5,600 more on-street EV chargers installed for households without driveways
More than 5,600 public EV chargers have been installed through completed government-backed on-street charging projects in the past year, expanding access to charging for households without off-street parking. A review of newly published Department for Transport figures by specialist EV charging cable retailer EV Cable Hub found the number of public charging devices installed through completed On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) projects increased by 42.6%, from 13,325 on 1 July 2025 to 19,001 on 1 July 2026. ORCS was introduced specifically to help local authorities provide public charging infrastructure for residents who do not have access to private off-street parking. Separate analysis by EV Cable Hub found that the number of approved charging devices linked to incomplete ORCS projects also fell substantially over the same period, from 7,847 to 1,825. Jake Wardle, Founder at EV Cable Hub, said the figures show significant progress in improving access to public charging for households without off-street parking. He said: “For households without a driveway, access to reliable charging close to home can have a major influence on whether switching to an EV feels practical. “The growth in on-street infrastructure over the past year is therefore really encouraging. Thousands more charging devices have been delivered through completed projects, helping make public charging more accessible in residential areas. “There is still work taking place across some longer-running projects, but the overall direction is positive.” The scheme is now closed to new applications, with newer local charging infrastructure in England being supported through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. Three quarters of devices linked to incomplete projects relate to schemes approved by March 2023 EV Cable Hub’s analysis found that 18 of the 30 incomplete projects were approved by the end of March 2023. More than three quarters (76.6%) of the 1,825 approved devices are linked to projects approved by the end of the 2022/23 financial year, accounting for 1,398 devices. The 30 projects account for approximately £12.8 million in approved project awards, around £9.7 million of which relates to projects approved in 2021/22 and 2022/23. Government guidance set a standard completion deadline of March 2025 for ongoing ORCS projects, although extensions could be considered on a case-by-case basis where unforeseen circumstances affected delivery. Jake added: “There are still some longer-running projects in the system, but that shouldn’t overshadow the significant amount of charging infrastructure that has already been delivered. “For drivers who depend on public charging, maintaining that momentum will be important as the UK’s wider charging network continues to grow.” West Sussex has the highest number of devices linked to incomplete projects West Sussex County Council has 410 approved charging devices linked to incomplete projects, the highest total of any area in the UK. The Cardiff Capital Region Regional Transport Authority follows with 291, while Islington and Derry City and Strabane each account for 124. The areas with the highest totals are: DfT only marks an ORCS project as complete once all charging devices have been installed and final funding payments have been claimed, meaning some devices linked to projects still awaiting formal completion may already have been installed. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Winvic appointed by Durham County Council to deliver Witton-le-Wear Bridge scheme under NEPO framework
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and construction of private and public sector works and civil engineering projects has been appointed by Durham County Council to design the Witton Le Wear Bridge scheme on the A68 – the company’s first project awarded under the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) Framework. The scheme will see Winvic act as Design & Build Contractor for essential works to Witton-Le-Wear Bridge, which carries the A68 over the River Wear near the village of Witton-le-Wear in County Durham. Design work is underway with completion of this scheduled for summer 2027, the project is being delivered in partnership with design consultant Mott MacDonald. Originally built around 1970, the bridge comprises two arched, tapered in-situ reinforced concrete beams supporting a reinforced concrete slab deck. Changes in the river alignment, caused by an upstream gravel bank, have led to erosion of the riverbanks and the southern embankment near the bridge pier, resulting in localised undercutting and damage to the paved apron. Additionally, the Northern Pier & embankment is now being assessed. This is being closely monitored by Durham County Council and appointed professionals. Construction works will focus on preventing further embankment erosion, protecting the bridge structure and undertaking refurbishment or replacement works to ensure the long-term resilience of this important transport route. Following completion of survey & design works, Winvic will issue Durham County Council with options for the recommended repairs to the structure and scour protection measures to the southern embankment extending upstream of the bridge. The final design solution will be confirmed following detailed river modelling, durability assessments and cost analysis. Rob Cook, Winvic’s Managing Director for Civils and Infrastructure said: “Securing our first scheme through the NEPO framework with Durham County Council is a significant milestone for our Civils and Infrastructure sector. The Witton-Le-Wear Bridge is a key route on the A68, and we are proud to support Durham County Council in strengthening this vital link for the local community and the region.” “We look forward to working collaboratively with Durham County Council and our design partner Mott MacDonald to deliver a durable, long-term solution that benefits residents, businesses and regional connectivity for years to come.” Join Winvic on social media – LinkedIn, and Instagram. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Green Light for 200 Council Homes in Next Chapter of Battersea Power Station Regeneration
Plans for 200 new council homes at Battersea Power Station have secured planning permission, marking another major step in the transformation of the landmark 42-acre regeneration site in London. The homes will be delivered by Battersea Power Station Development Company in partnership with Wandsworth Council on an undeveloped brownfield plot forming part of Phase 5 of the wider masterplan. All 200 properties will be operated by Wandsworth Council and made available at social rent levels through its Homes for Wandsworth programme. The development will include a mix of homes, including larger properties designed to meet the needs of families. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with completion targeted for 2029. Designed by Peckham-based Dowen Farmer Architects, the scheme will combine new housing with landscaped communal areas and ground-floor commercial and community uses. Residents will have access to communal gardens as well as a substantial south-facing roof garden, bringing additional green space into the development. Funding will be provided through Wandsworth Council’s Housing Revenue Account, supported by grant funding from the Greater London Authority. A multidisciplinary professional team has been assembled to progress the project, with Buro Happold appointed as structural engineer, MKP as M&E consultant and Cast Consultancy as cost consultant. The approval comes as attention increasingly turns towards the remaining phases of the Battersea Power Station regeneration. Around 16 acres of brownfield land are still to be developed, offering the potential for up to 3.2 million sq ft of additional residential, commercial, cultural and leisure space. Studio Egret West has been appointed to evolve the original masterplan created by Rafael Viñoly more than 15 years ago, as the development team considers how the remaining half of the regeneration site should respond to changing demands across London’s property market. Battersea Power Station Development Company chief executive James Saunders has also confirmed that a Section 73 planning application covering the future phases is due to be submitted later this month. The latest approval adds an important affordable housing element to one of London’s most prominent regeneration projects. The redevelopment of the former power station and its surrounding land has already created a major new mixed-use destination, combining homes, offices, retail, leisure and public realm around the restored Grade II* listed landmark. With 200 council homes now approved and further phases being reconsidered, Battersea Power Station is entering another significant period of construction and development as its long-term regeneration continues. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
PKF Campus Receives Best Workspaces Award 2027 Recognition
A workplace landscape with conviction: the PKF Campus by Philipp Architekten brings together work, encounter, landscape and identity. The PKF Campus in Balingen, designed by Philipp Architekten, has been recognised as part of the Best Workspaces Award 2027. The project is therefore among the awarded workplace environments demonstrating how architecture can give spatial form to corporate culture, human interaction and long-term identification. Since 2020, Callwey Verlag has honoured outstanding workplace environments and office buildings from around the world through the Best Workspaces Award. The award recognises projects that define office architecture not solely through efficiency, amenities or floor area. Its focus is on places that enable collaboration, foster a sense of belonging and create an atmosphere where people genuinely enjoy spending time. A Workplace Landscape Rather Than an Office Building The PKF Campus emerged from the expansion of an established site within the urban fabric of Balingen. Rather than responding with a single dominant volume, the architecture takes the form of an ensemble of four distinct buildings. Each has its own address and character, while remaining grounded in a human scale. At its centre, a park-like garden links the existing buildings with the new additions. It is not simply residual open space, but the social and spatial heart of the campus: a place between work, exchange and landscape. Beauty as a Long-Term Strategy The PKF Campus is guided by a simple conviction: beauty is not an added extra. It is what allows buildings to endure beyond their original function. A place that moves people is used, cared for and carried forward. Architecture is then not replaced as soon as needs change, but can grow with them. For PKF, this has resulted in a campus that does more than provide space for work: it makes the company’s culture visible and tangible. The recognition at the Best Workspaces Award 2027 honours this ambition—to create workplace environments that are not interchangeable, but bring together identity, atmosphere and lasting value. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Glencar starts piling on final build phase of Pure DC’s £1bn+ Brent Cross data centre campus
Glencar has commenced piling works for the West Shell of Pure Data Centres’ (Pure DC) 70MW LON01B2 facility, marking the start of the final major build phase at its £1bn+ Brent Cross campus in North London. The development will extend the campus by more than 23,000 sq. m and, once complete, bring total capacity to 90MW. Completion of B2 is scheduled for Q2 2029. Glencar’sscope includes delivery of the West Cold Shell, incorporating piling and foundations, underground services and associated works, structural frame and connections to the adjacent East Cold Shell, concrete and slab works, stair cores, building envelope and roofing. The project isbeing delivered within a live operational data centre campus, requiring close coordination between Glencar, Pure DC and the wider project team as multiple construction and fit-out activities progress simultaneously across the development. LON01 is being developed as a next-generation, closed-loop, liquid-cooled data centre capable of supporting high-density AI inference and cloud workloads. Designed for long-term resilience, the campus incorporates sustainability measures including recycledsteel and low-carbon components. Following completion of B2, the site will also be home to one of the world’s largest living walls. More than 750,000 plants will wrap around the building, helping to reduce noise and air pollution while creating habitat for insects and birds adjacent to the Brent Reservoir Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Representatives from Pure DC and Glencar joined the project team on site to mark commencement of piling and the transition into the structural phase of the programme. Dan Priest, Campus Delivery Director at Pure DC, said: “Piling commencement represents an important milestone in the continued development of our Brent Cross campus. LON01B2 is amajor part of our investment in London’s digital infrastructure, and it isencouraging toseethe final stageof construction now progressing onsite. Welookforward to continuing towork closely with Glencar and the wider project team asthe development movesforward.” Roy Jones, Managing Director of London and The South at Glencar, said: “Piling getting underway marks the transition into the structural phase of the programme. Delivering a project of this scale within a live and highly constrained data centre campus requires detailed planning, closecollaboration and careful coordination across every stage. “Our teamshave worked closely with Pure DCand the wider project teamtoprepare for this phase. LON01B2 further demonstrates Glencar’s capability todeliver complex, mission-critical infrastructure within live operational environments, and we look forward tobuilding on this momentum asthestructure begins to take shape.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Kennedy Wilson Targets £750m Folio Deal in Major UK BTR Expansion
US real estate investor Kennedy Wilson is set to significantly increase its exposure to the UK Build to Rent (BTR) market after being selected as preferred bidder for Notting Hill Genesis’ £750 million Folio rental portfolio. Kennedy Wilson is understood to have entered exclusivity with Notting Hill Genesis (NHG), with due diligence now set to progress on the proposed acquisition. The portfolio comprises 2,079 rental homes across 15 developments in London and Chelmsford and is currently around 98% let. The transaction would represent another major institutional investment into the UK’s operational BTR and private rented housing market. Around 85% of the Folio homes are located in London, with schemes spread across boroughs including Newham, Greenwich, Southwark, Ealing, Croydon, Barnet and Hammersmith and Fulham. Among the portfolio’s largest assets is Royal Wharf Estate in Newham, where Folio owns 338 homes, while City Park West in Chelmsford accounts for a further 317 properties. Approximately nine in ten homes across the portfolio are one and two-bedroom apartments, while 98% have an EPC rating of C or above. The sale process, known as Project Vanguard, has been run for NHG by UK professional services adviser Deloitte. Kennedy Wilson emerged ahead of rival interest from Hyde Group and a partnership between investor Adira and European asset manager Hayfin. For Kennedy Wilson, the acquisition would build on an already expanding presence within the UK rental housing sector. Its suburban BTR partnership with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, established in 2024, has grown to around 2,000 homes across 23 sites. The scale of the Folio transaction also demonstrates the continuing attraction of established rental portfolios to large institutional investors seeking immediate exposure to income-producing UK residential assets. From a wider built environment perspective, investment of this scale also creates long-term requirements around property management, maintenance, refurbishment, building services and improving the energy performance of residential assets. If completed, the £750 million acquisition would position Kennedy Wilson as an increasingly significant player in UK BTR while adding further momentum to institutional investment across the country’s professionally managed rental sector. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals