VIVID welcomes NFDC members to New Milton affordable homes scheme
Councillors from New Forest District Council (NFDC), including its Portfolio Holder for Housing, visited VIVID’s new housing development in New Milton on Friday to see progress on 17 new affordable homes. The homes are being built on land adjacent to Milton Barns on Gore Road and are being delivered by leading housing association VIVID, in partnership with local contractor Glossbrook. The development will provide 14 houses and 3 flats for social rent. The scheme, which is being delivered with grant funding support from Homes England, was visited by Councillor Steve Davies, who holds responsibility for housing on New Forest District Council’s Cabinet and who serves as one of the local New Milton councillors. He was joined on the visit by fellow local councillor, Councillor Steve Clarke, together with Sophie Sajic, NFDC’s Strategic Director for Housing & Communities. Mike Shepherd, Chief Investment Officer at VIVID, said: “Strong relationships and partnerships with local councils are key to helping us deliver more affordable homes for customers and respond to the growing housing need in our communities. We know how important a safe, secure and affordable home is, so it’s encouraging to see these new homes taking shape in New Milton. As well as providing much-needed housing, we’re helping to create a good place to live where customers can put down roots, feel part of the community and build a positive future for themselves and their families.” Councillor Steve Davies, New Forest District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “This development is a significant achievement and highlights the value of partnership working in tackling local housing need. New Forest District Council has been pleased to work as an enabler, to support VIVID in bringing forward this scheme, helping to create high-quality homes that will make a real difference to residents’ lives. These new homes will provide security, opportunity and a strong foundation for individuals and families to build their future, allocated through the Council’s housing register.” Richard Fooks, Managing Director of Glossbrook Builders added: “We’re proud to be working in partnership with VIVID to deliver this affordable housing development, helping to provide much-needed, high-quality homes for the local community. This project reflects our commitment to building well-designed, sustainable homes that will have a lasting positive impact for future residents. We look forward to successfully delivering the scheme whilst supporting VIVID and their project partners in creating a development that will make a positive and lasting contribution to the local community.” The homes are expected to be completed by April next year, subject to progress on site. The Gore Road development is one of several VIVID’s delivering across the New Forest, helping more local people access affordable homes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Introducing David Grey, Appointed as Group Delivery Director at The Shore Group
Fast-growing support services contractor, The Shore Group has appointed David Grey as Group Delivery Director, A key component of the Group’s ambitious expansion plans, David has a wealth of experience in construction, M&E and fit-out project leadership across the built environment, property and aviation sectors. David has a strong commercial and operations background working as a Director for CBRE Workplace Solutions for almost 15 years. In his new role David is committed to further enhance the Group’s brand as a challenger to market leaders. “It’s an honour to have been given this opportunity by James Hobden and Lewis Yorke-Johnson and The Shore Group board. I’ve known Lewis for almost 20 years and am excited by the rapid transformation of the business, and their determination to combine deep project delivery experience with the scale and breadth of the wider group.” – David Grey, The Shore Group. With commercial and technical oversight on all Group projects, David’s new role aligns with the Group’s transformation into a tier 1 support service provider with deep technical capabilities and strong financial performance. Outside of project delivery, David has set himself a personal goal: opening up technical careers to more young people, an aim that sits alongside the Group’s wider social value programme. “Having begun my career with a JIB apprenticeship, I’m know the value in grounding a career with a strong technical skillset. In my role as Group Delivery Director, I want to create the opportunities that support employment for young people, and help them develop the skills that will support them for life.“ – David Grey, The Shore Group. That commitment to youth employment sits alongside the Group’s social value and community priorities to reduce the environmental impact of every project it delivers and continue investing in the towns and cities where it works. With a rapidly expanding team of experienced project managers, commercial managers and operational leaders supported by an in-house project workforce, The Shore Group is building a team ready to deliver on the largest frameworks and projects across the UK. With deep pre-construction and technical expertise supporting civil engineering, construction logistics, capital projects, small works and M&E delivery capabilities, The Shore Group supports clients in the built environment, property, retail, data centre and aviation sectors. Co-Founder Lewis Yorke-Johnson adds. “The Group is expanding and evolving at pace. David’s arrival further enhances the technical capabilities we have and is statement of our ambition over the coming years. The foundations of the business are strong, now it’s time to deliver more for a clients and move to another level of performance.” – Lewis Yorke-Johnson www.theshoregroup.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
United Infrastructure Marks Landmark Year with Strong Financial Performance and Strategic Acquisitions
The United Infrastructure Group are pleased to announce the financial results for United Infrastructure Group for the year ended 31 March 2026. The United Infrastructure Group operates in the support services sector, providing essential services to the owners and operators of UK critical utility and social infrastructure assets. The audited consolidated financial statements reflect the performance of the Group for the period to 31 March 2026, with comparative information presented for the year ended 31 March 2025. Financial Highlights Operational Highlights The Group was selected by Liverpool Bay CCS Limited (LBCCS), part of global energy‑tech company Eni, as a key delivery partner for the onshore pipeline element of the UK’s first large‑scale carbon capture and storage programme, with a value of £250m. The Group’s largest project to date is underway in the Scottish Highlands in partnership with SSEN, supporting major upgrades to grid capability with combined value of £236m+ and a particularly strong order book in the Scotland region. The Water business continued to grow, with a client portfolio now including Yorkshire Water, Northumbrian Water Group, Affinity Water, Thames Water, Southern Water, United Utilities, among others with combined contract values of £171m+. The Connected business (Telecoms) secured a nationwide maintenance contract with Cornerstone, across 16,000 sites nationwide, including Northern Ireland, Scottish Highlands and Islands alongside projects with Telefonica, Cellnex and Virgin Media with combined contract value of £391m+. The Social Infrastructure division of the business secured a multi-year Major Works contract, worth £364m, with The Guinness Partnership to renew and maintain 20,000 homes across the Northwest. This part of the business saw a secured order book of £800m+ with additional substantial wins with Haringey and Havering councils. The business continues to maintain long-standing relationships with public sector clients across London, Midlands and the North, with especially large programmes of work in Wolverhampton through a major regeneration scheme. Acquisitions New Homes (MBO) In March 2026, the management buy-out (MBO) of the Group’s New Homes business was completed. This followed the announcement, made early in the financial year, that the Group was winding down the New Homes business and would no longer be taking on new work in this space. The decision was part of the Group’s strategic shift towards the rapidly growing opportunities in decarbonisation, energy transition, digitalisation, and the wider UK utility and social infrastructure sectors. Neil Armstrong, CEO at United Infrastructure comments: “We’re thrilled to report a record year of performance for United Infrastructure, with a robust cash position and a growing secured order book that reflects the confidence our clients place in us. “The long-term drivers across our markets – decarbonisation, resilience, digital connectivity and modernisation of essential infrastructure, continue to accelerate, creating sustained demand for the services we are built to deliver. “Our recent strategic acquisitions have further strengthened our capabilities across power, water, engineering and emerging sectors such as data centres, enhancing the value we bring to clients navigating the UK’s energy transition.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Aston Group, the award-winning, end-to-end building services, regeneration and compliance company have strengthened their senior leadership team with two new hires
Michael (Mike) Bevens joined the Aston Group senior leadership team in July as the new Head of Operations. Mike was formerly Operations Manager at TSG Building Services. Mike has a strong background in building services operations and contracts management with social housing and Local Authorities. In his new role overseeing the Aston Group operational performance, he will be working closely with the team to continue the successes and seek ways to continually improve delivery. Mike comments: “What has impressed me most since joining Aston Group is the commitment, expertise, and dedication of the people across the business. I’m excited to build strong relationships with colleagues, customers, and partners as we continue to enhance our services and support the company’s ambitious growth plans.” This appointment adds to the recruitment of Michael Hutchison, the new Aston Group Head of Commercial, who joined from a Commercial Manager role at Bell in May. With an extensive background in commercial management and quantity surveying, Michael brings over 15 years’ experience across social housing, property services, commercial and public sector. He has a proven track record of leading the growth and commercial performance of £multi-million operations, with expertise spanning financial governance, reporting, risk management and team development across planned maintenance, decarbonisation, fire protection and responsive repairs. Michael shares: “Being part of a people-centric organisation is what drew me to Aston, as I believe this is among the most important attributes for a business to have. I appreciate where the business has come from and am eager to see where we will take it next.” Commenting on the new hires, Chris Masters, Managing Director of Aston Group adds: “Mike and Michael align with the Aston Group focus on operational excellence and join us at a time when we are seeking to further expand the business and build on our incredible success over the last financial year. They both have strong, relevant experience they can bring to our projects, and I look forward to working with them as new members of our senior leadership team.” For further information visit https://astongroup.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Conveyancing Association Chair Nicky Heathcote to step down following second term
The Conveyancing Association (CA), the leading representative body for the conveyancing industry, has today announced that Non-Executive Chair, Nicky Heathcote, will step down from her role as she nears the end of her second term leading the Association. Nicky will remain in post while the Board appoints her successor, ensuring an orderly transition and continuity across the Association’s ongoing work on behalf of its members and the wider conveyancing profession. During her tenure, Nicky has led a number of initiatives designed to strengthen the Association and ensure it continues to represent the interests of conveyancing professionals across the UK. This has included implementing a new governance framework, developing a member-focused strategy that places members at the heart of the Association’s work, encouraging firms of all sizes to join the CA to bring the whole Conveyancing community together as one voice and ensuring members’ views have been represented throughout an unprecedented number of Government consultations and industry initiatives focused on improving the home buying and selling process. Following the appointment of her successor, Nicky will continue to play an active role across the property sector as Chair of the PCCB Compliance Committee and as a member of the Women in Conveyancing Committee. The Association also confirmed that Treasurer and one of the original founders of the CA, David Hodgson is stepping down from the Board. The process of appointing successors to both Board positions is now underway. Nicky Heathcote, Non-Executive Chair of the Conveyancing Association, said: “Chairing the Conveyancing Association has given me the opportunity to work alongside our members and organisations across the wider property industry, all with a shared ambition to improve the home buying and selling process. During that time, we have strengthened the Association’s governance, developed a strategy that puts members at the heart of everything we do and ensured the profession has had a strong voice across Government consultations and industry reform. “It has been an honour to represent conveyancers and I am proud to have been part of such a collaborative community. While I will be stepping down as Chair, I remain fully committed to the sector through my wider industry roles and look forward to continuing to support the Association during the transition to a new Chair.” Eddie Goldsmith, on behalf of the Conveyancing Association Board, said: “The Board would like to thank Nicky for the leadership, commitment and direction she has provided to the Association. Under her tenure, the CA has strengthened its governance and continued to ensure the views of conveyancing professionals are represented across Government, industry and regulatory discussions. “Nicky has played an important role in strengthening collaboration across the property industry, helping ensure the CA continues to be at the centre of issues affecting conveyancers, consumers and the wider housing market. “We would also like to thank David Hodgson for his outstanding contribution as Treasurer, managing the CA not for profit books and his wider contribution during his 25 years with the Association. He has done an incredible job. The process of appointing their successors is now underway.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Unite Reshapes Student Housing Strategy as Build Costs Stall New PBSA Development
The UK’s largest purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) provider is embarking on a major strategic overhaul, with plans to dispose of up to 20,000 student beds while warning that rising construction costs are threatening the delivery of new developments across the sector. Unite Group has confirmed it intends to streamline its portfolio, reducing its holdings from around 72,000 beds to approximately 55,000 beds across 20 key university cities. The move follows its acquisition of Empiric and reflects a growing focus on the UK’s highest-performing universities, where student demand continues to strengthen despite wider challenges facing the higher education sector. The company has already completed around £190 million of property disposals this year and now expects total sales to reach approximately £400 million, with proceeds supporting its wider investment strategy and share buyback programme. The portfolio reshaping comes at a time when many universities are facing financial pressures and softer student demand, particularly outside the country’s leading institutions. In contrast, applications to so-called high-tariff universities continue to grow, prompting Unite to concentrate future investment around locations with stronger long-term occupancy prospects. Alongside its portfolio review, Unite has issued a stark warning over the future pipeline of student accommodation developments, highlighting that soaring construction costs, more stringent building regulations and weaker investment values have made many new schemes financially unviable. According to the company, developments outside London now require weekly rents of more than £300 to achieve acceptable returns, compared with Unite’s current average regional rent of around £190 per week. The same economic pressures are also affecting the Build-to-Rent sector, where viability challenges are slowing the delivery of new residential developments across many parts of the UK. Despite these headwinds, Unite expects demand for high-quality student accommodation to remain resilient. A combination of fewer new developments, older PBSA schemes leaving the market and continued reductions in private rented housing available to students is expected to tighten supply over the coming years. Construction activity continues on two major off-campus developments. Hawthorne House in Stratford, providing 719 student beds, has now reached practical completion and is awaiting Building Safety Regulator approval before opening for the 2026/27 academic year. Meanwhile, the 934-bed Central Quay development in Glasgow remains on schedule for completion in 2027. The company is also reviewing plans for a further 2,400 consented beds across London and Bristol, with options including revised funding arrangements, joint venture partners or potential disposal depending on market conditions. Future growth is expected to be increasingly focused on partnerships with universities themselves. Unite has already committed to delivering more than 4,300 additional student beds through on-campus joint ventures, including the Castle Leazes redevelopment in Newcastle and Cambridge Hall in Manchester. For the construction and property sectors, Unite’s latest strategy reflects the changing dynamics of the PBSA market. While demand for student accommodation remains robust in key university locations, escalating construction costs, tighter regulatory requirements and shifting investment returns are reshaping development priorities, with greater emphasis on long-term partnerships, asset optimisation and selective investment in high-demand markets. The company also confirmed it expects to invest a further £61 million in fire safety remediation works over the next two years as part of its ongoing building improvement programme. Unite anticipates recovering between 50% and 75% of total cladding remediation costs through claims against contractors, although reimbursements are expected to follow after the remediation works have been completed. As the sector adapts to changing economic conditions, Unite’s strategy signals a significant shift towards portfolio quality over scale, reinforcing the importance of targeting resilient university markets while navigating one of the most challenging development environments the PBSA sector has experienced in recent years. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals