Morgan Sindall Construction has commenced refurbishment work at Watford Colosseum to preserve, modernise and upgrade the historic live entertainment venue. Built in 1938, Watford Colosseum is a Grade II listed building renowned worldwide for its exceptional acoustics. Described by Julian Lloyd Webber as ‘the finest recording venue in the world’,
Spitfire Homes has officially opened a new Customer Suite at Malabar, a new neighbourhood in Daventry, Northamptonshire, against a backdrop of rising buyer demand across the UK. The collection comprises a variety of aspirational new two- to five-bedroom homes tailored to suit a range of lifestyles, showcasing Spitfire’s signature design-led
Plans to demolish and rebuild New Oscott Primary School in Sutton Coldfield have been approved by Birmingham City Council. Designed by CPMG Architects, the plans will transform the existing single-storey building into a purpose-built two-storey school with a sustainability specification including net zero carbon in operation. The school, located near
Stantec has been appointed to provide integrated design services for Agratas, Tata Group’s global battery business, which is building a battery cell manufacturing facility on the Gravity Smart Campus in the United Kingdom (UK). The new advanced manufacturing facility, comprising three separate buildings with associated ancillary structures, will create up
Birchgrove and Hybr have announced an industry-first intergenerational living scheme which will see students and key workers live alongside retirees in the same purpose-built, privately rented retirement development. Ayrton House is a new 60-apartment rental retirement community in Mill Hill, North London. When launched in October this year, 16 apartments
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
Morgan Sindall Construction has commenced refurbishment work at Watford Colosseum to preserve, modernise and upgrade the historic live entertainment venue. Built in 1938, Watford Colosseum is a Grade II listed building renowned worldwide for its exceptional acoustics. Described by Julian Lloyd Webber as ‘the finest recording venue in the world’, it is home to the BBC Concert Orchestra, has been used to record multiple famous movie soundtracks and has hosted a long list of musical as well as sporting greats. To ensure Watford Colosseum’s longevity and to position it as a cultural and sustainable quarter that will drive local investment, Watford Borough Council (WBC) appointed Morgan Sindall’s Northern Home Counties business to undertake an extensive refurbishment. The Colosseum project follows Morgan Sindall’s ongoing refurbishment at the adjoining, also Grade II listed, Watford Town Hall. When complete, the combined £20m project will preserve both buildings and make use of reduced civic office space to create areas that nurture a sense of belonging and identity. This will see a new interactive museum added alongside a hub to support young people, entrepreneurs, and start-ups as well as a community space and café. Scheduled for completion in Autumn 2024, Morgan Sindall will create a new stage and lighting rigs to enable a wider range of acts to perform and will reopen the original grand entrance, which has been closed for over a decade. Visitors will benefit from a new café as well as accessibility, lighting, and signage improvements to bring the pre-war site up to a modern standard. The tier one contractor will also install an external ventilation duct, and roof plant, and refurbish the existing canopy to the front of the building. To align the Colosseum with WBC’s sustainability goals, the project will minimise the amount of material sent to landfills and make the venue significantly more energy efficient. This will be achieved by installing modern insulation materials, upgrading the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems, and adding photovoltaic (PV) panels to the roof. Once complete, WBC can expect sustainability performance levels far beyond those typical of civic buildings constructed in the 1930s. This includes a 40% saving on gas bills due to new cavity wall insulation and when combined with replacing all lights with LED equivalents and installing new roof insulation, a 166-tonne annual saving in carbon emissions. The refurbishment will also realise U-value improvements, with the rate of energy loss from the walls reduced by a factor of six, and from the flat roofs by a factor of 17. The unique nature of this project will require Morgan Sindall to leverage its Intelligent Solutions approach to meet one-of-a-kind challenges. Maintaining the venue’s renowned acoustics is a top priority and has been factored into every stage of the Colosseum’s planning, design, refurbishment, and operation. Bringing the venue up to a modern benchmark for functionality and sustainability while respecting its historic fabric, such as the timber panelling and Art Deco façade, has likewise seen Morgan Sindall devise innovative solutions and construction processes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Spitfire Homes has officially opened a new Customer Suite at Malabar, a new neighbourhood in Daventry, Northamptonshire, against a backdrop of rising buyer demand across the UK. The collection comprises a variety of aspirational new two- to five-bedroom homes tailored to suit a range of lifestyles, showcasing Spitfire’s signature design-led approach. All homes at Malabar include future-proof features and technologies to promote energy-efficient living. With sustainability a key focus for Spitfire, properties come complete with photovoltaic (PV) panels, underfloor heating, heating and hot water provided by air source heat pumps, and electric vehicle charging points. Spitfire’s opening coincides with a national fall in interest rates, with data from Zoopla showing mortgage providers offering rates at under 5% in recent months. As a result, national sales are 13% higher than February 2023, and 17% higher in areas across the Midlands. Malabar already has outline planning permission for up to 1,100 new homes, with the prime location providing access to local amenities including supermarkets, pharmacies and GP practices, as well as pubs, restaurants, and cafes. For families with children, Daventry is home to several well-established primary and secondary schools. The wider collection at Malabar will also incorporate over 50 acres of public open space along with plans to deliver a new primary school, nursery and community centre, alongside food and retail units. It is projected that the construction of the development will support the employment of more than 3,400 people. Ben Leather, Managing Director at Spitfire Homes, said: “Malabar demonstrates Spitfire’s goal of creating thriving, sustainable communities that deliver high-quality, future-proofed properties. Our range of two to five-bedroom homes suit a wide range of buyers and budgets, from first-time buyers to established families looking for more space. Now that our Customer Suite is open to the public, we’d encourage prospective buyers to book an appointment to come and see all that Malabar has to offer.” Knight Frank is the selling agent at Malabar and has worked with Spitfire Homes for over ten years. Its latest data published at the end of January 2024 shows that since interest rates have dropped, levels of sale interest across the market have increased. There is pent-up demand from buyers who have been waiting for more economic stability. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans to demolish and rebuild New Oscott Primary School in Sutton Coldfield have been approved by Birmingham City Council. Designed by CPMG Architects, the plans will transform the existing single-storey building into a purpose-built two-storey school with a sustainability specification including net zero carbon in operation. The school, located near to the historic Sutton Park, is home to more than 630 pupils with three classes per year group, alongside a 58-place nursery, and is set to offer an enhanced learning environment. This is to be achieved through a layout that has been tailored to the school’s needs, improved daylight and ventilation and a wealth of high-quality outdoor spaces to create a greater connection to nature and physical activity. Tom Ridley-Thompson, associate at CPMG Architects, said: “The New Oscott Primary School rebuild will enable a high-quality educational offering to continue. It is a highly successful school and we aim to make sure the building reflects expectations. “We know that schools built to the latest wellbeing and sustainability standards have a positive impact on student experience, so we’re pleased to be involved and helping schools reach important milestones in their journey to a new era.” The sustainability commitment is demonstrated by the use of a green roof combined with a large array of solar panels, as well as a new sustainable drainage system that will provide attenuation for surface water during heavy or prolonged rain events. The highly energy-efficient design also includes air source heat pumps, high levels of insulation and airtightness. To ensure the new school building fits into its surroundings, the brickwork at a low level matches the brickwork used in many surrounding houses. The light-coloured render at a high level also ties in with many local examples. The lightness of the finishes also helps to reduce the building overheating. Alongside CPMG Architects, the main contractor Tilbury Douglas’ project delivery team includes Hexa Consulting, David Paradine, Green Webb, Ares Consulting, Q+A Planning, Hoare Lea and OFR Consultants. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Stantec has been appointed to provide integrated design services for Agratas, Tata Group’s global battery business, which is building a battery cell manufacturing facility on the Gravity Smart Campus in the United Kingdom (UK). The new advanced manufacturing facility, comprising three separate buildings with associated ancillary structures, will create up to 4,000 jobs on-site over the lifespan of the project and thousands more in the supply chain. With innovative technologies and resource-efficient processes, the facility will produce high-quality, high-performance, sustainable battery cells. The next generation of batteries will support Britain’s energy transition and power hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles. This is one of the most significant manufacturing investments in the UK, and the factory will be one of the largest of its kind in Europe. “The Agratas facility will be pioneering in battery cell production, addressing demand in the advanced manufacturing space in the UK head-on, while benefiting productivity, the climate, and the economy,” said Gord Johnston, president and chief executive officer of Stantec. “Stantec has strong capabilities in the advanced manufacturing space, and we look forward to working closely with Agratas to provide our significant breadth and depth of experience and support the successful completion of its project.” “We look forward to working with Stantec to design the UK’s largest battery cell manufacturing facility. Using state-of-the-art technology, our facility will power the transition to electric mobility and clean energy storage,” said: Joe Hibbert, vice president of Capital Projects, Agratas. “Our partnership with Stantec is the next step in our mission to deliver best-in-class battery solutions for our global customers.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Birchgrove and Hybr have announced an industry-first intergenerational living scheme which will see students and key workers live alongside retirees in the same purpose-built, privately rented retirement development. Ayrton House is a new 60-apartment rental retirement community in Mill Hill, North London. When launched in October this year, 16 apartments across the third and fourth floors will be offered exclusively to trainee doctors and nurses from the local hospital, university post-graduates and graduate scheme students. The scheme has been designed to generate a vibrant community by harnessing the benefits of intergenerational living, with several pieces of research highlighting how the model is physically and mentally beneficial for both the young and the elderly. A 2019 UCL study highlighted how increased social contact for elderly people is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia, while an Ageing Research study has highlighted how intergenerational living benefits the elderly by giving them a greater sense of purpose and combatting loneliness, in turn leading to a greater life expectancy. Further research has also demonstrated how younger people benefit from living with elderly people – by enabling them to gain a deeper understanding of the older generation and increasing their tolerance, empathy and understanding. The students will live at Ayrton House on short-term tenancies running until June 2025, sharing communal facilities with the development’s retirees – including full access to the gym and the same subsidised rates in the restaurant. Furthermore, the rent on the 16 student units will be approximately 50% of the market value. The project therefore means that students will have access to affordable, high-quality accommodation at a time when nearly two-thirds of all students are struggling to pay their rent. At the end of the tenancies in June 2025, the 16 student units will be vacated and restored to first-use state, before being let to retirees. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
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
