ISO 45001 safety accreditation strengthens E.ON’s commitment to safety and quality
E.ON’s Green Funding Solutions team (GFS) has been awarded the prestigious ISO 45001 accreditation, the global benchmark for workplace health and safety. The achievement highlights E.ON’s unwavering commitment to protecting its people, customers, and communities while delivering high-quality, reliable energy solutions that help make energy more affordable for everyone. ISO 45001, developed by independent international standards committees, sets the highest standard for occupational health and safety. In securing the accreditation, GFS passed the rigorous audit with flying colours and was also recognised as an industry leader in process safety excellence. Since 2020, E.ON’s GFS team has installed more than 28,000 energy efficiency measures such as solar panels, heat pumps and insulation; improving more than 19,000 homes nationwide through partnerships with local authorities and housing associations – from the Isle of Wight to Northumberland. As part of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2 programme, GFS was responsible for installing almost half (49%) of all UK solar panels in 2023-24, helping to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions for thousands of households. “Making affordable, sustainable energy accessible to everyone is our priority – and a significant part of that is health and safety of our installations, along with offering customers the highest quality,” said Jamie Brookes, Director of Green Funding Solutions at E.ON. “This accreditation reflects the strength of our processes and systems, our relentless focus on safety, and our level of experience in making homes more comfortable and cheaper to run. We’re proud our customers trust us to deliver dependable, high-quality energy efficiency upgrades for their homes. Making affordable sustainable energy accessible to everyone is our priority at E.ON.” This milestone further cements E.ON’s role as a pioneer in improving energy efficiency in homes across the country. Working with local authorities, housing associations and government bodies, GFS delivers large-scale domestic programmes that create warmer, more comfortable homes which are cheaper to run and better for the environment. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
AG Introduces Lightweight Retaining WallSolutionforStreamlined Design and Build
AG, a third-generation, UK manufacturer of low-carbon paving and building products, has launched Diamond Pro® Air, a lightweight retaining wall solution engineered to streamline construction and maximise site efficiency. Designed with the practical pressures of housebuilders and contractors in mind, Diamond Pro® Air helps optimise labour, build schedules, and land use, while offering versatile solutions for plot divisions, split-level sites, landscaped areas, and boundary walls. Each block weighs just 24.5kg, making it AG’s lightest 200mm high segmental retaining wall block. Despite its reduced weight, it supports gravity walls up to 1 metre and engineered walls up to 3.6 metres. The range’s mortarless construction allows walls to be built in all weathers, avoiding delays common with traditional mortar-based systems. Diamond Pro® Air features a split-face design and natural texture in three warm earth-tone shades – Basalt, Cashel, and Canelletto, perfectly complementing AG’s wider walling portfolio for cohesive styling across sites. For walls over 3.6 metres or requiring BBA/HAPAS approval, AG’s Vertica range is available. The blocks feature a near-vertical batter of less than 4 degrees, enabling developers to make the most of every plot. Unlike steeper competitor products, this profile preserves garden and building space, maximising flexibility across even the tightest or most complex sites. Installation is straightforward and efficient. Diamond Pro® Air’s built-in handholds and locator lugs enable precise positioning, while its lightweight design allows for one-person lifting. Delivered right side up on pallets, the blocks can be moved directly to the wall, reducing double handling and simplifying on-site assembly. Large internal voids in the blocks reduce material use, provide drainage, and align during construction to strengthen the wall. Lightweight design allows up to 20 bales per curtain-sided lorry, cutting transport needs and easing site congestion. From concept to completion, AG provides an end-to-end support system. Clients can use AG’s licensed software for self-service planning and estimation, or take advantage of the family-run company’s complimentary in-house Retaining Wall Design Service to produce preliminary layouts tailored to each development. Diamond Pro® Air is produced at AG’s Fivemiletown facility using 100% renewable energy and harvested rainwater. The product mix incorporates aggregates from AG’s own quarry and secondary sources and, combined with reduced material use, helps reduce embodied carbon while upholding the company’s rigorous sustainability benchmarks. Complementing AG’s wider walling, paving, and brick portfolio, Diamond Pro® Air allows multiple high-quality materials to be sourced from a single supplier. With AG’s ‘good, better, best’ range, consistent aesthetics and quality can be maintained across projects, while simplifying procurement and logistics. Commenting on the company’s latest innovation, Stephen Acheson, CEO of AG, said: “Diamond Pro® Air was developed to address the day-to-day pressures faced on construction sites, from limited land and tight schedules to labour constraints. Its near-vertical profile maximises usable space, while the lightweight, mortarless design makes walls quicker and easier to build, even on split-level sites. Large internal voids, pallet-ready right-side-up delivery, and low-carbon production save time, reduce handling, and support both our ambitious sustainability goals and those of the wider industry. Combined with our design service, distinctive finishes, and broader product portfolio, Diamond Pro® Air provides a complete, practical solution that keeps projects on track and maximises value per plot.” To learn more about Diamond Pro® Air and AG’s wider offering visit ag.uk.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GNR8 Gets the Wow! Factor
RO Group is delighted to announce that WOW! Stuff, the multi-award-winning toy innovation company, has opened a new office, GNR8 at 49 Clarendon Road, Watford. Founded in 2006 by Richard North, Kenny McAndrew and Dr. Graeme Taylor, WOW! Stuff creates unique products partnering with tier 1 entertainment brands including Disney, Marvel, Universal, and Warner Bros. With a mission of delivering toys that create that signature ‘wow’ moment, the company has built a global reputation for unprecedented innovation in toy development and manufacture. WOW! Stuff’s products span multiple categories, and they lead one of the fastest growing emerging toy categories, ‘Puppetronics’ where their Disney Stitch Puppetronic by RealFX led to WOW! Stuff becoming the first British company to win the overall TOTY (USA Toy of the Year) in 2025. GNR8 has recently undergone a contemporary refurbishment programme designed to offer more amenity and wellbeing features to its occupiers. The building comprises four floors with a remodelled reception and ground floor amenity space offering open plan workstations, quiet zones, informal meeting booths, bookable meeting rooms, and outdoor amenity areas. Occupiers also benefit from secure bike storage, shower and changing facilities, a nursing room, and a Fitwel 3-star rating, which is the highest accreditation for healthier workplace environments. Ed Davidson, Asset Management Director at RO Real Estate, commented: “We are delighted to welcome WOW! Stuff to GNR8. Their creativity and global reach make them a perfect fit for the dynamic, collaborative community we are building here. GNR8’s refurbishment reflects RO’s wider commitment to investing in our portfolio and maintaining the highest standards of workspace, including achieving a prestigious Fitwel 3-star rating, the very highest level of accreditation for healthier workplaces. Combined with its exceptional amenities, central Clarendon Road location, and excellent transport links, the building is a great example of how Watford continues to attract ambitious companies.” The RO was advised by Osborne Clarke and Brasier Freeth, while WOW! Stuff lease negotiation was led by Managing Director Dawn Lavalette and advised by The Wilkes Partnership Solicitors LLP. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Council unlocks long term investment into Gorton Town Centre
The east Manchester suburb has been a key focus for regeneration in recent years and now a new report being heard by the Council’s executive committee this week announces tens of millions of pounds further investment in the neighbourhood. Gorton has welcomed a number of major projects recently, including the Gorton Hub – a one-stop-shop for a wide range of community services – in 2024, before a new £1.4m public square was unveiled earlier this year. The projects, alongside a significant pipeline of new social and genuinely affordable homes, have looked to create a destination high street for the community while driving up footfall to support local businesses, including the Gorton Market – which will now see a further £1.1m investment, on top of a new roof project that is currently under construction. Delivering for Gorton New housing will be key to support the ongoing success of Gorton, helping to attract new residents and support economic growth. The Council is currently creating a number of investment partnerships to deliver hundreds of new homes, with a focus on affordability across a range of tenures from social rent homes to options for local people to access the housing ladder. Clarion Housing, a national provider of affordable homes, are the preferred bidder to build more than 400 new homes across around 17 sites over the next 10 to 15years. These homes will be available for social rent and shared ownership, alongside a small number of market homes for sale and rent that will support the viability of the developments. Clarion’s first project will redevelop the former library site on Garrett Way where around 70 high quality homes will be built overlooking the new Gorton town centre square. The project will offer a mix of sizes and tenures, including apartments and family homes, as well as wheelchair accessible properties. A planning application is due to come forward early 2026, starting on site later next year. And 35 new affordable independent living homes that will provide housing support for Manchester care leavers aged 18 to 25 will be built on the site of a long-derelict basketball court on Chapman Street near the town centre. The homes will be available to young people in work or training and supported by Centrepoint offering wrap around pastoral care and education advice. A planning application for this scheme will be submitted later this year with a view to being onsite in autumn 2026. Following the completion of the new town square earlier this year, the investment plan looks to extend the square using a £300k grant through the Governments Local Growth and Place fund that will introduce more child friendly play features. This will include play equipment and playground games, such as snakes and ladders – alongside more planting and seating – that will encourage local people to spend time in the town centre. Works are due to start later this year and open to the public in the spring of 2026. As an important resource for the local community, the Gorton Market hall is lined up for a £1.1m improvement programme, again funded through the Government’s Local Growth and Place grant. The investment will open up an entire side of the existing market, creating a link between the building and the extended town square and the welcoming terraced seating area. This will be complemented by a new food and drink offer and a beauty zone, with longer opening hours that will accommodate later evenings and both indoor and outdoor events. The Council is currently working closely with the traders to relocate all of them within the existing market building while this work is undertaken with a view to opening fully by summer 2026, providing a much-improved base for the traders to thrive into the future. Read the Executive Committee report in full Leader of the Council Bev Craig said: “Our high streets and districts centres are at the very heart of our communities. They are where we shop, meet friends, visit the doctors and spend time. We know how important these places are to our residents, and we are investing in our local neighbourhooods across the city. “Gorton has been one of our focus areas for investment for some time, beginning with the Hub and public square, and we have already started work to the market hall roof – and this plan sets out not just the next phases of these projects but a home building plan for the next decade and more – with most capped at social rent, along with opportunities for our residents to get on the property ladder. “This neighbourhood is a place full of potential, and we are already seeing the fruits of this potential come to life. Now it’s about a long-term investment plan that will see Gorton go from strength to strength.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Gateway unlocked: Tide wins UK’s first Gateway 2 sign-off for a high-rise volumetric scheme
Volumetric developer Tide has secured the UK’s first Gateway 2 approval for an offsite high-rise under the post-Grenfell Building Safety regime, clearing the way for construction of The Green, a 23-storey, 424-bed student tower in Southall, west London. The milestone offers a practical template for how modular projects can satisfy the Building Safety Regulator’s demands and should accelerate confidence in factory-built delivery at height. The scheme, consented in January, will be delivered by Tide with its sister company and manufacturer Vision Volumetric. Using an integrated design-and-manufacture model, the in-house design and technical teams worked with consultant partners to evidence full compliance through detailed golden-thread documentation at Gateway 2, the point at which work can lawfully start on site. Why it matters for offsite• Process and proof: Tide and Vision aligned their technical submissions with the regulator’s expectations, establishing a replicable workflow for fire safety, structure, MEP, façade performance and product assurance within a volumetric system.• Digital golden thread by default: every module is digitally logged end-to-end. Vision’s factory controls track each build stage with QR-coded records and six independent QA sign-offs before a unit leaves the line, creating immediate evidence for Gateway 3 and data-rich handover for FM.• Programme certainty with compliance baked in: by resolving compliance at module level in the factory, site risk should reduce, installation programmes tighten and rework costs fall. Christy Hayes, CEO of Tide and Vision, said: “Securing the UK’s first Gateway 2 approval for a volumetric building is a landmark moment for Tide and Vision. Strong collaboration and regular communication with the regulatory lead and multi-disciplinary team have been key to this project. By working hand-in-hand with the regulator, we have fine-tuned our documentation and quality processes to align fully with Gateway requirements. This gives us confidence in navigating Gateway 3 and future approvals, while setting a clear benchmark for volumetric construction across the industry.” Looking ahead to Gateway 3, Tide says the same controls and documentation will underpin the completion and certification phase, with each volumetric unit’s provenance and workmanship evidenced before it reaches site. With construction now able to start at The Green, Southall gains one of the UK’s first student towers delivered to the spirit and letter of the Building Safety Act via volumetric construction. For developers weighing up MMC at height, Tide’s passage through Gateway 2 provides a workable benchmark: integrate design and manufacturing, evidence performance at component level, and treat the digital thread as core project infrastructure rather than a compliance afterthought. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Braehead secures Superpark, the global leisure brand, for its UK debut
SGS UK Retail has announced that SuperPark, the global indoor leisure and recreation concept, is to make its UK debut at Braehead Shopping Centre, Scotland’s premium retail and leisure destination. SuperPark will open a 30,000 sq ft space early next year, adding a significant new experience-led anchor to further diversify the centre’s offer and appeal to consumers. Founded in Finland, SuperPark operates in 26 parks worldwide across Finland, the Middle East, Asia and Australia, attracting millions of visitors annually. Its landmark signing at Braehead is a significant step in the next stage of its global expansion. SuperPark’s ethos is centred on delivering an innovative, family-friendly approach to fitness and recreation. At Braehead, it will offer visitors an activity wonderland with 40 attractions, including adventure challenges, sporting games, and freestyle activities – creating an immersive, joyful play experience that will excite and unite audiences of all ages. The significant investment from SuperPark reinforces Braehead’s reputation for innovation and diversity of offer, underpinned by its ability to attract brands seeking to deliver scalable, experience-led concepts to a large and loyal catchment. It is also the first major signing since the announcement of Braehead Ambition in the summer. The initiative has brought together the asset management, leasing, operational and marketing of Braehead Shopping Centre, Braehead Arena and Xsite to create a critical mass of retail, leisure and entertainment unmatched in Scotland. Huw Kmiot, Associate Director of Asset Management at Pradera Lateral, commented: “The arrival of SuperPark is a major milestone for Braehead, reflecting both its strong trading performance and the continued confidence brands have that they will out-perform here. SuperPark’s debut at Braehead underlines the destination’s reputation as a place that delivers results and actively responds to growing consumer demand for immersive, experience-led leisure.” Jonathan Doherty, Director of SuperPark UK, commented “Our choice of Braehead Shopping Centre to begin our UK roll-out is very deliberate. The centre already plays a broad role in consumer’s lives and enjoys very strong loyalty, and yet there is demand for even more experience-led concepts. This combination of consumer desire and consistently strong footfall are the ideal dynamics for our debut. We have the perfect space in the perfect place, and are excited that SuperPark is about to make its mark in the UK.” The signing of SuperPark follows the news that Braehead has welcomed more visitors through its doors in the year ending June 2025 than ever before, with footfall and spend up by 3% and 4% year-on-year respectively, outperforming the regional benchmark, with the Scottish Retail-Consortium-KPMG reporting a 12 month average climb in sales of 0.1% . The strong growth follows sustained commitment from existing occupiers, with 16 brands renewing or extending their leases so far in 2025. Braehead is asset managed by Pradera Lateral, and its leasing agents are Lunson Mitchenall and Savills. SuperPark was represented by Savills. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals