Full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau has advised Great Places Housing Group on a landmark £104 million development scheme at Mosley Common in Wigan – a major housing scheme that will deliver more than 1,000 new homes, including 369 affordable properties. The deal involved the purchase of the first 100 acres
TALO, the specialist in offsite timber housing, has been awarded its third contract in Kent. This is to manufacture and install the timber superstructures for eight ultra-low energy homes in the town of Edenbridge for developer The Balma Group. Project architects Edwards Wilson are working with Balma to deliver the
The House Builders Association (HBA), the housebuilding division of the National Federation of Builders (NFB) has reignited its campaign for the planning system to adopt five clear site size definitions, replacing the current, arbitrary ones of ‘Minor’ (one to ten homes) and ‘Major’ (ten and above). Richard Beresford, Chief Executive
PRINCIPAL retrofit contractor Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd (SBS) has secured two major contracts worth a combined £15+ million to deliver large-scale energy efficiency upgrades to hundreds of mixed-tenure homes across North East Derbyshire. Funding comes from the government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 (WH:SHF) and the newly
London’s worsening homelessness emergency represents the “single biggest risk” to boroughs’ finances and is pushing town halls towards bankruptcy, London Councils has warned. Analysis from the cross-party group estimates that skyrocketing numbers of homeless Londoners needing a roof over their heads and spiralling temporary accommodation costs mean boroughs in the
38 contractors have joined a £380m framework to supply and install planned and cyclical maintenance works to Scottish councils and housing associations over four years. Procurement services provider, PfH Scotland has appointed 22 regional SME firms and 16 larger national companies, including Bell Group, CCG Scotland, Easy Heat Systems, McConnell,
Birmingham-based property developer SevenCapital is making a bold move into the London residential market, with plans for a £1bn expansion across three major projects in Kensington, Islington, and the Isle of Dogs. Subject to planning approval, these developments could deliver 1,000 new homes through a combination of new builds and
Baxi is encouraging social housing providers to ensure they have robust clean heat strategies in place for both new build and refurbishment projects following funding announcements in the Spring Statement. The call follows the government’s allocation of £2 billion to support the development of 18,000 new affordable homes, half of
Round Hill Capital, a leading global specialist real estate investor, developer and manager, has recently topped out on its Fairfax build-to-rent development in central Manchester. With BTR specialist Olympian Homes acting as lead developer and RG Group as main contractor, topping out was achieved eight weeks ahead of schedule. Acquired
Prime plc has reached a significant milestone in Cornwall, achieving Financial Close on a key worker accommodation project in Truro, helping to address the critical lack of housing for key workers at Royal Cornwall Hospital. In June 2023, Steve Williamson, CEO of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, highlighted the
Full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau has advised Great Places Housing Group on a landmark £104 million development scheme at Mosley Common in Wigan – a major housing scheme that will deliver more than 1,000 new homes, including 369 affordable properties. The deal involved the purchase of the first 100 acres of the site from Peel Land by Kellen Homes. Of the 1,044 homes planned for the full development, 815 will be built on this initial phase by Kellen Homes in partnership with Great Places and Taylor Wimpey. With planning permission already secured, the Mosley Common scheme will provide a mix of tenures and housing types alongside investment in transport links, green spaces and local infrastructure – creating a sustainable, well-connected new neighbourhood in Wigan. Hazel Doolan, development programme manager at Great Places, said: “This is a fantastic example of how collaboration across sectors can deliver real impact. Mosley Common will provide a wide range of much-needed homes – including 369 affordable properties – in a thriving, sustainable community. “Our thanks go to Shakespeare Martineau for their expert support in navigating a complex transaction and helping us secure our role in this transformative scheme. We’re pleased to be working alongside Peel Land, Kellen Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Wigan Council to bring this ambitious vision to life.” The complex deal was completed under tight timescales and required extensive cross-discipline collaboration. It was led by land partner Jack Kelly and social housing legal director Anita Rasaratnam, supported by residential development associate Joe Davies. The Shakespeare Martineau team advised on 13 separate legal documents across the transaction, ensuring Great Places was well positioned to play a leading role in the development. Jack said: “We’re proud to have supported Great Places on a deal that will have a lasting impact on the Wigan community. This development delivers not just new homes but vital infrastructure and affordable housing, all aligned with regional growth plans. It’s a brilliant example of the value that can be unlocked when housing and land experts collaborate closely. “This work reflects our commitment to supporting housing associations and public interest developments. This deal ensures Great Places will continue to play a vital role in shaping inclusive, sustainable communities.” The Mosley Common site was allocated in the Places for Everyone framework and is expected to move into the construction phase later this year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
TALO, the specialist in offsite timber housing, has been awarded its third contract in Kent. This is to manufacture and install the timber superstructures for eight ultra-low energy homes in the town of Edenbridge for developer The Balma Group. Project architects Edwards Wilson are working with Balma to deliver the Crofton Mews development, which comprises six three-storey, three-bed mews-style houses and two two-storey, two-bed homes. This will provide much needed family housing for market sale or rent in the centre of the town and adjacent to a primary school. TALO’s building system is currently manufactured offsite in Finland and uses slow-grown Nordic timber for superior build quality. It arrives on site complete with triple glazing, a high level of insulation pre-installed in the factory and external walls with interior plaster boarding. This approach means the homes at Crofton Mews will benefit from a much higher level of thermal efficiency, exceeding Passivhaus energy standards by at least 30 per cent. TALO’s highly insulated superstructure also achieves outstanding air tightness, again exceeding Passivhaus standards. It is combined with a solar battery package and MVHR (mechanical ventilation and heat recovery), resulting in exceptionally low energy bills for homeowners or tenants. By specifying the TALO solution, the eight homes will be installed on site and watertight in just 10 days, ready for the contractor to start fitting out. Commenting on the decision to use TALO’s offsite system for this scheme, James Everest, Managing Director of The Balma Group: “We estimate that the overall programme saving from using this advanced offsite housing system will be around six months. It will give us a faster return on investment and greater certainty of programme for the fit-out phase. It will also enable us to bring these new family homes to market much sooner, to the benefit of the community of Edenbridge. The TALO approach has already generated significant cost savings in structural engineering and groundworks from its standardised design and foundations. We also found it very useful to visit TALO’s offsite factory in Finland and to see a number of homes there under construction. The pace of work on site despite freezing temperatures was incredible.” Project Architect, Joseph Edwards of Edwards Wilson: “We don’t believe you can build to this level of specification and performance traditionally, without a vastly increased budget. The fact that this system is manufactured using robust, proven processes in a controlled factory environment, means heat loss is significantly reduced. The system also has a higher level of insulation for improved thermal efficiency. As a result, these homes will comfortably exceed Building Regulations requirements for energy performance and air tightness by a considerable margin, giving occupants the benefit of much lower running costs.” Due for completion early in 2026, the homes at Crofton Mews have been designed to complement other housing in the locality, with vertical timber cladding, a red brick plinth, metal detailing, dark grey steel-profiled gable roofs, and dark grey windows and doors. Each home will have open plan family kitchen-living, a bay window feature, a south-east facing garden, secure bin and cycle storage, and there will be eight parking spaces and one visitor/disabled bay. For more information about TALO’s timber offsite solutions for ultra-low energy housing, see www.talo.co.uk or email hello@talo.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The House Builders Association (HBA), the housebuilding division of the National Federation of Builders (NFB) has reignited its campaign for the planning system to adopt five clear site size definitions, replacing the current, arbitrary ones of ‘Minor’ (one to ten homes) and ‘Major’ (ten and above). Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the NFB, said: “In order to build 1.5 million new homes and save our SME builders, we need a planning system that is fit for purpose, prioritises placemaking, and enables builders of all sizes. Our proposal for five different site sizes based on development impact would end the arbitrary, problematic two site size approach and aligns with what is already going on in local planning, while ensuring the Government’s planning reforms can deliver growth and good planning outcomes.” In 2018, the HBA was successful in inserting a paragraph into the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support small and medium-size sites. However, with the then Conservative government focusing on tweaks rather than reforms, the HBA scaled back it’s ask to a ‘Medium’ sized site of between 10 and 50 homes. Although this was never taken up by the Conservative government, the term ‘medium’ was added to the NPPF, alongside a site size of ‘up to one hectare.’ NPPF reforms did not achieve their intended ambition. Data shows an increasing reliance on large site allocations, while non-allocated ‘windfall’ sites, typically under one hundred homes, are not given as great planning focus, however they can make up more than 50% of new local supply. To address this, the NFB and HBA are calling for the following site sizes to be included in planning policy: Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Policy and Market Insight for the NFB, said: “Smaller sites of 1 to 10 homes support projects best targeting local demand. Sites of 10 to 50 are focused on organic growth. Sites of fifty to one hundred support almost all SMEs and do not greatly impact existing infrastructure. Meanwhile sites of 100 to 249 and 250+, whether urban or rural, create a threshold which ensures planners can strategically build out their communities or boundaries. Different site sizes also allow planning reform to avoid unintended consequences, such as making planning more expensive for SMEs, creating more burdens for non-allocated sites, or to target support, for example streamlining planning for sites creating the lowest levels of local impact. Although redefining site size is not a silver bullet to fix planning, it ensures that from the outset the system and reforms are set up to succeed, so we can achieve a planning system that supports better placemaking and recognises the value of all builders, whether micro, small or large.” The NFB’s ‘Size Matters’ report will available in the ‘Research and Political’ section of Ask NFB https://ask-nfb.builders.org.uk/documents-category/research-and-political/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
PRINCIPAL retrofit contractor Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd (SBS) has secured two major contracts worth a combined £15+ million to deliver large-scale energy efficiency upgrades to hundreds of mixed-tenure homes across North East Derbyshire. Funding comes from the government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 (WH:SHF) and the newly launched Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH: LG), with work spanning both social and privately owned housing over the next three years. Rykneld Homes’ £10.4m project partly funded through WH:SHF includes almost 400 properties, while North East Derbyshire District Council’s £5.1m project funded through WH:LG will target more than 300 fuel-poor households in the region, taking an area-based approach to retrofit. Retrofit measures planned across the projects – to help all properties reach an EPC rating C – include external wall insulation, cavity wall and loft insulation, window and door replacements, solar photovoltaic systems and air source heat pumps. Fabric, renewable and clean heat measures are planned to provide a reduction in energy demand and a switch to low carbon heating. Daniel Owens, regional director at SBS, said: “Being appointed to deliver this scale of retrofit in North East Derbyshire is especially rewarding given our long-standing relationship with Rykneld Homes and the local council. We understand the local housing stock and community and have built foundations that will ensure trustworthy and efficient delivery from day one. “These programmes enable us to continue making a real difference to people’s homes, health and energy bills, while contributing to local net zero goals and creating skilled jobs in the region. It is a fantastic opportunity to build on everything we have achieved here over the past decade, so we can’t wait to get started.” SBS will continue its established partnership with Rykneld Homes to help deliver energy efficiency measures to social homes across the district. This builds on recent projects, including a £21 million retrofit scheme that upgraded more than 640 properties under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2. Niall Clark, deputy managing director at Rykneld Homes, said: “You only have to look at our track record of work with SBS and the partnership we have developed, to understand the difference we’re making in the region. SBS has worked extensively in North East Derbyshire, holding vast experience in the retrofit sector and vital knowledge of local housing. “Through various schemes, we have improved thousands of homes with an approach that priorities customer engagement, as well as high quality results and service. The contractor’s values align very closely with our own, making this appointment an easy decision as we look to quickly mobilise our upcoming retrofit programme.” The two programmes are designed to tackle fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and improve comfort, health and wellbeing for residents in some of the region’s least energy efficient homes. SBS has been appointed to deliver both programmes via direct award through EEM’s Property Improvements and Decarbonisations Works Framework. With dedicated teams already operating in the region, the contractor is well-placed to ensure consistent delivery across all property tenures included. To find out more about SBS, visit www.sustainablebuildinguk.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
London’s worsening homelessness emergency represents the “single biggest risk” to boroughs’ finances and is pushing town halls towards bankruptcy, London Councils has warned. Analysis from the cross-party group estimates that skyrocketing numbers of homeless Londoners needing a roof over their heads and spiralling temporary accommodation costs mean boroughs in the capital were forced to overspend on their homelessness budgets by at least £330m in 2024-25. This represents a 60% increase on their original homelessness budget plans for the year. Local authorities have a legal duty to provide temporary accommodation to homeless households qualifying for support under housing law, making it essentially impossible for councils to place strict limits on their homelessness expenditure. London boroughs also highlight a growing mismatch between their temporary accommodation costs and the subsidy they receive for this from the government. In 2023-24 the gap was around £96m, but London Councils estimates the gap for 2024-25 reached £140m – a 45% increase. London Councils fears that if current trends continue, more boroughs will need emergency support from the government and may even be at risk of issuing Section 114 notices – effectively declarations of bankruptcy [1]. London Councils highlights the following: London Councils emphasises the need for urgent national policy action in the Spending Review to reduce homelessness pressures, including through more financial support for hard-pressed boroughs and additional investment in affordable housing. The government is set to conclude its Spending Review in June, which will determine levels of investment in public services for the coming years. The government is also preparing a new national strategy on homelessness. Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Regeneration, said: “The worsening homelessness emergency is devastating the lives of too many Londoners and represents the single biggest risk to boroughs’ finances. “Homelessness spending is fundamentally driven by factors outside our control. Boroughs have a legal duty to provide homelessness support – and we’re seeing homelessness numbers skyrocket while accommodation costs spiral. “If things carry on as they are, we will see more boroughs’ become effectively bankrupt. This brings massive uncertainty to the future of our communities’ local services, and could ultimately mean more costs to the government when emergency interventions are required. “London boroughs are doing everything we can to turn this situation around, but we need urgent action from ministers. Only national government has the powers and resources required to bolster councils’ budgets and reduce homelessness pressures – particularly through investing far more in affordable housing.” Cllr Williams recently gave evidence in parliament on boroughs’ unsustainable homelessness spending, including showing MPs a “chart of doom” based on boroughs’ fast-rising overspends [3]. London Councils is calling on the government to: Help councils meet the cost of temporary accommodation by ending the fourteen-year freeze on the amount local authorities can claim back from government to meet their temporary accommodation costs. The subsidy gap has become the key driver of financial insecurity for boroughs, reducing investment in prevention and is consequently leading to lower quality accommodation. Make the increase in Local Housing Allowance rates a permanent measure. Research published by London Councils shows only 5% of London’s private rental listings in the capital are affordable to households in the private rented sector relying on Local Housing Allowance (which goes to eligible households as part of their housing benefit or Universal Credit payment if they have a private landlord). Boroughs want LHA rates updated annually to track inflation and help ensure adequate support for low-income tenants in the private rented sector. This would prevent significant levels of homelessness in the capital. Progress work on the national cross-departmental strategy to reduce homelessness. In line with the government’s commitment to a new strategy with a clear role for councils, tackling homelessness must be a major priority at a national level with government departments working together – in addition to key partners such as local authorities – as effectively as possible. Boost long-term grant funding for affordable housing. The chronic and longstanding shortage of affordable housing is the key factor driving London’s homelessness emergency. At the Spending Review, the government should announce a more ambitious and longer-term Affordable Homes Programme on top of the initial investment confirmed for 2026-27. With more investment available for social and affordable housing, boroughs will be in a better position to deliver the affordable housing London’s communities are crying out for. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
38 contractors have joined a £380m framework to supply and install planned and cyclical maintenance works to Scottish councils and housing associations over four years. Procurement services provider, PfH Scotland has appointed 22 regional SME firms and 16 larger national companies, including Bell Group, CCG Scotland, Easy Heat Systems, McConnell, Procast, Sidey Solutions, Joinery and Timber Creations (JTC), and Wren Kitchens. They will provide kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, electrical works, roofing, painting, decorating, property refurbishment and surrounding works – including hard landscaping and fencing – to local authorities and housing associations in Scotland. The framework is structured across 12 lots and tailored to different regions of Scotland so local requirements can be addressed. Social landlords have the option to procure products only, or a one-stop route for supply of products and installation. There is also the option for full property refurbishment services. Figures from the Scottish Housing Regulator show that in 2023/24, registered social landlords in Scotland spent £945m on management and maintenance – the highest on record. Planned maintenance expenditure increased by 3.88% to £176.03m, impacted by higher costs, labour shortages and supply chain disruptions. Scottish social landlords are dealing with unexpected remediation costs for RAAC, cladding and damp and mould, along with meeting obligations under the Scottish Housing Quality Standard, fire safety regulations and decarbonisation standards; all whilst keeping rents as low as possible. Chris McGinn, commercial manager at PfH Scotland said: “When social landlords invest in planned works, it creates warm, safe, comfortable homes for their tenants, and it lowers the need for spend on reactive repairs. The problem is that higher inflation and rising prices, along with multiple competing priorities, have put huge pressure on already stretched budgets. We designed this framework with social landlords so it could offer flexible, low cost, high quality options for planned works, enabling a quick and precise match between their requirements and suppliers.” John Hepburn, regional managing director (Scotland) at McConnell commented: “We’re delighted to be appointed onto PfH Scotland’s Planned Works framework, which covers a comprehensive whole house programme for social landlords in Scotland. Our vision at McConnell is to deliver quality works to the communities we work within and that’s more important than ever with the incredibly challenging landscape that Scottish housing providers are operating in right now.” Find out more about PfH Scotland’s Planned Works framework here
Birmingham-based property developer SevenCapital is making a bold move into the London residential market, with plans for a £1bn expansion across three major projects in Kensington, Islington, and the Isle of Dogs. Subject to planning approval, these developments could deliver 1,000 new homes through a combination of new builds and conversions. The first of these projects to secure planning consent is 100 Kensington, a £500m residential development featuring 462 apartments. Standing at 29 storeys, it will become the tallest residential tower in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. The other two projects—Klein’s Wharf on the Isle of Dogs and the Archway Campus in Islington—are currently in the planning phase, with proposals for 375 and 178 new homes respectively. SevenCapital, founded in 2009 by chairman Bal Sohal and managing director Damien Siviter, has an extensive £2.1bn portfolio of completed and pipeline projects. The company has played a key role in shaping Birmingham’s residential landscape with developments such as St George’s Urban Village, The Kettleworks, St Martin’s Place, and The Lansdowne. Now, it is turning its attention to London and the Southeast. For 100 Kensington, SevenCapital is collaborating with real estate investment manager Mark Capital Management. Designed by John McAslan & Partners with detailed plans by Corstorphine & Wright, the scheme will transform a 1.7-hectare site into 462 homes, including 186 affordable units. The development will also feature a 15,000 sq ft leisure facility, a concierge service, 25,000 sq ft of retail and office space, and a podium garden. Klein’s Wharf, located off Westferry Road and fronting the River Thames, will comprise 375 new homes across three buildings, with 40% designated as affordable housing. The site has a rich industrial heritage, having been home to Fenner’s Oil & Paint Refinery, which operated from 1856 to 1932, supplying fuel and paint for London’s docked ships. The Archway Campus development is centred on a historic Victorian hospital site in Islington. Previously owned by the NHS and later Middlesex University and University College London, the campus had been vacant for over a decade before SevenCapital acquired it. The company’s plans include restoring key historic buildings while redeveloping the site to provide 178 homes, 51% of which will be affordable. Additionally, the scheme will feature a new student accommodation building with 242 rooms. The masterplan for the site has been designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects. SevenCapital’s managing director Damien Siviter said:“SevenCapital is committed to delivering vibrant communities and sustainable schemes that enhance the lives of residents and workers. With our proven expertise in urban regeneration, we are now broadening our operations into London and the Southeast, bringing our track record of high-quality residential and mixed-use developments to the capital.” Chief operating officer James Moody added:“Our London expansion is focused on creating outstanding new homes with premium specifications and bespoke designs. Each development is carefully tailored to its location, offering buyers something truly unique. In 2025, we will launch 100 Kensington, our highly anticipated first London development, setting a new benchmark for luxury living in the capital.” With this ambitious expansion, SevenCapital is positioning itself as a key player in London’s evolving residential market, bringing its expertise in regeneration to some of the city’s most sought-after locations. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Baxi is encouraging social housing providers to ensure they have robust clean heat strategies in place for both new build and refurbishment projects following funding announcements in the Spring Statement. The call follows the government’s allocation of £2 billion to support the development of 18,000 new affordable homes, half of which is allocated for social housing. This funding for new build homes sits alongside the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund in place to retrofit existing social housing and improve energy efficiency. Rob Pearse, Residential Business Director at Baxi, said: “The £2 billion set aside for social housing in the Spring Statement must be used with sustainability in mind, which includes the long-term comfort and financial security of tenants as well as electrified heating. This can be achieved by working closely with manufacturers who have expertise in the sustainable heating of social housing and a raft of solutions able to match almost any requirements. “Delivering clean heat in social housing sector can be challenging, and we intend to support providers from the earliest steps of their net zero journey. It is important to identify the system that delivers the best efficiency, cost and environmental results for the building and occupants. Working closely with experts and the wider supply chain can provide the expertise and solutions to do this successfully for both new build and retrofit.” Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) are a key route to clean heat for both new build and retrofit social housing projects, though design challenges for retrofit and skills shortages for installers can be a barrier to social housing providers. To assist the sector with implementation, Baxi has developed a broad portfolio of heat pump solutions suitable for new build and retrofit, along with extensive training, commissioning services and customer support. This includes new prefabricated pod options for new build and retrofit that bring the ASHP system into a pre-assembled unit, manufactured offsite by Baxi Packaged Solutions (BPS). Using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to deliver a more sustainable solution makes the installation significantly faster and simpler and removes the need for major modifications inside the home. This in turn makes low-carbon heating and hot water more accessible in social housing. For larger developments and multiple occupancy buildings, Baxi‘s expert full-service heat network team offer support with design and implementation of end-to-end solutions, including social housing developments. Where zoning policy mandates that heat networks must connect to a larger scheme, consultation with experts, such as those at Baxi, can support a smoother integration with the wider network. Rob said. “Achieving decarbonisation requires a combination of bespoke plans and expertise in heating and hot water solutions. “At Baxi, we have the range of solutions to deliver on energy efficiency and net zero targets, along with the vital experience to support social housing providers in delivering clean heat across new build and retrofit. With the funding discussed in the Spring Statement, we are encouraging all social housing providers to stay ahead of the curve by exploring the solutions available for their projects.” For more on how to decarbonise social housing properties, see Baxi.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Round Hill Capital, a leading global specialist real estate investor, developer and manager, has recently topped out on its Fairfax build-to-rent development in central Manchester. With BTR specialist Olympian Homes acting as lead developer and RG Group as main contractor, topping out was achieved eight weeks ahead of schedule. Acquired via a forward funding agreement in August 2022, the development, one of the largest in the central Manchester area, totals 488 one-and-two-bed, high quality apartments across two buildings, of 29 and 23 storeys respectively. Residents will benefit from exceptional amenities including a gym, 24-hour concierge, co-working space and roof terrace with panoramic views of the city skyline. Due to achieve practical completion in early 2026, the asset will be operated by Round Hill Capital and Allsop. Serving as the gateway to the Portugal Street East masterplan regeneration area, the project is less than a kilometre from the city centre. Appealing to a wide demographic of young professionals, families and students, the development is located next to Piccadilly Station, the largest train station in the city, which provides excellent connectivity across the region and wider UK. The scheme is on track to achieve a BREEAM Very Good certification. In line with Round Hill Capital’s commitment to embedding technology in its business and its focus on sustainability, Utopi has been engaged to provide accurate tenant meter data in order to assess the environmental impact of the buildings, positively engage with the future residents, and deliver insightful environmental reporting to Round Hill Capital stakeholders. In 2024, Round Hill Capital secured a £115 million development loan from global investment firm Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) to fund the construction of Fairfax. With higher-than-average annual GDP growth of 2.2% forecast over the next five years and a growing population, Manchester will require over 170,000 new homes by 2038, with only 70,000 planned or underway, positioning the UK’s largest regional urban centre as an attractive location for investment in high quality rental homes.* Tom France, Head of Acquisitions UK, Round Hill Capital, commented: “Fairfax is our prime, flagship UK build-to-rent development, and just one example of the high quality, sustainable homes in our established pan-European Living platform. Reaching the highest point in the construction ahead of schedule is a fantastic achievement and testament to the collaborative efforts of everyone involved in the project, including the Round Hill Capital team, Olympian Homes and RG Group, all of whom share a commitment to delivering much needed rental homes in central Manchester, where housing supply is still not meeting demand. Manchester is a sought-after location in the UK, attracting young professionals and students and where technology, engineering, manufacturing and pharmaceutical businesses are thriving, creating a huge investment opportunity.” *Sources: Colliers’, UK’s Top UK Residential Investment Cities report / Savills, “Why invest in Manchester” Autumn 2023 report. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Prime plc has reached a significant milestone in Cornwall, achieving Financial Close on a key worker accommodation project in Truro, helping to address the critical lack of housing for key workers at Royal Cornwall Hospital. In June 2023, Steve Williamson, CEO of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, highlighted the growing housing challenges faced by hospital staff, which directly impact recruitment and retention, posing long-term risks to maintaining quality care for the community. Prime, a specialist in health and care development, is now working with the Trust to deliver this much-needed key worker housing. The first development site has been identified on Tresawls Road, which has planning permission to deliver 89 new beds for key workers. The site is within walking distance of the hospital and completion of the scheme is targeted for January 2027. This project is part of a broader initiative, and Prime is committed to working long-term with the Trust to identify additional development sites to meet current and future demand. The Tresawls Road site will provide 22 units across 3 blocks of new purpose-built residential accommodation, offering a total of 89 beds arranged in 3, 4 and 5-bed apartments. Nevada Construction Limited have been appointed as the main contractor. Ella Ballatti Stracey, Chief Performance, Partnerships and Transformation Officer at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “The key worker accommodation project is fantastic news for RCHT. Cornwall faces significant housing challenges, which many of our colleagues will have experienced firsthand. These challenges have had a direct and definite impact on issues around recruitment and retention, putting a greater demand on colleagues who provide such an integral role delivering care for our patients and community. “All of us at RCHT are incredibly pleased to see key worker accommodation now being provided so close to our Royal Cornwall Hospitals site. We hope this development, along with the promised 35% affordable homes being offered as part of the new Langarth Garden Village, will pave the way for more opportunities to provide sustainable, secure accommodation to our key workers, both from RCHT and the wider public services.” Leighton Chumbley, Chief Executive at Prime, said: “We are thrilled to reach Financial Close on this vital project. The key worker housing initiative in Truro is a testament to our commitment to supporting NHS staff and enhancing community wellbeing. “By providing high-quality accommodation, we aim to improve the lives of those who dedicate themselves to healthcare, ensuring they have a comfortable and convenient place to live.” Prime aims to collaborate closely with end-users and the local community to ensure the delivery of the right facilities in the right locations. Beyond addressing immediate accommodation needs, Prime is committed to creating long-term social value, including employing local workers and using local suppliers to support the economy. The support of the community in reaching and understanding local needs is invaluable, and this effort is crucial to securing the future of NHS services in Truro, strengthening Cornwall as a place to live and work. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
