Real estate investment company LXB Retail Properties has secured planning consent from the South Ayrshire Council for key elements of a new community development at Corton, UK.Corton is the first phase of the South East Ayr Development that will feature 2,700 new homes on a 450-acre site over 30 years. The development is set to be delivered in three phases: Corton, Alton and Cockhill.The Corton phase comprises 750 houses, a new primary school, a hotel, a neighbourhood centre, shops, a pub/restaurant, business units and community and leisure facilities.The approved plans include a Sainsbury’s supermarket, with associated car park and petrol filling station, and a new equestrian, pedestrian and cycle bridge over the A77, linking into a footpath network.The Corton development is expected to deliver a total new investment of about £184M in South Ayrshire.Sandra Carter from LXB said: “We are delighted that detailed consents for this initial phase have been granted facilitating the delivery of the new supermarket and site infrastructure.“It is anticipated that other elements of the development will soon be brought forward including a pub/restaurant, other neighbourhood business and amenity spaces together with the first phase of private and affordable housing.”
Muse Developments, in collaboration with Network Rail, has submitted a planning application for a £185M mixed-use project in Manchester city centre.The proposed project will be located on a 2.5-acre site on Corporation Street, which is currently a surface-level car park, and will include three new buildings; a 13,900sq m, Grade A, eight-storey office and two residential buildings.The 20- and 25-storey residential buildings, part of Network Rail’s commitment to unlock publically-owned land to build new homes, will contain up to 520 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The development will also include a gym, 24-hour concierge, communal residents’ lounge, cycle storage and a roof garden. Muse Developments’ director David Burkinshaw said: “This is an exciting time for this area of Manchester as a number of key developments are now coming to fruition.“New Victoria presents a unique opportunity to deliver a landmark development next to the city centre’s prime leisure and retail attractions and one of the North West’s main transport hubs. New Victoria offers an unparalleled location and an outstanding development opportunity.”Muse is working with architect Sheppard Robson and Arup on detailed design proposals for the project.
UK-based Wates has begun construction work on the new £45M Redrock Stockport leisure and retail development.The development is part of Stockport Council’s £1bn ‘investing in Stockport’ programme and was marked with a ground-breaking ceremony.Redrock Stockport will feature 7,000sq m of leisure, retail and restaurant space that includes a 360-space NCP multi-storey car park and a ten-screen cinema.Eamonn Boylan, chief executive at Stockport Council, said: “I am thrilled that we have reached this landmark stage on Redrock Stockport, and that our vision of transforming this area of the town centre is becoming a reality. “The new cinema, restaurants and retail units will bring a new vibrancy to this area of our town centre making a great place to visit and spend time.”Wates and Stockport Council are ensuring that local SMEs are involved in the project and that on-site training and employment opportunities are created.Wates Construction North West business unit director, Tony Shenton said: “There is an anticipation growing for Redrock Stockport and for good reason; it is going to become a great asset for the town, the economic benefits of which will keep on building. “As with all of our projects, employing a local supply chain will be a key part of our delivery of Redrock Stockport, as will our ongoing engagement with and support of neighbouring businesses.”
Laing O’Rourke has been appointed the main contractor by Intu for the £178M Intu Watford shopping centre extension in UK. The project will add an extra 37,000sq m to the existing centre, extending the retail and leisure site to 130,000sq m.According to Intu, a 12,000sq m Debenhams store will be at the heart of the extension, along with a nine-screen Cineworld cinema. Catering names such as Las Iguanas, Byron and Cabana have also been confirmed for the mall. Rebecca Ryman, regional director of Intu, said: “Our £178m extension of Intu Watford will transform the centre into a contemporary shopping experience providing a fantastic place to shop, eat and play. “It will massively strengthen Intu Watford as a destination which retailers want to invest in and our visitors enjoy.”Liam Cummins, head of UK Construction at Laing O’Rourke said: “We are delighted to be continuing to develop our partnership with Intu, and look forward to delivering this transformational retail project for Watford."
Real estate developer British Land has revealed details of a £300M project to expand Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield, UK.The 30,000 sq m proposed Leisure Hall will include a wide range of dining and entertainment options, with new restaurants, a new café court, a gym, and other leisure spaces.The new hall and existing centre are set to create a new multi-levelled, landscaped mall with internal and external spaces for promotional and community uses. It has also been designed to accommodate large outdoor events including live music.British Land’s head of retail and leisure Charles Maudsley said: “We are continuing to drive Meadowhall’s evolution to ensure it remains an outstanding place for modern consumer lifestyles. “This significant step change in the scheme’s leisure provision will contribute to Sheffield’s continuation as a driving force behind the Northern Powerhouse. This is a very exciting time and we look forward to working with Sheffield City Council to help ensure Sheffield’s future success.”British Land, the co-owner of Meadowhall, is starting a public consultation on the expansion proposals. If the proposals are approved, construction work will commence in 2018. The hall is expected to open to visitors in late 2020 or early 2021, creating more than 1,000 jobs in the region.
UK-based Caddick Construction has been selected by Derwent Group to develop a £100m retail and leisure site on Edge Lane in Liverpool.To be known as Liverpool Shopping Park, the 727,000sq ft mixed-use commercial development will include 41 retail units, parking for 1,500 cars and leisure space.The project, designed by AEW Architects, also involves the construction of industrial units and two large retail units.Phase one of the development, known as Western Quarter, will feature 92,500sq ft of retail space.Derwent Group’s managing director David Lyons said: “This is a transformative project and the final piece of Liverpool’s retail puzzle. Liverpool Shopping Park will bring branded fashion retailers, restaurants and leisure operators together in an out-of-town location, complete with plenty of free parking and great access in and out of the city.“This is a sizeable and strategic £100m investment for the Derwent Group and it will deliver much needed regeneration and jobs in this part of the city. “It’s taken some time to get this project on the table but everything is now in place for work to begin in earnest in April. We are delighted to be working with Caddick Construction again.”
Braeburn Estates, a joint venture between Canary Wharf Group and Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company, has broken ground on the £1bn Southbank Place mixed-use development at London's Shell Centre tower site.The Shell Tower will anchor the development that will feature five residential buildings and two buildings for business use.Canary Wharf Group said that 80% of the apartments, equating to 800 units, in five buildings are already sold. The two business buildings will total up to 530,000sq ft. Southbank Place will also house 48,000sq ft of retail outlets, restaurants and cafés.The project is expected to create over 13,000 construction and supply chain jobs in total and when completed, Southbank Place is expected to employ over 6,000 workers.Canary Wharf Group CEO Sir George Iacobescu said: "This is an area that has long been neglected, but will offer the best of all worlds, from the bustling culture of the South Bank to some spectacular views of the most recognised landmarks in the Capital, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben."Southbank Place is also playing a major role in the development of the local community by creating new jobs, providing affordable housing and stimulating the growth of local businesses through our South London Procurement Network initiative."Construction work is slated to be complete by 2019.
Construction has started on phase one of the £107m Warrington Time Square regeneration project that will transform the centre of the UK town into a contemporary marketplace. The development will house a Cineworld Cinema, a new 42,000sq ft market hall, restaurants, retail units, new council offices, a 1,100-space multi-storey car park and a new public square. The new 25,000sq ft retail shell will temporarily house the town's market while the £10m market hall is built.During the construction phase, about 400 workers will be employed and when completed, Warrington's Time Square regeneration project will create 400 new permanent jobs in the leisure, retail and hospitality sectors.Steve Green, director for the North West region at Gleeds, which is providing cost management services to the project, said: "We are really excited to see work begin on the Time Square development and believe the project is pivotal in regenerating and revitalising Warrington town centre."Not only will Time Square create hundreds of jobs for the community and help boost the local economy, it also will help attract inward investment to the region."The project, undertaken by Muse Developments and Warrington & Co. on behalf of Warrington Borough Council, is expected to be completed in 2019.
UK-based property developer Nikal has received planning approval to build a £100m 603-unit residential project in Birmingham, UK. The development, known as Exchange Square, will be located between Birmingham's central business district and Eastside City Park, close to the proposed HS2 railway terminal in Birmingham City Centre.Designed by Stephenson Studio, the development will feature a range of one- and two-bedroom units alongside a small number of studios, and will be built across three blocks of 27, 16 and nine levels.It will also include 27,500sq ft of ground floor retail and leisure space; 186 car parking slots; a 5,000sq ft members' club-style hub and a landscaped rooftop garden covering over 20,000sq ft.Nikal’s managing director Nick Payne said: "Exchange Square is a development of both regional and national importance due to its location within a major area of investment and regeneration right next door to the proposed HS2 terminal."Now that planning consent has been secured we are in a position to bring forward the first phase of what we are sure will be an exemplar scheme for Birmingham's residential market."Construction work is expected to begin in mid-2016, with completion of the first block scheduled in 2018 and the final block before the end of 2019.
North Point Global has begun construction work on a £200m project to transform Liverpool’s Chinatown. Designed by BLOK Architecture, the project to revamp Europe’s oldest Chinese community will include the creation of 850 new homes, 150,000 sq ft of new commercial and retail space, and a new hotel.The commercial and retail space will house China-based businesses, and a significant number of units have already been bought by Chinese businesses seeking a foothold in the UK.North Point global chairman David Choules said: "From the outset we wanted this scheme to be an authentic Chinese development that brought new commercial energy and entrepreneurialism into the heart of an historic Chinatown."This is not only something unique in the UK, it will be something unique outside China itself."Phase 1 of the Chinatown’s transformation will be built by BILT Group and Scottish Power and is expected to be complete before the end of 2017, while the entire project is slated to be complete in 2019.
UK based housebuilding company Keepmoat has announced that the housing development Mandale Park in Stockton is nearing completion after 11 years.In 2004, the Mandale Estate compromised 578 homes, half of which were unoccupied, as well as three retail units and a community centre. Stockton Council, Barratt Homes, ISOS Housing and Keepmoat Homes entered into an agreement to transform the area building 891 new homes, 641 of which were to buy and 250 available for rent.The project, which entailed an investment of £120m, also includes the £1m Allison Trainer park, named in honour of the councillor who played a pivotal role in bringing the investment to the area.Keepmoat North East regional managing director Richard Bass said that prior to the redevelopment properties on the estate were sold for an average of £13,500 and that now new homes on the estate are reaching prices over £150,000. Keepmoat has built 445 new dwellings as part of the £90m regeneration scheme.Construction of the 333 Barratt Homes created 945 jobs, 95% of which were filled by local people from within a 10-mile radius of Thornaby.Barratt Homes North East managing director Mike Roberts said: "In 2004, the Mandale Estate was in a dire state of repair, with almost half of the 578 units of residential accommodation in the area unoccupied."Since then however, it has been amazing to see the regeneration of not only the estate, but of the area as a whole, not to mention the annual benefit to the local economy of £1m in council tax and over £6m in spend in local shops."Now out of the 333 properties we have built, there are only two left to purchase, and there is now a fantastic community of happy homebuyers on the site. We are really proud of what we have managed to achieve and the positive impact this has had on the area."
Westminister Council has approved a £1bn plan to redevelop the Whiteleys shopping centre in west London.A joint venture between a Meyer Bergman-advised fund and Warrior Group has submitted a planning application to Westminster City Council redevelop the former Whiteleys department store in Bayswater.Designed by Foster + Partners, the mixed-use project will include more than 500,000 sq ft of homes and shops built behind the existing 1911 facade.It will include the construction of more than 100 homes, a mixture of apartments and townhouses. These will be arranged around an inner courtyard with new retail units, a boutique hotel, gym and other enhanced leisure facilities, including a new cinema at basement level.
Construction work is set to start next month on a £800m new community development in Aberdeen after the UK government pledged £86m in funding for the project.The project, which received in principle planning approval from Aberdeen City Council in October 2014, will be built by Stewart Milne Group over 15 years. Work will involve the construction of new housing, schools, healthcare and parks at the Countesswells site. Mobilisation and compound facilities will commence this month, with infrastructure works expected to begin in April. The first homes are expected to be available later in 2016. The project is anticipated to create 1,000 construction jobs.Stewart Milne group managing director homes John Slater said: “Countesswells is an important project that will deliver a vibrant new community for Aberdeen that will include three new schools, medical facilities, leisure, retail, commercial & business accommodation and a wide range of homes, from first time buyer apartments and young family homes to townhouses and executive villas, all contributing to Aberdeen’s attractiveness as a place in which to live and work.”
Birmingham City Council has revealed details of the £500m Birmingham Smithfield redevelopment project.Spanning 14 hectares, the development will include over 300,000 sq m of commercial floor space, as well as 2,000 new homes in a mix of two-, three- and four-bed apartments.The project will also feature new squares, parks and gardens, retail markets, leisure facilities, cafes, independent shops, restaurants and hotels, buildings for cultural events, and pedestrian boulevards. It is expected to create 3,000 jobs in the region.Birmingham City Council chief executive Mark Rogers said: “Birmingham Smithfield will have a transformational impact that capitalises on the area’s unique heritage and focus for markets.“It will radically enhance the city’s retail, visitor and residential offer, as well as unlocking the growth potential of a much wider area.”
Developer Ballymore has received funding from British property investor M&G Real Estate for the construction of the £200m Three Snowhill development in Birmingham, UK.The office development, which will cover an area of 420,000 sq ft, is due to be the largest ever speculative city centre office project built outside London.The property will feature 385,000 sq ft of office space, 35,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, accommodating nearly 4,000 workers.BAM Construction was appointed as preferred contractor for the project in June 2015. The project is expected to be completed at the end of 2018.Ballymore CEO Sean Mulryan said: “Ballymore is delighted to announce a start on the third and final phase of our Snowhill scheme. “Working with the city, our funding partner, M&G Real Estate, and our main contractor, BAM, we will deliver a landmark building and the final element of what is one of the largest and most prestigious commercial developments in central Birmingham.”
Ground has been broken on the first phase of the £400m Kirkstall Forge mixed-use project in Leeds, UK.Located on 57 acres, the development will include 1,050 new homes, 300,000 sq ft of office space, as well as 100,000 sq ft of retail, leisure and community space. Wates will serve as the project’s principal contractor. Phase one of the project will involve the creation of a Grade A office building, covering an area of 110,000 sq ft. The seven-storey building is expected to be ready for occupation in the third quarter of 2017.With the ground breaking, Zenith, a leasing, fleet management and vehicle outsourcing business, has signed a pre-let agreement to occupy a new flagship headquarter office building at the development. Under the deal, the company will occupy over 45,000 sq ft net over the three upper stories that include a roof level meeting room suite.In addition, developer CEG has announced plans to relocate its northern office to the new development. The developer will occupy nearly 10,000 sq ft on the ground floor, with the remaining ground floor and three remaining floors of 18,500 sq ft each to be made available to the market.CEG director Jon Kenny said: “Kirkstall Forge is unique, it will deliver fresh, sustainable new ways of living and working amongst acres of green space in a wooded riverside setting. With schools, contemporary housing, restaurants, cafés and light-filled offices, it will provide the vibrancy of city life as well as the tranquillity of the outdoors.“Ultimately, this will not only be an ambitious and innovative development for Leeds, but will establish a new benchmark for office developments across the rest of the UK.”
Henry Boot Construction, a UK-based construction firm, has been selected as the main contractor by the Barnsley council for the Better Barnsley town centre redevelopment project.
Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has won a contract to build a main plant package for the 2x800MW Uppur Supercritical Thermal Power Project (TPP) in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, India.
South Korean steelmaker POSCO has signed an agreement with Iranian steelmaker Pars Kohan Diar Parsian Steel (PKP) to build a $1.6bn steel mill in southeastern Iran.
Developer Hammerson has announced that work on the £1bn Whitgift shopping center redevelopment project in Croydon, London is now pushed back to 2017.