Wates Group has started refurbishment work on the second phase of the Derby Market Hall. The Victorian Market Hall on Tennant Street is set to become a vibrant retail and leisure destination, linking the Derbion shopping centre and St Peter’s Quarter to the Cathedral Quarter and the Becketwell regeneration scheme.
Glencar has been appointed by Harwell Campus, the world-renowned science and innovation campus, to build a new £150 million Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire. The MITC development will encompass a research, development and manufacturing facility, providing the UK public with access to cutting-edge
Caddick Construction has scooped a £23 million contract to deliver Lancaster’s first extra care facility on behalf of Progress Housing Group. Groundwork has now begun on site with completion due in May 2025. Building on Caddick’s existing healthcare portfolio, this development will boost the provision of specialist residential care for
Countryside Partnerships has secured planning approval for the first phase of Haddon Cross, a new development forming part of the Great Haddon sustainable urban extension to the southwest of Peterborough. The first phase will deliver 157 new homes, of which 78 will be for sale on the open market under
Leeds-based developer, KMRE Group, has revealed its new show apartment, gym and co-working space at The Yacht Club, a luxury waterside development located on the banks of the River Trent. The show apartment offers a first look at the idyllic riverside lifestyle of The Yacht Club development, situated to the
Carmarthen Hwb, a wellbeing and cultural centre housed in the former Debenhams store in the centre of Carmarthen, has been given the go ahead. A Notice of Commencement was issued on 13th March 2023 and works at the former department store on St Catherine’s Walk will start. Bouygues UK is the
Cannock-based housebuilder, Jessup Partnership is to build 26 new houses for YMCA Black Country at a development in Hamstead, Birmingham. The new development will be made up of two buildings housing one-bedroom studio apartments with communal facilities, which aim to provide young professionals and families with safe, secure, and affordable accommodation.
Wakefield-based granite and quartz worktop supplier, Roann Limited, has been appointed by Hertfordshire-based contractor Midgard, part of the JRL group, to supply kitchen worktops across three projects totalling almost half a million pounds. “We’re delighted to have been appointed by Midgard to work across these three projects! We’ve been working
Wates has completed work on the first Net Zero school as part of the Department for Education (DfE) School Rebuilding Programme, the £10 million Littleborough Community Primary School in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The 2,243sq m two-storey project, has been constructed on land within the existing Littleborough campus. It will provide
Manchester City Council has announced next steps for the once in a generation transformation of Collyhurst Village. This comes as the joint venture between Manchester City Council and Far East Consortium has now appointed a masterplanning team for future phases of development. Collyhurst is one of the first areas to
Wates Group has started refurbishment work on the second phase of the Derby Market Hall. The Victorian Market Hall on Tennant Street is set to become a vibrant retail and leisure destination, linking the Derbion shopping centre and St Peter’s Quarter to the Cathedral Quarter and the Becketwell regeneration scheme. When complete, the refurbished Market Hall will pay homage to its heritage while evolving to meet modern needs and consumer demand. A vital part of this next phase is to develop the public space at Osnabruck Square, a key entrance to the Grade II listed building, as well as reinstating the north entrance. The refurbishment is being led by Wates Group, which is working in collaboration with Derby City Council. The project team is made up of specialists operating within the region, including Lathams Architects, structural engineers Rodgers Leask, and M&E consultants Clancy. The Guildhall Yard will also be enhanced to resurface the existing tarmac and the entire courtyard will be re-paved following the demolition of the existing 1980s stair and lift tower. Internal works will focus on the new flexible market hall space featuring free-standing mobile stalls to create an accessible space for events and activities such as food and music festivals. To accommodate a high-quality food and drink offer, the balcony will have a bottle bar and an emphasis will be placed on street food but with the flexibility to adapt to future trends. Further work in this phase includes refurbishments made to the first-floor shops, new durable flooring, improved back-of-house storage, improvements to fire safety, and new WC facilities. A new, grand central staircase is also proposed to the north of the Market Hall, replacing an existing stairwell and removing any potential for anti-social behaviour. The grand staircase will reflect the position and form of the original 1864 stair, connecting to the balcony in a contemporary, light and inviting route. It will feature a glass balustrade designed to contrast with, yet complement, the historic metal balustrade across the balcony. Wates was appointed via SCAPE’s Major Works framework. The second phase of development is set to complete at the end of 2024. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Glencar has been appointed by Harwell Campus, the world-renowned science and innovation campus, to build a new £150 million Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire. The MITC development will encompass a research, development and manufacturing facility, providing the UK public with access to cutting-edge mRNA vaccines for a wide range of respiratory diseases, pending regulatory assessment and license. The new facility will also include a clinical biomarker laboratory – a prefabricated modular laboratory constructed in Northumberland, which will then be installed on the campus. Construction will begin this year, with the facility expected to become operational in 2025, subject to planning and regulatory approvals. The investment will create hundreds of jobs across Oxfordshire and the UK. It will cement Harwell Campus as a national health tech hub for the pioneering research and development of mRNA and other nucleic acid therapeutics. Commenting on the project, Eddie McGillycuddy, CEO, said: “Having successfully delivered The Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC) and established a life science office within the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, we are absolutely delighted to now be delivering this pioneering research and development facility.” “Life science and pharmaceutical projects are complex, controlled environments that require significant design and engineering ability to ensure they are delivered correctly,” McGillycuddy explained. “We have expanded our specialist team within this space to push forward and make these facilities a cornerstone of our continued growth in the coming years. We very much look forward to working with the team at Moderna and Merit to develop this important new facility and further expand the thriving health tech cluster at Harwell.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Caddick Construction has scooped a £23 million contract to deliver Lancaster’s first extra care facility on behalf of Progress Housing Group. Groundwork has now begun on site with completion due in May 2025. Building on Caddick’s existing healthcare portfolio, this development will boost the provision of specialist residential care for those aged 55 and over in Lancaster, providing a safe and comfortable space for those requiring varying levels of care. The project will see the construction of a 92-unit extra care scheme incorporating one and two-bedroom apartments, with three of the one-bedroom apartments designed to be wheelchair friendly. Two existing buildings will also be converted into 16 one and two-bedroom general needs flats. Additional features such as assisted bathing, spa bathing, hairdressing facility, a games room, roof terraces and a laundry room will also be incorporated. External work will include alterations and remodelling of the existing and stone boundary wall, landscaping, a car park with EV charging points, restoration of all historial sandstone buildings and the installation of external lighting. Ian Threadgold, Managing Director of Caddick Construction for the North West commented: “Extra care facilities such as these are a vital necessity in any community and we’re pleased to be bringing this much needed development to life, on behalf of Progress Housing Group. Caddick’s extensive expertise in the healthcare sector is what has led our specialist team to this development and we’re thrilled to form an integral part of this project.” Rebecca Field, Head of Development at Progress Housing Group, said: “We are delighted to be working with Caddick Construction on our first Extra Care scheme facility and the first in Lancaster. “The scheme will provide homes for people aged 55 and over, with on-site, tailored care and support packages available to help residents live independently. It is hoped that the scheme will be completed by Summer 2025.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Countryside Partnerships has secured planning approval for the first phase of Haddon Cross, a new development forming part of the Great Haddon sustainable urban extension to the southwest of Peterborough. The first phase will deliver 157 new homes, of which 78 will be for sale on the open market under the Countryside Homes brand, and the remaining 79 will be affordable homes that will be owned and managed by Platform Housing Group following a recently signed agreement. 25 affordable homes were required under the planning agreement, with the additional 54 being provided over and above this requirement. Alongside future phases, the scheme will deliver a total of up to 1,499 homes and will include 7.5 hectares of amenity open space, 8.4 hectares of accessible natural green space, three play facilities for children and young people, a 4.5-hectare playing field, a 1-hectare allotment and new water features. This is Countryside’s second scheme within the wider Great Haddon masterplan. It is currently selling homes at Fletton Folly, a development of 347 two-, three- and four-bedroom houses. The wider Great Haddon site has outline planning permission for up to 5,350 new homes, a district centre and two neighbourhood centres comprising retail, community and health, leisure, residential and commercial uses. The planning consent also includes provision for education facilities, sport and recreational facilities, strategic open space, landscaping, associated infrastructure and servicing. Infrastructure works are already underway on the site and construction work on the new homes will start in the coming weeks. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leeds-based developer, KMRE Group, has revealed its new show apartment, gym and co-working space at The Yacht Club, a luxury waterside development located on the banks of the River Trent. The show apartment offers a first look at the idyllic riverside lifestyle of The Yacht Club development, situated to the south of Trent Lane, in close proximity to The Hook nature reserve, Central Avenue and Nottingham City Centre – which can be reached in just a 25-minute walk. The energy-efficient apartment comes complete with two bedrooms, including an ensuite bathroom and main bathroom, an open integrated kitchen and living space, as well as a south-facing private balcony with breath-taking riverside views. The development – which is now 70% sold – boasts an on-site gym, with panoramic windows looking out onto the river and nature reserve, providing convenient state-of-the-art exercise facilities without the need to commute. A dedicated co-working space is also available to residents who want to work alongside the calming riverside, which is an ideal spot for those in hybrid or remote working roles who are looking for a change of scenery during the working week. A concierge service will be on hand to ensure that the buildings are maintained, and security is monitored, for convenience and peace of mind. To celebrate the completion of the new show apartment, co-working space and gym, KMRE hosted a ‘First look’ launch event to showcase the new spaces to prospective buyers, with exclusive viewings and consultations with agents Pygott & Crone and FHP Living. The development will also benefit from a pedestrian footpath which stretches along the riverside, creating a safer and more convenient public access to the river’s network of paths and cycle ways, and in front of the development a decked communal seating area will be situated for residents to enjoy, as well as access to water sports such as paddle boarding. Over the next five years, council plans will see the surrounding areas regenerated and brought to life including a long-awaited pedestrian footbridge which will connect Lady Bay with Trent Basin. This will be the first bridge to be built on the River Trent in more than 60 years. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Carmarthen Hwb, a wellbeing and cultural centre housed in the former Debenhams store in the centre of Carmarthen, has been given the go ahead. A Notice of Commencement was issued on 13th March 2023 and works at the former department store on St Catherine’s Walk will start. Bouygues UK is the preferred bidder for the project, which is a collaboration between Carmarthenshire County Council, Hywel Dda University Health Board and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD). Funded by the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund, the Hwb will be a public space which will promote preventative health care and wellbeing. It will house council teams that can help residents with employment support and lifelong learning opportunities, will house a gym, as well as be home to some of the county’s museum collections in a state-of-the-art culture, leisure and exhibition space. The project has been funded by the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. It will also be a base for Carmarthen town’s tourist information centre, council customer services as well as access to further and higher education for local people, delivered by the UWTSD Group, which includes Coleg Sir Gâr and Hywel Dda University Health Board. “It is great that this next stage of the planning process has been granted and we can start work on this redevelopment, which will bring nearly 8,000 square metres of commercial space in the town centre back to life,” said John Boughton, Managing Director of Wales for Bouygues UK. “Refurbishing rather than rebuilding this former department store ties in with Bouygues UK’s commitment to climate and the environment. We have ambitious plans to decarbonise, reduce water and energy use, as well as decrease waste generated on site by 40% by 2030. This is a unique development that brings together health, education and public services under one roof – serving the local community at an easily accessible base, and will be an amazing resource for all who use it,” John added. Housed in the former Debenhams department store in St Catherine’s Walk, it is expected that once open to the public it will increase footfall for the town centre and drive further economic resilience for local traders and retailers. When the store closed in May 2021 the knock-on effect on trade in the town centre was significant. It is hoped that the new centre, the first of its kind in Carmarthenshire, will encourage more people from the region into Carmarthen town centre to take advantage of all of the public and leisure services that will be available under one roof. Bouygues UK has already been working closely with sub-contractors from the area on its other project at Pentre Awel in Llanelli, and will continue to do so at the Carmarthenshire Hwb project – with a further commitment to upskill all those working in its supply chain on the importance of embedding sustainability into their work. This is excellent news, as the Carmarthen HWB will provide a range of public services under one roof. Working in partnership with Hywel Dda University Health Board and University of Wales Trinity Saint David, we intend to bring this prime commercial space back into use to help boost the local economy and transform the town centre. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Cannock-based housebuilder, Jessup Partnership is to build 26 new houses for YMCA Black Country at a development in Hamstead, Birmingham. The new development will be made up of two buildings housing one-bedroom studio apartments with communal facilities, which aim to provide young professionals and families with safe, secure, and affordable accommodation. Construction on site began at the start of this month and will be completed by the start of 2024. Once finished, the project will provide 26 affordable homes, comprising a mix of tenures including affordable rent and open market rent. Birmingham’s BPN Architects are designing the new homes, which will include a mix of part two-storey and part single-storey properties which are set in extensive landscaped grounds. “We are thrilled to be on-site at 235 Hamstead Road working with the Jessup Partnerships to create an additional 26 homes. At YMCA Black Country Group, we are committed to providing young adults with safe, aspirational, affordable accommodation with a landlord they can trust. The delivery of another 26 self-contained homes will enable us to further our offer, enabling our tenants to be connected to their communities, belong, contribute and thrive,” said Sally Cowan, Chief Officer at YMCA Black Country Group. Situated near the River Tame and just a short drive to Birmingham City Centre, the site has excellent access links to numerous bus routes and is just two minutes away from the nearest train station, which offers regular direct services to Wolverhampton and Walsall. The development also has a handy Tesco Express store next door. The site is located just over four miles away from Walsall Arboretum which is the perfect rural retreat for families and just six miles away from Star City which boasts 12 restaurants, nine leisure attractions, and a 25-screen VUE cinema. The development is also just a two-mile drive to Forge Mill Farm which is an ideal day out for young families. Its 92-strong team provides a full development management service from land acquisition and planning consent, through to the construction of high-quality homes across the wider Midlands. Jessup also benefits from preferred partner status with Homes England. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Wakefield-based granite and quartz worktop supplier, Roann Limited, has been appointed by Hertfordshire-based contractor Midgard, part of the JRL group, to supply kitchen worktops across three projects totalling almost half a million pounds. “We’re delighted to have been appointed by Midgard to work across these three projects! We’ve been working with Midgard for many years now, so we’re thrilled this relationship continues to grow – as do our wider business partnerships. We’re looking forward to getting started,” commented Richard Silverwood, Director of Special Projects, at Roann Limited. The three projects, located in Brent Cross Town, London and Preston Road, Brighton, are utilising 20mm Silestone Blanco Norte and 20mm Caesarstone Frozen Terra products throughout all kitchen areas, provided by Roann Limited as the exclusive worktop supplier. The Preston Road project will begin in April/May 2023, on the RIBA stage 4/5 full design on the redevelopment of ‘Brighton’s ugliest building’ on Preston Road. This consists of 229 apartments spread across three tower blocks, with one to three-bedroom apartments. The two Brent Cross projects will begin in September 2023, as part of the Brent Cross Town mega-development, which will see 800 new homes for sale and rent, alongside new retail and dining spaces, which is set to complete in 2025. These appointments from Midgard come shortly after the news that Roann Limited had invested in a sustainability initiative and is replacing all single use plastic, with recyclable cardboard, and reported on a record-breaking year in 2022. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Wates has completed work on the first Net Zero school as part of the Department for Education (DfE) School Rebuilding Programme, the £10 million Littleborough Community Primary School in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The 2,243sq m two-storey project, has been constructed on land within the existing Littleborough campus. It will provide 14 new classrooms, a library, a new sports/assembly hall, Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) and a 420-place primary school providing 60 places for each year group along with a 26-place nursery. Procured through the DfE’s Modern Methods of Construction framework, the scheme used our Adapt 3.0 component-based design to maximise sustainability and ensure the building is Net Zero Carbon in Operation (NZCiO). This included an optimised thermal envelope with increased insulation and large, triple glazed windows to maximise daylight together with rooflights and lightwells, enhanced ventilation and Photovoltaic solar panels. “Littleborough represents a step change in how schools are built, designed to not only provide brilliant, state-of-the-art learning facilities for pupils, but for the long-term benefit of the wider environment. We’ve been a partner to the DfE for years and it was an honour to be chosen to deliver this pioneering project. It’s benefited from the latest evolution of our Adapt system, while our experience using MMC to find sustainability solutions – for both public and private builds – has helped us deliver the DfE’s NZCiO goal. I congratulate all our teams on making this happen and look forward to our next completion,” said Sarah Cooke, regional director for the Northwest at Wates. As part of Our Social Value commitments, £3.6m worth of initiatives were delivered to the local community, including nearly £80,000 invested in local charities and causes. All targets were exceeded, with 1,500 training weeks provided as well as a T-Level placement, 39 apprentices employed, and site visits and career advice given to 92 local students. The project is the first to be completed as part of the DfE’s School Rebuilding Programme a 10-year scheme of works which is seeing the rebuilding or refurbishment of 500 schools and sixth form colleges across the country, transforming learning environments for pupils and teachers. Construction started in September 2021 with all works carried out while the existing school was still in operation. The project has been delivered on time, and completion was celebrated with an event attended by delegates from across the delivery partnership, Rochdale Borough Council and the DfE. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Manchester City Council has announced next steps for the once in a generation transformation of Collyhurst Village. This comes as the joint venture between Manchester City Council and Far East Consortium has now appointed a masterplanning team for future phases of development. Collyhurst is one of the first areas to be developed as part of the major Victoria North regeneration programme being delivered by the joint venture, which will see 15,000 new homes built across seven new and emerging neighbourhoods in north Manchester over the next two decades. With site works having begun to deliver 274 new low carbon homes – including 130 homes for social rent – alongside a new community park and commercial space, the JV is turning its attention to delivering the longer-term vision for both neighbourhoods. Outlined in an update to the Collyhurst regeneration plan, the JV intends to work with a masterplanning team to develop a street-by-street plan that builds on the vision set out in the 2019 Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) for Victoria North. The masterplanning team includes Mæ (lead architect), Turner.Works (meanwhile use), Schulze+Grassov (landscape and public realm) and IF_DO (community engagement). The team is expected to work with existing local residents to shape the design of potential new homes, streets and parks, with a programme of public engagement due to begin in the coming months. This will include a range of interactive events and activities, which will be inclusive and accessible to all members of the community. The community engagement programme is likely to involve workshops and consultation events to gather the views of local residents and get their feedback, a series of community design sessions involving residents, exhibitions and online engagement. Initial modelling undertaken as part of the Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) for Victoria North indicates the potential for up to 3,000 new homes The 2019 SRF for Victoria North sets out the potential for up to 3,000 new homes – with a key focus on affordability – to be built in Collyhurst through a process of long-term and phased estate remodelling. Future housing investment would be delivered alongside new local services and amenities, public realm and transport infrastructure, including investment in active travel. Any future development would build on meaningful community engagement and consultation to ensure local people remain at the heart of the investment proposals. The joint venture will also retain its commitment to support current residents to remain in Collyhurst – as a single move to a newly built property – so they can benefit from the investment in the area. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
