Robertson FM lands first ScotRail estate services contract
Robertson Facilities Management has secured its first contract with ScotRail after being appointed to deliver grounds maintenance and winter gritting services across the rail operator’s Scottish estate. The two-year contract was awarded following a competitive tender process and marks the first time Robertson Facilities Management has worked with ScotRail. The appointment strengthens the company’s presence within the transport and infrastructure sector. Under the agreement, Robertson Facilities Management will deliver planned and reactive services at more than 360 locations across Scotland. These include stations, depots, signalling centres, office buildings, operational yards and a wide range of passenger-facing environments that require year-round maintenance. The scope of works covers winter gritting, vegetation control, litter collection and broader grounds maintenance activities. The services are designed to support safe, accessible and well-managed environments, particularly during challenging winter conditions, while maintaining consistent standards throughout the year. William Heaney, managing director for Scotland at Robertson Facilities Management, said Scotland’s rail network plays a vital role in daily life and requires a high level of care to ensure it remains safe, compliant and welcoming. He said the business brings extensive experience in maintaining complex operational estates and will apply this expertise to deliver consistent, high-quality and value-driven services across the ScotRail network. Heaney added that the company is looking forward to developing a collaborative partnership with ScotRail to support both staff and passengers throughout the year. The contract award represents an important milestone for Robertson Facilities Management and reflects growing demand for integrated, reliable estate services across major transport and public sector portfolios. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developer Edge lines up McAlpine for £150m Shaftesbury Avenue office transformation
Developer Edge, in partnership with Mitsubishi Estate, is preparing to move ahead with a £150m redevelopment of 125 Shaftesbury Avenue after securing a major funding package for the West End scheme. Sir Robert McAlpine is understood to be the preferred contractor for the large-scale office refurbishment, which is being taken forward on a speculative basis. With funding now in place, construction is expected to start early this year once enabling works and strip-out are completed by John F Hunt. The project, known as EDGE Shaftesbury, is backed by a consortium of Japanese equity investors including Tokyo Tatemono, Toko Electrical Construction and Fuyo General Lease, alongside development finance provided by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank. The investment underlines continued confidence in prime London office space despite wider market uncertainty. The scheme already has planning consent to transform the existing 1980s building into approximately 250,000 sq ft of modern workspace. Proposals include a reconfigured main entrance on Charing Cross Road, new rooftop terraces and upgraded office floors designed to meet the expectations of contemporary occupiers. Completion is targeted for 2028. A central feature of the redevelopment is its low-carbon strategy. Around 75% of the existing structure will be retained, significantly reducing embodied carbon compared with a full demolition and rebuild. The refurbishment will also increase the building’s height from 11 to 13 storeys and introduce new ground-floor workspace to enhance street-level activity. Fons van Dorst, managing director UK at Edge, said securing the funding represented a key milestone for the project and its partnership with Mitsubishi Estate London. He added that the move into delivery would allow the team to focus on creating a high-quality, future-ready office building that benefits occupiers, neighbours and the wider city. Once complete, the development is expected to play a prominent role in the ongoing renewal of London’s West End office market. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developer Hillwood commits £100m to landmark Crewe industrial scheme
Industrial developer Hillwood has secured a 35-acre site in Crewe and is pressing ahead with plans for a major £100m speculative logistics and industrial development. The land, located off David Whitby Way close to Junction 16 of the M6, has been acquired from a subsidiary of the Co-op Group, which has been working in partnership with regeneration specialist Muse. The plots are capable of accommodating around 800,000 sq ft of industrial space and form part of the wider WestonM6 masterplan. WestonM6 spans a total of 64 acres and could ultimately deliver up to 1.3m sq ft of industrial accommodation. Hillwood’s acquisition represents a significant milestone for the project and signals strong confidence in the UK industrial market despite ongoing economic uncertainty. Hillwood said it will invest £100m to deliver the Crewe scheme on a speculative basis, with the development expected to be one of the largest speculative industrial projects to come forward in the UK next year. Bob Tattrie, managing director at Hillwood UK, said the scale and location of the scheme would attract strong occupier demand from across both the Midlands and the North West. He said the site’s proximity to Junction 16 of the M6 makes it particularly well suited to modern logistics and distribution operators seeking high-quality accommodation with excellent motorway connectivity. Muse acted as development manager for the scheme and secured planning permission in 2024. The developer will continue in its role overseeing the delivery of infrastructure works, including the creation of a 26-acre wildlife habitat designed to enhance biodiversity and deliver environmental benefits alongside commercial development. Sarah Chicken, development manager at Muse, said Hillwood’s investment marked an important next phase for WestonM6, reinforcing market confidence in the location and supporting the long-term vision of creating a greener, healthier and more connected business community. She added that the scheme is designed to attract forward-thinking businesses, generate new opportunities for local people and contribute to economic growth in the area. Muse is also expected to progress phase two of the wider WestonM6 masterplan early next year. That phase already benefits from outline planning consent for a further 447,298 sq ft of warehouse space. The masterplan was designed by Aew Architects, with CW Studio acting as landscape architect. Avison Young is advising on planning, Hannan Associates is the MEP services engineer and Integra Consulting is responsible for civil, structural and highways engineering. B8RE has been appointed as letting agent for the scheme. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
PizzaExpress opens in Burton House as first occupier of restored landmark
PizzaExpress has opened in the restored former Burton building in Hull, bringing the art deco landmark back into use for the first time in half a decade. The pizzeria brand has become the first occupier of Burton House in Hull city centre, following a stunning £2.4m regeneration delivered by leading commercial property developer Wykeland Group. Designed for Burton menswear company founder Montague Burton by his famed Chief Architect Henry Wilson, the building dates back to the 1930s but has stood empty since 2020, when Burton owner Arcadia Group collapsed into administration. Wykeland purchased the building in 2021 and has since delivered an extensive restoration to the exterior and key parts of the interior of the building. PizzaExpress has leased 2,400 sq ft of ground floor space, as well as 1,600 sq ft in the basement. Wykeland Development Director, Jonathan Stubbs, said: “We’re delighted to welcome PizzaExpress to Burton House. Having the nation’s most iconic pizzeria brand as our first occupier realises our vision to bring the building back into use, to be enjoyed by local people and visitors alike. “We’re extremely proud to have delivered a restoration project sensitive to the extraordinary character and history of the building. “We’re sure PizzaExpress will love their new home and customers will enjoy dining in one of the city’s most striking settings. “We’re also receiving significant interest from potential occupiers of the upper floors as we continue to once more make Burton House a thriving gem in the heart of Hull.” PizzaExpress Hull General Manager, Chris Joseph, who heads a 24-strong team, said: “We’re so excited to open our doors in our stunning new setting. We know pizza fans are going to love our new restaurant – it’s the perfect destination, from catch-ups to celebrations and everything in between.” At Burton House, work is continuing on the upper floors to create premium commercial space which are ready for occupiers to move straight into. The offices are loft-style spaces with an exposed brick aesthetic, complete with new flooring, kitchen facilities and toilets. The first, second and third floors each cover 2,500 sq ft. The restoration of Burton House is the latest significant city centre regeneration project delivered by Wykeland. The Hull-based developer has also restored historic Castle Buildings in a £2m project to bring another Hull landmark back into use, for the first time in more than half a century. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Greencore Homes exchanges on 13.9 acre Puckeridge development in East Hertfordshire
Award-winning sustainable housebuilder Greencore Homes has exchanged on a 13.9 acre residential development site in Puckeridge, East Hertfordshire. The acquisition, promoted by Wates Group, marks a major addition to Greencore’s expanding portfolio of Better Than Net Zero homes and the company’s first site in East Hertfordshire. Located in the south of Puckeridge, north of Standon Hill, the 13.9 acre site benefits from previously secured Outline Planning Consent for 91 homes. Greencore Homes will submit a Reserved Matters planning application by Summer 2026. The site acquisition and Outline Planning Consent forms part of East Hertfordshire Council’s District plan to deliver 1,173 new homes per year to provide much needed housing. As of October 2025, the average house price in East Hertfordshire was £459,000[1], 70% higher than the UK average, emphasising the need for sustainable and affordable homes in the area. Greencore Homes will construct the Better Than Net Zero homes, using natural materials. The homes are ultra-low in embodied carbon and are designed to achieve a net energy balance across the development. With renewable energy sources, including optimal photovoltaic panels on the roof, Greencore’s EPC-A rated homes are built to Passivhaus standards, allowing for comfort, low running costs and a minimal impact on the environment. The Puckeridge site sits within a 10-minute walk to the village centre. Located six miles west of Bishop’s Stortford and 10 miles north of Hertford, Puckeridge is a village with convenient access to a wide range of facilities within a 20-minute walk, cycle or bus ride. Perfect for professionals and young families, Puckeridge is ideally located for commuting into either London or Cambridge, with trains from Stevenage just 24-minutes into King’s Cross. Laura Stone, COO at Greencore Homes, said: “Our aim at Greencore Homes is to become the blueprint for Better Than Net Zero development. Homes can, and should, be better for people, places and planet from the start of construction. With an aim to deliver 10,000 Better Than Net Zero homes by 2035, the exchange on this site in Puckeridge brings us one step closer to achieving our ambitions. The 91 homes we will construct on the site will be designed to be healthy, comfortable, and cost-effective for residents, while contributing meaningfully to the transition toward a zero-carbon future.” Oliver Luard, Partnerships and Investment Director at Greencore Homes, said: “This is a pivotal moment for Geencore Homes and an excellent start to the New Year, having exchanged contracts on this superb development opportunity in the lovely village of Puckeridge, Hertfordshire. We look forward to completing the purchase and submitting our Reserved Matters application for 91 much-needed Better Than Net Zero homes early in 2026.” Wates Group promoted the site, and Forsters provided legal services to Greencore Homes. The landowner’s sales agents were Strutt & Parker, and the landowner received legal advice from Birketts and DAC Beachcroft. For more information on Greencore Homes, visit https://greencorehomes.co.uk/ [1] Office For National Statistics https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/housingpriceslocal/E07000242/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Premier Inn gears up for second Chichester location
UK’s largest hotelier buys into Bognor Road location as part of its southern expansion drive Whitbread PLC, the parent company of Premier Inn, the UK’s largest hotel company, has announced plans to build a new 82-bedroom Premier Inn in Chichester, satisfying the company’s long-term goal to secure a second hotel in the cathedral city. The site on Bognor Road, which was acquired from Hanbury Properties, is located adjacent to the main A27 / A259 junction, offering a highly accessible location for business and leisure travellers looking to spend time in the historic city. This new location complements the existing Premier Inn at Gate Leisure Park to the south west of Chichester city centre and will bring the total number of Premier Inn bedrooms in the catchment to 165, completing Whitbread’s network plan for the city. Whitbread Acquisitions Manager Louise Woodruff said: “From Roman ruins to the racing circuit at Goodwood, Chichester’s diverse cultural offer and successful business economy is fuelling year-round demand for high-quality, affordable hotel rooms from our customers. “This consistent demand has underpinned our search for a suitable second Premier Inn location in Chichester which we are pleased to have acquired from Hanbury Properties, who have provided us with a fully serviced site, ready for development in the Spring. “Purchasing the site freehold shows how flexible we can be to bring high-quality locations like this one into our pipeline, and our in-house development team is itching to get started and begin constructing our newest hotel on the south coast later this year.” James Belbin, Director of Hanbury Properties, said: “We’re delighted to complete the sale of this site to Premier Inn and look forward to seeing their plans come to life. It’s an excellent location for a new hotel and will help to underpin the next phase of development at Cathedral Business Park. “The site was a former WWII fuel depot that required significant investment, including full remediation, a new slip lane and traffic light junction off the A259, bus stop, a 220m estate road, and services under the A27 to facilitate development – so it’s not been the most straightforward site to deliver. “This sale represents the culmination of all that hard work. It’s been a pleasure working with all the acquisition team at Premier Inn to bring this site forward, and it’s great to know that this hotel will create valuable jobs and help contribute positively to the local community in the years to come.” The Bognor Road acquisition is Whitbread’s latest commitment to investing across Sussex and the south coast of England where it sees an excellent opportunity to grow Premier Inn. Later this year the business is set to grow its network in West and East Sussex to 23 locations following the opening of its latest Premier Inn on Bognor Regis Seafront in April. The construction of the first Premier Inn in Littlehampton Town Centre is also due to commence in February following the demolition of the former supermarket occupying the site. Whitbread is also seeking a suitable new location for Premier Inn in Rye. The acquisition of the second Chichester location forms part of Whitbread’s ongoing expansion of Premier Inn across the UK and Ireland. Currently the business offers its customers close to 86,000 bedrooms from more than 840 UK and Ireland hotels and it sees the long-term potential to expand to 125,000 rooms in these two core markets. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals