
Planning submitted for five new units at Worcester Six Business Park
Proposals have been submitted for the speculative development of smaller industrial units at Worcester Six, the flagship business park. Overseen by the planning committee of Wychavon District Council, the plans relate to a 3.46 acre plot at Worcester Six and will be known as North Point. This phase will deliver up to five units ranging from 5,532 sq ft up to 34,401 sq ft, with options to combine. Available either for sale or to let, the units are designed to meet growing demand from manufacturing, light industrial businesses and SMEs. Located adjacent to Junction 6 of the M5, Worcester Six Business Park is already home to a number of major national and international occupiers, including MiTek, Bidfood, Alliance Flooring Distribution, Material Solutions, Kimal, Spire Healthcare, IONOS, Kohler Mira, Zwick Roell, Super Smart Service, Stop Start Transport and Sierra CP Engineering. The North Point development represents an alternative to the larger-format buildings for which Worcester Six is best known, broadening the park’s occupier mix and providing flexible accommodation for a different segment of the market. Edward Peel, Director at Stoford, said: “We are pleased to announce the submission of the latest planning application at Worcester Six, which will further diversify the offer at the site and support continued business growth in the region. The park has been an incredibly successful, game-changing development over the last ten years, with strong and sustained demand for commercial space. These proposals represent an exciting opportunity for further development, creating new, sustainable units to meet ongoing market demand.” Charles D’Auncey, Director at Harris Lamb, said: “These units will be a great addition as they offer a totally different type of space to anything else currently available at Worcester Six. North Point occupies a prominent position in a strategic location adjacent to Junction 6 of the M5. The introduction of smaller industrial units opens the business park up to a new market, with a variety of unit sizes to march occupier requirements.” For details about availability at Worcester Six, please contact the schemes retained agents: Charles D’Auncey at Harris Lamb – charles.dauncey@harrislamb.com or Tom Arnold at Colliers – tom.arnold@colliers.com. Or for more information, visit: www.worcester6.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Winvic delivers Crown Place Birmingham, the city’s tallest student accommodation scheme, and hits 15,000 bed milestone in multi-room sector
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor specialising in the design and delivery of private and public sector construction and civil engineering projects, has completed Crown Place in Birmingham – a landmark 33-storey purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development. Practical completion was achieved on programme in December 2025 for client Crown Student Living, marking the delivery of Birmingham’s tallest student accommodation building and a significant new addition to the city’s skyline. The completion of Crown Place represents a landmark moment for Winvic, taking total delivery beyond 15,000 beds across its multi-room sector. This milestone highlights sustained growth and reinforces Winvic’s position as a leading multi-room contractor, with expertise in delivering large-scale residential developments of all types – from high-rise city towers to mid-rise and suburban schemes – across a variety of locations nationwide. Located on the corner of Lancaster Street in Birmingham city centre in easy reach of Aston University, Birmingham City University and the University of Birmingham, the ?85 million scheme will be operated by global student housing provider Yugo, with students now moving in from January 2026. Crown Place offers 814 student beds, including 572 studios, 114 cluster flats and 128 duplex rooms, arranged across a 33-storey tower and adjoining 9 and 12-storey blocks. The scheme features over 13,000 sq ft of amenity space, including study rooms, communal kitchens, private dining areas, lounges, cinema and karaoke rooms, and a fully equipped gym, alongside a first-floor terrace and a Sky lounge at Level 33 – setting new standards for student living in Birmingham. Designed by ECE Westworks and engineered by Meinhardt, Crown Place was delivered on a highly constrained city-centre site located in a major arterial route into Birmingham. Winvic implemented a detailed logistics strategy, with just-in-time deliveries to minimise disruption and ensure programme certainty throughout the 145 week build programme. Innovation has been central to the project’s success. Crown Place is not only Winvic’s tallest scheme to date, but also the contractor’s first project to utilise a unitised brick fa?ade system, enabling the rapid installation of 2,768 prefabricated fa?ade panels without the need for external access. The project saw the UK-first deployment of Skyline Cockpit, allowing the tower crane to be operated remotely from ground level to enhance both safety and efficiency. Advanced technology and sustainable practices were integrated throughout the scheme, including the use of HP SitePrint, a BIM-linked robotic setting-out system; GAMMA AR, an augmented reality tool that overlays 3D BIM designs onto the as-built environment; and the AmpD Enertainer battery system, which reduced diesel use by 7,645 litres per week, supporting greener operations. Additional innovations included an open-top goods hoist to safely and efficiently distribute materials to the upper floors, and KONE jump lift technology, which enabled early lift installation and operation, providing enhanced material and operative movement management. Winvic also placed a strong focus on social value, supporting local communities through employment, education and charitable initiatives. The project achieved outstanding CCS scores of 49 and was recognised with a Silver National Site Award. Over 3,800 weeks of employment were created for Birmingham residents into new roles on site. Since the project began, 14 students and apprentices have been supported by Winvic’s project team through T Level placements, industry studentships and graduate roles. This includes four students who have successfully transitioned from T Level work placements into apprenticeships with Winvic, demonstrating the strength of the main contractor’s early careers pipeline and long-term commitment to development local talent. Community impact initiatives included a Magical Santa’s Grotto for Birmingham Children’s Hospital, canal clean-up efforts, and charity fundraising events that raised over ?7,500. Long term educational partnerships with Aston University, Walsall College, BMET and South and City College Birmingham alongside local schools such as Erdington Academy, have seen the project being used to inspire the next generation. 22 education engagement events were delivered to over 400 students, including interactive workshops that developed with students as they progressed through education and site visits showcasing the latest industry innovations. Mark Jones, Managing Director of Multi-Room at Winvic Construction, said: “The completion of Crown Place is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved. From pioneering new construction technologies to maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety, this project demonstrates the results of our strong collaborative partnership with Crown Student Living, Yugo and our supply chain partners.” “Crown Place also marks a landmark moment for Winvic, taking our total delivery beyond 15,000 beds across our multi-room sector – a milestone that reflects the scale of our sector expertise and the trust our clients have in us. Delivering Birmingham’s tallest student accommodation building on such a constrained site demanded innovation, collaboration and absolute commitment from the entire project team. We are proud to hand over a landmark development that will set new benchmarks for student living in the city.” Alan Pulver, Director at Crown Student Living, said: “The completion of Crown Place marks a significant milestone for Crown Student Living. This landmark development sets a new benchmark for student living in Birmingham, combining high-quality design with carefully considered spaces that foster a strong sense of community. Through close collaboration with Winvic and Yugo, we have delivered a development that meets the expectations of modern students and adds real value to the city and its residents”. Robin Moorcroft, Senior Vice President of Commercial at Yugo, said: “We are thrilled by the completion of Crown Place, as the space represents the high-quality student accommodation Yugo is proud to manage. At Yugo, we go beyond housing; we’re committed to creating vibrant, sustainable, and supportive communities where students can truly thrive, and Crown Place brings that vision to life. “We are proud to be working with institutional-grade partners like Crown to deliver operational excellence at scale with high-quality accommodation, benefiting students and clients across both existing and emerging markets. “With stunning views of the Birmingham skyline, dedicated study areas, and generous communal spaces designed to foster connection and belonging, we’re excited to be welcoming the first wave of students to Crown Place.” Crown Place is now open,

Mango is planning to open 15 new stores in the UK in 2026
The retailer’s sales also increased during the period, up 13% year-on-year to £3.3bn. This comes after Mango opened 25 stores in the UK last year, including a second flagship on London’s Oxford Street, and in locations such as Birmingham, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Belfast, Craigavon (NI), and Cardiff. Speaking to Drapers, Mango’s vice chair and chief expansion and franchise officer Daniel López said: “It is an interesting market for us and we can see a lot of growth. We opened 25 new stores [in 2025] and for the 2026, the forecast is to open 15 more.” He added that the retailer’s bricks and mortar estate was important to bringing it “closer to customers”. “We believe bringing Mango close to customers is what really helps us to be more creative and interact with customers, to guide them and give recommendations,” he added. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Able Humber Ports Ltd (AHP) welcomes £490k Site Accelerator Grant to accelerate development of Able Humber Port
Able Humber Ports Ltd is pleased to announce the award of a £490,000 Industrial Strategy Zone (ISZ) Site Accelerator Grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This targeted funding will fast‑track the technical, commercial and procurement activity required to unlock the next phase of the Able Humber Port (AHP) development-one of the UK’s most strategically important clean‑energy infrastructure projects. Located on the Humber Estuary, AHP offers 332 hectares of port land, including 177.7 hectares within the Humber Freeport Tax Site, and a further 39.73 hectares enabled through new quay construction. The grant will help bring the site to investment‑ready status within six months, underpinning what is set to become the UK’s largest fully integrated offshore wind cluster port. The development is expected to enable more than £535 million of private‑sector investment and support approximately 4,000 high‑quality jobs across the region. Executive Chairman Peter Stephenson commented:“This grant marks an important step forward in unlocking the full potential of Able Humber Port. The Humber has a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to become the heart of the UK’s offshore wind industry. We welcome the continued support from government, the Humber Freeport, and our regional partners as we bring this nationally significant development closer to delivery.” AHP will play a central role in supporting the UK’s offshore wind manufacturing and installation capacity, industrial decarbonisation and Freeport‑driven economic growth. With the scale and planning consents already in place, Able Humber Port is uniquely positioned to anchor a world‑class offshore wind ecosystem and contribute significantly to the UK’s 2030 target of 50GW of offshore wind. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Midlands construction firm chooses CaberDek and SterlingOSB Zero for reliable, fast, and high-quality flooring installations
Leicestershire-based construction business, WP Developments Leicestershire Limited, now in its tenth year of trading, continues to specify West Fraser‘s CaberDek and SterlingOSB Zero as its preferred flooring solutions across new build residential projects. The firm recently completed the flooring works for 20 new-build homes on a David Wilson Homes development in Wigston, North Leicestershire. CaberDek and SterlingOSB Zero were used to deck out all joists across the plots, forming the structural base for finished floors and providing a robust working surface for follow-on trades. “Consistency and reliability are key for us, especially on larger multi plot projects,” William Woolhouse explained. “CaberDek and SterlingOSB Zero give us confidence that the finished floor will stand up to site conditions and deliver the performance expected by major housebuilders. The product quality is consistent, performance on site reliable and we have complete confidence in the finished floor which is obviously crucial. For us, it’s important that sheet materials feel solid underfoot and behave predictably from one board to the next. CaberDek and SterlingOSB Zero deliver exactly that.” In general, there is a host of reasons the company specifies the West Fraser collection. Speed of installation allows the teams to progress quickly and efficiently while the finish is dependable and durable even before the final floor coverings are installed. This combination of speed and predictability helps maintain programme momentum on multi plot developments where efficiency is critical. “They’re easy to handle, cut and fix,” William added. “Because they work so well with our standard workflow, there’s no disruption or need to adapt how we operate.” All West Fraser panel products produced in the UK are net carbon negative and manufactured in mills that have obtained the coveted environmental ISO 14001 accreditation. Responsibly sourced, the panels are FSC certified and created from locally grown timber, cutting the embodied carbon associated with transportation. For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit Uk.westfraser.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Hazardous lighting for L’Oréal NZ hub
When global beauty leader L’Oréal set out to develop its new distribution centre in Auckland, New Zealand, the brief extended far beyond operational efficiency. The Dangerous Goods Store within the facility required a robust, compliant lighting solution for a Zone 2 hazardous environment, while also contributing to a sustainability ambition that would ultimately make history in New Zealand. Delivered in November 2025, the project brought together a strong collaboration team: developer James Kirkpatrick Group, architect Gravitas Consulting, builder Waide Commercial Construction, and Electrical and Lighting Consultant Electrical Consulting Services. Electrical Consulting Services, in collaboration with Techlight, was entrusted with delivering a lighting solution that would meet stringent safety, performance, and environmental benchmarks. There was only one manufacturer they wanted to partner with, Petrel. Designing for Zone 2: Safety Without Compromise The Dangerous Goods Store was classified as Zone 2, an environment where explosive gas atmospheres are not likely to occur in normal operation, and, if they do occur, will exist only for a short time. In such settings, lighting is not merely functional; it is critical infrastructure. To address this, 73No Petrel ALED4/G/Z2/156E luminaires were installed as high-bay fittings, illuminating aisles and open warehouse areas with powerful, consistent light output. These fixtures are engineered specifically for hazardous locations, providing the necessary ingress protection, durability and compliance for Zone 2 applications. Their robust construction ensures long-term reliability while minimising maintenance requirements, an essential consideration in environments handling dangerous goods. Complementing the general lighting, 12No Petrel 9LED5700/EM units were deployed to provide emergency illumination across aisles and open areas. In any hazardous facility, emergency lighting must operate seamlessly in the event of power failure, ensuring safe evacuation and maintaining visibility during critical incidents. The integration of dedicated emergency luminaires reinforces the project’s uncompromising approach to safety. Supporting a 6-Star Green Star Milestone While safety and compliance were paramount, sustainability remained central to the project vision. The distribution centre has achieved New Zealand’s first-ever 6-Star Green Star Design Certified rating, the highest possible rating awarded by the New Zealand Green Building Council. This world-leading certification represents excellence in sustainable design and places the facility at the forefront of environmentally responsible industrial development in New Zealand. Commenting on the project, Stuart Head, Technical and Certification Manager at Petrel Ltd said “Lighting is central to Green Star performance, influencing energy use, operational carbon and overall environmental quality. By combining high-performance LEDs with precise optical control, the L’Oréal Dangerous Goods Store achieves lower emissions, reduced energy demand and safer working conditions. Petrel is proud to have supported the delivery of this award-winning outcome.” By combining hazardous-area compliance with energy-efficient design, Petrel’s solution demonstrates that performance and sustainability are not mutually exclusive; they are mutually reinforcing. Collaboration Driving Innovation Projects of this calibre depend on close collaboration between stakeholders. Early engagement with the end user, developer, design consultants and construction team ensured that lighting specifications aligned seamlessly with architectural intent, structural constraints, electrical and fire suppression infrastructure. The result is a facility that not only meets stringent hazardous-area standards but also aligns with global best practice in sustainable industrial design. Techlight’s National Sales Manager, Pierre Abrahamse, said: “The L’Oréal Dangerous Goods Store project sets a new benchmark, demonstrating how specialist lighting capability can drive both operational excellence and environmental leadership. Credit goes to the team at Petrel for their skill, commitment and genuine passion for the sector.” In an era where supply chain infrastructure must be safer, smarter and greener, this Auckland facility sets a new global standard. Through thoughtful design, precision engineering and collaborative delivery, it proves that even the most technically demanding environments can achieve world-class sustainability outcomes. To learn more about this story and the products featured, please visit Petrel’s website. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
