Birchgrove has launched its fourth development and first in Greater London with the opening of Ayrton House in Mill Hill, North London. This new development offers 60 purpose-built one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments on the site of a former medical research institute. Residents can enjoy communal amenities such as a
Housbuilder Vistry has teamed up with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring 250 of
Castlemere Developments has secured a prime location in London for its latest residential project. The company plans to construct five one-bedroom airspace apartments at Nicholas Court, Burnt Ash Hill, in Grove Park. The £1.35 million development will follow Castlemere’s signature approach, utilising offsite construction methods. Once completed, the prefabricated units
Willmott Dixon has secured a multi-million-pound contract to construct a new 28-bed secure children’s home in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, aimed at providing enhanced facilities for young people. The project, procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework, saw Willmott Dixon chosen by Lincolnshire County Council last year to develop design proposals for the
Vistry Group has teamed up with Cobalt Housing to deliver 66 homes at Lickers Lane in Whiston. The project is part of the broader Halsnead Garden Village masterplan in Knowsley, which aims to create 1,600 homes. In June, Vistry obtained planning approval for 120 homes at the site, which will
M&G Real Estate, in partnership with Wates Group, the UK’s leading family-owned development and construction company, celebrated the structural completion of ‘The Ribbon’, M&G’s state-of-the-art retail and commercial development on Oxford Street, London, with a ‘topping out’ ceremony. This time-honoured tradition marks the achievement of reaching the highest point of
Bellway Kent has made significant progress on a new housing scheme within Kings Hill in Kent. The company is building a total of 542 new homes across five developments at Aviation Park, part of the Kings Hill regeneration scheme that has been transforming the former RAF West Malling site over
Developer Weston Homes has finalised the acquisition of the historic Sergeants’ Mess in Deepcut, Surrey. This Edwardian building, rich in military history, is set to be transformed into a £32.5 million development featuring 70 homes. The project will include a blend of converted spaces and new builds, offering both market
Plymouth City Council is leading a new housing project on the outskirts of the city, where 500 modern, energy-efficient homes will be built on land off Stoggy Lane in Plympton, including 150 affordable units. Also in the plans is new wetland greenspace, up to 2,000 new trees and a financial
Tilia Homes Central has secured approval on plans to develop a 12-hectare derelict brownfield site in Northampton, as part of a multi-million pound programme of regeneration. The housebuilder is collaborating with Homes England on the scheme, which was recommended for approval by the West Northamptonshire Council planning committee recently. The
Birchgrove has launched its fourth development and first in Greater London with the opening of Ayrton House in Mill Hill, North London. This new development offers 60 purpose-built one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments on the site of a former medical research institute. Residents can enjoy communal amenities such as a restaurant, club room, licensed bar, wellness suite, and landscaped gardens. The acquisition of Ayrton House in September last year marked the beginning of Birchgrove’s expansion into Greater London. The company is also moving forward with plans for additional developments, including a 50-apartment complex in Chiswick, West London, where planning permission has been secured, and another in the Hampton Court Estate near Hampton Court Palace in Richmond. Honor Barratt, Chief Executive of Birchgrove, said: “Birchgrove is going from strength to strength and we’re excited to have our fourth development now open, particularly as it is our very first in London, where we know demand for senior living is especially high. “It’s a common misconception among some sectors that once they get older, people want to move to the country or live by the seaside. Surveys frequently show that many retired people want to live in the bustling Capital with all its cultural attractions and this is particularly true for those who’ve lived there a long time. “We know from previous research that many older Londoners live in homes far too big for them, with over-75s in the Capital typically having at least twice the number of bedrooms they need. “In a city with such a tight housing market, freeing up some of these homes could contribute to improving the overall housing situation across many demographics. “Many older people would be interested in moving to smaller properties if more suitable local options were on offer. By providing a thriving community as we open our first London development, we’re hoping we can attract more of these people into our development and eventually, roll out more London communities for those who want to continue to live in the Capital but without the burden of maintaining a property too large for them.” A report released by Age Concern in September last year revealed there were 1.4 million people aged over 60 living in London and that this group was the fastest growing demographic in the Capital. Of these, 59% felt positive about living in London, rising to 64% of those aged 75 and over. The report also found that many Londoners had deep connections to the area, with 76% reporting being happy with their family and community connections and only 16% often feeling lonely. The report also found that 70% of older Londoners owned their own home. However, many of those homes are underoccupied and could be put to better use if older Londoners had more suitable options for downsizing. Previous research carried out by Professor Les Mayhew of the International Longevity Centre and Bayes Business School found that over-75s in the capital had more than twice the number of bedrooms they needed, while those aged 65-74 had 70% more bedrooms than necessary. Birchgrove’s new Mill Hill apartments are exclusively available to independently minded people in later life. In keeping with other Birchgrove developments, all of the residences are future proof, with level-access bathrooms, wider-than-standard doorways and lifts. In addition, all Ayrton House apartments have been fitted with Nobi smart lights. These AI-driven intelligent lights are designed to detect, help prevent and even predict falls among occupants. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Housbuilder Vistry has teamed up with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring 250 of the proposed homes, ensuring that more than 35% of the homes on this development will be affordable, against a 20% requirement. The housing association will make 132 homes, 19% of the total number being proposed, available for social rent, against a 4% requirement as part of the planning consent. An additional 118 homes will be available to part-buy, part-rent through Bromford’s shared ownership scheme. A further 209 units will be destined for the private rental sector and the remaining 236 properties will be available on the open market for private ownership, ensuring the development will offer something for everyone. The scheme will also stimulate economic growth through on-site employment, as well as providing further benefits for the local community with designated spaces for community uses and public open space. The new homes will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, and larger two-, three- and four-bedroom family houses. With a focus on sustainability, they will include air source heat pumps rather than gas boilers; PV panels will provide renewable electricity; and wastewater recovery will minimise water usage. The houses will be built using modern methods of construction (MMC), reducing the carbon footprint of every property. The homes will be manufactured off site using open panel timber frames from the Vistry Works East Midlands factory in Leicestershire. Each home built using these panels emits 14,460kg CO2e less than a traditional brick-and-block house. Phil McHugh, Managing Director of Vistry North West Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to have acquired this site and to be working with Bromford on this exciting project that will contribute to Birmingham’s economic growth by providing new jobs and high-quality places to live. “Like many major cities, Birmingham has a severe shortage of affordable homes; that’s something we’re aiming to address by going the extra mile to deliver affordable and social rent homes over and above what is required of us, and delivering them at pace. We’re also hugely proud of the sustainability of the homes we’ll be providing, with features and construction methods that reduce their impact on the environment and will lower energy bills for future residents. “We’re excited to be a part of Birmingham’s growth and to be entrusted with the build of these much-needed new homes which will contribute to the character of the area and create a thriving and sustainable community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Castlemere Developments has secured a prime location in London for its latest residential project. The company plans to construct five one-bedroom airspace apartments at Nicholas Court, Burnt Ash Hill, in Grove Park. The £1.35 million development will follow Castlemere’s signature approach, utilising offsite construction methods. Once completed, the prefabricated units will be lifted into place to finalise the project, in line with the company’s other airspace schemes. This innovative construction method allows for efficient use of space and minimal disruption to the surrounding area, contributing to London’s growing need for residential housing. Nicholas Court, which is a three-story apartment block, will deliver aspirational and affordable modular penthouse living. The project is expected to be completed by early 2025, with the apartments expected to be on the market for around £260,000 – £270,000 each. Kris Collett, managing director of Castlemere Developments, said: “We have exchanged contracts on securing Nicholas Court and will be delivering properties that are focused on being starter homes and that appeal to first time buyers. “The price of these one-bedroom apartments is going to be very reasonable based on the London property market. “There is a huge demand for residential properties and we will continue to source suitable locations that we can develop to help meet this need.” Nicholas Court will be built off-site as Castlemere Developments purposely choses off-site MMC so that it can deliver projects much quicker than onsite developments, reduce the disruption to current residents, and ensure its developments are as environmentally friendly as possible. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Willmott Dixon has secured a multi-million-pound contract to construct a new 28-bed secure children’s home in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, aimed at providing enhanced facilities for young people. The project, procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework, saw Willmott Dixon chosen by Lincolnshire County Council last year to develop design proposals for the facility, situated on Bonemill Lane at the edge of Sleaford. Funded by the Department for Education, the home will cater to some of Lincolnshire’s most vulnerable children and serve as a national resource for secure accommodation. It replaces an existing smaller site that is coming to the end of its useful life and will help meet rising demand from a national increase in the number of children requiring both criminal justice and welfare placements. It will deliver a truly ground-breaking service, becoming a flagship project for the sector. The home is designed to reach net-zero in operation, providing an innovative partial grid solution, which will be supported by extensive solar panels and state-of-the-art power storage. The home has been designed by Kier and is due to be completed in late 2026. Nick Heath, director at Willmott Dixon, said: “This is a hugely significant scheme, not only for Lincolnshire to address an acute need for secure accommodation, but also for the wider country as it will bring together best practice from across the UK and Europe. “It will help young people get their lives ‘back on track’ using a whole host of facilities including on-site education, wellbeing, vocational and sports facilities, as well as delivering against important sustainability credentials to make the building’s legacy especially evident.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Vistry Group has teamed up with Cobalt Housing to deliver 66 homes at Lickers Lane in Whiston. The project is part of the broader Halsnead Garden Village masterplan in Knowsley, which aims to create 1,600 homes. In June, Vistry obtained planning approval for 120 homes at the site, which will feature a mix of three- and four-bedroom houses, along with twelve two-bedroom apartments. This is the first partnership between Vistry and Cobalt Housing, who will make the 66 homes available for affordable rent and Rent to Buy. The remaining 54 homes will be sold on the open market by Linden Homes. Halsnead Garden Village is the largest integrated housing and employment project in the Liverpool City Region. The development includes 1,600 new high-quality homes, new green spaces and new and improved community facilities that will be accessible to all. Gemma Hardy, Managing Director, Vistry Merseyside and Cheshire West: “We are absolutely committed to creating vibrant, mixed-tenure communities that address local housing needs. Partnering with Cobalt Housing at Lickers Lane allows us to provide high-quality, affordable homes within the Halsnead garden village masterplan. This development is set to significantly benefit the local area, offering a range of housing options that support sustainable community growth and inclusivity. We are proud to be contributing to such a transformative project.” Initial enabling works on site has begun and Vistry is expected to handover the new homes to Cobalt by 26 March. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
M&G Real Estate, in partnership with Wates Group, the UK’s leading family-owned development and construction company, celebrated the structural completion of ‘The Ribbon’, M&G’s state-of-the-art retail and commercial development on Oxford Street, London, with a ‘topping out’ ceremony. This time-honoured tradition marks the achievement of reaching the highest point of the building. Speeches at the ceremony were given by Jonny Wates – Director of Wates Group, Aaron Pope – Head of UK Offices Asset Management at M&G, Steve Holbrook – Regional Director at Wates Construction and Chris John – Head of Development Management at CBRE. Attendees of the event included members of the local council and senior executives from the organisations involved in the project. The Ribbon is due to be completed next year. Once finished, it will comprise 70,000 sq ft of Grade A office space and 21,000 sq ft of flagship retail space on the capital’s iconic Oxford Street. Designed by ORMS with CBRE as Development Managers, the office space benefits from generous floor to ceiling heights, luxury end-of-trip facilities, a client business lounge, smart enabled features and a wellness studio. The ninth floor includes a communal pavilion and a landscaped terrace with views across the London skyline. Jonny Wates, fourth generation family owner, Wates Group board director, and chair of the board sustainability committee said: “At Wates, we are passionately committed to ensuring sustainability across all our projects. We place a high value on the chance to work with clients and supply chain who share our beliefs and priorities We are proud that The Ribbon features a passive design, allowing the building to maximise the use of natural sources of heating, cooling, and ventilation to create optimal conditions inside without the need for polluting appliances – ultimately allowing the building to be net zero carbon in operation.” The building will also be built to exemplary environmental and wellbeing standards, targeting NABERs 5*, BREEAM Outstanding, Wiredscore Platinum, WELL Platinum, Smart Enabled, RESET Air (shell and core certification), and EPC Rating A. This project also demonstrates Wates commitment to social value in all the communities it serves. Through this project so far, Wates has supported 237 students through education programmes, employed 6 local people, and offered 7 work experience placements to equip individuals with the skills and confidence for future success in the construction sector. Through this project, Wates have spent £13k with social enterprises and have contributed over 80 hours of volunteering with causes in Westminster. Wates have also partnered with local charity, the Children’s Book Project, who provide free books to children who need them most. Over the last five years at sites across the country, Wates has donated nearly 50,000 books and The Ribbon is the latest donation point to be installed, with books being donated to local foodbanks, community groups, nurseries and women’s refuges. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bellway Kent has made significant progress on a new housing scheme within Kings Hill in Kent. The company is building a total of 542 new homes across five developments at Aviation Park, part of the Kings Hill regeneration scheme that has been transforming the former RAF West Malling site over the last three decades. The drone image shows how work is moving apace on the huge site where the housebuilder is set to deliver a total of 402 properties for the private market and 140 affordable homes available for local people through low-cost rent or shared ownership. To the right of the photo, the completed new homes within Liberty Quarter, off Park Drive, can be seen. Just seven of the 52 properties built here remain for sale. Meanwhile, the progress of construction within Blenheim Green can be seen around the linear park in the centre of the image. To date, 14 of the 140 homes planned within this development have been completed, with a further 18 reserved. Work also started this year at DeHavilland Place, off Jubilee Way, with the southern tip of this development visible in the top right-hand corner of the aerial image. Bellway is delivering 210 new homes here – comprising 126 homes for private sale and 84 affordable homes – with five reservations already made and the first residents due to move into their new homes in December. In addition, Bellway is building 70 apartments at Westland Place, off Abbey Wood Road, and 70 apartments at Gloster Chase, off Kings Hill Avenue, with 84 of these pre-sold for private rent and 56 being delivered as affordable housing. Mark Harrop, Sales Director at Bellway Kent, said: “This drone photograph illustrates perfectly the sheer scale of the project we are undertaking at Kings Hill and the good progress we have made so far. “Our building programme at Aviation Park involves the creation of vibrant new communities by constructing more than 500 new homes on a brownfield site. The mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two to five-bedroom houses has been specifically designed to meet the needs of local people. “We are very proud to be playing a major role in this ambitious scheme and are thrilled to have won an award for our part in the Kings Hill regeneration project, winning the Best Regeneration Project category at the Evening Standard New Homes Awards in September 2023.” Aviation Park is part of the wider Kings Hill project, where more than 3,000 homes have been built or planned since work began in 1990, along with new commercial floor space, schools and shops. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developer Weston Homes has finalised the acquisition of the historic Sergeants’ Mess in Deepcut, Surrey. This Edwardian building, rich in military history, is set to be transformed into a £32.5 million development featuring 70 homes. The project will include a blend of converted spaces and new builds, offering both market sale and shared ownership options. Situated on Bellew Road at the former Princess Royal Barracks, the Sergeants’ Mess sits on a 4.25-acre plot within a 6.23-acre site. The three-story building, designed by architect W.A. Ross and completed in 1938, boasts a brick façade, classical Portland stone entrance portico, dormer roof, and prominent brick chimneys. Weston Homes plans to convert and develop the site to provide 70 converted and newly built homes, comprising 65 market sale and 5 shared ownership homes. The main Sergeants’ Mess building will be converted into 33 apartments, whilst in the extensive grounds Weston Homes will build a premium collection of new two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, each with private gardens. Princess Royal Barracks, which comprises 114 hectares, was used for military training since the late 19th century. It is now being transformed into a new neighbourhood, Mindenhurst, providing housing, a primary school, amenities, and extensive outside space. Skanska is leading the masterplan development. The village of Deepcut is named for the deep excavations dug for the construction of the Basingstoke Canal during the 18th century. There are direct trains from nearby Frimley station to London Waterloo in 1 hour 20 minutes and nearby Farnborough station to London Waterloo in 35 minutes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plymouth City Council is leading a new housing project on the outskirts of the city, where 500 modern, energy-efficient homes will be built on land off Stoggy Lane in Plympton, including 150 affordable units. Also in the plans is new wetland greenspace, up to 2,000 new trees and a financial contribution towards a new sports hub at Boringdon. Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Communities and Cooperative Development, will present the plans to his cabinet colleagues when they meet on Monday 9 September. In advance of the meeting, Chris said: “I’m pleased to be able to talk about this venture, which has been long in the planning. “Plymouth, like so many other cities in the UK, is in the midst of a national housing crisis and one of the obvious solutions to this is to build more houses. That’s exactly what we’re doing here. “The Stoggy Lane development is certainly ambitious, but we owe it to the hundreds of households on the housing waiting list to make big decisions like this and provide answers to the problems.” The land at Stoggy Lane, which is designated for housing in the Joint Local Plan, is currently unutilised farmland with no formal public access. It is owned by Plymouth City Council but falls within the boundary of South Hams District Council. Working with South Hams, Plymouth City Council has produced a master plan for the homes ready to apply for planning permission. Before that, though, a thorough public consultation on the scheme is expected to begin in September, featuring information sessions to allow residents to learn more and feedback on the plans. That data will then be fed into a final design before a final planning application is submitted in Spring 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Tilia Homes Central has secured approval on plans to develop a 12-hectare derelict brownfield site in Northampton, as part of a multi-million pound programme of regeneration. The housebuilder is collaborating with Homes England on the scheme, which was recommended for approval by the West Northamptonshire Council planning committee recently. The land off Ransome Road in Far Cotton, Northampton, has been left abandoned since the Northampton to Peterborough Branch Railway closed in the 1970s, with the Grade II listed former Midland Railway Locomotive Shed located on the University site to the north of the proposed development. Approximately half of the site was previously used as a landfill area and there has been an ongoing process to remediate the land for future development. The site has had a long-standing allocation in the Local Plan for residential development. Tilia Homes will build 217 homes in a selection of styles, sizes, and designs, including a provision of affordable homes. The development will feature a high proportion of open space and a new play area. Amerjit Atwal, Regional Managing Director for Tilia Homes Central, commented: “Our vision to regenerate this neglected site off Ransome Road has moved closer to becoming a reality. “Restoring landfill land back into usable living and recreational space is essential if we are to meet housing targets and we look forward to turning this once-neglected space into a thriving new community that people are proud to call home. “Our energy-efficient properties would help to alleviate a general housing shortage in Northampton, as we aim to fulfil our mission of supporting people at every stage of the housing ladder. “As well as providing more green, open space that people can enjoy, our proposed development layout also pays particular attention to the provision of additional public parking and the needs of the local community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
