The Ministry of Defence has unveiled plans for a landmark £26 billion infrastructure programme that will modernise the UK’s three principal naval bases, creating one of the country’s largest long-term construction and engineering pipelines. Known as Project Royal Oak, the ambitious 10-year programme forms part of the Government’s wider £298 billion Defence Investment Plan and represents the biggest investment in Britain’s naval infrastructure since the Cold War. The extensive programme will deliver major marine civil engineering works, dockyard modernisation, waterfront infrastructure, operational buildings, accommodation, research facilities and specialist engineering assets across HM Naval Base Clyde, HM Naval Base Devonport and HM Naval Base Portsmouth. HMNB Clyde at Faslane will receive the largest share of investment, with £15.1 billion allocated to support the ongoing Clyde Transformation Programme. The investment is expected to establish the Scottish base as one of the UK’s largest and busiest construction sites over the coming decade. Among the major projects planned are three new floating docks under Programme Euston to expand submarine maintenance capability, together with new shoreside infrastructure, an off-site engineering facility, dock modernisation works, training facilities, accommodation for service personnel and extensive estate renewal. The programme will support the UK’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent, alongside the Astute-class submarine fleet and the future Dreadnought and SSN-AUKUS programmes. HMNB Devonport in Plymouth will benefit from £7.1 billion of investment, reinforcing its role as the UK’s centre for deep submarine maintenance. Planned works include major upgrades to 15 Dock, modernisation of 10 Dock and improvements to 14 Dock to facilitate the return of submarine defuelling operations. The programme will also deliver wider dockyard renewal, estate improvements and replacement infrastructure supporting the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet, surface vessels and the Royal Marines. Meanwhile, HMNB Portsmouth will receive £3.9 billion to upgrade key waterfront infrastructure, docking facilities and operational assets. The investment will also provide modern accommodation and estate improvements supporting the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, ensuring the base remains fit for future operational requirements. For the construction industry, Project Royal Oak represents a significant pipeline of opportunities across marine civils, heavy engineering, structural refurbishment, mechanical and electrical engineering, utilities, defence infrastructure, specialist manufacturing and long-term facilities management. The scale and duration of the programme are expected to generate substantial opportunities for contractors, consultants, supply chain partners and specialist engineering firms across the UK. In addition to improving operational capability, the programme will deliver new research and development facilities, training centres and advanced engineering infrastructure designed to improve fleet availability and support the next generation of Royal Navy vessels. As Britain continues to strengthen its defence infrastructure, Project Royal Oak is set to become one of the most significant public sector construction programmes of the decade, delivering long-term investment while creating modern, resilient naval bases capable of supporting the UK’s maritime defence requirements well into the future. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Cambridgeshire-based Spacemaker Developments (SMD) has been appointed to the London Construction Programme (LCP) General Works Framework. The £3bn framework which is procured by the London Borough of Haringey on behalf of LCP, puts SMD in the lineup for public sector projects throughout London and the Home Counties. SMD has been appointed for projects in three categories: New build construction projects up to £7.5m, new build projects valued between £6m-£15m and refurbishment and retro fit projects up to £7.5m. Moomith Ullah, operations director at SMD said: “We’re proud that SMD has secured a place on the LCP General Works Framework. The appointment reflects the strength of our team, our track record in delivering high-quality projects, and our continued commitment to supporting long-term infrastructure and built environment improvements. “We look forward to working alongside LCP and fellow framework partners to deliver safe, sustainable and value-driven projects across the programme. “Thank you to LCP for putting their trust in SMD and to everyone involved in making this happen.” Frameworks provide many benefits for both contractors and their clients, streamlining the procurement process, with contractors already being pre-approved for works.  Agreements such as this also promote transparency and good communication making the whole construction process easier. To be appointed to the framework SMD proved its technical capability, financial stability and compliance in quality, safety and legal standards and was able to demonstrate the ability to consistently deliver value to public sector clients over several years. SMD is already an approved supplier on several other frameworks including LHC’s (London and South -East Procurement) Modern Methods of Construction of New Homes Framework, the Procurement for Housing Residential Construction Framework and the Southeast Consortium Construction and Development Dynamic Purchasing System, all proving SMD’s status as a solution-focused, proactive, collaborative and secure construction partner. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Construction firm Henry Brothers, headquartered in Magherafelt, has been selected to deliver a £10.3 million Joint Asset Workshop and Stores at Darby House in Wellingborough, commissioned by Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone. The scheme, due to complete in June 2027, will consolidate fleet management for Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service into one modern facility on the current Darby House car park. Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Henry Brothers, said: “We are pleased to have been appointed to deliver this important project for Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. Work on the project started at the end of March, and we are already making good progress.” The development centres on a substantial two-storey building. At ground level, multiple industrial access doors will lead to vehicle bays for mechanical works, supported by welfare amenities including toilets and showers. The upper floor will accommodate a combination of office accommodation and storage. Sustainability is embedded in the design, with measures intended to cut energy use and carbon emissions, while also reducing whole-life maintenance and operational costs. Danielle Stone, the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: “I am pleased that we will be working with Henry Brothers to deliver the new joint asset and workshops stores building. “Sharing facilities for Police and Fire, where it makes sense to do so, offers best value for money for the taxpayer and both organisations. The new building will offer first class facilities for our staff to help them give the best service to the public, and I am looking forward to seeing it open next summer.” The delivery team includes Gleeds as project and cost manager, Corporate Architecture as architect and principal designer, Millward providing civil and structural engineering, and Anderson Green responsible for MEP services. The project was procured through the Crown Commercial Service Framework on a single-stage basis and will proceed under a traditional construction contract with contractor design elements. Ian added: “This project demonstrates our continued commitment to delivering complex, multi-service facilities that support vital community services. Our team is proud to contribute to a sustainable, efficient workspace that will benefit both the Police and Fire services for years to come. We look forward to working closely with all partners to successfully deliver this scheme.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

A £231m transformation of London’s Barbican Arts Centre has secured planning and listed building consent, paving the way for a comprehensive retrofit of one of the UK’s most recognisable post-war cultural landmarks. Approval from the City of London Corporation enables long-awaited works to address ageing building fabric, accessibility constraints and outdated infrastructure across the Grade II-listed Brutalist complex. The project has been designed by Allies and Morrison in collaboration with Asif Khan Studio and engineer Buro Happold. Crucially, the scheme is entirely retrofit-led. No additional floorspace will be created. Instead, the focus is on repairing, upgrading and optimising the existing structure, preserving the character of the 1980s arts centre while bringing it up to modern standards. A central element of the plans is the full refurbishment of the Barbican Conservatory. Long-standing maintenance issues will be resolved and a new climate-controlled environment introduced to safeguard plant life. A new lift and stair will open up the raised balconies for the first time, creating publicly accessible viewing areas and improving circulation. Accessibility improvements run throughout the wider building. A new lift in the Conservatory will provide step-free access to the fly tower for the first time, while a second lift in the main foyer will enhance routes to the Concert Hall and Theatre. The scheme also includes upgraded wayfinding, additional toilet facilities and a new multi-faith room. Externally, the lakeside terrace and foyers will undergo a careful, sustainability-led upgrade. Original materials, including glazing and paving within the Conservatory, will be retained and reused wherever possible to minimise embodied carbon and protect the integrity of the Brutalist design. The conservation-led approach has received backing from national heritage bodies, including Historic England and the Twentieth Century Society. The City of London Corporation has committed £191m towards Phase 1 of the programme, with further funding to be raised through philanthropy and partnerships. Major on-site works are scheduled to begin in 2027. Between June 2028 and 2029, most Barbican activity will pause to enable the most intensive phase of construction, although Cinemas on Beech Street will remain open and programming will continue with resident partners such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Opened in 1982 by Queen Elizabeth II, the Barbican welcomes more than one million visitors each year. The approved scheme is intended to secure the building’s fabric, accessibility and cultural relevance for at least the next half century. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

