Plans have been submitted to the London Borough of Newham for the final phase of development at Stratford Cross. The proposals would deliver approximately 2,000 new homes including affordable housing, alongside a new public park, active ground-floor retail space and enhanced walking and cycling routes linking Stratford station, Queen Elizabeth
Ordnance Survey (OS), Great Britain’s National Mapping Service, announces annual results for the financial year ended 31 March 2026 with record revenues of £198.7m, representing 2.1% annual growth (2024-25: £194.6m). This performance has been driven by the expansion of the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) and continued growth in OS
Plans for a £500m transformation of the historic Truman Brewery estate in east London have been approved by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, clearing the way for a major new mixed-use destination close to Brick Lane. The decision follows a planning inquiry into four recovered appeals covering a data centre, a
‘Derbion Masterplan’ will bring forward new homes, commercial space and public space improvements at Eagle Quarter and Bradshaw Way Shopping centre owner Derbion has secured planning permission for two major regeneration sites in Derby city centre, paving the way for 1,152 homes and around 3,500 sq m of commercial space
The Hill Group has reached a significant regional milestone after securing planning permission for three separate developments in the South East. The approvals will see the delivery of 268 new homes across Essex, Oxfordshire, and Hertfordshire, including 113 affordable properties, as part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to increasing housing
Bellway has submitted an outline planning application for a new residential development of up to 70 homes in the village of Alderley Edge, Cheshire. The project, led by Bellway’s Strategic Land team, seeks to develop a 7.8-acre site located to the west of Wilmslow Road. The proposed masterplan features a
Ashington £36 million town centre transformation has taken a significant step forward, with construction on two flagship projects due to start soon. Northumberland County Council’s Cabinet has approved work to begin this spring on the new Portland Park Cinema and adjoining restaurant units, with delivery of the Wansbeck Square Gateway
Housebuilder Bellway has started construction on a further 160 homes in Cramlington, taking the total number of properties it has built in the town since 2018 to 546. Detailed planning permission for the latest phase, located off Fisher Lane, was granted by Northumberland County Council in February. The new development,
Croydon Council has lodged a planning application to transform College Green into a greener, inclusive public space featuring play areas and picnic spots. Funded by the Croydon Growth Zone, the scheme will revive the land linking Fairfield Halls and Croydon College, creating a large multi‑use park and meeting place, and
Planning approval has been granted for the next stages of the major regeneration of the Channel View estate in Grangetown, paving the way for hundreds of new homes and community improvements. Cardiff Council’s Planning Committee approved the plans, enabling the delivery of 228 new energy-efficient homes aimed at meeting local
Plans have been submitted to the London Borough of Newham for the final phase of development at Stratford Cross. The proposals would deliver approximately 2,000 new homes including affordable housing, alongside a new public park, active ground-floor retail space and enhanced walking and cycling routes linking Stratford station, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Building on Stratford Cross’s established commercial, cultural and educational district, the plans would introduce a new residential community at the heart of the destination. Developed following engagement with local people and stakeholders, the proposals respond to community feedback by providing more green, public spaces that can be enjoyed throughout the day. Stratford Cross is part of the Impact Partnership Joint Venture between Lendlease and The Crown Estate. The partnership aims to deliver a range of uses across the UK, including up to 9,000 homes in its first phase. The new homes would include a mix of homes including affordable housing, market housing, student accommodation and co-living homes, supporting a broad range of housing needs while strengthening Stratford’s growing education, innovation and cultural cluster. Over recent years, Stratford Cross has emerged as a destination for business, education and culture. Home to the landmark Turing Building and located alongside the East Bank cultural quarter, the neighbourhood has attracted leading organisations and institutions. Most recently, Arden University committed to 94,000 square feet within the Turing Building, further reinforcing Stratford Cross’s position as a hub for learning, creativity and innovation. Situated between Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Westfield Stratford City, Stratford Cross benefits from exceptional transport connectivity. Stratford station provides access to the Elizabeth line, Jubilee and Central lines, DLR, National Rail and high-speed rail services, connecting residents, workers and visitors with destinations across London and beyond. The development would also continue