Hundreds more households will soon enjoy more affordable, reliable, and lower carbon heating with three tower blocks set to become the latest to connect to the city’s flagship Leeds PIPES district heating network. 259 council properties in Lovell Park Heights, Lovell Park Grange, and Lovell Park Towers will be set
SOCIAL impact developers Capital&Centric are set to lead on a vision to turn a sprawling brownfield site in Wolverhampton into a creative new neighbourhood. A report – to be considered by City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet next week – recommends Capital&Centric are appointed as part of a pre-development agreement for
Carmarthenshire County Council and Bouygues UK, who are currently delivering the new prestigious, multi-million pound development Pentre Awel, held a Dragon’s Den style event to celebrate their 21st Century skills work experience scheme. Five local schools in Llanelli – Bryngwyn School, Coedcae School, Ysgol Pen Rhos, St John Lloyd RC
Mansfield District Council is set to accept funding for two more schemes to retrofit insulation and measures to improve the energy efficiency and lower the carbon emissions of targeted low-income households in the district. Cllr Craig Whitby, the Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Finance is due to formally accept funding
The City of Edinburgh Council is once again asking tenants to give their feedback on rent proposals and the financial pressures they face. With one month to go until this year’s consultation closes on 17 December, tenants across the capital are being reminded to share views on the rates rent could
Plans have been approved by Oxford City Council to create a new landmark timber cycle pavilion in the heart of Oxford North to provide secure long-stay and short-stay spaces for phase 1a of Oxford’s new £700 million innovation district. Designed by the project’s masterplanners Fletcher Priest Architects on behalf of
WJ Group has successfully secured a place on Barnet Council’s Highways Maintenance Works Framework Agreement (HMWFA). The road safety and marking specialist has been announced as the sole supplier for Lot 9, which covers road studs and markings, further cementing WJ’s position as a key delivery partner to local authorities
Bouygues UK has welcomed representatives of Swansea Council, the UK Government and other project partners on site at 71/72 The Kingsway to mark the official ‘topping out’ for the major five-storey office development in Swansea city centre. Located at the former Oceana nightclub site, when finished the building will house
Wavensmere Homes and Wilson Bowden Developments have submitted a full planning application to Derby City Council for the redevelopment of one of the final plots of vacant land within Derby’s newly revitalised Cathedral Quarter. 186 one- and two-bedroom apartments are proposed for ‘Cathedral One’ within a u-shaped finely detailed red
Bristol City Council’s Bedminster Green regeneration plans took a further step forward today with a topping out ceremony at Dandara Living’s new Stafford Yard development in Bristol. Situated on a former brownfield site within the Bedminster Green Framework Area, Stafford Yard occupies a prime location within this rapidly developing neighbourhood,
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Hundreds more households will soon enjoy more affordable, reliable, and lower carbon heating with three tower blocks set to become the latest to connect to the city’s flagship Leeds PIPES district heating network. 259 council properties in Lovell Park Heights, Lovell Park Grange, and Lovell Park Towers will be set up to receive heat from the network within the next six months. Private leaseholders of properties in the Little London tower blocks will also be able to benefit from the network if they opt to connect their homes to the system. Households that are benefiting from the upgrade can expect to see the cost of heating their home reduce using Leeds PIPES, compared to their existing heating systems, and will also enjoy better reliability and control. Meanwhile, Leeds Conservatoire (formerly Leeds College of Music) has become the thirteenth non-residential customer to have signed a contract to connect. The new connections are expected to reduce the city’s annual carbon footprint by 279 tonnes, supporting efforts to end the city’s contribution to climate change by transitioning to ‘net zero’ emissions. By using heat and energy recovered from non-recyclable waste at the Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility (RERF) to provide warmth and hot water to buildings in the city, the Leeds PIPES district heating project is helping businesses and residents to move away from costly fossil-fuel powered heating systems. The council estimates that the network, delivered in partnership with Vital Energi, is helping existing customers to collectively save nearly half a million pounds (£490,000) in reduced energy costs this year alone. The £62 million network continues to expand and is regularly connecting to new buildings. Leonardo & Thoresby student accommodation buildings and St James’s Hospital are the latest buildings to have begun taking heat from the scheme. Leeds City Council is currently in discussions with dozens of potential customers. Buildings and developments located near the underground pipes can choose to connect at any time and can register their interest on the Leeds PIPES website. Last year, the network of insulated underground pipes supplied 22,029 megawatt-hours of heating in total and helped reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 3,975 tonnes. Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Executive Member for Climate, Energy, Environment & Green Space and Councillor Jessica Lennox, Executive Member for Housing, said: “We are both delighted that hundreds more residents will soon be paying significantly less to heat their homes thanks to this latest expansion of the Leeds PIPES network. “Residents in the Lovell Park estate will join the thousands of council tenants and hundreds of private sector renters already benefiting. “Too many families in our city struggle to pay their energy bills—in part because the UK’s homes are some of the least efficient and most reliant on costly fossil fuel gas in Europe. “Whether it’s by connecting homes to affordable low carbon heating like Leeds PIPES, or investing in energy-saving measures like insulation, this council is committed to helping households by making our homes greener and fit for the future.” Mike Cooke, Vital Energi’s Managing Director (North and Scotland), said: “Leeds PIPES continues to be the UK’s landmark heat network and we’re delighted to announce these new connections, which means more people will benefit from low-carbon, cheaper heat to businesses and residents, making a real difference in their day-to-day lives. “We look forward to welcoming another 259 homes and Leeds Conservatoire to the fastest growing heat network and will work closely with the council to ensure they have the best possible customer experience.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
SOCIAL impact developers Capital&Centric are set to lead on a vision to turn a sprawling brownfield site in Wolverhampton into a creative new neighbourhood. A report – to be considered by City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet next week – recommends Capital&Centric are appointed as part of a pre-development agreement for the former Sainsbury’s supermarket site, to bring the neighbourhood forward. The first step will be to develop a masterplan for the 5-acre St George’s site, with early ideas for a melting pot of homes, community spaces and green streets, with the Grade II listed church repurposed as a community centrepiece. Shops, workspaces and café bars would complete the line-up, adding a vibrant new quarter to Wolverhampton’s city centre, with links to the £61million City Learning Quarter set to open in 2025. If appointed, the developers will work up a detailed vision as to how the strategic site could become a destination district for the people of Wolverhampton, with the potential for over 400 homes. The next stage would then be to consult the community prior to the submission of a planning application. Established in Manchester, Capital&Centric have gone on to deliver on award-winning regeneration projects across the UK, from homes and workspaces, to hotels and leisure destinations. They’ve earned an enviable reputation for their offbeat design, with many of their projects featuring a striking blend of restoration of historic buildings alongside contemporary new builds. Having delivered standout neighbourhoods in Manchester city centre – including Kampus and Piccadilly East – they’re now ploughing on with transformational mixed use communities in spots including Stockport, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. Everything they do is geared toward delivering social impact through regeneration, whether creating communities of independent businesses, creating skilled new jobs or inspiring young people into careers in regeneration through the not-for-profit ‘Regeneration Brainery’ they established. John Moffat, Joint Managing Director at Capital&Centric, said: “St George’s is a worthy headliner among the line-up of major opportunities in Wolverhampton and fits perfectly with what we’re about … delivering eclectic neighbourhoods that mix the old and new. It has bags of potential and we’re already brimming with ideas of how we could deliver new city centre homes alongside community hangout spaces and loads of much-needed greenery. We can’t wait to write the next chapter for the stunning St George’s church, creating a new centrepiece around which the community will revolve.” St George’s was one of a trio of development opportunities featured in the Wolverhampton Investment Prospectus, launched by the Council at MIPIM earlier this year. The prospectus was aimed at bringing the private and public sector together to unlock growth in the city, delivering more homes, jobs and investment. City of Wolverhampton Council Leader, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “Ambitious plans and investment as part