About U and I
A new kind of property company
On 9 November 2015, property regeneration company U+I was launched following a merger between Development Securities PLC and Cathedral Group. The new identity was unveiled as the two companies moved to premises at 7A Howick Place in London’s Victoria.
The company name is based on the motto of a pub, The Seawitch, no longer standing, which was ‘Be United and Industrious’. U+I transforms undervalued and overlooked parts of towns and cities into neighbourhoods and communities. It has a portfolio of mixed-use regeneration projects in London, the south-east, Manchester and Dublin. It is committed to the highest standards of architecture, innovation and ideas to enable long-term, sustainable change, creating places where people and enterprise can thrive.
The focus of the company is on driving shareholder value from a creative approach to placemaking and community building. It specialises in mixed-use regeneration development and public private partnership projects (PPP) with local authorities and other public bodies. PPP schemes in the London boroughs of Bromley, Lewisham, Lambeth and Greenwich and in towns like Lichfield and Sittingbourne provide opportunities for local authorities to deliver economic growth and new public service infrastructure.
Featured articles and news
Delayed, derailed and devalued
How the UK’s planning crisis is undermining British manufacturing.
How much does it cost to build a house?
A brief run down of key considerations from a London based practice.
The need for a National construction careers campaign
Highlighted by CIOB to cut unemployment, reduce skills gap and deliver on housing and infrastructure ambitions.
AI-Driven automation; reducing time, enhancing compliance
Sustainability; not just compliance but rethinking design, material selection, and the supply chains to support them.
Climate Resilience and Adaptation In the Built Environment
New CIOB Technical Information Sheet by Colin Booth, Professor of Smart and Sustainable Infrastructure.
Turning Enquiries into Profitable Construction Projects
Founder of Develop Coaching and author of Building Your Future; Greg Wilkes shares his insights.
IHBC Signpost: Poetry from concrete
Scotland’s fascinating historic concrete and brutalist architecture with the Engine Shed.
Demonstrating that apprenticeships work for business, people and Scotland’s economy.
Scottish parents prioritise construction and apprenticeships
CIOB data released for Scottish Apprenticeship Week shows construction as top potential career path.
From a Green to a White Paper and the proposal of a General Safety Requirement for construction products.
Creativity, conservation and craft at Barley Studio. Book review.
The challenge as PFI agreements come to an end
How construction deals with inherited assets built under long-term contracts.
Skills plan for engineering and building services
Comprehensive industry report highlights persistent skills challenges across the sector.
Choosing the right design team for a D&B Contract
An architect explains the nature and needs of working within this common procurement route.
Statement from the Interim Chief Construction Advisor
Thouria Istephan; Architect and inquiry panel member outlines ongoing work, priorities and next steps.
The 2025 draft NPPF in brief with indicative responses
Local verses National and suitable verses sustainable: Consultation open for just over one week.