Manchester United has announced plans to construct a state-of-the-art 100,000-seat stadium as the centrepiece of a major regeneration project for the Old Trafford area. The club estimates that the stadium and wider redevelopment could contribute £7.3 billion annually to the UK economy, while also delivering significant social and economic benefits to the local community. Plans suggest the initiative could create up to 92,000 new jobs and 17,000 homes, making it one of the most transformative projects in the region’s history. Leading architecture firm Foster + Partners has been appointed to design the stadium district and will oversee the development of a comprehensive masterplan, including feasibility studies, consultations, and detailed design work. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham highlighted the scale of the opportunity, stating: “Our shared ambition is to unlock the full potential of the club for the benefit of its supporters and Greater Manchester as a whole. If executed successfully, the regeneration impact could surpass even that of London 2012.” Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe emphasised the long-term benefits: “Beyond football, this project has the potential to drive lasting economic and social renewal in Old Trafford, creating jobs and investment opportunities both during construction and once the stadium district is fully operational.” The UK government has prioritised infrastructure investment, particularly in the North of England, and this redevelopment aligns with that mission, reinforcing its national significance. Lord Norman Foster, founder and executive chairman of Foster + Partners, described the vision for the new district: “The stadium will be an outward-looking, dynamic hub at the heart of a walkable, sustainable community, fully integrated with public transport and enriched by green spaces.” With Manchester United’s ambitious plans taking shape, the project promises to redefine Old Trafford, blending world-class sport with urban renewal and long-term economic growth. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Adventure Leisure, the company behind Mulligans, BUNKERS, Total Ninja, and Ninja Warrior UK, is bringing its popular crazy golf concept to Guildford town centre. Set to be the 14th Mulligans venue in the UK, the new site will span 17,000 sq ft on North Street. It will be created by combining two vacant units – the ground floor previously occupied by TGI Fridays and a basement space that formerly housed a nightclub and later a pop-up leisure venue, Slice. The Guildford venue will offer two 9-hole crazy golf courses alongside a variety of interactive games, including electronic darts, American pool, and electro-shuffleboard. Sports-themed arcade games such as air hockey, skeeball, and basketball will also be available. In addition to the gaming experiences, Mulligans Guildford will feature a family-friendly sports area with booth seating and TV screens, as well as a food and drink offering to enhance the overall visitor experience. Stephen Brown, chief operating officer of Adventure Leisure, said: “We can’t wait to open our latest Mulligans venue in Guildford. We’ve had our eyes on the town for some time and have some exciting plans for the golf courses in particular. It’s fantastic to be working with Zachary Pulman to bring everything to life. “We’re in a really exciting period of growth for Adventure Leisure, following our new venue in Hemel Hempstead last year and with Mulligans Guildford opening soon.” Adventure Leisure currently operates 13 Mulligans locations across the UK, including sites in Basildon, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cheltenham, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Norwich, Sidcup, Stevenage, Tonbridge, Worcester, and Hemel Hempstead. The Guildford opening marks another step in the company’s expansion, bringing its unique mix of crazy golf, arcade games, and social entertainment to a new audience. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

RED Construction Group, the specialist main contractor, has announced the completion of the 4-star voco Zeal Hotel at Exeter Science Park, finalising the construction of the UK’s first branded Net Zero Carbon hotel. Innovations in the design and construction mean the hotel is operating with industry-leading benchmark-setting Energy Use Intensity (EUI) levels, a critical measure that will define building sustainability in the decades to come. The 100% electric hotel, with the UK’s first vertical photovoltaic cladding system, generates more solar energy each year than the building consumes, integrated into multiple facades in a way that enhances the hotel’s overall design. Securing a 70% reduction in operational cost energy, the building has an EUI of less than 60kWh/m2/yr, significantly outperforming the CRREM 2050 target of 95kWh/m2/yr. The building has achieved a 50% reduction in embodied carbon, with less than 750kgCO2e/m2, surpassing the LETI and RIBA 2030 targets for embodied carbon established for commercial buildings. Most importantly, the sustainability achievements were realised at no additional cost, with no compromise to quality. Spanning 54,000 sq ft, the £22m milestone project has achieved these industry-leading metrics through a series of principles agreed at design conception: ensuring a fabric first approach to the envelope design; utilising sustainable low-energy solutions and low embodied carbon materials; and the adoption of green renewable technologies. RED Construction Group’s South West division worked alongside the highly collaborative team of voco Zeal Hotels, ECE Westworks, Introba and Hydrock Bristol, from the outset. The completed 4-star hotel comprises 142 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar with private dining, conference facilities and a gym, as well as electric vehicle and electric bike charging points. RED Construction South West Managing Director, Derek Quinn, commented: “This voco Zeal hotel has got to be an exemplar for all new build hotels, highlighting what is achievable when collaboration and ambition meet. The project team dynamic has been crucial in its success, paving the way from the very outset with a BREEAM Outstanding at the design stage. This is a milestone project for all of our careers, and a prototype for what’s possible, evidence of how our expertise can help deliver projects that put the South West’s innovation on the map nationally.” Tim Wheeldon, Founding Director, Zeal Hotels, added: “Celebrating the construction of the UK’s first branded Net Zero Carbon hotel is a moment we are exceptionally proud of at voco Zeal Hotels. Creating a benchmark for the hotel industry on a global scale required a first-class project team, and RED Construction Group has been a brilliant partner to have through this process, bringing their expertise to the project and going above and beyond to achieve not only the sustainability goals, but at a cost that makes new hotels viable, improving our environment without costing more. This is a first for the industry and we are looking forward to collaborating with other hoteliers and developers regarding additional Net Zero Carbon hotels.” This news follows the announcement that RED Construction Group’s London team has been appointed on the second phase of works for The Sheppard Trust’s £21.8m redevelopment of the former Royal Cambridge Home, involving the demolition and redevelopment of a new 62,000 sq ft facility, Elizabeth Court. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Tenpin is bringing its signature mix of bowling and entertainment to Redditch, with a brand-new venue set to open at the Kingfisher Shopping Centre this summer. Spanning 28,500 sq ft, the new site will take over the former B&M and Wilko units on the lower level of the centre. The venue will feature 22 bowling lanes alongside a range of additional attractions, including three escape rooms, laser tag, karaoke rooms, interactive darts, and pool tables. Adding to the experience, a 140-seat bar will offer food, drinks, and live sports, creating a vibrant space for visitors to relax and socialise. A spokesperson for Kingfisher Shopping Centre said: “Tenpin will further enhance our leisure offer, boosting Redditch’s appeal and providing exciting new experiences for both residents and visitors.” Sue Clews, regional manager at Tenpin, added: “We’re thrilled to be opening a new venue in Redditch. With a fantastic range of activities for all ages and occasions, we can’t wait to welcome our first guests through the doors.” KLM Real Estate acted as leasing consultants on behalf of The Gluck Group, owners of Kingfisher Shopping Centre, while Portland Leisure Advisers represented Tenpin. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Whitbread PLC, the parent company of the UK’s largest hotel brand Premier Inn, has added more than 1,000 new guest bedrooms to its growing UK network since March 2024 and the start of its FY24/25 financial year. The 137-bedroom Premier Inn at London Waterloo (North Lambeth) in Central London took the business over the 1,000 new room milestone earlier this month, marking the third new hotel Premier Inn to open in the capital since spring last year. In total, Whitbread has opened seven new Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels in the past eleven months including new locations in Central London, Cambridge, Bristol, York, and Torquay, reflecting the company’s objective of expanding its estate in popular destinations across the UK. Whitbread currently offers its UK customers a choice of more than 85,500 hotel rooms and believes there is the potential for 125,000 rooms in the United Kingdom and Ireland as it takes advantage of a favourable supply backdrop and the continued decline of independent hotels and guest houses. Alex Flach, UK & Ireland Development Director, commented: “The seven new Premier Inn hotels we have opened this financial year showcase Whitbread’s commitment to expanding our presence in desirable, high-demand locations across the UK and Ireland. “All of these new openings, completed since March 2024, are leasehold developments – a testament to the strength and appeal of the Whitbread covenant among our development partners. Notably, three of these hotels were created through the conversion of vacant office buildings, a process that not only revitalises unused spaces but also prevents tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere during construction. “As hotel development becomes ever more complex, Whitbread’s collaborative and flexible approach to identifying and delivering new development opportunities is more critical than ever. Growing our estate across the UK and Ireland remains a top priority for the business, and my team and I are eager to connect with potential partners to secure and deliver the next generation of Premier Inn hotels.” The new hotels opened in Whitbread’s FY24/25 financial year so far include: Whitbread has a detailed network plan for the UK and Ireland of locations where Premier Inn is either unrepresented or where there is potential to increase the brand’s presence.  These include 40 target locations within the M25 – a strategically important growth market for the brand – as well as thirteen target locations in Ireland. At time of publishing its FY24/25 half-year results (October 2024), Whitbread offered its customers a choice of more than 85,500 Premier Inn rooms from 855 locations across the UK & Ireland.  Beyond the UK, the business is growing strongly in Germany where it has built a network of more than 10,000 Premier Inn rooms across the country and is aiming to be the no.1 hotel operator in the country. Find more on the target locations for Premier Inn in the UK and Ireland here: www.whitbread.com/property. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals