Seven of the most exciting construction projects in 2022

We’re nearly half of the way through 2022. Time flies, right?
 
Last December, we compiled a list of the projects that made CMT Group excited for 2022. But how did we decide? We looked for: incredible innovation, regneration of areas most in-need, commitment to sustainability and truly unique projects.
 
Look at our list below and tell us what you think in the comments. Any projects we missed? We’d love to hear from you. Now, here’s our countdown:

HS2 leads in innovative construction, creating solutions for lofty ambitions. Here's how:
 
“Construction of the UK’s longest railway bridge began in early 2021, with an expert team of ground engineers sinking the first of almost 300 piles that will form the foundations for the Colne Valley Viaduct.”

Production of 1,000 concrete segments that will form the deck of the Colne Valley Viaduct has started. The huge deck segments – which weigh up to 140 tonnes – are being made on site at a temporary factory built specifically for the project.
 
Over the last six years, HS2 has worked closely with Affinity Water and the Environment Agency to monitor water quality and agree working methods. These will be monitored by a team of specialist engineers during construction to protect the natural environment.
 
A programme of test piling has already been completed with engineers sinking 12 piles at two locations with geological and structural data from these tests fed back into the design of the viaduct.
 
This has resulted in a 10-15% reduction in the depth of the piles and associated time and cost.

The coming years will see the completion of Princes Dock, with a new cruise liner terminal and hotel, new residential developments, and new commercial space.
 
This will bring the number of new homes in thie neighbourhood to over 600, and a total of 17,000 sq.m of high-quality office space, as well as hotels, restaurants, and a range of amenities.
 
Further north, Everton Football Club have obtained planning approval to build a £500m, 52,888 seat, state of the art stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.

The construction of The Lexington, which opened its doors to residents in September 2021, delivered more than £76m worth of social value, including the delivery of dozens of community events.
 
The figure is based on BCEGI’s community and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, the added value of using local supply chains, the apprenticeships created and through engagement with local schools and colleges.
 
The 18-strong project team spent 213 hours carrying out community and educational events which attracted more than 7,000 attendees. They also took part in a charity football tournament, provided mock interviews for Chesterfield High School, and provided site visits for Liverpool John Moores University and University of Liverpool students. 

An 11-storey office block covered entirely in a living facade in Salford, Greater Manchester.
 
Muse Developments, Morgan Sindall’s development arm, said in a statement that the building at New Bailey will “set the benchmark for sustainable development”. It will run solely on renewable electricity.

The scheme, designed by Make Architects, will make extensive use of sustainable materials including recycled steel for reinforcement, 50 per cent cement replacement for the substructure and 30 per cent cement replacement for the superstructure, Muse added.
 
Its living exterior has been designed to remove air pollutants and deliver a net gain in biodiversity in the area.

A £10m research hub is being created to boost Glasgow's climate resilience through initiatives such as flood storage and regeneration of derelict land.
 
University of Glasgow researchers will work in partnership with Glasgow City Council to create projects across the city and embed sustainability into the wider socio-political system.

Among the aims of the finalised project are:
 

• Transforming urban river edge land use to identify areas to create urban corridor parks that will act as flood storage areas to help manage flood risks. The project will also build more urban nature areas such as salt marshes.
• Reviewing and deliver improved biodiversity by restoring and connecting habitats that are currently isolated across the city.
• Regenerating derelict and polluted land into spaces that mineralise greenhouse gases and trap organic pollutants into building materials for the future.
• Improving air quality and reduce CO2 through encouraging changes in travel behaviour by increasing uptake of active travel.
• Developing sustainable low-carbon energy solutions at the community scale.

The aim? Build a world class studio complex to draw globally recognised media & film brands to Broxbourne.
 
The proposal is to build a modern studio campus: 21 sound stages with ancillary workshops, offices, and amenities on junction 25 of the M25 by the A10 interchange.
 
In 2018 the creative industries grew over 5 times faster than the UK economy as a whole and contributed over £100 billion to GDP. Now the industry is bouncing back from COVID, these studios will create a new golden age for film and television in the UK.

It's estimated that in a 'few years' the site could be up and running, according to the head of Blackstone Real Estate Europe.
 
"We’ll continue working hard on our plans and we’ll go through the planning process with the council, once that’s complete, we can start development. So, in practice it’ll be a few years, before the cameras start rolling."

Boho represents the opportunity to provide one of the best locations in the UK to design, enable, create, and grow new digital opportunities and put Middlesbrough at the heart of the most important industries in the world.
 
Focusing on the key pillars of communication, innovation, and sustainability, Boho will act as a catalyst for social, economic, and environmental change within the region

The proposed location for the new facility is in the BoHo Zone which is located within the Middlehaven regeneration area of Middlesbrough, and adjacent to the Rail and Historic Quarter.
 
The proposed programme will cost in the region of £30m and is to be completed by 2022, with the development ensuring that Middlesbrough and the wider Tees Valley experience a rate of sectoral growth (Digital) higher than the English average up to 2025 (greater than 14% per annum). 
 
The proposed development will create a step change in performance and perception of both the digital sector and the BoHo site in Middlesbrough.

Birmingham Health Innovation Campus (BHIC), is set to become a world-leading life sciences campus.
 
Due to open in 2023, it will offer high quality laboratory, office, incubation, and innovation facilities for forward-thinking businesses.

The campus is being delivered through a long-term collaboration between the University of Birmingham, as landowner, and experienced investor-developers Bruntwood SciTech. It will become the only science park in the region dedicated to health and life sciences, sitting at the heart of health excellence, creating opportunities for transformative collaborations between businesses, the University and NHS partners.
 
The campus will provide cutting-edge innovation facilities, building on our nationally recognised strengths in healthcare data, genomics medicine and diagnostics, medical technologies, and clinical trials.
 
A 10-year plan will be developed for the Campus, which will provide up to 700,000 sq ft of state-of-the-art lab, office and incubation space acting as a catalyst for the growth of the Midlands’ life sciences sector.
 
It’s set to create over 10,000 new jobs and contribute £400m GVA to the regional economy by 2030.

The biggest construction projects being delivered in 2022 and beyond represent optimism for local communities, and the whole of the UK, after enduring one of the challenges throughout a global pandemic.
 
We’re excited for the increased opportunities for local people that come from each completed project.
 
So that’s our collection, now we want to hear from you.
 
What construction project will have the biggest impact in 2022 and beyond, and why?