Prologis announces cutting edge new development at DIRFT
Prologis UK, a leading property developer, investor and owner, has secured planning approval for a 107,000 sq ft distribution centre at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT), the UK’s largest inland freight hub. Construction works will begin in January 2026, paving the way for DC107 to be ready for occupation from August of that year. A distinctive new building for DIRFT The rail-linked new development will use a contemporary architectural approach that pushes the boundaries of logistics design. Features include a glazed south-facing external balcony and full-width bifold doors, integrating the outdoors with the internal work environment to support placemaking and wellbeing. The building will also target EPC A+ and BREEAM Outstanding. Enhanced Fit-Out for speed and efficiency Built on a speculative basis, DIRFT DC107 will include LED lighting and fire alarm systems alongside optimised racking options that can be provided by Prologis Essentials. Launched in 2025, Prologis’ Enhanced Fit-Out programme offers market leading “ready-to-operate” logistics facilities, saving customers time and money on design and installation of key high-level and long lead time elements. Building off the success of the enhanced fit-out campaign delivered during 2025, DC107 will come ready to operate from day one. Digital connectivity built in from day one DC107 will include high-quality, resilient digital infrastructure to support robust and scalable connectivity. Targeting WiredScore Gold, with Wi-Fi installed from day one, customers can plug and play immediately, helping save valuable operational time. This new approach aligns with Prologis UK’s commitment to improving and streamlining the customer experience for businesses of all sectors and sizes. James Hemstock, Vice President Capital Deployment at Prologis UK, said: “At just over 100,000 sq ft this unit’s size is quite a rarity at DIRFT, and offers the market a distinctive proposition. With a clear focus on developing logistics real estate in the most desirable locations, Prologis aims to meet growing demand and changing industry needs. The wide range of customers at DIRFT shows that the site offers a best-in-class logistics location for businesses needing to reach every corner of the UK efficiently and we anticipate that this new development will generate a high level of interest.” Design approach DC107 is a modern logistics facility designed by Stephen George + Partners (SGP) on behalf of Prologis UK. Tariq Khan, Studio Director at SGP, said: “This unit represents contemporary logistics design, where future proofing functionality, architectural quality and customer experience work hand in hand. Our approach focused on creating a building that not only performs efficiently but also enhances everyday wellbeing, with features helping to elevate the overall working environment.” DIRFT’s strategic location With three build-to-suit projects on site and further infrastructure being delivered, DC107 will complete the northern gateway to DIRFT with a statement building. DIRFT is strategically positioned at the UK’s centre of logistics (M1/M6/A14), with the added benefit of three on-site rail freight terminals. Recent leases at DIRFT include a 1.3 million sq. ft. build to suit development for M&S and a 327,689 sq. ft speculative unit for GXO. Paul Weston, Regional Head of Prologis UK, said: “This has been an exceptional year for DIRFT. With construction and planning progressing well across the remainder of Phase III, DC107 marks our first speculative development onsite for some time and is our only available building at the park. We’re planning on bringing more positive news to the market in 2026 as we build on our strong momentum.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Railpen completes state-of-the-art Rotunda office space in Camden’s Jamestown Courtyard development
Railpen, manager of the £34bn railways pension scheme in the UK, has completed the renovation of the Rotunda, a Grade II-listed former piano factory, into state-of-the-art offices at its Jamestown Courtyard development in London’s Camden neighbourhood. Jamestown Courtyard, the 45,000 sq ft development comprised of seven heritage buildings, now has only two floors to let in the completed Rotunda: the 4,054 sq ft courtyard floor and the 4,742 sq ft third floor. The Rotunda – which provides panoramic, 360-degree views across Regents Park, Camden Lock and Central London – is a four-minute walk from Camden Town tube station and an eight-minute cycle to King’s Cross and St Pancras International stations. As a key anchor to the development, the Rotunda is a character-rich workspace, creating the ideal, open-plan structure environment for the likes of architecture firms, production and studio companies, and other creative industry professionals. Railpen is also committed to enhancing the wider public realm of Jamestown Courtyard, adding greenery and seating to create a space that the local community wants to spend time in, and drive growth for nearby retailers and hospitality operators. The Rotunda is already home to a range of tenants, including Acamar Films on the ground floor, while building services consultants Max Fordham occupy the first and second floors. The completion of the Rotunda is complemented by 12 Oval Road, also part of Railpen’s Jamestown Courtyard development, being fully let, following the lease renewal of music management company, Trinifold. Emily Atkinson, Asset and Transaction Manager at Railpen, said: “Across our entire UK portfolio, we are dedicated to developing standout, state-of-the-art office developments, and the Rotunda at Jamestown Courtyard is absolutely no exception. The blend of history and modernity, as well as its proximity to Central London and other major landmarks, reflects our commitment to supporting the evolving needs of modern occupiers, offering flexibility, character and a strong sense of place within a vibrant community. “This project is a key part of our wider office strategy to create well-designed, sustainable workplaces that support how people want to work today and in the future, creating lasting value for both occupiers and the wider community.” Alasdair Reid, Director at Max Fordham, said: “The Rotunda at Jamestown Courtyard really is something unique. Whether it’s the prime location, spectacular views or characterful interiors, we are proud to call it our home. Railpen positively engaged with our wishes for a much-improved environmental performance, and they have delivered a state-of-the-art office asset within this wonderful historic building. We look forward to welcoming our new neighbours in the near future.” Jamestown Courtyard forms just one of Railpen’s office developments in London and the wider UK, sitting alongside the recently launched 101 Bayham Street, which is also situated close by in Camden, as well as 125 Wood Street in the heart of the city, 4 Coleman Street, which is being delivered in Q2 2026, and the upcoming refurbishment of Red Lion Square in Holborn. Its portfolio also includes 11 assets across Cambridge, including Mill Yard and Botanic Place, both of which are under construction, and Multistory in Birmingham. JLL and Edward Charles & Partners are the leasing agents on Jamestown Courtyard. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Brogan Group and Alimak Group Form Strategic Alliance to Deliver the CAS Common Tower and Atlas Gantries Worldwide
Brogan Group, owner of the CAS Common Tower and Atlas gantry systems, has entered into a strategic alliance with Alimak Group’s Construction Division. The partnership brings together Brogan’s proprietary CAS technology with Alimak’s global sales and rental network, giving clients worldwide access to fully integrated vertical access solutions that improve safety, efficiency and project delivery. As part of this alliance, the CAS Common Tower and Atlas gantries—built on CAS technology—will now be available through Alimak’s international contracts and operations, working in tandem with Alimak’s hoists and transport platforms to create a fully coordinated vertical access system. The CAS Common Tower is engineered for high-rise projects, while Atlas gantries are well-suited to low-rise applications, including data centres and street gantries. This provides project teams with a single, integrated solution, supported by Brogan’s design expertise and Alimak’s global service footprint. CAS Common Tower: Safer, Smarter, More Efficient The CAS Common Tower centralises hoisting operations on high-rise projects, allowing multiple hoists to serve a single access point. This improves logistics, maximises the use of limited ground space, and accelerates façade installation. By reducing reliance on cranes and minimising the need for working at height, it also enhances site safety and speeds up project delivery. CAS’s design team works closely with client engineers from the earliest stages of a project to configure hoist and tower layouts that maximise space and minimise structural impact. Atlas Gantries: Innovation for Industrial and Data Centre Projects Atlas gantries complement the CAS Common Tower by providing a faster, safer alternative to scaffold gantries. Particularly suited to industrial and data centre projects, they offer significant advantages where tie-in points are limited or where large, fragile plant components must be installed quickly and securely. Alimak Portfolio and Digital Advantage Alimak Group’s Construction Division contributes a broad portfolio of vertical access solutions, including hoists, mast climbing work platforms, and transport platforms. Its digital platform, My Alimak, supports fleet management with real-time diagnostics, location tracking, BIM integration, and advanced safety tools — ensuring maximum uptime and streamlined asset management. “This alliance marks a step change for the industry,” said Wayne Smith, Director at Brogan Group. “The CAS Common Tower has already transformed project delivery on some of the world’s most complex builds. By combining that technology with Alimak’s global network, clients everywhere can now access safer, smarter and more efficient vertical access solutions as part of their projects.” “Alimak Group and CAS have a long history of working together,” said Cameron Reid, Sales Director at Alimak Group’s Construction Division. “This agreement reflects our continued commitment to safe, efficient vertical access and outstanding customer service in high-rise construction.” This alliance underscores both companies’ commitment to advancing safety, efficiency and service in vertical access, supporting the successful delivery of complex construction projects across the globe. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Paloma Capital and Graftongate secure pre-let at new £25m Bedford Trade Park
Private equity real estate investor Paloma Capital and its development partner Graftongate have announced the pre-let of the first unit at Bedford Trade Park, a new £25 million trade and mid-box scheme on the Elm Farm Industrial Estate. Aetna UK has signed for Unit 300, a 24,886 sq ft development fronting Caxton Road, which will be occupied by its end-of-line packaging machinery brand, Robopac. The new scheme comprising 10 Grade A industrial and trade units ranging from 3,663–41,711 sq ft will be built to a modern, energy-efficient specification, targeting EPC A+ and BREEAM Excellent. Each unit can be taken individually or combined, offering flexibility to meet a wide range of occupier requirements. Detailed planning consent has been secured and construction is scheduled to commence in Q1 2026 with occupation available from Q3 2026. Further pre-let interest is being sought on units of up to 42,000 sq ft. Unit 300 will include a state-of-the-art Tech Lab, inspired by the Aetna Group TechLab in Italy. The facility will allow products to be tested and refined for wrapping quality and load stability, and will be fully connected to the Group’s global network of TechLabs. A spokesperson for Aetna UK said that the new premises will strengthen its long-term commitment to the UK market and enhance services for customers nationwide. They added: “This investment ensures we can deliver faster support, greater technical capability, and an improved customer experience. The facility will expand parts availability and engineering resources, and provide modern spaces for demonstrations, trials and training, reinforcing Aetna UK’s focus on delivering world-class end-of-line packaging solutions.” Tim Harding of Colliers who advised Paloma and Graftongate on the transaction said: “This pre-let represents a fantastic example of investment from an existing Bedfordshire-based occupier in the local economy to support their long-term growth ambitions. The remainder of the forthcoming scheme will provide much needed Grade A stock in the supply starved Bedford market.” Situated on a 5.77-acre plot, Bedford Trade Park benefits from a prominent roadside location adjacent to the A4280 dual carriageway. It has excellent transport links, lying c.six miles from the A1 and 15 miles from Junction 13 of the M1, and offers a direct rail connection to St Pancras International via Bedford Station. The development marks the fourth collaboration between Paloma Capital and Graftongate, following Banbury 200, Exeter Trade Park, and Urban Logistics, Tottenham. For more information about Bedford Trade Park, contact joint letting agents Colliers and Cushman & Wakefield. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Engineers scale iconic Liverpool tower for after-dark inspections
Technicians suspended nearly 140 metres in the air carried out tests on the concrete and steel of St Johns Beacon in Liverpool using specialist rope access techniques. RSK Group company CAN Structures was contracted to carry out a defect survey and concrete testing of the iconic Grade II listed communications tower following previous inspections in 2011 and 2015. Work was carried out on the 138-metre-high St Johns Beacon, originally built in 1969, through the night over the course of nine days so that the streets below could be closed during the works. CAN Project Manager Louis Thomas said: “We carried out acoustic hammer tests – tap tests – on the entire concrete façade of the tower. Defects were recorded and depth of carbonation and covermeter tests were taken. The steelwork at the top of the tower and the windows to the ‘doughnut’ also received a full visual inspection. “Access to the underside of the ‘doughnut’ proved particularly challenging. Initial access was gained through lighting openings on the underside of the tower, and we then put up rigging between the adjacent openings. The staging platform we call ‘CAN-Span’ was then winched up from ground level to enable technicians to get within touching distance of the underside of the tower to carry out their inspections.” Louis explained that, for safety, a considerable cordon was necessary. Several roads, footpaths and pedestrian areas within an extended footprint of the tower were closed by Liverpool City Council. Munroe K Asset Management manages the building. Director Roger Fulford said: “The Beacon tower is iconic in Liverpool and, like all buildings, needs to be inspected and maintained. For most buildings, the view while doing so is significantly less dramatic. The information gathered during this inspection will be used to assess maintenance schedules and inform us of the condition of the structure so that it can be future-proofed, ensuring it remains an integral part of the city’s skyline for many years to come.” St Johns Beacon is a notable feature of the city’s skyline and a popular destination for tourists, with the building’s first floor giving visitors 360° panoramic views of the city. It was refurbished between 1999 and 2000 and has been used as a revolving restaurant, a communications tower, offices and a tourist site. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hortons expands portfolio with acquisition of 132,000 sq ft Leamington Spa campus
Hortons has strengthened its Midlands portfolio with the acquisition of a 12.8-acre, fully-let research, development and manufacturing facility in Leamington Spa. The campus-style development, located off the A425 Southam Road at Radford Semele, comprises 132,569 sq ft across three buildings, including a manufacturing facility, a hi-tech warehouse unit and an office building. The site is let to UK-based engineering consultancy Ricardo plc on a long-term lease. Ricardo, which was recently acquired by global professional services firm WSP, has occupied the campus for more than 25 years and has made significant ongoing investment in the premises, including a comprehensive ESG-focused upgrade programme. The acquisition supports Hortons’ strategy of broadening its geographical footprint and sector exposure, and follows several recent industrial/logistics acquisitions across the Midlands. Steve Benson, chief executive of Hortons, said: “Securing this high quality, long established site represents another important step in diversifying our portfolio, both geographically and by sector. Ricardo is a long-standing and well invested occupier, and we look forward to supporting their continued presence on the estate, as well as exploring opportunities to enhance the facility further.” Hortons was advised by Atlas Real Estate and Gateley. James Madill, real estate partner at Gateley Legal, led the transaction alongside real estate solicitor Amanda Matyjaszczyk. He commented: “It’s really encouraging to see the completion of this significant acquisition — the second in a short period of time — as we continue our long standing relationship with Hortons. “Gateley delivered multi-disciplinary advice on a range of real estate, construction, tax and planning matters, as well as GIS support from Gateley Hamer. This acquisition was completed to an accelerated timetable and was a real team effort from all involved.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals