Waitrose has confirmed that its first new flagship full-line supermarket in seven years will be built at Brabazon in North Bristol. The 30,000 sq ft store at Brabazon will create around 150 new jobs and is expected to open in 2027. It will be located approximately 500m from a new train station which is
Family-owned housebuilder Beal Homes has submitted plans for a £120m development which would bring much-needed new homes to a popular community in Hull. Beal has submitted an application for full planning approval for more than 400 new homes on a 38-acre site in Sutton-on-Hull. The proposed development would provide a
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of private and public sector construction and civil engineering projects has been appointed by Guildford Borough Council to deliver highways works to Weyside Urban Village, a new community that will comprise 1,550 new and affordable homes,
Karen Carter, director of national delivery at procurement specialist Pagabo, said: “One of the biggest talking points for the built environment of late has been the need for certainty and confidence – and the publication of the 10-year UK Infrastructure Strategy today certainly does a lot to support both of these.
CIVIL engineering solutions provider Wrekin Products has received a special award by The British Standards Institution (BSI) to recognise 30 years of continuous ISO 9001 certification. In 1995, Wrekin achieved the internationally recognised standard for quality management systems, covering its design, stockholding and supply of ductile and grey cast iron
The search has begun for a development partner to lead the flagship redevelopment of Crompton Place in the heart of Bolton Town Centre. The project will deliver a vibrant, residential-led mixed use development including hotel, office and commercial space, surrounded by the town’s rich heritage assets, vibrant amenities, and excellent
Morson Group, a global leader in talent solutions, has completed the acquisition of 3B Training, a Wigan-based specialist provider of health and safety training in the construction sector. The acquisition marks a significant step in Morson’s strategic expansion of their training capability and reinforces its position as one of the
MATERIAL Evolution, a pioneering sustainable materials company, today announced it has secured a venture debt facility from HSBC Innovation Banking UK, a leading financial partner to high-growth, innovation-led businesses. This facility will support Material Evolution’s continued development and scaling of its breakthrough ultra-low carbon cement technology. Founded to decarbonise the cement industry,
A fire safety solution from Siemens for the Irish Prison Service (IPS) is providing protection for inmates and staff across eight prisons, significantly reducing the chances of false alarms while saving valuable resources. The IPS, operating under the Department of Justice, is a crucial part of the criminal justice system.
Construction contract awards hit their lowest point this year, tumbling 11% from April to just £5.1 billion – now £1.5 billion below the 2024 average – adding further strain to government efforts to accelerate housing and infrastructure delivery. The Commercial & Retail sector took the sharpest hit in May, plunging
Waitrose has confirmed that its first new flagship full-line supermarket in seven years will be built at Brabazon in North Bristol. The 30,000 sq ft store at Brabazon will create around 150 new jobs and is expected to open in 2027. It will be located approximately 500m from a new train station which is under construction and which will benefit from higher frequency services as part of the Government’s £800m investment in the region’s transport network, announced earlier this month. The multi-million pound deal agreed with YTL Developments is the first major commercial partnership announced at Brabazon, which is already established as one of Bristol’s most desirable residential neighbourhoods. The arrival of Waitrose follows the YTL UK Group’s commitment to invest £4bn over the next five years and marks the next stage in the transformation of Brabazon, demonstrating its attractiveness not only to new homebuyers, but now also for commercial investment. James Bailey, Executive Director for Waitrose, said: “We are moving up a gear in store investment as we open in new locations and modernise our existing estate to bring the quality, service and value that customers love about Waitrose closer to more people. “Brabazon is one of the most exciting new city districts in the UK, driving the growth of one of the UK’s most vibrant and successful regional economies. Partnering with YTL Developments at Brabazon underlines our ambition and the opportunity we believe we have to grow our reach.” The new Waitrose supermarket will be located in a prime position on the A38 Gloucester Road at the gateway to Brabazon. It will occupy the ground floor of a seven storey office building, designed by AHR architects and be served by an adjacent multi-storey car park with space for over 1,500 vehicles. The office accommodation – located between GKN’s Global Technology Centre and the Bristol campus of Airbus UK – is set out over floorplates of 18,800 sq ft and is targeting a BREEAM Outstanding rating. Brabazon: The most exciting new urban district in the South West Brabazon is the new town for North Bristol, being built on the historic former Filton Airfield, where every UK Concorde was built. YTL Developments is now transforming this historic landmark, located at the heart of Bristol’s world-leading aerospace, engineering and technology business cluster, into a new urban community. Hundreds of award-winning new homes at Brabazon are already completed and occupied. Hundreds more are currently under construction, as well as over 1,500 beds of purpose-built student accommodation and a new community hub in a historic listed aircraft hangar. Designed to live up to the legacy of this former Airfield’s pioneering past, the approved plans for Brabazon include thousands of new homes, creative workplaces to support up to 30,000 jobs, as well as the largest new urban public park in the South West for over 50 years and a supersonic new 20,000-capacity Arena for Bristol. Brabazon will also be home to the city’s newest train station which is expected to open in September 2026. Seb Loyn, Planning & Development Director at YTL Developments said: “The arrival of Waitrose in 2027 is not only great news for the thriving community of new residents at Brabazon: It shows that this new city district is now firmly established as one of the most attractive destinations for both homebuyers and commercial investment in the South West. “In the past year, YTL Developments has announced a multi-billion pound investment package, seen work start on a new train station, and welcomed hundreds of new residents to the community. Welcoming Waitrose – one of the best-loved retailers in the UK – to Brabazon as our first commercial partnership is a signal of our intent to create a new town for North Bristol that works for people and for businesses, now and for years to come.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Family-owned housebuilder Beal Homes has submitted plans for a £120m development which would bring much-needed new homes to a popular community in Hull. Beal has submitted an application for full planning approval for more than 400 new homes on a 38-acre site in Sutton-on-Hull. The proposed development would provide a significant contribution to Hull City Council’s required quota of new homes. The Government has set a national target to build 1.5 million new homes during the current Parliament to meet growing housing demand. Responding to the Government’s targets, Hull City Council has adopted its own Housing Growth Strategy for 2025-2031, which sets out plans to add almost 6,000 new homes to the city’s housing stock from 2025-31. If approved, the Beal development will bring up to 418 new, high-quality homes to a site which is allocated for residential development in Hull’s Local Plan. House types will include two-bedroom starter homes, three-bedroom homes for growing families, and four-bedroom detached properties, reflecting local demand and catering for a wide range of homebuyers. The plans include areas of public open space, including the creation of a green corridor along the southern boundary of the site, to create a scenic walking route and act as a natural buffer between the development and adjacent housing. A thoughtfully-designed attenuation pond will also provide a practical drainage function, while enhancing the landscape as an attractive natural focal point. Beal’s plans include the retention of existing hedgerows and trees, as well as the planting of additional trees to deliver a net gain in biodiversity of at least 10 per cent. To promote accessibility, and ease pressure on the local road network, the plans include the creation of two access points to the development off Danby Close and East Carr Road, with Beal also proposing to facilitate the extension of the existing local bus route to enhance public transport in the area. Beal Land Director, Chris Murphy, said: “This proposed development has been designed to create a seamless blend between urban, city living and the natural surroundings on a site allocated for housing in the Hull Local Plan. “Everything from the mix of house types, to the positioning of green spaces and public footpaths, aims to create a well-balanced development which creates a sense of community and connection, and integrates naturally into the existing residential area.” Sutton-on-Hull is a close-knit village-style community within the city boundary, located three miles north of Hull city centre. The proposed development would bring much needed new, modern homes to the area, which has seen little development for the past 50 years. Beal Chief Executive, Richard Beal, said: “There is a growing demand for high-quality new homes in Hull, and the Sutton area, in particular, has seen very little new housing in recent years. “This application sets out our proposals to bring more than 400 much-needed homes to the city, at a time when the council is under increasing pressure to achieve higher housing targets. “Our plans include a wide range of house types, including starter homes to enable the next generation of Hull residents to take their first step onto the housing ladder.” East Yorkshire-based Beal is the region’s leading independent housebuilder, having delivered scores of prestigious developments across Hull, East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire for almost 60 years. The business is at the forefront of regeneration across the region, having delivered, or currently delivering, many of the area’s most significant residential developments. Beal has won a host of awards in recognition of the quality of its homes and developments and was recently awarded the top five-star rating from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) for the fifth consecutive year in recognition of its exemplary customer service. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of private and public sector construction and civil engineering projects has been appointed by Guildford Borough Council to deliver highways works to Weyside Urban Village, a new community that will comprise 1,550 new and affordable homes, along with green and play spaces, an employment space, commercial centre and sustainable transport hub. The first set of highways works began in early May 2025, with the remaining nine phases being delivered over an 18-month period, covering a variety of highways improvements. These include the reconfiguration of a roundabout, road widening schemes, residential parking bays, signalisation works, and the creation of a new toucan crossing. Dedicated bus lanes are also being introduced to improve service reliability and performance, encouraging the use of public transport, while a new network of cycle and footway facilities is being developed to encourage active travel. The scheme also features upgrades to the on and off ramps connecting the A3 to the A320, improving overall connectivity and reducing congestion across the area. The first set of highways works Winvic is undertaking is the construction of a new toucan crossing on Woking Road, replacing the existing uncontrolled crossing between Old Woking Road and Fir Tree Road. With works due to complete in August 2025, the upgraded crossing will help improve safety, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to cross at the same time. Winvic has been on site at Weyside since February 2024, delivering the on-site infrastructure works for the future residential development. Works included the preparation of plateaus for housing construction, and by the project’s completion in November 2025, approximately 34,000m³ of earthworks remediation will have been carried out to achieve the necessary ground levels. Diversionary drainage works began in October 2024, followed by the installation of around 4,500 metres of new foul, storm, and private drainage systems, including attenuation crates, and managing urban drainage using Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). Winvic is also constructing 670 metres of internal roads and 1,300 metres of footpaths, complete with tactile crossing points. Throughout the works, Winvic will be actively engaging with the local community to deliver meaningful social value as part of its commitment to creating positive project legacies. This will include local employment, work experience and training opportunities, supporting STEM education by working with local schools and colleges through the Surrey Careers Hub, and volunteering initiatives. Rob Cook, Managing Director for Civils & Infrastructure at Winvic, commented: “We are proud to be working with Guildford Borough Council on the Weyside Urban Village project, which represents a significant investment in Guildford’s future that delivers vital infrastructure to unlock much-needed housing and promotes sustainable development and public transport solutions. Our involvement in both the on-site infrastructure and off-site highways works demonstrates Winvic’s capability to deliver complex, multi-phase, civil engineering projects with sustainability and social impact at the heart, that create long-lasting benefits for residents and the wider community.” Cllr Tom Hunt, Lead Councillor for Regeneration, said: “As we move forward with our plans to deliver the vital infrastructure needed to support the Weyside Urban Village regeneration, we’re pleased to have appointed Winvic Construction. Our strategic regeneration project will create new homes, jobs and green spaces, delivering on our commitment to make Guildford a greener, fairer, thriving place to live work and do business.” Keep up to date with the works at Weyside Urban Village here: Transport | Weyside Urban Village For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit X (Formerly Twitter) @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Karen Carter, director of national delivery at procurement specialist Pagabo, said: “One of the biggest talking points for the built environment of late has been the need for certainty and confidence – and the publication of the 10-year UK Infrastructure Strategy today certainly does a lot to support both of these. “Labour’s promise to ‘Get Britain Building’ is now underpinned by this strategy and billions of funding covering new schemes, maintenance and upgrades, decarbonisation and improving energy and transport networks just to name a few. Combined with the interactive portal launching in July, this should provide the industry with the levels of confidence and certainty it’s been craving. Perhaps even more importantly, these announcements should foster certainty and confidence in the private sector too, enabling more private sector partnerships and funding to accelerate delivery. “There’s also a clear goal to create the maximum social value possible with a place-based approach and better social infrastructure – delivering not just homes and buildings, but bringing together travel networks, education, healthcare, homes, public realm and cultural offerings places that truly work for their communities. “We welcome the news there will be further consultation on procurement reforms to ‘better support social value and SMEs’ – showing that government understands just how powerful procurement can be in unlocking social value. The right processes and early engagement are key – and with renewed certainty and confidence, the built environment can bring together the partnerships needed to make this strategy a reality.” To learn more about Pagabo, visit www.pagabo.co.uk About Pagabo: Pagabo is the UK’s leading procurement organisation, providing a suite of frameworks that enable public sector organisations to procure the goods and services they need. Established in 2013, the company provides UK and EU procurement law compliant framework agreements, a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) and bespoke consultancy – all delivered and backed up by a team of MCIPS and NEC qualified procurement professionals. To date, works procured through Pagabo’s frameworks have enabled more than £6 billion in social value for communities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CIVIL engineering solutions provider Wrekin Products has received a special award by The British Standards Institution (BSI) to recognise 30 years of continuous ISO 9001 certification. In 1995, Wrekin achieved the internationally recognised standard for quality management systems, covering its design, stockholding and supply of ductile and grey cast iron manhole covers and gully gratings, geosynthetics, steel access covers and related civil engineering items. The recent award acknowledges Wrekin’s long-standing commitment to quality, excellence and consistency, as well as maintaining a mutually supportive relationship with BSI for three decades. Barry Turner, castings technical manager at Wrekin, said: “Having worked at Wrekin since we first obtained our ISO 9001 certification in the mid 90s, I’ve seen how valuable it continues to be across the business. This award from BSI reflects the enduring strength of our internal systems, our culture of accountability and our collaborative approach with customers and partners. “Our internal systems across all departments became more robust when we decided to adopt the standard, and we have worked with our supply chain ever since to share our expertise so that they can improve their processes too.” During the six-month period in 1995 when Wrekin aligned its quality management system with ISO 9001, a new quality manual was established to list all the procedures used across the business and, in doing so, several important improvements were made at the time, including revision of procedures covering; customer feedback review, contract review and a commitment to undertake regular, scheduled internal and external audits. Not only has Wrekin credited the standard for its ability to improve overall operational quality, but it has also recognised the positive impact on transparency across the business and provided clear processes which help all employees in their introduction and adoption. Barry continued: “This milestone highlights our dedication to; continuous improvement, customer satisfaction and industry betterment, which have all helped cement our position as a trusted name in the civil engineering sector.” To learn more about Wrekin, visit www.wrekinproducts.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The search has begun for a development partner to lead the flagship redevelopment of Crompton Place in the heart of Bolton Town Centre. The project will deliver a vibrant, residential-led mixed use development including hotel, office and commercial space, surrounded by the town’s rich heritage assets, vibrant amenities, and excellent transport links. The successful bidder will also be expected to improve public spaces and reintroduce a direct pedestrian route between Victoria Square and Bradshawgate. The council has issued a tender notice using the new competitive flexible procedure under the Procurement Act 2023. This will be the second significant step forward following the application to demolish the former shopping centre, which the authority purchased in 2018 as part of its town centre regeneration masterplan. Pending planning approval later this year, demolition is expected to take just 50 weeks and be completed in a single phase. The council is working with leading real estate advisors CBRE to deliver the successful transformation of Crompton Place. Bolton Council Leader, Cllr Nick Peel, said: “Crompton Place represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and we look forward to welcoming the right development partner to take the transformation of Bolton to the next level. “We continue to see the successful delivery of regeneration projects in the town centre and across the wider borough, including Neighbourhood Moor Lane, Deansgate Gardens and the first phase of Church Wharf. “Having now launched this procurement opportunity on Crompton Place we are sending a clear signal that Bolton means business. “We are confident that investment in the site will attract even more developers to other parts of the town centre.” CBRE Executive Director, Adam White, said: “This is another significant step forward to find a best-in-class development partner to deliver a high-quality, inclusive, residential-led mixed-use scheme. “The council has a proven track record in securing public sector financial support; and Crompton Place is a vital component of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s £10 billion investment plan. “The council will be procuring its development partner with the support of CBRE, Trowers & Hamlins, and KPMG.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Morson Group, a global leader in talent solutions, has completed the acquisition of 3B Training, a Wigan-based specialist provider of health and safety training in the construction sector. The acquisition marks a significant step in Morson’s strategic expansion of their training capability and reinforces its position as one of the largest and most influential providers of applied, supplied, deployed and developed talent worldwide. Founded in 2011 by Executive Chairman Dave Brooks and Managing Director Mat Bewley, 3B Training has a rich history of providing recognised training in the construction sector. Since its foundation, 3B has grown to be one of the UK’s largest construction training providers and has developed a national presence, including offices across the North West, Yorkshire and Midlands. Under the leadership of Managing Director Mat Bewley, the team brings significant industry expertise and provides a comprehensive suite of practical training services, online training, eLearning and NVQs. At a time when the demand for skilled professionals continues to rise—driven by widespread labour shortages, an ageing workforce, and evolving infrastructure investment—training has never been more important. The integration of 3B Training into the Morson family significantly enhances Morson’s ability to develop and deploy deep talent pools, delivering industry-ready individuals who can immediately add value in high-demand sectors. A shared philosophy, strong cultural alignment, and complementary capabilities make this acquisition a natural and exciting next step. For now, it will be business as usual as leadership teams collaborate to enhance both organisations’ operations and ensure a seamless integration. Morson Group CEO Ged Mason commented: “This acquisition represents a key strategic move to develop Morson Group’s training business, with 3B’s suite of construction offerings complementing Morson Training’s established and substantial expertise across rail and power. The synergies between Morson Training and 3B Training will create an enviable training and development unit for the Group. I look forward to seeing the business integrate and collaborate over the coming months to deliver even greater value for our clients and people.” Mat Bewley, Managing Director at 3B Training, said: “Joining the Morson Group marks an exciting new chapter for 3B Training. We’ve always been passionate about delivering industry-leading training and this acquisition allows us to scale that ambition even further. Being part of Morson Group will broaden our reach, enhance our offering, and ensure we continue to deliver the high-quality service our clients know and trust. We’re proud to be part of a group that shares our values and vision for the future of skills development.” Matthew Leavis, Morson Group Training Director, said: “This acquisition is a strong strategic move, bringing together two organisations that share a commitment to quality and client service. The synergy between us will support growth across our key markets and enhance the value we deliver to clients. It’s a positive step that strengthens our collective offer and positions us well for the future.”Morson was advised by Beyond Corporate and RSM UK Corporate Finance LLP. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MATERIAL Evolution, a pioneering sustainable materials company, today announced it has secured a venture debt facility from HSBC Innovation Banking UK, a leading financial partner to high-growth, innovation-led businesses. This facility will support Material Evolution’s continued development and scaling of its breakthrough ultra-low carbon cement technology. Founded to decarbonise the cement industry, Material Evolution uses alkali fusion and AI-powered design to create ultra-low carbon alternatives to traditional Portland cement. The company’s proprietary technology enables their first product, MevoCem, to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 85% compared to conventional methods, addressing one of the most significant contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. “As a climate tech hardware business, we know that debt will become an important part of our capital stack as we mature and scale globally,” said Dr. Liz Gilligan, co-founder and CEO of Material Evolution. “Securing this venture debt facility from HSBC Innovation Banking is a first step toward diversifying our own financing beyond grants and venture capital and accelerating us toward our fully scaled capital stack.” The venture debt facility will be used to help grow the company’s commercial traction. Avisha Blakeway, directorat HSBC Innovation Banking UK, commented: “We are proud to unlock growth and open doors for innovative climate tech companies. We are delighted to support Material Evolution on this next milestone in the company’s journey and we look forward to working together with the team as they scale their technology and impact.” This announcement underscores HSBC Innovation Banking’s ongoing commitment to supporting climate tech innovators that are aiming to build a more sustainable future. To learn more about Material Evolution and HSBC Innovation Banking’s partnership, watch this video. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A fire safety solution from Siemens for the Irish Prison Service (IPS) is providing protection for inmates and staff across eight prisons, significantly reducing the chances of false alarms while saving valuable resources. The IPS, operating under the Department of Justice, is a crucial part of the criminal justice system. It is responsible for the safe and secure custody of individuals who are sentenced to prison, held on remand, or detained for immigration-related matters. As a trusted partner for more than three decades, Siemens has consistently delivered comprehensive fire safety solutions and lifecycle support to this valued customer. This included the recent completion of a significant upgrade of their life safety systems by implementing advanced detection systems and the deployment of Siemens innovative Building X Fire Manager platform with cloud-enabled capabilities. New technologies and services have resulted in enhanced operational practices and increased protection for staff, inmates and the Siemens engineering team. In addition, the investment in digital services is improving system uptime and enabling data-driven decision making. Smart fire safety technologies The upgrade has been engineered to address the specific demands of the IPS. Smart Disturbance Free Testing (DFT) Sinteso detectors are adept at differentiating between genuine fire sources and deceptive phenomena such as steam or dust, ensuring precise detection and significantly reducing the chances of false alarms. These intelligent devices also perform regular self-diagnostics, verifying their functionality and maintaining peak performance, with automatic reporting of any issues and analysis of test results, either on-site or remotely. For the prison environment, this translates to significant practical benefits, as the need to access restricted, sensitive areas is substantially reduced through remote testing capabilities, while hard-to-reach locations such as high atriums can be managed more efficiently. Data-driven decisions To facilitate immediate investigation of any fire incident, authorised prison personnel can now monitor live the status of any fire event from any location via the new Sinteso Connect app. This enables rapid situation assessment and early decision-making, including determining whether evacuation is necessary and how to best manage a planned, phased evacuation, a particularly important factor given the significant disruption invloved in evacuating a prison. Further efficiencies are being achieved with the introduction of the new automated eLogbook system, which automatically records all fire-related events and interactions. This digital approach eliminates the need for manual logging, providing authorised officers with instant access to comprehensive system records from any device, while ensuring accurate, time-stamped documentation of all system activities. To enable comprehensive monitoring across multiple prison locations, Siemens has implemented Building X with Fire Manager. This solution provides full visibility of the status of all sites on a single dashboard, offering access to both real-time and historical data. Designed to support the IPS by delivering greater operational insights, it enhances maintenance planning, execution, and reporting. Customer gains The IPS is able to take advantage of new corrective and preventive service models, alongside continuous system performance monitoring and checks. Remote fault interrogation allows issues to be diagnosed, resolved, and restored without always requiring an on-site response. In cases where on-site intervention is necessary, engineers arrive fully equipped with detailed system diagnostics and historical data, significantly reducing problem resolution time and improving first-time fix rates. The integration of smart, self-testing detectors combined with remote servicing capabilities has produced significant operational efficiency gains for the IPS, automated diagnostics have reduced manual inspections, remote troubleshooting has eliminated unnecessary site visits and real-time performance monitoring is enabling predictive maintenance. A mandatory Health & Safety protocol means that officers must always escort contractors during service visits, involving considerable resource. A pilot test has revealed the extent of the efficiency gains: a total of 76 escort days have been saved, enabling valuable time to be redirected to core security duties. This new approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also maintains rigorous safety standards while significantly reducing resource demands on security personnel. Governor of Works for the Irish Prison Service, Rónán Dunning, commented, – “The integration of new digital systems and services represents not only our commitment to technological excellence but also our dedication to deliver a sustainable, future-proof safety infrastructure across our organisation.” Joe Walsh, Head of Siemens Smart Infrastructure summarised the project – “Through our strategic partnership with the Irish Prison Service, we have engineered a holistic fire safety solution that not only addresses their multifaceted requirements and supports the complexities of their operational environment, but one that is also delivering measurable outcomes.” For further information on Siemens Smart Infrastructure – Buildings www.siemens.co.uk/cerberusFor further information on Siemens Smart Infrastructure, please seewww.siemens.com/smart-infrastructure Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction contract awards hit their lowest point this year, tumbling 11% from April to just £5.1 billion – now £1.5 billion below the 2024 average – adding further strain to government efforts to accelerate housing and infrastructure delivery. The Commercial & Retail sector took the sharpest hit in May, plunging 68% to just £290 million – the lowest monthly value in over a year. Infrastructure also suffered, recording its weakest performance since November, down 26% to less than £1 billion. Notably, the Coppermill Lane Pumping Station & Water Treatment Works was the largest project, accounting for nearly half of the sector’s total. Residential awards slipped 10% to £1.7 billion. While this is an improvement compared to February and March, it remains below both the 2024 and 2025 averages. The £400 million Bollo Lane development in London was the highlight for this sector. The East of England endured its worst month for contract awards in over a year, with values plunging 75% from the 2024 average. Alarmingly, only seven projects exceeded £10 million, and none topped £30 million. Ed Griffiths, head of business and client analytics at Barbour ABI, commented: “The spending review was widely seen as good news for construction but the backdrop is that it’s been another disappointing month for contract awards. The industry continues to grapple with economic uncertainty and regulatory hurdles that are delaying many schemes. The project pipeline remains relatively strong, but these barriers need to be addressed to unlock progress – although it’s possible that meaningful growth may not materialize until 2026. “There are potential bright spots ahead in green energy and data centres, which continue to drive demand for transmission infrastructure. Infrastructure hopes may be buoyed by the Chancellor’s recent announcement of a £15 billion investment, particularly focused in the North of England.” Planning approvals also fell in May, declining 15% to £8.2 billion – the lowest month so far this year but still 5% higher than the 2024 average. Meanwhile, Residential planning approvals rose to £3.2 billion, aligning with the 2024 average. And the overall value of planning applications nosedived 48% from March to £7.1 billion. This steep drop is partly due to the completion of two large projects in Infrastructure and Medical & Healthcare at the end of March, but all sectors have been subdued. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
