The Week That Was - 21 March 2025

Welcome to the week that was, a round-up of key events in the construction sector over the last seven days.

Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduced to Parliament

On 11 March 2025, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, proposing measures to speed up planning decisions and to ensure housing and key infrastructure can be built faster, was introduced to Parliament.  Some of the key measures proposed in the Bill include:

• Streamlining planning decisions by setting out which applications can be determined by officers or by committee, controlling the size of planning committees, and mandatory training for planning committee members.

• Establishing the Nature Restoration Fund to allow builders to meet their environmental obligations more quickly by contributing to larger environmental interventions.

• Reform of the compulsory purchase process for acquiring land for public interest projects, to ensure that compensation is not 'excessive' and to enable councils or mayors to make decisions where there are no objections, instead of those decisions having to be made by the Secretary of State.

• Energy bill discounts of up to £250 per year for 10 years for people living within 500m of new pylons across Great Britain.

• Streamlining the consultation process for National Significant Infrastructure Projects.

For more information, please click here.

Ardmore Construction to carry out £150m refurbishment and extension of Grade-II listed building in Finsbury Circus

The historic 25 Finsbury Circus building has been bought by Malaysian developer IJM Corporation, which has appointed Ardmore to refurbish and extend the building. The works will include the addition of two storeys that will increase the floorspace by 26%, with 251,000 square feet of lettable area.  The scheme, designed by architect Carmody Groake, was approved in 2020 and work is expected to start immediately and to be completed within 3 years.  The project is intended to achieve various ESF certifications and be carbon net-zero when in operation.

For more information, please click here and here.

Mace wins £140m airport pier extension job

Mace has won a £140m job to deliver an extension to Pier 6 at London Gatwick.  The extension will add eight further aircraft gates to the existing passenger building and Gatwick say the extension will save 12,000 bus journeys a year from 2027.

Gatwick have said that the project is aimed at minimising environmental footprint.  The pier will contain a hybrid steel and timber frame, and solar panels will be installed on the building.  It is also set to be heated and cooled by a variable refrigerant flow system which is said to be more sustainable than a heat pump.

Nigel Cole, managing director for infrastructure at Mace Construction, said: "… this latest appointment sits alongside our existing projects within the baggage halls to provide new employment opportunities throughout the supply chain."

For more information, please click here.

Progress of 'world class' training centre at Ashford fire station

New pictures have been released showing groundworks progress to a multi-million pound firefighters' training centre in Ashford, developed in response to the Grenfell Tower disaster.

The fire station in Ashford is to be transformed into one of the "most modern and innovative" training sites in the country.  The design will allow crews to practice 'compartment firefighting', which is firefighting in buildings broken up into separate compartments.

Morgan Sindall is the main contractor delivering the four-storey training facility, which is being constructed using a reinforced concrete frame with a block work and brick façade.  The facility will have three carbonaceous burn rooms.

Work commenced in August 2024 and is due to be completed by December 2025.

For more information, please click here.

£200m Wimbledon Expansion faces Judicial Review

Opposition to Wimbledon’s £200m expansion project began in Autumn 2023, when Wandsworth Council rejected the application due to concerns over losing public land, while Merton Council approved it.  In September 2024, the Greater London Authority (GLA) approved the project, which is the largest in Wimbledon’s history, including 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat show court.

Local residents' group, Save Wimbledon Park (SWP) is contesting GLA's approval of the plans, stating that the grounds are held in a statutory public recreation trust and therefore any large-scale development would be unlawful. SWP also pleads that the project would cause deliberate damage to this historic heritage asset. The High Court has accepted SWP's arguments for judicial review and will examine GLA's decision to approve the project on 8 July 2025.

For more information, please click here.

Manchester United reveals plans for £2bn Old Trafford replacement

Manchester United has revealed plans to build the UK's largest stadium, with a 100,000-seat capacity, replacing its current Old Trafford grounds.  Foster + Partners will lead the £2bn project, featuring a tent-like roof supported by three masts, symbolising the trident featured in the club's emblem.

The stadium will be part of a mixed-use development with public spaces, commercial and residential areas and improved transport links. Construction, using prefabricated elements, is expected to be completed in five years, transforming the surrounding area.  The project is said to create a vibrant urban district that enhances the fan experience and contributes to the local economy.

For more information, please click here.

With thanks to: Annabel Gallocher, Kasia Ginders and Tarek Elmanharawy.

Disclaimer: The information in this publication is for guidance purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.  We attempt to ensure that the content is current as at the date of publication, but we do not guarantee that it remains up to date.  You should seek legal or other professional advice before acting or relying on any of the content.