Stratford Cross’s contribution to the local economy, creating jobs, training opportunities and community benefits. To date, the project has generated £13.9 million in local construction wages and supported more than 7,700 local people through construction and end-use employment, apprenticeships and training initiatives. Nearly 7,000 further people have been supported through VSCE and community partnerships, with £18.4 million of social value generated across the development of Stratford Cross. Jason Oliver, Development Director at Lendlease, said: “Stratford has evolved into one of London’s most dynamic destinations for culture, education, innovation and business. This final phase is about building on that success and creating a neighbourhood where people can live alongside the workplaces, institutions and attractions that have helped establish Stratford Cross as a unique part of east London.” Subject to planning approval, construction is expected to commence in 2028, with the final phase anticipated to take approximately three years to complete. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ordnance Survey (OS), Great Britain’s National Mapping Service, announces annual results for the financial year ended 31 March 2026 with record revenues of £198.7m, representing 2.1% annual growth (2024-25: £194.6m). This performance has been driven by the expansion of the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) and continued growth in OS Maps, alongside deepening demand for OS data among its utilities, land and property customers. In its first full year under OS operation on the Government’s behalf, NUAR has brought together records of buried pipes and cables previously held across hundreds of separate asset owners, improving on a process in which engineers requested them individually, and often had to wait days for a response. Instant access to a single, secure view of the assets beneath a site allows contractors to plan works before ground is broken and reduce accidental strikes that cut off power and water supplies, cause delays and risk to life. With Openreach, the UK’s largest broadband network provider, joining the platform and contributing location data for over 550,000 kilometres of its network, NUAR now has data on more than 3.2 million kilometres of pipes and cables, covering over 80% of all known underground infrastructure in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Adoption has broadened across the public and private sectors, with more than 10,000 users and transaction volumes up 115% over the course of the year, while more than 70% of local authorities and 90% of highway authorities have signed up to share information on their critical assets. Across government and commercial markets, OS’s digital map of Britain remains a trusted source of location data and critical backbone of the UK economy. The OS National Geographic Database (NGD) contains over 600 million location features and is updated 30,000 times a day. Four years on from its launch, OS has added a further 16 data collections and delivered 70 major data enhancements into the database, creating the most detailed digital map of Britain to date. More than one million data edits were completed in the past year alone, while use of the database grew by more than 30% over the same period. This data reaches the public sector through the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement, under which six thousand organisations across Great Britain draw on OS data to provide routine but critical services to the public. Its use cases span emergency services and public safety, investment, transport and infrastructure management, healthcare access and planning, sustainability and environmental initiatives, and climate adaptation and resilience. OS has also expanded through integration with key external datasets, including partnerships with the Office for National Statistics and HM Land Registry, strengthening the applicability of its data across a wider range of use cases. Increasingly, this data is being applied to questions of climate resilience and the transition to net zero, to enable better decisions and deliver real-world impact. Analysis integrating Environment Agency flood data with OS’s data found that 12% of England’s roads and 20% of its rail lines could be exposed to climate-related flooding events, while separate analysis identified 1.8 million homes as being at heightened wildfire risk on the edges of towns and cities. OS has also built a machine learning model with Transport for the North to identify which of the region’s 6.4 million households have driveways or off-street parking access, to help local authorities target the location of public chargepoints more effectively. For insurers and lenders, this granularity also underpins how property risk is priced and secured, while for utilities and developers it determines where assets can safely be sited and which need protecting as environmental risks accelerate. Over the past financial year, demand has also deepened across OS’s core commercial sectors, with customer numbers in utilities growing by approximately 9% and land and property by 17%. In the consumer market, the OS Maps app continues to help more people explore and enjoy the great outdoors, increasing subscribers by 6% to 536,000, while OS’s acquisition of the remaining shareholding in Dennis Maps underlines its commitment to maintaining the national series of paper maps. Nick Bolton, Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, commented: “This year marked the 225th anniversary of our first map, and today, OS continues to innovate to meet the evolving needs of the nation. Our role is not just to provide data, but to ensure that it is continuously improving and delivering valuable insights: from mapping the pipes and cables beneath our streets to the flood and wildfire risks facing the communities above them. This work is helping both public and private sectors make better decisions about where to build, what to protect and how to unlock economic growth, as well as social and environmental opportunities. “This demand for trusted location data has delivered another year of growth, and with a six-year programme to build our data foundation now complete, our focus is now on making data more accessible to more people and organisations. Doing so will deepen our role as a strategic partner to government while creating greater value for customers across the private sector and strengthen our role as Britain’s national mapping service.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans for a £500m transformation of the historic Truman Brewery estate in east London have been approved by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, clearing the way for a major new mixed-use destination close to Brick Lane. The decision follows a planning inquiry into four recovered appeals covering a data centre, a wider mixed-use redevelopment, a commercial building and listed building works. The appeals were formally determined by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 29 July 2026. Promoted by Truman Estates and Zeloof LLP, with Grow Places acting as development manager, the masterplan will regenerate approximately 1.3 hectares of the former brewery estate across several sites on and around Brick Lane. The proposals comprise around 35,000 sq m of new and refurbished floorspace across eight buildings, including six new structures and the restoration or extension of two existing buildings. Approximately 2,500 sq m of new public realm will also be created as part of the wider regeneration programme. A broad mix of uses is planned, including offices, affordable workspace, shops, cafés, restaurants, food markets, galleries, exhibition and events facilities, community space, a cinema, a microbrewery and a new data centre at Grey Eagle Street. The development will also provide 44 mixed-tenure homes. Eleven will be designated as affordable housing, including six homes for social rent. The socially rented properties are expected to include larger family homes intended to respond to housing requirements within the surrounding community. Buckley Gray Yeoman has developed the overall masterplan and will design parts of the scheme, working alongside Carmody Groarke, Morris+Company, Henley Halebrown and Chris Dyson Architects. Landscape architect Spacehub and sustainability consultant Arup are also supporting the project, with DP9 advising on planning, Publica providing research and urban design expertise and The Townscape Consultancy advising on heritage and townscape matters. Several important elements of the former brewery will be retained and adapted. Chris Dyson Architects is responsible for proposals involving the Grade II-listed Boiler House, which will be extended and upgraded to provide improved exhibition and events facilities. Carmody Groarke will oversee the transformation of the historic Cooperage building, retaining creative workspace while introducing a new microbrewery. Morris+Company is behind the proposed data centre at Grey Eagle Street, as well as further commercial elements within the masterplan. The Grey Eagle Street proposal attracted particular opposition during the planning process, with Tower Hamlets Council raising concerns about the building’s scale, massing and appearance. However, the Secretary of State concluded that the existing building was severely derelict and that its redevelopment would represent a visual improvement. Although the replacement data centre will be substantially taller and larger than the existing structure, the decision found that its scale would relate reasonably to surrounding buildings and would not cause unacceptable damage to the local townscape or nearby heritage assets. Across the wider masterplan, the new buildings were judged to be appropriately considered in terms of height, scale and massing, with the overall design responding positively to the surrounding Brick Lane and Spitalfields context. The approval effectively overturns Tower Hamlets Council’s opposition to the three main planning applications. Councillors and campaign group Save Brick Lane had argued that the site should deliver significantly more housing, particularly affordable homes, given the borough’s extensive housing waiting list. Concerns were also raised about the potential impact of the development on Brick Lane’s cultural character, independent businesses and the area’s Bangladeshi community. However, ministers concluded that there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that an alternative, residential-led redevelopment of the brewery estate would be financially viable or deliverable. Tower Hamlets’ emerging Local Plan, which proposes allocating the site primarily for housing, was therefore given limited weight in the final decision. The Secretary of State determined that the scheme’s architectural quality, regeneration benefits, affordable commercial space and new public facilities outweighed the limited heritage impact and conflicts with local planning policy. The project is also intended to reconnect parts of the brewery estate that are currently separated from Brick Lane by walls, gates and underused buildings. Four new entrances are expected to improve movement through the site, creating stronger pedestrian connections between Brick Lane, Spitalfields, Banglatown and surrounding neighbourhoods. Existing businesses affected by the proposals, including Banglatown Cash and Carry and Backyard Market, will be supported through a relocation strategy. The development team has said that successful and well-used parts of the estate will either remain untouched or undergo sensitive refurbishment and extension. Sustainability and material reuse will also form part of the construction strategy. The developer intends to recycle or reuse approximately 30 per cent of materials identified through pre-refurbishment and demolition audits, including materials salvaged from structures removed during the redevelopment. Grow Places chief executive Tom Larsson described the approval as a major milestone for the project and said the development would support the continued evolution of the Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Banglatown. Founded in 1666 by Joseph Truman, the brewery became the largest in the world at the height of its operations during the 19th century. Brewing ceased at the site in 1989, after which the estate developed into a destination for independent businesses, creative industries, markets, exhibitions, shops and hospitality operators. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
‘Derbion Masterplan’ will bring forward new homes, commercial space and public space improvements at Eagle Quarter and Bradshaw Way Shopping centre owner Derbion has secured planning permission for two major regeneration sites in Derby city centre, paving the way for 1,152 homes and around 3,500 sq m of commercial space on under-used land around Derbion. The Derbion Masterplan covers the former Eagle Market site, now known as Eagle Quarter, and Bradshaw Way Retail Park. Together, the schemes will bring new homes, public space, commercial uses and improved links across two prominent city centre locations. National planning and development consultancy Lichfields led the planning process and secured consent for both regeneration schemes on behalf of the owners of Derbion Shopping Centre, having advised on the site since 2014. Both schemes required careful consideration because of their city centre locations, nearby listed buildings and the need to ensure new development sat comfortably within views connected to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Eagle Quarter, granted outline permission in June 2026, will redevelop the former Eagle Market site to provide building up to 19 storeys, 674 homes, new commercial space and a large public square, creating a new entrance to the retained Derby Theatre and improving links towards the River Derwent. The scheme includes the Green Heart, a new landscaped space connecting Derbion, Derby Theatre and Morledge through a green boulevard. New walkable streets, ground-floor food and beverage, leisure and town centre uses are also planned, alongside a landmark building at the eastern corner of the site. Bradshaw Way, which was approved in October 2025, will replace an existing retail park, currently dominated by low-rise retail units and surface parking, with buildings up to 14 storeys, with 478 homes and ground-floor commercial units. The professional team behind the project includes Leonard Design Architects, Eurofund Group, Currie & Brown, Bidwells and Waterman. Alison Bembenek, Associate Director, Lichfields, said: “These approvals mark an important step in the major city centre regeneration around Derbion. “The sites are important city centre sites, and the planning case had to deal carefully with heritage, townscape, design, viability and public benefit. Our role was to bring those strands together, working closely with Derby City Council and Historic England, and provide a clear route through a complex planning process. “The permissions show how a joined-up planning strategy can support new homes, commercial space and public realm improvements. The development will bring new footfall and revitalisation to Derby Centre, supporting its longer-term success, whilst respecting the city’s historic context.” It builds on the Eastern Gateway scheme, approved in May 2024, which forms the first phase of Eagle Quarter. Supported by the Future High Streets Fund, the scheme is delivering public space improvements at East Street and Morledge. It has also brought the former market hall back into temporary use, with padel courts and a skatepark helping to attract people to the area ahead of longer-term redevelopment. Alberto Esguevillas CEO UK, Eurofund Group, which is acting as development manager, said: “The Derbion Masterplan is about making better use of land in a key part of Derby city centre. Eagle Quarter and Bradshaw Way will introduce new homes, public spaces and commercial uses in locations that are well placed to support the wider city centre. “Lichfields has played a central role in guiding the planning strategy and helping us bring forward proposals that respond to Derby, its heritage and its long-term growth.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Hill Group has reached a significant regional milestone after securing planning permission for three separate developments in the South East. The approvals will see the delivery of 268 new homes across Essex, Oxfordshire, and Hertfordshire, including 113 affordable properties, as part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to increasing housing supply and creating mixed-tenure communities. In Takeley, Hill has been granted approval for a 108-home project on a 16-acre site at Parsonage Road. The development features a mix of two-to-five-bedroom houses for private sale, alongside affordable apartments and houses. This approval includes replacing a previously planned 66-bedroom care home—now deemed surplus to requirements—with 20 residential units, in addition to reserved matters approval for 88 homes. The scheme adopts a fabric-first construction approach and integrates sustainable technologies such as air source heat pumps and electric vehicle (EV) charging points. Located on the M11 corridor near Stansted Airport, the site offers strong transport links and proximity to local amenities. Planning permission has also been secured for 96 homes in Kidlington, forming part of a larger 430-home strategic allocation. Fifty per cent of these homes will be designated as affordable, delivered in partnership with SNG to include social rent, affordable rent, and shared ownership options. The project is the culmination of seven years of planning and will provide community infrastructure, including sports and play areas. Furthermore, half a hectare of land will be gifted to the parish council to allow for the extension of the local cemetery. Construction is expected to start shortly, with the first completions slated for 2027. In Welham Green, Hill has obtained full planning permission for 64 homes on a 2.7-hectare site. The project represents a successful release of land from the Green Belt through the local plan process. The village-style layout will include two-to-four-bedroom homes, landscaped open spaces, and a fully equipped play area. Like the other sites, these homes will feature air source heat pumps and EV charging. The location provides excellent rail links, with direct services to London taking less than 40 minutes. Andy Hill OBE, Founder and Group Chief Executive of The Hill Group, commented: “Securing three planning permissions across the South-East in such a short period is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the expertise and persistence of our teams. These developments will deliver a diverse mix of high-quality homes, including a significant number of affordable properties, helping to meet pressing local housing needs. “Each scheme reflects our commitment to working collaboratively with local authorities and stakeholders to create sustainable, well-designed communities that leave a positive legacy.” Work across the three sites is scheduled to begin between the spring and summer of 2026. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bellway has submitted an outline planning application for a new residential development of up to 70 homes in the village of Alderley Edge, Cheshire. The project, led by Bellway’s Strategic Land team, seeks to develop a 7.8-acre site located to the west of Wilmslow Road. The proposed masterplan features a diverse mix of two to five-bedroom properties. Notably, 45 per cent of the homes are designated as affordable housing, specifically intended for local people. In addition to residential units, more than a quarter of the currently private site would be transformed into publicly accessible open space, incorporating footpaths, recreational areas, and dedicated ecological zones. Environmental sustainability is a core component of the design, with homes set to include energy-efficient fabric, electric vehicle charging points, and solar PV panels. Low-carbon heating solutions are also planned, with the specific technology to be finalised during the detailed planning phase. To maintain the character of the area, Bellway intends to retain existing trees and hedgerows where possible and will implement a landscape buffer along Wilmslow Road. The site is positioned as a sustainable location for growth, situated within walking distance of the village centre and Alderley Edge train station, which provides direct links to Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly. Sebastian Burrow, Bellway Strategic Land Director for the North West, said: “Our proposals would create an integrated extension to Alderley Edge as well as providing more housing choice for people in the local area. Existing trees and hedgerows will be retained where possible, with a landscape buffer planned along Wilmslow Road, while the house types would be designed to reflect the architecture of the local area. “This is a sustainable location for new homes, within a short walk from Alderley Edge train station, for direct services to Manchester Piccadilly and Crewe, as well as the village centre which offers a good range of local amenities. The houses themselves would also be highly sustainable, with energy-efficient fabric, solar PV panels and electric vehicle charging points, as well as low-carbon heating to be determined at the detailed planning stage. “We are committed to building new homes which meet the needs of local communities and have worked closely with Cheshire East Council on this project as our plans have evolved, as well as carrying out public consultation in February this year.” The outline application is now under consideration by Cheshire East Council. If successful, a subsequent reserved matters application will be required before construction can begin. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ashington £36 million town centre transformation has taken a significant step forward, with construction on two flagship projects due to start soon. Northumberland County Council’s Cabinet has approved work to begin this spring on the new Portland Park Cinema and adjoining restaurant units, with delivery of the Wansbeck Square Gateway to follow this summer subject to final approvals. The investments are central to the wider Regenerating Ashington Programme, designed to revitalise the town centre and bolster its retail and leisure offer. Advance Northumberland will lead the cinema and restaurants scheme and has appointed Robertson Construction Group, one of the UK’s largest family-owned construction, infrastructure and support service businesses, to deliver the development at Portland Park. The project will provide five modern cinema screens, a family-orientated competitive socialising space and two restaurant units, creating a lively leisure destination for residents and visitors and complementing recent investment in the area. Planning permission was granted last year, and REEL Cinema will operate the venue once complete. Portland Park Cinema and Restaurants is being developed by Advance Northumberland and funded by the UK Government (MHCLG), Northumberland County Council and Advance Northumberland. The Wansbeck Square Gateway is expected to get underway this summer following final sign-off, creating a welcoming point of arrival for thousands of passengers using Ashington Rail Station. Works include a new accessible footpath linking the station to the high street, alongside seating areas, landscaping and tree planting, as well as improved access to the neighbouring Memorial Garden. The Gateway scheme is being funded by the UK Government (MHCLG), Northumberland County Council and the North East Combined Authority. Councillor Richard Wearmouth, Cabinet Member for Business, Growth and Regeneration, said: “The cinema and restaurants project represents a significant investment in Portland Park, strengthening the town centre as a destination for entertainment, dining and socialising. “It’s a real vote of confidence for Ashington, with these two projects building on the wider regeneration in the area including a new rail station and passenger rail line and a new college campus.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Housebuilder Bellway has started construction on a further 160 homes in Cramlington, taking the total number of properties it has built in the town since 2018 to 546. Detailed planning permission for the latest phase, located off Fisher Lane, was granted by Northumberland County Council in February. The new development, named Hartford Edge, forms part of a wider 1,600-home neighbourhood to the south-west of the town. The scheme will include 136 homes for private sale, ranging from two to five bedrooms, alongside 24 affordable homes available through low-cost rent or discounted sale. Fifty of the properties will be designed to be more accessible and adaptable for residents with mobility needs. Hartford Edge adds to Bellway’s ongoing developments in the area, including Foxton Mill, where construction is continuing and 131 homes have already been completed, and Arcot Manor, where 226 homes have previously been delivered. Emma Chesterton, Sales Director for Bellway North East, said: “We have a long-standing commitment to delivering new homes for people in Cramlington and supporting the town’s growth as a key employment area for the region. “The creation of jobs requires the provision of new quality housing, and this planning permission ensures that we can continue to build much-needed homes in the town. “The mix of homes at Hartford Edge has been carefully planned to meet a range of requirements, in particular houses for first-time buyers and families wanting to bring up their children in the Cramlington area. “In addition, more than 30 per cent of homes are also more accessible and adaptable to suit the needs of people throughout their lifetimes, to reflect the growing ageing population both in Cramlington and further afield.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Croydon Council has lodged a planning application to transform College Green into a greener, inclusive public space featuring play areas and picnic spots. Funded by the Croydon Growth Zone, the scheme will revive the land linking Fairfield Halls and Croydon College, creating a large multi‑use park and meeting place, and providing a pleasant, accessible route between East Croydon Station and the town centre. The proposals support Executive Mayor Jason Perry’s priority to regenerate the town centre, making it more welcoming and accessible for people who live and work in the borough, as well as visitors. Public engagement included a six‑day exhibition at Croydon College in October, a borough‑wide survey, a student workshop and direct conversations with local community groups. Around 88% of respondents said they strongly or very strongly agreed with the plans; 2% disagreed with providing a public space at College Green, while 10% were neutral. Following feedback, the designs were refined to boost greening, safety and inclusivity — including planting more trees and wildflowers near Fairfield Halls, and making the Young Play area and the Multi‑Use Games Area more accessible and inviting. MICA Architects were appointed by the council to develop the proposals, which build on the wider Fairfield Masterplan. The submitted application will now be reviewed by the Local Planning Authority. College Green is one of ten town centre projects championed by Mayor Perry to improve connectivity, greenery and public spaces, while celebrating Croydon’s rich history. Fair Field — home to College Green and Fairfield Halls — historically hosted The Walnut Fair, or October Fair, from the late Middle Ages until the 1860s, when it became known as Croydon Fair. Elsewhere in the town centre, improvements to Minster Green and Surrey Street are under way, alongside an intensive clean‑up and upgrades at North End. The new Wellesley Road crossing was completed at the end of last year to better connect East Croydon to the town centre, complemented by public realm updates to George Street and Dingwall Road. “We have received a really positive response as part of our engagement on the designs for College Green – thank you to everyone who got involved. I’m delighted we have reached the next stage in this process in transforming this historic site into a green and vibrant park for the whole community, as part of the regeneration of our town centre,” said Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon. The project is funded through Croydon’s Growth Zone, a business rate uplift retention funding mechanism that delivers infrastructure and regeneration in the town centre. Growth Zone projects are delivered by the council with support from the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Transport for London (TfL). Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Planning approval has been granted for the next stages of the major regeneration of the Channel View estate in Grangetown, paving the way for hundreds of new homes and community improvements. Cardiff Council’s Planning Committee approved the plans, enabling the delivery of 228 new energy-efficient homes aimed at meeting local housing demand while allowing existing residents to remain within their community. The development will be delivered across six phases, with a seventh phase dedicated to enhancements to The Marl public open space. Plans also include a new neighbourhood retail unit as part of phase three to support local services and boost activity in the area. The latest approval builds on outline planning permission granted in December 2021 for the wider Channel View masterplan. Work is already underway on phase one, being delivered by Wates Residential, which will provide 126 apartments for older residents across two blocks, replacing existing high-rise flats. Block B is due for completion later this year, while Block A is expected to be finished by the end of 2027. Wates Residential will continue its involvement in the project, having been appointed to deliver the next phases of the regeneration. Of the 228 homes approved, 189 will be affordable homes for council tenants, while 39 will be available for private sale. Seventy-five homes are earmarked for existing Channel View residents, ensuring they can remain in the area while moving into modern accommodation. The scheme will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom flats, alongside two- to five-bedroom houses, with a particular focus on meeting the demand for larger family homes. One new block has been specifically designed for families, featuring two- and three-bedroom flats and duplexes, each with private amenity space. The building will also include a communal garden with play areas, storage for pushchairs and prams, and lift access. Ed Rees, Managing Director for Wates Residential Wales said: “Our partnership with Cardiff Council is going from strength to strength. The progress on phase one shows the impact we can deliver together. “As we continue that work, our team is fully embedded in the community and we are committed to creating places where people feel connected, supported and able to thrive. “With planning approval for phases two to seven now in place, the next stage of this regeneration feels incredibly exciting. Being contracted to deliver phases two and three A gives us the chance to build on what is working and bring more high quality, sustainable homes to local residents.” All new affordable homes will meet Welsh Government design quality and Lifetime Homes standards. Flats will include private balconies or patios, and all buildings over three storeys will have lift access. The wider scheme will also deliver significant green infrastructure, including sustainable drainage systems, green streets and two new open spaces designed to be safe, welcoming and suitable for socialising and informal play. These areas will connect with planned improvements to The Marl. Construction on phases two and three is expected to begin by the end of the year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals