Panattoni continues to support EVRi’s expansion with fourth UK logistics facility at Panattoni Park Burgess Hill
Panattoni, the world’s largest privately owned industrial real estate developer, has completed a further letting at Panattoni Park Burgess Hill, supporting the continued expansion of EVRi’s UK parcel delivery network. The transaction marks EVRi’s fourth facility within a Panattoni scheme, taking the total space occupied across Panattoni parks to approximately 245,000 sq ft. Panattoni Park Burgess Hill is a well established last mile logistics location, strategically positioned to serve population centres across Sussex, Surrey, and the wider South East. The park benefits from direct access to key A-road routes and onward motorway connections, making it well suited to high frequency, time sensitive distribution operations. The latest letting follows Austin Racing’s occupation at the park last year and further underlines the breadth of demand from occupiers seeking modern, efficient logistics space in supply constrained South East markets. Panattoni Park Burgess Hill is already home to a diverse range of occupiers, including Roche, DPD, EMED Group, and Austin Racing, with discussions ongoing with additional occupiers for remaining units. The deal reflects Panattoni’s continued focus on delivering flexible, future-ready logistics space that can support occupiers’ evolving operational requirements, particularly in the growing last mile and parcel delivery sector. Will Fennell, Development Manager, South East and London at Panattoni, said: “We are pleased to be supporting EVRi’s continued growth with their fourth facility within a Panattoni Park. Burgess Hill is a highly strategic last mile location, offering strong connectivity across the South East, and it continues to attract occupiers who value operational efficiency and access to labour and customers. “The success of the park, following recent lettings and ongoing discussions with occupiers, demonstrates the strength of demand for high quality logistics space in this market and reinforces our commitment to investing in the South East.” Panattoni Park Burgess Hill remains a core part of Panattoni’s South East portfolio, delivering modern logistics accommodation in a location that supports both regional distribution and last mile operations. Panattoni Park Burgess Hill comprises 11 speculative units, ranging in size from 8,142 sq ft to 147,408 sq ft in a single unit. All facilities are available for tenant fit-out, offering flexibile accommodation to meet a variety of occupier requirements. DTRE, Cogent, SHW and Vail Williams are leasing agents on the development. More information here: https://panattoni.co.uk/our-properties/burgesshill/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Skanska breathes new life into Broadgate landmark with £273m revamp
Skanska has officially started work on a £273m transformation of One Appold Street, marking a major step in the evolution of the Broadgate estate in the heart of the City of London. The project will see the refurbishment and extension of the existing 1980s office building, with Skanska retaining the original concrete and steel structure while adding six new storeys and expanding the floorplate. Once complete, the redeveloped scheme will rise to 14 storeys, delivering around 360,000 sq ft of high-quality office accommodation alongside 48,000 sq ft of leisure and hospitality space. A new façade will be introduced, designed to sit comfortably alongside neighbouring Broadgate buildings while giving the structure a modern and refined appearance. Skanska’s in-house mechanical, electrical and public health specialists will also deliver the full MEP package, supporting tighter integration between design and construction. The contract has been awarded by Broadgate, the joint venture between British Land and GIC, further strengthening Skanska’s long-standing relationship with one of the City’s most prominent commercial landlords. Sustainability is central to the redevelopment, with circularity a key driver of the design strategy. By refurbishing rather than demolishing the building, the project will significantly reduce embodied carbon, avoiding the environmental cost associated with new steel fabrication. The scheme is targeting demanding sustainability standards, including NABERS ratings of 5 to 5.5 stars and BREEAM Outstanding. Construction is now under way, with completion scheduled for the first quarter of 2029. The finished building is expected to play a key role in Broadgate’s continued repositioning as a leading destination for modern, sustainable workplaces in the City. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Out-of-town retail powers on as investors and occupiers double down
Out-of-town retail continued to outperform the wider retail market throughout 2025, cementing its position as one of the UK’s most resilient commercial property sectors, according to SHW’s Q1 2026 Retail Focus report. Retail warehousing emerged as the standout performer, supported by low vacancy rates, constrained supply and sustained occupier demand, all of which helped drive rental growth across the year. Despite a modest dip compared with 2024, investment volumes remained healthy, with more than £2bn transacted in 2025. This level of activity sits comfortably in line with the sector’s 10-year average, with returns over the past 12 months averaging 9.8%. Investor appetite has been particularly strong for well-located secondary assets offering attractive income returns. Groups such as Redevco and Realty have been active in targeting these opportunities, reflecting confidence in the sector’s long-term fundamentals. Occupational demand has also remained robust. Vacancy rates across retail warehousing have held at around 5%, and space released following the failures of Homebase and Carpetright was swiftly absorbed by a mix of food retailers, DIY operators, discount brands and gym operators. There has also been a notable rise in retailers acquiring freehold interests in solus units to secure long-term occupation at lease expiry. Letting activity has varied by location and scheme type. Operators such as Next, Superdrug and M&S Food Hall have continued to target schemes with a stronger high-street bias, while discount retailers including Home Bargains and B&M have pressed ahead with portfolio expansion. While a small number of store closures have been announced by Hobbycraft, overall supply remains tight. Gym operators are increasingly competing with retailers for space, bringing new customer demographics to retail parks and strengthening footfall. Food retailers reported generally positive Christmas trading, with Lidl and Aldi recording strong sales growth. Lidl has now become the UK’s fastest-growing bricks-and-mortar supermarket, while most other major grocers also saw uplifts. The food and beverage and quick-service restaurant sector has continued to expand, with fierce competition for drive-through sites. New opportunities released by Pizza Hut closures were quickly taken up, while fried chicken and coffee brands remain particularly active. Looking ahead, SHW expects the retail warehouse sector to remain resilient through 2026, underpinned by limited new development, strong occupier demand and sustained investor interest. For a copy of SHW’s Q1 2026 Retail Focus, which covers out-of-town and high street retail, please contact any member of the SHW team. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Stanhope and Allies and Morrison to lead masterplan for redevelopment of St Mary’s Hospital, including expansion of surrounding life sciences cluster
Landmark NHS project to build on hospital’s long track record in excellence in healthcare and innovation, creating economic growth and job opportunities as well as better health outcomes Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has appointed Stanhope Plc and Allies and Morrison to lead the masterplanning and planning application for the urgently needed redevelopment of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, in north west London. Stanhope, a London-based development and asset manager with a 30-year track record delivering complex urban regeneration, will oversee the masterplanning process for the whole estate. Architects Allies and Morrison will lead masterplan design. They will work alongside HOK, who continue as the hospital’s design architects. They join an experienced wider team including Savills on planning strategy, Gillespies on landscape design, LCA on consultation and Gardiner & Theobald as project managers. The teams are developing proposals that will transform the current nine-acre St Mary’s site, some of which dates back to 1845, with: Independent analysis shows that, as well as improving health and healthcare, this development will create 12-15,000 jobs and up to £15 billion in new economic activity over ten years. It will also support the development of WestTech London, the wider research and innovation cluster across west London led by Imperial College London. The new St Mary’s Hospital will enable services to be organised around patient, staff and visitor needs, under one roof and on a smaller more efficient footprint. It will have built-in flexibility so that it can adapt to new demands and, at over 800-beds, have around 25 per cent more inpatient capacity to respond to expected population changes. It will also include spaces to embed research, education and innovation, helping the hospital to continue its longstanding legacy of clinical breakthroughs. Once the new hospital is built on the east of the site, the land that is then surplus to requirements will be redeveloped. As well as helping to offset the building costs, supporting the further expansion of Paddington Life Sciences and contributing to wider community benefits, this approach enables services to remain operational throughout the development. Design work for the hospital and overall masterplan is now underway, with the next phase of public engagement and consultation planned to start in February 2026. There will be a range of opportunities for patients, staff and local communities to help ensure the hospital and wider site are rooted in local priorities and designed around user needs. The Trust is aiming to submit a planning application in spring 2027. Stanhope brings deep expertise in delivering complex urban regeneration, including the redevelopment of BBC Television Centre, the creation of Oxford North – a 1 million square foot hub for science and technology innovation – and, most recently, the British Library extension, which will provide new galleries and learning spaces for the library and 600,000 square feet of commercial accommodation for science and technology organisations. Allies and Morrison is a practice of architects and urbanists with an international reputation for transformative urban regeneration projects including King’s Cross, and masterplans with a specific focus on innovation and healthcare. These include work at Sister – Manchester’s new innovation district; a life sciences cluster around the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel; and at White City for Imperial College London. Matthew Tulley, Redevelopment Director at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said: “This marks a critical step in our journey to finally deliver the urgently needed new St Mary’s, designed around the needs of our patients, staff and local communities. Our approach also builds on our long legacy of clinical breakthroughs, embedding research, education and innovation in the new facilities and surrounding area to help us solve the next generation of health challenges. “I’m delighted that we have such a range of expertise in our project team, each a leader in their own field, to help us bring our vision to life.” David Camp, Chief Executive at Stanhope, commented: “This redevelopment is about more than new buildings – it’s about ensuring future generations have access to world-class care, innovation and inclusive growth. We are therefore proud to be helping deliver a masterplan that puts a new St Mary’s Hospital at its heart, safeguarding NHS care while bringing science, community and opportunity together.” Paul Eaton, Partner at Allies and Morrison, said: “We are looking forward to working with Stanhope and Gillespies to support Imperial College Healthcare in developing its long-term vision for St Mary’s. The masterplan will integrate the new HOK-designed hospital with its Paddington setting, provide a wealth of new connections and public spaces, as well as facilities for health and innovation partners.” Further information St Mary’s has been part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme (formerly the ‘40 New Hospitals by 2030’ initiative) since its inception. Many parts of the St Mary’s estate are over 170 years old, and the Trust currently spends around £10 million per year just on essential repairs alone. Despite this investment, critical infrastructure is increasingly failing. As one of London’s four major trauma centres, significant disruption to St Mary’s services would have very damaging consequences for the capital’s wider health care system. The Trust has developed a detailed, well-evidenced and widely supported case for the redevelopment of the hospital. This includes a new teaching and research hospital with over 800 beds on the eastern side of the site, at an estimated cost of £2.2 billion, as well as redevelopment of the rest of the estate to include expansion of the existing Paddington Life Sciences, the cluster of surrounding life sciences and data companies. However, central government funding from the New Hospitals Programme has been repeatedly delayed and, currently, Imperial College Healthcare has only managed to secure funding to complete design and planning. The main funding for the building works is not currently scheduled to be available until 2035 at the earliest, meaning no new hospital until the early 2040s. In partnership with Westminster City Council, Imperial College London, Imperial Health Charity and local MPs, the Trust has established a taskforce to enable the construction of a new St Mary’s to begin as
Housebuilder secures planning for 100 high-quality homes in Cirencester
Top 10 UK housebuilder, Keepmoat, is working to deliver 100 high-quality new homes as part of a multi-million pound investment to transform land off Spratsgate Lane in Cirencester at The Steadings. The housebuilder secured planning this month to develop the land. The homes, set to be built in Cotswold stone, will make up part of the second phase of the wider scheme, which is set to create 2,350 new homes, together with new education, health, community and leisure facilities. Working in partnership with master developer Bathurst Development Limited and Homes England, Keepmoat is creating a unique mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two to five-bedroom homes. All the homes will feature a mix of energy-saving technology such as air source heat pumps and PV panels. Bathurst Development has completed the delivery of the new primary road, play area and landscaping of the adjoining open green spaces as well as improving local infrastructure. Ben Leather, Regional Managing Director, South West, said: “At Keepmoat, we’re dedicated to creating high-quality, sustainable homes in thriving communities. “Our focus is on creating a well-connected neighbourhood that complements its surroundings whilst meeting the housing requirements of the local community, including delivering high-quality affordable homes. “We look forward to working closely with our partners to progress our plans for a scheme that reflects the character, heritage and long term ambitions of the area.” Peter Cusdin, Development Director at Bathurst Development, added: “Our vision for The Steadings is to be a welcoming and integrated new neighbourhood for Cirencester. “Beautifully designed energy-efficient new homes that integrate modern living with the architectural traditions of the Cotswolds will all be built within a generous open parkland setting so that the whole area becomes somewhere people are proud to live, work and spend their leisure time. “We look forward to working with Keepmoat to bring forward this much-anticipated next phase within The Steadings.” Joe Wharton, Assistant Director – Regional at Homes England, added: “As the government’s housing and regeneration agency, our aim is to work with public and private sector partners to unlock strategic housing sites, and we are committed to supporting Keepmoat to achieve their ambitions. “Funding from Homes England will enable the delivery of 100 high-quality new homes in Cirencester. This is a prime example of how we are working with partners to achieve our mission to build thriving communities that people can be proud to call home.” Following the establishment of Keepmoat’s South West region, the developer is also working on multiple live sites across, including in Swindon, Warminster and Weston-Super-Mare. To find out more about The Steadings, please visit: www.thesteadingscirencester.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
ASWS showcases unrivalled expertise in County Hall window restoration
Associated Steel Window Services (ASWS) carefully selects skilled operatives for its specialist projects, ensuring they are fully prepared for the unique challenges involved. Each team member receives comprehensive training to approach every task with confidence and diligence, supported by the right safety equipment and expert supervision. This commitment to excellence enabled ASWS to deliver outstanding results on projects such as the restoration of 40 distinctive ‘porthole’ and rectangular steel windows overlooking Westminster Bridge. Recently completed, the contract concerned the 5th and 6th floors of The Marriott Hotel which forms part of the iconic County Hall building, once occupied by the Greater London Council (GLC), and where ASWS has undertaken multiple contracts for different clients over the past 30 years. This most recent one was won partly on the basis of its unrivalled experience in the field, but was the first time the company had worked with either the main contractor Red Construction or Studio Loren, which led the design work. Having initially assisted a previous architect with technical advice and preliminary assessments of the damage the ageing steel windows had suffered, ASWS began work on site during the summer of 2023, but had to take multiple breaks due to the complexity of the internal reconfigurations being carried out by Red Construction. Significantly, the difficulty of overhauling and redecorating the 15 crescent-shaped porthole windows at 5th floor level, that included a large central roundel with no opening vents, and the two dozen rectangular windows, mainly measuring 1800 x 2000mm and arranged across both floors, was magnified by it not being possible to scaffold the elevations involved. The Operations Director for ASWS, Kris Bennell, explained: “While we were only decorating the inside of the windows, a lot of them had to be deglazed which, without scaffolding, required special measures and very strict procedures to ensure the work was carried out safely – both for our staff and the public. We have a ‘tool tethering’ system for any of our operatives to use when required; the NLG, or Never Let Go toolbelt secures hammers, screwdrivers or anything else to their bodies using tethers, tapes and lanyards. If the tool does not have an eyehole or other attachment point, a special tape is applied around the handle to secure the cable. It is not just the initial training which all our operatives undergo, but also explaining the importance and managing it on a contract-by-contract basis which results in our excellent safety record going back years. “Not only was it many of the steel frames with their through-glazing bars that were in need of significant repair, but much of the glazing also had to be replaced, while all of the ironmongery had to be demounted. The glass was internally beaded which helped, but being located up on the fifth floor there is obviously a large potential ‘fall zone’ so we had to set up quite a wide exclusion zone on the ground below; while we worked during County Hall’s non-operational hours. The team got in early and worked from 5am before the restaurant below opened, carrying out all the hazardous tasks. In addition, we applied a very strong film across the surfaces of the glass before we broke any of it out.” While the majority of the windows were refurbished in-situ, two which had been isolated for decades by a false wall were found to be very heavily corroded as they took the brunt of the weather off the river. Fortunately, these were demounted from a balcony and removed from site for full restoration: with shot-blasting revealing many parts that required replacement. No longer in production, the Mid-Universal sections had to be fabricated from flat bar and angle lengths in the ASWS workshops and then welded into position. Kris Bennell summed up: “Sequencing was a challenge and managing noise was particularly restricting as, apart from the two floors we were working on, the hotel remained fully occupied. For instance, the principal suite in the Marriott was above us on the 7th floor, and overall, we were limited to a three-hour period every day, before lunch when we could make noise. However, we stuck to our initial quotation, and the different operations were completed in coordination with the other trades.” ASWS offers a full range of survey, repair, replica replacement and maintenance services for all ages and types of metal and timber windows. For more information on ASWS, please visit asws.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals