Willmott Dixon has been appointed construction delivery partner for the Staffordshire University new Student Village being built on its main Stoke-on-Trent campus, which is due for completion in 2026. The development received planning permission in March and Willmott Dixon is set to start on site imminently. The contractor has been
Jigsaw Homes Midlands has selected a new contractor to complete the development of over 130 homes at Rolleston Drive in Arnold. Midlands-based Morro Partnerships was appointed following a procurement process and will start work on the scheme from July. Morro will complete the homes, originally manufactured off site by ilke
Preparation work has commenced to develop nearly 400 new homes in Congleton, Castle Green Homes has announced. The homebuilder is primed to begin developing a 57-acre site on Viking Way to provide 396 new homes. Around two-thirds of the development will be affordable housing under a partnership with Torus. The
Colchester City Council has approved outline planning permission for Weston Homes new £220 million (GDV) residential development for Viridis in Stanway. The new scheme will feature a mix of 420 private units and 180 affordable units, complete with large areas of high-quality public realm and landscaping, including ponds, play areas
A £28.7 million apartment scheme developed by Clegg Construction in Sheffield has been named as a finalist in the Yorkshire Energy Efficiency Awards. The Ironworks, featuring 229 one and two-bedroom apartments, has been shortlisted in the Regional New Build Project of the Year category. Completed by Clegg Construction last year
Refurbishment work is to commence on a multi-million-pound investment in housing blocks in St Jude’s, Bristol. Five council housing blocks will soon be part of a major refurbishment programme aimed at improving standards for those living there. Over the next three to five years, Bristol City Council will carry out
Harworth Group has secured a resolution to grant planning permission from North Yorkshire Council for the development of a major rail-connected industrial and logistics hub at its 185 acre Gascoigne Interchange site in Leeds. The approved plans will see the development of up to 1.5 million sq. ft. of industrial
Developer HBD, part of Henry Boot, has selected Sheppard Robson to lead on the design of its second phase of the landmark Golden Valley scheme in Cheltenham. The architecture practice will be responsible for the design of the next two buildings to come forward, with partner David Taylor leading a
Plans have been put forward to regenerate Teviot Estate in Poplar, East London. The £800 million redevelopment by The Hill Group and Poplar HARCA will provide around 1,900 new homes with 35% affordable, over four phases. This will be complemented by new open green and play spaces, shops, and community
Watkin Jones has secured plans to develop a 484-bed purpose-built student accommodation (‘PBSA’) scheme on Malago Road, Bedminster in Bristol. This development represents one of the final projects of the Bedminster Green regeneration area and follows two years of negotiation and engagement with the Council. Formerly an engineering works and
Willmott Dixon has been appointed construction delivery partner for the Staffordshire University new Student Village being built on its main Stoke-on-Trent campus, which is due for completion in 2026. The development received planning permission in March and Willmott Dixon is set to start on site imminently. The contractor has been appointed by Staffordshire Campus Living for an improved student residential offering as part of the scheme. Staffordshire Campus Living is a consortium formed by Hochtief PPP Solutions UK and Ireland, Willmott Dixon, Plenary, Pinnacle Group and Staffordshire University. Willmott Dixon has a well-established track-record delivering major projects on university campuses, including being behind the Stirling Prize winning Town House project at Kingston University in 2021. It will bring its expertise for sustainable construction and net zero in use property to meet the student village’s important ambitions that include low operational and embodied carbon, and EPC A-rated homes. Dan Doyle, operations director at Willmott Dixon, said: “This new Student Village at Staffordshire University is a significant investment in the student experience. What’s exciting is how it has been designed to blend contemporary sustainable architecture with nature in a unique natural setting. We will be incorporating modern methods of construction and offsite manufacturing to ensure it is a low-carbon development. Combine this with renewable energy sources, building to Passivhaus design principles and structures that are directly inspired by the setting, the university will have a development with a strong character and identity – fostering a sense of place and community. Offering a safe, secure, and inclusive environment, students can expect a true home from home.” Designed by Corstorphine & Wright, FIRA and Ramboll, the village will provide 700 new student rooms in a mix of cluster blocks and townhouses. It includes the refurbishment of the Clarice Cliff Court accommodation that will improve its energy efficiency by 250% through new low-energy solutions. Demolition of existing student accommodation on the university’s Leek Road site following the completion of the Student Village will make way for accessible parkland, which will result in a project biodiversity net gain of 12%. The Student Village also includes a net-zero carbon in operation ‘hub’, which will provide individual and group study areas, flexible use space, and an outdoor seating area on the rooftop terrace. A new pedestrian bridge and boardwalk will link the new accommodation and ‘hub’ with the university’s wider Leek Road site. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Jigsaw Homes Midlands has selected a new contractor to complete the development of over 130 homes at Rolleston Drive in Arnold. Midlands-based Morro Partnerships was appointed following a procurement process and will start work on the scheme from July. Morro will complete the homes, originally manufactured off site by ilke Homes before the company went into administration, and build the four remaining homes on site. The Homes England-backed scheme, known as Birch Fields, will have 45 two-bedroom homes, 73 three-bedroom homes and 13 four-bedroom homes and will be available for either shared ownership or affordable rent. The affordable rent homes will be advertised through Gedling Borough Council’s Homesearch scheme and allocated accordingly to meet local housing needs. Garnet Fazackerley, Operations Director of Development at Jigsaw Homes Group said: “This was an incredibly challenging time following the collapse of ilke Homes in June 2023. However, we remained committed and confident that we could find a suitable partner who could complete the scheme and provide much-needed affordable homes and we are delighted to be working with Morro Partnerships to complete this development. “The homes will have NHBC warranty following stringent quality and compliance checks and will be finished to a high standard as they have been kept watertight and secure since the development stalled. We appreciate the patience from Gedling Borough Council, Homes England and local residents as we know this has been a frustrating time for all concerned, but we are now on the right track to deliver new homes for those most in need.” Giovanni Corbo, Head of Technical and Design at Morro Partnerships said: “Morro are delighted to have been selected on this project and to be working in partnership with Jigsaw Homes and Gedling Borough Council. As a sustainable partnerships’ developer, we are keen to showcase our delivery of affordable homes on this project and complete the homes on this much needed affordable housing scheme, though a modern and sustainable form of build system. “Morro specialise in the delivery of affordable high efficiency homes developments in the Midlands for Registered Providers and Local Authorities, and our current pipeline of over 2,500 plots will help meet the growing demand for affordable housing across the region. We are exciting to be embarking on our first scheme with Jigsaw Homes and are looking forward to working with them on other developments to jointly deliver significant numbers of mixed tenure, highly efficient homes across the region. “Works will commence on these high-performance modular homes in July 24 with phased handover of plots allowing new residents to occupy the homes within the first few months of our 12-month programme. We hope to engage with local subcontractors where possible as part of our sustainability policy.” Chief Executive of Gedling Borough Council, Mike Hill said: “We’re very pleased to hear that the homes will be completed and we can get families, who have been waiting for such a long time, into these much needed affordable homes. This has been a very stressful time for families, and it has also impacted housing waiting lists in the borough, so we look forward to being able to reduce that list and get people out of temporary accommodation. “We know that this has been an incredibly difficult time for Jigsaw Homes to resolve this exceptionally unfortunate situation and we welcome this news that Morro Partnerships will be delivering these homes for local people.” The first homes are expected to be completed in October with the whole scheme aiming to finished by September 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Preparation work has commenced to develop nearly 400 new homes in Congleton, Castle Green Homes has announced. The homebuilder is primed to begin developing a 57-acre site on Viking Way to provide 396 new homes. Around two-thirds of the development will be affordable housing under a partnership with Torus. The initial phase of works will be carried out by civil engineering contractors who will create the roads and sewers for the development, along with the substructure of the homes. It’s expected that construction of the homes will begin in September. Partnerships director for Castle Green Eoin O’Donnell said: “We’re proud to be working alongside Torus to deliver much-needed new homes in Congleton. Around 60% of the overall development will be affordable homes, available for shared ownership or affordable rent. The remaining 160 will be private sale homes. “We’re aiming to deliver homes to Torus at a record pace so they can place local families in well-designed, fuel-efficient homes as soon as possible. To do this we’ll have two phases of affordable homes being built simultaneously with between 100 and 200 people working on the site. Alongside this, we’ll have around 70 people building the private sale homes on the Woodland Manor phase of the development.” Castle Green expects to handover the first affordable homes over to Torus by the middle of 2025. The homebuilder is targeting delivering 16 homes a month for the housing group, with the aim that all homes being built for Torus will be completed by December 2026. Director of development & technical at Torus Developments Steve Alcock said: “Partnerships, like the one we have with Castle Green Homes, allow us to build even more affordable homes in sought after areas across the region. Congleton will see us deliver the largest number of affordable homes on a single site to date. There is real synergy between Torus and Castle Green to create a thriving new community together.” The first of the 160 private sale homes at Woodlands Manor are due to be released for sale off plan next month, with show homes scheduled to open in spring 2025. The first private sale homes are expected to be ready to move into in spring 2025. It’s anticipated the overall development will be completed by the middle of 2028. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Colchester City Council has approved outline planning permission for Weston Homes new £220 million (GDV) residential development for Viridis in Stanway. The new scheme will feature a mix of 420 private units and 180 affordable units, complete with large areas of high-quality public realm and landscaping, including ponds, play areas and extensive pedestrian and cycle routes throughout. Viridis will offer a variety of housing options: two, three and four-bedroom houses for private ownership, and one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses as affordable housing. The project, designed by PRP Architects, will create a vibrant community with beautifully designed homes surrounded by nature and will fulfil part of a government requirement for Colchester City Council to build 920 homes annually. All the homes will feature Weston Homes’ premium, fully inclusive specification, high ceilings, large windows, and open-plan layouts to maximise natural light. The development will also offer fibreoptic superfast broadband, ensuring residents stay connected. Additionally, there will be a wide choice of on-trend finishes for personalising the interiors, which are all included within the price. The scheme is also designed to provide an abundance of green open space, with an emphasis on sustainability and providing homes with numerous eco-friendly features. Viridis is ideally located just a four minute drive from Marks Tey Station, which provides direct train links to London Liverpool Street in under an hour. This prime location makes it perfect for commuters. Bob Weston, Chairman and Managing Director of Weston Homes said: “Weston Homes is delighted by the resolution to grant outline planning consent for Viridis, which underlines our dedication to developing affordable, well-connected homes perfect for modern living. This new development in Stanway, Colchester is part of our ongoing major growth and expansion. We are looking forward to beginning the delivery of this fantastic new community for the people of Essex.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A £28.7 million apartment scheme developed by Clegg Construction in Sheffield has been named as a finalist in the Yorkshire Energy Efficiency Awards. The Ironworks, featuring 229 one and two-bedroom apartments, has been shortlisted in the Regional New Build Project of the Year category. Completed by Clegg Construction last year for Rise Homes, it includes a range of sustainability features such as a biomass energy centre providing hot water and heating throughout the building, with the intention to connect to the city’s district heating system in due course and use hot water generated from the city’s waste plant. Each apartment has a central thermostat that is linked to an app on the resident’s phone, allowing the heating to be carefully and remotely controlled. The flow rates and temperature of water going into and leaving every apartment are monitored daily and a monthly report provides data on areas where the efficiency of the system can be improved. Other environmental measures include flow rate restrictors, electric vehicle charging, Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR), bat boxes, and automatic light movement sensors. Rise Homes is now seeking BREEAM in use and FITWEL accreditations and the consultants submitting these believe the development should achieve ‘Excellent’ ratings. Michael Sims, Managing Director at Clegg Construction, said: “We are thrilled to hear that The Ironworks has been shortlisted in the Yorkshire Energy Efficiency Awards in the Regional New Build Project of the Year category. “It’s a stunning development, with a wide range of sustainability features, and Clegg Construction is very proud to have delivered the apartment scheme on behalf of Rise Homes.” The project has also been shortlisted for an Insider Property Dinner South Yorkshire award, having been named a finalist in the Sustainable Development of the Year Award. The Yorkshire Energy Efficiency Awards finals ceremony takes place at Leeds Marriott Hotel on Thursday 27 June 2024. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Refurbishment work is to commence on a multi-million-pound investment in housing blocks in St Jude’s, Bristol. Five council housing blocks will soon be part of a major refurbishment programme aimed at improving standards for those living there. Over the next three to five years, Bristol City Council will carry out extensive refurbishment of Charleton House, Haviland House, Langton House, John Cozens House and Tyndall House. The £18 million investment in these blocks will provide residents with much-needed improvements to their homes and communal areas. New internal windows and doors, electrical works, along with a range of other upgrades will improve the insulation of the buildings. These insulation improvements mean residents will have warmer homes that are more cost-effective to heat. Refurbishment works also include improvements to the roofs of each block, updating several vital internal systems, internal and external decoration and repairs. John Smith, Executive Director of Growth and Regeneration, said: “For the past twelve months, work has been underway within our Housing and Landlord Services Team to plan for a major refurbishment of five council housing blocks in the St Jude’s area. I am pleased that we are now able to share with residents the news that we are taking the next steps with this promised refurbishment programme. “I’m aware that for many of you these works are long overdue, and I acknowledge the length of time it has taken to get to this stage. I wish to reassure residents that any delay to the beginning of these works is solely down to the time it takes to agree on the finances required to fund a major refurbishment, along with the availability of the technical skills needed to prepare and plan such a large undertaking. These refurbishments will be delivered in phases, to limit the amount of disruption to our residents’ daily lives.” Contractors have begun to set themselves up across the five blocks as they start to carry out initial works. The opening phase of this refurbishment programme will be to complete a set of building surveys at each block. To finish these surveys quickly and to a high degree of accuracy, the council will reach out to 14 households to discuss the potential of carrying out this extensive survey work in their flats. Any residents whose property is required for the surveys will be provided with temporary serviced accommodation whilst investigations at their property are carried out. Residents will only be moved in temporary serviced accommodation for a maximum of three months, and no other residents are due to be asked to leave their flats. Contractors aim to begin refurbishment work on three blocks: Charleton House, Haviland House and Langton House before moving on to John Cozens House and Tyndall House. Refurbishment plans will also be announced later in the year for Ropewalk House which is also located in St Jude’s. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Harworth Group has secured a resolution to grant planning permission from North Yorkshire Council for the development of a major rail-connected industrial and logistics hub at its 185 acre Gascoigne Interchange site in Leeds. The approved plans will see the development of up to 1.5 million sq. ft. of industrial and logistics space at Gascoigne Interchange, in line with the Group’s strategy to increase its direct development of industrial and logistics space from its extensive landbank, and has the potential to deliver up to £190 million gross development value (GDV). The proposal is the delivery of seven units, ranging from 57,000 sq. ft. to 1.0 million sq. ft., all built to Grade A specification, with Harworth expecting to start on site in 2025. The brownfield site is one of Harworth’s next-generation of development sites and is situated in Selby, to the east of Leeds and adjacent to Sherburn Industrial Estate. It is one of the most strategically located, rail-connected sites in the region, enabling future occupiers to utilise the existing main line rail connection from the site for a wide variety of uses, including low carbon freight movement. The site, which is accessed via Junction 42 of the A1(M), has an extensive collection of rail sidings on either side of Network Rail’s Leeds to Hull main line route, with current operational connections into the northern and southern plots on the site. The rail access to the north of the site offers scope to create a dedicated railhead serving the buildings on site, with the ability to handle containers, bulk commodities or next-generation express freight services, and puts most of the UK within three hours of the site. The plots to the south of the site benefit from 1,200 metres of frontage onto the main line with connections at either end capable of accommodating a major intermodal terminal for on-site and off-site customers. The absence of speculative institutional funding and increasing tenant prioritisation for highly sustainable space is forecast to underpin strong demand for strategically-connected, Grade A industrial units in the Yorkshire region over the medium term, according to Knight Frank. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developer HBD, part of Henry Boot, has selected Sheppard Robson to lead on the design of its second phase of the landmark Golden Valley scheme in Cheltenham. The architecture practice will be responsible for the design of the next two buildings to come forward, with partner David Taylor leading a team of six. The firm joins the Golden Valley team alongside architect BDP, which is already well progressed with designs for the Innovation Centre and mobility hub, which will form the first development phase. Golden Valley is one of the country’s most high-profile schemes; a once-in-a-lifetime project at the heart of the UK’s National Cyber Strategy. Once complete, it will deliver 1million sq ft of commercial space and is expected to create 12,000 new jobs. The masterplan also includes the development of 1,067 low carbon homes nestled within green space and with various community services and amenities. HBD is delivering the development alongside Cheltenham Borough Council and key local partners. Planning permission for Golden Valley was submitted in October 2023 and a second application specifically for the National Cyber Innovation Centre will follow this summer. Sheppard Robson will play a key role in meeting HBD’s sustainability goals for Golden Valley, targeting BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings for office buildings. The practice will carefully consider the building’s fabric from the outside in, maximising energy efficiency and ensuring the space achieves best-in-class sustainability credentials. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans have been put forward to regenerate Teviot Estate in Poplar, East London. The £800 million redevelopment by The Hill Group and Poplar HARCA will provide around 1,900 new homes with 35% affordable, over four phases. This will be complemented by new open green and play spaces, shops, and community and faith facilities, alongside improved infrastructure. As one of the largest estate regenerations in London, the redevelopment of Teviot will transform the area with upgraded designs and enhanced community amenities, creating a safer and better place to live. Hill and Poplar HARCA have worked closely with Teviot residents at every stage to ensure the plans meet the community’s needs and aspirations. The partnership has submitted an outline planning application for all phases of the masterplan, including detailed proposals for the first phase of development. Phase 1 is set to deliver 475 homes, 45% of which will be affordable. Subject to approvals, the project is scheduled to start onsite at the end of 2025, with the first homes expected to be completed by 2028. The entire project is forecast to be completed by 2042. The proposals provide a wide range of benefits for local residents including provision for an improved mosque that will be at the heart of the development and delivered in the third phase. Green open spaces will be prioritised, with substantial improvements to Langdon Park brought forward in phase one and an informal play area for public use. Extensive landscaping is planned with green corridors which will boost biodiversity, greener streets and a new public square that will create a place to socialise and relax. The masterplan for the project, designed by leading architects BPTW, covers eight hectares and offers a wide range of homes from studios and apartments to family houses. The regeneration will feature new shops and commercial spaces, as well as a new multi-use community centre. New infrastructure and public realm design focuses on creating safer streets with better pedestrian routes to Langdon Park station and a new foot-tunnel under the A12, with enhanced lighting and CCTV to help reduce anti-social behaviour. The regeneration has already invested £427,500 to local projects through the Teviot Community Chest Fund. Over its 15-year duration, the initiative is set to generate over £278 million in social value, which covers a wide range of community projects. such as a new pontoon on the Limehouse Cut Canal, planned to open later this year that will increase community access to water sports. Andy Hill OBE, Group Chief Executive at The Hill Group commented: comments: “The regeneration of Teviot is going to change the lives of thousands of residents, bringing high-quality homes and improved wellbeing. The community has been at the heart of the plans since conception and we are committed to delivering on our promises to residents, collaborating to create an improved neighbourhood for all. We know that people not only want better quality, energy-efficient homes, but also improved access to jobs, more support for young people and less fear of crime, so we are pleased to reach this important milestone in rewriting the future for this community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Watkin Jones has secured plans to develop a 484-bed purpose-built student accommodation (‘PBSA’) scheme on Malago Road, Bedminster in Bristol. This development represents one of the final projects of the Bedminster Green regeneration area and follows two years of negotiation and engagement with the Council. Formerly an engineering works and foundry, the project is a prime opportunity to revive a disused brownfield site and contribute to the broader regeneration of the Bedminster Green area. The scheme will deliver high-quality managed homes for students ranging from six to ten storeys in height across three buildings. The proposals will deliver broad benefits to the local community, including the creation of a new public space and improvements to the highway infrastructure. The new student population is expected to support local businesses, including those along nearby East Street in particular. Compared to the proposals of previous developers, Watkin Jones’ proposal promoted significant changes including reducing the number and height of buildings across the site and decreasing the number of rooms to better reflect the local character and in response to public engagement. With support from the University of Bristol, this scheme will help to meet the higher education needs of the city that continues to be a premier destination of choice for both UK and international students as numbers continue to rise. Importantly, it has been designed sustainably to support the Group’s ESG strategy. The scheme will be BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and WiredScore ‘Gold’ enabling the best connectivity for students, in addition to an EPC rating B. Watkin Jones is expected to partner with its award-winning management company Fresh to deliver well-maintained, 24-hour on-site services for students. As a leading and long-standing student accommodation developer, Fresh can ensure the site is well cared for and that the student population is well integrated with the existing community. The site offers excellent public transport links and includes storage for 130 bikes, three disabled car spaces that can accommodate EV charging, significant new tree planting, and green landscaping along Malago Road, seamlessly integrating with the council’s highway improvements and river restoration works. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
