Construction starts on £100m Wakefield waterfront

Tyne and Wear bid for £600m train improvements

Swindon regeneration to be finalised this summer

Tesco to move into house building

Construction starts on £100m Wakefield waterfront

Work has begun on a £100m scheme to regenerate Wakefield’s waterfront. The four hectare site will be transformed by developer CTP St James into a mixed-use development of offices, restaurants and shops. It will also include a £26m art gallery. The plans also include the construction of 700-800 residential units.

The initial work will be focused on renovating the grade two listed Navigation warehouse along the waterfront. Three upper levels will become office space, with a riverside pub or restaurant on the ground floor.

Tyne and Wear bid for £600m train improvements

Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority has reported that unless there is a significant increase in funding it will be unable to pay for new carriages, major signalling works, revamping existing stations or building new stations, which have been proposed for South Shields, North Shields and Heworth.

An economic analysis by Metro operator Nexus, which investigated the proposed renewal and maintenance works, found that benefits would outweigh costs by more than eight to one. The scheme’s three phases would take 20 years to complete and cost just over £600m at today’s prices.

Swindon regeneration to be finalised this summer

The New Swindon Company, responsible for its planned urban regeneration, intends to develop The Exchange, which is located between Swindon’s train station and the central business district.

The plans include developing new offices, shops, cafes and public spaces. Amec Developments has been appointed to develop the 7.1 hectares mixed-use regeneration scheme.

Swindon Borough Council will review Amec’s final design this summer.

Tesco to move into house building

Tesco Plc, Britain's largest supermarket chain, plans to build as many as 2,000 homes over the next three years as the grocer re-develops urban sites.

The retailer is planning to build a store and 960 homes in Woolwich, southeast London, as part of a £400m project. Tesco is also preparing to build 600 homes in Tolworth, Kingston-upon-Thames. Both projects are subject to approval by local authorities.

Tesco is turning homebuilder to help pay for the redevelopment of sites in urban areas, and to comply with government rules that encourage developers to mix both residential and commercial areas and include low-cost housing.

The supermarket chain said earlier this month it would spend £50m to construct affordable housing for its workers in Streatham, south London. The retailer also plans to re-develop its store in London's Old Kent Road to build flats above.