of a wider strategy are driving the regeneration of our city centre, The Halls Wolverhampton, our award-winning £150million transport interchange and Grade-A office developments are testament to that. “The St George’s opportunity sits at the heart of this, well connected to commercial and leisure hubs, which is a priority as we transform our city centre to generate jobs, homes and growth. “If the recommendations are approved by Cabinet it will enable the council to develop an outline business case that will establish this site as a new gateway into the city centre. “St George’s can provide an inclusive, safe and sustainable new quarter that will generate new opportunities and jobs, bring underutilised assets back into community use and, importantly, deliver much needed new homes in Wolverhampton city centre, which will bring wider social and economic benefits.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Carmarthenshire County Council and Bouygues UK, who are currently delivering the new prestigious, multi-million pound development Pentre Awel, held a Dragon’s Den style event to celebrate their 21st Century skills work experience scheme. Five local schools in Llanelli – Bryngwyn School, Coedcae School, Ysgol Pen Rhos, St John Lloyd RC Comprehensive and Ysgol Y Strade – took part in the event aimed at empowering learners to discover careers in construction and design, a culmination of a 12-week learning and mentoring programme based around the world of building and construction. When the scheme was launched in May 2023, each school was given a brief to design a collaborative workspace, that aligned with the ethos of Pentre Awel; innovation, positive health and well-being and environmentally-sustainable design. During that time, they were mentored by Bouygues UK staff and had visits to site several times to develop their designs briefs and help them prepare for their final pitch to a panel of judges. The judging panel was made up of a diverse group of professionals from Bouygues UK, Carmarthenshire County Council and Gleeds Project Consultancy. The pupils had just 10-minutes to put their best foot forward and showcase their final designs, including the development journey they had been on and examples of how their mentors helped them along the way. Each school was responsible for their pitch and how they wanted to present to the panel, with some writing additional bid documents to support their presentation, some presenting 3D scale models, and others demonstrating digital fly-throughs of their designs. One group brought along a collection of plants to demonstrate their biophilic wall design. The designs on the day were so impressive that the judges found it difficult to single out one school as an overall winner; St John Lloyd RC Comprehensive and Ysgol Y Strade were crowned joint winners while primary school Ysgol Pen Rhos won the innovation/sustainability award for their biophilic design and carbon capture ideas. Nina Williams, Bouygues UK’s social value advisor for Pentre Awel, said: “The input from all the schools was outstanding with some amazing designs and concepts based around the four themes. The most rewarding part has been the way in which the learners have developed in confidence. “At the beginning of the experience they were all very nervous to ask questions, the mentors being unfamiliar to them, but by the time they were preparing for their final pitch, they were working round the table, firing off ideas, listening to the mentor’s advice and having conversations about how to change and improve their designs. The project has helped the schools to build future relationships with industries, utilising the knowledge and experience of professionals to enhance and develop their knowledge base which can be applied in their future curriculum design.” Project Director Peter Sharpe said: “It’s been really refreshing to take time out of my normal day-to-day activities to listen to the five presentations. The information and depth of knowledge and understanding of the brief were absolutely fantastic. I’m sure there will be some aspects of the learner’s designs that we could incorporate into the building. A project like this is of great value to the world of construction.” Aeron Rees, Head of Strategy and Learner Support at Carmarthenshire County Council, added: “It’s been an honour and a privilege to be part of the judging panel. The youngsters equipped themselves very well and they were inspiring in what they had to say and what they delivered. This project shows a superb example of the synergy between the business community and education, and we are really indebted to Bouygues UK and our colleagues in the council for facilitating this for our learners.” As part of Bouygues UK’s commitment to provide significant social value and engagement to surrounding schools, colleges and universities, there is also a school ambassadors scheme. Bouygues UK is keen for the children to share their ideas and help shape the project, which in turn will enable them to see first-hand the work that goes into the construction process. The children will make regular visits to the site to see the progress being made and will work on school projects centred around construction and building. The 21st Century Skills initiative is part of a broader programme of community benefits to be delivered during the development of Zone 1 of Pentre Awel to realise social, economic, cultural, and environmental benefits. This includes targeted recruitment and training, community engagement, STEM activities and supply chain engagement. Pentre Awel is a truly collaborative scheme being delivered for the local community by Carmarthenshire County Council in partnership with Hywel Dda University Health Board, Universities and colleges and is part-funded by the Swansea Bay City Deal (£40million). It aims to create around 1,800 jobs over 15 years and boost the local economy by more than £450m. The development will include a new state-of-the-art leisure centre and hydrotherapy pool together with education, research and business development space; a clinical research and delivery centre; and a well-being skills centre. Externally, Pentre Awel will enjoy landscaped outdoor public spaces for recreation, walking and cycling. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Mansfield District Council is set to accept funding for two more schemes to retrofit insulation and measures to improve the energy efficiency and lower the carbon emissions of targeted low-income households in the district. Cllr Craig Whitby, the Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Finance is due to formally accept funding totalling £583,500 from the government via the Midlands Net Zero Hub in a delegated decision on Friday (1 December). This funding would enable the retrofit of 16 low-income households with external wall insulation, loft insulation and new doors and windows and provide six properties with solar photo-voltaic panels. Cllr Whitby is also due to formally accept funding of £495,000 from the Hub for another scheme targeted at 38 poorly insulated privately owned homes which do not use mains gas as their chief energy source. The money would enable a range of measures to be fitted, including cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and external wall insulation. To be eligible for this scheme, households must be identified as having a low income, high energy costs and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D, E ,F or G for their property. Cllr Whitby said: “These schemes would be aimed at low income households therefore helping some of the most vulnerable residents in the district. “Increasing the energy efficiency of low-income households would help reduce energy bills and lift households out of fuel poverty for those that need the most assistance. “The projects would reduce carbon emissions from homes, which would help support a reduction of Mansfield’s carbon footprint, and they would also support economic resilience by employing a local contractor to install the external wall insulation.” These two schemes follow four previous government projects where the council successfully bid for over £2m in funding to retrofit external wall insulation and install loft and cavity wall insulation to over 200 low-income households across Mansfield. Most were privately owned properties and 35 were council homes. The district was also chosen as one of 19 areas of the country to benefit from a government decarbonisation pilot project to help lower energy consumption in social housing. Work has been carried out at three blocks of flats at Farnsfield Court and Shireoaks Court on the Bellamy estate, focusing on walls, roofs, floors, windows and doors, for strategies for ventilation, heating efficiency and cooling in the summer. The work cost £720,000 with £360,000 coming from the government and the same amount funded by the council. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The City of Edinburgh Council is once again asking tenants to give their feedback on rent proposals and the financial pressures they face. With one month to go until this year’s consultation closes on 17 December, tenants across the capital are being reminded to share views on the rates rent could be set at next year and how this money should be invested to create more and better housing. The full scale of the city’s housing challenge was highlighted earlier this month when the council officially declared a Housing Emergency in Edinburgh. This followed news that up to 5,000 households a night are now living in temporary accommodation due to homelessness and a shortage of affordable housing. A budget strategy report published last month also reveals the gap between the amount of funding Edinburgh needs to improve housing and the budget available to achieve this, which is primarily funded by tenants paying rent and government grants. By raising rent levels, the council could ensure homes meet statutory energy efficiency standards set by the Scottish Government, build hundreds of new affordable homes to help people who are currently homeless and improve the landlord service it provides. Up to 80% of tenants in Edinburgh receive assistance with their rent, with costs covered by housing benefits or Universal Credit. The council intends to extend its Tenant Hardship Fund to support households who aren’t entitled to this support to access funding if they struggle to afford an increase in rent. Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Providing a better service to our tenants, improving their homes, and building more places for people to live is at heart of our housing budget strategy. “We recognise that this year will be particularly challenging for all residents with rising inflation, spiralling prices, and the wider cost-of-living crisis. These price hikes are affecting us too and we’re seeing the cost of running our housing services increase, at a time when we desperately need to invest in new and better homes and tackle rising homelessness. That’s why we have declared a Housing Emergency, so we can work with partners to help everyone who needs a safe place to call home. “In our last consultation tenants told us they want us to invest in homes to make them more energy efficient and that they need more affordable homes. So, we are looking forward to hearing from our tenants again and hope this consultation allows them the opportunity to have their voices heard.” Alongside charging a higher rent for newly built homes and newly modernised homes, the council is considering three possible rent increase options. No decisions on rents or how the council spends the Housing Revenue Account in the next financial year will be made until February 2024, when the council sets a housing revenue budget as part of a wider budget setting process. Find our more and share views here at the consultation hub. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans have been approved by Oxford City Council to create a new landmark timber cycle pavilion in the heart of Oxford North to provide secure long-stay and short-stay spaces for phase 1a of Oxford’s new £700 million innovation district. Designed by the project’s masterplanners Fletcher Priest Architects on behalf of Oxford North Ventures, the joint venture company of Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St John’s College, Cadillac Fairview and Stanhope, the prominent two-storey radial building, which was inspired by wheel spokes, will be located in the new market square alongside the Red Hall and central park. The new pavilion will provide 191 first-floor secure long-stay cycle spaces dedicated to people working in the Red Hall and Building 1 & 2. It will include a power gully on the stairs to assist in carrying bicycles, along with ground-floor short-stay spaces and a bike repair station. End-of-trip facilities will be in the basement of the adjacent Red Hall with 16 showers and changing facilities and an accessible provision at ground level. These cycle spaces will be in addition to the dedicated 444 spaces with showering facilities which will be provided in each of phase 2’s recently approved Plot A, B and C laboratory buildings. The pavilion’s radial structure timber frame will significantly reduce its embodied carbon and have low energy usage in operation. The design has been based on timber’s construction characteristics which will reduce the need and carbon intensity of an additional structural material for stability. Simple vertical timber battens will enclose the upper storey and provide views across the market square and a translucency which will create a warm ‘lantern’ effect in the evening to enliven the surrounding area. In addition to the architectural design, the project team has included sustainability, accessibility and inclusive design consultants and lighting, fire and security engineers. David Camp, chief executive officer, Stanhope said: “This decision is great news for cyclists! Our project is focused on transforming local travel habits and making cycling more convenient and sustainable for those working and visiting in the future. “We have positioned the pavilion in a key location at the masterplan’s heart to celebrate the bicycle as a mode of sustainable transport. The circular timber structure will act as a focal point, adjacent to the recently consented, enhanced and expanded Red Hall, the central landscape and market square. The pavilion will provide secure long and short-stay spaces and repair facilities serving our three first-phase buildings that are currently under construction.” Philip Pryke, senior associate, Fletcher Priest Architects added: “We are thrilled that our designs for Oxford North’s new timber cycle pavilion have been given the green light. With Oxford one of the UK’s leading cycling cities, it will give bicycle use the prominence it deserves within the new urban district being created. “Our two-storey approach reduces the building’s footprint and the main enclosed body of the pavilion being raised off the ground will deliver views across the market square. It is about ensuring the building is visible and accessible from all sides meaning that, along with the A40 and A44 cycle improvements, the decision to cycle to and from Oxford North will be as easy as possible.” Oxford North’s Phase 1a is targeting practical completion in Q2 2025. Acting on behalf of Oxford North Ventures for the cycle pavilion were Fletcher Priest Architects, Savills, AKT II, Hoare Lea, Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Pritchard Themis, Turner & Townend Alinea, OFR Consultants, People Friendly Design, Gardiner & Theobald, and QCIC. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
WJ Group has successfully secured a place on Barnet Council’s Highways Maintenance Works Framework Agreement (HMWFA). The road safety and marking specialist has been announced as the sole supplier for Lot 9, which covers road studs and markings, further cementing WJ’s position as a key delivery partner to local authorities across the UK. This latest success increases the number of contracts WJ holds with local authorities to 68. The four-year framework will enable Barnet Council to effectively provide business resilience that supports the management and maintenance of its highways network. It will be used for works covering both carriageway and footway maintenance, drainage, signs and markings, and traffic safety. Cllr Alan Schneiderman, Barnet Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “Well-maintained roads and pavements are safer for everyone. That’s why we have agreed to invest an additional £8 million in our highways over the next two years. “We’re delighted to have agreed the Highways Maintenance Works Framework Agreement as part of our commitment to maintaining the quality of our roads and footways and tackling potholes and other issues for our residents. We care for people, our places and the planet, and we will continue investing towards our longer-term plans of making Barnet a safer and more sustainable place for all.” WJ’s appointment to the framework aligns with its continued commitment to evolve its road marking and studs provision. The company recently unveiled Weatherline Ultra at Highways UK as a new addition to its award-winning Weatherline product portfolio. Weatherline Ultra offers even greater levels of performance and durability, achieving over 500 mcd/m²/lx (> R5) and 75 mcd/m²/lx (RW4), and has been designed to ensure visibility in any weather thanks to its dotted profile, raising the marking above surface water for enhanced wet night visibility. Earlier this year, the company also invested over £500,000 to install its Accelerated Product Tester. An advanced piece of equipment, the technology assesses the durability and performance of its highway maintenance and improvement products. The system is the first of its kind in Europe to be able to test road studs, enabling the rapid testing of road studs without the need for extensive and lengthy road trials to assess initial results. Dave Clarke, General Manager (Croydon & Braintree) at WJ Group, said: “Our appointment to Barnet Council’s HMWFA is further evidence that we are a trusted supplier for local authorities. Our commitment to innovation and sustainability ensures that we can provide the very best support to local authorities, like Barnet Council, to achieve a better and safer road network, and we look forward to developing our partnership.” For more information, please visit www.wj.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bouygues UK has welcomed representatives of Swansea Council, the UK Government and other project partners on site at 71/72 The Kingsway to mark the official ‘topping out’ for the major five-storey office development in Swansea city centre. Located at the former Oceana nightclub site, when finished the building will house up to 600 workers, will be operationally carbon zero and is worth £32.6 million a year to Swansea’s economy. Bouygues UK’s Operations Director for Wales and the South West, Stephen Davies showed the client delegation which included Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales James Davies and Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart, around the construction site, where five floors and two basement levels have now been completed. Swansea Council is developing the project and it is being built by Bouygues UK. It is part-funded by the £1.3 billion Swansea Bay City Deal. The scheme, earmarked for completion in early 2024, will include 114,000 square feet of commercial floor space with flexible co-working and office opportunities for businesses in sectors like tech, digital and the creative industries. Other features of the new development include a roof terrace, a new link between The Kingsway and Oxford Street, and balconies overlooking the city centre and Swansea Bay. The building will include solar panels on top of the building, as well as heat recovery systems to minimise energy use. It will also include 69 bike spaces and electric bike charging as well as extensive shower and changing facilities. Stephen Davies said: “Bouygues UK is very proud to be working with Swansea Council on this landmark project for the city. It was a pleasure to welcome to the site so they could see the brilliant progress that is being made. “Sustainability is hugely important to Bouygues UK and it’s wonderful to work on such an innovative and environmentally-friendly building. The fact that the building, when finished, will operate at net zero is very important to us as a business, as it’s our ambition to achieve this on all of our sites and builds. “71/72 The Kingsway is a key part of the history and infrastructure of the city centre, and this landmark building certainly fills the need for high quality office accommodation. The mix of commercial and office space is going to be a great asset to Swansea, along with the other ongoing regeneration projects.” Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “The topping-out event marks another milestone for the construction of this landmark scheme, which is needed due to the limited amount of high-quality office accommodation in Swansea. Visiting the site has enabled us not just to see for ourselves the progress that’s already been made, but also to learn from our main scheme contractor Bouygues UK about some of the exciting digital tools soon to be used as part of the project as the development gathers even more pace. “Once complete, this scheme will offer the kind of modern, flexible office space we know our businesses need to thrive, particularly in the digital, tech and creative industry sectors where an agile workspace with networking opportunities and high-quality digital connectivity is so important. The scheme has attracted significant attention from potential tenants, and it will also benefit other city centre businesses by generating more footfall and spending.” Wales Office Minister James Davies said: “I was delighted to attend this exciting milestone in the construction of 71/72 Kingsway in Swansea. The UK Government is proud of our investment in the Swansea Bay City Deal which, along with our partners, has built this brilliant new facility for the city. “The UK Government is focused on creating jobs and spreading prosperity in Wales and this development will do exactly that by providing space for 600 jobs in growing sectors.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Wavensmere Homes and Wilson Bowden Developments have submitted a full planning application to Derby City Council for the redevelopment of one of the final plots of vacant land within Derby’s newly revitalised Cathedral Quarter. 186 one- and two-bedroom apartments are proposed for ‘Cathedral One’ within a u-shaped finely detailed red brick building that rises to nine storeys. The 0.2Ha site is bounded by Full Street to the west and the River Derwent to the east. Measuring approximately 50m wide by 50m long, the site was previously occupied by a police station, which was constructed in the 1960s and demolished in 2013. Phase One of Wilson Bowden’s Full Street development was completed in 2016. It includes the refurbishment of the Riverside Chambers office complex, delivery of 46 new apartments at Number One Cathedral Green, and a Premier Inn hotel. The remaining parcel of land had been earmarked for an office development of up to 100,000 sq ft, but it will now be brought forward by Wavensmere Homes for an apartment scheme, benefiting from a vibrant waterside location, with views of the 16th Century Derby Cathedral and its 212ft tower. Also lying adjacent to the site is the Museum of Making at the restored Derby Silk Mill, which re-opened to the public in 2021. The Cathedral One residential development proposals are designed to complete the jigsaw of this prime Derby city centre site by providing dual aspect landscaped public realm over Cathedral Green, whilst enhancing the activity along Full Street. Nottingham-based Franklin Ellis Architects has drawn up plans for a red brick apartment building, inspired by the traditional architecture and heritage assets within the vicinity. In addition to the apartments, 2,000 sq ft of mixed-use space has been accommodated at ground floor level to overlook Cathedral Green and Full Street, providing an active frontage. A range of uses are earmarked for this space, including a new café and high-quality residential facilities such as a gymnasium, co-working zone, and concierge point. James Dickens, Managing Director of Birmingham-based Wavensmere Homes, said: “This challenging brownfield site occupies one of the best locations within Derby city centre and benefits from rich views of the Cathedral Quarter and the River Derwent. It has been vacant for 10 years and the opportunity to create an exemplary development, reflective of the prime gateway location is exciting. “The plans we have submitted for Cathedral One would help towards Derby City Council’s target to provide a minimum of 11,000 new homes throughout the city over the coming decade. By appropriately densifying this derelict brownfield site within such a prized and popular city location, we will create highly energy-efficient homes for well over 250 people who will then spend their time and disposable income locally. We look forward to continuing to work with Derby City Council’s Officers, Councillors, and wider stakeholders, as this planning application is considered.” The Cathedral One plans include two communal staircases, courtyard car parking provision and secure bicycle spaces. The latest green energy features will be incorporated into the design for the new homes, to enable a high EPC rating to be targeted, whilst exceeding the new Part L building regulations. Cathedral One will promote sustainable development through the use of low carbon materials, modern methods of construction, and renewable energy generation via a vast amount of roof mounted solar PV panels. Matthew Branton, Managing Director of Franklin Ellis Architects, said: “Whilst designing Cathedral One, our team at Franklin Ellis were conscious of the need for this proposed development to carefully close the wider urban block and positively front Full Street, Cathedral Green and the waterside, improving the safety, attractiveness, and animation of the adjacent public areas. “We have taken a context led approach to a layered facade design, incorporating quality detailing and a refined material palette whilst paying homage to the surrounding architecture and heritage assets, ensuring the Cathedral is always the star of the show. We have spent many months refining the design and generating these comprehensive plans, which reflect feedback from the recent public consultation, together with the Council’s Design and Heritage Review Panels – creating Derby’s most sought-after apartment development.” Derby’s array of city centre shops, amenities and attractions are located within moments of the site on Full Street, with Derby Train Station being one mile away, and reachable by foot and public transport in under 10 minutes. Regular services to London St Pancras take less than 90 minutes, while trains to Birmingham city centre take 34 minutes. Wavensmere Homes has become one of Derby’s most prominent residential developers, with the £175m multi-award-winning Nightingale Quarter becoming one of the finest regeneration and restoration assets in the region. The former Derby Royal Infirmary on London Road – which had laid derelict for a decade – has been transformed into a vibrant new community, including over 900 houses and apartments. The company has also submitted plans for the 11.5-acre (4.96Ha) historic Friar Gate Goods Yard in central Derby, which could be transformed into 276 houses and apartments, and over 110,000sq ft of commercial space. Wavensmere Homes is currently constructing two other major urban regeneration schemes, located in central Birmingham and Ipswich, and has further projects across middle England in the immediate pipeline. The Edgbaston-headquartered housebuilder has around 3,500 new homes either under construction or in planning. To view the plans and read more about the project, please visit: www.fullstreetderby.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bristol City Council’s Bedminster Green regeneration plans took a further step forward today with a topping out ceremony at Dandara Living’s new Stafford Yard development in Bristol. Situated on a former brownfield site within the Bedminster Green Framework Area, Stafford Yard occupies a prime location within this rapidly developing neighbourhood, just south of the city centre and Temple Meads train station. Representatives of Bristol City Council and invited guests from local businesses and community groups, joined Dandara Living’s CEO Jim Davies to commemorate the topping out of the development. Featuring 295 new apartments, resident amenities including, private balconies, roof terraces with vegetable beds, a gym, lounge, retail space as well as courtyard gardens, Stafford Yard will also deliver 21 affordable homes and is the first of three sites Dandara Living is developing in Bristol. This includes a current application for 339 residential homes adjacent to Stafford Yard on Malago Road/Hereford Street/Clarke Street known as Plot 5 Bedminster Green, and a further site with prominent frontage onto Clarence Road and Temple Gate where Dandara Living has submitted planning for a sustainable mixed-use development opposite Temple Meads station with 432 much needed high-quality homes, resident amenity and retail space. Jim Davies, CEO, Dandara Living said: “Build to rent is already very popular with young professionals who want to live and work in vibrant city centres like Bristol. However, we are also seeing increasing interest and demand from retirees and families for whom the security of tenure, professional management and sense of community that developments like Stafford Yard provide, is very appealing. “Bristol is a vibrant, ambitious city and like many others is experiencing a period of change as people reassess what they want from our cities. Build to rent still makes up a relatively small percentage of the UK’s overall housing sector, however it plays a vital role in maintaining overall housing supply and attracting inward investment. Bristol City Council has demonstrated its recognition and support for built to rent and I hope that our investment in Stafford Yard, Bedminster Green and Clarence Road, demonstrates our confidence and commitment to the city’s bright future. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
