£70m One Founders Place Office Scheme Set to Transform Newcastle City Centre
Plans have been submitted for a landmark office development at Newcastle’s £70 million One Founders Place regeneration scheme, marking the next major phase in the transformation of one of the city’s most historic industrial sites. Submitted by Founders Place LLP, a joint venture between igloo and Newcastle City Council, the proposals centre on a striking 12-storey, 185,000 sq ft Grade A office building designed by acclaimed architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM). The development is intended to deliver high-quality, sustainable workspace while creating a vibrant mixed-use destination that blends modern commercial accommodation with new public realm and heritage-led regeneration. A key feature of the proposals is Founders Square, one of Newcastle’s most significant new civic spaces. The landscaped public square will transform an area currently lacking a major public gathering place, helping to create a welcoming environment for workers, residents and visitors while strengthening links across the wider city centre. For the construction and commercial property sectors, the scheme represents another significant investment in Newcastle’s office market, responding to growing demand for high-quality, environmentally sustainable workplaces capable of attracting businesses and supporting long-term economic growth. Construction of the office building is expected to support around 300 jobs over the two-year build programme, providing a further boost to the regional construction industry and local supply chain. The latest proposals build on the success of the wider One Founders Place masterplan, which is steadily transforming the historic Robert Stephenson & Co. locomotive works into a thriving mixed-use neighbourhood. The first completed phase, The Pattern Shop, opened in 2024 and is now fully occupied by Atom Bank, demonstrating strong demand for premium workspace within the regeneration scheme. Alongside the commercial development, Orchard Yard will deliver 79 new homes comprising apartments, duplexes and family houses, complemented by commercial space within the restored listed Machine Shop and Smiths Shop buildings. Elsewhere on the site, the Grade II-listed Coppersmiths Shop, another important part of the former Robert Stephenson works, is currently being assessed for future redevelopment opportunities as the masterplan continues to evolve. Joe Broadley, Development Director at igloo, said: “One Founders Place is about much more than delivering a high-quality office scheme – it’s about creating a destination that reflects Newcastle’s rich industrial heritage while providing the sustainable workplaces and welcoming public spaces that modern cities need to thrive. “This investment is helping to attract new businesses, support skilled jobs and create a bustling city neighbourhood where people want to work, meet and spend time. By combining exceptional workspace with high-quality public realm, we’re creating a place that will contribute to Newcastle’s long-term economic growth while celebrating the history that makes this location so distinctive.” As Newcastle continues to invest in city centre regeneration, One Founders Place is emerging as a flagship mixed-use development, combining commercial offices, residential accommodation, heritage restoration and public spaces to create a dynamic new destination that celebrates the city’s industrial legacy while supporting its future growth. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
ECF Selected to Drive 2,300-Home Portsmouth City Centre Regeneration
A major regeneration programme that could transform the heart of Portsmouth has taken a significant step forward after Portsmouth City Council selected ECF as its preferred development partner for the next phase of the ambitious City Centre North masterplan. The proposed regeneration has the potential to deliver up to 2,300 new homes alongside commercial, leisure and public realm improvements, creating one of the largest mixed-use developments on the South Coast. The 13.25-hectare brownfield site, which occupies land formerly home to the now-demolished Tricorn shopping centre and surrounding car parks, is set to be reimagined as a vibrant new city centre neighbourhood that combines residential, commercial and community uses. ECF – the regeneration partnership between Homes England’s National Housing Bank, Legal & General (L&G) and Muse – will now work alongside Portsmouth City Council to assess development options before progressing towards a formal development agreement. For the construction and property sectors, the appointment marks another major regeneration opportunity that could unlock substantial investment, housing delivery and long-term economic growth while bringing a strategically important city centre site back into productive use. Alongside a mix of homes across different tenures, the emerging masterplan includes new commercial workspace, leisure facilities and improved pedestrian connections designed to increase footfall, strengthen the local economy and create a more accessible and attractive urban environment. A key feature of the proposals will be more than 240,000 sq ft of new public realm, including a significant urban park that will provide valuable green space for residents, workers and visitors while enhancing the overall quality of the city centre. The regeneration reflects the growing emphasis on brownfield redevelopment as local authorities seek to deliver sustainable housing growth by repurposing underutilised urban land rather than expanding onto greenfield sites. Sir Michael Lyons, Chairman of ECF, said: “We’re looking forward to working with Portsmouth City Council over the coming months to explore the site in detail, test what’s deliverable here, and build the case for how we might take this forward together.” ECF has built a strong reputation for delivering large-scale regeneration projects across the UK, with an extensive portfolio that includes developments in Canning Town, Stockport, Bradford, Wolverhampton, Northampton and Stevenage. If brought forward, City Centre North has the potential to become one of Portsmouth’s most significant regeneration projects in decades, delivering new homes, employment opportunities, public spaces and commercial investment while creating a thriving mixed-use destination that supports the city’s long-term economic and residential growth ambitions. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Intecho Delivers Smart Building Technology for Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere
Intecho has successfully integrated intelligent smart building solutions as part of the landmark transformation of Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere. As part of the project, Intecho integrated an intelligent Guest Room Management System (GRMS), bespoke Room Control Panels (RCPs) for every guest room and a range of state-of-the-art smart building solutions to compliment the luxury hotel’s extensive £125 million redevelopment. Paul Murphy, Co-Founder and Director of Intecho, said: “Luxury hospitality depends on far more than beautiful architecture and interiors. The technology behind the scenes has to work seamlessly, supporting both guests and hotel teams without ever becoming intrusive”. At the heart of the project is an advanced Guest Room Management System (GRMS), which integrates lighting, heating, cooling, motorised curtains and room status into a single intelligent platform. The system gives guests intuitive control of their environment while providing hotel teams with real-time visibility of occupancy, temperature, Make Up Room (MUR) and Do Not Disturb (DND) status. Intecho also designed and manufactured bespoke Room Control Panels (RCPs) for every guest room, integrating HVAC interfaces, lighting control, monitoring and circuit protection into a robust solution engineered specifically for the demands of luxury hospitality. Beyond the guest accommodation, Intecho delivered intelligent lighting control throughout the hotel, covering front-of-house areas, guest corridors, meeting rooms, function suites, the ballroom and external spaces. Flexible scene control allows event spaces to adapt effortlessly to conferences, weddings and large-scale functions, while centralised management provides hotel operators with greater flexibility and efficiency. The smart building solution also incorporates advanced DALI lighting control, automated emergency lighting testing, intelligent fault monitoring and centralised HVAC management. These technologies improve energy performance, reduce maintenance requirements and simplify compliance, while ensuring the building continues to operate at the high standards expected of an international luxury hotel. Intecho Director, Paul Murphy, continued: “Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere is a fantastic example of how intelligent building technology can enhance comfort, improve operational efficiency and create a smarter, more sustainable hotel. We’re incredibly proud to have played a part in such a prestigious development”. Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere is a luxury 5-star lakeside hotel, spa, and golf resort in Knutsford, Cheshire, featuring 117 rooms, an 18-hole championship golf course, and dining by Gordon Ramsay. Following a £125m redevelopment, the reimagined property opened in July 2026 on a 157-acre estate overlooking The Mere Lake. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
£1.4bn Shopping Centre Investment Pipeline Signals Retail Property Revival
Confidence is continuing to return to the UK’s retail property market, with new research from Savills revealing a £1.4 billion pipeline of shopping centre investments that is expected to drive a strong second half of 2026. According to the real estate adviser, 17 shopping centre transactions with a combined value of £1.1 billion are currently under offer, while a further 19 schemes, worth approximately £320 million, are actively being marketed. Together, the figures point to renewed momentum across the investment sector following a mixed start to the year. Although transaction volumes slowed during the second quarter, Savills believes this masks a much healthier underlying market, with substantial investor interest now focused on larger, high-quality retail destinations. For the construction and property sectors, the resurgence reflects growing confidence in well-positioned mixed-use retail assets that offer long-term redevelopment, asset management and placemaking opportunities alongside resilient occupier demand. During the first half of 2026, average shopping centre transaction values reached £44 million – the highest level recorded since 2016. Landmark deals involving Merry Hill and The Broadway, Bradford accounted for around 72% of total transaction activity, highlighting the renewed appeal of institutionally significant retail assets. Savills believes the second half of the year will see activity accelerate as transactions currently progressing through the market reach completion. Mark Garmon-Jones, Head of Shopping Centre and Retail Investment at Savills, said: “The second half of the year is where we expect the market to become much more active. H1 was respectable, but uneven, with a strong Q1 followed by a quieter Q2. What matters now is the depth of the pipeline; this is not a market short of demand, but one where activity is increasingly being driven by better-quality assets.” The research also highlights a notable return of institutional investors and REITs to the shopping centre market after several years of limited activity. Investors are increasingly targeting dominant retail destinations with strong occupational performance and opportunities for long-term value creation through active asset management. The improving occupational market is further strengthening investor confidence. Shopping centre vacancy rates fell to 16.1% during the second quarter, the lowest level recorded in a decade and the sharpest quarterly improvement since early 2016. Savills attributes the decline in vacancy to strengthening leasing demand, delayed occupier decisions finally progressing, continued pressure on the constrained retail warehouse market and the ongoing repurposing of secondary retail space for alternative uses. Sam Arrowsmith, Commercial Research Director at Savills, said: “The shopping centre market enters the second half of 2026 in a stronger position than the Q2 figures alone suggest. Vacancy has seen the largest quarter fall in 10 years, leasing demand is improving and the return of institutional capital is a clear signal that confidence is rebuilding. The risks are more about timing than direction, and for well-capitalised buyers the window to secure high-quality assets ahead of further yield compression is narrowing.” As retail destinations continue to evolve into mixed-use environments incorporating leisure, hospitality, workspace and residential elements, the latest research suggests investor confidence is steadily returning. With a substantial pipeline of transactions progressing and occupier demand strengthening, the shopping centre sector appears well placed for renewed investment activity throughout the remainder of 2026. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Clancy Consulting Sharpens Focus on Civil and Structural Engineering for the Future
Clancy Consulting has announced a restructure that will see the business focus exclusively on its long-established Civil and Structural Engineering consultancy, creating a simpler, stronger business for the future. The change marks a return to the discipline on which Clancy has built its reputation for more than 54 years. By focusing its future and expertise on its core engineering services, the business is strengthening its ability to support clients across the built environment and position itself for long-term sustainable growth. As part of these changes Clancy will step away from its Building Services division following a period of challenging market conditions and ongoing skills pressures within that sector. This has resulted in a number of unavoidable redundancies. Where possible, members of the Building Services team will transition to another consultancy, helping to provide continuity for clients while safeguarding jobs. Chris Acton, Chief Executive of Clancy Consulting, said: “These essential changes mark the next chapter for Clancy. By returning our full focus to Civil and Structural Engineering, we’re building on the expertise and reputation that have defined our business for more than five decades. “We’re creating a business with greater clarity, greater focus and an even stronger platform for our future. Our clients will continue to receive the same high-quality service they know and trust, while we focus on the capabilities that will shape the future of our practice.” The Civil and Structural Engineering business will continue to be led by its experienced Board Director team. Clancy’s current portfolio reflects the breadth of its technical expertise, including the delivery of the new sustainable community at Adelphi Village in Salford, a 20-year nationwide partnership with Holcim, and a long-standing collaboration with North Ayrshire Council delivering public sector projects across the region. The restructure reinforces Clancy’s ambition to remain a leading engineering consultancy, enabling the business to invest further in its people, technical capability and client relationships while continuing to deliver high-quality engineering solutions across multiple sectors. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CBRE finds buyer for Noble Foods’ production site in multi-million-pound deal
Leading commercial real estate firm, CBRE, has successfully completed the sale of 115,000 sq ft industrial site in a multi-million pound deal on behalf of the seller, Noble Foods. Previously used as an egg-packing facility, the self-contained site features all the necessary facilities for a manufacturing operation including two office buildings, two warehouses, 19 loading bays and additional storage buildings. The site also came with 15.2 acres of vacant land with outline planning permission to build additional warehouses already granted. Based in the heart of Oxfordshire’s industrial hub, the site is adjacent to Lakeside Industrial Estate in rural Witney. It also has excellent connections, with access to both the A40 and A420, making it easy to get to nearby Oxford, only 13 miles away, and beyond. Will Davis, associate director at CBRE, said: “This deal reflects the strong demand for industrial space both in Witney and across wider Oxfordshire. A self-contained site of this size is incredibly rare, especially in such a popular location. The fact it came with outline planning permission for additional warehouses was the cherry on top and made it the perfect site for a business looking to expand its operations.” Will Cadbury, Chief Financial Officerat Noble Foods, said: “When our Witney site became surplus to requirements, we were keen to find the right buyer who would be able to make the site purposeful again. The sale marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the Witney site and we’re grateful to CBRE for their support in structuring this deal.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals