News in Brief – July/August 2020

Severfield has reported a healthy level of tendering in key market sectors in its annual results for the year to 31 March 2020. Chief Executive Officer Alan Dunsmore reported turnover up 19% to £327.4M (£274.9M) and underlying pre-tax profits ahead 16% to £28.6M (£24.7M), beating the strategic profit target for the year of £26M.

Plans to build London’s largest film studios on former industrial land in Dagenham have been approved by Barking and Dagenham Council’s planning committee. The project will feature a total of six sound stages as well as flexible accommodation for uses such as production offices, hair and makeup or dressing rooms.

Contractor John Sisk & Son and developer Osborne+Co have announced the signing of a contract for the construction of a new state-of-the-art campus for Santander in Milton Keynes. The new office, which represents an investment of £150M in the town, will be home to over 6,000 employees and will bring together staff from the bank’s existing locations into one site.

The proposed £42M transformation of Paisley Museum into a world-class cultural destination has received a major boost with an additional £200,000 funding from The Wolfson Foundation. When Paisley Museum reopens, it is expected to attract 125,000 visitors each year from Scotland, the UK and overseas and provide a £72M economic boost to the area over the next 30 years.

The next phase of Blackpool’s town centre regeneration is set to get underway at Talbot Gateway. The development will see the demolition of an existing Wilko store, the completion of the new tramway interchange at Blackpool North Station, a new underpass, a four-star Holiday Inn hotel and restaurant, and new retail outlets.