Lewisham Council has appointed Higgins as the main contractor for its major new housing development at Ladywell Park Gardens, marking the next step in the regeneration of the former Ladywell Leisure Centre site in south London. The project will see the creation of 102 high-quality residential apartments, spread across four architecturally designed blocks by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. The development aims to provide a balanced mix of homes, including 47 social rent apartments for families on the council’s housing waiting list, alongside 55 shared ownership properties to help first-time buyers get onto the property ladder. Planning permission for Ladywell Park Gardens was secured in October 2023, with the scheme forming a key part of Lewisham Council’s ongoing commitment to delivering more affordable homes within the borough. The appointment of Higgins, a contractor with a strong track record in community-focused regeneration, signals an important milestone in turning these plans into reality. Although the final contract details are still being clarified, early preparatory works have already begun on site. The development is expected to be completed by spring 2028, creating a new residential community designed to meet high standards of sustainability, design quality and accessibility. Declan Higgins, chief executive of Higgins Group, said: “This development represents an important opportunity to provide much-needed housing while working collaboratively with our partners and the local community. We are proud to be part of a project that will not only deliver new homes but also enhance the wider neighbourhood.” Once finished, Ladywell Park Gardens will form part of the council’s broader housing strategy, which focuses on tackling the borough’s growing demand for affordable and family-friendly accommodation. The mix of tenures is designed to foster a diverse, inclusive community while ensuring that local residents benefit from the regeneration of underused sites. With construction activity now underway, the transformation of the former leisure centre into a vibrant new residential hub represents a significant step forward for Lewisham’s housing ambitions – and another example of how local authorities and private contractors are working together to deliver homes that make a lasting difference. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Birmingham’s ambitious plans to transform the Ladywood Estate are gathering pace, as Birmingham City Council and Berkeley St Joseph launch public consultations on the £2.5 billion regeneration scheme. The project, led by St Joseph Homes — Berkeley Group’s West Midlands subsidiary — aims to deliver up to 12,000 new homes over the next two decades. The figure marks a significant increase from the original proposal of 7,000 homes, reflecting the scale of ambition behind one of Europe’s largest urban regeneration programmes. A development agreement between the council and Berkeley St Joseph was finalised earlier this year, following the company’s appointment as preferred bidder in June 2023. Although construction is not expected to begin until at least 2028, consultation work within the community is already shaping the evolving masterplan. At least 20% of the new homes will be designated as affordable, with the number of existing council homes maintained — all of which will either be renewed or replaced. An independent resident steering group has been established to ensure the community’s voice remains central to the project, supported by a new resident and community charter designed to provide reassurance and transparency throughout the process. Berkeley Group executive chair Rob Perrins described the scheme as a landmark opportunity for Birmingham, saying: “This project is an incredible opportunity to transform living standards for the Ladywood community while delivering much-needed new homes, jobs and growth in the heart of Birmingham. “This is one of Europe’s single biggest urban regeneration sites with the potential to deliver 10% of the city’s entire housing need up to 2044. Berkeley St Joseph is working in partnership with Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority to secure the vital central government support we need to kickstart delivery.” Birmingham City Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills, Sharon Thompson, said the regeneration would be transformative for the area: “The community in Ladywood have been very clear about the need for increased help and support, and I am pleased to see the progress being made to provide this. The investment set to be made into Ladywood will be transformational for the area and will provide the city with much-needed new, safer, warmer, more sustainable homes. “It is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make the Ladywood Estate a better place to live with improved facilities, transport links, walking routes, and green spaces. Ladywood represents a bold vision for Birmingham’s future. This partnership is not just about building homes—it’s about building opportunity, community, and prosperity for generations to come.” West Midlands mayor Richard Parker echoed this sentiment, adding: “The regeneration of Ladywood means thousands of extra homes for local people at a time when our region, like many others, is facing an acute housing shortage. But it will also see existing council homes brought up to modern standards. That means safe homes that will be cheaper to heat and improve the quality of life of families who live in them. “Giving people in the West Midlands a secure, warm and affordable home is a key priority for me and it’s through major investments like this one, working closely with our partners and involving the residents themselves, that we will fix this housing crisis and improve thousands more lives.” With public consultation now underway, the Ladywood regeneration is moving from vision to reality — a long-term investment that promises to reshape Birmingham’s skyline and create a thriving, sustainable community at the city’s heart. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The east Manchester suburb has been a key focus for regeneration in recent years and now a new report being heard by the Council’s executive committee this week announces tens of millions of pounds further investment in the neighbourhood. Gorton has welcomed a number of major projects recently, including the Gorton Hub – a one-stop-shop for a wide range of community services – in 2024, before a new £1.4m public square was unveiled earlier this year.   The projects, alongside a significant pipeline of new social and genuinely affordable homes, have looked to create a destination high street for the community while driving up footfall to support local businesses, including the Gorton Market – which will now see a further £1.1m investment, on top of a new roof project that is currently under construction.  Delivering for Gorton   New housing will be key to support the ongoing success of Gorton, helping to attract new residents and support economic growth.  The Council is currently creating a number of investment partnerships to deliver hundreds of new homes, with a focus on affordability across a range of tenures from social rent homes to options for local people to access the housing ladder.   Clarion Housing, a national provider of affordable homes, are the preferred bidder to build more than 400 new homes across around 17 sites over the next 10 to 15years. These homes will be available for social rent and shared ownership, alongside a small number of market homes for sale and rent that will support the viability of the developments.   Clarion’s first project will redevelop the former library site on Garrett Way where around 70 high quality homes will be built overlooking the new Gorton town centre square. The project will offer a mix of sizes and tenures, including apartments and family homes, as well as wheelchair accessible properties. A planning application is due to come forward early 2026, starting on site later next year.   And 35 new affordable independent living homes that will provide housing support for Manchester care leavers aged 18 to 25 will be built on the site of a long-derelict basketball court on Chapman Street near the town centre. The homes will be available to young people in work or training and supported by Centrepoint offering wrap around pastoral care and education advice. A planning application for this scheme will be submitted later this year with a view to being onsite in autumn 2026.  Following the completion of the new town square earlier this year, the investment plan looks to extend the square using a £300k grant through the Governments Local Growth and Place fund that will introduce more child friendly play features. This will include play equipment and playground games, such as snakes and ladders – alongside more planting and seating – that will encourage local people to spend time in the town centre. Works are due to start later this year and open to the public in the spring of 2026.  As an important resource for the local community, the Gorton Market hall is lined up for a £1.1m improvement programme, again funded through the Government’s Local Growth and Place grant.   The investment will open up an entire side of the existing market, creating a link between the building and the extended town square and the welcoming terraced seating area. This will be complemented by a new food and drink offer and a beauty zone, with longer opening hours that will accommodate later evenings and both indoor and outdoor events.   The Council is currently working closely with the traders to relocate all of them within the existing market building while this work is undertaken with a view to opening fully by summer 2026, providing a much-improved base for the traders to thrive into the future.   Read the Executive Committee report in full Leader of the Council Bev Craig said:  “Our high streets and districts centres are at the very heart of our communities. They are where we shop, meet friends, visit the doctors and spend time. We know how important these places are to our residents, and we are investing in our local neighbourhooods across the city.   “Gorton has been one of our focus areas for investment for some time, beginning with the Hub and public square, and we have already started work to the market hall roof – and this plan sets out not just the next phases of these projects but a home building plan for the next decade and more – with most capped at social rent, along with opportunities for our residents to get on the property ladder.   “This neighbourhood is a place full of potential, and we are already seeing the fruits of this potential come to life. Now it’s about a long-term investment plan that will see Gorton go from strength to strength.”  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Manchester City Council has released a report to deliver over 700 new homes across the city. The homes will be developed using Council-owned land in the coming years. The report is in collaboration with the Manchester Housing Providers Partnership (MHPP). Working with the MHPP, the Council is able to invest unused, surplus parcels of land to make sure the right mix of homes are being built to meet demand in a particular area. In the last three years, Registered Providers and Housing Associations that are part of the MHPP delivered around 90% of the affordable homes completed across the city with a remit to deliver homes as affordable as possible to Manchester people – with the majority capped at social rent or the Manchester Living Rent. More than 1,750 affordable homes have been completed in Manchester since the housing strategy was adopted in 2022 – alongside a strong pipeline with 1,500 affordable homes under construction, and a further 2,250 affordable homes with planning approval. Key sites as part of this phase of the MHPP partnership includes: The executive committee will also hear a report around future investment in Gorton Town Centre where a further 400 homes will be built by Clarion. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

City of Edinburgh Council has approved a £69m programme to refurbish Cables Wynd House and Linksview House in Leith, paving the way for a deep retrofit of two Category A listed post-war blocks that together provide 310 homes, the majority for social rent. Designed by Collective Architecture with Edinburgh Council as client, the scheme targets the Scottish Government’s EESSH2 energy standard for social housing while upgrading life-safety, security and public realm. AtkinsRéalis is lead consultant, with Blackwood Partnership delivering mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering, Narro Associates as structural engineer and Urban Pioneers Landscape Architects shaping the external works. Fabric and services improvements include enhanced insulation, replacement windows and energy-efficient heating systems to reduce demand and improve comfort. Fire safety measures will be significantly strengthened through new sprinkler systems, smoke ventilation, a dedicated fire-fighting lift and improved compartmentation to communal areas. Legacy bin chutes will be removed and modern internal waste management introduced to reduce risk. Resident safety and security are set to benefit from upgraded internal and external lighting, a review of CCTV provision and improved access control across both buildings. The wider estate will be refreshed with new play areas, seating, wildflower meadows and sustainable urban drainage systems, alongside a review of parking and waste facilities to improve day-to-day management. For the project team, the approvals mark a key step in balancing conservation with performance. The approach prioritises sensitive retention of architectural character while delivering measurable gains in energy efficiency, resilience and resident wellbeing. With planning secured, the focus turns to detailed design and delivery logistics on a live residential estate, including sequencing, resident liaison and procurement of tested and certified systems. The programme underscores Edinburgh’s commitment to investing in safe, warmer and more sustainable council homes, using retrofit to extend building life while meeting modern standards. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Darlington Borough Council has appointed a consortium led by Cityheart, with Willmott Dixon, Space Architects, Identity Consult and others, to shape a regeneration strategy for three town centre sites. The team will explore development options for East Street, Commercial Street and Kendrew Street, setting out a long-term approach to be presented to the council’s cabinet early next year. The East Street site sits next to the new HM Treasury offices within Darlington’s Economic Campus. Willmott Dixon is already active locally, building a 600-space multi-storey car park by the railway station, recently completing the Hopetown visitor attraction and refurbishing the Hippodrome Theatre. Nick Corrigan, northeast director at Willmott Dixon, said the partnership is the kind of town centre transformation where its regeneration expertise “can make a real difference”, adding the company is committed to delivering development that benefits the local community. Cllr Chris McEwan, cabinet member for economy, called the appointment “a huge step forward” with the potential to be one of the town centre’s most significant improvement programmes in years. Cityheart development manager James Litherland said Darlington’s prospects have been boosted by the Treasury relocation: “We have pulled together an exemplar North East team including construction partner Willmott Dixon and we cannot wait to get started on this transformational project.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals