Green light for revamped Canada Water masterplan as next phase moves forward
A revised version of the Canada Water masterplan in London has been approved by the Deputy Mayor, paving the way for the next stage of development. The updated plans, brought forward by British Land and AustralianSuper, include taller and larger residential buildings. The changes reflect wider regulatory shifts as well as ongoing cost and viability pressures across the sector. Affordable housing provision has also been adjusted, with 20 per cent planned for the next phase and a minimum of 9 per cent across the overall development. The approval means construction on the next phase could begin from 2027. Delivered in partnership with Southwark Council, the 53-acre scheme will deliver up to 4,184 homes, alongside 2.5 million sq ft of workspace and 1 million sq ft dedicated to retail, leisure and cultural uses. The plans also include a 3.5-acre public park, a new town square and 16 streets. The first phase of the development has already delivered a range of new spaces, including workspace at Paper Yard, Dock Shed and Three Deal Porters, 186 homes at The Founding and 79 affordable homes at 7 Roberts Close. It has also introduced new restaurants and a leisure centre for the local community. Gareth Roberts, Head of Canada Water at British Land, said the approval is key to maintaining momentum and creating a distinctive new neighbourhood. He noted that while viability challenges are being felt across London, the decision will support the delivery of new homes, jobs and infrastructure. Stéphane Jalbert, Head of Real Assets, Europe at AustralianSuper, welcomed the decision, adding that it provides clarity for the next phase and unlocks further development opportunities across the site. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Cambridge’s Mill Yard reaches new heights with major topping out milestone
A key milestone has been reached in the development of Mill Yard in Cambridge, as MY Central – the scheme’s main office building – has officially topped out. The moment was marked by Railpen, development partner Socius and lead contractor Morgan Sindall Construction, who are working together to deliver the £180 million mixed-use campus. Located on Devonshire Road, the Mill Yard scheme will transform a central part of Cambridge into a sustainable new neighbourhood. The finished development will include three office buildings – MY North, South and Central – along with two residential buildings and a nursery, all arranged around a publicly accessible park. MY Central, a five-storey office building at the heart of the site, reached its topping out on Tuesday 10th March. To mark the occasion, members of the project team and local community visited the site and viewed the scheme from the newly completed roof. When complete, the development will provide around 110,000 sq ft of flexible workspace, 70 build-to-rent homes, a 2,100 sq ft nursery, as well as a restaurant, café and bakery, and an outdoor pavilion for community events. The workplaces will overlook landscaped gardens and are designed to support collaboration and innovation. Sustainability is a key priority, with targets including NABERS Design for Performance 5-star and BREEAM Outstanding ratings. All buildings at Mill Yard will be fully electric, powered by a combination of on-site and off-site renewable energy sources. Through its Intelligent Solutions approach and use of the CarboniCa digital tool, Morgan Sindall has reduced environmental impact, diverting 99 per cent of waste from landfill and aiming to achieve an embodied carbon saving of more than 5,000 tonnes. The project also aims for a 280 per cent biodiversity net gain, with features such as bat, bird and bee boxes, green roofs, hedgehog habitats and evergreen planting. In total, the development will offer 1.55 acres of publicly accessible green space, including more than 120 trees and a mix of edible and ornamental planting. The gardens will feature a community pavilion designed by George King Architects, along with a perimeter running track, secure cycle parking and end-of-journey facilities. Mill Yard is due for completion in 2027 and forms part of Railpen’s wider Cambridge innovation cluster. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
SEGRO powers ahead with major data centre expansion in Slough and West London
SEGRO has announced further progress in its growing data centre programme, which now exceeds 2.5GW of planned capacity. The company has signed an agreement for a new powered shell data centre at the Slough Trading Estate, strengthening its long-standing presence at one of Europe’s largest data centre hubs. The development will deliver 30,000 sq m of space across three floors of data halls, along with a rooftop plant deck. Planning permission has already been secured through the estate’s Simplified Planning Zone, allowing the project to move forward efficiently. The facility will be built to high sustainability standards, with SEGRO targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. The agreement also includes the provision of 50MVA of power once fully operational, with the customer contracting the supply directly. In a separate update, SEGRO confirmed that it has received planning committee approval for its first fully fitted data centre at SEGRO Premier Park in Park Royal. The scheme is being delivered in partnership with Pure Data Centres Group. The facility will benefit from 70MVA of incoming power and will incorporate energy-efficient design features, including closed-loop liquid cooling technology aimed at reducing water consumption. The partners will now continue working with stakeholders to finalise planning and secure a pre-let agreement. Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director of Data Centres and Strategic Partnerships at SEGRO, said the latest developments highlight continued momentum in delivering on the company’s long-term data centre strategy. He noted that SEGRO’s established footprint at Slough Trading Estate, built up over two decades, combined with its planning framework, has enabled further expansion for an existing customer while making efficient use of a relatively compact site. He added that securing planning approval at Premier Park marks an important step in advancing both the joint venture project and SEGRO’s broader ambitions in fully fitted data centre developments. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
IKEA brings personalised home design to Dundee with new planning hub
IKEA has opened a new Plan and Order Point at Kingsway West Retail Park in Dundee, expanding its presence in Scotland. The new location focuses on helping customers plan kitchens, bedrooms and living spaces, offering tailored design consultations. Visitors can book a free appointment with in-store specialists or make use of self-service tools to create their own designs. Customers are able to order from IKEA’s full product range at the site, with options including next-day collection or home delivery. The store also includes a collection point for online orders, as well as a returns service. Kevin Coventry, Market Manager at IKEA, said the new space has been created to inspire customers while showcasing kitchen ranges and smart storage solutions. He added that the aim is to provide affordable home furnishing options suited to a wide range of needs. The Dundee opening is part of IKEA’s broader UK expansion plans. Over the past year, the retailer has launched seven new locations, including city centre stores in London’s Oxford Street and in Brighton, Plan and Order Points in Hull and York, and smaller format retail park stores in Harlow, Norwich and Chester. The new site strengthens IKEA’s footprint in Scotland, complementing its existing stores in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a further Plan and Order Point planned for Aberdeen. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Amcomri snaps up Enerveo compliance arm in £1 deal to fuel growth
Engineering services group Amcomri Group is set to acquire the compliance and testing division of Enerveo in a £1 deal. The transaction will be carried out through GridCore Electrical Services, a newly formed subsidiary of Amcomri. Enerveo, which is owned by SSE, has entered into a Business Purchase Agreement to sell its National Compliance and Testing division, with completion expected towards the end of May. The deal remains subject to the successful transfer of contracts and employees to GridCore. For the year ending 31 March 2025, the division generated revenues of around £5 million. Amcomri will acquire net assets valued at approximately £1.5 million for just £1, including an established customer base and an experienced operational team. The move comes during a challenging period for Enerveo, which reported a 10.8 per cent drop in revenue to £194.7 million, down from £218.4 million the previous year. The business also recorded an operating loss of £800,000, compared with an £800,000 profit in FY2024, reflecting exceptional costs and ongoing strategic restructuring. This includes the disposal of its Infrastructure Solutions arm, which incurred a £3.5 million charge as part of preparations for sale. Despite these pressures, Enerveo strengthened its financial position, with net assets rising to £33.4 million following recapitalisation by SSE. Amcomri said the acquisition will strengthen its presence in the power electrical maintenance and engineering sector, a key strategic focus for the group. It will also complement businesses such as Drurys Engineering and Claro Precision Engineering, both acquired in 2024. The deal marks Amcomri’s third acquisition since joining the Alternative Investment Market in December 2024. Looking ahead, the group expects strong financial performance for FY2025, with adjusted EBITDA forecast to rise by 17 per cent to more than £9 million. Revenues are also projected to increase by 22 per cent to around £70.9 million, up from £58.1 million. This growth has been driven by consistent demand across Amcomri’s core markets, particularly within its Embedded Engineering division. The division has secured major new contracts with both new and existing clients, including a £12.9 million agreement with a UK-based renewable energy developer, to be delivered over the next two financial years. Further momentum has been supported by strong demand from the defence and civil aerospace sectors. Chief operating officer Mark O’Neill said the acquisition presents strong opportunities for collaboration across the group’s engineering businesses. He added that the company is now focused on completing the deal and working closely with the National Compliance team as the integration progresses. Further updates are expected in due course. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
NBS accelerates global rollout in Nordics and APAC, following US launch success
International reach enables UK-based architects and manufacturers to collaborate seamlessly across markets Today, NBS (part of Hubexo), the platform for connected construction information, announces further international expansion of its specification and product information platforms, known outside the UK as Lattira Spec and Lattira Source. The Lattira product suite is built on the established technological framework of the NBS Chorus and Source platforms, providing a robust approach to project specification and construction product research for architects, engineers and other construction professionals. As part of the expansion, specification content tailored to the USA has been developed, bringing added value for UK practices with projects in these regions. Building on Lattira Spec’s successful US market entry in February 2026, Lattira Source will roll out across the Nordics throughout the first half of this year, with Lattira Spec and Source launching in Australia and New Zealand later on. This expansion addresses a key challenge the industry faces globally: balancing standardised design approaches with local market realities. Lattira brings together trusted specification content and verified data in one clear, structured platform. As with NBS Chorus and NBS Source, the suite works as a unified system. Manufacturers can upload construction product information through Source, making products instantly discoverable for specifiers using Spec. This approach helps to keep products up to date across the entire platform with real-time updates. Empowering architects with localised specification tools Lattira Spec is the first global specification writing platform with integrated, region-specific content. It enables design teams to write specifications with locally relevant standards and product information, regardless of project location. Key benefits for specifiers: Connecting manufacturers with design professionals globally Lattira Source connects construction product manufacturers directly with specifiers and architects across multiple markets, enabling them to showcase their products to design professionals worldwide through a single platform. Key benefits for manufacturers: Connecting UK expertise with global opportunities The Lattira suite is built on international data standards and years of proven expertise in digital construction information management. It creates a global ecosystem that connects markets, streamlines workflows and drives stronger collaboration among professionals, suppliers and manufacturers worldwide. Commenting on this milestone Joakim Percival, Chief Product Officer at Hubexo said: “Lattira Spec and Source are driving Hubexo’s ambition to create the world’s first global specification writing platform with fully integrated content. “Lattira is changing the game in how the construction industry collaborates across borders. For UK-based NBS subscribers, this expansion means the ability to work on international projects with the same confidence they have domestically. Meanwhile, global manufacturers gain direct access to design teams across multiple markets, creating an interconnected ecosystem for the construction industry. When our teams across continents work together, it’s about transforming how construction professionals communicate and work together, regardless of where they’re based.” With more than 50 years of history, NBS is a trusted specification system used by UK architects, engineers and manufacturers. In the UK, the platforms will continue to operate under the established NBS Chorus and NBS Source branding. Inclusion in regional markets requires a separate subscription. For further information, please contact NBS. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals