Planning approved for initial 55,500 sq m industrial and logistics scheme in West Lothian
Balmoral International Land UK Ltd has received planning consent from West Lothian Council for a major new best-in-class industrial and logistics development at Arches Business Park in Broxburn. The decision marks an important step forward for the delivery of Arches Business Park, a strategically located development site extending to an initial 55,500 sq m (597,000 sq ft) on the eastern edge of East Mains Industrial Estate. The planning permission allows for development of the first phase site into industrial, storage and distribution accommodation. Construction is the initial phase of road upgrades will commence immediately. Located adjacent to the A89 and within close proximity of the Newbridge Interchange, Edinburgh Airport and Scotland’s central motorway network, Arches Business Park is one of the most significant future industrial and logistics development opportunities in the Central Belt market. The wider scheme offers flexibility for a range of occupier requirements, with design-and-build opportunities suited to industrial, manufacturing, distribution and logistics operations of varying scales. Detailed planning permission has also been granted for a new distributor road and signalled junction, providing the infrastructure needed to unlock the future development of the site, with works anticipated to commence early next year. With vacancy along the M8 corridor remaining at around 2.50%, the planning decision is expected to generate early occupier interest. CBRE and JLL, acting jointly as leasing agents, are actively engaging with businesses seeking pre-let opportunities ahead of the next phase of development. Guy Thorley, Development Director at Balmoral International Land, said: “Securing planning permission for Arches Business Park is a defining milestone for the project and a major vote of confidence in Scotland’s industrial and logistics market. “Developments of this scale are critical if Scotland is to meet future business demand, attract inward investment and support long-term economic growth. Arches Business Park will become one of the country’s premier industrial and logistics destinations, creating new jobs, attracting investment and delivering the high-quality employment space the market urgently needs. “We look forward to working alongside CBRE and JLL to bring the development forward and realise that ambition.” Bryce Stewart, Senior Director at CBRE, said: “This consent brings forward one of the most significant industrial and logistics opportunities in Scotland at a time when occupier demand continues to outstrip supply. “There is a clear shortage of modern, development-ready industrial space across the Central Belt, particularly for businesses looking to expand or relocate. Opportunities of this scale are exceptionally rare, and we’re already seeing strong interest from occupiers ahead of the development being brought to market.” Rhys Davies, Director of JLL’s Industrial & Logistics team said: “The timing of this consent couldn’t be better. UK industrial take-up reached 12.9 million sq ft in the first half of 2026, driven primarily by logistics and retail operators seeking high-quality, immediately available space. “There’s a clear trend toward modern, energy-efficient facilities that meet occupiers’ operational and sustainability requirements. Arches Business Park offers the opportunity to deliver exactly that type of accommodation in a market where such opportunities are increasingly scarce. “With new speculative construction anticipated to slow across the UK later this year, the strategic importance of consented, deliverable sites like this is significant. Arches Business Park provides a strategic asset capable of meeting future demand and delivering essential employment space for the West Lothian economy in one of Scotland’s most accessible industrial locations.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hill selected as Lewisham Council’s long-term strategic development partner
Following a year-long procurement process, the Council has appointed award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group as its long-term strategic partner to accelerate the delivery of much-needed affordable homes, regeneration projects and investment across Lewisham. With more than 10,000 households on the housing register and 2,450 households living in temporary accommodation, the partnership is designed to help tackle Lewisham’s housing crisis by delivering new homes faster and at greater scale. Under the partnership, the Council and Hill will work together to deliver new homes and regeneration projects across the borough over the next 10 years, with the potential to extend for a further five years. The agreement can span up to £1.5 billion of construction delivery[LM1] in Lewisham. Rather than appointing a different developer for every project, the Council will work directly with Hill over the long term, helping bring forward new homes and projects more quickly and consistently, while retaining greater control over quality, affordability, sustainability and delivery timescales. As well as delivering new homes, Hill is committed to creating new local jobs, skills training and education opportunities as well as investment in the community, ensuring local people benefit from development in their neighbourhoods. The partnership will support different types of housing projects. In some cases, the Council will develop and own the affordable homes. In others, Hill will invest in the development, with the Council given first choice to buy the affordable homes. The first projects as part of the partnership are already underway and include: Drawing on Hill’s extensive experience of delivering long-term projects in partnership with the public sector, Lewisham Council will be able to maximise value through better-informed design and development decisions from the outset.[OU2] Councillor Daniel Dream, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration, Planning and Housing Delivery, said: “With more than 10,000 households on the housing register and nearly 2,500 families in temporary accommodation, we need to build the homes our community needs faster. This partnership cuts red tape and gives the Council greater control over quality, affordability and delivery. We are looking forward to working with The Hill Group, an award-winning housebuilder with a proven track record, to deliver the homes, jobs and investment our community needs over the next decade.” Andy Hill OBE, Founder and Chief Executive of The Hill Group, said: “We are delighted to have been selected by Lewisham Council as its Strategic Development Partner and look forward to working together to help deliver the borough’s ambitious housing and regeneration programme. “What makes this partnership particularly important is the opportunity to combine our expertise in regeneration, placemaking and delivery with the Council’s vision for the future of Lewisham. Long-term partnerships such as this create the certainty and alignment needed to unlock technically complex sites, enable more efficient delivery and ensure developments genuinely reflect the needs of local communities. “Our track record has been built on successful partnerships with local authorities and housing providers across London and the South East, and we are excited to bring that experience to Lewisham as we begin work on Thomas’ Lane Yard, Achilles Street and future projects across the borough.” Notes Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Modular Technology: Hidden in Plain Sight
The next time you buy a coffee, check into a hotel, visit a healthcare facility, stop at a motorway service area or walk into a modern workplace or school, take a moment to look around. Richard Hipkiss, development director, Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) considers the buildings you use every day — but never knew were modular. Part of everyday life There is a very real possibility that you are standing inside a modular building – but you probably would not know it and that is exactly the point. For decades, modular construction has been fighting against outdated perceptions. The term ‘modular’ has been associated with temporary structures, classrooms or buildings that are visibly different from traditionally constructed properties. But that image belongs firmly in the past. Today, our modular manufacturing members are producing high-quality, permanent buildings that are designed, produced and finished to the highest standards. The reality is that modular buildings are already part of everyday life. They are occupied by thousands of people, yet most customers, visitors and end users have no idea that they were created in a factory environment. Across the UK, volumetric modular solutions have been adopted across a wide range of sectors, including retail, hospitality, healthcare, education and commercial developments. Some of the country’s best-known brands have embraced modular technology because it enables them to deliver consistent, high-quality facilities – quickly and efficiently. Retail businesses, for example McDonalds and Starbucks – need environments that reflect their brand identity while also meeting tight programme schedules. Whether it is a coffee shop, a restaurant unit, a hotel bedroom or a customer-facing facility, volumetric construction provides the ability to manufacture repeatable, precision-engineered buildings that can be installed rapidly with minimal disruption. The customer sees the finished result. They experience the service, the quality and the surroundings. They rarely consider the factory where much of the building was created. This is one of the biggest strengths of modern modular construction. Proven solution Unlike traditional construction, where many activities are carried out sequentially on a live site, modular manufacturing allows multiple processes to happen at the same time. While foundations are being prepared on site, building modules can be manufactured, fitted out and quality checked in a controlled factory environment. The result is greater certainty around programme delivery, improved quality control and reduced disruption. For sectors such as healthcare and education, where time and reliability are critical, these advantages are particularly valuable. Hospitals need additional capacity delivered quickly. Schools need new facilities that can be provided around operational requirements. Businesses need buildings that allow them to grow without lengthy construction programmes. Modular technology provides a proven solution to these challenges. Quality controlled The growing adoption of modular technology also reflects a wider shift towards more sustainable ways of building. Factory-based manufacturing allows materials to be managed more efficiently, waste to be reduced and quality to be controlled throughout the process. The modular sector does not necessarily need to prove that its buildings work. The evidence is already all around us. The challenge is helping people recognise that the buildings they interact with every day may have been delivered through advanced offsite manufacturing and industrialised construction methods. The public perception of modular construction is changing, but perhaps the greatest endorsement of the industry’s progress is that many people do not notice modular buildings at all. They simply see well-designed, functional, attractive spaces that allow businesses to operate, patients to receive care, students to learn and communities to thrive. The technology behind those buildings may be innovative, but the experience they provide is familiar. Modular buildings are already shaping the places where we live, work and spend our time but have simply been hiding in plain sight. Modular and Portable Building Association The MPBA is the UK’s leading trade body representing the modular and portable building sector. The association champions the benefits of volumetric construction, supporting its members in accelerating the growth and adoption of modular technology across the UK. Through advocacy, training, guidance and collaboration, the MPBA promotes best practice, quality standards and innovation across the industry, bringing together architects, engineers, manufacturers and supply chain partners to drive the sector forward. The MPBA is committed to advancing sustainable construction practices, raising professional standards and supporting the delivery of safe, efficient and high-quality modular solutions for the environments where people work, receive care, teach and learn. Find out more at: www.mpba.biz Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Northern Irish firm behind insulation solution used in two landmark Premier League stadium projects
A Northern Irish insulation company has played a key role in two major Premier League stadium developments, after its innovative product was used for projects at Everton and Fulham Football Clubs. energystore, which is headquartered in Holywood, Co Down, supplied its TLA insulation product for works at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley Moore Dock and at Fulham’s redeveloped Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage. The projects mark a major milestone for the local business, placing Northern Irish construction innovation at the heart of two of the most high-profile stadium developments in English football. At Everton, energystore TLA was used extensively throughout the club’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium, a nearly 53,000-seater waterfront arena which cost an estimated £800 million to construct. The stadium represents one of the largest sporting infrastructure projects in the UK and forms part of the wider regeneration of Liverpool’s northern docklands. energystore’s product helped support a more efficient build by reducing the amount of screed required from 100mm to 50mm, cutting material use and lowering the project’s carbon impact by an estimated 21kg of carbon per square metre, when compared with the original specification. At Fulham’s Craven Cottage, energystore TLA 250 was used as part of the newly redeveloped Riverside Stand, a significant project that blends luxury, heritage and modern engineering on the banks of the Thames. The product supported the delivery of high-performance insulation while meeting stringent acoustic requirements and maintaining compliance in a highly complex stadium environment. The Riverside Stand redevelopment is designed to transform the matchday and visitor experience at Craven Cottage, with contemporary spaces, premium hospitality options and a new riverside destination that extends beyond football. Connor McCandless Managing Director at energystore said: “Major stadium developments demand materials that can perform under pressure, from complex build programmes and strict technical requirements to the need for more efficient, sustainable construction methods. “To have energystore TLA used at both Everton and Fulham FC is a proud moment for our team and a strong endorsement of the role Northern Irish innovation can play on major UK infrastructure projects.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Partnership agreement marks another milestone for Derby’s Market Place redevelopment
The transformation of Derby’s Market Place has taken another step forward, with the signing of a MasterDevelopment Agreement between the Council and ION Property Developments Limited. Now in contract as the Council’s Strategic Development Partner, ION will work alongside the Council todeliver its plans to regenerate several sites across the city centre, including the Market Place. Outline plans for the Market Place, which were drawn up using feedback from two public consultationsand approved by the Council’s Planning Committee in July, include Derby MADE. Sitting on the site of theformer Assembly Rooms, the multi-use building will feature a music venue, cultural / exhibition space, ayoung person and family library, and dedicated flexible working and meeting areas. It will be complementedby Derby HOTEL, a four-star hotel and high-quality office space in Derby WORKS. ION is a long-established developer with a strong track record of working with partners, including localauthorities, to deliver regeneration projects. Recent schemes include the Wolverhampton Interchange onbehalf of City of Wolverhampton Council, the Knowledge Quarter Gateway for Liverpool City Council andRhyl Waterfront for Denbighshire County Council. Earlier this year, ION underwent a buyout and merger with VINCI UK Developments, the UK division of themultinational VINCI Construction, cementing the two companies’ existing relationship and furtherstrengthening their delivery capabilities. Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration,Strategy and Policy, said: “This is another important milestone in our plans to revive this important and historic site in the heart ofDerby. We know how desperate everyone is to see work starting on site, me included, and the signing ofthis contract brings that day even closer. “ION Property Developments has an excellent record for delivering regeneration projects on this scale. Bybringing a private sector development partner on board, we can benefit from their expertise, capacity andinvestment to help bring these ambitious plans for the city centre to life.” Steve Parry, Managing Director of ION Property Developments, said: “We are delighted to have entered into the Master Development Agreement with Derby City Council and tobe moving into the next phase of our partnership. “ION, together with the wider VINCI business, is fully committed to the long-term delivery of this importantregeneration programme. By combining ION’s development and regeneration expertise with VINCI’s widerresources, financial strength and delivery capability, we believe we have a very strong platform from whichto turn the Council’s ambitious plans into deliverable projects on the ground. “Our focus now is on working closely with the Council to maintain momentum, progress the Market Placeproposals and deliver lasting benefits for Derby and its city centre.” Once the planning conditions associated with the demolition of the Assembly Rooms have beenremoved, ION will begin preparing the site. This will include disconnecting utilities and creating a secureand safe working environment, which will take a number of weeks. Work to demolish the site is expected to take around 12 months and, once this is complete, work on thenew buildings will begin. Demolition consent for the Assembly Rooms was granted in March 2024. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Devon builder who’s trained five apprentices urges teenagers to consider a career in construction
The director of a building firm in Devon that has put five apprentices through their training — every one of them still with the business — is urging teenagers to consider a career in construction. Dale Chadwick, of Dale Chadwick Carpentry & Construction Ltd, has had three apprentices qualify through the company, all achieving distinctions in some or all of their assessments. Two more are now entering their second year. Between them they have represented the firm at regional competitions and area meetings, and one has met the Prime Minister. Dale Chadwick, who runs the family firm in Devon and sits on the Federation of Master Builders’ South West Area Board, said: “For us, apprentices aren’t cheap labour — our work doesn’t allow for that. We need skill. We pay a fair living wage rather than the minimum, and we provide uniform, tools and travel to support them. In return, we’ve kept hold of every apprentice we’ve taken on. “There’s no better way to learn than hands on — working with the materials, adapting to what happens on site, spotting problems as they come up. But there’s a huge skills gap to fill. The multi-generational building families don’t really exist anymore, and the school system is set up so that university is the target everyone’s told to aim for.” His firm is one of thousands across the region taking on young people at a time when demand for skilled trades has rarely been higher. New research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) shows the South West is the best-informed part of the UK when it comes to building careers. Polling of over 2,000 UK adults found 90% of people in the region have heard of apprenticeships as a route into construction — the joint-highest figure of any UK region or nation. Awareness of BTECs is also joint-highest in the country at 65%, and just 4% of South West adults could not name a single route into the industry. Iain Kirtley, South Director at the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Congratulations to everyone celebrating their recent results. Dale’s firm in Devon is exactly what our industry looks like at its best — a small local business investing properly in young people and keeping hold of every one of them. “Our research shows the South West is the best-informed region in Britain on building careers, and that’s something to be proud of. But it raises the stakes. If young people here already know the routes into our industry, the question is no longer whether they’ve heard of an apprenticeship — it’s whether there’s one waiting for them when they go looking. “With ambitious housebuilding targets and real uncertainty about what AI means for other careers, a trade is one of the most secure things a young person can go into. We have the appetite here in the South West. We now need the places to match it.” Luke Moss, Skills and Employer Project Manager at South West Construction Technical Excellence College, Exeter College, concluded: “As students receive their GCSE results, many will be considering what comes next. For those interested in construction, apprenticeships combined with vocational qualifications offer a practical and highly respected route into the industry. These pathways equip learners with the technical skills and hands-on experience employers are looking for, while creating clear opportunities for long-term career development. Construction offers a wide range of roles and excellent prospects for ambitious young people ready to build their future.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals