Peabody has appointed Higgins Partnerships to build 189 homes at Deptford Landings, southeast London. The project will not only tackle the urgent demand for affordable homes in London but will also be Peabody’s first venture into providing homes that achieve Passive House certification. The Passive House concept is widely accepted
Funding has been secured by Sempra Homes for the delivery of the Markhams Chase development in Basildon. The development of three, contemporary two-bedroom houses will be delivered in partnership with One Public Estate under the Government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) programme. Melanie Keys, Services Manager at Sempra Homes commented:
Unite Students has secured planning permission to develop a 952-bed property in east London and a 500-bed scheme at a key Bristol location. The Stratford development, next to Meridian Steps near Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, is a 41-storey tower targeted to be completed in 2028. The construction of a
Construction work has commenced on two new residential buildings at Television Centre in White City, London. With Mitsui Fudosan UK and Stanhope, as the development manager, Multiplex has been appointed as the construction manager and completion is scheduled for mid-2027. The two buildings at the Television Centre – the nine-storey
Salford City Council has approved regeneration plans to transform MediaCity and The Quays into an iconic waterfront destination. Inspired by design-led waterfronts such as Oslo in Norway and Australia’s Darling Harbour the revised regeneration proposals also include around 3,000 new homes and approximately 800,000 sq ft of additional commercial space
Morgan Sindall Construction has completed work on an extra care facility in Leeds. The Sycamores in Woodlesford is Morgan Sindall Construction’s second Extra Care scheme for Lovell Later Living, Leeds City Council, and integrated housing and care provider Home Group, following the completion of the Greenmill Gardens Wellbeing community in
Kori Construction has scooped a £12.2m project that will see the site of a former Milton Keynes fire station turned into a high-quality care home. Kori was awarded the contract by leading UK care provider Porthaven Care Homes after being appointed to a similar project for a client in Harpenden,
Plans to develop a new multi-million-pound Student Village at Staffordshire University have been given the go-ahead. The proposal was submitted to completely transform the student experience at the University and provide more high-quality accommodation with enhanced service provisions and student social spaces. The plans were discussed by the Planning Committee
Mace has been appointed by Norfolk County Council (NCC) as Principal Contractor to deliver improvements on over one hundred properties across the region under the Future Ready (FR) Property Enhancement Initiative. The initiative will focus on modernising the Council’s property portfolio through a comprehensive program to ensure long-term cost savings,
McAleer & Rushe has been appointed to develop a landmark mixed-use scheme in the heart of the City of London, and a permanent home for London’s Migration Museum, worth a construction contract value of over £100 million. The 65 Crutched Friars development, due to be completed in Summer 2027, will
Peabody has appointed Higgins Partnerships to build 189 homes at Deptford Landings, southeast London. The project will not only tackle the urgent demand for affordable homes in London but will also be Peabody’s first venture into providing homes that achieve Passive House certification. The Passive House concept is widely accepted by the construction industry as the standard to aim for when reducing a building’s running costs and the amount of energy it uses. The energy needed to heat and cool Passive House buildings can be 90 percent lower than that of regular buildings, and more than 75 percent lower than typical new ones. Peabody’s homes at Deptford Landings will be one of the largest single-phase Passive House projects in the UK to date and will see residents benefitting from reduced energy costs and a significant improvement in comfort and air quality. The fully affordable scheme from Higgins, managed by Peabody, will include social rent and shared ownership homes – helping local people from the council’s housing waiting list in London. It will be made up of three eight-storey buildings, two of which will have large roof terraces, and a central landscaped courtyard. Designed by architects, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), with Max Fordham engineers and a high calibre design team, each home will benefit from a private balcony. Block 6A will provide 69 one- and two-bedroom homes, while Block 6B will comprise 61 homes ranging in size from one to three bedrooms. The final residential block, C, will have 59 one- and two-bedroom homes. The homes will be part of a masterplan being delivered by Lendlease. The global company is developing a community with new homes, shops, a renovated pub, and green spaces connected to The Waterline Way walking and cycling route. The project is unfolding in stages, offering residents a vibrant place to live, work, and socialise. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Funding has been secured by Sempra Homes for the delivery of the Markhams Chase development in Basildon. The development of three, contemporary two-bedroom houses will be delivered in partnership with One Public Estate under the Government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) programme. Melanie Keys, Services Manager at Sempra Homes commented: “We are pleased to see this development come forward, which will be delivered in partnership with One Public Estate and Homes England. It has been a long time in the making, and we look forward to seeing the transformation of the site from its current unused hardstanding, which has been prone to fly-tipping and nuisance for many years, into three beautiful contemporary homes.” The modern homes will be available as part of Sempra Homes’ Shared Ownership affordable housing programme, which will give priority to Basildon Borough residents, key workers, and veterans, who will be able to purchase these homes and make their first steps on the housing ladder. The homes will be built to a high specification featuring integrated energy-efficient appliances in the kitchen Using a Fabric First Approach, they will be designed to be energy efficient as well as meet National Space standards. Sempra Homes will also be working with Secured by Design officers to achieve gold accreditation, creating a safe place for people to live. As part of the sustainability strategy for the development, each property will have an electric vehicle charging point, and all mature trees will be retained as well as the inclusion of a wild meadow and pollinator planting to encourage wildlife. Sempra Homes will also be creating a new sheltered bus stop on Markhams Close with real-time information boards and providing a contribution of £10,000 towards the Find Your Active Basildon Partnership to improve the health of the local community through well-being and physical activity community work in the area, which is aligned with the Council’s Safe and Sounds Estates work. The development was designed by Calford Seadon Architects and Building Associates are appointed to construct the new development, with PSW acting as Sempra’s Employers Agents. Image: Calford Seaden Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Unite Students has secured planning permission to develop a 952-bed property in east London and a 500-bed scheme at a key Bristol location. The Stratford development, next to Meridian Steps near Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, is a 41-storey tower targeted to be completed in 2028. The construction of a new entrance and exit to Stratford Underground Station is also part of the plans, providing a positive benefit to the local community by helping to alleviate passenger congestion and improve the area’s infrastructure. The Group’s Freestone Island development, in Bristol’s Temple Quarter, has total development costs of £73 million and is set to open in 2026. Unite Students is working in partnership with the University of Bristol through a nomination agreement on the property, which will guarantee rooms for the university’s students. This will assist the university in delivering high quality accommodation to support its growth in the Temple Quarter area of Bristol. Temple Quarter, in the heart of Bristol, is one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects – with 130 hectares of land being redeveloped to create a mixed-use community that includes office and commercial space, as well as pedestrianised green areas, alongside Unite Students’ student housing. The Quarter will be a key contributor to the West of England’s economy by creating new homes, jobs and generating income for the local area. Unite Students’ development, which has received full planning approval, will be close to its 600-bed Marsh Mills site, on Feeder Road, and the University of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, where up to 4,600 students will be based on completion. The new development will provide 4,500 sq ft of affordable workspace and will be BREEAM Excellent with EPC Ratings of A across the scheme. The Stratford project, which has approval with conditions and is yet to obtain full planning permission, will also deliver 1,151m2 of commercial space which will include workspace and a retail area. Part of the space is earmarked for Canning Town-based You Press, a social enterprise for young people and underrepresented communities. A total of 333 beds will be left at affordable rents; 30 beds will be in self-contained studio flats while the rest are in shared flats of 5 to 10 bedrooms. One in 10 bedrooms will be wheelchair accessible. The planning application was supported by University College London (UCL) and full planning permission is expected later this year. Unite Students is in the process of confirming a long-term agreement with the university for its students to let the majority of the beds. This will support the university’s recently completed UCL East campus in Stratford. Embodied carbon to practical completion is targeted at 730 kgCO2e/m2 (carbon emission equivalent per square metre), showing further progress towards the Group’s 2030 net zero development targets. Including this project, Unite Students’ total planned investment into Stratford is around £400m. This includes the delivery of 716 new beds and academic space for the London Academy of Excellence at its Hawthorne House property, which is replacing former office block Jubilee House on Farthingale Walk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction work has commenced on two new residential buildings at Television Centre in White City, London. With Mitsui Fudosan UK and Stanhope, as the development manager, Multiplex has been appointed as the construction manager and completion is scheduled for mid-2027. The two buildings at the Television Centre – the nine-storey ‘Scenery House’ designed by architects dRMM, and the 25-storey ‘The Ariel’ by AHMM – comprise a total of 347 apartments and townhouses. The accommodation will range from studios to four-bed townhouses with a complementary range of amenities designed by both MSMR and Sella Concepts including residents’ lounges, a screening room, co-working spaces and meeting rooms, as well as a private dining room and roof terrace. Particular attention has been paid to greening the areas in and around the buildings. Landscape architect, Gillespies, has designed a courtyard garden, rooftop terrace and pocket park between the two built elements of the scheme. The announcement comes as Macfarlane Place, the first building in this development phase, nears completion. The scheme will provide 142 affordable homes for Peabody across two predominantly brick buildings designed by Maccreanor Lavington. This brings the number of Stirling Prize winning architects working on the iconic development to three (including AHMM and dRMM) – reflecting Mitsui Fudosan’s commitment to the very best in British architectural design. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Salford City Council has approved regeneration plans to transform MediaCity and The Quays into an iconic waterfront destination. Inspired by design-led waterfronts such as Oslo in Norway and Australia’s Darling Harbour the revised regeneration proposals also include around 3,000 new homes and approximately 800,000 sq ft of additional commercial space across 60 acres. The approval comes following an extensive consultation period and input from the local community. A new artist’s impression has been released to illustrate the new vision for the waterfront at MediaCity and the Quays – the focal point of the regeneration plan’s waterfront and Gateway quarter – forming one of four zones. The aspirational vision for the waterfront will bring new and flexible, all-weather glass-fronted structures and pavilions. This includes a new pedestrian link bridge from MediaCity to The Lowry and Quayside as well as plans to activate North Bay. A new boardwalk and link bridge along the MediaCity waterfront will feature more, quality nature and green space, innovative art installations, and places for people to eat, drink or enjoy the tranquil views from new, design-led fixed outdoor furniture. The giant Piazza will also be reimagined with moveable structures which can house a variety of brand activations all year round. The backdrop to the waterfront is the media quarter – home to the current cluster of 250 creative, tech and digital companies including ITV, BBC and dock10 studios positioned around MediaCity’s main Piazza. The Living Hub will bring a new opportunity for the destination featuring new, highly sustainable homes, businesses and convenience retail interspersed with pockets of green space and boulevards. While, the Culture and Community Hub centred in and around Quayside and The Lowry aims to be the cultural, leisure and retail heart of the destination. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Morgan Sindall Construction has completed work on an extra care facility in Leeds. The Sycamores in Woodlesford is Morgan Sindall Construction’s second Extra Care scheme for Lovell Later Living, Leeds City Council, and integrated housing and care provider Home Group, following the completion of the Greenmill Gardens Wellbeing community in the Seacroft area of Leeds in October 2022. The £13.4m scheme – designed by P&HS Architects – will maximise the independence of people requiring ongoing care and support, such as those with health conditions and older people. The Sycamores comprises 62 one and two-bed self-contained apartments with contemporary kitchen facilities, ensuite bathrooms and a private balcony or patio. The scheme also includes communal areas and landscaped gardens alongside a community café and hair salon which will be available for use by residents and the local community. Throughout its build programme, Morgan Sindall undertook a comprehensive social value programme to ensure the community benefited from the project. 33 apprentices were employed on the project, with a local labour spend of 75%. £2.67 was reinvested in the Leeds economy for every £1 spent on the project (figures calibrated using the LM3 methodology), while there were also over 60 hours of educational engagement. To reduce waste and save cost, Morgan Sindall deployed its Intelligent Solutions approach to alter the build sequence and ceiling details throughout the building so full-size plasterboards with no offcuts could be installed. This resulted in the equivalent of over 1,000 boards being saved. Other innovations on site resulted in 33.7 tonnes of CO2 being saved during the construction process – the equivalent amount of CO2 it would take to heat 12 UK homes annually. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Kori Construction has scooped a £12.2m project that will see the site of a former Milton Keynes fire station turned into a high-quality care home. Kori was awarded the contract by leading UK care provider Porthaven Care Homes after being appointed to a similar project for a client in Harpenden, Hertfordshire. Demolition of the former fire station building, which has stood empty since 2020 when the fire service was relocated to a new Blue Light Hub at West Ashland, has already been completed. It will be replaced by a four-storey, 75-bed care home described as ‘tranquil and settled’ by the developer, which will provide comprehensive care services for older people as well as those living with dementia. Jordan Connachie, Managing Director of Kori Construction, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Porthaven Care Homes again, to bring forward this much-needed development. “The scheme has been designed as a high-quality landmark building which will provide a safe and relaxed environment for residents, both inside and out. Residents will also benefit from a range of first-class amenities as well as main views that look out across green space. Couple this with the high standard of care Porthaven is renowned for providing, and it will be a fantastic asset to the local community.” The care home will consist of 75 bedrooms over three floors, complete with wet rooms, with staff and service facilities located on the fourth floor. Amenities include a gym, hair salon, café, cinema, activity room, community lounge, community and private dining areas, and private, landscaped gardens. Work to prepare the site got underway in November 2023 and the development will take around 18 months to complete. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans to develop a new multi-million-pound Student Village at Staffordshire University have been given the go-ahead. The proposal was submitted to completely transform the student experience at the University and provide more high-quality accommodation with enhanced service provisions and student social spaces. The plans were discussed by the Planning Committee at Stoke-on-Trent City Council on 20 March 2024, and they will now be considered by the University’s Board of Governors in the coming weeks who will have the final decision on the proposal. The plans for the new Student Village, on the University’s Leek Road site, detail the construction of more than 700 new student rooms in a mix of cluster blocks and townhouses, plus the refurbishment of the University’s Clarice Cliff Court accommodation which currently houses just under 300 students. A village ‘hub’ facility would also be built as part of the development, enhancing the vibrancy of the student experience with an events and wellbeing space, individual and group study areas and multi-activity spaces, as well as a rooftop terrace with an outdoor seating area. The hub and village would be linked to the Leek Road campus via a new pedestrian bridge and boardwalk. A new car parking area would be developed on the former Squires View site to the east of the University’s campus to service the village and wider University campus. Pending approval from the Board of Governors, once construction of the village is completed in 2026, the University’s existing accommodation on Leek Road would be demolished to make way for new parkland and open spaces which would be accessible by the local community, as well as students and staff. Open space developments would include an 800m fitness loop encircling the village with a surfaced path for jogging and walking. The parkland would also incorporate a new outdoor teaching facility for the University’s Woodlands Forest School which would make nature more accessible for local schoolchildren. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Mace has been appointed by Norfolk County Council (NCC) as Principal Contractor to deliver improvements on over one hundred properties across the region under the Future Ready (FR) Property Enhancement Initiative. The initiative will focus on modernising the Council’s property portfolio through a comprehensive program to ensure long-term cost savings, longevity, and functionality, supporting an ever-evolving, dynamic and diverse workforce. The FR Initiative aims to improve energy efficiency and thermal integrity, eliminate the use of fossil fuel across multiple assets and prioritise structural integrity as well as address wear and tear issues. Solutions will include ASHP, PV panels and in some cases new facilities being added to meet the demands of an evolving workforce and community. Included in the initiative are community hubs, offices, children’s homes, fire and rescue service facilities, libraries and the museums portfolio. In line with the NCC’s commitment to achieving net zero across all operations by 2030, Mace’s appointment will be fully compliant with the PAS2030 retrofit accreditation, contributing to overall energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Mace has ensured the correct designer appointments within the professional team with an appointment which commences at RIBA stage 2, under an NEC 4 contract to support the rigorous PAS design process. With no two properties alike, each building will bring its challenges, for example, those which are listed and of historical importance. Mace will build upon its reputation of delivering a lasting legacy for the community with a dedicated social value team, providing local employment opportunities, training and apprenticeships, supply chain events and a commitment to bolstering green skills through educational services across Norfolk. Stewart Ward, Managing Director for Mace Fitout and Retrofit, said: “We are honoured to be working with Norfolk County Council once again, harnessing our industry-leading expertise in delivering complex transformational net zero programmes. “The Future Ready Initiative is a step in the right direction for the decarbonisation of public sector estates across the UK. By making these buildings fit for the future, we are ensuring they can be used by local communities for generations to come while creating a blueprint of what can be achieved nationwide.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McAleer & Rushe has been appointed to develop a landmark mixed-use scheme in the heart of the City of London, and a permanent home for London’s Migration Museum, worth a construction contract value of over £100 million. The 65 Crutched Friars development, due to be completed in Summer 2027, will include new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), to provide over 700 student homes in a 21-storey building. The student units will be complemented by green spaces open to the public, such as a new pocket park and public roof terrace, for the local community. Located on the eastern edge of the City of London, the scheme has been designed to be sustainable in both construction and operation, targeting a BREEAM Outstanding rating as well as utilising offsite manufacturing, including prefabricated bathroom pods, a precast and unitised façade and both blue and green biodiverse roofs. While demolition works have commenced, the major transformation of the former office block is due to begin in Spring 2024 with the accommodation ready for the 2027/28 student intake. Enhancing student living in London, Crutched Friars will help to meet the growing need for student accommodation within the City with an abundance of social and study spaces, including private dining rooms, gym and wellness zones, a TV lounge and entertainment spaces. The development also secures the future of London’s Migration Museum with a purpose-built, three-floor 30,000 sq ft space, free-to-enter thanks to a 60-year lease granted by the Ahluwalia family, with no rent or service charge payable, alongside a new pocket park. Mark Diamond, Senior Director, McAleer & Rushe said: “We’re thrilled to be delivering this prominent mixed-use scheme in the City of London as Construction Partner with Dominus. Our decade-long collaboration, involving several successful projects throughout the UK, is rooted in shared values and a commitment to delivering positive social value impact and community outreach. Crutched Friars is a prime example of our early engagement approach in action and with our experienced teams behind us, we are looking forward to working on this landmark visionary scheme with all stakeholders involved.” Designed by Danish architectural studio 3XN, the student residences will feature a mix of Premium Studios, Studios, Twodios, Threedios and affordable Cluster bedrooms and contain generous communal spaces, private study areas, a gym, laundry facilities and external rooftop terraces. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