MPs and Peers are being urged to approve a £3bn programme of early works designed to stem the rising cost of repairs at the Palace of Westminster and pave the way for the largest restoration project in its history. A new report from the Parliamentary Restoration and Renewal Client Board sets out a proposed seven-year phase one programme of enabling and preparatory works. The aim is to reduce reliance on costly reactive maintenance, stabilise ageing systems and buy time while Parliament reaches a final decision on how the main restoration should be delivered. Under the plan, preparatory work would begin immediately, narrowing the long-running debate to two remaining delivery options by 2030. The first option would see both the House of Commons and the House of Lords fully decant from the Palace, allowing the building to be stripped back and restored in a single, continuous programme. While politically challenging, this approach is considered the safest and most cost-effective, with an estimated duration of up to 24 years and a projected cost of close to £12bn. The alternative is an enhanced maintenance and improvement option, which would keep Parliament operating within the Palace while works are carried out in multiple phases. This approach would require MPs and Peers to move between temporary chambers, including relocating the House of Lords to the QEII Centre for up to 13 years. The phased approach would significantly extend the programme, potentially running for as long as 61 years, with costs rising towards £39bn. Category Full decant Enhanced maintenance and improvement (EMI+) Comparison Total cost £8.4–11.5bn £11.8–18.7bn EMI+ significantly more expensive overall Total duration 19–24 years 38–61 years EMI+ takes roughly double or more House of Commons chamber decant 8–10 years Up to 2 years in the Lords chamber Longer Commons relocation under full decant House of Lords chamber decant 12–15 years 8–13 years in the QEII Centre Decant periods broadly similar Parliamentary business Delivered with some reduced provision, may require changes to ways of working Delivered with some reduced provision which may require changes to ways of working Operational impact similar Health, safety and fire risk Lowest level of risk Highest level of risk of the options Full decant safer Security risk Lowest level of risk in the Palace Highest level of risk in the Palace Full decant offers strongest security The Client Board warns that further indecision will continue to cost taxpayers heavily. Each year of delay is estimated to add around £70m in wasted option development and reactive maintenance, with construction inflation adding hundreds of millions more to the eventual bill. If approved, procurement for a series of strategic partners covering programme management, technical consultancy and delivery would begin later this year, with appointments expected in 2027. These partners would be tasked with delivering the early works and developing detailed designs, costs and programmes for both delivery options ahead of a final decision by both Houses later in the decade. Phase one would include a number of major enabling projects, such as the construction of a temporary Thames jetty and cofferdam to move materials by river, underground works to release space for new services, early masonry repairs and restoration of key courtyards. The programme would also see temporary power, water and utility systems installed, allowing life-expired infrastructure to be safely taken offline in future phases. Significant remodelling works at the QEII Centre are also planned to support decant arrangements and improve operational resilience during the restoration programme. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Construction developer Kier has secured a £120m contract from the Government Property Agency to deliver a major new government office building in Darlington. Work is set to begin this month on the new government hub on Brunswick Street, with construction expected to take around two years. The building is scheduled for completion in early 2028. Once finished, the development will become the new home of the Darlington Economic Campus, accommodating more than 1,600 civil servants from departments including HM Treasury, the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Early ground remediation works began in September to address pre-construction risks on the town centre site. These works included the removal of legacy fuel tanks and existing concrete slabs, helping to reduce programme risk ahead of main construction. A central element of the scheme is Kier’s use of prefabrication. Key components, including building risers, will be manufactured offsite to minimise disruption and manage logistics in the busy urban location. The building façade will also be formed from pre-cast concrete panels produced offsite. Sean Fenner, managing director of Kier Construction North & Scotland at Kier, said early involvement had enabled closer collaboration with the supply chain and early identification of technical challenges. He added that the advance remediation works had improved understanding of site conditions, helping to de-risk delivery and support a smoother construction process. Fenner said teams across design, mechanical and electrical, and construction had been brought together to deliver the best possible outcome for the project. Simon Hulme, capital projects director at the Government Property Agency, said the development was a key part of the government hubs programme, aimed at creating high-quality workplaces while reducing and modernising the public sector office estate. He said the agency was pleased to continue its partnership with Kier and that, once complete, the Brunswick Street hub would provide a modern, inclusive and digitally enabled workplace that builds on the success of the Darlington Economic Campus and supports greater collaboration across the civil service. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals