Willmott Dixon secures £61m DfE contract to rebuild The Mosslands School in Wallasey
Three-storey building will enhance opportunities in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Willmott Dixon has been appointed by the Department for Education (DfE), on behalf of The Mosslands School in Wallasey, to deliver a £61m programme of works to create a new, state-of-the-art secondary school. Designed by Ellis Williams Architects, the 19-acre redevelopment will accommodate 1,500 pupils, providing modern and flexible learning environments. The new three-storey building will support high-quality education and enhanced opportunities in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Once complete, the existing school buildings will be demolished. The redevelopment will also include improved external facilities, featuring two sports halls, a replacement all-weather sports pitch, a multi-use games area, a new car park and cycle parking, enhancing the school environment and opportunities for sport and extracurricular activities for the community. Supporting the DfE’s and Academy’s sustainability ambitions, the new campus will be Net Zero Carbon in Operation (NZCIO), reflecting the school’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Low-carbon technologies will include photovoltaic panels, air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps. The project is expected to complete in 2028 and represents a significant long-term investment in the education of current and future pupils at The Mosslands School and the wider Wallasey community. Mike Poole-Sutherland, North West Director at Willmott Dixon: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the DfE and The Mosslands School on this landmark new school. Creating a contemporary, sustainable school that will provide inspiring learning environments for up to 1,500 pupils is something we are extremely proud to be delivering. This new campus will benefit students, staff and the wider community for years to come and we’re pleased to be playing our part in making this happen.” Mr Whiteley, headteacher at the Mosslands School: “This is a building that the students and community of Wallasey deserve. It will transform the learning environment and open up a world of possibilities for our students. It also builds on the proud history we have in providing technological excellence and we are delighted that the DfE recognises the importance of this in a modern education setting. “Equally, we are committed to ensuring that the building provides opportunity for community engagement and education and are grateful that we have been granted a building that enables us to do so.” Dominic Williams, Project Director at Ellis Williams Architects: “We are delighted that our design for Mosslands will be realised for both the School and the community. We hope the wide range of exciting spaces including a dramatic central atrium, flexible theatre, sports halls and a design technology zone will provide an aspiration to all the users.” Creating a meaningful impact and long-term legacy in Wallasey, Willmott Dixon and its local supply chain partners will support 20 T-Level students, deliver over 200 apprenticeship weeks and engage with local community projects. The project was secured through the DfE Construction Framework High Value Band Lot 1 & 2 and reflects Willmott Dixon’s strong track record in education delivery, with £700 million secured to date on the current DfE framework. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Coalville masterplan progresses as over 55s scheme gets go-ahead
Planning permission has been granted for a new, 77-bed development in Coalville, specifically designed for over-55s, representing a major step forward in the town’s masterplan. Multi-disciplinary design practice, rg+p Ltd has secured planning consent for the redevelopment of land next to Baker Street in the North Leicestershire town. Working with Geda Construction for Trent & Dove, the practice has designed a proposal that will transform disused and vacant industrial land into a contemporary development to meet the growing housing needs of our ageing population. Made up of 77 one- and two-bed affordable social rent apartments, the project also features residents’ lounges, guest accommodation, lobby, office space, buggy store, parking and extensive landscaping, including a spectacular sunken garden. rg+p’s design was inspired by Coalville’s industrial heritage, as lead architect, Sarah Grocock explains: “Our material choices focused on red brick and clay tiles to provide a connection with Coalville’s industrial past, but the design introduces familiar shapes such as feature gables to soften the scheme and give it a residential feel. “Different streetscapes define character areas throughout the building and help signal the transition between public, semi-private and private space. We also sought to harness the level change within the site to create meaningful amenity space, with the sunken garden providing a focal point for this,” adds Sarah. The approved scheme includes new access arrangements, including an extension of Linden Way which North West Leicestershire District Council received funding to provide, sustainable drainage systems and high-quality landscaping that will deliver a significant biodiversity net gain. It will also provide built-in, permanent nest brick and bat roost brick features, bee bricks and invertebrate hibernaculum. Sarah continues: “Securing planning permission for this site represents a significant milestone for our work on the wider Coalville masterplan, which also encompasses the neighbouring Wolsey Road development. “A ProCon Award finalist last year, Wolsey Road has already delivered 77 high quality, affordable homes and helped established a thriving new community in the town. It’s therefore exciting that this latest consent allows us to build on that success and continue to play a meaningful role in Coalville’s ongoing regeneration,” concludes Sarah. Charlie Riley, Development Director, Trent & Dove adds: “rg+p’s design for this brownfield site will connect seamlessly with the wider regeneration and retain a sense of individuality. They have been aligned with our vision for this development, and we look forward to delivering much-needed homes and employment opportunities for the town.” Construction at Baker Street is expected to start soon. The wider project team includes Arcadis (Employer’s Agent); BSP Consulting (Civil, Structure and Highways Engineer); Langcroft (Developer) and William Saunders (Highways Engineer – Link Road). Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
RICS and global partners launch CLEAR to align whole-life carbon reporting across built environment
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has announced the launch of the Coalition for Life Cycle Emissions Alignment and Reporting (CLEAR);a global initiative designed to harmonise the measurement and reporting of whole-life carbon emissions across the global built environment. CLEAR is being launched at the Sustainable Buildings and Construction Summit held on April 20-22, 2026 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Bringing together leading organisations from across the sector, CLEAR has been established to create a more consistent and trusted approach to whole-life carbon assessment, improve confidence in carbon data and support faster progress towards decarbonisation targets. Human-generated greenhouse gas emissions remain a major driver of environmental, social and economic challenges, including rising global temperatures and biodiversity loss. The built environment is responsible for a significant share of those emissions, spanning both embodied and operational carbon. Yet despite growing recognition of the need for whole-life carbon measurement, fragmented and inconsistent methodologies continue to make it difficult for industry and policymakers to compare results, benchmark performance and make informed decisions. CLEAR aims to address that challenge by aligning how whole-life carbon emissions from buildings and infrastructure are measured and reported across different markets and jurisdictions. The initiative will analyse existing approaches, identify points of difference and develop a globally relevant framework for assessment and reporting. It will also support the sector through practical tools, technical resources and an online platform designed to build capability and encourage adoption. RICS is a founder of the coalition and will play a leading role in delivering the initiative alongside its co-founders, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Global Building Data Initiative (GBDI), as well as sponsor Autodesk. It will work with key industry collaborators including AECOM, Arcadis, Autodesk, Avison Young, Heidelberg Materials, Morgan Sindall, Once For All, OneClickLCA, Turner & Townsend, and we2sure. The coalition builds on existing industry leadership and recognised standards, including RICS’ whole-life carbon assessment guidance, as well as the International Cost Management Standards and International Property Measurement Standards. It also draws on RICS’ experience in supporting data transparency through initiatives such as the Built Environment Carbon Database. CLEAR is intended to bring together organisations from across the value chain, including standard setters, industry coalitions, developers and owners, manufacturers, software providers, investors and specialists in carbon measurement and reporting. Through this collaborative model, the coalition aims to strengthen trust in whole-life carbon practices and help support public-interest outcomes through greater consistency and transparency. In its first year, CLEAR will focus on coalition building, analysing existing whole-life carbon assessment methodologies and developing resources that can be used by both industry and policy stakeholders. The long-term ambition is to support a harmonised global framework that enables more effective reporting, stronger benchmarking and more confident carbon-related decision-making across the built environment. “The choices we make now will impact generations to come. The CLEAR initiative is a timely measure that will create shared trust, inspire confidence in carbon reporting, and empower the sector to shape a resilient, low‑carbon future.” – Nick Maclean, RICS President “We see early signals of real estate markets adopting Whole Life Carbon approaches to manage transition risk and drive decarbonization strategies, driven by investor demand, emerging city planning requirements, and industry calling for consistent and comparable carbon assessment as a demand driver for low-carbon solutions. While these approaches will be developed and adopted nationally and regionally, based on local needs and realities, it is important to ensure consistency and comparability of assessments, as well as ease of use for widescale adoption. CLEAR will provide the blueprints and guidance to move Whole Life Carbon from early adoption to scale.” – Roland Hunziker, Director Built Environment, WBCSD “Sustainability is a data problem – and the built environment is where that problem is most urgent and most solvable. But progress requires a common foundation: shared standards, consistent measurement, and carbon embedded in design decisions from day one. That’s why Autodesk is committed to supporting the standards and initiatives like CLEAR, bringing the industry together around what matters most, and make it possible to measure, compare, and improve at scale.” – Joe Speicher, Chief Sustainability Officer, Autodesk “The CLEAR initiative is a timely and important opportunity to align carbon assessment and reporting across the built environment – and GBDI is excited to support it! Together with the CLEAR partners, we are looking forward to further developing the open building data format (OpenBDF) and advancing this global standard for easy, open exchange of building material inventory and life cycle impact data.” – Dr. Martin Röck, GBDI Executive Director Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction procurement enters new era following YPO and Pagabo partnership
PUBLIC sector procurement leaders YPO and Pagabo have formed a 10-year strategic delivery partnership that will see resources, reputation and expertise combined to establish a new benchmark for construction procurement. YPO is one of the UK’s largest public sector buying organisations, while Pagabo is the UK’s leading digital procurement specialist that manages a suite of frameworks across the construction, infrastructure, development and consultancy sectors. This long-term initiative brings together the scale and trust of YPO with the delivery expertise of Pagabo, to transform how complex construction projects are procured and delivered across the public sector. The partnership will bring new procurement options to the market, starting in the coming weeks with framework agreements catering for construction, infrastructure and development. Under the partnership, a series of new framework agreements will see YPO as the centralised procurement authority, while Pagabo will be responsible for design, delivery and ongoing management. Amman Boughan, group CEO at Pagabo, said: “Everything that we do at Pagabo furthers our mission to make procurement easier, quicker and more effective, and we’re confident that this new delivery partnership with YPO is a major step forward for both organisations. “Data-driven, digital procurement is positively shaking things up in the public sector already. Now, through YPO’s widespread trust and reach, and our digital-first delivery approach, we can establish a best-in-class proposition together that ensures procurement is a force for good in the public sector. With widespread capital expenditure entering the market to improve the lives of people across the UK, it’s essential that procurement is recognised as an able delivery vehicle for new infrastructure as well as social value, local growth and environmental improvements.” The partnership has been formed little more than one year on from the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023, which is still a source of caution and uncertainty for public sector organisations. Combining extensive experience and expertise in procurement management, compliance and value, YPO and Pagabo will be working together to tackle common public sector challenges including regulation complexity, delivery pressures and capacity constraints. At the same time as providing simple, fast and compliant routes to market, the two organisations will support public sector organisations by ensuring that procurement delivers measurable social value and sustainability outcomes. In practice, this means supporting local economies and supply chains, increasing skills and employment opportunities, contributing to environmental improvements, and promoting ethical procurement. Michelle Walker, head of procurement services at YPO, said: “With Pagabo, we’ve established a market-leading delivery partnership to ensure procurement is a catalyst for real-world outcomes. As we continue our own evolution, which further develops the construction, infrastructure and development sectors, this partnership is a significant move. “We were already aware of the excellent reputation that Pagabo maintains in the construction sector, but the rigorous tender process that led to the formation of this partnership was further evidence of their attention to detail and commitment to impact. As this new collective chapter has come to fruition, every effort has been made to successfully ensure that we share values and ambitions that will enable us to support the public sector with faster and smarter delivery of new infrastructure.” To learn more about Pagabo, visit www.pagabo.co.uk To learn more about YPO, visit www.ypo.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
UK construction loses sight of recovery in the fog of war
Glenigan Review reveals choked activity as international conflict strangles pipeline Today, Glenigan | A Hubexo Company (Glenigan), one of the construction industry’s leading insight and intelligence experts, releases the April 2026 edition of its Construction Review. The Review focuses on the three months to the end of March 2026, covering all major (>£100m) and underlying (<£100m) projects, with all underlying figures seasonally adjusted. It’s a report providing a detailed and comprehensive analysis of year-on-year construction data, giving built environment professionals a unique insight into sector performance over the past year. The April Review paints a bleak picture of an industry buffeted by frustratingly persistent socioeconomic headwinds. The poor project starts figures, recorded in the three months to the end of March 2026, fell back 6%, whilst nosediving by 20% on 2025 levels. Glenigan’s data shows activity becoming increasingly uneven sector-wide and, whilst main contract awards rose against the preceding quarter (+30%) and last year (+3%), fewer projects are actually making it to site. As such, these positive results ring hollow. This cooling-off is acutely observed in a significant decline in detailed planning approvals, which saw their value slashed in half (-51%) compared to 2025 levels, falling by almost a third (-29%) during the review period. Global markets are in a state of shock, prompted by the escalation of the US/Iran war, which has led to the closure of key trading routes, damaging investor confidence. This is likely to exacerbate the current downward spiral over the coming months. Commenting on the April Review, Allan Wilen, Glenigan’s Economics Director, says, “Private investment and consumer spend has stalled. A general increase in the cost of living is squeezing household spending and denting homebuyers’ confidence, while investors are cautious given the weak economic outlook, stifling potential momentum in the property market and resulting in general wariness. The Iran War is exacerbating these pressures by stoking inflation and further weakening economic growth. Unfortunately, this situation is unlikely to end in the near term, with energy costs expected to remain high this year and the prospect of interest rates cuts fading fast. “This growing culture of cautiousness is extending to contractors, subcontractors and product manufacturers alike, where higher oil prices are starting to cascade down the supply chain, raising energy, material, transport and on-site costs. Already battling against uncomfortable financial conditions, skills shortages and a deluge of complex regulations, it’s little wonder that many are keeping their powder dry until economic stability returns.” Drilling down into the sector verticals, performance was inconsistent, in line with the overall findings of the April Review. Despite remaining well behind the preceding quarter’s results, there were a few indicators that show, when measured against 2025 levels, activity hasn’t completely ground to a halt and the pipeline flow, whilst weak, is still active. Taking a closer look… Strong starts According to Glenigan data, Offices, Hotel & Leisure and Education stood out during the quarter, registering strong year-on-year growth in project starts. Offices led the way with a 75% surge, while Hotel & Leisure and Education both posted 31% increases, a broadly positive picture against a backdrop of wider market uncertainty. That said, forward-looking indicators were more cautious across Office and Hotel & Leisure, with main contract awards and detailed planning approvals declining year-on-year in each case, suggesting the pipeline may soften in the months ahead. Within Offices, growth was broad-based, with the value of major projects rising by 84% year-on-year. Data centre construction has been a key driver, though the sector faces headwinds from rising industrial electricity costs and grid-connection delays, illustrated by the indefinite pause on OpenAI’s Stargate UK scheme in North Tyneside. In Hotel & Leisure, indoor leisure facilities and cinemas and theatres were the standout performers, rising 133% and 186% respectively, while hotels and guest houses fell 30%. Education continued to benefit from the Schools Rebuilding Programme, with schools dominating activity and university schemes contributing meaningfully, though college projects declined. Regionally, London dominated Office activity with starts up by 124% year-on-year, boosted by a major data centre scheme. The South West surged 15-fold. In Hotel & Leisure, Scotland led with a 205% rise, closely followed by London and the South West, which quadrupled year-on-year. Education starts were also strongest in London, with Scotland also making a solid contribution driven by public-sector investment. It’s a deal Two sectors registered a rise in main contract awards against 2025 levels during the quarter: Housing and Civil Engineering. Housing delivered a 41% increase year-on-year, while Civils posted an 11% rise, encouraging signals for future workloads in both sectors. The picture was more complex beneath the surface, however, with project starts declining in both cases and planning approvals remaining under pressure, particularly in Civils where approvals fell 81% year-on-year. In Housing, the uplift in starts was driven largely by major projects, with social sector housing the dominant force, up 230% year-on-year and accounting for 41% of all starts. Private housing and private apartments, by contrast, fell 44% and 50% respectively. The outlook is cautiously optimistic but fragile, with global instability and early signs of softening house prices (including a decline reported by Halifax) suggesting the recovery may be short-lived. In Civils, energy schemes remained a significant component despite falling below last year’s levels. Airport-related infrastructure recorded growth, albeit from a low base, and future investment in road, rail and utilities infrastructure is expected to provide a firmer foundation from 2026/27. Regionally, Yorkshire & the Humber dominated housing project starts, substantially driven by major social housing heating works in Leeds, while London was the second most active region, despite a moderate decline. In Civils, London led project starts, rising 143%, while Scotland accounted for the largest share of planning approvals at 20%, though activity there fell 39% year-on-year. Northern Ireland recorded sharp approval growth of 903%, pointing to potential future activity in the region. Seal of approval Glenigan’s data highlights that Health, Retail and Community & Amenity shared a common thread during the quarter: while project starts and main contract awards declined year-on-year
Shawbrook provides £33m refinance facility for diversified UK commercial property portfolio
Shawbrook has successfully delivered a £33 million refinance facility through its Structured Real Estate team, supporting a diversified portfolio of 20 commercial assets located across 19 towns in the UK. The transaction marks a new-to-bank relationship with an established UK property investor and highlights Shawbrook’s ability to structure tailored financing solutions for complex, multi-asset portfolios. The portfolio comprises more than 80 leases across a broad mix of commercial uses, offering significant diversification. While a limited number of assets fall within sectors such as cinemas and bingo halls, these are balanced by the scale of the portfolio and a robust asset management strategy. The borrower has also demonstrated a clear and credible business plan, supporting both ongoing performance and Shawbrook’s long-term exit strategy. The five-year facility has been structured with a repayment profile aligned to anticipated cash flows, ensuring flexibility while maintaining strong risk discipline. The investor is a well-capitalised UK property company backed by an experienced sponsor and a proven asset management team. Asset management is led by Capreon, which oversees more than £1.5 billion of European real estate. Capreon’s extensive experience across market cycles provides confidence in the delivery of the portfolio’s business plan, including value-enhancing initiatives and planned disposals. This transaction aligns strongly with Shawbrook’s credit appetite and demonstrates the bank’s capability to understand and support complex real estate strategies while maintaining a disciplined approach to risk. Robert Mackenzie-Carmichael, Managing Director at Capreon, said: “We are delighted to have partnered with the Shawbrook team on this financing. Their commercial approach and collaborative mindset stood out. Shawbrook demonstrated a strong understanding of the assets and our business plan, delivering a flexible and well-structured financing solution aligned with our long-term strategy. We look forward to expanding the relationship as we continue to grow and actively manage this and our wider portfolios.” Tirath Singh, Relationship Director at Shawbrook Structured Real Estate, added: “This project highlights our structuring capabilities in coordinating so many moving parts. It demonstrates how we were able to deliver a fully tailored solution that aligned seamlessly with the portfolio’s asset management plan.” Shawbrook looks forward to building on this new relationship and supporting the borrower, sponsor and Capreon on future opportunities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals