bdc magazine
Plans for Lumina Village in Trafford submitted

Plans for Lumina Village in Trafford submitted

Developer Glenbrook has submitted plans for the residential and public realm elements of Lumina Village, a £250 million mixed-use scheme in Trafford, Greater Manchester. Working in partnership with Bruntwood and Trafford Council, the proposals, designed by Sheppard Robson and landscape architect Re-form, include the development of six blocks of apartments,

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Caddick completes work on Tawd Valley Centre

Caddick completes work on Tawd Valley Centre

Caddick Construction has announced that it has reached the end of its work on the £8.2 million Tawd Valley Centre retail outlet in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire. Part of the wider regeneration plans for the town centre, the outlet plays an important role in the revival of the local community. “Caddick

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McLaren Construction wins ExCel London expansion

McLaren Construction wins ExCel London expansion

McLaren Construction has been appointed by ExCeL London to deliver the expansion of its conference, event and exhibition facilities. The builder is taking over the job from Sir Robert McAlpine, who were awarded the first three Phases of the expansion contract. After being awarded the main build contract, McLaren will

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Online agent platform wins prestigious award

Online agent platform wins prestigious award

A specialist agent lead management, automation, and phone answering platform has been awarded a prestigious award, despite it launching only 18 months ago. The revolutionary software system, designed specifically for the sales and lettings industry, is being used by hundreds of agents across the UK. Agent Response, the software, helps

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Leeds Trinity University to establish city centre base

Leeds Trinity University to establish city centre base

In a bid to drive growth for the city, Leeds Trinity University will be establishing a city centre location at a building on 1 Trevelyan Square. The University has secured a lease on the 57,000 square foot building, which is located just off Boar Lane in the heart of the

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ASHE Construction delivers eco schools

ASHE Group delivers eco schools

ASHE Group has been awarded two contracts totalling nearly £30 million to deliver net zero schools for Hertfordshire County Council. The builder has already commenced work on a new £14.5 million primary school, which will be operated by the Avanti Academy Trust. The new primary school, due to open in

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Stoford submits plans for new BBC home

Stoford submits plans for new BBC home

Stoford, one of the UK’s leading property developers, has submitted a planning application for the new BBC home in Birmingham at the historic Typhoo Building in Digbeth. The building is already housing several BBC editorial teams, including The Archers, BBC Asian Network, BBC Newsbeat, BBC Radio WM and Midlands Today.

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Landmark Glasgow BTR development tops out

Landmark Glasgow BTR development tops out

PLATFORM_ Glasgow will deliver much-needed homes for the city The project team behind the flagship PLATFORM_ Glasgow build-to-rent (BTR) development celebrated a significant project milestone at this week’s topping out ceremony. Contractor, GRAHAM, is delivering the impressive scheme on behalf of PLATFORM_, an investor, developer, and operator of build-to-rent communities

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Latest Issue
Issue 335 : Dec 2025

bdc magazine

Plans for Lumina Village in Trafford submitted

Plans for Lumina Village in Trafford submitted

Developer Glenbrook has submitted plans for the residential and public realm elements of Lumina Village, a £250 million mixed-use scheme in Trafford, Greater Manchester. Working in partnership with Bruntwood and Trafford Council, the proposals, designed by Sheppard Robson and landscape architect Re-form, include the development of six blocks of apartments, ranging from six to 20 storeys and 53 three-storey townhouses at the Talbot Road site. The plans offer a total of 639 new homes, a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments and three and four bedroom houses. A mixed offer of private rent, private sale, shared ownership and affordable rent will be available, with at least 15% Affordable Housing. “This planning application marks the first stage in the delivery of Trafford’s wider Civic Quarter masterplan. We have worked closely with Bruntwood, Trafford Council and our design team to ensure that the type of homes we are creating will meet the market need now and in the future, as well as delivering a new public realm based on age 8-80 principles that will benefit both the new and existing community. Subject to a positive outcome at committee, we aim to start on site in Q2 2023,” commented Shannon Conway, Residential Director at Glenbrook. As part of the planning application the scheme will include 5.4-acres of public realm, 5,300 sq ft of retail space on the ground floor and 200 parking spaces. Avison Young is the planning consultant. After securing outline planning consent to redevelop the former 12-acre Kellogg’s site in 2020, Bruntwood and Trafford Council appointed Glenbrook in December 2021 to deliver both the residential offer and the public realm at Lumina Village. “Together with Trafford council and Glenbrook, we’re committed to creating high-quality, people-focussed spaces where communities can come together and thrive. The community has been at the heart of the plans to create a vibrant new neighbourhood at Lumina Village, which forms an important part of our wider transformation in Trafford. It’s fantastic to see the project take another step forwards with this latest milestone,” concluded Andrea George, Town Centre and Consumer Brands Director at Bruntwood. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Caddick completes work on Tawd Valley Centre

Caddick completes work on Tawd Valley Centre

Caddick Construction has announced that it has reached the end of its work on the £8.2 million Tawd Valley Centre retail outlet in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire. Part of the wider regeneration plans for the town centre, the outlet plays an important role in the revival of the local community. “Caddick is delighted to have completed on this important scheme that is already having a transformative effect on Skelmersdale town centre and the local communities. Investment and vision are important if we want to see local town centres revitalised and attract new retailers in with the right location and premises. It’s great to see Tawd Valley Centre is already delivering for Skelmersdale,” said Ian Threadgold, North West Managing Director of Caddick Construction. Trading on the scheme already are major retails brands, such as Lidl, B&M Bargains and Poundstretcher, with the area adjacent to the retail park also enjoying an upgrade to include a new play area in Tawd Valley Park. A new high street has been provided to link West Lancashire College with the rest of the town centre, while improvements are also being made to the public areas outside Skelmersdale Library to make them more attractive spaces for residents to enjoy. “The new town centre development will bring economic and social benefits for the Borough’s communities long into the future and will greatly enhance the Borough’s appeal as a great place to live, work and invest, providing increased opportunities for many. This development is a significant step towards a future where everyone in West Lancashire will be able to take advantage of a positive economic outlook and vastly improved health and wellbeing outcomes. The people of West Lancashire deserve this and I’m delighted we have delivered it,” added Councillor Yvonne Gagen, Leader of West Lancashire Borough Council. The town centre redevelopment scheme is a partnership between the Borough Council and developer St. Modwen and is supported by the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership and Growth Deal Funding. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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McLaren Construction wins ExCel London expansion

McLaren Construction wins ExCel London expansion

McLaren Construction has been appointed by ExCeL London to deliver the expansion of its conference, event and exhibition facilities. The builder is taking over the job from Sir Robert McAlpine, who were awarded the first three Phases of the expansion contract. After being awarded the main build contract, McLaren will now complete the project by extending the existing facilities by up to 25,000 square metres. The expansion at the carbon neutral venue will create additional state-of-the-art ICC convention facilities, exhibition halls and conference rooms, together with stunning outdoor spaces, all helping to put London at the forefront of the global events industry. “The wealth of expertise and sector knowledge that the team at McLaren will bring to the main construction phase will ensure that we meet the needs of our customers by providing world class venue spaces and guest experience, on time and on budget, as well as ensuring we deliver our commitments to the local community,” said ExCeL London’s CEO Jeremy Rees. Part of the new event space is a12,000sqm exhibition space on the ground floor, which will be seamlessly integrated into the existing venue. This will be complemented on the upper level with high-end convention space, modern meeting rooms and catering facilities. A priority for ExCeL regarding this project has been the sustainability side of it. In line with its current ESG strategy, the company aims to create the most sustainable scheme possible and will be targeting a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) rating of ‘Excellent’ – surpassing the recognised industry standard. As with the current venue, the electricity supply will be 100% from renewable sources. As part of the project, a substantial investment will also be made in the public realm including new greenery along the dock edge, improved landscaping for pedestrians and cyclists, and a new pocket park. The project will also create permanent and temporary employment, both in the construction process – including apprenticeships – but also indirectly once complete. McLaren Construction have been appointed to deliver the next phase of construction works, commencing in January 2023. McLaren has extensive experience of delivering UK major projects, including Leicester City Football Club’s new training ground, The Financial Times’ Bracken House’ headquarters, and a major fulfilment centre for warehouse giant SEGRO. McLaren will work alongside key project partners who have already delivered the design and enabling works phase of the project, including Gardiner & Theobald, Grimshaw Architects, Hoare Lea and Campbell Reith. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Online agent platform wins prestigious award

Online agent platform wins prestigious award

A specialist agent lead management, automation, and phone answering platform has been awarded a prestigious award, despite it launching only 18 months ago. The revolutionary software system, designed specifically for the sales and lettings industry, is being used by hundreds of agents across the UK. Agent Response, the software, helps sales and lettings agents generate increased revenue from sales leads, pre-qualify lettings leads, and improve operational efficiencies, saving both time and money. The company behind the system was crowned the Best Supplier in the Small Business category in the EA Masters Best Estate Agent Guide (BEAG) Awards.   “We’re hugely proud and absolutely thrilled to have been recognised by such a prestigious award as the BEAG. Having worked as a Sales and Lettings agent for well over two decades, I knew from my personal experience that there is a huge gap between data and delivery. Many agents were, and still are, having to spend so much of their time filtering enquiries and identifying those that are genuine from those that aren’t, before then being able to move further through the Sales or Lettings process,” said Mike Nettleton, Co-Founder of Agent Response. “Agent Response essentially takes a huge load off lettings agents by asking pre-qualifying questions and capturing valuable data before an enquiry is even made – ensuring that only those who are genuinely interested and suitable for a property are sent to our users. For Sales, it harnesses the data to boost revenue potential that may otherwise be missed, and makes the process as straight-forward as possible.” The BEAG guide is produced annually by Property Academy in partnership with Rightmove, and independently assesses over 90% of UK estate agents, making it one of the most inclusive and extensive data-driven reviews in the industry. “We’re not only over the moon about our own award win, but the fact that 50% of the four overall winning agents across the nation use Agent Response which is fantastic! While we’re under no illusion that our tool is the sole reason for their award success, it’s great to note that many of the processes, automation, and operational efficiencies they’ll have been judged on will be directly influenced by what the Agent Response tool does. We’re hugely excited to see the platform continue to grow and to be recognised in this way by an industry event which recognises the best of the best,” concluded Leon Blair, Co-Founder at Agent Response, who heads up the technology and automation behind the platform. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Leeds Trinity University to establish city centre base

Leeds Trinity University to establish city centre base

In a bid to drive growth for the city, Leeds Trinity University will be establishing a city centre location at a building on 1 Trevelyan Square. The University has secured a lease on the 57,000 square foot building, which is located just off Boar Lane in the heart of the city, subject to a ‘change of use’ planning application. Despite the announcement of the new building, Leeds Trinity’s campus in Horsforth, located just six miles from Leeds, will continue to be central to its offer – including new programmes in Nursing and Biomedical Science, which are being designed to respond to key public sector workforce needs in the City Region. “I am delighted to confirm that we are at the early stages of establishing a city centre location at 1 Trevelyan Square, Leeds, to complement our campus in Horsforth. Colleagues involved in this process have been hugely impressed by the potential of the building, the opportunities it will provide for our future students, and our ability to align with city-based partners and businesses as a career-led university,” said Professor Charles Egbu, Vice-Chancellor at Leeds Trinity University. “Leeds Trinity remains fully committed to Horsforth, which will continue to offer students a supportive and engaging experience. Overall, this is a significant investment by the university, which will support our strategic ambitions to drive growth.” The plan to establish a city centre base is part of Leeds Trinity University’s growth ambitions, set out in its Strategic Plan 2021-26, which is underpinned by increasing engagement in the Leeds City Region. A city base to complement its existing campus in Horsforth will enable the University to work more closely with key partners and employers to bring new opportunities for its students, contribute to the continued growth of Leeds city centre and support demand for skills. In addition, by refurbishing an existing building, the University is seeking to contribute to sustainable development in the city centre. This comes as Leeds Trinity University has been ranked top for student experience in Yorkshire and the Humber and second for teaching quality in the region, in The Times and Sunday Times Good Universities Guide 2023. Nationally, the institution was placed 18th in the UK for student experience and joint 24th for teaching quality, reflecting high rates of student satisfaction in the latest National Student Survey (NSS). Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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ASHE Construction delivers eco schools

ASHE Group delivers eco schools

ASHE Group has been awarded two contracts totalling nearly £30 million to deliver net zero schools for Hertfordshire County Council. The builder has already commenced work on a new £14.5 million primary school, which will be operated by the Avanti Academy Trust. The new primary school, due to open in September 2023, will provide school places for 420 children living locally. The school will offer up to 30 places at Reception as well as 26 places for nursery aged children each year from September 2023. The school size will increase year on year as the school’s first pupils progress through their school life. “We’re committed to developing sustainable communities in Hertfordshire, providing residents with the infrastructure needed to make new developments great places to live – this includes providing good local schools which children can walk to,” said Cllr Terry Douris, Executive Member for Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning at Hertfordshire County Council. “The children joining the school in September will have the unique distinction in that they’ll be able to look at the school in 50 years’ time and say that was my school from day one. The school is being built with the future in mind; by prioritising environmental sustainability in construction and operation, we’re taking a big step towards building a cleaner, greener and healthier Hertfordshire.” The school is planning to generate its own power and be ‘net zero in operation’ using air source heating, photovoltaics and will be gas free, relying on electricity. The project aims to increase the local biodiversity by around 20% with bird and bat boxes, and green roofs included in the scheme. Once completed, the school will be Net Carbon Zero in operation, using only electricity for power and heating, aided by photovoltaic (solar) panels which will help to generate the electricity needed to run the school. “We are delighted to be breaking ground on yet another Net Zero Carbon School for Hertfordshire County Council. This significant investment in sustainable infrastructure demonstrates Hertfordshire County Council’s intention to address the climate emergency head on, and we are proud to be able to assist in delivering a building that is part of the solution in ensuring that there is a brighter future for the students of Avanti Brook School,” added Andrew Morris, Business Development Director at ASHE Construction. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Stoford submits plans for new BBC home

Stoford submits plans for new BBC home

Stoford, one of the UK’s leading property developers, has submitted a planning application for the new BBC home in Birmingham at the historic Typhoo Building in Digbeth. The building is already housing several BBC editorial teams, including The Archers, BBC Asian Network, BBC Newsbeat, BBC Radio WM and Midlands Today. Hoping to move from its current home at The Mailbox to the new 84,001 sq ft custom-built centre in 2025, BBC will also be part of one of Birmingham’s first net zero carbon in construction office buildings. The detailed planning application has been informed by two successful public consultation events and numerous online consultation responses, and represents the first phase of a wider masterplan for the surrounding area. “The feedback from the public – both those who live or work in Digbeth and the thousands of people we reached via social media who are just interested in the scheme – has been overwhelmingly positive. Birmingham’s residents, visitors, and commuters are genuinely excited at the prospect of the BBC making its home at such a recognisable and prominent building,” said Gerard Ludlow, Director at Stoford. “Typhoo Wharf is a significant opportunity, which will not only catalyse reinvigoration of the wider area, but will also help to kick start further private and public-sector investment into Digbeth’s built environment and transport connections. Central to our Typhoo scheme is the commitment to conserving the historic building, which dates back to 1929 but has been left empty for decades. The BBC’s new home will be instantly recognisable to everyone who travels into Birmingham on HS2, the tram, or into our existing railway stations,” he added. The building is on target to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘outstanding’ and an energy performance certificate (EPC) of ‘A’. Stoford is working with The Gooch Estate, Glenn Howells Architects, Turley and several public sector partners to deliver the development and to prepare a comprehensive vision for the wider area, which will be served by multiple public transport connections, including a new tram top, HS2’s Curzon Street terminus, and the existing Birmingham coach and Moor Street railway stations. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Landmark Glasgow BTR development tops out

Landmark Glasgow BTR development tops out

PLATFORM_ Glasgow will deliver much-needed homes for the city The project team behind the flagship PLATFORM_ Glasgow build-to-rent (BTR) development celebrated a significant project milestone at this week’s topping out ceremony. Contractor, GRAHAM, is delivering the impressive scheme on behalf of PLATFORM_, an investor, developer, and operator of build-to-rent communities across the UK. The development will be one of the city’s tallest buildings at 20 storeys high (circa 60m). With a stellar project team including firms Thomas & Adamson, Axiom Project Services Limited and Keppie Design, the topping out ceremony involved guests climbing to the 20th floor of the building to enjoy unrivalled views across the city and signing the core of the structure. A welcome addition to the city centre skyline, PLATFORM_ Glasgow will create 498 much-needed homes for the Glasgow community, strategically located between the International Financial Services District and Finnieston. The development will help to revitalise the iconic waterfront, creating a vibrant new neighbourhood set across four blocks, ranging from six to 20 storeys in height with a mix of studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments available. As the housing crisis and demand for homes continues to creatBTRe a perfect storm for renters across the city, PLATFORM_’s development will deliver a significant boost to availability of high quality housing stock. Creating a destination for people to live and socialise alike, PLATFORM_ Glasgow will feature a range of amenities including a state-of-the-art gym, landscaped courtyard, two roof terraces, cinema room and remote working facilities, all considered in monthly rental rates.  Residents will also enjoy a private games room,  bar area, guest lounges and group dining rooms, all exclusive to PLATFORM_ Glasgow, which is set to be one of the most desirable BTR options in the city as the new rental model increases in popularity with young professionals, families and downsizers. The scheme will achieve the Silver Active Energy standard with plans submitted for sustainable energy generation by rooftop photovoltaics and the use of air source heat pumps in place of traditional heating systems. These initiatives will enable 100% of apartments to achieve an EPC B rating. GRAHAM and PLATFORM_ are targeting completion of the development in October 2023 with apartments available for new residents to view from Q3 next ydevelopmentear. Matt Willcock, Development Director at PLATFORM_, said: “We’re really proud to see PLATFORM_ Glasgow achieve another milestone and it was great to get everyone involved together to mark it. “The Clyde Waterfront has been earmarked as an area for urban regeneration by Glasgow City Council and we are helping to accelerate this by delivering a ready-made neighbourhood that will deliver much-needed homes and have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of residents.” Gary Holmes, Regional Managing Director for GRAHAM Building North, said: “As demand continues to outstrip the supply of new homes available for rent across the city, it is fantastic to see PLATFORM_ Glasgow quickly taking shape. “GRAHAM is proud to be collaborating with PLATFORM_ and their team to deliver this iconic development. The unique offering will not only boost housing supply, but also create a thriving community along the River Clyde.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Scott Brownrigg masterplan for home of production (Hop) film and television studio submitted for planning

Scott Brownrigg’s masterplan for a new film and television studio campus in central Bedfordshire near Stewartby has been submitted for planning. The scheme redevelops a 143-acre site and former clay mineral quarry to provide over 1.75m sq ft flexible studio space together with on-site accommodation, amenities and a re-wilded water body and canal for developer VERB and film studio operator Quartermaster. Home of Production (HOP) Bedfordshire will set a new benchmark for sustainable studio facilities in the UK and will be the first facility designed by producers, for producers – also incorporating premium facilities aimed at squarely addressing the need for production crews to achieve better balance in their work environment. The former quarry, known as Quest Pit, opened in 1983 and was the last active brick pit in Bedfordshire when it closed in 2008, leaving a series of redundant brownfield sites with access tracks and flooded extraction bowls, and parts of the site up to 12 metres below natural ground level. The masterplan addresses this by placing four separate 430,500 sq ft production units on a 70-acre platform, four metres above the water level. These units centre around a restaurant and activity zone, visually linked to two large lakes that have formed over time due to the natural flooding of extraction pits. Workshops envelop studio space, while an outer loop road provides access to supporting facilities. Importantly, the land has already been purchased and realisation of the masterplan is fully- financed – meaning that a planning decision can move rapidly to commencement of the construction programme. Head of Masterplanning at Scott Brownrigg, Bruce Calton said of the project: “This complex brief, across an intriguing site, combines landscape, water and a highly-functional film and television campus masterplan. It has been a rewarding experience creating such a unique setting for the Home of Production (HOP) within the UK.” An accomplished and multi-disciplinary group was formed to drive the project forward and encompassing the broad range of skills and experience required for an ambitious project of this type. Quartermaster delivered the vision and extensive studio experience, in partnership with the real estate developer VERB to make that an operational reality. Scott Brownrigg and SWECO offered complementary input through the planning process to make the overall masterplan achieve as much as possible from the site, whilst accommodating each of the ambitious performance targets self- imposed by the group. The landscaping strategy developed by Macfarlane Associates includes the introduction of ecological corridors across the site and new wetland and floating reed beds to create habitats for future and existing wildlife species. Planting tall trees around the site perimeter and positioning large-scale buildings into the valley base will significantly reduce the visual impact of the development to the surrounding flat landscape across Bedfordshire. This deliberately-unobtrusive approach is allied to strong commitments to a sustainable future for the site – targeting BREEAM Excellent for the build whilst also installing PV panels across the site to supply somewhere between 50-85% dependent on occupation levels at a given time. A transport hub will connect the site to the local bus network with an arrival point for cyclists, pedestrians and coaches. New pedestrian links and walking routes will line the site’s parameter, with widened pavements to enhance usability and safety provided throughout. The Home of Production (HOP) development is anticipated to bring 1,400 jobs to the local area if approved. Submission for planning follows a series of public consultations where the scheme received significant public support, and with exciting plans in place to continue working hard with Central Bedfordshire Council plus a range local education bodies to return real, measurable benefits for the community in the coming years. A phased construction programme is due to start early 2023. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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HS2 construction in London gathers pace as second tunnelling machine sets off underneath the capital

Hot on the heels of HS2’s first London TBM, ‘Sushila’, who set off earlier this month, the 2,000 tonnes TBM, ‘Caroline’ has today begun the 5-mile journey towards Greenford from West Ruislip in West London TBM named after ‘first professional’ female astronomer Caroline Herschel HS2 Ltd has just launched the fifth Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), ‘Caroline’, that will be constructing tunnels for the HS2 railway through London. The second launched in the capital, the 2,000 tonnes machine joins ‘Sushila’, that was switched on earlier this month on the same West London site. Named after 18th century astronomer Caroline Herschel, the giant machine will now dig for 22 months, non-stop except for Christmas Day, towards Greenpark way in Greenford – boring five miles of the twin-bore Northolt Tunnel. ‘Caroline’ will be operated by a crew of 15 people, working in shifts. An additional 25 people will directly support each tunnel drive on the surface. Travelling at an average of 14m per day, ‘Caroline’ will dig the five-mile tunnel and install 4,207 tunnel segment rings to create the tunnel. Each ring of the tunnel is made up of seven concrete segments which have been manufactured in the UK by Pacadar based in Kent. The machine was switched on by HS2’s Civils Delivery Director, Mike Lyons, who said: “HS2’s construction continues to gather pace, and the launch of the fifth Tunnel Boring Machine on HS2 is another significant moment for Britain’s number one levelling-up project. “Creating jobs and contracts for businesses today, HS2 is an investment in Britain’s economic growth now and for generations of rail passengers to come.” The machine was given the name ‘Caroline’ after it was put forward by pupils at Brentside Primary Academy in Ealing, who were inspired by her contribution to astronomy whilst learning about earth and space in their science lessons.  German-born British astronomer Caroline Herschel was considered the first professional female astronomer. In her career she discovered three new nebulae (hazy clouds where stars form) and was the first woman to ever discover a comet in 1786. She compiled a catalogue of 2500 nebulae and, in 1828, the Royal Astronomical Society awarded her its gold medal for this work. ‘Caroline’ will be operated by Skanska Costain STRABAG JV (SCS JV), HS2’s Main Works Civils Contractor constructing the HS2 tunnels in London.  She joins ‘Sushila’ who has already travelled over 70m in the three weeks since launch. James Richardson, Managing Director of Skanska Costain STRABAG JV said:   “We’re delighted to have begun our tunnelling journey towards Euston, travelling under one of the busiest cities in the world. Getting to this point has been a huge team effort and the scale of this programme has enabled many new people to join the industry and work on this crucial national infrastructure project.” Once ‘Caroline’ and ‘Sushila’ reach their destination at Greenpark Way, they will be dismantled and extracted from a 40m deep shaft. Separately, two other equally massive tunnel boring machines will set off towards Greenpark Way from HS2’s Victoria Road site in 2023 to build a further 3.4mile twin-bore tunnel. Combined, the quartet of TBMs will build 8.4miles of twin bored tunnels between West Ruislip and the new high speed rail super hub station at Old Oak Common.    Further facts about the TBMS:  Each machine is 140 metres in length, one and a quarter times the length of a football pitch Each has a cutter head that is 9.84m in diameter, almost as tall as two giraffes standing on top of each other They each weigh approximately 2,050 tonnes, roughly the weight of 10 blue whales 2 million cubic metres of excavated material will be removed, weighing 2.46 million tonnes A single tunnel segment ring weighs 8.5 tonnes Another tunnel 4.5 mile twin-bore tunnel extending from Old Oak Common to Euston will complete HS2’s journey to its London terminus. Spoil from the tunnels at West Ruislip will not travel far as it will be used for sustainable placement to the North, creating embankments for the new railway, as well as new environmental habitats. It will also be used to remodel the West Ruislip golf course which is closed during HS2 construction.

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