Prologis to develop GSK’s new global R&D centre at Cambridge Biomedical Campus
GSK has announced plans to open a major new global research and development centre at Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The 300,000 sq ft centre will become home to GSK’s R&D operations in the UK, representing a £400 million investment commitment by the company. Prologis is the development partner for the new centre, which will be located at Discovery Drive on Cambridge Biomedical Campus. The centre is planned across three interconnected buildings – 2000, 3000 and 4000 Discovery Drive. Construction is under way on 2000 Discovery Drive, 3000 Discovery Drive has full planning permission whilst 4000 Discovery Drive recently received planning committee approval, subject to formal planning permission. Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone for Cambridge Biomedical Campus, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s leading life-sciences ecosystems, where biomedical research, patient care, academia and industry come together to support the discovery and development of new medicines. For Prologis, the commitment marks an important milestone in the delivery of Phase 2 expansion at the campus. With 1000 Discovery Drive fully occupied, GSK’s commitment means that Phase 2 will be fully committed once the remaining buildings are delivered. The phase represents $635 million (£500 million) of foreign direct investment by Prologis. The commitment also demonstrates the value of investing ahead of demand in specialist life-sciences infrastructure. By bringing forward high-quality laboratory and research space, Prologis is helping ensure that the infrastructure is available when globally significant organisations choose to establish or expand their operations in the UK. Andrew Blevins, SVP, Life Sciences, Prologis, said: “GSK’s decision is a powerful endorsement of Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the unique ecosystem that has been created here. Prologis invested ahead of demand at Discovery Drive because we believed global life-sciences organisations would continue to choose Cambridge. Having the right specialist infrastructure available allows companies to establish world-class facilities more quickly and strengthens the UK’s ability to compete for internationally significant life-sciences investment.” Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, said: “The UK is a genuine world leader in the life sciences, an industry providing life-saving new treatments to patients, while creating and supporting jobs in postcodes across the country. “This announcement from GSK is yet another vote of confidence in the sector and demonstrates the success of the Government’s Industrial Strategy in unlocking vital private investment into the UK, one year on from the launch of the Life Sciences Sector Plan. “This is great news for the sector and Prologis’ multi-billion pound future investment ambitions at Cambridge Biomedical Campus, demonstrating the success of the life sciences sector in the UK in attracting investment and supporting innovation which will drive discoveries that save and improve lives.” Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “Cambridge Biomedical Campus has become one of Europe’s leading centres for life sciences because it brings together pioneering research, outstanding healthcare and ambitious businesses in one place. GSK’s expanded presence is another vote of confidence in our region and demonstrates the continued appeal of Cambridgeshire as a place where global organisations choose to innovate and grow.” Prologis is working in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council to deliver Phases 3 and 4, with the potential to create a further 2.4 million sq ft of life-sciences space and representing an additional investment ambition of $4 billion (£3 billion) over the next two decades. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CBRE appointed to sell Birmingham’s Old Stock Exchange
The office agency team at leading commercial real estate firm, CBRE, has been appointed to sell the Old Stock Exchange building, located in the heart of Birmingham’s commercial district. Comprising six storeys and a basement, the 26,065 sq ft, self-contained office building is currently vacant and is offered with immediate possession. Featuring flexible and adaptable open plan floorplates, the building could be repositioned into an office, hotel or educational space, already holding use class E and F1(a) Education Planning Consent. Built in 1928, the building was the centre of Birmingham’s stockbroking for almost 60 years, before it was refurbished into offices. The building has retained its heritage with period features throughout, including oak panelled rooms, a feature staircase, and the original banking room. Located in the Colmore Business District, one of the city’s most established business areas, the Old Stock Exchange has a number of amenities, including restaurants, bars and hotels on its doorstep. The location is also under a 10-minute walk to both Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham New Street train stations, where trains to Birmingham Airport take approximately 12 minutes, giving it great connectivity across the UK and beyond. Theo Holmes,head of office agency in the Midlands at CBRE, said: “The Birmingham office market is seeing high demand, with take up in Q1 up 45% on the same period last year. There is a particular focus on Grade A office space, and the Old Stock Exchange is one of the few buildings in the traditional core at this size available freehold. Appealing to a variety of future uses, the buildings flexible open plan layout allowing buyers to tailor the space to their needs, while its heritage and period features lend character, charm and gravitas. “Birmingham is an extremely promising investment opportunity, with a host of regeneration projects announced or underway. The Old Stock Exchange benefits from being within spitting distance of both Central Heart, a vibrant new neighbourhood, and the high-speed rail network, HS2. With top quality space in short supply, we’re expecting a surge of interest on this rare opportunity in Birmingham’s City Centre.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Conlon Construction and Cassidy + Ashton complete £19m Lancaster University Management School transformation
Conlon Construction and Cassidy + Ashton have completed the £19m refurbishment of the East Estate at Lancaster University Management School (LUMS), delivering a fully reconfigured 6,778 sqm, four-storey academic building within a live campus environment. The scheme comprised a full internal strip-out of the existing 1970s structure, including removal of partitions, finishes and all mechanical and electrical services, followed by a complete reconfiguration of the building to deliver modern teaching, research and collaboration spaces, designed by principal architect, Cassidy + Ashton. The completed facility provides new and upgraded seminar and teaching rooms, meeting spaces, breakout and informal study areas, and specialist facilities including a Bloomberg Suite, prayer rooms, café and staff lounge. A new glazed link corridor has also been delivered, connecting the East Estate to the University Spine and West Pavilion, requiring structural alterations and façade modifications. Acting as main contractor, Conlon delivered the works within a constrained live campus environment using a single-point logistics access route, with phased delivery across four floors and multiple concurrent workfaces. Fire-rated hoarding and controlled pedestrian routes were installed throughout to maintain safe segregation between construction areas and university operations. The project involved full replacement and integration of building services, including mechanical and electrical systems, ventilation distribution and electrical infrastructure, alongside connection into Lancaster University’s district heating network. Externally, the building was upgraded with replacement roof coverings, façade repairs, masonry works and new energy-efficient glazing. Internally, the building was fully refurbished with new partitions, acoustic treatments, flooring, ceilings, and doors, alongside installation of a new passenger lift and improved accessibility routes. The refurbishment has created a carbon saving of more than 80 per cent compared to an equivalent new build. This, combined with revised design principles that allow more effective uses of space, has led to an estimated saving of more than 4,700 tonnes of carbon expenditure, equivalent to the carbon produced by more than 400 homes in a year. The scheme was also delivered in line with Conlon Construction’s social value commitments, with a focus on apprenticeships and the use of local labour wherever possible. Guy Parker, managing director and chair of Conlon Construction, said: “It’s fantastic to deliver a project once again with our long-standing partners Cassidy + Ashton, who we have previously worked with on the recent completion of GVS Filter Technology UK’s HQ in Lancaster, as well as a number of education schemes across the region. “This is Conlon’s biggest education scheme to date, making it a special milestone for the business, and it’s particularly rewarding to see it deliver high-quality facilities that will directly support students and young people in our home of Lancashire.” Lawrence McBurney, director and architect at Cassidy + Ashton, said: “We are delighted to see the successful completion of the £19 million refurbishment of Lancaster University Management School, a project that reinforces the University’s position as one of the UK’s leading destinations for business and management education. “Working closely with Lancaster University, Conlon Construction and the wider project team, we have transformed the building into a contemporary, flexible and highly sustainable learning environment that reflects the School’s global reputation for excellence. The refurbished spaces will support world-class teaching, research and collaboration, while enhancing the experience of students, staff and visitors. “We are proud to have helped deliver a facility that matches the ambition, prestige and future vision of Lancaster University Management School.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Vistry and Homes England to deliver 123 new homes and 80-bed care home in Tamworth
Vistry and Homes England have exchanged contracts to regenerate the former South Staffordshire College site on Croft Street, Tamworth, bringing forward plans for 123 new homes and a care home of up to 80 beds in Tamworth following a competitive selection process. Outline planning consent for 123 new homes (including 20% affordable housing) and a care home with up to 80 beds was granted in June 2025. All have had a building for a healthy life assessment which assures the design is independently assessed for liveable neighbourhoods. Demolition of the former college buildings was approved in 2024, with South Staffordshire College relocating to a new facility at St Editha’s Square, Tamworth, in 2025, paving the way for redevelopment. Demolition work, led by Homes England, is now underway and due to complete in summer 2026, at which point Vistry will submit a reserved matters planning application. Dave Bradley, Managing Director for Vistry North Midlands said: “This major regeneration scheme will transform a challenging brownfield site into 123 high-quality, well planned mixed tenure new homes alongside a care home of up to 80 beds. We share the Government’s ambition to deliver homes at pace and scale, and by working closely with Homes England and Tamworth Borough Council we can help create a vibrant, sustainable community that meets local housing needs while bringing investment into the town.” Jo Nugent, Executive Director – Midlands at Homes England, said: “Homes England acquired the college site at Croft Street, Tamworth to part fund the development of the new college campus in Tamworth town centre as well as provide new homes for local people on the Croft Street site. The relocation of the college acted as a catalyst for a town centre regeneration programme led by Tamworth Borough Council to provide better access and more modern educational facilities for the local community. The Croft Street site is ideally situated in a residential area opposite the mainline station and close to Tamworth Town Centre to deliver sustainable new homes for all ages including care home provision.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Over £100m awarded in UK-wide onshore windfarm contracts boost
ScottishPower has awarded contracts totalling a record £102.9million to companies spanning the country in the latest round of support for Britain’s supply chain. Businesses based in the north and south of Scotland, the outskirts of London and in Northern Ireland share the bumper investment, which will create engineering jobs and boost local economies throughout the country. The contracts, which equate to the highest award of its kind to date, will cover the operation and maintenance of 24 of ScottishPower Renewables’ onshore windfarms for the next five years, ensuring they continue to power the country with clean, green energy. ScottishPower Renewables’ Onshore Construction and Operations Director Ross Galbraith said: “Transitioning the country to a cleaner, greener future has so many benefits beyond the environment, and our support for the supply chain throughout the UK is clear evidence of this. “By continuing to invest in our assets, we are giving businesses in the supply chain the confidence to make their own investments, and that results in jobs and other benefits for local communities.” Three of the four companies extend existing relationships with SPR, having already completed successful contracts on a number of windfarms, and the new contracts have allowed them to grow further. Ross Galbraith added: “All of these companies have proven track records in the wind energy sector, and we are proud to be able to build on existing relationships and cultivate new ones which we look forward to being able to grow in the years ahead.” New supplier – Gael Energy Ltd – is based in Invergordon, in the Highlands, and is already experienced in operating windfarms. This played a significant role in the company’s selection, alongside its ability to secure local resources within the area. Gael Energy Founder and Managing Director Hamish Campbell said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this Operations & Maintenance contract and to be supporting another renewable energy project here in the Highlands. “As a business headquartered in the heart of the Highlands, we’ve always believed that having a strong local presence is fundamental to the way we operate. Being close to our customers allows us to respond quickly, build lasting relationships, and invest in the communities where we work. “This contract is another important milestone for Gael Energy, strengthening our growing portfolio of windfarm O&M agreements and reinforcing our commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable services across the region. It also represents another step in our continued growth throughout the Highlands, creating opportunities for our team while supporting the long-term success of Scotland’s renewable energy sector. “We look forward to working closely with ScottishPower Renewables to ensure the wind farm continues to operate safely, efficiently and reliably for years to come.” Everun Limited is headquartered in Belfast and has been working with SPR on its Irish-based assets for the last five years. Having secured major works contracts for a number of SPR sites in Scotland in 2024, Everun has continued to invest, establishing facilities in Glasgow and recruiting a dedicated team. This tender sees Everun adding to the five SPR Northern Ireland/Ireland sites already under O&M, with three new sites covering 97 WTG’s and 15 staff directly supporting its Scotland operations. Everun Managing Director Michael Thompson reflected on a long and deepening relationship with SPR, saying: “The partnership between SPR and Everun has been built over a number of years, setting clear objectives for continuous improvement via investment in staff and infrastructure. “We are delighted to be expanding our operations and look forward to delivering consistent services for SPR into the future.” RES, the world’s largest independent renewable energy company, officially opened its new logistics hub in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, earlier this month. The hub acts as the operational base for a major five-year O&M contract with ScottishPower Renewables covering 15 windfarms, providing logistics support, component refurbishment and specialist technical resource across the portfolio. The contract has created 32 direct jobs, including 16 technicians, taking RES’ total headcount on the contract to close to 100. Simon Deacon, Regional O&M Director, Northern Europe at RES, said: “This contract reflects the long-term, technical partnership we’ve built with ScottishPower Renewables. Our growing team at Bellshill gives us the local capability to support this expanded portfolio safely and efficiently.” Natural Power is based in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. They’ve expanded their SPR portfolio by securing four more windfarms as part of this process, employing 23 people across the sites. Matthew Kelly, Director of Operations and Asset Management at Natural Power, said: “We’re delighted to have strengthened our long-standing relationship with ScottishPower Renewables through this latest contract award. It reflects the confidence in our people, our operational expertise and our ability to safely deliver high-quality services across its onshore wind portfolio. “As a business headquartered in south-west Scotland, we’re particularly proud that this investment supports skilled jobs within local communities while helping maintain the reliable operation of renewable energy assets that are making an important contribution to Scotland’s clean energy ambitions. “We’ve invested in expanding our teams in both Dumfries and Lanark to support the contract, creating new opportunities for skilled engineers and strengthening our operational capability for the future. We look forward to continuing to work closely with ScottishPower Renewables and continuing to support the production of reliable, clean energy.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
UK Construction teams lose eight working weeks a year searching for project information
Poor project data is becoming a significant productivity challenge for UK construction, with teams losing the equivalent of more than eight working weeks a year searching for fragmented information.1 New data from a survey of construction professionals by Procore and Dodge Construction Network found that alongside searching for information, 28% of project time on average is lost to rework – partly down to a lack of real-time visibility and teams working from outdated documentation and drawings, leading to issues further down the project lifecycle. Often, financial and project data is spread across multiple unlinked systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platforms, Building Information Modelling (BIM) platforms, function-specific software solutions, email chains, spreadsheets, site records, and outdated drawings. As a result of these productivity drains, as much as a quarter of project value (25%) is lost through disconnected delivery. Recent reporting from RICS also identifies documentation, scheduling and coordination, and changes and variations as some of the biggest barriers to productivity across the UK construction sector – all of which are impacted by project data. “Construction is under constant pressure to deliver more with fewer people, tighter programmes and increasing complexity. Yet too much time is still spent searching for information instead of making decisions,” said Brett King, Director of Industry Transformation, EMEA, Procore. “The real opportunity is to connect everyone involved in a project, from the boardroom to the site, through the same live project information. When leaders and project teams have the same visibility, communication improves, decisions are made faster and issues can be addressed before they become costly problems. It’s not just about connecting data. It’s about connecting people.” The research suggests that tackling fragmented project information can significantly reduce many of these issues. Respondents using a Connected Data Environment (CDE), which brings project information together in a single system, reported better collaboration between office and site teams. As a result, 92% of construction teams reported improved data accuracy, while the same proportion said miscommunication errors had fallen. The findings suggest that the biggest gains come not just from digitising information, but from giving every project team access to the same reliable data and a more consistent way of working. Nearly half (49%) of construction teams said they reduced the cost of additional work that couldn’t be billed because of poor documentation or delayed approvals by between 21% and 30% after implementing a CDE. Respondents also reported improvements in day-to-day project delivery. Nearly all (97%) said project data was more visible and actionable, while 92% reported spending less time on manual administration and data reconciliation, enabling faster decision making and reducing the need for duplicate work. Those efficiencies also led to additional capacity being made available. More than half (57%) of respondents said they were able to manage between 21% and 30% more construction work without increasing headcount. About the research This report is based on survey data commissioned by Procore and collected by Dodge Data & Analytics from 688 construction professionals across the UK and Ireland – including Main Contractors, owners, and subcontractors. The study was conducted to investigate the return on investment that clients and contractors experience from their use of construction management software. 1 – Construction professionals surveyed by Procore and Dodge estimated that 18% of project time is lost searching for data. Assuming an average of 240 days per year are spent working, and a five-day working week, this is the equivalent to 43 working days, or 8.6 working weeks per year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals