Westminster City Council has given its backing to Squire & Partners-designed proposals for a 10-storey luxury care facility near the River Thames and Smith Square. The practice’s plans for care-home operator Medici Lifecare will see the demolition of 1930s Art Deco block Dean Bradley House, which stands on Horseferry Road,
Developer Endurance Land have received the go-ahead to retrofit and extend a 1990s office near London’s Old Street Junction. The updated 35-storey building on 99 City Road will serve as an innovation hub for tech clients as it provides 700,000 sq ft of workspace. Putting a new spin on the
Factory No. 1, the prestigious redevelopment of the former Imperial Tobacco Company headquarters in Bristol’s vibrant Bedminster district by City & Country, has won the ‘Best Large Development’ category at the First Time Buyer Readers’ Awards on Friday 1st September. Now in its 13th year, the First Time Buyer Readers’
Developer Regal London have submitted plans for a Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) scheme on ‘Wembley Greenaway’, in the London Borough of Brent. The proposed scheme will open up the railway lands parallel to High Road, Wembley for the first time, and will provide safe and inclusive green space. The proposals
Leading South West housebuilder Cavanna Homes has marked 100 years in business with a special party for staff and shareholders at its Torquay headquarters. Founded in 1923 by Philip ‘PD’ Cavanna and his brother Ray, the company has been at the forefront of house-building projects across the Westcountry for the
Housebuilder The Hill Group has announced the acquisition of a 17-acre site for residential development in the picturesque village of Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, to deliver 110 high-quality new homes for the local area. With a strong reputation for sustainable redevelopment across Cambridgeshire, Hill will provide a wide range of attractive, energy-efficient
Far East Consortium (FEC) has secured planning permission for the next phase of their Red Bank Scheme, a joint venture project with Manchester City Council’s Victoria North. Passed by Manchester City Council’s planning committee on August 31st, the approval helps to unlock FEC’s ambitions to deliver up to 4,800 new
Willmott Dixon has announced the start of construction work on two new state-of-the-art specialist healthcare facilities, developed by Prime plc in partnership with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS). Situated on plot 2 of the Adanac Health and Innovation Campus in Southampton, the new multi-use facility, which is being
Following a £500,000 investment to redevelop the 18th-century Brookfield House in Leeds, tailored office providers, WorkWell, has celebrated 50% occupancy pre-let. Purchased by the Corrigan family in 2002, Brookfield House has been the home to Leeds-based businesses for the last 21 years. Currently undergoing an extensive renovation, the office space
Lendlease has been selected by Gateshead Council’s development partner Ask:PATRIZIA to deliver The Sage International Conference Centre at Gateshead Quays. The announcement follows swiftly after Gateshead Council’s planning committee approved revised plans for the 61,440 sqm riverside scheme. Design amendments included re-location of the 344-room dual branded hotel to an
Westminster City Council has given its backing to Squire & Partners-designed proposals for a 10-storey luxury care facility near the River Thames and Smith Square. The practice’s plans for care-home operator Medici Lifecare will see the demolition of 1930s Art Deco block Dean Bradley House, which stands on Horseferry Road, to make way for the development. The eight-storey office building is not nationally listed, but is a local “building of merit” in the Smith Square Conservation Area. Squire’s proposals are a rejig of a 2017 approval for the site for developer Mayfair Charities. That consent was for a new office, retail and residential block, but it was not implemented. Members of Westminster’s Planning Committee on Tuesday granted Squire and Medici Lifecare consent for a “flexible” scheme allowing the new building to be used either as a care home or as a post-operative care facility with clinical and retail elements. The care-home version would include 134 living units along with a library, restaurant, communal lounges and quiet rooms, therapy rooms, an art studio and a hydrotherapy pool. The alternative plan would offer 40 post operative care units, a hydrotherapy pool, 6,152sq m of space for clinical use, and two non-food shop units at ground-floor level. Both versions deliver new structures with a gross internal area of around 10,360sq m – an uplift of more than 3,000sq m on the current building. Squire said its proposals were a low-carbon development that would deliver much-needed healthcare infrastructure in an all-electric building. Partner Murray Levinson said the practice’s design took inspiration from the adjacent grade II-listed Belgravia House building, while its red-brick panels and Portland stone piers reflected styles found in the conservation area. “Our design complements the grandeur of brick and stone buildings in the conservation area, where a tripartite elevation of a central stone bay is flanked by brick wings,” he said. Toby Burgess, Head of Corporate Strategy and Property Development at Medici Lifecare said: “Successfully obtaining planning consent, for one of prime Central London’s few Landmark Healthcare Facilities, continues to demonstrate our ability to overcome the high barriers of entry within our healthcare model.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developer Endurance Land have received the go-ahead to retrofit and extend a 1990s office near London’s Old Street Junction. The updated 35-storey building on 99 City Road will serve as an innovation hub for tech clients as it provides 700,000 sq ft of workspace. Putting a new spin on the outdated office, designers Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) plan to transform the existing building, upgrading how the building interacts with its neighbours and enhancing the sustainability of the building. Jonathon Fletcher, a CEO from Endurance Land said: “The redevelopment will deliver a landmark, Net Zero scheme that’s tailored to Islington and Old Street, drastically improve the building’s sustainability credentials, offer generous community benefits, and unlock the potential of the site. It’s an incredible achievement to design a tower of this calibre. We are delighted to have been granted a resolution for planning approval.” Redeveloping the tower building will improve the public realm by providing a generous new public square and widening pedestrian pinch points. Alongside the public benefit, the design puts a strong emphasis on sustainability credentials by targeting some of the highest industry standards for a tower development. Elie Gamburg, a Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates Principal stated: “The design for 99 City Road transforms an unattractive building, and almost triples the public realm at a key London location. Our design’s innovative approach to ‘folding’ as a formal concept responds to the site’s diverse contexts at multiple scales, and elegant structural solutions achieve ambitious embodied carbon targets. A careful emphasis has been placed on detail and material craft to create a building that is sensitively-scaled with an appearance that changes with peoples viewing position.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Factory No. 1, the prestigious redevelopment of the former Imperial Tobacco Company headquarters in Bristol’s vibrant Bedminster district by City & Country, has won the ‘Best Large Development’ category at the First Time Buyer Readers’ Awards on Friday 1st September. Now in its 13th year, the First Time Buyer Readers’ Awards was created to recognise the efforts made to help aspirational buyers onto the housing ladder. After examining the largest field of entries that the FTB Readers’ Awards has ever seen, the judges and readers felt that the sympathetic factory restoration and conversion by heritage specialist City & Country was the overall winner of the Best Large Development category. Choosing Factory No.1 from among entries by some of Britain’s largest housebuilders, judges were impressed by the scheme’s superb location, high specification and attention to detail. The award was decided by votes from first time buyers themselves – and Factory No. 1 has consistently proved to be extremely popular with that demographic, with 60 per cent of sales so far made by those purchasing their first home. Lynda Clark, CEO of First Time Buyer, said of City & Country’s award win: “Factory No.1 is a fantastic development, and both our judges and readers were in agreement that it was the winner in the Best Development category. Clearly a lot of care and detail has gone into creating a really unique development for first time buyers in Bristol, offering both high quality and value for money. Despite market challenges, homeownership has never been so important to so many, so it is essential that we recognise the hard work undertaken by the industry to help make it possible.” Jennifer Rhodes-Finch, Head of Marketing at City & Country, says: “It is wonderful for the whole team at Factory No.1 to win this national award. Factory No.1 is a very special development of apartments which combines old and new, open space and security. Whether converted or new, the unique apartments here not only have a convenient central location, but also feature high-specification interiors, beautifully landscaped gardens and a range of price points that make it easy for first time buyers to tick all the boxes on their wish list.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developer Regal London have submitted plans for a Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) scheme on ‘Wembley Greenaway’, in the London Borough of Brent. The proposed scheme will open up the railway lands parallel to High Road, Wembley for the first time, and will provide safe and inclusive green space. The proposals for Wembley Greenaway comprise 639 student beds across a range of bedroom typologies, including 10% accessible rooms. The development is proposed to be car free, and will include new public realm with greenery, seating and play for use by all and a community studio rentable space. Providing easy access to significant numbers of higher education campuses in London, Wembley Central Underground Station is less than a 10 minute walk from the site, with access to the Overground, Bakerloo and London Northwestern Lines, while the equally close Wembley Stadium Station offers access to the Chiltern Main Line, with regular fast trains to London Marylebone. This is Regal London’s second PBSA development in the borough, and it’s fifth in London following The Society – also on High Road Wembley, Devonshire Place in Southwark (currently in planning) and the proposed new developments on Chalk Farm Road in the London Borough of Camden next to the Roundhouse, and Orchard Wharf opposite the 02 Arena. Subject to successful planning approvals, this takes Regal London’s PBSA portfolio to nearly 3,500 beds across the capital. Paul Eden, co-founder of Regal London commented: “There is clear demand for high quality purpose-built student accommodation in London – well located, with good sustainability credentials and a thoughtful approach to design and wellbeing. We hope to be able to deliver this for High Road, Wembley and to continue working closely with our local neighbours in the area.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading South West housebuilder Cavanna Homes has marked 100 years in business with a special party for staff and shareholders at its Torquay headquarters. Founded in 1923 by Philip ‘PD’ Cavanna and his brother Ray, the company has been at the forefront of house-building projects across the Westcountry for the past century, retaining a commitment to quality set by its founders. The expansion of the business has seen Cavanna Homes, now one of the South West’s largest independent housebuilders, appoint non-family members in senior roles. However, Jeremy Cavanna, the grandson of co-founder PD Cavanna, remains as a non-executive director, after handing over the chairmanship of the business this year to Keith Miller, formerly group managing director and then deputy chairman. Grayham Tucker was appointed to the role of group managing director in January 2023 to oversee the day-to-day operation of the company. Keith Miller told guests at the celebration event: “There have been huge changes in the housebuilding industry over the past century and Cavanna Homes has moved with the times. But the business has always stuck to the principles of its family founders – delivering excellent homes safely and to the highest standard for our customers.” The company has come a long way from its foundation, embracing the latest sustainable technology in many of the homes it builds, designing property to meet the needs of 21st century living and providing help and support for hard-pressed homebuyers. Cavanna Homes has never lost sight of its strong Torbay presence and continues to concentrate on building beautiful and sustainable new homes in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. When the company was founded, Britain was still emerging from the economic difficulties caused by the aftermath of the First World War. In 1923 the Cavanna brothers set out from their home in Watford to seek work as plasterers in Torquay. They had been advised by their parents, who had been in service on the English Riviera, to head West. The thinking was that because Torquay homes were often finished with render there would be plenty of work for qualified plasterers and the brothers soon branched out into house building. In 1924 sufficient progress had been made for P.D and Ray’s families to join them in the homes they had built in Laura Grove, Paignton. Not long after, the partnership dissolved and P.D moved into general contracting and house building while Ray continued the plastering business. As the need for new housing increased, especially following the Second World War, Cavanna Homes began to grow into Torbay’s foremost building company and in 1949 the company was incorporated. The business grew through the 1960s and 1970s, selling in excess of 100 homes a year for the first time. PD Cavanna was involved in the business with his sons and son-in-law at the helm, right up until his death in 1983 at the age of 93. In the past year Cavanna Homes has been shortlisted for an award in the Michelmores Property Awards for its development at Wolborough Hill, Newton Abbot and is also in the running for a national Housebuilder Award for its scheme Broadleigh Park in Tavistock. The finals will be held in November. A team of cyclists from Cavanna Homes raised more than £12,000 in July for its Charity of the Year, Children’s Hospice South West, completing the gruelling St Austell to Bristol “Ride for Precious Lives” sponsored cycle ride. And, in recognition of the challenges facing first-time buyers as mortgage rates rise, Cavanna Homes has been offering a helping hand to buyers with a contribution to their deposit, cutting borrowing and reducing monthly mortgage payments on selected homes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Housebuilder The Hill Group has announced the acquisition of a 17-acre site for residential development in the picturesque village of Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, to deliver 110 high-quality new homes for the local area. With a strong reputation for sustainable redevelopment across Cambridgeshire, Hill will provide a wide range of attractive, energy-efficient homes surrounded by landscaped open green space. Nestled among mature trees, the development will incorporate linear and meadow parks, further enhancing the natural beauty of the area. Hill is working with an independent ecologist to ensure the sensitive management of the site to preserve its biodiversity. The development will include a children’s play area and a network of footpaths and cycle lanes to connect residents with local amenities. Andy Hill OBE, Group Chief Executive at The Hill Group, commented: “This remarkable site represents an excellent opportunity to protect and enhance the scenic natural environment. Having successfully delivered similar developments across Cambridge and throughout the South East of England, we look forward to applying our experience to deliver sustainable new homes in this highly sought-after location.” Situated north of Cow Lane and close to a variety of essential amenities, such as high-performing schools, shops, and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, the development will be designed to reflect the existing architectural vernacular of this popular village. This collection of new homes will include two-bedroom apartments and two to five-bedroom terraced, semi-detached, and detached houses for private sale. Affordable housing will include one, two, and three-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom houses available through shared ownership and affordable rent. Residents will have access to cycle storage, and each of the houses will benefit from a private garden. In keeping with Hill’s impressive track record for sustainable development, each of the properties will utilise a range of energy-efficient features, including air source heat pumps and underfloor heating. The Fulbourn site will continue Hill’s expertise in delivering high-quality, community-focused new homes within the Cambridge area. Other developments in the area include Marleigh, a flagship development proudly delivered in partnership with Marshall LLP on the eastern edge of Cambridge, and the award-winning, highly sustainable Knights Park development in Eddington. Hill also has a successful investment partnership with Cambridge City Council to deliver a programme of housing developments across the city, with over 1,000 homes either delivered or currently underway. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Far East Consortium (FEC) has secured planning permission for the next phase of their Red Bank Scheme, a joint venture project with Manchester City Council’s Victoria North. Passed by Manchester City Council’s planning committee on August 31st, the approval helps to unlock FEC’s ambitions to deliver up to 4,800 new homes in the emerging Red Bank neighbourhood across a range of tenure types and sizes, including affordable homes. The first, an outline planning application, is for the delivery of up to 3,250 homes and more than 160,000 sq ft of non-residential floor space to be earmarked for commercial uses, a health centre, primary school, residential amenities and community spaces. This will be accompanied by the creation of new public realm with extensive areas of landscaping, greenspace and wetlands, supporting a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain across the neighbourhood. The second approval is for a full planning application for FEC’s next phase of delivery on the three plots adjacent to the 634-home Victoria Riverside scheme, which is currently under construction. This will see the delivery of seven buildings varying in height between six and 34 storeys and comprising 1,550 homes, as well as a new high street that will include 20,000 sq ft of commercial and retail space earmarked for local independent businesses. The homes will comprise a mix of one, two and three-bed apartments and townhouses catering for a diverse mix of homes including build to rent (BTR), affordable and open market sale. Both planning submissions were centred on the Wild Urbanism concept, which prioritises green space, biodiversity, active travel and public realm as part of the city centre living experience, placing sustainable living at the forefront of the project. The buildings within the masterplan will be delivered to a high sustainability standard which will include the installation of solar panels, heat pumps and green and brown roofs. The masterplan and outline application proposals were developed in partnership with masterplanner Maccreanor Lavington and Copenhagen-based public realm specialist, Schulze+Grassov with support from local practice OP-EN and sustainability experts Useful Projects. The full application was created by Maccreanor Lavington in collaboration with Manchester-based practice Hawkins/Brown. Red Bank is one of the first of seven neighbourhoods being regenerated as part of the £4bn Victoria North project, which is one the largest in the UK and will create 15,000 new homes over the next decade. Hilary Brett, project director at FEC, said: “Red Bank is one of the most under-used areas in Manchester, but its proximity to the city centre and the existing natural assets of the River Irk and St Catherine’s Wood make it the ideal location for a thriving new neighbourhood. “We are delighted to have received approval and want to thank everyone who has been involved and supported the project to get us to this point. We’re excited to move forward with our next phases of delivery.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Willmott Dixon has announced the start of construction work on two new state-of-the-art specialist healthcare facilities, developed by Prime plc in partnership with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS). Situated on plot 2 of the Adanac Health and Innovation Campus in Southampton, the new multi-use facility, which is being funded by Macquarie Asset Management on behalf of the retirement specialist, Just Group plc, will comprise an Aseptic Pharmacy and Sterile Services Department (SSD), with further flexible expansion space. The Aseptic Pharmacy will act as an MHRA-licensed pharmacy, with sterile medicines manufactured for UHS and other NHS providers in the region. Meanwhile, the SSD will sterilise surgical tools and equipment for use by UHS; these services will be delivered at the new location by strategic provider IHSS. UHS is one of the largest acute teaching trusts in England and experiences a very high demand on its geographically constrained site. By working with Prime, through the Southampton Commercial Estates Development Partnership (CEDP), the Trust has been able to unlock a number of complex estate challenges. These new facilities will be the latest in a series of developments designed to create more space for the Trust to expand. Previous development on the hospital site has produced a new entrance, retail space and staff car park. The partners then worked together to create Adanac Health and Innovation Campus, providing additional expansion space with good proximity to the hospital and easy access to the motorway network. To date, a multi-storey park and ride car park serving the hospital and Costa Coffee have been delivered at the new campus, and a remaining 3 plots are still to be developed. This is the latest scheme between Willmott Dixon and Prime. In 2022, the two delivered a 600+ space multi-storey car park at Dorset County Hospital, creating valuable parking provision for the Trust’s staff, patients and visitors, while also freeing up space so the Trust can extend its Emergency Department and Critical Care unit. It also further underlines Willmott Dixon’s role as one of the UK’s largest constructors of healthcare space. Notable projects include Bolton College of Medical Sciences, a ‘first of its kind’ facility that’s a blueprint for training NHS staff across the country, plus the Pears Building – Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, a world-leading research centre at the Royal Free Hospital. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Following a £500,000 investment to redevelop the 18th-century Brookfield House in Leeds, tailored office providers, WorkWell, has celebrated 50% occupancy pre-let. Purchased by the Corrigan family in 2002, Brookfield House has been the home to Leeds-based businesses for the last 21 years. Currently undergoing an extensive renovation, the office space is set to open in September 2023 and is already signing up new customers ahead of its launch. Located next to Brookfield Court on Selby Road, the renovation of Brookfield House will create access between the two impressive red-brick office buildings, and will feature new office space, an open plan kitchen, a new reception and additional meeting space including two new meeting rooms and a 16-person boardroom available to the public for corporate bookings. Oliver Corrigan, Managing Director at WorkWell, said: “Brookfield House has proudly been a part of the WorkWell portfolio for many years, and my family has personally farmed the area for 50 plus years, so we’re thrilled to be able to create a greater future for the building while respecting its incredible past. “At WorkWell we’re proud to offer a different way of working with Leeds businesses. Our approach is not just about offering an office space with four walls. Each office park within our portfolio perfectly balances aesthetics with functionality, to create a purpose-designed office space which aligns with our member’s company values and purpose.” Designed by northern-based creatives, Ekho Studio, the former manor house will combine impressive aesthetics with performance-enhancing technology and will feature 9,000 square feet of workable space set amongst 100 acres of accessible countryside. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Lendlease has been selected by Gateshead Council’s development partner Ask:PATRIZIA to deliver The Sage International Conference Centre at Gateshead Quays. The announcement follows swiftly after Gateshead Council’s planning committee approved revised plans for the 61,440 sqm riverside scheme. Design amendments included re-location of the 344-room dual branded hotel to an adjacent site and the subsequent creation of an urban park utilising the remaining space which will create a pedestrian link from the Millennium Bridge up to Hawks Road. Enabling works have been taking place over the last two years and Lendlease plan to make a start on site later this year. With a GDV of £150 million, The Sage International Conference Centre will be delivered in the first phase of the scheme and will include 5,720 sqm state of the art exhibition space, 2,520 sqm adaptable meeting space, 17 conference rooms and a banqueting suite. The first phase will also include the hotel and urban park. On completion The Sage International Conference Centre will be operated by ASM Global. Lendlease is an international real estate group that has delivered convention, event and entertainment facilities both in the UK and globally. The company brings global expertise and learnings from similar projects including the SSE Hydro (now the OVO Hydro) in Glasgow, Scotland, and the International Convention Centre in Sydney, Australia. The business is committed to creating lasting legacies and delivering new jobs, skills and sustainability initiatives on every project. David Cadiot, Executive General Manager of UK Regions for Lendlease, said: “Lendlease has a track record of building, designing and project managing some of the world’s greatest sporting and entertainment venues. We’ll bring the know how to create an exceptional venue, one which local people will be hugely proud to have on their doorstep.” The revised plans for the relocated hotel were granted planning permission in March 2023. Russell WBHO has been appointed as contractor on the £48m building, which will be operated by Accor under its Novotel and ibis brands. The delivery of The Sage ICC will be followed by The Sage Arena which will also be operated by ASM Global and which will be completed under a separate construction contract. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
