Construction has started on Cheadle Eco Park, a £25m light-industrial development in Stockport that is being positioned as one of the UK’s most environmentally ambitious industrial schemes. Caddick Construction has begun work on the project for Stockport Council, delivering six new units ranging from 8,374 sq ft to 43,800 sq ft. The development will provide 115,000 sq ft of accommodation in total, replacing older industrial buildings on a seven-acre site on Bird Hall Lane in Cheadle Heath. Designed by AEW Architects, the scheme is targeting BREEAM Outstanding, placing it among the highest-performing non-residential buildings in the UK in sustainability terms. The development is also aiming for an EPC A rating, supported by a range of low-carbon technologies including air source heat pumps, natural ventilation and smart energy-efficient lighting systems. A standout feature of the project is its timber structure. Stockport Council said the scheme will be the UK’s largest purpose-built industrial and logistics development to use a frame constructed entirely from sustainably sourced timber. The approach has been selected in place of a traditional steel frame to reduce embodied carbon and support the project’s wider sustainability objectives. The development is being supported by a £4.4m grant from the Government’s Town Fund. Network Space Developments is acting as development manager on behalf of Stockport Council, which owns the site. The scheme is scheduled for completion in March 2027. David Saville, north west managing director at Caddick Construction, said the start on site marks an important moment for Stockport and for the future of sustainable industrial development across the region. He added that the project is designed to exceptional environmental standards and aims to support the next generation of low-carbon businesses. Brian Bradley, chair of the Cheadle Towns Fund Board, said the development represents a major step forward for Cheadle’s economic future, bringing modern industrial space, supporting clean growth and creating a sustainable employment destination for years to come. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Glencar has been appointed at pre-construction stage to help take Hillwood Park Luton through detailed design and into delivery, strengthening its growing track record on industrial and logistics projects. The 16-acre development, being brought forward by Hillwood, has secured planning consent and will deliver 284,575 sq ft of new Grade A industrial and logistics accommodation. The scheme will comprise eight units designed to meet modern occupier requirements in a strategically located market. Construction is expected to start in March, with the first units targeted for early occupation from January 2027. Glencar’s early involvement will focus on buildability, programme planning and technical coordination as the project moves through the next phases. The appointment continues an established working relationship between Glencar and Hillwood, following previous collaborations on schemes in Crewe and Wigan. Peter Goodman, managing director at Glencar, said the latest instruction reflects the strength of the partnership and Glencar’s ability to deliver high-quality industrial space to demanding standards. He added that early engagement enables the contractor to apply technical expertise from the outset, helping to drive efficiencies, support programme certainty and embed sustainable delivery. Greg Dalton, UK vice president at Hillwood, said Glencar has proven to be a reliable and hands-on partner across earlier projects. He described the third consecutive appointment as evidence of the trust built between the two businesses and a shared focus on quality, programme certainty and sustainability. Dalton added that Hillwood Park Luton is an important addition to Hillwood’s UK pipeline and will bring much-needed Grade A space to the area, with further details expected to be released as works progress on site. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Leading industrial property developer and investor Network Space has reached a significant construction milestone at its Coda @ City Works scheme in Openshaw, Greater Manchester, with steelwork now fully erected across the site and joint letting agents appointed. Located on Welcomb Street, the hugely popular development represents the final phase of expansion at the established  (the site is not fully let) City Works Business Park. The scheme reinforces Network Space’s continued commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable industrial and logistics accommodation across the North West. Once complete, Coda @ City Works will deliver 75,175 sq. ft of Grade A industrial and logistics space across four modern units.  With sizes ranging from 7,680 sq. ft to 29,440 sq. ft, these new units present attractive options for prospective occupiers, whilst also offering valuable expansion opportunities for current tenants.  Each unit will incorporate high-specification first-floor office accommodation alongside generous service yards designed to meet the operational needs of trade, manufacturing and distribution occupiers. The four-acre brownfield site – formerly occupied by Manchester College – will also provide 98 car parking spaces and 20 electric vehicle charging points, underlining Network Space’s focus on sustainability and occupier wellbeing. Construction is being delivered by main contractor Bansco and remains on programme for practical completion in Q2 2026. Designed by AEW Architects, the scheme is targeting BREEAM Excellent accreditation, reflecting its strong environmental performance, energy efficiency and long-term operational resilience. To bring the development to market, Network Space has appointed Rob Taylor and Jack Sullivan of CPP and Ruth Leighton and Megan Kavanagh of JLL as joint letting agents. The wider professional team supporting the scheme includes GWB Consultants, Hydrock, Hannan Associates and Spawforths. Joe Burnett, Development Director at Network Space, said: “The completion of steelwork at Coda @ City Works marks a major step forward for both the scheme and the ongoing regeneration of East Manchester. “Designed with flexibility, operational efficiency and long-term sustainability at its core, and targeting BREEAM Excellent accreditation, we have focused on the fundamentals that will appeal to a broad range of trade, industrial and logistics occupiers seeking well-connected, adaptable space capable of evolving over time. He added: “Coda @ City Works will form a natural extension to the existing business park, supporting local employment opportunities while delivering the type of high-quality, adaptable industrial space that continues to perform strongly in well-established locations.” Strategically positioned just 2.5 miles from Manchester city centre, the site offers excellent connectivity to the M60 motorway and onward links to the M67, M56 and M62, providing strong access to the wider North West and national motorway network. Coda @ City Works complements the existing 173,330 sq. ft City Works Business Park,  home to a diverse range of trade, light industrial and logistics occupiers. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The project represents Costco’s first warehouse in Gloucestershire and further strengthens Glencar’s portfolio across large-scale developments alongside its established industrial and logistics workload. Following three months on site, the steel frame is now complete, earthworks are nearing completion and cladding and roofing works are progressing, with the next key milestone being achievement of a watertight building envelope. Once complete, the development will include a nine-pump petrol station with tyre fitting bay, 612 customer parking spaces and a new vehicle access off Chancel Close. The 13,000 sq m warehouse is being delivered under a design and build contract and comprises a wide-span steel portal frame structure, feature entrance canopy, vertical composite cladding systems and a roof-mounted solar PV array. The external works package includes car parking, HGV hardstanding, drainage infrastructure, service installations and associated civils across the wider 44,000 sq m development site, progressing in parallel with the main build. Roy Jones, Managing Director at Glencar, said: “This is a substantial scheme that brings together structural steel, civils, infrastructure and sustainability within a live delivery programme. We are working closely with Costco and the wider project team to maintain programme certainty as construction progresses toward completion in 2026.” Paul Landen, Construction Director Europe, Costco commented: “Glencar is making good progress on site as works continue to advance on our Gloucester warehouse. This development represents an important addition to our UK estate, and we look forward to delivering a high-quality facility for our members in 2026.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Glencar has secured its third consecutive appointment with leading developer Hillwood, to deliver a new 16-acre 284,575 sq. ft multi-unit industrial scheme in Luton, known as Hillwood Park Luton. The appointment follows the successful completion of Crewe 335 (335,000 sq. ft) in Crewe and ongoing construction of Martland Park (101,860 sq. ft) in Wigan, reinforcing a growing strategic partnership and further cementing Glencar’s position as a leading delivery partner in the UK industrial and logistics sector. Glencar has been engaged at pre-construction stage to progress the scheme through the next phases of detailed design and delivery. Hillwood Park Luton is a 16-acre, multi-unit industrial and logistics development located within the established Sundon Park Industrial Estate in Luton, forming a key part of Hillwood’s expanding UK development pipeline. Delivered on a speculative basis, the scheme will provide modern, flexible warehouse accommodation in a range of sizes from 14,000 to 80,000 sq. ft. designed to support a range of manufacturing, distribution and e-commerce occupiers, addressing ongoing demand for high-quality industrial space. The development will target BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings, incorporating a range of sustainability and wellbeing-led initiatives. These features are designed to support long-term operational efficiency for occupiers while delivering vital, high-specification new-build accommodation for the region. Hillwood Park Luton occupies a highly strategic location to the northwest of Luton, benefitting from excellent connectivity to the M1 motorway and key arterial routes, supporting efficient regional and national distribution. Commenting on the appointment, Peter Goodman, Managing Director at Glencar, said: This third consecutive appointment with Hillwood reflects the strength of our relationship and our ability to consistently deliver high-quality industrial and logistics developments to exacting standards. Our early engagement on the scheme allows us to apply our technical expertise from the outset, driving buildability efficiencies, programme certainty and sustainable delivery. Hillwood Park Luton is another significant addition to our expanding industrial portfolio, and we look forward to mobilising on site and progressing the scheme safely and efficiently through to completion.” Greg Dalton, UK Vice President at Hillwood, added: “Glencar has proven to be a reliable, hands-on partner across our previous schemes. This third appointment is a testament to the trust we’ve built and our shared focus on quality, programme certainty, and sustainable delivery. Hillwood Park Luton is a key addition to our growing UK pipeline. We look forward to delivering much needed Grade A space in this strategic location, with more details to be announced as we progress on-site.” Practical completion is targeted for Q4 2026 and units available for occupation from December 2026. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Regional contractor Knights Brown has expanded into the east of England with the opening of a new office in Norwich, strengthening its transmission and distribution capability as demand for energy infrastructure continues to rise. The new base will serve as a regional hub for the company’s growing transmission and distribution team, which now comprises more than 150 direct and freelance specialists. The move reflects increasing requirements for civil engineering expertise as the UK electricity grid undergoes major upgrades to accommodate renewable energy connections and reinforce capacity. Headquartered in Ringwood, Hampshire, Knights Brown operates nationally with additional offices in South Wales, Kent and Scotland. The business turns over around £100m annually and delivers projects across substation and turbine civil engineering, groundworks, grid reinforcements and enabling infrastructure, alongside coastal and port works, water utilities, infrastructure and buildings. David Shillabeer, head of transmission and distribution, said East Anglia is one of the most active regions in the country for renewable generation and grid investment. He described the Norwich office as a clear signal of the company’s long-term commitment to the area, providing local presence and improved collaboration with clients delivering major energy programmes. Steven Price, divisional director for energy, added that the company is already engaged in critical infrastructure schemes nationwide and expects demand for transmission and distribution civils to continue growing as new generation capacity comes online. He said the dedicated hub in Norwich will enhance relationships with network operators, developers and delivery partners, while positioning the firm to support the region’s long-term energy ambitions. The expansion underlines Knights Brown’s strategic focus on supporting the UK’s energy transition through regional investment and specialist engineering capability. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Prologis has completed a 15-year letting with Birch at Brooklands DC1 in Weybridge, securing a new long-term operational hub for the specialist automotive storage provider as it scales its UK business. Birch is a premium automotive asset management company, recognised for The Birch Standard – a benchmark for secure, intelligent custodianship of high‑value vehicles. Birch provides insurance‑approved “vaults” and white‑glove logistics for private collectors, motorsport teams, OEMs and institutional partners who require assured, end‑to‑end custody. The expansion to Brooklands DC1 strengthens Birch’s ability to combine world‑class security, bonded storage and meticulously managed operations in a scalable hub, supporting its next phase of UK and international growth. Brooklands DC1 is a 124,223 sq ft Grade A logistics building, well suited to Birch’s highly controlled operations. The building provides a 12.5 metre clear internal height, 50 metre yard, 13 loading doors alongside an enhanced fit-out including the installation of LED lighting and fire alarm systems. Sustainability performance was a key consideration for Birch. The building achieved BREEAM Excellent and EPC A+ ratings and incorporates a 235kWp rooftop PV system, heat pump technology and EV charging infrastructure to support lower-carbon operations over the long term. Prologis Essentials has been appointed to support Birch with fit-out consultancy and operational solutions to meet its bespoke requirements. Daniel Wood, Co-Founder and Director at Birch, said: “Our expansion to Brooklands DC1 marks an important step in Birch’s next phase of growth. It gives us the scale, security and building quality we need to support high‑value automotive clients, while preserving the custodial standards and level of care that define The Birch Standard.” Gillian Scarth, Leasing Director at Prologis UK, said: This letting underlines the demand we are seeing for well-located, high-quality logistics space around London. Brooklands DC1 offers customers long-term certainty, excellent connectivity and access to a strong labour pool, making it a compelling location for specialist operators like Birch as they scale their UK presence.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Clowes Developments has announced strong early interest at Viking Trade Park, Congleton, with four of the six units now under offer, just weeks after achieving practical completion on the speculatively built, prominent roadside trade park. Viking Trade Park comprises two modern industrial buildings, Viking F3 and Viking G3, each providing 12,220 sq ft of high-quality commercial space. Designed with flexibility at the forefront, both buildings can be subdivided into three terraced units of approximately 4,000 sq ft, making the scheme ideally suited to a wide range of trade counter and industrial occupiers. One occupier has secured the entirety of Unit G, while another has taken Unit F1, leaving just two units remaining. The final space can be let either as two individual 4,000 sq ft units (F2 and F3) or combined to provide a single 8,000 sq ft opportunity. The development occupies a prominent roadside location on Viking Way, adjacent to the recently opened MKM Building Supplies branch, offering excellent visibility and convenient access. Marc Freeman, Development Director at Clowes Developments, commented: “We are delighted to confirm that already two thirds of the trade park is under offer. This level of demand reflects both the strength of the location, quality and flexibility of the accommodation we’ve delivered.” Andrew Groves and Mark Sillitoe, joint agents at Viking Park, Congleton, added: “Demand for Viking Trade Park has been very strong from the outset. The combination of a prominent location, high quality development and flexible unit sizes has appealed to a wide range of trade occupiers, and we anticipate the remaining units will be let quickly.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals