Urban Splash Newsplash - December 2025
Welcome to our December 2025 edition of the Urban Splash Newsplash – at look back at our highlights from the year.
2025 was a busy year for US, with new deals, new sites, exciting businesses joining our workspaces – and some impressive awards along the way!
Now, as a little gift from US to you, we’ve unwrapped the best bits of our year, with our 12 Stories of US. So grab a treat, pop on some tinsel, and join us for a look back on the past 12 months.
Thank you for being part of the story.
We won some impressive awards
Our work received recognition from industry leaders – and even royalty! Highlights include winning The Business Desk Property Business of the Year, receiving a Test of Time Award for Mills Bakery in Plymouth, and seeing our Chairman, Tom Bloxham MBE, head to Windsor Castle to collect a CBE from the King.
The Co-Operative Bank backed US
We completed a £16.2 million, five-year refinancing deal with The Co-operative Bank for 174,000 sq ft of commercial space at the Royal William Yard in Plymouth – a location the bank says “stands out in today’s market.” We also launched new retail and leisure spaces in the Yard’s Brewhouse Arcade space too.
Taking on a Liverpool icon
A major highlight this year was the news that we’d been appointed by Liverpool City Council to take forward the regeneration of Liverpool’s iconic Festival Gardens site along with our development partner igloo. Our plans are centred on phased, residential-led plans and multigenerational living with a range of housing types and tenures.
And moving forward with other plans too
We’re also laying the groundwork for more Urban Splash homes and neighbourhoods in 2026. This year we submitted a revised planning application for new homes in Milton Keynes, while progressing proposals and community engagement at Cole Brothers in Sheffield and at Orrest Head Farm in Windermere, Cumbria. Exciting plans are taking shape.
Culture remains close to our ‘Arts
We continued our 30 year + commitment to the arts, supporting and showcasing artists in and around Urban Splash places with some brilliant initiatives including a new mural at Cole Brothers by Kid Acne, the three-day Crossed Wires festival hosted at the same building, Bradford City of Culture Strike light show at Lister Mills, and the Royal William Yard art trail.
Creating new homes at Port Loop in Birmingham
We created 58 new homes at Port Loop, Birmingham, with the brand-new, canalside Mansion House building. Available to buy, for affordable purchase, and to rent, the homes opened the neighbourhood to even more people.
Placemaking at Port Loop too!
Having completed that newest apartment building, we focused on nurturing Port Loop with two key deals at the Tubeworks building: CIVIC SQUARE will create spaces, tools, and resources for community-led projects here, while Hood Futures Studio will use the space for the ABUELOS project – transforming 0.37 acres into a hub for creativity, hospitality, and community.
Welcoming new businesses
2025 saw some exciting new arrivals to our Urban Splash workspaces. In Liverpool, gaming companies like The Game Assembly joined the Ropewalks growing tech ecosystem, while over 20,000 sq ft of space went to fitness brands across the North West. Royal William Yard also welcomed new tenants in the Brewhouse Arcade, and we’re finalising more deals to tell you about in January too!
…and new faces too
Our people make US, and 2025 saw eight new faces join across the country, including Richard Lace as Head of Commercial Lettings. We’re still growing and are looking for a Finance Assistant in Manchester – see our current vacancies here, and feel free to share the link with anyone looking for a new challenge in 2026.
Giving back
In 2025, we continued our three-decade tradition of supporting charities and great causes, including the LandAid annual sleepout tackling youth homelessness. We supported Sheffield’s next generation of property professionals through a collaboration with Regeneration Brainery, we supported Mission Christmas and we twinned our Tea Factory toilets with restrooms in South Sudan and Mozambique through the Toilet Twinning charity.
Leading the conversation on the world stage
We led the discourse with our CEO Julian Curnuck invited to speak at the 2025 World Economic Forum Urban Transformation Summit in San Francisco, while, our Director of the Future, Suzy Jones, spoke at Windsor Castle and at RIBA events. Colleagues also contributed to the Design Council Homes Taskforce, furthering our influence on the future of sustainable and resilient built environments.
And a good knees-up to top it all off
No year would be complete without a proper knees-up and that’s just what we did as hundreds of guests joined us at Cole Brothers, Sheffield, for our ChristmUS party, with Jarvis Cocker, Richard Hawley and DJ Pipes on the decks. Music, dancing, and great company made it a night to remember in true Urban Splash style.
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