Gracie Group exchanges on £180m GDV Stanmore Gardens development in North West London
Gracie Group, a luxury London property developer, has exchanged on Stanmore Gardens, a landmark £180 million GDV residential-led development opportunity in Stanmore town centre, north west London. The acquisition, from Notting Hill Genesis, facilitated by real estate advisor CBRE, marks a major addition to the Group’s expanding £550 million London portfolio of residential and mixed-use projects. Located immediately north of Stanmore Broadway, the 2.58 acre freehold site comprises Anmer Lodger and its ground to the north and Stanmore car park to the south. Identified in the Harrow Local Plan for residential use, the site offers significant potential for a high-quality, design-led town centre scheme. Planning consent was previously secured for residential and retail uses on the site and positive pre-application discussions with the London Borough of Harrow and Greater London Authority have supported the opportunity for an enhanced mixed-use development. The site is within a six-minute walk of Stanmore Underground Station (Jubilee Line) providing direct access to Bond Street in 30 minutes and London Bridge in under 40 minutes, with the M1 and M25 also close by. Stanmore is one of north west London’s most desirable suburbs home to leading schools and surrounded by extensive green space including Stanmore Country Park and Bentley Prior Open Space. Gennaro D’Alo, Development Director of Gracie Group said: “Stanmore Gardens represents an exceptional opportunity to deliver a transformative residential-led development that will enhance the surrounding area. With our robust land fund and a £550 million portfolio already under management, this acquisition underlines our ambition to invest in places with long-term potential and strong community value.” Jonathan Allen, Senior Director, CBRE said: “Stanmore Gardens is a significant town centre site with potential for regeneration. Its location, transport connectivity and established planning context make it a prime opportunity for a residential-led scheme of real quality.” The acquisition follows the launch of the Gracie Group brand earlier this year which unveiled a £550 million portfolio of mixed-use and residential-led projects across London and the South East. The purchase of Stanmore Gardens further demonstrates the Group’s commitment to delivering sustainable, design-focused developments in key growth locations. For more information about Gracie Group visit https://graciegroup.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
DfE clears £270m programme of school and college projects for construction
Eight education building schemes worth more than £270 million have moved into the delivery phase after the Department for Education (DfE) approved the latest tranche of rebuild and refurbishment contracts. Kier secured the largest award with a £69 million full rebuild of Upton-by-Chester High School, reinforcing its strong position on the DfE’s School Rebuilding Programme. Tilbury Douglas won three schemes totalling just over £74 million, covering Pershore High School in Worcestershire, Applebee Wood Community Specialist School in Lancashire, and East Durham College. Bowmer & Kirkland has been appointed to deliver the £44 million rebuild of Gosford Hill School in Oxfordshire. In south-west London, Willmott Dixon has signed a £35 million contract for Barnes School and Hospital. Offsite specialist Reds10 also features among the winners with a £20 million SEND school in Suffolk, reflecting continued momentum for modern methods of construction across the education estate. The projects form part of the government’s multi-year programme to modernise and improve school and college facilities, addressing condition issues while creating energy-efficient, future-ready learning environments. Each scheme will now proceed through the DfE’s regional construction frameworks, which cover all nine English regions and are designed to streamline procurement, support local supply chains and maintain consistent standards. Collectively, the package represents a significant investment in education infrastructure, promising upgraded teaching spaces, specialist facilities and improved accessibility for pupils and staff. Ground investigations, detailed design and enabling works are expected to begin shortly, with build schedules to be confirmed via the respective framework lots as each project progresses. DfE School and College Project Awards Project Contractor Value (£m) Type Upton-by-Chester High School Kier £69.3m School rebuild Gosford Hill School Bowmer & Kirkland £43.8m School rebuild Barnes School and Hospital Willmott Dixon £34.9m School & hospital Appleby Grammar School Morgan Sindall £29.2m School rebuild East Durham College Tilbury Douglas £26.5m College rebuild Pershore High School Tilbury Douglas £26.4m School rebuild Applebee Wood Community Specialist School Tilbury Douglas £21.5m SEND school Angel Hill School Reds10 £20.3m SEND school Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Superdrug reveals new store expansion at Overgate, Dundee
The new “best-in-class” store sees the retail footprint increased by over 35%, with investment in new Beauty Studios, luxury fragrance counters, a nurse clinic, and an enhanced pharmacy. Superdrug, the UK’s leading health and beauty retailer, has completed the expansion of its popular store in Overgate, Dundee, increasing the footprint by over 35% from 7,125 sq. ft to 9,739 sq. ft. Having taken over the occupancy of the adjacent former Clintons store, which has relocated in Overgate, Superdrug has created a significantly enhanced ground floor presence, and one which now forms a prime corner position. The new store is a combination of the existing and the new site. The expansion brings Overgate customers a range of new offerings including: Commenting on the Superdrug expansion, Malcolm Angus, Centre Manager, Overgate says: “We are delighted to announce the Superdrug expansion is officially complete with the new store now offering a significantly elevated shopping experience for our customers. The introduction of new Beauty Studios, each offering a range of popular and affordable beauty treatments, is an exciting development, and the enhancement of Superdrug’s pharmacy with a new face-to-face private nurse clinic brings a welcome personalised healthcare service. “This commitment by Superdrug is a resounding vote of confidence in Overgate, and the future of bricks-and-mortar retail in the centre. There is no doubt this new store will prove highly popular with our customers.” Clare Jennings, Property Director at Superdrug, added: “This store extension in Overgate, Dundee is a significant milestone in expanding Superdrug’s presence locally, allowing us to offer an even broader selection of products and services to our valued customers. By upgrading the store, we’re now able to offer a more modern shopping experience – featuring top health and beauty brands, a premium fragrance section, and our in-store Beauty Studio. This new extension allows us to support local employment in Overgate and the surrounding communities.” The Overgate expansion is part of Superdrug’s major nationwide investment to modernise, refurbish and extend 65 of its strongest performing stores this year (2025), creating a “best-in-class” retail experience for customers. Furthermore, there is a focus on ensuring the site is as sustainable and energy efficient as possible, driven by Superdrug’s successful Planet, People and Products store scheme. The commitment by Superdrug to expand its Overgate store is the latest positive development for the centre following the recent opening of FRASERS in June, 2025. Frasers Group acquired Overgate Shopping Centre in 2023, underlining its confidence in the enduring power of bricks-and-mortar retail. Visit Overgate Shopping Centre at Overgate, Dundee, DD1 1UQ. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
WCCTV Unveils Stellifii: The Single Platform Transforming Surveillance, Safety & Compliance
The UK’s leading provider of redeployable surveillance launches a next-generation, cloud-powered platform for connected site management. Wireless CCTV (WCCTV) today announced the launch of Stellifii, its new in-house platform that combines market-leading security systems with a dedicated cloud software to create a single solution for security, safety, compliance and environmental monitoring. All our solutions are built to be self-efficient and are powered independently, transmitting over 4G/5G networks and operable in locations without fixed infrastructure. Developed in-house, Stellifii’s integrated tools provide unmatched efficiency in managing business-critical risks from any location. With a single login, users gain comprehensive access to live and recorded footage, environmental monitoring, compliance tracking and AI-driven alerts – streamlining operations and reducing manual oversight typically required by separate systems. Stellifii is not just about technology. It’s about delivering tangible outcomes by enabling: Stellifii is now deployed across multiple organisations, including construction, transport infrastructure, local government and police. The platform is ideal for managing multiple sites or remote assets without fixed infrastructure and allows for the adoption of the latest IoT technologies, making it suitable for any organisation managing multiple sites. David Gilbertson, Chief Executive Officer at Wireless CCTV, commented, “Industries need to adopt a new standard of security. Stellifii is the future of safety and real-time compliance, enabling users to adopt proactive strategies to protect employees, equipment and time”. Mark Hastry, Chief Technology Officer at Wireless CCTV, said, “Our goal with Stellifii was to create a reliable platform customers can use anywhere, giving them complete control, further insights and a smarter way of managing. With the AI-driven features, it enables faster action, greater efficiency and smarter decision making, along with peace of mind knowing the platform is NDAA-compliant and secured with AES256 encryption”. For more information on Stellifii, please visit www.wcctv.co.uk/stellifii. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Overbury Secures £13m BBC Fit-Out at Landmark Digbeth Development
Fit-out specialist Overbury has been awarded a £13 million contract to complete the interior works for the BBC’s new creative base at the landmark Tea Factory redevelopment in Digbeth, Birmingham. The deal follows a competitive tender process that saw Overbury beat off rival bidder Heydon & Carr to deliver the high-profile project, which forms the final stage of the broadcaster’s relocation from its long-standing home at The Mailbox. Around 650 BBC staff are set to make the move once works are complete. Developer Stoford and main contractor BAM began transforming the derelict Tea Factory into a modern shell-and-core office building in early 2024. Practical completion of the base build is scheduled for December 2025, after which Overbury will take over for a nine-month fit-out running through to the end of September 2026. The four-storey fit-out will provide a suite of cutting-edge production and broadcasting facilities, including a TV studio and gallery, eight radio studios, ten edit suites, a radio drama studio, lecture theatre, and a range of apparatus, meeting and collaboration spaces. The works will also encompass full mechanical and electrical installations, raised access flooring, acoustic finishes, and the supply and installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment. Designs for the new base have been led by BBC Workplace, with project management by J4 Projects and cost consultancy from MGAC. Architectural and interior design input has been provided by AWW Architects and IDSR, while CMB is responsible for MEP design, Arup for structural engineering, and Ion Acoustics for the scheme’s specialist sound performance requirements. Once complete, the Tea Factory will become a key hub for the BBC’s operations in the Midlands, providing state-of-the-art facilities within Digbeth’s growing media quarter. The move reflects the broadcaster’s ongoing strategy to decentralise its operations and further embed itself within creative communities across the UK. Overbury’s appointment marks another major milestone for the redevelopment, signalling the start of the final phase in creating a world-class broadcasting environment in the heart of Birmingham’s creative district. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Habiko Launches First Low-Carbon Rental Communities in Chester and Warrington
Habiko, the new affordable housing partnership between Muse, Homes England and Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC), has unveiled its first development sites – marking the start of a £1bn programme to deliver 3,000 high-quality, low-carbon rental homes across the UK. The first two projects, located in Chester and Warrington, will together provide 590 homes designed to set new standards for affordable, energy-efficient living. In Chester, plans are being drawn up for around 350 homes on land at Charterhall Drive, adjacent to the city’s railway station. The scheme, designed by architects shedkm, will be submitted for planning later this year. It forms a key part of Chester’s 15-year regeneration strategy, supporting the city’s economic revival while enhancing connectivity and community life around its historic core. In Warrington, Habiko is partnering with AHR Architects to deliver approximately 240 apartments on a site between Academy Street and Mersey Street, close to the Times Square district. The project aims to create a vibrant, sustainable community in the heart of the town centre, contributing to ongoing regeneration in the area. Both developments will prioritise affordability and sustainability. A minimum of 75 per cent of the homes across the two sites will be offered at affordable rent, with the potential for some schemes to reach 100 per cent. Discounted Market Rents will be set at least 20 per cent below local market levels, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of residents. All homes will be forward funded by PIC, reflecting the partnership’s commitment to long-term investment in socially responsible housing. Lisa Gledhill, managing director of national partnerships at Muse, said: “Chester and Warrington are great places to kickstart Habiko’s build programme. These locations reflect our ambition to deliver high-quality, low-carbon homes that meet local needs and create lasting community value.” Hayley Rees, managing director of PIC Capital, added: “Following a successful launch of Habiko, announcing these first two projects emphasises our focus on purpose – delivering low carbon, low energy affordable homes for rent at pace.” With work now underway on the initial sites, Habiko’s launch signals a major step forward in tackling the UK’s affordable housing shortage while setting a benchmark for sustainable development. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals