A collaboration has been established between blocwork, a joint venture between Network Rail and bloc group, and Citra Living, aiming to construct over 2,000 new homes throughout Great Britain. In the partnership, Network Rail Property (NRP) will draw potential sites from its extensive rail side property portfolio with bloc acting
International architectural and interior design practice, CPMG, has announced the official opening of a new London studio, in the heart of the city’s design district. Seven years after first establishing a base in the capital, CPMG has taken residence in its new office located next to Exmouth Market on Roseberry
The ID Manchester partnership has announced plans to reactivate the Renold Building as a home for forward-thinking entrepreneurs and SMEs to develop new ideas and solutions that help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. This marks the initial phase of ID Manchester’s ambitious plan to transform The University of
McLaren Construction has met and surpassed its net zero carbon construction targets with the successful delivery of a pivotal logistics warehouse scheme in Leeds. Successfully achieving an embodied carbon target to practical completion lower than first proposed, ensuring a more sustainable build and reducing the carbon offset payment, McLaren Construction
Plans have been submitted to build additional student accommodation at The Island Quarter in Nottingham. The plans submitted to Nottingham City Council would see a further 383-space student block built on the Manvers Road side of the £1.5bn Island Quarter development. Combined with the 693 beds at the adjacent Winfield
Henley Investment Management has secured plans to redevelop Albert and Swedish Wharf in Fulham. Henley plans to build a cluster of six to 17 storey residential buildings with 276 apartments while also bringing the wharf back into use. Albert & Swedish Wharf is described as one of the last remaining
Esh Construction has been selected to develop over 100 new homes in Pelton, Co Durham. The £25 million project will be delivered on the site of the former Roseberry Sports Community College and has been hailed as a welcome boost for local housing stock. The development will include 52 rent-to-buy
Pick Everard has announces that Manchester City Council has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of ten derelict railway arches on Corporation Street in Manchester. Located on one of the key links between the city centre and the Victoria North regeneration area, the Corporation Street arches will be transformed by
Letchworth-based company, Willmott Dixon, has been appointed to conduct the £55m redevelopment of Hertfordshire Constabulary’s police headquarters in Welwyn Garden City. Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd has approved the proposals, which had already received planning permission. The redevelopment, in Stanborough, will involve demolishing eleven of the 1960s-era buildings
Construction work has started on a new pioneering joint education campus, to be located in the Fairwater area of Cardiff. The £110 million project is the largest in scale and investment, of Cardiff’s education developments delivered under Cardiff Council and Welsh Governments Band B Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme. The
A collaboration has been established between blocwork, a joint venture between Network Rail and bloc group, and Citra Living, aiming to construct over 2,000 new homes throughout Great Britain. In the partnership, Network Rail Property (NRP) will draw potential sites from its extensive rail side property portfolio with bloc acting as developer, and Citra Living managing and operating these high-quality built-to-rent homes, with an option to acquire some of the sites. Citra Living is part of Lloyds Banking Group, which owns and operates a growing portfolio of more than 2,000 professionally managed homes for rent, improving access to good value, quality, and sustainable housing across the UK. Citra Living help to support investment into local communities by building and renting homes that people want, in the places they are needed. The brownfield regeneration of under-utilised railway land will further help the UK to meet its ambitious housing targets. Partnering with Citra Living will accelerate the provision of high-quality rental homes with excellent transport links in towns and cities, meeting local housing demand and creating sustainable communities. Schemes recently delivered across the Citra Living portfolio include Bristol, Chesterfield, Peterborough and Ashford. Robin Dobson, group property director at Network Rail, said: “This partnership, aimed at family living, is another key collaboration for NRP that will help us tangibly address the current housing crisis with thousands of new homes for families. These developments will also serve to breathe new life into towns and cities directly next to vital transport links.” Nick Legget, development director at blocwork, said: “The partnership between Citra Living and blocwork will see some 2,000 much-needed high-quality rental homes delivered to city centre brownfield areas. Having launched our first build-to-rent in the latter half of 2023, we’re now extending our offering further, this time providing high-quality homes for families. I’m excited to see how far the partnership between our organisations takes us in the years to come.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
International architectural and interior design practice, CPMG, has announced the official opening of a new London studio, in the heart of the city’s design district. Seven years after first establishing a base in the capital, CPMG has taken residence in its new office located next to Exmouth Market on Roseberry Avenue in Farringdon. The move has been completed to increase business resilience, encourage further growth and gain access to a wider pool of architects, technologists and designers. The move also represents CPMG’s progress in the South East as the business continues to grow in line with its strategy – based on delivering and winning more work in the region. Chris White, director and London office lead, said: “Opening our new office in London is something that the team and I are all extremely proud of. When we first set up in the region, the office was simply a business development hub, but now we’re welcoming clients to a design studio that truly represents who we are and what we’re capable of. “Over the past seven years, the foundations have been laid for an even more successful future and this latest step will only support our ever-increasing presence in London. Our repeat client percentage is nearly 80%, so we’re pleased to have a base which continues to offer us excellent access to all parts of the city – and our project sites too. Farringdon is an ideal place for us and the working environment we have created certainly matches all the perks London has to offer.” The CPMG team in the capital now boasts 10 members, including both senior specialists and graduates. The business’ pipeline of work includes commissions in several key sectors, including education, residential and commercial. Key projects currently underway include schools for the Department for Education, adult social living and care homes, and the reconfiguration and extension of offices. Richard Flisher, managing director at CPMG, said: “The London team’s talent and hard work has enabled us to grow our reputation both in the city and nationwide and with additional work comes the need to expand the London studio. We plan to continue growing sustainably ensuring the team structure is where it needs to be for everyone to flourish. The way we see it, growth isn’t just about numbers, it’s about having the right people: the employees need to be right for CPMG, but even more importantly, CPMG need to be right for them for the business to thrive.” CPMG now has 60 staff across its offices in Nottingham, London, Birmingham and Hangzhou, China. For more than 30 years, the practice has been creating award-winning spaces that prioritise human needs, support growing communities, and embrace sustainability and innovation. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The ID Manchester partnership has announced plans to reactivate the Renold Building as a home for forward-thinking entrepreneurs and SMEs to develop new ideas and solutions that help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. This marks the initial phase of ID Manchester’s ambitious plan to transform The University of Manchester’s former North Campus into a welcoming and accessible new £1.7bn innovation district. The new vision for the Renold Building will celebrate its history as an educational hub by hosting the next wave of science and technology innovators and building an inclusive, purpose-driven community. The building will provide a range of coworking, office and meeting facilities to accommodate and support collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, businesses and partner organisations. New events and exhibition spaces, including lecture theatres and a community café, will be accessible to local businesses, community groups and arts and culture organisations to host and participate in events and activities. An application to convert the building from educational to commercial use has been submitted to Manchester City Council by joint venture partners The University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech. Pending application approval, the building is set to open in late 2024. Built in 1962, the Renold Building was the first of its kind in the UK to be entirely comprised of lecture theatres and seminar rooms. It is a building of note for many due to its striking features, including the faceted facade and stair tower, and the impressive internal mural on the lower ground floor. The redevelopment will retain and protect these elements as part of the application, as well as being sympathetic to the building’s exterior facades. Design interventions in the building’s interior will also be light touch, preserving the current condition as far as practically possible. This will allow for further conservation and restoration to be undertaken at a later date, ensuring the building will remain viable for future generations. Bradley Topps, Chief Commercial Officer for Bruntwood SciTech and Project Director for ID Manchester, said: “The transformation of the Renold Building into an innovation hub marks an important first step in the development of the trailblazing science and technology ecosystem we’re building at ID Manchester. We recognise the importance of the Renold Building to many in the local community and beyond, and we are committed to reactivating the building in a way that celebrates the rich heritage and architecture of the building. We’re very excited to be creating a new home for the next generation of Manchester innovators.” John Holden, Associate Vice-President, The University of Manchester and Executive Committee Member for ID Manchester, said: “The Renold Building will be an invaluable place to bring together like-minded organisations and partners to collaborate, develop and test new ideas. We’re building our innovation ecosystem from the ground up and the Renold Building will be a place that not only accelerates the growth of our city’s most promising entrepreneurs, SMEs and university spin-outs, but also provides the spaces and opportunities to allow our local communities to participate, experience and benefit from innovation too.” The expertise and experience of ID Manchester’s respective partners will be instrumental to the creation of its innovation ecosystem. Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, is the largest dedicated property platform serving the UK’s innovation economy and brings its expertise in developing partnerships across academia, local authorities, cities and the NHS. This year marks The University of Manchester’s bicentenary, celebrating 200 years of key discoveries, world firsts and incredible people, and ID Manchester will build on this storied history of learning, innovation and research. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McLaren Construction has met and surpassed its net zero carbon construction targets with the successful delivery of a pivotal logistics warehouse scheme in Leeds. Successfully achieving an embodied carbon target to practical completion lower than first proposed, ensuring a more sustainable build and reducing the carbon offset payment, McLaren Construction Midlands and North completed works on Sherburn42 – a 660,000 sq. ft. logistics warehousing space located in Sherburn-in-Elmet at the end of November, appointed by commercial real estate investor and developer, Firethorn Trust. The 37-acre Sherburn42 scheme sits adjacent to the Sherburn Enterprise Park in Leeds and comprises the construction of four Grade-A industrial units ranging from 57,750 to 280,000 sq. ft., with industrial warehouse and office space to support core building services. The design concentrated on helping occupiers reach operational sustainability targets and the project will be accredited net-zero carbon in construction by the UK Green Building Council. Set to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, the logistical hub features EV charging, full PV coverage and LED office lighting, alongside 4MvApower. The Engineering Services Consultancy Ltd (ESC) was appointed by McLaren Construction Midlands and North to undertake a Whole Life Embodied Carbon assessment of the build at as-built RIBA Stage 5. The subsequent report showed that the contractor surpassed its project target of 550 kgCO2e/m2, achieving 458.32 kgCO2e/m2. Net Zero Carbon in construction is a term that refers to the energy used during the manufacturing of materials, combined with the emissions generated throughout the building’s construction, these are then offset through an internationally recognised carbon credit scheme. This was achieved following initial reductions in the embodied carbon, through a focus on material specification. At present, there is no mandatory requirement to report on Whole Life Carbon outside of London. However, the UK Government is committed to achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2050. Gary Cramp, Managing Director of McLaren Construction Midlands & North, said: “We’re proud to announce that our team has surpassed net zero carbon targets for this pivotal Leeds scheme. “Our project team worked hard to ensure the most sustainable materials were specified, liaising closely with our supply chain. While championing sustainability for the build through the reduction of embodied carbon in the project, we’ve also managed to ensure the offset payment is as low as possible for our client, Firethorn, of whom we have a fantastic relationship. “Now complete, Sherburn42 will provide incredible opportunities for the region’s workforce, allowing occupiers of all sizes – from multi-national distributors to small and medium-sized enterprises, an attractive, fit-for-purpose, sustainable workspace, providing a head start on achieving their net-zero targets.” Sherburn42’s proximity to junction 42 A1 (M) provides direct connections to Leeds, the M1, M62 and the coastal ports of Hull and Grimsby, as well as several regional rail stations and airports. For leasing enquiries, please contact the scheme agents, Colliers, Lambert Smith Hampton or Carter Towler. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans have been submitted to build additional student accommodation at The Island Quarter in Nottingham. The plans submitted to Nottingham City Council would see a further 383-space student block built on the Manvers Road side of the £1.5bn Island Quarter development. Combined with the 693 beds at the adjacent Winfield Court – which main contractor Bowmer & Kirkland is expected to complete this summer – the 36-acre Island Quarter site will have a student population of more than a thousand if and when both phases are complete. The new proposals are from Day Architectural on behalf of developer The Conygar Investment Company, just like Winfield Court. They cover a range of accommodation types including cluster accommodation, studios and premium options, along with amenity facilities such as a gym, laundry room and various lounges. Following a similar material palette to Winfield Court, the designs combine grey, buff and red bricks on the building’s facade alongside ribbed metal cladding. Conygar property director Christopher Ware said: “The demand for student housing has never been greater. PBSA plays a vital role in ensuring that students have access to high-quality accommodation without the need to restrict housing supply that is better suited for Nottingham residents.” The new planning submission follows last May’s approval for a new 250,000 sq ft biosciences campus on the northern side of the site. Christopher Ware said: “Intergenerational living has been a core principle for our plans for The Island Quarter, and a healthy population of students is a crucial part of this mix. In a competitive marketplace, these well-designed plans put student experience at their heart, and we’re looking forward to seeing this phase move forward. “This latest proposal is one of a series of planning submissions currently in the pipeline, building on the success of the first phases of the development at 1 The Island Quarter and Winfield Court.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Henley Investment Management has secured plans to redevelop Albert and Swedish Wharf in Fulham. Henley plans to build a cluster of six to 17 storey residential buildings with 276 apartments while also bringing the wharf back into use. Albert & Swedish Wharf is described as one of the last remaining undeveloped riverside locations on the River Thames in London. Henley’s scheme will transform an underused two-acre site by Wandsworth Bridge on the north bank of the River Thames to provide a 55,000 sq ft last mile logistics facility. The development will include the new wharf and ancillary office space. The planning application approved by London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham councillors for Henley includes a new jetty to improve capacity for handling waterborne cargo. The 276 residential apartments will range in size from studio to four-bed and 35% of them will be designated as affordable, a mix of social rent and intermediate rent. Every flat will have a private balcony or terrace, the developer said. Ian Rickwood, chief executive of Henley Investment Management, said: “The redevelopment of Albert & Swedish Wharf is a truly unique opportunity to bring this site back into positive use. Not only does it provide much needed housing for London but also an operational wharf for last mile logistics, where demand remains high and having a site like this is incredibly rare. The River Thames has huge untapped potential for handling light freight and utilising the river more will help ease congestion and reduce pollution across London. “This scheme is a prime example of how underused brownfield land can be repurposed to help meet housing need in London. The development will completely transform this part of the riverfront and the continuation of the Thames Path will create riverside access for new residents and the existing community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Esh Construction has been selected to develop over 100 new homes in Pelton, Co Durham. The £25 million project will be delivered on the site of the former Roseberry Sports Community College and has been hailed as a welcome boost for local housing stock. The development will include 52 rent-to-buy properties, a mix of two and three bedroom family homes aimed at people looking to take the first steps on the property ladder, alongside 31 apartments and eight bungalows for over 50s. Chris Hale, Esh’s Pre-Construction Director, said: “This is a significant contract award for our affordable housing division, and we’re delighted to build on our successful working relationship by securing another scheme with Karbon Homes. “More than 70 properties will be built utilising timber frame, providing additional environmental efficiencies throughout the build process. We look forward to getting work underway and delivering more environmentally friendly new build affordable homes across the North East.” The development will be part-funded through Karbon’s £165 million strategic partnership with Homes England, to develop 2,200 much-needed affordable homes across the North East and Yorkshire by 2028. The new homes in Durham have been designed to meet the highest energy efficiency standards by Esh Construction. The houses and bungalows will all achieve an energy performance certificate rating of A, will be fitted with solar photovoltaic panels and electric charging points, and will be powered by air source heat pumps. The apartments will also benefit from a communal green heating system, with heating and hot water provided by an exhaust air source heat pump. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Pick Everard has announces that Manchester City Council has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of ten derelict railway arches on Corporation Street in Manchester. Located on one of the key links between the city centre and the Victoria North regeneration area, the Corporation Street arches will be transformed by The Arch Company, following our multi-disciplinary services provided on-site. The railway arches are to become new destinations for food and drink, leisure and retail businesses to occupy. This will include new glazed frontages, new services and drainage and internal lining to make the accommodation dry and ready for new businesses to occupy. The design incorporates high-quality materials that will restore an attractive appearance to the elevations on Corporation Street, creating a ‘street’ of arches that will appeal to potential tenants in the current marketplace. Pick Everard provided structural, civil, mechanical and electrical services on the site, working in close collaboration with partners such as Stephen George + Partners, whose design has sought to overcome a number of technical, environmental and planning constraints that are inherent within existing urban infrastructure of this type. There are, for example, substantial level differences from the front to the rear of many of the units, which have required both the creation of new slab levels and ramps to ensure full accessibility. As the rear of the units back onto the River Irk, their layout has required clever design to orient them to the front, with elevations to include fire door escape and flexibility for mechanical system and ventilation provision via louvred or knock-out panels in the frame. Santosh Patel, Strategic account director at Pick Everard, said: “Manchester is famously proud of its industrial heritage, and this project not only maintains and celebrates that history, but rejuvenates it in an exciting and innovative way to bring added social value to the city’s modern landscape and its residents. “Manchester is famously proud of its industrial heritage, and this project not only maintains and celebrates that history, but rejuvenates it in an exciting and innovative way to bring added social value to the city’s modern landscape and its residents. “Seeing this project to completion will bring a new offering to Manchester, further regenerating its town centre in a way that makes sense within its larger community. The new spaces present a great opportunity for independent retail, restaurant, and other leisure businesses to develop in an area that will grow and thrive with them.” Corporation Street is the latest arch scheme in Greater Manchester on which SGP has been working with The Arch Company. It joins previously approved plans to turn ten neglected railway arches in Norton Street, Salford, into a thriving hub of bars, restaurants and cafes. The arches are located in Greengate, an area of the city currently experiencing a period of intensive development activity and growth. Both the Manchester and the Salford projects form part of Project 1000, The Arch Company’s £200m plan to bring a thousand empty or derelict spaces into use across England and Wales by 2030. Corporation Street and Norton Street are just two of over ten such projects for which SGP has been commissioned to develop designs. In London, four of SGP’s schemes have already received consent – Witan Street, America Street, Salamanca Street and Crucifix Lane. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Letchworth-based company, Willmott Dixon, has been appointed to conduct the £55m redevelopment of Hertfordshire Constabulary’s police headquarters in Welwyn Garden City. Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd has approved the proposals, which had already received planning permission. The redevelopment, in Stanborough, will involve demolishing eleven of the 1960s-era buildings at the site to make way for a brand new working environment for over 600 operational staff that will achieve a BREEAM Excellent for ultra-high sustainability standards. Taking up 9,000 square metres, the new headquarters will reduce the current Stanborough estate’s long-term running costs as well as provide a new home for services and departments based at the site including the Major Crime Unit, victim services and the dog unit, along with the senior leadership team and operational support staff. Vincent & Gorbing Associates have designed the building, and the work is expected to conclude in summer 2026. Procured via the SCAPE Construction framework, it is hoped that the building will respond to new police working methods by providing a space that addresses staff wellbeing. It is targeting WELL Platinum Certification, a benchmark for advancing health and wellbeing within a single building. Stewart Brundell, Willmott Dixon’s managing director for North London and the Northern Homes Counties, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside Hertfordshire Constabulary to deliver their new headquarters. “As a proud Hertfordshire-based company, it is fantastic to be starting on site to provide a new facility for our county’s police force. This project follows on from our successful delivery of the Bedfordshire Police’s new custody suite. “The new HQ will provide Hertfordshire Constabulary’s people with a sustainable, flexible working environment which can be utilised for police and community groups as well.” Mark Robinson, group chief executive at the SCAPE group, added: “The redevelopment of the headquarters of Hertfordshire Constabulary will provide a considerable boost to policing services in the area, bringing positive change and benefits to the local community. “Through our close-working relationship with Willmott Dixon, we are dedicated to providing efficiency and cost savings throughout the project, alongside delivering social value for the public.” Willmott Dixon have been contracted to work on a variety of projects for the emergency services, including a forensics centre for Thames Valley Police, and a fire station and training centre for West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction work has started on a new pioneering joint education campus, to be located in the Fairwater area of Cardiff. The £110 million project is the largest in scale and investment, of Cardiff’s education developments delivered under Cardiff Council and Welsh Governments Band B Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme. The development will include the construction of three new build schools for Cantonian High School, Riverbank School and Woodlands High School, all situated on a single site. The ground was cut at the site by Wales’s First Minister Mark Drakeford, Cardiff Council’s Leader, Cllr Huw Thomas and Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry. They were joined by Head of School at Cantonian High School, Geraint Jones and Chair of Governors Barbara Connell together with Executive Headteacher, Wayne Murphy and Chair of Governors Bianca Rees from the Western Learning Federation, of which Riverbank School and Woodlands High School are both a part of. Also in attendance were representatives from HLM Architects and ISG the contractors chosen to undertake the detailed design and build for the scheme. The development will be Net Zero Carbon in line with Welsh Government standards and will set the standard for future Cardiff school projects. Each of the three schools will be highly energy efficient buildings that are powered from renewable energy sources, enabling Cardiff to deliver on its One Planet Strategy, which outlines the city’s ambition to mitigate climate change. In March 2023, Cardiff Council announced that ISG was selected as the preferred bidder for the design and build of the new joint education campus, to be located in the Fairwater area of the city. ISG has now undertaken the detailed design process for the scheme and delivered the temporary accommodation associated with the works, ahead of the build. It will now build the remainder of the Net Zero Carbon campus, which will target significant reduction in operational and embodied carbon. This means the three schools will be highly energy efficient buildings that are powered from renewable energy sources, enabling Cardiff to deliver on its One Planet Strategy which outlines the city’s ambition to mitigate climate change. The new campus will include the replacement of the Cantonian High School buildings with new build accommodation on the same site expanding the school from six forms of entry (6FE) to eight forms of entry (8FE) with sixth form provision for up to 250 pupils, the expansion of the Specialist Resource Base (SRB) for learners with an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), hosted at Cantonian High School to 30 places in purpose built accommodation in the new school building, the relocation of Woodlands High School and Riverbank School to the Fairwater Campus site from its current site adjacent to Trelai Park, with an increased capacity to 240 places for Woodlands and 112 for Riverbank in new build accommodation. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
