Funding has been secured by Sempra Homes for the delivery of the Markhams Chase development in Basildon. The development of three, contemporary two-bedroom houses will be delivered in partnership with One Public Estate under the Government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) programme. Melanie Keys, Services Manager at Sempra Homes commented:
Unite Students has secured planning permission to develop a 952-bed property in east London and a 500-bed scheme at a key Bristol location. The Stratford development, next to Meridian Steps near Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, is a 41-storey tower targeted to be completed in 2028. The construction of a
Construction work has commenced on two new residential buildings at Television Centre in White City, London. With Mitsui Fudosan UK and Stanhope, as the development manager, Multiplex has been appointed as the construction manager and completion is scheduled for mid-2027. The two buildings at the Television Centre – the nine-storey
Homes England and Network Rail Property have signed a development agreement with McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate, solidifying their partnership as strategic developers for York Central. The agreement will lead to the transformation of one of the largest brownfield sites in England alongside other partners the City of York
Plans to restore Derby’s Guildhall Theatre and enhance Derby Theatre are set to move forward, as part of a major investment putting culture at the heart of the city. Derby City Council’s Cabinet will agree terms for use of £20 million Government Levelling Up Funding allocated to Derby. The funding
Salford City Council has approved regeneration plans to transform MediaCity and The Quays into an iconic waterfront destination. Inspired by design-led waterfronts such as Oslo in Norway and Australia’s Darling Harbour the revised regeneration proposals also include around 3,000 new homes and approximately 800,000 sq ft of additional commercial space
Plans for Greenlight Urban’s sustainability-led Redditch industrial/logistics scheme have been given the go-ahead. The logistics platform has already secured a pre-let to existing occupier Honeywell for a refurbished and extended 66,000 sq ft facility Greenlight Redditch will consist of a further four industrial/logistics units which will target BREEAM Outstanding and
British Steel’s plans to build Electric Arc Furnace on Teesside as part of £1.25 billion decarbonisation plan have been approved. The company’s application was approved by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council following a detailed consultation period. Its application to build another Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), at its Scunthorpe site, is
Housebuilder The Hill Group and the Shearer Property Group (SGP) have commenced archaeological works ahead of the first phase of development of City Centre South, a £450 million regeneration scheme that will transform Coventry city centre. These essential preliminary works will ensure the heritage of the site is understood, recorded,
Morgan Sindall Construction has completed work on an extra care facility in Leeds. The Sycamores in Woodlesford is Morgan Sindall Construction’s second Extra Care scheme for Lovell Later Living, Leeds City Council, and integrated housing and care provider Home Group, following the completion of the Greenmill Gardens Wellbeing community in
Funding has been secured by Sempra Homes for the delivery of the Markhams Chase development in Basildon. The development of three, contemporary two-bedroom houses will be delivered in partnership with One Public Estate under the Government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) programme. Melanie Keys, Services Manager at Sempra Homes commented: “We are pleased to see this development come forward, which will be delivered in partnership with One Public Estate and Homes England. It has been a long time in the making, and we look forward to seeing the transformation of the site from its current unused hardstanding, which has been prone to fly-tipping and nuisance for many years, into three beautiful contemporary homes.” The modern homes will be available as part of Sempra Homes’ Shared Ownership affordable housing programme, which will give priority to Basildon Borough residents, key workers, and veterans, who will be able to purchase these homes and make their first steps on the housing ladder. The homes will be built to a high specification featuring integrated energy-efficient appliances in the kitchen Using a Fabric First Approach, they will be designed to be energy efficient as well as meet National Space standards. Sempra Homes will also be working with Secured by Design officers to achieve gold accreditation, creating a safe place for people to live. As part of the sustainability strategy for the development, each property will have an electric vehicle charging point, and all mature trees will be retained as well as the inclusion of a wild meadow and pollinator planting to encourage wildlife. Sempra Homes will also be creating a new sheltered bus stop on Markhams Close with real-time information boards and providing a contribution of £10,000 towards the Find Your Active Basildon Partnership to improve the health of the local community through well-being and physical activity community work in the area, which is aligned with the Council’s Safe and Sounds Estates work. The development was designed by Calford Seadon Architects and Building Associates are appointed to construct the new development, with PSW acting as Sempra’s Employers Agents. Image: Calford Seaden Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Unite Students has secured planning permission to develop a 952-bed property in east London and a 500-bed scheme at a key Bristol location. The Stratford development, next to Meridian Steps near Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, is a 41-storey tower targeted to be completed in 2028. The construction of a new entrance and exit to Stratford Underground Station is also part of the plans, providing a positive benefit to the local community by helping to alleviate passenger congestion and improve the area’s infrastructure. The Group’s Freestone Island development, in Bristol’s Temple Quarter, has total development costs of £73 million and is set to open in 2026. Unite Students is working in partnership with the University of Bristol through a nomination agreement on the property, which will guarantee rooms for the university’s students. This will assist the university in delivering high quality accommodation to support its growth in the Temple Quarter area of Bristol. Temple Quarter, in the heart of Bristol, is one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects – with 130 hectares of land being redeveloped to create a mixed-use community that includes office and commercial space, as well as pedestrianised green areas, alongside Unite Students’ student housing. The Quarter will be a key contributor to the West of England’s economy by creating new homes, jobs and generating income for the local area. Unite Students’ development, which has received full planning approval, will be close to its 600-bed Marsh Mills site, on Feeder Road, and the University of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, where up to 4,600 students will be based on completion. The new development will provide 4,500 sq ft of affordable workspace and will be BREEAM Excellent with EPC Ratings of A across the scheme. The Stratford project, which has approval with conditions and is yet to obtain full planning permission, will also deliver 1,151m2 of commercial space which will include workspace and a retail area. Part of the space is earmarked for Canning Town-based You Press, a social enterprise for young people and underrepresented communities. A total of 333 beds will be left at affordable rents; 30 beds will be in self-contained studio flats while the rest are in shared flats of 5 to 10 bedrooms. One in 10 bedrooms will be wheelchair accessible. The planning application was supported by University College London (UCL) and full planning permission is expected later this year. Unite Students is in the process of confirming a long-term agreement with the university for its students to let the majority of the beds. This will support the university’s recently completed UCL East campus in Stratford. Embodied carbon to practical completion is targeted at 730 kgCO2e/m2 (carbon emission equivalent per square metre), showing further progress towards the Group’s 2030 net zero development targets. Including this project, Unite Students’ total planned investment into Stratford is around £400m. This includes the delivery of 716 new beds and academic space for the London Academy of Excellence at its Hawthorne House property, which is replacing former office block Jubilee House on Farthingale Walk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction work has commenced on two new residential buildings at Television Centre in White City, London. With Mitsui Fudosan UK and Stanhope, as the development manager, Multiplex has been appointed as the construction manager and completion is scheduled for mid-2027. The two buildings at the Television Centre – the nine-storey ‘Scenery House’ designed by architects dRMM, and the 25-storey ‘The Ariel’ by AHMM – comprise a total of 347 apartments and townhouses. The accommodation will range from studios to four-bed townhouses with a complementary range of amenities designed by both MSMR and Sella Concepts including residents’ lounges, a screening room, co-working spaces and meeting rooms, as well as a private dining room and roof terrace. Particular attention has been paid to greening the areas in and around the buildings. Landscape architect, Gillespies, has designed a courtyard garden, rooftop terrace and pocket park between the two built elements of the scheme. The announcement comes as Macfarlane Place, the first building in this development phase, nears completion. The scheme will provide 142 affordable homes for Peabody across two predominantly brick buildings designed by Maccreanor Lavington. This brings the number of Stirling Prize winning architects working on the iconic development to three (including AHMM and dRMM) – reflecting Mitsui Fudosan’s commitment to the very best in British architectural design. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Homes England and Network Rail Property have signed a development agreement with McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate, solidifying their partnership as strategic developers for York Central. The agreement will lead to the transformation of one of the largest brownfield sites in England alongside other partners the City of York Council and the National Railway Museum. The mixed-use development will build 2,500 new homes (20% of which will be affordable) and create up to one million sq ft of office, retail and hospitality space, along with improvements to the York Railway Station and an enhanced National Railway Museum. York Central has the potential to generate up to 6,500 jobs and will help to grow York’s future economy by 20%, by adding £1.1bn GVA to the city. The one million square feet of new offices, retail and leisure uses, to the rear of York station, will create a major new employment hub for northern England. York Central will include a new 17-acre urban park, with 50% of the rejuvenated site set to be green space, along with vibrant public squares that will connect the new development to the surrounding neighbourhoods and the adjacent York City Centre. Work is already underway on site, preparing it for development, with £135m of infrastructure works currently underway delivering 2km of new roads including bus lanes, segregated footpaths and cycleways, along with two new bridges. McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate have been undertaking initial community and stakeholder engagement and will continue to work closely with the local community on plans for York Central ahead of submitting plans later this year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans to restore Derby’s Guildhall Theatre and enhance Derby Theatre are set to move forward, as part of a major investment putting culture at the heart of the city. Derby City Council’s Cabinet will agree terms for use of £20 million Government Levelling Up Funding allocated to Derby. The funding will be split evenly between the Guildhall Theatre and Derby Theatre. Combined the two projects will generate an additional £2.7m per year for the local economy. A partnership agreement has been drawn up by the two organisations to agree details of how the funding will be spent, with the Council’s Cabinet set to agree the terms of the agreement next week. The £10m allocated to the Guildhall Theatre will contribute to the restoration of the Grade II listed building to its former glory and once again welcome audiences. Restoration plans for the Guildhall Theatre will include a new front-of-house experience with an enhanced foyer as well as a new ground floor cafe and box office opening onto the Market Place. The auditorium will also be remodelled to increase the seating capacity to around 280. Back of house facilities will also be renovated to make the venue more accessible, other improvements include refurbished dressing rooms and the installation of a new service lift. A new courtyard will also be included in the works, adjacent to Derby’s historic Market Hall, which is due to re-open in the spring of 2025 following major renovations. Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Deputy Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Culture and Tourism, said: “By bringing the Guildhall Theatre back into use, we can not only restore one of our historic buildings but create more space for community-led arts groups to perform right in Derby’s cultural heart. “We’re on a mission to put culture at the heart of our city, bringing pride to our high streets, and attracting further investment into the city. Change is coming and what is planned for Derby’s Market Place is truly exciting.” Derby Theatre’s £10 million allocation will enable the Theatre and the University of Derby to complete phase one of its New Horizons project, delivering a state-of-the-art new accessible studio theatre and Learning and Research Hub. The Learning and Research Hub will allow the Theatre and University to develop further the undergraduate and postgraduate offer onsite in a professional theatre continuing to make the most of and enhance the unique connection between students, professional artists, participants and audiences. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Salford City Council has approved regeneration plans to transform MediaCity and The Quays into an iconic waterfront destination. Inspired by design-led waterfronts such as Oslo in Norway and Australia’s Darling Harbour the revised regeneration proposals also include around 3,000 new homes and approximately 800,000 sq ft of additional commercial space across 60 acres. The approval comes following an extensive consultation period and input from the local community. A new artist’s impression has been released to illustrate the new vision for the waterfront at MediaCity and the Quays – the focal point of the regeneration plan’s waterfront and Gateway quarter – forming one of four zones. The aspirational vision for the waterfront will bring new and flexible, all-weather glass-fronted structures and pavilions. This includes a new pedestrian link bridge from MediaCity to The Lowry and Quayside as well as plans to activate North Bay. A new boardwalk and link bridge along the MediaCity waterfront will feature more, quality nature and green space, innovative art installations, and places for people to eat, drink or enjoy the tranquil views from new, design-led fixed outdoor furniture. The giant Piazza will also be reimagined with moveable structures which can house a variety of brand activations all year round. The backdrop to the waterfront is the media quarter – home to the current cluster of 250 creative, tech and digital companies including ITV, BBC and dock10 studios positioned around MediaCity’s main Piazza. The Living Hub will bring a new opportunity for the destination featuring new, highly sustainable homes, businesses and convenience retail interspersed with pockets of green space and boulevards. While, the Culture and Community Hub centred in and around Quayside and The Lowry aims to be the cultural, leisure and retail heart of the destination. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans for Greenlight Urban’s sustainability-led Redditch industrial/logistics scheme have been given the go-ahead. The logistics platform has already secured a pre-let to existing occupier Honeywell for a refurbished and extended 66,000 sq ft facility Greenlight Redditch will consist of a further four industrial/logistics units which will target BREEAM Outstanding and EPC A+ ratings. Greenlight – a logistics joint venture platform between Coltham and Delancey client funds – has obtained a resolution to grant planning permission for the redevelopment of an existing manufacturing complex in Redditch, Worcestershire. A pre-let to retain existing occupier Honeywell has also been secured – marking the latest in a string of innovative companies that are benefitting from Greenlight Urban’s portfolio of first-class industrial assets with excellent sustainability credentials, under construction across the UK. This inventive retention of Honeywell’s existing building, which is being fully refurbished, not only reduces the embodied carbon emissions by retaining the structure of the building but also introduces photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps to remove any reliance on natural gas within their operation. Greenlight Redditch consists of the partial demolition of the existing buildings onsite and the construction of four new units with high-quality sustainability credentials, totalling 126,715 sq ft, targeting a BREEAM Outstanding rating and EPC A+ for the build base. The new units have been designed to improve energy performance and reduce the environmental impact. The units will use technologies such as photovoltaic panels, EV charging infrastructure, rainwater harvesting and air source heat pumps to mitigate and adapt to climate change, cut carbon emissions, and reduce occupiers’ costs. Alongside benefitting from strong sustainability credentials, Greenlight Redditch’s units will also include Category A office space and cycle parking, while Units 1 and 3 will feature balcony space for employees. The site benefits from connectivity to the A4023 Coventry Highway and is just 15 miles from Birmingham city centre. These factors make Greenlight Redditch a prime place to accommodate the growing number of pioneering businesses in the West Midlands. Mark Enderby, Director of Development at Delancey, said: “We are thrilled to secure Honeywell – a firm which is dedicated to driving technological transformation for a sustainable future – to Greenlight Redditch. We look forward to working with Honeywell and we are already in talks with other companies on the scheme which are looking for highly sustainable mid-box industrial accommodation in the area.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
British Steel’s plans to build Electric Arc Furnace on Teesside as part of £1.25 billion decarbonisation plan have been approved. The company’s application was approved by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council following a detailed consultation period. Its application to build another Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), at its Scunthorpe site, is set to be decided imminently by North Lincolnshire Council. The manufacturer’s proposed transformation – its biggest in more than a century of steelmaking – is subject to appropriate support from the UK Government. British Steel President and CEO Xijun Cao said: “We’re delighted to have received planning permission to build an Electric Arc Furnace at our Teesside site, and thank everyone who has supported our proposals to bring steelmaking back to the region. “The proposed installation of EAFs in Scunthorpe and Teesside is central to our journey to a green future as they would help us reduce emissions of CO2 by more than 75 per cent. However, it is crucial we now secure the backing of the UK Government. “Our owner, Jingye, is committed to the unprecedented investment decarbonisation requires and our desire to dramatically reduce our carbon footprint, coupled with challenging market conditions, means it is imperative swift and decisive action is taken to ensure a sustainable future for British Steel. “We started talks with the UK Government in 2022 about the timely support we require on our journey to net zero, including the need for the British government to adopt the correct policies and frameworks now to back our drive to become a clean, green, and successful company. We are committed to working with the UK Government and need to reach an agreement quickly so we can achieve our ambitious goals, secure thousands of jobs and keep making the steel Britain needs for generations to come.” Significant preparation works, including environmental and technical studies, and equipment selection, are underway to ensure the company’s ambitious proposals can be delivered at the earliest opportunity while discussions with the UK Government continue. Both proposed EAFs would replace the aging iron and steelmaking operations at British Steel’s Scunthorpe site which are responsible for the vast majority of its CO2 emissions. The company proposes maintaining current operations until a transition to electric arc steelmaking. British Steel has started preliminary talks with trade unions about electrification, and has promised to support employees affected by its decarbonisation plans. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Housebuilder The Hill Group and the Shearer Property Group (SGP) have commenced archaeological works ahead of the first phase of development of City Centre South, a £450 million regeneration scheme that will transform Coventry city centre. These essential preliminary works will ensure the heritage of the site is understood, recorded, and preserved before the start of construction. A team of archaeologists from Cotswold Archaeology has begun a survey of the site with trenches taking place in various locations, starting in the Barracks car park before moving to Bull Yard and Shelton Square. The works are estimated to take seven to eight weeks to complete, and disruption to businesses and visitors will be kept to a minimum. The task will include the excavation of 23 trial trenches of varying sizes and depths, seeking to locate the line of the historic city wall as well as identify any other archaeological remains. Items of significance found during the works will be logged, protected, and covered for further investigation until the site has been cleared. Hill and SGP are working closely with Coventry City Council and West Midlands Police to ensure that emergency protocols are in place should the trenching unearth any unexploded ordnance that remains as a result of the city’s bombing during the Second World War. Andy Fancy, Managing Director at The Hill Group commented: “We are committed to carrying out the archaeological investigation works at City Centre South both safely and sensitively to protect any historical findings before the start of construction. These works are a routine part of the development process and essential due to the development’s location at the heart of Coventry’s historic centre.” Almost a thousand homes have been given the green light in this first phase of City Centre South, including 200 affordable homes, along with space for shops, businesses, and public open space in a pedestrian-friendly quarter. The new development, designed by acclaimed architecture firm Allies and Morrison, introduces a contemporary style that takes its inspiration from Coventry’s heritage. Conveniently located within a five-minute walk of Coventry train station, the development forms a major element of the wider masterplan for the regeneration of the city. Construction at City Centre South is scheduled to start in the autumn, with the first homes expected to be completed in early 2027. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Morgan Sindall Construction has completed work on an extra care facility in Leeds. The Sycamores in Woodlesford is Morgan Sindall Construction’s second Extra Care scheme for Lovell Later Living, Leeds City Council, and integrated housing and care provider Home Group, following the completion of the Greenmill Gardens Wellbeing community in the Seacroft area of Leeds in October 2022. The £13.4m scheme – designed by P&HS Architects – will maximise the independence of people requiring ongoing care and support, such as those with health conditions and older people. The Sycamores comprises 62 one and two-bed self-contained apartments with contemporary kitchen facilities, ensuite bathrooms and a private balcony or patio. The scheme also includes communal areas and landscaped gardens alongside a community café and hair salon which will be available for use by residents and the local community. Throughout its build programme, Morgan Sindall undertook a comprehensive social value programme to ensure the community benefited from the project. 33 apprentices were employed on the project, with a local labour spend of 75%. £2.67 was reinvested in the Leeds economy for every £1 spent on the project (figures calibrated using the LM3 methodology), while there were also over 60 hours of educational engagement. To reduce waste and save cost, Morgan Sindall deployed its Intelligent Solutions approach to alter the build sequence and ceiling details throughout the building so full-size plasterboards with no offcuts could be installed. This resulted in the equivalent of over 1,000 boards being saved. Other innovations on site resulted in 33.7 tonnes of CO2 being saved during the construction process – the equivalent amount of CO2 it would take to heat 12 UK homes annually. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
