Students now learning the key points of Renters’ Rights Act 2025
Students at New College Durham Learn About Major Renters’ Rights Reforms and what Landlords need to Know. From 1 May 2026, sweeping changes to the private rental sector have been in effect under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, fundamentally reshaping how tenancies are managed across England. The new legislation introduces stronger protections for tenants while placing clearer legal responsibilities on private landlords. The reforms apply to individuals renting privately under assured or assured shorthold tenancies. They do not generally affect those living in social housing or lodgers sharing accommodation with a resident landlord. One of the most significant changes is the abolition of so-called “no-fault” evictions, previously issued under Section 21. From May, landlords will no longer be able to evict tenants without providing a valid legal reason. Instead, all evictions must be based on specific and lawful grounds for possession. Paul Bandeen of New College Durham emphasised the importance of awareness and education as the changes take effect:“The reforms are a significant shift in the private rental sector. It’s crucial that both tenants and landlords understand their rights and responsibilities under the new legislation. We are committed to providing clear, accessible information and guidance at New College Durham.” The Act also brings an end to fixed-term assured tenancies. All qualifying tenancies will automatically become rolling (periodic) agreements, continuing indefinitely unless ended by either party in line with the new legal framework. Existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies will transition seamlessly into Assured Periodic Tenancies, ensuring continuity for tenants. Further changes relate to how and when rent can be increased. Rent review clauses written into tenancy agreements will no longer be valid. Instead, landlords must follow a standardised legal process under Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. This limits rent increases to once per year and requires at least two months’ formal notice using a prescribed form. Any increase must reflect the current market rate, with tenants given the right to challenge excessive rises through a tribunal. As the new rules come into force, tenants and landlords alike are encouraged to review their current agreements and seek advice where needed to ensure compliance. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Barbican Renewal Programme Swells Beyond £170m as Major Retrofit Push Accelerates
The landmark renewal of London’s iconic Barbican Arts Centre is gathering pace, with the value of planned upgrade works to the value of £170m as the City of London Corporation prepares for the next phase of the ambitious regeneration programme. A series of new procurement notices released this week has revealed the scale of the investment planned across the Grade II-listed Brutalist complex, with major contractors and specialist consultants now expected to be lined up for a range of high-profile packages. Alongside this, an additional £60m infrastructure package is also being prepared, while a further £50m programme will focus on the overhaul of the Barbican Conservatory — one of the capital’s most recognisable indoor gardens and public attractions. Other planned works include a £30m refurbishment of foyers and circulation areas aimed at improving accessibility and visitor experience. The procurement drive follows planning approval earlier this year for the wider first phase of the Barbican Renewal Programme, a £231m retrofit-led scheme designed by Allies and Morrison alongside Asif Khan Studio and engineering consultancy Buro Happold. The broader programme aims to modernise the internationally recognised arts and cultural venue while preserving its historic architectural character through a sensitive refurbishment approach focused on repair, restoration and infrastructure renewal. Plans include significant improvements to accessibility, environmental performance and public spaces, alongside the replacement of outdated building systems that have supported the complex since the 1980s. Major construction works are expected to begin in late 2027, with many Barbican activities temporarily paused between 2028 and 2029 during the most intensive stages of the programme. The project represents one of the UK’s largest and most technically complex retrofit and cultural infrastructure programmes currently in development, highlighting the growing focus on preserving and modernising nationally important heritage assets through long-term sustainable investment. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Legrand UK & Ireland Opens New Electronics Manufacturing Facility in Cramlington
Legrand UK & Ireland has opened a new 43,000 sq. ft. electronics manufacturing facility at Nelson Park in Cramlington, Northumberland, establishing a new centre of excellence for the Legrand Group in Europe. The purpose-built site is home to Legrand’s CP Electronics lighting controls and Legrand Care brands, positioned close to the North East’s growing clean energy sector and skilled workforce. The new manufacturing site will extend Legrand’s presence in the UK, which spans more than 40 years. Designed and built with Net Zero principles at its core, the facility is entirely gas-free. A high-efficiency air source heat pump system provides heating and cooling across the site, eliminating direct Scope 1 emissions. A rooftop solar PV array with an installed capacity of 163 kilowatt-peak (kWp) is expected to generate close to 128,000 kWh annually, significantly reducing reliance on grid electricity. The site also incorporates EV charging infrastructure, sustainable drainage, permeable paving and high-performance insulation. Wherever possible, the facility has been equipped with Legrand’s own products, including its Linea 5000 door entry panels, cable management solutions and digital energy metering technology. These systems contribute to the site’s connectivity and energy efficiency while serving as a working showcase for the company’s product portfolio. Paolo Murdocca, COO at Legrand UK & Ireland, said: “This facility represents a significant milestone for Legrand in the UK. We have built a site that not only strengthens our manufacturing capability but also reflects the standards we set for our customers. “Cramlington gives us a modern, sustainable base from which to grow our CP Electronics and Legrand Care brands, and it demonstrates that high-quality electronics manufacturing and genuine environmental responsibility can go hand in hand. The North east offers exactly the skills and supply chain we need, and we are proud to be investing here for the long term.” Legrand UK & Ireland continues to invest in its UK operations, and this investment highlights its commitment to powering technological advancements and providing exceptional value to customers. For more information, see Legrand.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The AI data centre boom is putting commissioning and verification standards under unprecedented pressure
The data centre industry is sprinting to build the necessary infrastructure to support the next phase of the AI buildout. This year, the five biggest AI infrastructure companies will spend somewhere between $660 billion and $690 billion on building AI data centres, almost twice what they spent in 2025. Worldwide data centre power consumption is forecast to grow by 50% between 2025 and 2027, rising by as much as 165% by the end of the decade. The hurdles that have arisen as the result of meeting this generational surge in infrastructure demand are well documented. From securing the necessary access to power from ageing grids to securing skilled engineers and technicians, many challenges inherent to executing the AI boom are being widely discussed. But the accelerated pace and sheer scale of data centre demand poses other problems that, as yet, aren’t getting the attention they deserve from the industry. As AI demand pushes for faster data centre construction and compresses delivery timelines, the race to deliver the next generation of digital infrastructure is putting unprecedented pressure on the commissioning process. This is happening at a time when new data centre designs, bigger facilities, and shorter project windows are making independent verification and certification more critical than ever. The industry’s focus on speed-to-market is ramping up pressure on testing and validation processes, and the resultant incentive to cut corners is raising the potential operational and commercial risk if the need for speed compromises verification. Ahead of Datacloud Global Congress, Global Commissioning is sounding the alarm that, as AI demand accelerates data centre construction and compresses delivery timelines, commissioning and independent verification are becoming more critical than ever. They will be hosting a panel discussion on the topic at the upcoming event. Commissioning: the invisible, invaluable last line of defence Commissioning rarely makes headlines. But when it goes wrong, the consequences certainly do. The commissioning process is widely understood as a set of tests that take place close to the completion of a project. Its technical and regulatory necessities are broadly agreed upon, but ask why commissioning matters at a business level, and many people in the industry will struggle to articulate their answers. In practice, commissioning is so much more than an exercise in compliance. A rigorous commissioning programme begins at design review, long before a cable is pulled, and runs through every layer of a building’s systems, from the component level up to integrated performance under full operational load. It is the process that determines whether a data centre actually does what its designers intended. The industry shorthand for this is L0 to L6: a structured testing methodology that progressively validates each system layer, culminating in integrated systems testing and operational readiness. When it’s done properly, it produces a test record that is a genuine risk management instrument. That record protects developers, operators, and investors alike. When that process is compressed, deferred, or treated as a box-ticking exercise, that protection disappears, and the consequences tend to surface at the worst possible moment. This is the moment to centre commissioning, not set it aside Commissioning is not just a technical exercise or final-stage checklist. It is a critical risk management and accountability process that protects long-term data centre performance, resilience and investor confidence. The data centre sector is building faster than at any point in its history. Hyperscale demand, AI infrastructure investment, and energy transition pressures are all compressing timescales and raising the stakes on every delivery decision. In that environment, the tolerance for substandard commissioning, for incomplete test records, deferred defect resolution, and integrated testing that never quite happened, is shrinking fast. Operators who have been through difficult handovers are restructuring how they procure commissioning authority. Developers are being asked harder questions about what their documentation actually reflects. And the wider market is converging around a new understanding of what credible, independent verification looks like: one that integrates commissioning, certification, and operational validation into a single, accountable chain. The data centre industry is engaged in an infrastructure buildout of generational scale and significance to the fabric of the modern world. The industry responsible for certifying and verifying that infrastructure is fit for purpose should not be relegated to a box-ticking exercise. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
TCC gets in bed with Travelodge
A new 82-bedroom hotel is taking shape in Greater London, with help from a leading Birmingham-based construction consultancy. The Construction Consultants (TCC) has been appointed to support the development of a new £8.6 million Travelodge in Upminster in the London Borough of Havering. TCC is providing contract administrator and quantity surveying services to the creation of the new hotel in Station Road. It will be Travelodge’s 86th hotel in London, and add to the hotel chain’s portfolio of 600 hotels around the UK. The new hotel will feature 24 family rooms, 49 double rooms with showers and nine wheelchair accessible rooms. The project also includes ground floor retail units along with car parking and landscaping. As contract administrator TCC has the responsibility of acting on behalf of developers Eastern Iron Works Ltd alongside construction manager Stack London Ltd to see the project through to completion. TCC co-founder and director Sandeep Sunner said, “We are delighted to have been appointed to this project which will provide high quality accommodation for business and leisure visitors to the area, contributing to the local economy of Upminster.” TCC has a wealth of experience across public and private sectors including industrial, commercial, retail, leisure, care and residential projects. Headquartered in Bennett’s Hill, TCC is a multi-disciplined consultancy providing specialist project management, quantity-surveying, employers agent, building surveying and health and safety services to a wide range of sectors. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New whitepaper from Bradstone reveals extent of challenges in creating safe public realm spaces
Bradstone, a member of Holcim UK, has launched a major new whitepaper, Promoting Safety in the Public Realm, calling for a more coordinated, evidence-based approach to designing and managing safer public spaces across the UK. It is the first output from a new working group assembled by Bradstone, comprising landscape architects, academic partners, NGOs and industry professionals to examine how safety is understood, experienced and delivered in the built environment. The whitepaper pulls in recent research from the University of Leeds and West Yorkshire Combined Authority which reveal that fences and walls around park edges make parks feel less safe due to reducing escape routes, while busier parks feel safer due to passive surveillance from other people. Meanwhile, stats from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 37% of women stop walking in quiet places after dark due to safety concerns. Contributors to the whitepaper include Jo Roberts (Holcim UK), Dr Anna Barker (University of Leeds), Romy Rawlings (Landscape Institute / Deep Green), Ben Gill (One Planet), and Iwonan Kossek (Ask for Angela). Together, they argue there is a growing urgency to tackle safety in public spaces as, despite having a direct influence on each, the issue continues to receive less attention than other urban issues, such as decarbonisation, regeneration and public health. A central theme of the whitepaper is the need for a shared, cross-sector understanding of what ‘safety’ actually means. The working group emphasises the distinction between actual safety (objective risk) and perceived safety (subjective experience), noting that perception often shapes behaviour more strongly than reality. Jo Roberts, Head of Product Management at Holcim UK, said: “We are now reaching a point where familiar ideas of ‘safety’ are being re-examined – not only as a matter of physical design but as a measure of how people feel and belong in the places they share with others. This whitepaper is about creating a shared language, grounded in evidence, that helps the industry design environments where everyone feels safe, connected and confident to move freely.” Also identified in the paper are barriers that currently impede progress – from the sheer volume of unstructured guidance to persistent misconceptions, such as the belief that safety is solely about crime reduction or that more lighting or CCTV are always the most effective solutions. Drawing on successful work across the country, the report sets out a suite of practical, evidence-based interventions for landscape architects, planners and local authorities. These include clearer sightlines, passive surveillance, typology-specific design, improved wayfinding, and co-production with communities – particularly groups who may feel excluded or unsafe. Alongside this, it emphasises the importance of robust data, pointing to emerging tools such as the Safer Parks Dashboard, which brings together spatial and safety data to help practitioners prioritise interventions. Jo said: “Improving safety in the public realm is essential for healthier communities, stronger local economies and more inclusive cities. We’re calling for closer collaboration between industry, academia and the public sector to ensure that safety becomes a core pillar of built-environment decision-making.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals