Wates and Havering council scheme the latest in £1.2bn plan to build 3,500 homes in borough CGI of the scheme as submitted to Havering council 1/3 show caption Collado Collins has submitted a planning application for a 481-home regeneration of the Farnham and Hilldene estate in east London. The scheme in Harold Hill is the latest to be brought forward under the 12 Estates Project, a £1.2 billion joint venture between Havering council and Wates Residential which is set to build 3,500 homes across the borough. The 1950s estate’s 117 existing homes would be demolished under plans drawn up by architect Collado Collins with 57% of the replacement homes to be affordable by habitable room. An estate ballot carried out during pre-application stage showed strong community support, with 96.3% of the 49.8% turnout voting in favour of the plans. The scheme would be the third phase of a wider regeneration masterplan for Harold Hill town centre.  The first phase, which is currently under construction, will see a new family welcome centre built on the site of a former hostel. The second phase is a 138-home affordable home scheme at Chippenham Road which was approved in February.

Farrells' 28-storey proposals for the 1 Battersea Bridge Road site viewed from Chelsea 1/5 show caption Terry Farrell’s plans for a 28-storey mixed-use tower at the southern end of Battersea bridge have been recommended for refusal by Wandsworth council’s planning officers ahead of a committee meeting next week. The planning application for the controversial Glassmill scheme at 1 Battersea Bridge road, designed by Farrells for developer Rockwell, is due to be decided by councillors on 24 April. The tower has provoked a storm of protest from local campaign groups due to its scale and height, amassing more than 1,500 objections and nearly 5,000 signatures on a petition to scrap the plans. The recommendation for refusal comes despite the scheme, which was originally proposed as 39 storeys, being cut down by five storeys in June last year and a further five storeys last December. The two redesigns have seen the number of homes reduced by 60 and the percentage of affordable homes increased from 35% to 50%.  The scheme would now provide a total of 110 new homes, down from 160 proposed in June and 170 in the original application, along with 7,000 sq ft of office space and a 2,000 sq ft restaurant. Farrells original 39-storey proposals for the tower submitted in January 2024 The amendments have failed to convince Wandsworth’s planning officers, who described the tower in a 127-page report published earlier this week as presenting an “incongruous and transformative change” to an area of Battersea which is predominately low-rise. The scheme, which neighbours the grade II-listed Battersea bridge and the head office of Foster & Partners, would be the sole high rise building in an area where buildings top out at an average of six storeys. Officers concluded the building’s “excessive and dominant” height would “significantly harm the spatial character” of its prominent riverside location, which is not in a designated area for tall buildings under Wandsworth’s 2023 local plan. The report added that a requirement in the National Planning Policy Framework that development which is not well designed should be refused has been “engaged firmly by officers in this instance”. The plans have been opposed by a roll call of local and heritage groups including Historic England, which described the proposed tower as a “visually intrusive and incongruous addition to the townscape with wide reaching harmful impacts on the historic environment”. Other groups which have submitted objections include the Environment Agency, Wandsworth council’s conservation and heritage advisory committee, the Battersea Society, the Chelsea Society, the Wandsworth Society and the Putney Society. Wandsworth council’s own leader, Simon Hogg, has also made clear his own opposition in a series of social media posts including a post on X last June in which he said “a structure of this magnitude on this site would inflict more harm than good on the local area and its residents”. The council had been due to make a decision on the scheme last month before the application was pulled from the March committee’s agenda. A petition against the plans started by local campaigner Rob McGibbon has reportedly been signed by celebrities including Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Felicity Kendal and Anthea Turner. The project team for 1 Battersea Bridge Road includes DP9 on planning, Montagu Evans on townscape and heritage, Exterior Architecture as landscape architect, Velocity on transport, GIA on daylight, Ashton Fire as fire consultant and EOC as structural and civil engineer. Rockwell has been contacted for comment.

Vacant building to be stripped back to its frame and extended upwards by seven storeys Ackroyd Lowrie's plans to add a vertical extension to the site 1/5 show caption Ackroyd Lowrie’s plans to transform Camberwell Magistrates’ Court into housing and a hotel have been approved by Southwark council. The former 1971 court building has been vacant since 2020 and has since become a visual blight and a magnet for anti-social behaviour, according to Ackroyd Lowrie. The practice said the proposals for developer Criterion capital would reimagine the building and surrounding space as a new “civic focal point” for Camberwell that will act as a neighbourhood hub for vibrant community uses. The scheme will strip the eight-storey building back to its concrete frame and build a seven-storey vertical extension at its centre. The new 15-storey building will provide 134 homes, 35.1% of which will be affordable, a 150-room Zedwell hotel and 250sq m of community space. The existing building has been boarded up since 2020 It will also include a cafe, a podcast recording studio, a co-working space and 650sq m of new public realm and green space reclaimed through the conversion of an adjacent dual carriageway. All of the building’s uses will be accessible through a double-height atrium which will be open 24 hours a day. The plans were amended during the planning process by removing two storeys from the top of the central extension, cutting the number of homes by ten and removing a frame structure on the scheme’s roof.

Building to contain advanced acoustics testing chambers for industrial and commercial research Exterior view of the approved scheme Sheppard Robson has been given the go ahead for an advanced acoustics research facility for the University of Salford. The 1,300sq m building is being billed by the university as an investment into acoustics research on an “international scale”. The scheme, which is expected to take around 18 months to build, will contain a series of acoustic testing chambers for researchers and specialist technical staff to measure sounds for a range of commercial and industrial uses. It is part of Salford University’s six-decade long work with some of the world’s biggest manufacturing brands to ensure products emit acceptable levels of noise. CGI showing the building’s internal research spaces Most recently Salford’s experts have worked on projects to manage drone noise, develop e-scooter alarm noises and make forklift trucks safer in a work environment.  The new centre is aiming to increase the research, innovation and development that the university’s acoustics team is able to offer. Contractor Morgan Sindall is set to start work on scheme this summer. Director of the National Institute of Airborne Acoustic Metrology at the University of Salford, Claire Lomax said: “The whole acoustics team at Salford are thrilled planning consent has been granted for this globally unique building. Every person on earth is affected by what they can or cannot hear, which is why acoustics as a science is so significant. “To have this facility in Salford shows the University’s commitment to innovation to enrich lives – in this case through pioneering research, impacting policy and industry standards, and shaping products sold worldwide.” The project team also includes client project manager Gleeds, acoustics consultant Arup, MEP engineer Buro Happold, structural engineer Renaissance, landscape architect Planit and sustainability consultant BDP. It will sit within the wider £2.5bn, 240 acre Crescent Salford masterplan which is being delivered by the Crescent Partnership, the university, Salford city council and ECF in a joint partnership with Homes England, L&G and Muse.

Low-carbon scheme designed by distillery specialist Organic Architects How the scheme will look when built Plans to revamp a whisky distillery on Speyside have been given the green light by Highland council in Scotland. The redevelopment of the Speyside Distillery site has been designed by distillery specialists Organic Architects for whisky supplier Glasgow Whisky. It aims to improve the energy efficiency of the site, which has been in operation since 1956 when founder George Christie converted a former barley mill and croft built in the 18th century. Construction started in the 1960s and took nearly two decades, with the first whisky production not taking place until 1990. Situated at the foot of the Cairngorm Mountains, the distillery is known for its picturesque setting and craft-focused approach.  Organic Architects director Bari Reid said heat and water recovery systems included in the plans are anticipated to reduce energy consump[tion by 44% for each litre of alcohol produced. Work on the scheme is scheduled to start this summer with the new energy efficient production equipment expected to switch on in early 2026.

Colin Doig carried out 225 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to 2022 assault which also left his wife seriously injuredThe Architects Registration Board has permanently removed an Aberdeen council architect from the Architects Register after he chased his 14-year-old son with a meat cleaver and seriously injured his wife. Colin Doig has been handed an erasure order by the Arb’s professional conduct committee following the assault, which took place at his family home in Dundee in November 2022. Erasure is applied only to the most serious offences of unacceptable professional conduct and prevents the indivudal from using the title of “architect” unless they successfully apply to rejoin the register. Doig, Aberdeen city council’s former senior architect and a former president of Dundee’s Institute of Architects, was convicted of two offences by Dundee Sheriff Court in April 2024 and ordered to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work last June. Arb said Doig’s conviction had the potential to diminish the reputation of the architectural profession The Arb said the seriousness of the convictions had a material relevance to Doig’s fitness to practice as an architect and the imposition of an erasure order was “appropriate to protect the public interest”. The regulator added the conviction, to which Doig had pleaded guilty, has the potential to diminish his reputation and “that of the profession generally and therefore the parties agree that the Registered Person’s conduct is sufficiently serious to require the imposition of a disciplinary order.” Doig’s assault on his wife left her with a serious ankle injury which required her to undergo an operation to have eight pins and a metal plate inserted into her leg. Doig had been living with his wife and son at his previous home address when the incident occurred on Sunday 20 November at around 10pm. He had been drinking with his wife, who had gone to bed, before having a disagreement with his son after entering his bedroom. His son, who cannot be identified, had then gone downstairs to the kitchen, followed by Doig, where the dispute had continued and led to Doig picking up a meat cleaver and chasing his son upstairs. His son locked himself in the bathroom and Doig had “repeatedly punched and kicked the door, and screamed at [his son]”, according to Arb. Doig’s wife, who had woken up during the altercation, had then attempted to intervene but was pushed to the ground by Doig and then pushed again when she attempted to get up, sustaining a spiral fracture to her left tibia. Doig’s wife had then called the police, and Doig went downstairs to wait for the police to arrive. The court was told how Doig’s conduct caused the child and his mother to fear that Doig would kill his son. The Arb said it first became aware of the incident after reading a press article. Doig has accepted all details of the incident set out by Arb and declined the offer to appear before a hearing panel of the professional conduct committee to present his case. Doig has no previous disciplinary history with Arb. In July 2023 he received a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder type 1. He was the sole director of Dundee architectural practice Dunard Design until the firm was dissolved in 2018. An Aberdeen city council spokesperson confirmed that Doig is no longer employed by the council.

View of the Goods Station scheme's two tallest towers 1/6 show caption Councillors have deferred a planning decision on Simpson Haugh’s five-tower housing scheme in Birmingham due to concerns over the proliferation of tall buildings in the city. Urban regeneration developer Vita Group’s 1,200-home Goods Station scheme had been recommended for approval by planning officers ahead of Birmingham city council’s planning committee meeting last Thursday. But a decision on the scheme, which includes buildings up to 49 storeys, has now been put back after one councillor warned the local authority was allowing the city to go in a “New York direction”. The council has approved a string of city-centre towers in the past year including Fuse Studios’ 37-storey build-to-rent tower, a 47-storey tower designed by Glancy Nicholls and Corstorphine & Wright’s controversial three-tower redevelopment of the Ringway Centre. Submitted last autumn, the Goods Station scheme would consist of three blocks of 49, 39 and 10 storeys containing a combined 868 build-to-rent homes, a 29-storey student accommodation tower containing 720 bedpsaces and a 19-storey hotel building containing 229 serviced apartments. Councillor Philip Davis claimed there was a lack of clear policy on tall buildings in the city centre and said councillors were stuck in a “grey area” when making decisions on high rise applications. “The situation that we’re actually in is that we don’t have a view,” he said. “We’re just allowing it to happen, and this is really significant in terms of transformational change to the way the city looks.  “And if we want to go in the New York direction, let’s have a debate about it, but if we don’t then that should be considered as well, but we need to have some view on this.” Davis said he was “very concerned” that the Goods Station scheme “represents another incremental twist towards a city of tall towers without a clear policy being made on our part.” The scheme consists of five buildings up to 49 storeys The scheme would be built on the vacant 2.2ha site of the former Axis office development near the Mailbox shopping centre. An application to rebuild the site as a new office scheme designed by Fletcher Priest was approved in 2017 but never started, although the existing buildings, which had been occupied by Atkins, were demolished in 2021. Councillor Gareth Moore welcomed a new application coming forward for the long-vacant site but criticised Simpson Haugh’s designs for the new scheme, which he described as “just a collection of boxes”.  “We have far too many boxes being built in this city and we need to make sure these buildings are distinctive in their own rights,” he said. “We just seem to be allowing developers to come forward and put up bland boxes which are not distinctive in any way. If you line them all up you could not tell them apart from a distance. So I do think we need to push back on the design and if we’re going to be allowing tall buildings… they should be distinctive so people can see a building and know exactly what it is and it be an addition to the skyline rather than [the skyline] just be cluttered.” The meeting was told by planning officers that policy on tall buildings was covered by the local design code and ongoing work on the local plan, along with a supplementary planning document on tall buildings. The project team for the Goods Station scheme includes landscape architect LDA Design, planning consultant Turley, structural and civil engineer Ramboll, cost consultant Arcadis, commercial agent CBRE and daylight consultant GIA. The deferral of the scheme’s planning decision came on the same day as a significant win for lead architect Simpson Haugh with the approval of its 76-storey Viadux 2 development in Manchester, set to be the UK’s fourth tallest building when built. Vita Group has been contacted for comment.

Scheme being developed by HUB and Bridges Fund Management How the revamped building will look The City of London has approved Morris & Co’s plans for an office-to-residential conversion scheme in Aldgate. Developed by HUB and Bridges Fund Management, the Assemblies scheme at 150 Minories, which was approved under delegated powers, will provide 277 co-living homes and shared amenity spaces on the ground floor for both residents and the wider public. These include a pocket park, health hub, co-working space and café. The scheme will also see the existing building repurposed with a rooftop and rear extension. Others working on the plans include QS Circle, landscape architect Macgregor Smith and structural engineer London Structures Lab. Last year, the pair won planning approval for Cornerstone, a 174-home co-living scheme and office conversion on Beech Street in the City, next door to the Barbican. HUB and Bridges bought the 150 Minories site two years ago for £39m. View of the proposals at street level

British Steel plant in Scunthorpe “vital” for country’s national security, business department saysThe government should start mandating how much British-made steel is used in big infrastructure projects, according to the executive chairman of contractor Mace. Mark Reynolds told the BBC this morning the Cabinet Office and Treasury could intervene and set targets for how much homegrown steel is used on public jobs in the future. “They really need to specify the proportion of British steel it wants to procure in its projects. This is important for two reasons. It will help increase volume and it will allow us [the UK] to invest for that long term.” Over the weekend, Parliament was recalled to pass measures allowing the UK government powers to effectively direct operations at the home of British Steel in Scunthorpe. Source: Flickr/Number 10Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks with workers and union representatives near the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe on Saturday The plant is still owned by Jingye, a Chinese company but blast furnaces at the site are at risk of being turned off if raw materials to fuel them are not delivered in time. The UK government argues keeping the site operating is crucial both for national and economic security. Announcing the decision to effectively nationalise British Streel, the Department for Business and Trade said on Saturday: “Steel is vital for both the UK’s national security and manufacturing and crucial for the government’s mission to build 1.5 million new homes in the UK as part of its Plan for Change, with construction projects requiring millions of tonnes of steel.” Reynolds said the Scunthorpe plant provided the “high quality steel” required by the rail and nuclear sectors. He added: “The UK must have the resilience in its UK steel market and the capability and capacity to deliver the volumes to meet the 10 year infrastructure plan which is vitally important for growing the economy.” Source: ShutterstockThe British Steel plant at Scunthorpe. Its Chinese owner said it is losing £700,000 a day Underlining the importance of British Steel to the rail industry, Network Rail has previously said that around 95% of its rails are from British Steel. Explaining why the government had stepped in, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds added: “We’re in a new and changing world where it’s never been more important to support our security and build our resilience, so that we can have strength abroad and renewal at home.”

Archway plans, which include 27-storey tower, had been recommended for rejection View of the tower as seen from Highgate Hill Opposition to the Archway scheme has mainly focused on the height and appearance of the 27-storey student tower 1/6 show caption Niall McLaughlin’s 27-storey student accommodation in Islington has been called in by Sadiq Khan after being rejected by the local council. It is the latest intervention by the London mayor on a major scheme in the capital following his decision last month to become the planning authority for Make’s Baltic Wharf scheme in Paddington. Make Architects’ plans for a 20-storey student accommodation scheme were rejected for the second time by Westminster council in January. Now he has written to Islington council to say he will also make the decision on 2022 Stirling Prize-winner Niall McLaughlin’s 250-bed Archway Campus scheme in north London. This would see the redevelopment of the former Holborn Union Hospital on a 1.5 ha site in Archway. The scheme has faced local opposition, including from Islington North MP and former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, over the height and appearance of the planned student tower. Built as a Victorian workhouse infirmary, the buildings at the site became a hospital and later a medical teaching campus but have been vacant since 2013. Under plans brought forward by Seven Capital, three historic buildings would be refurbished and extended, mostly for 87 market sale homes. Three other buildings constructed in the second half of the 20th century would be demolished and replaced with three new blocks comprising 91 affordable homes. Grid Architects is responsible for retrofitting and extending the heritage buildings, while Niall McLaughlin has designed the new build masterplan, including three affordable housing blocks and two student buildings.

Christian Dimbleby joins Nordic practice after 20 years at passivhaus specialist ArchitypeWhite Arkitekter has hired an associate at passivhaus specialist Architype as its new UK head of sustainability. Christian Dimbleby has joined the Swedish practice after two decades at Architype designing low-carbon schemes including Hackbridge Primary School and the Enterprise Centre at the University of East Anglia. Since 2022 he has also worked with the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard looking at best practice data and helping to set 2050 operational energy targets. Christian Dimbleby has joined White Arkitekter after two decades at Architype He is a frequent speaker on sustainable design at universities and campaign groups including Architects Declare. Dimbleby will drive sustainable practices across White Arkitekter’s UK portfolio, which includes the under-construction Velindre Cancer Centre in Wales which is aiming to be the UK’s most sustainable hospital. The firm’s London studio director Michael Woodford said Dimbleby’s “wealth of experience and expertise in delivering low energy and net-zero buildings is invaluable as we work towards achieving our sustainability goals and addressing the climate emergency head on.” Dimbelby added: “I’ve long admired White’s Arkitekter’s work with timber, especially with the Sara Kulturhus in Skellefteå, Sweden.  “But more than it just being about the material choice, this project demonstrates the practice’s wider sustainable vision in delivering low carbon and beautiful buildings.  “My work has always sought to make a better future for all, so I’m very excited to help support White’s vision to deliver all carbon neutral buildings by 2030.” White Arkitekter is the biggest practice in Scandinavia with 600 staff employed across 16 offices in Sweden, Norway, Germany and the UK. Recent projects by its 30-strong London team include the Gascoigne East and West schemes in Barking for the council’s housing development arm Be First, which was completed by contractor Willmott Dixon in 2023. The firm is also working with O’DonnellBrown Architects and Ekkist on the Crichton Project, a cultural centre in Dumfries, Scotland.

Simpson Haugh’s 76-storey Viadux 2 tower and Sheppard Robson’s 44-storey Whitworth Street scheme among approvals Salboy’s 76-storey Viadux 2 tower, with an adjacent 23-storey affordable housing tower Manchester city council has approved another tranche of high-rise schemes including a 246m residential tower designed by Simpson Haugh which will be the UK’s tallest outside London. The £350m Viadux 2 scheme, designed for developer Salboy, consists of a 76-storey tower containing 452 apartments and a 160-bed hotel operated by Nobu, a brand part-owned by Robert De Niro. When complete it will be the UK’s fourth tallest building after The Shard, the yet-to-built 1 Undershaft and 22 Bishopsgate. The scheme also includes an adjacent 23-storey tower containing 133 affordable homes. The two blocks are the latest additions to a cluster of towers in the southern side of Manchester city centre which include the first phase of the Viadux development, a 40-storey building also designed by Simpson Haugh. View of the Viadux 2 tower’s base This was completed last year by Salboy’s construction partner Domis, which is also set to build both towers in the second phase.  The project team for the scheme includes Renaissance as structural engineer, Artal as project manager, WSP as facade engineer, SLR on transport, Ridge on building services, Deloitte on planning, GIA on daylight and Planit as landscape architect. The council’s approval for Viadux 2, made by seven votes to three at a planning committee yesterday afternoon, comes a month after the taller tower was reworked following the deal with Nobu, which will operate the entire building. The committee also signed off a 44-storey tower designed by Sheppard Robson at a site just south of Viadux, adding further to the area’s tall building cluster. Glenbrook’s 2-4 Whitworth Street The 2-4 Whitworth Street scheme for developer Glenbrook, approved by nine votes to one, will include 364 build-to-rent homes and 7,800 sq ft of commercial space. It features a podium faced with a ring of three-storey terracotta-coloured arches, framing the building’s street-level retail space, and surrounded by around 700 sq m of public realm. The project team includes Deloitte on planning, Quartz Project Services on costs, AKTII as structural engineer, Futurserv as M&E engineer, OFR Fire Consultants on fire and landscape architect Layer Studio. The plans replace a now-lapsed consent on the site for a seven-storey Travelodge designed by Glenn Howells for Aberdeen Asset Management which was approved in December 2020 but never implemented. Street-level view of the Whitworth Street scheme, showing the building’s arched podium The fourth tower approved yesterday, also located in the cluster, is a 33-storey scheme on First Street designed by Tim Groom Architects for student accommodation developer Vita, which will contain 841 student beds. Deloitte is again on the project team as planning consultant, with ROC Consulting acting as structural and civil engineer, Abacus as QS, Futerserv as M&E engineer and TPM Landscape as landscape architect. The south Manchester cluster currently includes a total of 12 completed towers and 19 which have been approved.

London cost consultant Exigere has warned the main impact of US president Donald Trump’s trade war will be the effect on investor sentiment and whether tariffs will put the brakes on construction demand. In its latest market update for Q2, the firm said it didn’t expect too much direct impact from Trump’s decision to introduce tariffs on a swathe of countries – including a 10% baseline rate on the UK. Earlier this week, Trump paused tariff hikes on most countries for 90 days which saw the European Union put retaliatory tariffs on hold. Source: ShutterstockUS president Donald Trump has paused tariff hikes on most countries for 90 days but his baseline levy of 10% remains while China has been hit with tariffs of 125% But the trade war between the US and China has deepened, after Trump imposed 125% tariffs on Chinese goods and China retaliated with 84% levies. > Also read: Trump tariffs could make investors pause funding for major schemes, experts warn In its report, the first few pages of which were devoted to the impact of tariffs, Exigere said: “Proportionately, UK imports for construction-related materials and equipment comes mostly from Europe and China, although a significant proportion is produced domestically. We do import some materials, machinery, plant and equipment form the US but we have minimal exposure in the main.” But it added: “[Trump’s tariffs] will inevitably hit growth projections, and in conjunction with recent PMI figures, the possibility of a recession is back on the table, if not already here. Indeed, with wider global uncertainty, disruption and the potential impacts on growth, this may cause further short to medium-term hesitancy in investment and dampen demand for construction.” Exigere said the sector was still a good bet but warned: “The priority is to stay calm, identify the opportunities and act on them through considered, targeted action with the right partners and behaviours. “While the immediate outlook for the coming year now remains even more uncertain, reflecting an unpredictable global economic and geopolitical climate, we see positive indicators over the mid-and long term. “Interest rates are falling, albeit perhaps slower than had been anticipated. GDP growth, whilst minimal, was taking place, but this may now be further hampered. Demand is there for the right product. Longer term, the economics are slowly heading in the right direction to unlock the supply.” Meanwhile, the firm said contractors in the central London market were continuing to take their time before signing on the dotted line for jobs. “Fingers were burnt in the past decade, with some contractors overstretching themselves in terms of their capacity and ability to deliver work,” Exigere said. “A cocktail of insolvencies, a fragmented, under-resourced industry, continued planning and regulatory change, evolving design driven by tenant demand and growing pains adopting the Building Safety Act, are all impeding development and driving up construction sector costs. > Also read: Clients keeping cool amid Trump tariff chaos, says Turner & Townsend Alinea “All these factors contribute to a significant proportion of Tier 1 contractors continuing to feel risk-averse this spring. They want to consolidate, protecting their existing projects, specialisms, and partnerships, rather than experimenting and expanding.” It added: “This is being reflected in the type and number of projects they will take on, as well as the risks they are prepared to take. They are generally only taking on projects in sectors which are a strong match for their skillsets and are achievable within their current capacities. Relationships, with both consultants and, more importantly, clients, are a material consideration for contractors.” Source: ShutterstockDemand for office space in London, such as the Bankside Yards scheme (pictured), is increasing, Exigere said, as more workers return to the office for longer while premium space dries up But the consultant said both contractors and clients were being less adversarial in contract negotiations. “There is a flight to quality taking place, driving good behaviour and rewarding those taking a realistic approach to contract negotiations. Many successful industry players are characterised by their collaborative, flexible, and equitable behaviours.” Exigere said the central London office market was on the mend as top-end, available new space begins to dry up and more companies switched the working balance to being in the office. “Expectations for full-time office attendance are increasing. This return to the office, coupled with a shortage of new provision over the past five years is driving up Grade A rents for prime, low-carbon office spaces.” It added the hotel sector was also on the rise with investment returning to pre-pandemic levels while a Deloitte poll said London was the most attractive European city for hotel investment in 2025. The consultant said the biggest cost pressure facing firms in the coming months was the increase in National Insurance rates as well as the increase in the minimum wage. Exigere said it expects tender price inflation to be 3.25% for the rest of the year, rising to 3.75% next year and staying flat in 2027.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has launched a series of lawsuits against firms involved in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. According to a report in the Financial Times, the local authority is pursuing £360m plus interest from suppliers, subcontractors and other companies. Seven companies are being sued, according to the report, including Arconic Architectural Products, Artelia Projects UK, Celotex, CEP Architectural Facades, Harley Facades, Rydon Maintenance, and Whirlpool (now known as Beko). Source: ShutterstockThe Grenfell fire killed 72 people in June 2017 In court documents cited by the newspaper, RBKC specified losses including property acquisition and renovation costs of £129m, housing and temporary accommodation expenses of £47m and employment and staff costs of £41m. Other costs referenced included £18m worth of hardship payments and £970,000 for fire marshals. A Kensington and Chelsea council spokesperson said: “We have issued legal proceedings against a number of companies, in line with the council’s ongoing commitment to ensure those parties pay a share of the costs incurred against the public purse.” The council’s lawsuits come after the publication of the Grenfell Inquiry phase 2 report last September. > Also read: MHCLG must take ‘clearer central role’ to fix remediation, says Clive Betts > Also read: How closely has the government followed the Grenfell Inquiry’s recommendations? The report blamed the fire, which resulted in the deaths of 72 people in June 2017, on decades of government failure, a slapdash construction culture and the dishonesty of building product manufacturers. The inquiry found that the choice of combustible materials for the cladding on the tower “resulted from a series of errors caused by the incompetence of the organisations and individuals involved in the refurbishment”. It also found that the borough had neglected resident concerns about the tower and that its building control department had failed to ensure compliance. All the firms involved in the suit have been contacted for comment.

The new-build in Madrid’s developing Sanchinarro district is arranged across varied levels and podiums to minimise massing and improve the public realm Buckley Gray Yeoman’s body of work made the shortlist at last year’s AYAs, as the practice was named a finalist for two awards, including WA100 Architect of the Year. In this series, we take a look at one of the team’s entry projects and ask the firm’s managing director, Oliver Bayliss, to break down some of the biggest specification challenges that needed to be overcome. At ground level, a communal café and garden create an informal plaza at the building’s entrance What were the key requirements of the client’s brief? How did you meet these both through design and specification? The brief called for an office building catering to tech and creative sectors in Madrid’s Sanchinarro district. Key requirements included wellbeing features, varied landscape and multiple breakout spaces. The design response included: More than 1,000sqm of private terraces and gardens. A ground floor public plaza with cafe and informal gathering spaces. Private terraces for each office floor. A bookable events space on the roof terrace. Sustainable design achieving LEED Platinum pre-certification. The design prioritises access to outdoor space for the building’s users, with over 1,000sqm of private terraces and gardens What were the biggest specification challenges on the project and how were these overcome? The biggest specification challenges on the project included meeting sustainability targets, creating a healthy, future-proof workplace and maximising site potential while maintaining quality external space.  Meeting ambitious sustainability targets whilst creating a fully functional office building was solved with the implementation of comprehensive environmental strategies resulting in: Net zero carbon operation. 25% reduction in energy consumption compared to regulations. 45% reduction in water usage compared to regulations. 30% improvement in air quality compared to regulations. Facilities for 100 electric vehicles. Low iron glass being specified for the double-glazed units. LEED Platinum pre-certification. Incorporating post-pandemic safety measures and wellbeing features resulted in the integration of bGRID Smart Building Solution technology, providing: Enhanced air ventilation systems. Real-time monitoring of air quality, CO2 and volatile organic compounds. Automated sanitation level recognition. Smart access control with card readers and number plate recognition. Occupancy monitoring through heat mapping. Balancing development density with extensive outdoor provision required careful arrangement of building mass, including: Strategic positioning towards the street to create rear garden space. Integration of 10,000sqm of outdoor space across multiple levels. Creation of varied public and private external areas, including roof gardens, outdoor meeting pods, private patios and a 2,500sqm private garden. Column-free floorplates of 4,000sqm that maintain flexibility while connecting to outdoor space. These challenges were addressed through integrated design solutions that combined smart technology, innovative environmental systems and careful space planning to create a building that meets contemporary workplace demands while achieving exceptional sustainability credentials. The building is net zero in operation and has a LEED Platinum pre-certification What did you think was the biggest success on the project? The biggest success of the Skylight project lies in its harmonious balance of seemingly competing priorities, creating a workplace that is both environmentally responsible and exceptionally user-focused. The response to the site was to create a new green space open to both the public and the tenants of the building throughout the day. This makes this project unique. At its core, the project demonstrates that ambitious sustainability targets need not compromise the quality of user experience. The building achieves net zero carbon operation and significant energy and water consumption reductions whilst delivering generous, light-filled spaces prioritising occupant wellbeing. The two 120sqm skylights and 100m glass facade flood the flexible, column-free floorplates with natural light, whilst the innovative bGRID Smart Building Solution ensures optimal environmental conditions throughout. Perhaps most notably, the project’s extensive outdoor provision – totalling 10,000sqm – creates a new benchmark for workplace amenities. From the ground floor public plaza to private terraces on each level and the communal rooftop space, these areas provide valuable breakout spaces that enhance wellbeing and productivity. The strategic positioning of the building mass creates an urban lung to the rear, contributing meaningful green space to the developing Sanchinarro district. The project’s response to contemporary workplace priorities is particularly relevant, incorporating advanced air quality monitoring, smart occupancy management and extensive outdoor working options. These features, combined with targeting both LEED and WELL Platinum certifications, position Skylight as an exemplar of post-pandemic office design that prioritises health alongside environmental responsibility. 1/3 show caption Project details Architect Buckley Gray Yeoman Client PineBridge Benson Elliot Developer BWRE Structure Valladares Ingeniería M&E Deerns Quantity surveyor Mace Sustainability Deerns Vertical transportation Hoare Lea Smart building solution bGRID Our “What made this project” series highlights the outstanding work of our Architect of the Year finalists. To keep up-to-date with all the latest from the Architect of the Year Awards visit here.

A non-profit focused on addressing homelessness and reducing London councils’ spending on temporary accommodation is to close. Capital Letters, which is owned by a group of London councils, said its decision to cease operation at the end of this year had been taken “with a very heavy heart” after exhausting options for financing.  Source: Shutterstock Set up as a pan-London vehicle in 2019, Capital Letters initially received funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and was focused on addressing the implications of the Homeless Reduction Act 2018. Capital Letters partners private landlords with member boroughs to lease homes for homeless families at Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates.  Since launching it has supplied almost 6,500 homes and says it had saved taxpayers an estimated £240m. However, the organisation’s “original success” was “stopped by rent inflation” in the capital, according to Sue Edmonds, Capital Letters chief executive. “The impact of the post-pandemic housing crisis both in the unprecedented rise in rental prices and changes in the financial markets has made accessing affordable capital to deliver more homes for London impossible,” she said. She said the organisation had relied on landlords letting properties at LHA rates, but that “escalating costs and opportunities to increase revenue” had resulted in rents inflating beyond this level. Properties with rents at LHA levels now make up around 1.6% of London rental stock when LHA was designed to cover the lowest 30%, according to Edmonds. “We have been actively pursuing funding options and new business models in order to continue to deliver our mission, but as an ethical not-for-profit organisation, the small margins we have been working with have been badly hit by uncertainty in the international markets and the cost of borrowing,” she added. Capital Letters introduced annual membership fees from April 2023, which led to several boroughs leaving the group, leaving it with 10 council members. Edmonds said the decision to close operations was taken “with a very heavy heart” and “in the absence of any alternative funding or income generating options” that would allow it to continue. Capital Letters current members are Brent, Camden, Croydon, Enfield, Hackney, Harrow, Havering, Lewisham, Merton and Waltham Forest councils. The decision comes amid mounting concern in the sector about the future of affordable housing delivery in London. Housing associations are also facing inflation, building safety costs and balance sheet capacity constraints. Building Design’s sister title Housing Today and the G15 group of London housing associations last month published a new report, State of the Capital,  recommending measures to boost affordable housing delivery in the capital. The report calls for ministers to consider introducing an amortising grant model under which associations receive a higher amount of grant per unit upfront. This would mean the housing association initially needs to borrow much less money privately to make up the development costs, meaning net rent could more easily cover the interest costs without worsening interest cover metrics. Over time, the association would pay back some or all of the grant interest-free to government. The advantage of this for the Treasury is that the grant paid back can be classified as an investment instead of as straightforward debt or expense to the taxpayer. The report also calls for affordable housing to be reclassified as national infrastructure, rent convergence to be re-introduced and for social landlords to have easier access to the Building Safety Fund. It calls for government to take a holistic view of funding and rent policy, implement a joint funding pot for grant to improve existing homes and calls for national policies to take into account regional costs and skills shortages. Housing Today and G15’s State of the Capital report Providing new social tenancies for the 323,800 households on London’s waiting lists would inject at least an additional £7.7bn a year into London and the UK’s economy. However, while social housing providers and ministers are both aware of the need for more affordable housing, both housing associations and the government have balance sheets constraints. This inaugural State of the Capital report, produced by Housing Today in partnership with G15, looks at several ideas that could be adopted to help the sector build much-needed affordable housing in London during these difficult times. The report is written by Carl Brown of Housing Today, in collaboration with the G15.     DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT TODAY     

King’s Cross architect to lead consultant team including Civic Engineers on ’one of biggest growth opportunities in country’Allies & Morrison has been picked to develop a 10,000-home masterplan for land around Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium. The practice behind the King’s Cross regeneration project will lead a consultant team including SLA landscape, Civic Engineers and JLL for the mixed-use development of the Trafford Wharfside site. Foster & Partners’ plans for Manchester United’s new 100,000-seat stadium were unveiled last month The team was appointed following a tender exercise by Trafford council, which owns the land, with the project being part of the wider regeneration of the Old Trafford site which includes a new 100,000-seat stadium designed by Foster & Partners. The Wharfside project will focus on waterfront land facing Manchester Ship Canal, opposite Chapman Taylor’s MediaCityUK development on Salford Quays. Trafford council said the site, which is well served by public transport links, offers “tremendous opportunity for future growth and potential”. The team will work with both the council and the football club along with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and a proposed Mayoral Development Corporation to deliver the masterplan, which is expected to be complete by early next year. The council’s executive member for economy and regeneration Liz Patel said the scheme was “one of the biggest growth opportunities in the country”. “New homes, new neighbourhoods, new businesses, new jobs, new green spaces and new community facilities – all within walking distance of public transport. > Also read: Norman Foster and the Theatre of Dreams – a perfect match? “A lot of publicity has been about Manchester United’s new stadium – this regeneration will complement those plans, and our master plan will be central to shaping the future of this area,” she said. Allies & Morrison partner Paul Eaton described the appointment as a “huge opportunity for Trafford, for the city and for our Manchester studio”. “Trafford Wharfside has been recognised for some time as a focus for regeneration in the city, with the potential to become a thriving new neighbourhood,” he said. “Our team will shape a proposal for the area that realises this exciting potential; a sustainable, deliverable vision that integrates new homes and employment with sport, supporting Trafford’s aspirations and ambitions for the future.” Foster & Partners’ plans for the new £2bn stadium, which include three 200m-tall spires, were revealed last month. The practice is leading on a separate masterplan for land owned by Manchester United which includes the site of the existing Old Trafford stadium.

Operating profit down by 90% and turnover 14% in eight months to March last yearTurnover at Squire & Partners dropped by 14% and the firm’s operating profit by 90% in the eight months to March 2024. The practice’s latest accounts covering the period to 31 March 2024 show global income of £8.47m, compared to £14.8m in the 12 months to 31 July 2023. Squire & Partners’ recently completed refurbishment of the Conran Building Its UK income during the eight month period was £6.77m, less than half of the £13.7m earned in this country in the previous 12-month period. This equates to a 25% drop in revenue in the UK. Operating profit fell from just over £670,000 in 2023 to just £40,400 in the eight months to March 2024. The average number of staff at the practice also fell from 87 in the 12 months to 31 July 2023 to 80 last March. However, the accounts also show the firm was owed £6.4m in deferred income for services which are yet to be represented in the accounts. Squire & Partners has been contacted for comment. The firm’s recently completed projects include a refurbishment of the grade II-listed Conran Building in Shad Thames. The office block was designed by Michael and Patty Hopkins and built in 1991, before being acquired by Terence Conran in 1996.

Revised proposals for 85 Gracechurch Street two storeys shorter following basilica find Source: Woods BagotHow the publicly accessible archaeology exhibition could look Woods Bagot’s proposals for a tower in the Square Mile that had to be updated following the discovery of a Roman basilica at the site have been sent in to City of London planners. The scheme at 85 Gracechurch Street was set to be 32 storeys high and was given planning 18 months ago. It will include a new public hall and exhibition space. But archaeological investigations by the Museum of London Archaeology uncovered Roman ruins dating to the 1st century AD and include foundations and walls constructed from flint, ragstone and Roman tile. As a result, the tower has been cut down to 30 storeys to allow the remains to be on permanent public display in the basement. Developer Hertshten Properties said: “The building has been designed to meet the needs of the post-covid working world with distinctive architecture rather than traditional glass and steel, contributing towards the 1.2 million sq m of new office space needed in the City of London by 2040, for the City to maintain its global competitiveness and business attraction.” Also in the fresh proposals will be upgrades to the public hall with retail and event space while exhibition space will be relocated to the basement to incorporate the Roman Basilica remains. A public consultation on the revised plans took place in February and Hertshten’s chief executive Ron Hertshten said: “We are delighted to have submitted plans that surpass our initial ambitions, placing the literal heart of Roman London at the core of our updated proposals.” The basilica was constructed during the governorship of Agricola and formed part of the administrative and civic centre of Londinium. How the tower (third from right) would look in the City skyline Others working on the 85 Gracechurch Street job include project manager Gardiner & Thoebald, surveyor Shaw Corporation, QS Turner & Townsend Alinea, multi-disciplinary firm Arup, M&E consultant Sweco, planning specialist DP9 and structural and geotechnical firm Robert Bird. The scheme, which had originally proposed 35,000 sq m of office space, is due to be completed by 2030. A planning decision is due this summer. Gracechurch Street is set to become a new tower cluster in the Square Mile with proposals by Stanhope for a 33-storey tower designed by KPF at 70 Gracechurch Street getting the green light in February. Danish practice 3XN is behind a scheme at 60 Gracechurch which is being developed by Sellar and was given approval just before Christmas. Mace, Multiplex and the recently renamed Bovis will all returns tenders for the £400m scheme at 60 Gracechurch Street earlier this month.

Plans for Universal Studios UK confirmed as government agrees deal with US giant Comcast Artist’s impression of how the theme park would look when built The owner of the Universal Studios theme park chain has confirmed it will build its first site in the UK following more than a year of feasibility work and discussions with government. Keir Starmer said today he had “closed the deal” with Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDE) for the 476-acre scheme in Bedfordshire, which could become the largest theme park in Europe when it opens in 2031. A planning application for the project, which is expected to cost several billion pounds to build, will be submitted in the coming months with construction scheduled to start as soon as next year, according to UDE, a subsidiary of media giant Comcast. The firm said today in a letter to locals it would be a “world-class theme park with several themed lands featuring Universal’s distinct brand of immersive storytelling, thrilling rides, innovative attractions and exciting entertainment”.  It will also contain a 500-room hotel and a retail, dining and entertainment complex, along with upgrades to the nearby Wixams railway station, a new station on the East West Rail line near the resort and new slip roads off the A421. The government said it will ”commit to a major investment” in infrastructure around the site to support the delivery of the project as part of the deal with UDE. Keir Starmer meeting Comcast president Michael Cavanagh Universal is also looking at buying more land to increase the size of the site to more than 700 acres, which would improve transport links. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “At a time of global change, this investment is a vote of confidence in Britain as a place to do business. Universal’s investment will bring billions to the economy and create thousands of jobs to the UK, putting more money in people’s pockets.” The government has claimed the park would become the largest visitor attraction in the UK, with 8.5 million visitors expected in its first year and generating nearly £50bn for the economy by 2055. Around 80% of employees at the theme park are expected to come from local areas, with ministers looking at the project as key part of plans to boost growth in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor which include the East-West rail scheme. Mike Cavanagh, president of Comcast Corporation, which owns UDE, said: “We could not be more excited to take this very important step in our plan to create and deliver an incredible Universal theme park and resort in the heart of the United Kingdom, which complements our growing US-based parks business by expanding our global footprint to Europe.” He added: “We appreciate the leadership and support of prime minister Keir Starmer, chancellor Rachel Reeves, minister for investment Poppy Gustafsson, culture secretary Lisa Nandy and their teams, as we work together to create and deliver a fantastic new landmark destination.” Aerial view of the 476 acre site in Bedfordshire UDE chairman and chief executive Mark Woodbury added: “Bringing a world-class theme park and resort to the United Kingdom is a tremendous opportunity and is part of our strategy to introduce the Universal brand and experiences to new audiences around the globe.   “We appreciate the incredible support for our proposed project and look forward to bringing it to life in the years ahead.” The firm’s 541-acre Universal Studios Florida is among the most visited theme parks in the world and was the first of a chain which now includes parks in Los Angeles, Japan, China and Singapore. The venture was given a boost last December following news that plans for a major rival, the £3.5bn London Resort which would have been built on the Thames Estuary, had been scrapped. The 465ha park, which had also been billed as Europe’s largest, was first proposed more than 14 years ago but the High Court has ordered the company behind the scheme to be wound up.

Proposals for 77 Marsh Wall site to contain 925 homes and a mixed-use podium Sketch of the proposed tower shown in a first round of public consultation Patel Taylor is working up plans to build one of London’s tallest residential towers in Canary Wharf for developer Areli Group. The 220m tall 77 Marsh Wall scheme is being developed on behalf of British Airways Pension Trustees Limited and would contain 925 homes above a mixed-use podium. Currently in early pre-planning, it would be Canary Wharf’s third tallest tower if built, behind the 235m One Canada Square and 233m Landmark Pinnacle. A sketch of the tower included as part of a first public consultation shows a building consisting of three split floorplates of varying heights on the 0.47ha dockside site. It would require the demolition of the site’s existing building, a 17-storey office block built in the early 1990s known as Sierra Quebec Bravo. The site’s existing 17-storey office block would be demolished Areli said the building offers “very little in the way of benefits to the community” and that it wanted to maximise the “unique and exciting” potential of the waterfront site with new public spaces, shops and restaurants. The podium would contain around 4,000sq m of retail, leisure and workspace along with a cinema and cycle parking under early plans aired in the public consultation. Homes in the tower above the podium would be of a mix of tenures including shared ownership, build to rent, social rent, apart-hotel and co-living. The 77 Marsh Wall site, highlighted in red “We want to challenge traditional housing models and deliver the UK’s most exciting multi-tenure housing development, an outward-facing space that embraces the existing community,” Areli said. The firm has also submitted a 26-page environmental impact assessment scoping report, drawn up by consultant Trium, to Tower Hamlets council ahead of the submission of a full planning application. Other firms currently on the project team include planning consultant DP9 and communications firm Kanda Consulting.

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Scheme constitutes final two phases of the Alma Estate regeneration Source: Vistry GroupCGI of new homes at phases 2b and 3 of Alma Estate regeneration Enfield council has approved plans by Pollard Thomas Edwards for 723 homes as part of the final two phases of the Alma Estate regeneration. The scheme in Ponders End in north London for housebuilder Vistry will deliver 187 homes for affordable tenures with the remaining homes a mix of private rent and sale. Of the 187 units designated for affordable tenures, 80 will be for social rent and 107 will be shared ownership. The originally consented proposal, which was granted in 2017 as part of the wider masterplan, was for 401 homes. The revised plans have maintained the same number of affordable homes, but have increased the provision of social rented family housing. Both phases will deliver a range of homes, from one to three bedrooms and beyond, as well as 73 wheelchair accessible homes. The properties will be built alongside 8,500 sqm of green and public space and around 330 sqm of new commercial space. The original six-hectare estate comprised 717 homes was built in the 1960s. Only one of its original four blocks remain and is due to be demolished. Once complete, the Alma Estate will consist of 1,402 homes, with 444 allocated for affordable housing, including 246 for social rent, 170 for intermediate rent and 28 flexible. This represents an uplift from the 993 units granted permission in 2017 and an increase of 24 social rented units. Construction on the latest phases are due to start in the first half of 2026, with an overall expected completion date of 2032. The regeneration’s previous phases - 1, 2ai, 2aii, 2a and 4 - have reached completion, delivering a total of 679 homes. Alma Estate forms part of the council’s ambition to build 3,500 homes across the borough over the next decade.

Scheme at 1970s landmark gets the nod five years after council approved former plan by Darling Associates Stanton Williams’ plans to revamp the Sheraton Park Tower hotel Fresh plans designed by Stanton William’s to extend Richard Seifert’s Sheraton Park Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge have been given the go ahead. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s (RBKC) planning committee voted to approve the proposals to add four storeys to the top of the 1970s landmark last week. It comes five years after the council approved a previous proposal for the 17-storey site by Darling Associates for the same client, Drift Properties, which was never built. Stanton Williams was appointed to rework the scheme in early 2024 and has replaced Darling Associates’ proposed roof extension with a different design aiming to more closely resemble the tower’s brutalist window bays. CGI showing Darling Associates’ approved 2020 design, which has not been built The scheme will see the tower’s 16th and 17th storeys demolished and rebuilt while new storeys will be added, taking the building to 21 storeys, containing eight self-contained residential units including a single penthouse on the top floor. These upper floors will retain the building’s U-shaped recesses between the window bays but invert the convex windows of the existing building to a concave design, creating a slightly tapering profile which Stanton Williams said would result in a “more elegant silhouette”. The hotel’s total floorspace will be increased by about 1,000sq m, although a reconfiguration of existing layouts will reduce the number of rooms from 271 to 240. The number of accessible hotel rooms will be increased from three to 12. A building’s two-storey podium will also be partly demolished and redeveloped to provide a 756sq m restaurant and 1,079sq m of commercial space.  RBKC planning officers welcomed the proposed changes to the existing podium, which it criticised as having an “inconsistent” design and providing poor street activation for pedestrians. View of the proposed new podium Officers said in a report recommending the application for approval that the proposed podium replacement would create a more “unified” appearance at street level while responding better to the surrounding townscape. “Overall, the podium proposals would serve to improve the building and its contribution to the location and wider townscape and to views of the building from the adjacent Hans Town Conservation Area, serving to address the streetscape, conservation area, and surrounding buildings in a far improved manner,” the report said. Meanwhile, officers said the roof extension’s proposed concave windows would “pick up on the architectural language of the existing building but would be distinctly different in their approach to the building, allowing them to sit in harmony with the existing building while being architecturally distinct”. The project team includes development manager Lipton Rogers, cost consultant Core 5, hotel architect Reardon Smith, landscape designer Andy Sturgeon Design, structural and civil engineer Arup, planning consultant DP9 and townscape consultant Montagu Evans. Model of Stanton Williams’ design for the tower

The minister for building safety has said the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is losing too much time organising inter-organisation teams to conduct its work.Alex Norris was questioned on the performance of the regulator in the House of Commons by the housing, communities and local government committee.Source: FlickrBuilding safety minister Alex NorrisMace chief executive Mark Reynolds has previously told the committee that the regulator is taking up to 11 months to sign off on the safety of housing schemes, with delays in the Gateway 2 process becoming an increasing source of frustration for developers.The Building Safety Regulator has said that only a handful of very complex cases have taken 11 months and that the processing time for new complex, high-risk building projects under Gateway 2 had decreased to an average of roughly four months.Questioned on this by the committee, Norris agreed that we cannot have this component of that process take a year but said that the trajectory is getting better than that.> Also read:What the delays at the Building Safety Regulator mean for high-rise developmentHe said that part of the problem was the amount of time lost in establishing teams to work on applications for approval.Of the time they have available, they often lose about half of it in the establishment of multidisciplinary teams that is, getting together their people, the councils people and the fire and rescue people, said Norris.We have got to concertina that down.The BSR told Housing Today that it multi-disciplinary teams were used to discharge regulatory functions and are set up for specific regulatory activities for specific buildings, as needed.These teams typically consist of Registered Building Inspectors, Fire and Rescue Service personnel and other specialist skills.The logistical organisation of three organisations setting up resources, and in a market whereby the resources are tight, simply takes time, a spokesperson said.However, the regulator gave an alternative explanation for delays in the approval process, explaining that the main driver for longer handling times now is the very high volume of further information requests because applicants are not submitting good, quality applications.It also said that a backlog of complex in-flight higher risk projects had come to the regulator after the collapse ofprivate registered building control approver AIS Surveyors Ltd.Nonetheless, the BSR said it was looking at how it resources the multidisciplinary teams that assess applications to enable these teams to be stood up more quickly.The regulator has received additional funding from MHCLG this year to improve its infrastructure, training and processes.Norris also told the committee that the regulator needed to look at areas where efficiencies could be found, giving the example of multi-site developments that cover a single area.> Also read:Fewer than one in four high-rise resi projects have received gateway 3 final safety stage sign-offIf you are going to have a multi-site development in the same area, there is also a question about whether having a multidisciplinary team for each building is an effective process, he said.Could we be more joined up therehaving each building looked at on its merits, but one team doing that? I think there is scope for that.At significant points in the chain, there are really important operational things that could be done better.However he stressed that the process did have to feel onerous because it is a real check and balance.Norris also revealed to the committee that the establishment of a panel to assess proposals to reform building control, a recommendation of the Grenfell Inquiry report, was imminent, with Dame Judith Hackitt picked as chair.He said the department had largely asked Judith to convene her own team.

Updated CGI showing the scheme's 21-storey office development, which would be built above the station's concourse roofNew proposed 'landmark' entrance on Liverpool Street1/7show captionNetwork Rail Property has submitted its drastically revised plans to redevelop Liverpool Street station and said it expects the scheme to take eight years to build.A full planning application designed by lead architect Acme has been lodged with the City of London, replacing a previous proposal submitted in 2023 designed by Herzog & de Meuron which was scrapped after a backlash from heritage campaigners.The new 1bn scheme will include a 21-storey office building above the stations main concourse, new retail areas, improvements to circulation and signage and new routes running through the station to Exchange Square.Network Rail has also revealed the first images of proposed landmark entrances on Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate and Exchange Square that are aiming to reflect the stations Victorian architecture.> Also read:We hope to be a good neighbour: how the new Liverpool Street station team is rethinking Londons most controversial projectThe images show a series of gothic-style arches covered in brick cladding which lead into the redesigned main concourse area, a marked difference to the contemporary white-coloured arches proposed by Herzog & de Meuron.The plans confirm Network Rails pledge last year to take a more heritage-led approach to the redevelopment compared to the previous scheme, which had proposed interventions in a strikingly different design to the grade II-listed 19th century station.New proposed landmark entrance on Liverpool StreetThat scheme was abandoned last year with Network Rails development partner Sellar dropped after the application amassed more than 2,000 objections from members of the public and criticism from heritage groups including Historic England.Network Rails property arm, Network Rail Property, is now leading the redevelopment and has sought closer collaboration with heritage groups on the design, although the Victorian Society, which led the campaign against the previous proposals, is still objecting to the new plans and has described plans for an over-station office tower as perverse.The office component is being used to fund improvements to the rest of the station, which is currently the UKs busiest with around 118 million people a year crossing its concourse with annual passenger numbers expected to hit 158 million by 2041.> Also read:Network Rail to submit 1bn plans for Liverpool Street station redevelopment next monthNetwork Rail said the redevelopment, which will significantly enlarge the buildings concourse, will enable the station to serve more than 200 million passengers a year.It also aims to turn the station into a destination in its own right with new retail, leisure and workspace, aligning with the City of Londons Destination City ambition to diversify its economy.The new planning application follows a public consultation which has resulted in several further design changes, including increasing the number of escalators from eight to 10, making staircases wider and making lifts larger for wheelchair users.Network Rail Property chief executive Robin Dobson said: Were proud to be leading the submission of a transformative scheme for the redevelopment of London Liverpool Street station, one that is a truly accessible and inclusive space, can support the forecasted annual passenger rise to over 200 million and deliver vital improvements to the everyday experience of passengers while respecting and celebrating the stations historic character.View inside the proposed main concourseInvesting in transport infrastructure is essential to unlocking future economic growth for London and beyond. This investment will ensure Liverpool Street remains a landmark gateway to the City of London for generations to come.Following extensive consultation and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, our plans put passengers first whilst respecting and retaining the stations Victorian features, including the iconic trainshed and the Great Eastern Hotel.Acme founding director Friedrich Ludewig added: Liverpool Street is one of Londons great Victorian stations and our proposals will make the station accessible, permeable and celebrate its function as the gateway into the City of London.We have embraced the challenge to design new entrances reflecting its position as the UKs busiest train station, and roof structures that speak to the original 1875 structures and the 1990s extension.Ludewig said the proposals would retain the essential qualities of the existing station while celebrating parts which were previously hidden, turning it into the world-class transport hub that the City of London and all Londoners deserve.The project team includes Aecom on engineering and transport, Certo as project manager, Gerald Eve on planning, Gleeds as cost manager, Donald Insall Associates on heritage and townscape, GIA on daylight and sunlight and SLA as landscape architect.

Scheme includes two portal buildings designed by dRMMdRRM's north portal building in NewhamSource: Anna ShpuntovaSource: Jonas LencerSource: John Zammit RiverlinxSource: John Zammit RiverlinxSource: Alex de RijkeSource: John Zammit RiverlinxView inside the completed tunnel1/7show captionThe 2.2bn Silvertown tunnel has opened today, marking the completion of Londons first new road tunnel beneath the Thames in 45 years.Built by Riverlinx CJV, a joint venture between Ferrovial, Bam and SK ecoplant, the pair of tunnels run for 1.4km between Newham and North Greenwich and is one of the UKs widest road tunnels.It aims to reduce chronic congestion on the adjacent Blackwall Tunnel, which currently closes more than 700 times a year, creating long tailbacks.Other firms working on the scheme include architect dRMM, which designed the two portal buildings at either end of the tunnel which will be used for services and incident response.First announced in 2012, the scheme was awarded through a public-private partnership to a consortium of developers consisting of abrdn, Invesis, SK ecoplant and Ferrovials highways division by Transport for London in 2019.View inside the completed tunnelConstruction by Riverlinx CJV on a 1.2bn contract started in 2021 with tunnelling, using the UKs largest tunnel boring machine (TBM), getting underway the following year.The TBM, which had a diameter of 11.9 meters and was 82 metres in length, started in Newham and averaged 22 metres a day before being turned around in a specially built rotation chamber at Greenwich using nitrogen skates.It then completed the second tunnel by feeding back spoil through the conveyor belt system which had been installed within the first tunnel.Nearly 1.9 million tonnes of excavated material was transported to and from the site by river barge, with all bored spoil transported to a former landfill site in Essex as part of a restoration scheme.Once tunneling was completed, seven cross-passages were built connecting the two tunnels, four of them using a ground freezing technique.The last major road tunnel beneath the Thames to open was the east tunnel at Dartford Crossing in 1980.There are now four road tunnels east of Tower Bridge, the Silvertown Tunnel, the Rotherhithe Tunnel, the Blackwall TUnnel and Dartford Crossing.

Plan to keep stricken grade II*-listed structure as a monument also scrapped in taskforce meetingPlans to either demolish Hammersmith bridge and replace it with a new crossing or keep it as a monument have been rejected by a government committee.The proposals were among six put forward by the Department of Transport as future options for the 138-year-old structure, which has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2019, when cracks appeared in its pedestals.Source: Patrick Wang/shutterstock.comHammersmith Bridge has been closed since 2019It is currently only open for cyclists and pedestrians, which could continue on a permanent basis under another plan proposed at the meeting of the Department for Transport (DfT) taskforce in January. Details of the meeting were revealed by the BBC through a freedom of information request.The taskforce assembled to consider options for the bridge includes DfT officials, council representatives, MPs from either side of the bridge, Transport for London and Sadiq Khans deputy mayor for transport, Seb Dance.Other plans suggested include repairing the bridge for pedestrians, cyclists and single-decker buses or building a new adjacent bridge while retaining the existing structure.The taskforce ruled out both demolishing the bridge and building a new bridge, but have kept options to either repair the bridge for pedestrian and cycle use only or to fully repair it for vehicle traffic.The latter proposal, which has been designed by a partnership between Foster & Partners and engineering firm Cowi, would see a temporary double-decker steel structure fitted within the bridge to allow damaged elements to be removed for repair.The so-called Foster-Cowi proposal was costed at around 100m when it was first put forward in 2020.The grade II*-listed suspension bridge was designed by London sewer engineer Joseph Bazalgette and built in 1887.

Seating to be expanded by 20% with a new pergola and terraced areasCGI of Allies & Morrison's plans to revamp Henman Hill1/4show captionThe All England Lawn Tennis Club has unveiled plans by Allies & Morrison to revamp Wimbledons famous Henman Hill.Seating at the grassy slope, a popular spot for spectators at the grand slam, will be expanded by 20% and made more inclusive under plans due to be built in time for the 2027 tournament.Henman Hill, named after former British number one Tim Henman in the late 1990s, attracts crowds of people at each championships who watch matches on a giant screen on the side of No.1 Court.Known as one of the clubs most atmospheric locations during the annual summer grand slam, it has been renamed after successive British champions including Murray Mound, after Andrew Murray, and Raducanu Ridge, after Emma Raducanu, but is still most commonly referred to by its original name.What Henman Hill looks like currentlyThe hills redesign is aiming to make its seating more comfortable by reducing its gradient with a series of new terraces, bordered by low retaining walls, and pathways.A new pergola with covered seating and a stunning new floral display will also be added at the top of the hill.Deborah Jevans, chair of the All England Club, commente:, The redevelopment of our world-famous Hill, in time for The Championships 2027, will allow even more tennis fans to enjoy its unique atmosphere and vantage point.I am particularly pleased that these plans will increase the accessibility of The Hill for our guests using wheelchairs or who have additional accessibility requirements.The scheme is the clubs latest planned improvement following Allies & Morrisons proposals for a major expansion on neighbouring land which would more than triple the size of the clubs tightly packed grounds.The 200m expansion was approved by the Greater London Authority last year but is now facing a judicial review, set for July, after the High Court allowed a legal challenge bought by campaigners concerned about the schemes use of public land.The proposals, the largest expansion in the grand slam tournaments history, would add 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat show court on Metropolitan Open Land next to the clubs main site.

But construction prices could also ease as overseas exporters dump products in the UK to avoid US barriersDonald Trump announcing a raft of new tariffs on WednesdayUK construction experts have given a mixed reaction to Donald Trumpsliberation day tariffs, with some warning investors might pause funding for big schemes and others suggesting it could lead to lower material prices.The US president announced a raft of worldwide tariffs on Wednesday, including a baseline 10% tax on all imports into the country which will come into effect tomorrow (Saturday) in what economists have described as a watershed moment in global trade.The UK is the least affected developed country with only the baseline tariff imposed on it, although other countries are facing much more severe reciprocal rates including China, at 54%, Japan at 24% and the EU at 20%.While the UKs lower rate means it could become an attractive location for overseas businesses to import into the US, industry experts warn short and medium-term uncertainty could stall many investment decisions including on major projects.Arcadis head of strategic research and insight Simion Rawlinson described the tariffs as clearly not positive for overall UK growth.There will be direct impacts on inward investment and domestic investment decisions, particularly associated with manufacturing, as any investment that has a component of production serving the US will be under review, Rawlinson said.My anticipation is that investment decisions will be put on hold and that big binary decisions on where to locate investment wont take place until there is greater clarity on the longevity of the measures put in place.Noble Francis, economics director at the Construction Products Association, said short term uncertainty associated with reciprocal tariffs could impact global economic growth prospects and investor confidence.The rise in uncertainty means increased risk, which must be factored into the pricing of firms worldwide, leading to further inflation, and this is already bad news, he said.Francis also warned construction products imported from overseas could be subject to higher price volatility as exporters reassess established trade routes.While around three quarters, 76%, of UK construction products are sourced locally, the cost of materials which are commonly imported including electrical wires and sawn timber may be an issue for firms on fixed-price contracts signed up to 12-24 months ago when these potential risks wouldnt have been on most firms lists of key risks, Francis said.However, Francis also suggested prices for some products could decrease if countries which previously exported to the US move to export more to the EU and the UK to avoid high tariffs.Rawlinson added: There will be a lot of products from tariff hit countries including China and Canada looking for new markets, so expect some product and price dumping. The EU is already taking steps to erect barriers against low-cost aluminium. This might be more difficult for the UK.Meanwhile, HTA Design chair Ben Derbyshire warned the immediate effect of the tariffs could be further supply chain scarcity and cost inflation, adding: Both are immensely counter-productive to the governments efforts to ramp up housing delivery.MHCLG are doing their best to build a sensible response to the crisis of supply and affordability in housing and a trade war must not be allowed to trash their efforts, he said.Just as Starmer is working on considered responses to Washingtons new imperialism, I hope the rest of the world can find a way of reducing the disruption to the global supply chain on which the success of the industry depends.And while Kelly Boorman, national head of construction at tax consultant RSM UK, said the tariffs may not hit construction as acutely as other sectors, the ripple effect will be felt across all businesses.She said: It creates more uncertainty and could hit growth, so businesses need to plan ahead by considering diversification of material suppliers, reviewing procurement processes, investing in technology and focusing on working capital management to mitigate any potential risks.