£80m Abode Student Portfolio Backs Affordability and Prime Regional Locations
Abode Student has unveiled an £80 million purpose-built student accommodation portfolio spanning Birmingham and Nottingham, positioning affordability and location at the heart of its growth strategy for 2026 and beyond. The Manchester-based developer, led by founder Ashley Ladson, will deliver 525 beds across two schemes: a 317-bed development in Birmingham’s Knowledge Quarter and a 208-bed scheme in Nottingham, just three minutes’ walk from Nottingham Trent University. Rents will start from £175 per week in Birmingham and £198 per week in Nottingham, reflecting a deliberate focus on accessible pricing in prime Russell Group city markets. The investment case is equally compelling. The portfolio is targeting a 5.75 per cent net initial yield, rising to 6.2 per cent on practical completion, with projected occupancy levels exceeding 96 per cent. Nottingham is already forecasting 40 per cent pre-bookings 18 months ahead of opening, significantly outperforming regional averages and underlining demand for well-located, sensibly priced accommodation. Abode Student’s strategy responds to a noticeable shift in the PBSA sector. As students and families become more cost-conscious, proximity to campus is increasingly valued above high-end amenities. Ladson believes the opportunity lies in regional university cities rather than an increasingly saturated London market. “Students prioritise location over luxury,” he said. “They want accommodation that is within walking distance of campus and priced realistically. Our focus is on delivering exactly that, without compromising on design quality.” Central to this approach is a partnership with interior designer Miminat Shodeinde, founder of Miminat Designs. Together, they have developed a ‘Refined Durability’ philosophy, specifying long-lasting, high-performance materials that reduce maintenance cycles and lifecycle costs. The aim is to demonstrate that good design and affordability are not mutually exclusive. The two schemes, Abode Student Wireworks in Birmingham and Abode Student Leatherworks in Nottingham, have secured detailed planning consent, with construction scheduled to begin in November 2026 and completion targeted for September 2028. Christopher Dee LLP has been appointed to advise on funding. Sustainability also underpins the developments, which are targeting BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings. Measures include air source heat pumps, rainwater harvesting, biodiversity net gain and green travel infrastructure. Looking ahead, Abode Student is pursuing further opportunities in Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and Bristol, signalling a broader regional expansion strategy anchored by strong university cities and enduring student demand. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Prologis agrees long-term letting with Birch at Brooklands DC1 in Weybridge
Prologis has completed a 15-year letting with Birch at Brooklands DC1 in Weybridge, securing a new long-term operational hub for the specialist automotive storage provider as it scales its UK business. Birch is a premium automotive asset management company, recognised for The Birch Standard – a benchmark for secure, intelligent custodianship of high‑value vehicles. Birch provides insurance‑approved “vaults” and white‑glove logistics for private collectors, motorsport teams, OEMs and institutional partners who require assured, end‑to‑end custody. The expansion to Brooklands DC1 strengthens Birch’s ability to combine world‑class security, bonded storage and meticulously managed operations in a scalable hub, supporting its next phase of UK and international growth. Brooklands DC1 is a 124,223 sq ft Grade A logistics building, well suited to Birch’s highly controlled operations. The building provides a 12.5 metre clear internal height, 50 metre yard, 13 loading doors alongside an enhanced fit-out including the installation of LED lighting and fire alarm systems. Sustainability performance was a key consideration for Birch. The building achieved BREEAM Excellent and EPC A+ ratings and incorporates a 235kWp rooftop PV system, heat pump technology and EV charging infrastructure to support lower-carbon operations over the long term. Prologis Essentials has been appointed to support Birch with fit-out consultancy and operational solutions to meet its bespoke requirements. Daniel Wood, Co-Founder and Director at Birch, said: “Our expansion to Brooklands DC1 marks an important step in Birch’s next phase of growth. It gives us the scale, security and building quality we need to support high‑value automotive clients, while preserving the custodial standards and level of care that define The Birch Standard.” Gillian Scarth, Leasing Director at Prologis UK, said: This letting underlines the demand we are seeing for well-located, high-quality logistics space around London. Brooklands DC1 offers customers long-term certainty, excellent connectivity and access to a strong labour pool, making it a compelling location for specialist operators like Birch as they scale their UK presence.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
OP and Cooper Parry partnership continues with London office completion
Leading office interior design consultancy, OP, has completed the fit out of Cooper Parry’s new 18,000 sq ft London hub at Broadwalk House in Broadgate. The project has transformed the 5th floor space, consolidating Cooper Parry’s London operations into one central hub that reflects the rapidly growing accountancy firm’s unique brand personality whilst supporting team growth and client relationships. The building’s nickname – ‘the Flowerpot Building’ – inspired a botanical design concept woven throughout the workspace, with nature-inspired naming conventions including the Bloom Lounge business reception area and The Greenhouse central social space. The Bloom Lounge creates a welcoming first impression for drop-in workers and visitors, with the Bloom Room extending this area as a flexible space that doubles up as a training room when required. At the heart of the workspace sits The Greenhouse, a multifunctional hub serving as an alternative work setting, social space with gaming facilities, food preparation area, and event space for large gatherings. Open plan desk zones accommodate full-time staff, with creative layout and design elements avoiding traditional office aesthetics. A dedicated meeting village provides client suite areas with multiple meeting rooms featuring themed botanical names, enhanced through carefully selected wallpaper and carpet. Exposed ceilings throughout maintain an industrial aesthetic, whilst playful patterns on joinery and peach and red striped fabrics create unique personality elements. Sustainability was a key focus of the project, with OP implementing an extensive reuse strategy that retained 80% of existing architecture including meeting rooms. All existing desks and task chairs were reused prioritising retention over complete renovation and significantly minimising waste and carbon footprint. The London project builds on OP’s strong relationship with Cooper Parry, having previously delivered successful hub projects across Manchester, Reading and Birmingham. “Our vision was to create an inspiring workplace that supports Cooper Parry’s growth whilst maintaining their distinctive brand personality. The challenge was balancing high-density requirements with creating unique, aesthetically pleasing spaces.” Gary Tailby, Managing Director at OP “We needed to create a London hub that brought together multiple offices while supporting our continued growth. OP delivered exactly what we required and more. The transformation has given us a workspace that reflects our personality as ‘rebels of accountancy’ while providing the flexibility we need for our CPers and constant flow of visitors. The social spaces has become the heart of our operation - it’s where our culture comes to life. We’re absolutely over the moon with the results.” Jo Giles, Head of Facilities at Cooper Parry. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
BarhaleEnpure JV delivers Yorkshire Water’s Dewsbury WwTW upgrade
BarhaleEnpure JV has completed an ?18m phosphorus removal programme at Dewsbury Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) in West Yorkshire to help improve water quality in the River Calder. Delivered in partnership with Yorkshire Water, the scheme has achieved a 90% reduction in phosphorus levels in the final effluent at the WwTW, exceeding Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) targets for England. Fourteen existing primary settlement tanks (PSTs) have been replaced with three new larger tanks and two new primary sludge pumping stations. Prior to construction an existing beck was diverted to accommodate the new tanks’ footprint. The project took advantage of off-site manufacturing to precast the concrete wall sections before they were assembled on site to form the new 45m diameter, 8.5m deep (deepest at the central desludge cone) settlement tanks. BarhaleEnpure JV constructed a new chemical dosing plant and installed a UMON4 device to upgrade monitoring to MCERTS (monitoring certification scheme) standards. This confirms that the works is treating permitted flow to full treatment (2,350 litres per second) when the storm overflow is operating. The team also completed process improvements and created a 2.5ha biodiversity and rewilding area. The WwTW, which serves a catchment of 200,000 people, remained fully operational throughout the construction process. Phosphorus is a normal component of domestic sewage, entering the sewer system from products such as shampoos and detergents. It can also enter rivers through agricultural run-off and natural soil erosion, which can be difficult to control. Small amounts of phosphorus are harmless and are essential to many ecosystems, but higher concentrations can become damaging to aquatic life. BarhaleEnpure JV Contracts Manager Brian Harrold said the joint venture moved into the design and construct phase in the third quarter of 2023 following extensive early contractor involvement. “This has been a relatively long-term project to deliver essential water infrastructure for a large part of West Yorkshire,” he said. “We worked closely with Yorkshire Water throughout and successfully completed and commissioned all the new works on schedule and under budget. “The improvements are already delivering a measurable impact, including better water quality in the River Calder, a healthier and more enjoyable environment for people and wildlife and improved opportunities for recreation.” Philip Lister, Yorkshire Water’s environmental permit compliance lead, said: “Yorkshire Water is committed to looking at innovative ways to improve the operation of our sites to meet our phosphorus removal targets. This particular project adopted a number of measures designed to reduce the carbon impact and speed up the duration of the improvement works. “We have committed over ?350m to reduce the levels of phosphorus going into watercourses at 85 of our wastewater treatment sites across the region in the next five years, continuing the work we began in 2020 – 2025.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Lovell Partnerships exchanges contracts for 199-home development at new £800m Fairham neighbourhood in Nottingham
Leading partnership housing specialist Lovell Partnerships has exchanged contracts on a 13-acre parcel of land at Fairham in Nottingham, where it plans to deliver 199 new homes. The major new residential development sits within the emerging new community, Fairham, which is being facilitated by Homes England and Clowes Developments. Situated five miles from Nottingham City Centre in the Borough of Rushcliffe, Fairham is a 606-acre, £800m neighbourhood that will ultimately deliver around 3,000 new homes, alongside new infrastructure including employment space, a new school and community facilities. Subject to planning, the scheme will comprise 99 properties for open market sale and 100 affordable homes, contributing to the continued growth of one of the region’s most significant new communities. Lovell Partnerships’ regional managing director, Beth Bundonis, said: “Exchanging contracts at Fairham Phase Four is an important milestone for Lovell Partnerships and reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality new homes as part of well-planned, sustainable communities. “Fairham is a landmark development for Nottingham, and we look forward to submitting our plans for this next phase in partnership with Clowes, Homes England and the wider project team.” Once complete Fairham will be the East Midlands’ most significant mixed-use development. With world-class connectivity, future forward homes, new amenities and a wealth of employment and business opportunities it is set to become the region’s prime commercial and residential destination. Homes England head of disposals, Mark Laidow, commented: “The exchange of contracts with Lovell Partnerships marks another important step forward in the delivery of Fairham. This latest phase will help maintain momentum across the site, bringing forward much-needed new homes alongside the infrastructure and amenities that will support our long-term vision. “This is a prime example of how we are working collaboratively with partners like Lovell to achieve our mission to build vibrant, new communities that people can be proud of.” Planning for the development is expected to be submitted in spring 2026. To find out more about Lovell Partnerships visit the website. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Sustainable heating specialists strengthen team with new Business Development Manager
Hewer Facilities Management, a leader in sustainable heating solutions, has appointed Adam Daly as Business Development Manager to support the rollout of its pioneering Heat Saviour™ technology nationwide. Having previously held senior roles at Navigator, Purmo, Westco and Fernox, Adam joins Hewer with over 20 years’ experience in the plumbing, heating and building services sectors. His expertise lies in developing routes to market for new products, driving penetration and growth through targeted training and education initiatives, and increasing sales across installer networks, merchants and national accounts, including specifiers and housing providers. At Hewer, Adam will focus on supporting the rollout of Heat Saviour™, a first-of-its-kind retrofit product that simplifies heat pump installations, reduces installation time and cost, and minimises disruption to homeowners and tenants. Officially launched in 2025, Heat Saviour™ is already installed in over 2,000 properties across the UK. Among these are 1,500 social housing homes in the South West, including those managed by providers such as Two Rivers Housing, Bromford, Green Square Accord, Rooftop Housing Group, Community Housing and Cottsway Housing Association. Compatible with all major heat pump brands, Heat Saviour™ has recently been endorsed by Midea, one of the world’s leading heat pump manufacturers which operates in 200 countries worldwide, highlighting Hewer’s position at the forefront of practical, scalable low-carbon heating solutions. Adam Daly, Business Development Manager, says: “I’m thrilled to be joining Hewer at such an exciting time for both the business and the wider sector, as it continues its transition to greener technologies. “The UK is leading the way in innovation in this space. Heat Saviour is a first-to-market solution that solves real-world challenges around heat pump adoption – tackling key barriers such as cost, disruption and installation complexity – for installers, tenants and homeowners. “My role will focus on helping installers, housing providers and local authorities understand the product and deploy it effectively at scale. Having the endorsement of Midea reinforces the value and impact of what we’re delivering.” Stuart Hesk, Director at Hewer, adds: “We’re delighted to welcome Adam to the Hewer team. His experience in product launch, market education and commercial growth is exactly what we need to support Heat Saviour’s rollout. “Adam’s appointment strengthens our business development capabilities as we help social housing providers, local authorities and homeowners adopt low-carbon heating solutions. With recognition from a global leader like Midea, it’s clear that our technology is not only innovative but also trusted by industry experts.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals