Clowes Lines Up 542,000 Sq Ft Expansion at Dove Valley Park
Clowes Developments has unveiled plans for a major expansion at Dove Valley Park in Foston, Derbyshire, with proposals submitted for two new industrial units totalling 542,000 square feet on Plot 11. The scheme is being brought forward for an as yet undisclosed occupier, underlining continued demand for large-scale logistics and industrial space in the region. Earthworks on the site are already progressing under an existing consent, preparing the ground so construction can move ahead swiftly once planning approval is granted by South Derbyshire District Council. Marc Freeman, development director at Clowes Developments, said the move reflects sustained occupier interest in the park. He commented: “Dove Valley Park continues to attract strong interest from a range of high-profile national and international operators. This planning submission for two units totalling over half a million square feet demonstrates our ongoing confidence in the site and its strategic location. We look forward to progressing the application with South Derbyshire District Council.” Alongside the new units, Clowes has also submitted a revised proposal for the planned Innovation Centre at Dove Valley Park. Designed to act as a central hub for businesses on and around the site, the centre will offer meeting and gathering space, a café/restaurant and wider amenity areas. It will also provide a base for start-up companies and is being developed in consultation with the University of Derby, supporting enterprise and collaboration across the local business community. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
£1 Billion Camden Film Quarter Plans Submitted for Kentish Town
A major new £1 billion film and creative industries quarter is being proposed for an industrial estate in Kentish Town, north London, with plans now formally lodged for the Camden Film Quarter. Backed by investment firm Yoo Capital, the scheme centres on a state-of-the-art studio campus featuring visual effects, animation and post-production facilities. Two leading film schools – the National Film and Television School and the London Screen Academy – are set to open new education hubs as part of the development, creating a pipeline of talent alongside world-class production space. If planning consent is granted, around 1,370 construction jobs are expected to be created over the three-year build phase. Alongside the studios, partner social housing developer Places for People has submitted a linked application to deliver 485 new homes adjacent to the campus. The residential element will form a key part of the wider masterplan, helping to establish a mixed-use neighbourhood anchored by the creative industries. Places for People group managing director of developments, Andrew Usher, said the Camden Film Quarter would be a landmark project and the next step in the organisation’s placemaking work. Yoo Capital co-founder Lloyd Lee said the ambition was to create “a neighbourhood where world-class studios, 50% affordable homes and public spaces sit side by side to inspire the next generation”. Architect Broadway Malyan is leading the design of the residential sites, with a brief to deliver an ambitious new quarter that reflects the character of Kentish Town while generating real social value. Turner and Townsend has been appointed by Camden Council as client representative for the regeneration. The firm will define the council’s requirements for replacement facilities on the site and oversee project management, cost control and design assurance as the plans progress through the planning and delivery process. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Superdry & Co plots fresh UK store roll-out after restructuring
Superdry & Co is planning to open up to 15 new stores across the UK as it pushes ahead with a refreshed growth strategy and wider European ambitions. Chief executive Julian Dunkerton, who co founded the business, said the fashion brand is actively exploring new locations in cities including Bath, Dundee, Lincoln and Norwich. The planned openings form part of efforts to revive sales and reposition the retailer following a challenging trading period. Superdry was delisted from the London Stock Exchange in April last year and subsequently implemented a restructuring plan, approved in June 2024. Under that plan, the company is set to cut rents on 36 of its 94 UK stores and close 47 outlets, creating a leaner core estate from which to grow. Earlier this year the retailer rebranded as Superdry & Co, introducing a new look and feel across its portfolio. Flagship sites on London’s Oxford Street, as well as stores in Nottingham and Dundee, have already been refitted to showcase the updated aesthetic, which will be rolled out to future openings as the brand’s expansion gathers pace. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Red Construction Group completes £20.5m refurbishment of Aviva Investors’ Curtain House
RED Construction Group, the specialist contractor, has announced the completion of a £20.5m office refurbishment to Aviva Investors’ Grade II listed Victorian building, 134 – 146 Curtain House, in Shoreditch. Carried out by RED Construction’s London team, the six-storey, 54,000 sq ft building has undergone an extensive refurbishment, including the introduction of rooftop terraces covering 3,700 sq ft, structural alterations to the existing office into Cat A and B workspace, a new main entrance, reception area, and lifts. Originally built between 1881 and 1887, Curtain House was first used for furniture and clothing manufacturing, and now hosts 40,000 sq ft of office space for the modern-day tenant. Designed by architects Anomaly, Curtain House has been refurbished with a primary focus on sustainable practices, achieving BREEAM Excellent and an EPC A rating. Complementing the rich history associated with the building, RED’s London team carried out considered external masonry, window and timber floor restoration, and repair of internal brickwork and steel columns. Tony O’Farrell, Divisional Director at RED Construction London, commented: “Considered refurbishment of heritage-rich sites is a core part of RED Construction Group’s expertise, with our London team having successfully delivered an extensive portfolio of developments across multiple sectors in the capital. These types of projects are extremely important and rewarding, especially when we partner with a client like Aviva Investors, that shares our deep-rooted commitment to social value, alongside a desire to evolve buildings in a way that retains heritage.” Petr Esposito, Co-Founder/Director at Anomaly, added: “Working alongside a deliciously formidable team that fundamentally understands the importance of heritage, its nuances, its irks, its challenges, its charms, and is committed to developing innovative and sustainable practices to best support the retrofit of a gorgeous historic site such as Curtain House, is unquestionably imperative. RED Construction Group have been the ideal partner to bring the relentless ambition of Aviva Investors to life, delivering our combined vision for what is a truly landmark, truly naughty building.” Aiming to build a more inclusive and dynamic future for the industry and committed to leaving a positive legacy, RED Construction Group partnered with Aviva Investors on a range of social value initiatives to give back to the community. Alongside partnerships spanning wood recycling initiatives and creative placemaking, the Curtain House team has maintained a long-term partnership with The Land Collective as part of their Black Girls in Property programme. Intended to equip young black women with skills and knowledge for careers in the built environment, the team has held four repeat engagement events through the project’s duration that include a site tour for 20 students, a three-day ‘Investing in Your Future’ initiative, two internships, and an engagement event showcasing the progress of the project. The emphasis on Social Value initiatives at Curtain House has meant that the project has surpassed its initial targets across an array of education metrics. Including the work with The Land Collective, RED has through the course of the project helped to deliver nearly four times more than the targeted number of educational hours for outreach, and more than double the number of work experience placement days. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
NHS SBS scoops ‘Procurement Team of the Year’ award and ‘Highly Commended’ for complex capital projects
Leading corporate services provider, NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), is proud to announce its Procurement Solutions Team has been named the winner of this year’s Health Care Supply Association’s (HCSA) ‘Procurement Team of the Year’ award. The HCSA annual awards recognise the outstanding contributions of individuals and teams driving improvement, efficiency and value across the NHS, particularly in healthcare procurement and the supply chain in the UK. The award was presented to NHS SBS in recognition of its dedication, teamwork and commitment to delivering Framework Agreements (FWAs) that ensure the NHS and wider public sector receive only the best products and services. NHS SBS’s 82-strong Procurement Solutions team manages a portfolio of over 40 FWAs with a combined multi-billion-pound value, and is responsible for commissioning, procurement and ongoing management, to ensure customers benefit from high-quality, cost-effective solutions. Developed by the organisation’s category experts and used by NHS trusts and wider public sector across the UK, the FWAs span four key categories – Construction & Estates, Health, Digital & IT and Business Services. The portfolio comprising award-winning FWAs is continually enhanced with innovative solutions including surgical robots, estate decarbonisation, offsite construction and AI stroke‑decision software, and strengthened through close collaboration with external partners to deliver maximum impact. A unique collaboration with Barts Health NHS Trust for instance, resulted in the creation of NHS SBS’s Sustainable Healthcare Recycling and Waste Management FWA which delivered £1.2m in savings for the trust, increased recycling rates from 11% to 30% in just 10 weeks, increased carbon reduction by over 500 tonnes and had an annual social value impact of £3.1m. “The judging panel recognised the Procurement team for its strategic focus, service excellence, delivery of financial benefits, adoption and sharing of best practice, collaboration with other organisations and commitment to the development of our team members,” says Paddy Howlin, Head of Procurement Solutions at NHS SBS. “These are all key factors in what makes NHS SBS standout in a competitive and ever challenging landscape.” Capital Projects ‘Highly Commended’ NHS SBS Capital Projects Manager, Chris Parkin, was named runner‑up and ‘highly commended’ in HCSA’s prestigious ‘Unsung Hero’ award. This honour celebrates individuals who consistently make substantive contributions, often going above and beyond their role. The commendation recognised his dedication as the quiet, yet brilliant driving force behind some of the NHS’s most complex hospital capital projects, like equipping the new £68m Greater Manchester Major Trauma Hospital which has five emergency theatres, including the UK’s first hybrid trauma theatre. Originally estimated at £13m, Chris used his expertise to reduce this to £10.2m, delivering end-to-end service from business case to handover, sourcing and installing over 3,800 items – from patient furniture to highly specialised theatre equipment. All delivered and installed on time, to budget and fit. Howlin concludes: “We are immensely proud of our procurement team and its achievements. Being recipients of both the team award and attaining the ‘highly commended’ status underscores the dedication and meaningful difference each member makes every day. “We remain committed to supporting the NHS and wider public sector with solutions that drive efficiency, deliver value, and improve patient outcomes.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction completes at Grimsby’s pioneering horizon youth zone
The construction firm behind a brand-new and trailblazing Youth Zone, that is going to transform the lives of young people in Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire for generations to come, has completed work on the project ahead of it opening early next year. Hobson & Porter, which operates across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, has now handed over the £11.5m Horizon Youth Zone and work is currently underway on the internal fit-out of the facility before it opens. Decisions on the interior design including paint colours and artwork are being led by the Young People’s Development Group (YPDG), made up of young people from across the local area. Construction started in late 2023 and has incorporated a vast spectrum of work. Several large Grade II listed 19th century maltings and grain store buildings, known as West Haven Maltings and Migar House, have been fully restored and repurposed. Part of a building also had to be completely rebuilt alongside the River Freshney, using a pontoon in the river to create a working platform to access a river wall. In addition to the intricate refurbishment and restoration aspects of the project, Hobson & Porter has also built a large new sports hall and an outdoor multi-use games area (MUGA). Other facilities include a climbing wall, music room with built-in recording studio, performing arts space, maker zone with 3D printing equipment, arts and crafts area, boxing gym and fitness suite. Horizon Youth Zone, part of the OnSide Network, will offer a safe and inspiring place for young people aged 8 to 19, and up to 25 for those with additional needs, to enjoy their leisure time. There will be over 20 activities taking place each evening, for just £5 annual membership and 50p per visit. Joe Booth, Pre Construction and Business Development Director from Hobson & Porter, said: “There’s no doubt this has been a hugely challenging and complex project. There were new build aspects, refurbishment works, delicate conservation phases, heritage considerations, major repurposing, river works and highway improvements, which all had to be balanced and carefully managed by our dedicated team and supply chain. “However, it’s been a very rewarding project for everyone involved. As well as giving a disused site and several major derelict buildings a completely new life, the whole construction team knows what it means for young people in and around Grimsby and the lasting impact it will have. “We’re therefore delighted to complete work and hand the project over to the team and we can’t wait to see it welcome the first members through the doors in the coming months.” Lucy Ottewell-Key, CEO of Horizon Youth Zone, said: “This is another significant milestone, and because the people of North East Lincolnshire can now see the completed buildings and how amazing they look, the level of anticipation and interest surrounding Horizon Youth Zone is growing by the day. “We now have a busy and very exciting couple of months coming up as we complete the rest of the internal work and begin the soft openings phase of school, community visits and team training ahead of us opening early next year.” Horizon Youth Zone is being delivered in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council, which is contributing to the development as part of the Greater Grimsby Town Deal, and the Department of Culture Media and Sport, through the Youth Investment Fund. Capital funders of Horizon Youth Zone comprise of Historic England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Architectural Heritage Fund, The Youth Investment Fund, Evergreen Life, St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, Ørsted and Greencoats Wind UK. Horizon Youth Zone is also building a fabulous family of Founder Patrons, comprising of local organisations and philanthropists, who will support the Youth Zone during its first four years. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals