Precision propping supports complex basement works at north London care home redevelopment
Groundforce Shorco has delivered a tailored temporary works solution for a challenging basement excavation as part of a major care home redevelopment in north London, highlighting the critical role of specialist engineering in constrained urban sites. The company supplied nine modular hydraulic props to support excavation works at the Clore Manor site in Hendon, where social care provider Care Concern Group has appointed main contractor Farrans to deliver a replacement facility. The scheme will see the existing 72-room care home demolished and replaced with a new six-storey building providing 108 bedrooms, alongside a basement car park. Located on a tight plot off the Great North Way and surrounded by residential properties and a busy road, the project presents significant logistical and engineering constraints. The basement excavation extends to a depth of 4m and spans প্রায় 50m by 40m, covering the majority of the site footprint. A secant piled retaining wall has been installed around the excavation perimeter, with Groundforce Shorco’s raking props used to brace the structure. These props transfer lateral loads from the capping beam to concrete thrust blocks positioned within the excavation, ensuring stability down to formation level. Groundworks and civils contractor Marney Construction is delivering the bulk earthworks package. Along the northern elevation, six MP150 props ranging from 7.3m to 10.3m in length have been installed to support the exposed retaining wall. On the eastern boundary, adjacent to the main road, three higher-capacity MP375 props are in place to stabilise the wall above a deeper secondary excavation. This section will accommodate an attenuation tank designed to manage rainwater runoff as part of the development’s sustainable drainage strategy. While the MP375 system is capable of handling loads of up to 375 tonnes, its selection on this scheme was driven primarily by stiffness rather than load capacity. Strict deflection limits were imposed due to the proximity of neighbouring structures and infrastructure, requiring movement to be controlled within a tolerance of plus or minus 10mm. Groundforce Shorco worked closely with the project team, including retaining wall specialist Franki Piling, to refine the design and ensure compliance with these tight performance criteria. Farrans project manager Gerard Fennell described the scheme as particularly complex due to the confined site conditions and the need to minimise disruption to surrounding residents. He noted that collaboration between contractor, designer and specialist supplier had been key to delivering a robust and practical solution. The project demonstrates the growing importance of advanced temporary works systems in supporting high-density urban development, particularly where basement construction intersects with sensitive environments and stringent engineering requirements. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Cold chain crossroads: £80m Wolverhampton scheme hangs on planning decision
Constellation Cold Logistics has unveiled plans for a major £80m redevelopment of its facility at Park Lane Industrial Estate in Wolverhampton, warning that failure to secure planning consent could trigger a full relocation of its operations from the city. The company has submitted proposals to City of Wolverhampton Council for a new 108,900 sq ft cold storage warehouse, forming the first phase of a wider investment programme aimed at modernising what it describes as an “outdated” site. The scheme would introduce a 24-hour operation, create 37 jobs and double on-site capacity to 40,000 pallets, significantly enhancing the firm’s regional logistics capability. CCL, which acquired the Park Lane site in 2023, said substantial upgrades are essential, with parts of the existing estate dating back to the 1950s and last refurbished more than three decades ago. In planning documents, the business makes clear the strategic importance of the project, stating that without approval for the new cold store, none of the planned investment phases would proceed. The company added that the site was effectively purchased for land value alone, with existing buildings considered unsuitable for long-term operational needs. CCL also indicated that alternative locations have been assessed, but none locally can accommodate the required footprint. As a result, refusal of the application could lead to the relocation of the entire facility elsewhere within the Black Country, potentially beyond the local authority boundary. The proposals mark a scaled but still significant evolution from earlier plans submitted in late 2024, which outlined a £90m investment and a major expansion in storage capacity. Those proposals were withdrawn, but the current application maintains a strong economic case, with the company highlighting both job creation and supply chain benefits. If approved, the new facility could be operational by summer 2027, providing a modern, energy-efficient cold storage hub designed to support growing demand across food logistics and temperature-controlled supply chains. The decision now rests with planners, with the outcome set to determine whether Wolverhampton retains a key industrial occupier and secures a major injection of investment into its logistics infrastructure. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Green light for learning: Morgan Sindall lands £29m eco-build at Ealing school
Morgan Sindall Construction has secured a £29.3m contract to deliver a major redevelopment at Villiers High School in Southall, commissioned by Ealing Council. The scheme centres on the construction of a new three-storey “eco block”, replacing an ageing 1960s building with a modern, energy-efficient teaching facility. Procured through the Southern Construction Framework, the project reflects a growing focus on sustainable education infrastructure across London boroughs. Once complete, the new building will provide 22 classrooms, 11 science laboratories and six ICT and media suites, alongside staff welfare areas and a rooftop sky garden designed to enhance both biodiversity and student wellbeing. Sustainability is a key driver of the development. The facility will incorporate air source heat pumps, photovoltaic solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems, aligning with the school’s wider environmental objectives and contributing to reduced operational carbon. Beyond the physical build, the project includes a comprehensive social value programme aimed at boosting local employment and skills. Delivered in partnership with organisations including West London College, Jobcentre Plus, Construction Youth Trust and Bounce Back, the initiative will create 10 new jobs, alongside three apprenticeships, 16 work experience placements and a T-Level opportunity. Additional engagement will include site visits, careers events, workshops and pre-employment training, helping to connect local people with opportunities in the construction sector. The project highlights continued investment in education estates while demonstrating how sustainability and community value are becoming integral to public sector construction schemes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
North East’s landmark space centre reaches major construction milestone
Topping out ceremony marks pivotal moment for centre backed by £50 million investment set to transform the region’s space economy. A landmark moment in the development of Northumbria University’s North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST) has been celebrated as the facility reached a major construction milestone with a traditional topping out ceremony in Newcastle. Attended by leaders from academia, industry, government, civic and construction partners, the ceremony marked the point at which the building reached its full height – a significant milestone in the delivery of a centre that will play a key role in training the UK’s future space workforce. NESST is a strategic collaboration between Northumbria University, the UK Space Agency and Lockheed Martin, backed by £50 million of investment spanning the facility itself and the initial research programmes it will house. It will provide state-of-the-art research facilities, satellite testing capabilities and dedicated skills programmes designed to develop the next generation of space professionals. When open, it is expected to become one of the most significant space education and research facilities in the UK, supporting government ambitions around the nation’s space priorities over the coming years. The ceremony, which was led by main contractor Sir Robert McAlpine, was held on the 6th floor of the building, with guests welcomed by the Master of Ceremonies and accompanied by a traditional piper. As part of the topping out ritual, Professor John Woodward, Pro Vice-Chancellor of International and Faculty of Science and Environment at Northumbria University, and Gary Tidyman, Works Manager at Sir Robert McAlpine, poured the final concrete before nailing the evergreen bough to the structure, a symbolic gesture of good fortune. Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Andy Long, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at Northumbria University, said: “The topping out of NESST is a major milestone for Northumbria, for our partners at the UK Space Agency and Lockheed Martin Space, and for the North East. NESST really embodies everything about the University’s strategy. It enables high quality research, which will have an impact on the North East and wider. It enables us to establish new taught programmes, which give opportunities to students from our region and lead to great jobs in the space sector. And it will inspire young people in the region, so that more of them will go on to further and higher education, helping us with our ambitions around driving social mobility.” The North East is home to a growing cluster of space sector activity, the region’s established industrial heritage, research excellence and emerging skills infrastructure. NESST builds on this foundation, with research capabilities spanning satellite technology, space medicine and mission-critical systems. The centre is the latest recognition of the North East’s strategic importance to the UK space economy. Earlier this year, NESST was named sixth in its category in the inaugural fDi Intelligence Investment Impact Awards, ranking among the most transformative foreign direct investment projects in Europe. Robert Lightfoot, President of Lockheed Martin Space, talked about creating a hub for innovation and inspiration for the UK, in the UK: “When we first announced our intent to support NESST, our goal was clear: to create a permanent pipeline of talent, innovation and applied research right here in the UK. Today, that vision is taking shape. NESST is just one part of Lockheed Martin Space’s planned investment in this area – we also have plans for a space manufacturing facility at NETPark in County Durham. By joining these ecosystems together, the North East can become an exporter of space technology long-term, continuing the proud legacy of innovation from this region.” The ceremony concluded with the exchange of engraved tankards and a celebratory toast, honouring the teams who brought NESST to this milestone. Mark Gardham, Sector Director at Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “NESST is a project of remarkable ambition, and reaching this milestone is a testament to professionalism, teamwork and collaboration at every level. When NESST opens later this year, it will be a national space asset. It is an honour to play our part in shaping a facility that will have a lasting impact on this region and on the UK’s place in the global space sector.” NESST is expected to open in late 2026. For more information about NESST please visit: www.northumbria.ac.uk/nesst Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans lodged for new Salford neighbourhood
Proposals for a major riverside scheme in a key regeneration area within Salford have been submitted to Salford City Council by Euan Kellie Property Solutions. Designed by DLA Architecture for Crescent Investments LLC Limited and developers Forshaw Group, the proposed scheme is centred on three brick-fronted residential towers comprising 814 homes. Proposals also include a two-storey community pavilion, designed to be used flexibly with the potential for commercial, retail, hospitality and community use to meet requirements of the growing neighbourhood. Significant areas of public space will be delivered within the site too, alongside improved access to the Irwell Riverside Path, enhancing connections to Salford Quays and Manchester City Centre. Following public consultation last year, the scheme has been updated to provide an increased amount of public realm along the front of Regent Road, totalling 6,000 sqm, providing a high-quality arrival space for residents and visitors. The reimagining of the site delivers enhanced accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists to the Irwell Riverside Path, with a well-designed landscaped ramp and area of tiered seating to the waterfront area. The significant investment in the public realm, which frames the three residential towers and the new community pavilion, supports the vision for the site and the wider regeneration of the Ordsall Waterfront Area. James Ketley, associate director at Euan Kellie Property Solutions, said: “This is not only a major milestone in the evolution of Riverside Place, but a landmark moment for the Ordsall Waterfront Area. “The proposed development is situated in a fantastic waterfront location that capitalises on direct pedestrian routes to nearby Salford Quays and Manchester City Centre and will deliver new homes and community infrastructure that are two elements central to the success of a place.” Lyndon Forshaw CEO, Forshaw Group, added: “We have worked to improve our plans following consultation with the local community last year. The final plans submitted are focussed on community integration with the existing Ordsall neighbourhood, providing a community pavilion at the heart of the scheme. We have also been able to increase the area of public realm on the Regent Road frontage for all to enjoy and improve the shared amenity space for the new residents within the new residential buildings”. Jonathan Knowles, Director at DLA Architecture, concluded: “Riverside Place brings to life the vision for the reimagining of the Ordsall Waterfront Area, seamlessly integrating the new development into the existing community, opening access to the Irwell Riverside Path and creating a new neighbourhood that everyone can enjoy. The architecture and public realm are designed to re-establish a strong physical and visual connection to the Irwell, as well as providing 814 much-needed homes. In total, the scheme introduces over 1.5 acres of new public realm. The Pavilion is conceived as a civic marker within the masterplan, with retail, hospitality and community uses, ensuring this stretch of waterfront becomes a destination. “Riverside Place is about establishing a new piece of Salford that feels open and genuinely connected to the community both socially, physically and environmentally.” The proposals meet Salford Council’s ambitions for high-density, residential-led growth in this location, with the current retail units occupied by McDonald’s and Grosvenor Casino, having been approved for demolition in 2023, to make way for new development. The scheme is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs during construction and £67m in economic value over the three-year build. On completion the plans will bring a £24m boost to local shops and services, enough to support 86 jobs locally and generating £1.7 million extra council tax revenue each year for Salford Council. Subject to planning approval, the new development will contribute directly to the city’s goal of building 9,000 new homes across Ordsall, Quays, Pendleton, and Charlestown by 2042. Consultants advising on the scheme alongside Euan Kellie Property Solutions include DLA Architecture, TPM Landscape and Font Comms. More information is available at www.riversideplacesalford.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Survey on CDM Regulations launched by CIOB
The Chartered Institute of Building’s (CIOB), Health, Safety & Wellbeing Advisory Panel is seeking industry perspectives on the Construction Design & Management Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). The regulations apply to all commercial and domestic construction projects, regardless of size or duration, to ensure all jobs are subject to safety standards that reduce risks for everyone involved in each stage a project. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) intended CDM 2015 to reduce bureaucracy for example by requiring fewer forms and reducing duplication. However, there is a sense of feeling across the industry that there remains room for improvements, particularly in light of how the regulations fit with new safety legislation such as the Building Safety Act 2022, which has been introduced since the CDM regulations were formed. CIOB has launched a short survey to gather views on how the regulations are currently interpreted and enforced, and how widespread formal training on the regulations is accessed, as well as their effectiveness and what, if anything, can be improved. Ben Powell, Chair of CIOB’s Health, Safety & Wellbeing Advisory Panel, said: “We hear that for many people, including designers, contractors and clients, the current CDM regulations are a constant source of frustration with varying degrees of understanding over who is responsible for what. There are also questions around the effectiveness of the regulations when we still see so many incidents involving falls from height for example. “Therefore, just over a decade on from the regulations being introduced, we think it’s important to gather some quantitative data on how they’re being interpreted and applied throughout projects, and where appropriate how they could evolve to reflect the construction landscape in 2026.” CIOB intends to use the findings of the survey to develop recommendations for the HSE and policy makers on how and where the current CDM regulations can be improved. The survey closes on April 30 2026, and can be found here https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/iDhcBAkPtK Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals