operating in today’s market. I’m excited to join the team and look forward to helping clients deliver their most important real estate projects and investments.” Simon’s appointment forms part of Norton Rose Fulbright’s continued investment in its real estate practice and reinforces the firm’s ability to support leading investors, developers and institutions on complex transactions. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Grainger has reported continued strong demand across its Build to Rent (BTR) portfolio as the UK’s largest listed residential landlord advances a development pipeline that includes its newly approved 425-home Cambridge North Residential Quarter. The FTSE 250 property company’s latest trading update, covering the 11 months to the end of August 2026, showed occupancy remaining above 96%, alongside like-for-like BTR rental growth of 3%. Grainger now owns and manages more than 11,000 rental homes across the UK and remains focused on expanding its purpose-built rental portfolio. A significant development milestone during the period was planning approval for Cambridge North Residential Quarter, which will become Grainger’s first investment in Cambridge. The 425-home scheme is being brought forward on railway land adjacent to Cambridge North station through blocwork, the joint venture between Network Rail property company Platform4 and developer bloc. Grainger is lined up to forward fund the development and, once completed, will operate and manage the new rental homes. The project will provide a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments within a new residential neighbourhood designed to take advantage of its highly connected location. The wider proposals include linear parks, pocket gardens, tree-lined streets and active ground-floor uses, with walking, cycling and public transport forming an important part of the development strategy. Franklin Ellis Architects is involved in the design of the Cambridge North Residential Quarter, which forms part of the continuing transformation of land surrounding the station. The Cambridge investment reflects Grainger’s wider strategy of targeting well-connected UK cities where demand for professionally managed rental housing is supported by employment, transport infrastructure and constrained housing supply. Grainger is also progressing another partnership opportunity with Platform4 and blocwork in Nottingham, where a planning application has been submitted for a further 252 BTR homes. Alongside development activity, Grainger is targeting significant earnings growth from its committed BTR pipeline. Chief executive Helen Gordon said the company remains on track to grow earnings by 35% between FY25 and FY29, supported by new Build to Rent developments moving into operation. The company is simultaneously progressing an accelerated disposal programme covering approximately £850 million of non-core assets, while targeting a £300 million to £350 million reduction in net debt by the end of FY29. With high occupancy, continued rental growth and new developments advancing through planning, Grainger’s latest update highlights the growing maturity of the UK BTR sector. Cambridge North is particularly significant, combining institutional investment, residential development and transport-led regeneration to create a substantial new rental community in one of the UK’s strongest regional property markets. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Biophilic design and plant maintenance specialists Universal Floral have achieved Carbon Neutral Certification in partnership with Carbon Neutral Britain™, demonstrating a genuine commitment to ESG principles and clear alignment with internal sustainability values. Universal Floral works with clients across the world to transform corporate spaces through plant displays, moss walls and scalable plant-rich living walls. Achieving carbon neutral status for their UK operations was therefore a significant milestone, embedding environmental and sustainability principles into the heart of the organisation by independently measuring carbon emissions and taking steps to reduce environmental impact. With UK businesses accounting for up to 85% of UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, corporate action is essential in helping to stop climate change. In line with international targets, GHG emissions must halve by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Between May 2025 and April 2026, Universal Floral offset 25.3 tonnes of CO₂e against 17.5 tonnes, their total carbon footprint. Marie Caffrey, CEO, Universal Floral said: “Partnering with Carbon Neutral Britain™ to measure and offset our carbon emissions in the UK marks an important step on our sustainability journey. “We have gained a clearer understanding of where our emissions come from and where we can make the biggest improvements. For example, it was identified that our main emissions came through indirect carbon emissions (Scope 3), and this for us, was business travel. “We are now taking action to reduce emissions in this area, such as encouraging the team to take public transport or arranging virtual meetings in place of short-haul, domestic flights.” Through the Carbon Neutral Britain™ Woodland Fund™, Universal Floral offset their total carbon emissions through internationally certified carbon offsetting projects chosen for their environmental, humanitarian and ethical impacts: Additionally, Universal Floral have contributed to several UK-based rewilding and restoration initiatives including Haymeadow Restoration and Rewilding, Sea Grass Recovery and Protection and Marston Vale Forest Creation. Caffrey added: “Achieving this certification is a proud milestone for the entire team, particularly as we have been able to offset well over 100% of our total carbon footprint. The national and international projects we are supporting are actively contributing to vital global climate mitigation efforts, from blue carbon restoration to community reforestation and endangered species protection. “Taking direct action to reduce our own emissions while supporting verified, world-class environmental initiatives reinforces our commitment to sustainability and our environmental values. “Moving forwards, we are working towards 2030 and 2050 aligned targets via the globally recognised net-emissions approach, focusing on key emissions hot spots to achieve meaningful reductions.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The research reveals RTM formations hit record highs in 2025, with 2026 set to see even higher numbers Almost 1,000 groups of leaseholders became RTMs in 2025; a 79% increase in just six years Right to Manage (RTM) company formations have hit an all-time high, according to a new industry index. New research by property management firm Placekeeper Management has revealed there were 986 RTMs established in 2025; the highest ever recorded. The trend shows no sign of slowing down either, with 578 RTM companies already formed by the midpoint of 2026, putting the year on track to set yet another record. The findings show a huge disparity between RTM activity and the wider UK housing market, with resident-led management activity continuing to accelerate even as housebuilding and management company formations fall. To track this trend over time, the Altrincham-based property management firm has developed the Placekeeper RTM Index: a figure that compares RTM formation activity with housing completions against the long-term average. The Index rose from 69 in 2019 to 155 in 2025, meaning RTM activity relative to housing completions has more than doubled in six years and now stands 55% above its long-term average. The rise comes despite falls across the wider housing market, where completions fell from 214,290 in 2019 to 170,390 in 2025, representing a drop of around 20%. Management company formations also dropped from a peak of 2,180 in 2018 to 1,543 in 2025, the lowest level since 2013. RTM formations, by contrast, have continued to climb, suggesting that growth in resident-led management is increasingly being driven by factors within the existing housing stock. Trevor Adey, Director at Placekeeper Management, said: “The most striking finding isn’t simply that RTM formations have reached a record high, but that activity continues to accelerate at a time when housebuilding levels and management company formations have fallen. “The data suggests resident-led management is becoming a more significant feature of the UK’s existing housing stock, whether that reflects greater awareness of leaseholder rights, increased scrutiny of service charges, or wider changes in residential governance. “For managing agents, this should be a wake-up call. Standards of transparency, communication and value for money that might once have gone unquestioned are now being scrutinised more closely than ever. Agents who don’t adapt and improve services risk losing the buildings they manage to their own residents.” Placekeeper’s analysis draws on more than fifteen years of Companies House incorporation data and Office for National Statistics’ housing figures, covering RTM company formations, management company formations and UK housebuilding activity between 2010 and 2026. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals