Sir Michael Lyons to step down as ECF chair after 25 years of housing-led regeneration
Sir Michael Lyons, one of the UK’s leading figures in regeneration and local government, is set to retire at the end of January 2027 after more than 25 years leading ECF, a major national placemaking partnership, having guided the organisation since it was established in 2002. ECF brings together Homes England’s National Housing Bank, L&G and Muse. The partnership works alongside local authorities and combined authorities to create successful communities where people thrive economically, socially and sustainably. Under Sir Michaels leadership, ECF has grown into one of the country’s leading vehicles for large-scale, housing-led regeneration. During that time, ECF has worked with local authorities to support major regeneration in locations such as Liverpool, London, Plymouth, Salford and Wakefield and has overseen a doubling of ECF’s capital base twice over, to £200m in 2018 and £400m in 2024. That capital is now supporting a further wave of delivery, targeting around 17,000 more homes and a further one million square feet of commercial space by 2036, across developments in places like London, Wolverhampton, Hull, St Helens and Bradford. As chair, Sir Michael has played a key role in the regeneration of Salford, which ECF has delivered in partnership with Salford City Council. The £1bn two-decade programme has delivered more than 1,000 mixed-tenure homes and 770,000 sq ft of commercial space across Salford Central, alongside new public spaces. Sir Michael has held a series of senior roles across local and national government during a career spanning more than five decades, including leading a series of influential government reviews. He served as chief executive of Wolverhampton Borough Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and Birmingham City Council, and was knighted for services to local government in 2000. His 2004 review of public sector relocation identified scope to move 20,000 civil service posts out of London and the South East, a target the Government went on to exceed. Later, his enquiry into local government introduced the concept of “place-shaping”, arguing that councils should have greater power and responsibility for the economic and social future of their areas, an idea that continues to shape the debate on devolution. He was chair of the BBC from 2007 to 2011, led the Lyons Housing Review on housebuilding 2013/ 2014, chaired a review of Invest Northern Ireland and chaired the Government’s New Towns Taskforce, whose 2025 report recommended 12 locations capable of delivering at least 300,000 new homes. Sir Michael Lyons will remain in post until the end of January 2027, with his successor set to be announced in due course. Sir Michael said: “It has been an enormous privilege to serve as chair of ECF and to have worked alongside three great partners throughout that time. “We have brought together public purpose, long-term investment and delivery expertise and that approach has allowed us to take on challenges that no single organisation could have addressed alone. “Government deserves credit for taking early risks when the partnership was established. At a time when many public-private partnerships were being swept away, ECF survived because we were determined that there should be a return on the public investment. “I have always believed that public investment should create lasting value for places and communities and, even if realised over the very long term, offer the prospect of a commercial return too. This is what we have achieved at ECF. “I step down with great confidence in the partnership to continue driving positive change in towns and cities across the country.” Pat Ritchie CBE, Chair of Homes England, said: “Sir Michael’s leadership, experience and commitment to long-term investment in regeneration have been central to ECF’s success in creating thousands of new homes and thriving places from Wakefield to Plymouth. “He has been a committed champion of partnership and placemaking, and his influence will be felt for many years as ECF continues its long-term regeneration ambitions. He has been hugely valued by us all at Homes England and we wish him a long and happy retirement.” Tom Roberts, Head of Investment & Development at L&G, said: “Sir Michael has been the driving force behind some of the most significant regeneration projects the country has seen over the past few decades. His belief that lasting change requires patience, partnership and a willingness to invest over the long term has shaped ECF’s approach from the very beginning. “Sir Michael has helped demonstrate that successful regeneration is about creating places with enduring economic purpose, where communities can prosper and future growth can be sustained. We are hugely grateful for his leadership and contribution to ECF’s success, and look forward to continuing his lasting legacy. On a personal level, I am honoured to have worked closely with Sir Michael and am grateful for all that I have learned from him” Phil Mayall, Managing Director at Muse, said: “The opportunity to work alongside and learn from Sir Michael for near two decades has been an incredible honour and one I am incredibly grateful for. “His leadership has left a real mark on ECF and on the places we’ve worked together in partnership to shape. His experience, judgement and genuine commitment to getting regeneration right have been inspiring. “He has not only played a leading role in spearheading the partnership and its continued progress over the years, but also more broadly influencing the way housing delivery and placemaking is approached up and down the country. “On behalf of Muse, I want to thank him for his contribution and years of service to ECF and wish him the very best in his retirement.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Carpentry, bricklaying and plastering each draw over 100,000 apprenticeship searches a year, yet construction faces a skills shortfall
New analysis reveals the trade apprenticeships Brits are most interested in, and crowns Hereford the nation’s leading destination for apprentices. As the UK builds toward a projected shortfall of tradespeople across trades such as construction(1) and electricians(2), new research by tradesman insurance provider Protectivity has set out to reveal where in the UK has the highest interest in undertaking trade apprenticeships and filling the skills gap. Protectivity’s research analysed Google search data relating to apprenticeships across multiple trades including electricians, bricklaying, and plumbing. The data reveals that while trades such as plumbing and carpentry generate high search interest, the overwhelming most popular trade for searches related to apprenticeships was from those looking to become an electrician. The data also shows that based on search interest across UK cities, locals in Hereford are currently searching for trade apprenticeships at the highest volume per capita. The UK’s most in-demand trade apprenticeships(3) Trade Annual Searches 1 Electrician 1,148,150 2 Plumbing 475,250 3 Carpentry 250,740 4 Bricklaying 197,080 5 Plastering 133,850 6 Welding 110,620 7 Joinery 99,230 8 Painting 81,350 9 Construction 76,550 10 Roofing 28,800 Protectivity’s research ranked trades by which had the largest search interest across the whole of the UK, revealing that the clear leading trade of choice for apprentices right now is becoming an electrician. Between September 2025 and August 2026, the research found over 1.1 million searches relating to electrician apprenticeships. This is more than double the volume of the second-highest trade, plumbing, and more than the next three trades (carpentry, bricklaying and plastering) combined. The surge in search interest lines up with real momentum in the sector. Department for Education figures show apprenticeship starts in Construction, Planning and the Built Environment rose 5% to 23,900 in the first half of the 2025/26 academic year, while electricians are seeing their pay climb too, with the latest 2026-28 JIB agreement securing a nearly 4% wage increase for the trade(4). Plumbing ranked as the second most in demand trade for apprentices, with over 475,000 searches, while carpentry came in third place with 251,000 searches, followed by bricklaying and plastering on 197,000 and 134,000 respectively. The only other trade to surpass 100,000 searches is welding on 111,000. Yet despite electricians clearly being the trade with the most interest, the pipeline into the profession is under real pressure. Electrical apprenticeship starts in England actually fell by 10% last year, against a projected shortfall of 15,000 electricians over the next five years, according to the Electrical Contractors’ Association(5). England’s electrical workforce has also shrunk by more than a quarter since 2018, from 214,200 to 158,000 practitioners(6). Ian Hodgkinson, Construction Consultant and Project Manager on BBC DIY SOS(7) talks about how he started his career as an apprentice and why he encourages more young people to consider the apprenticeship route: “I started as an apprentice bricklayer and it gave me a career that’s lasted more than 40 years. I’ve built houses, built businesses, trained apprentices and ended up working on television, all from learning a trade. “A good apprenticeship isn’t a second choice to university. For the right young person it’s a first-class route into work, giving you practical skills, qualifications, experience and the chance to earn while you learn.” Ian also touched on the growing need for skilled tradespeople in the construction industry: “Construction desperately needs the next generation of skilled tradespeople. My advice is simple: learn your trade properly, turn up, work hard and keep learning. A trade can take you much further than you might imagine.” Chris Trotman, Head of Sales and Underwriting, at Protectivity(8) comments: “Ian’s story is a brilliant example of where a trade can take you and why it’s worth seriously considering. A big motivator for conducting this research was news stories breaking this year around a growing shortage of trade skills. The role of an electrician, in particular, has been one of the key areas highlighted by projections so seeing the high demand for electrician apprenticeships is hopefully an encouraging sign for the industry that skills shortages won’t be a long-term issue. “Our study also found that electrician was the most in demand trade for apprentices in all of the cities we analysed. This shows the popularity of the trade, but also the need for young workers to fill skill gaps that cover other trades such as construction and roofing too.” The top cities where trade apprenticeships are in highest demand(3) City Annual Searches per 1,000 residents 1 Hereford 154 2 Norwich 129 3 Bath 119 4 Worcester 112 5 Lisburn 106 6 Inverness 100 7 Lincoln 96 8 Plymouth 93 9 Manchester 91 10 Portsmouth 90 Protectivity’s research also reveals which UK cities have the strongest overall appetite for trade apprenticeships, with Hereford emerging as the leading city in the UK with a total of 154 annual searches per 1,000 local residents researching available apprentice roles and how to join each industry. The city with the second highest search interest was Norwich. Aspiring trade apprentices made 129 searches per capita in the last 12 months. Additionally, Norwich was found to be the top city specifically for interest in roofing apprenticeships, and behind only Hereford when it comes to electrician apprenticeships. Bath ranked in third place on 119 searches per capita, with no other city having more searches related to carpentry apprenticeships than Bath. Rounding off the top five is Worcester and Lisburn. Worcester ranked fourth on 112 searches per 1,000 residents, with its total boosted by having the third highest search interest from aspiring electricians. Meanwhile the Northern Irish city of Lisburn ranked fifth on 106 searches. Lisburn ranked as the top city for joinery and tiling apprenticeships. Despite being two of the smallest cities included in the study, two Northern Ireland cities had the highest interest in tiling apprenticeships – Lisburn and Derry. Chris comments on the research: “What jumps out is the diverse range of cities in the top 10, with eight different regions represented, along with three of the four UK
£1bn Greyfriars Vision Set to Transform Heart of Northampton with 1,220 New Homes
Plans have been formally submitted for a £1 billion transformation of Northampton’s long-derelict Greyfriars site, paving the way for one of the town centre’s most significant regeneration programmes in decades. Developer ECF is seeking permission from West Northamptonshire Council to create a major new mixed-use neighbourhood incorporating up to 1,220 homes alongside more than 100,000 sq ft of retail, leisure, commercial and community space. ECF, the development partnership between Homes England, Legal & General and Muse, has submitted a hybrid planning application covering the majority of the regeneration area. While the wider masterplan is seeking outline approval, detailed consent is being requested for the first 103 homes on the Upper Mounts and Newlands surface car parks. This approach would allow an initial residential phase to progress while subsequent elements of the wider development are brought forward. At the heart of the proposals is the ambition to turn one of Northampton’s largest brownfield sites into a new town centre neighbourhood where housing is integrated with workplaces, shops, leisure and community facilities. Significant investment in the public realm also forms part of the vision, with new green and civic spaces planned alongside improved pedestrian routes and connections across the site. Surrounding roads and infrastructure will also be reworked to better integrate Greyfriars with the existing town centre. A separate planning application has been submitted for the restoration and reuse of Northampton’s listed Corn Exchange. The heritage building is intended to become a centrepiece within a substantial new public green space, with potential cultural, leisure and food and drink uses helping to introduce activity throughout the day and evening. Greyfriars has remained a major regeneration challenge since the former Greyfriars bus station was demolished in 2015. Bringing the site back into productive use has subsequently become an important part of Northampton’s wider town centre ambitions. The scale of ECF’s proposals would see the area move beyond a single-use residential development, creating a broader mixed-use district capable of supporting new homes, employment, commercial activity and community life. Glyn Mutton, development director at ECF, said: “The Greyfriars application is an exceptional opportunity to reimagine a major part of Northampton town centre, to create a neighbourhood that people will enjoy for generations. “We are incredibly excited by the potential to bring new life, activity and energy to this important place, with new homes, workplaces and public spaces that will make a tangible difference to the town.” The scheme reflects a wider shift in UK town centre regeneration, with large brownfield and former infrastructure sites increasingly being redeveloped as mixed-use neighbourhoods rather than relying primarily on traditional retail and commercial uses. For Northampton, the combination of 1,220 homes, new commercial floorspace, restored heritage assets and substantial public realm could fundamentally reshape this part of the town centre. West Northamptonshire Council is expected to determine the planning applications in early 2027. Subject to securing approval and progressing construction, the first new homes are expected to be completed and ready for occupation in 2029. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
PLP Architecture announces submission of planning for landmark 24/7 mixed-use development in Elephant and Castle
Planning for PLP Architecture’s designs for 101 Newington Causeway has been submitted by developer Arada London, in collaboration with The Salvation Army, UK and Ireland Territory. The plans detail the landscape-led, high quality co-living, hotel and co-working spaces and enhanced public realm. 101 Newington Causeway is conceived as a carefully sculpted addition to the emerging Elephant & Castle skyline, offering a 400 room hotel, over 700 co-living units and separate co-working spaces. This mix of uses is intended to create an interconnected community that remains active throughout the day and evening. The two new hotel and co-living buildings are composed as a family of slender vertical volumes rising progressively to create an articulated silhouette and a clear relationship with the surrounding tall-building cluster. At ground level, considered landscaping is also noteworthy with new planting, trees, seating and green outdoor areas that open up a sequence of welcoming gardens and landscaped spaces for public use. Formerly serving as the Territorial Headquarters of The Salvation Army for the United Kingdom and Ireland, the site occupies a well connected and prominent location north of Elephant & Castle station. The project has been designed around a fabric-first approach, with low-carbon systems, reduced whole-life carbon consideration, urban greening and principles of adaptability and circularity to replace an inward-looking and underutilised site. Modern in character, the proposed elevations are principally formed in precast concrete, selected for its durability, precision, and richness of surface and relief. The façade plays with depth, rhythm and subtle tonal variation to reinforce the slender proportions of the two buildings. The palette of materials that has been selected is consciously restrained, featuring light stone, warm off-white and grey tones combined with darker recessed elements and glazing. Setbacks in the building will become resident terraces, bringing communal life and landscaping to the upper levels. At lower levels, the façade becomes richer and more tactile, with clear entrances creating a strong relationship with the public realm. The two buildings will be connected by gardens and landscaped spaces which will lead onto new pedestrian routes to the Elephant & Castle station and town centre. Residents within the co-living space will have access to high-quality private rooms with carefully organised zones as well as a rich network of shared communal facilities at the lower, middle and upper levels. These facilities, including communal kitchens and dining areas, lounges, smaller amenity spaces, a screening room, library, gym and co-working spaces, coincide with key breaks in the massing and façade of the building, opening onto terraces and views over the city. The hotel, similarly, combines well-appointed guest accommodation with active open-plan lobby, dining, flexible business and amenity spaces. Completing the mix of uses, 101 Newington Causeway also includes a separate subsidiary co-working space with its own dedicated entrance from Rockingham Street. The space will provide a varied range of work settings, including hot desks, dedicated workstations, meeting rooms, acoustic booths, breakout areas and communal lounges. By combining professional infrastructure with flexible living and hospitality, the project aims to create a resilient “work-live-stay” destination that will support a diverse community of residents, local entrepreneurs and travellers for years to come. PLP’s architectural designs support new ways of living together in increasingly dense and complex cities striving to balance the intimacy of individual rooms with the social interaction that comes with shared spaces and the project’s location within the wider city of London. Of the project, Andrei Martin, Partner at PLP Architecture explains “101 Newington Causeway brings together a set of urban ingredients that are often kept separate – living, working, hospitality, landscape and public life – to create a richer setting for contemporary city life. It responds to the increasingly fluid ways in which people live and work, while reflecting Arada’s ambition to create a distinctive new model for urban living in London.” Steve Harrington, Planning Director, Arada London, adds: “Our proposed plans for the site at 101 Newington Causeway will deliver high-quality homes, a hotel and range of workspaces, cafes and meeting places for residents, visitors and Elephant & Castle’s thriving community of start-ups and independent workers. This will be Arada’s first co-living scheme globally as we continue to evolve how we deliver dynamic and connected neighbourhoods that respond to local needs and modern lifestyles. London as a city has embraced new types of living and we look forward to working with local stakeholders, the community and our partners to bring this cutting-edge project forward.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Wates Gets Green Light for £360m Harrow Regeneration with More Than 1,000 New Homes
Wates has secured full planning clearance for the £360 million transformation of the former Harrow Civic Centre site, paving the way for more than 1,000 new homes as part of the major Poets Corner regeneration. Harrow Council has issued the formal decision notice following completion of the Section 106 agreement, almost a year after councillors resolved to approve the residential-led development. The milestone unlocks the site for Wates Residential and the council’s Harrow Strategic Development Partnership, allowing the team to progress one of the borough’s most significant regeneration projects. Detailed planning consent covers the first 530 homes, which will be delivered across three buildings rising to 12 storeys. This initial phase will include 422 Build to Rent apartments alongside 108 London Living Rent homes, creating a substantial new professionally managed rental community. Outline approval has also been granted for a further 528 homes in later phases, with buildings reaching up to 15 storeys. Together, the phases will deliver 1,058 new homes on the former civic site. Preparatory activity is already under way, with the council having previously approved demolition and other early works to prepare the site for the main construction programme. Affordable housing forms an important part of the development agreement. The completed Section 106 deal secures at least 192 affordable homes across the wider scheme. The regeneration will extend well beyond the construction of new apartments. Around 7,500 sq m of new public space is planned, alongside more than 4,000 sq m of children’s play space, helping create a new residential neighbourhood rather than a standalone housing development. A substantial multidisciplinary design and engineering team is supporting Wates and Harrow Council. Sheppard Robson is acting as lead architect and masterplanner, with BDP responsible for landscape design. Stantec is providing planning, civil and structural expertise, while WSP is delivering building services and sustainability work. The project will also provide employment and skills opportunities during its delivery, with the Section 106 agreement securing commitments for 35 apprenticeships, 63 work experience placements and 210 local labour roles. Poets Corner represents the largest element of Wates’ wider £690 million regeneration partnership with Harrow Council, which is ultimately expected to deliver approximately 1,500 homes across the borough. The scale of the programme reflects the increasingly important role of public-private partnerships in unlocking complex council-owned sites for new housing, while combining private rental, affordable homes, public realm and community benefits. For Harrow, the redevelopment will see a major former civic site transformed into a new residential neighbourhood with Build to Rent at its heart. With the Section 106 agreement completed and full planning clearance now secured, Poets Corner has passed a major development milestone, clearing the way for Wates to push ahead with the £360 million transformation. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Landsec Strikes £516m Metrocentre Deal as Major Retail Investment Accelerates
Landsec has exchanged contracts to acquire 100% ownership of Metrocentre in Gateshead for £516 million, securing control of one of the UK’s largest shopping and leisure destinations as it steps up investment in major retail assets. The landmark transaction will add approximately 1.86 million sq ft of lettable floorspace to Landsec’s portfolio, with Metrocentre currently home to 282 stores and generating annual retail sales of around £650 million. The acquisition also includes the neighbouring retail park, providing a further 200,000 sq ft of retail accommodation across 15 units and creating a substantial combined property holding in one of the North East’s most established commercial locations. Metrocentre is currently 95% occupied, with an average lease term of 4.5 years to expiry. Its extensive occupier line-up includes Apple, Sephora, Zara, Marks & Spencer, Bershka, Stradivarius, Next, Lego, Primark, JD Sports and Lefties. For Landsec, the £516 million purchase represents a significant step in its strategy to invest a further £1 billion in major retail destinations. The property group believes the strongest shopping centres are benefiting from a continued shift among leading brands towards fewer but larger and higher-quality stores in locations capable of attracting substantial customer numbers. Mark Allan, chief executive officer of Landsec, described Metrocentre as a rare opportunity to take full control of a top-10 UK shopping centre, highlighting its scale, catchment and attractiveness to major retailers. He said: “Growing our investment in major retail destinations remains our highest conviction call, given the high income yields and attractive income growth on offer for the right assets.” The acquisition comes against a backdrop of strengthening performance across Landsec’s existing retail portfolio. Lettings completed during the five months to 31 August 2026 have been ahead of estimated rental value, while relettings and renewals have also achieved increases against previous passing rents. Landsec continues to anticipate like-for-like net rental income growth of approximately 3% to 5% for the financial year ending 31 March 2027. From a property and built environment perspective, taking full ownership of Metrocentre also gives Landsec greater control over the long-term management, investment and evolution of the destination. As consumer habits continue to reshape the retail property market, major shopping centres are increasingly being repositioned as broader destinations combining retail with food, leisure, entertainment and enhanced customer experiences. Control of large sites can provide landlords with greater flexibility to invest in buildings, public spaces, occupier requirements and future redevelopment opportunities. Landsec said retail sales across its existing major retail platform have increased by 26% since March 2022, compared with 1% across the average UK market, while occupancy across its major retail portfolio has reached a two-decade high. The Metrocentre transaction is expected to be funded through a combination of an equity issue and Landsec’s existing debt facilities. CBRE advised Landsec on the acquisition, while Knight Frank acted for the vendor. The £516 million deal provides another major vote of confidence in the future of the UK’s strongest physical retail destinations, with Metrocentre now set to become a significant part of Landsec’s expanding retail property portfolio. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals