Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for November 2008
28/11/2008
The British Property Federation (BPF) has dismissed moves by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to change housing benefit policy 'via the backdoor' as making a mockery of the consultation process. A consultation paper issued by the DWP plans to overhaul benefit payments changing the way the
28/11/2008
British Gas has announced new rates for pre-payment customers which will reduce prices by an average of £22 a year. The new rates will come into effect on 18 December for dual fuel pre-payment customers. Phil Bentley, Managing Director of British Gas, said: "We are always trying to bring down our
28/11/2008
Work has begun on a £7 million new residential and community care centre in Staveley, Derbyshire, with a ceremonial turf-cutting ceremony by council leaders. Derbyshire County Council leader, Cllr John Williams, was joined by fellow councillor Dave Allen and Neil Marshall from Miller Construction t
28/11/2008
Morgan Sindall's urban regeneration business Muse Developments has signed an agreement with a public sector consortium comprising English Partnerships, South West of England Regional Development Agency and Swindon Borough Council to deliver a £350 million mixed-use development which will regenerate
28/11/2008
Richard Diment, Director-General of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), has met with the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street to consider how the Government can support businesses that are struggling in the difficult economic climate particularly in the construction sector. Also present at the
28/11/2008
As Thames Water plans the largest investment ever by a UK water company, customers can now find out how they are likely to benefit. By using a new, interactive map, available on Thames Water's website, customers can find out about the essential water and sewage services the company intends to prov
28/11/2008
E.ON has announced it hopes to reduce prices for its customers as soon as it is able next year, as long as wholesale electricity and gas prices continue to fall. The announcement came as the company announced further measures to help its most vulnerable customers. Earlier this year, E.ON became on
28/11/2008
Construction work on the Playhouse Derry is now nearing the final months. The 15-month project, which commenced on site in Oct 2007 will completely refurbish the existing Listed School Buildings and create a new-build extension to the rear. The design, conceived by Andrzej Blonski Architects, and
28/11/2008
Last orders have been called on a derelict pub in Leicester after a decision to demolish it. Leicester City Council is due to begin demolishing the former Golden Age pub, in Ramsay Way, Netherhall, next week. The disused pub has become a target for antisocial behaviour and vandalism, despite the
28/11/2008
A Neath Port Talbot building apprentice has officially been named the best in the UK. Mitchell Barguss scooped the prestigious Association for Public Excellence (APSE) Male Building Skills Apprentice of the year award at a ceremony last week. The 18-year-old, from Cimla, beat off fierce competitio
27/11/2008
Ministers should consider introducing a temporary ban on new tenants buying their rented homes after new figures revealed twice as many affordable homes were sold off than were built in England over the last eight years, a leading campaign group said today. The National Housing Federation (NHF) fou
27/11/2008
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has given the go-ahead for a new development in Tower Hamlets on the site of St Andrew's Hospital, which includes significant new provision of housing and affordable housing. The new development includes 964 new homes, plus food and drink retail outlets, with provis
27/11/2008
Shelter has welcomed the housing measures in the pre-budget report, but said the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling has not gone far enough. Shelter Chief Executive Adam Sampson said: "Some of these measures are welcome, but the Chancellor's failure to increase the amount of money for soc
27/11/2008
Mr Neil Fitzsimmons, Chief Executive of Redrow Homes one of the UK's largest house builders, has joined the board of the Home Builders Federation (HBF). Mr Fitzsimmons joined Redrow in 1997 and was appointed to the board as group finance director a year later, becoming group managing director in Se
27/11/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Jewson, the UK's leading supplier of timber and building materials, have joined forces to help warn tradesmen of the dangers of asbestos. Jewson's Wednesbury branch is one of the national network backing HSE's 'Asbestos:The Hidden Killer' campaign to reduce
27/11/2008
The Leader of Harrogate Borough Council who took his own council to the High Court to seek that a planning application be overturned has won the case and costs have been awarded against the planning applicants Margaret and Michael Atkinson. Mrs Atkinson is a borough councillor. Councillor Mike G
27/11/2008
The second phase of a £5.6 million refurbishment of Peterborough City Council's secure children's home for young women, Clare Lodge, has been completed. The home, in Welmore Road, Glinton, Peterborough, provides accommodation and support for 16 young women aged between 10 and 17, who are in need of
27/11/2008
Solihull Council has told Government that it wants to be one of the first local authorities in the country to set up a mortgage rescue scheme, which would help homeowners threatened with repossession stay in their homes. The Government is planning to introduce the mortgage rescue scheme from the st
27/11/2008
On Saturday 29 November 2008, Transport for London (Tfl) will open the brand new White City bus station. The bus station, constructed by Westfield, has been built around the historic Grade II listed red brick Dimco buildings, which date from 1898. During the construction of the station, the buildi
27/11/2008
CaesarStone is the original quartz surface manufacturing company that introduced pioneering innovation in the field of quartz surfaces. Our quartz surface product is commonly referred to as CaesarStone by retailers and buyers, make sure you ask for the authentic product that is manufactured by Caesa
26/11/2008
Skanska, one of the world's leading construction groups, has announced it will cut 3,400 jobs due to a weakening in the construction and residential development markets. The group said it will cut 2,000 jobs in Sweden, 800 in Norway and 600 in Finland. The measures will affect administrative staff
26/11/2008
For the first time in the Housing Corporation's history, a social housing funding agreement has been signed between an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) and the Corporation. Stockport Homes has received £1.02 million from the Corporation to fund 17 new homes. The news follows last year's
26/11/2008
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has given the Chancellor 3 out of 10 for the Pre-Budget Report, and has said that a 2.5% cut in VAT is unlikely to have a profound impact on the housing market. Last week the FMB set out its 10 point plan to help kick start the building industry. FMB measure
26/11/2008
Trainee apprentices from around the West Midlands received a stark warning from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that, once exposed to asbestos fibres in their lungs, they could die a premature death from mesothelioma unless they take necessary precautions in the workplace. Mike Ford, HM Inspe
26/11/2008
Faithful+Gould has won its tenth project on the national Learning Skills Council (LSC) cost management framework, having been appointed as cost managers on the redevelopment of Southgate College in London. The contract brings Faithful+Gould's involvement on the framework to a total project value o
26/11/2008
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has outlined his vision to create a thriving green economy, become more energy efficient to help cash-strapped households cut energy bills and make London a more pleasant place to live. In the Mayor's first major speech on the environment since being elected, he
26/11/2008
A multi-million pound rail scheme to create an enhanced freight route through London is set to improve performance and capacity on a key link and ease pressure on Britain's roads, Secretary of State for Transport Geoff Hoon announced today. Work will commence in 2012 and will enable freight service
26/11/2008
SmartLIFE – Lessons Learned, a new BRE report published on the 4th of November brings forth the industry's first hard data gathered from ground-breaking research into both modern and traditional methods of construction. Fusion Building Systems were selected to provide the light gauge steel frame
26/11/2008
Nuclear Management Partners (NMP), which was awarded a five year contract as the parent body for the Sellafield site, has announced that it will provide £500,000 a year to support community activity in West Cumbria. The money which will be available to local organisations from April 2009 will be ad
26/11/2008
The Construction Confederation (CC) has appointed Manus Adamson, Chairman of the Adamson Group, as its Executive Chairman. He will take over the Chair of the CC from James Wates, together with some of the functions carried out by Stephen Ratcliffe who is stepping down as CC Chief Executive at the e
25/11/2008
Mortgage lending has fallen again over the 12 months to October, according to latest figures released from the British Bankers Association (BBA). The number of mortgages approved for house purchases was down to 21,584 - 52% lower than a year earlier. Meanwhile net lending for mortgages rose by £2.
25/11/2008
The National Housing Federation (NHF) has welcomed the Chancellor's announcement in the Pre-Budget Report that more money for new social homes will be brought forward, but has warned that the funding rules must be changed immediately. The NHF, which represents England's housing associations, says t
25/11/2008
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, services and investment Group, has announced that it has signed an alliance agreement with Transpower, which owns and operates New Zealand's high-voltage electricity transmission grid, for the construction of the proposed transmission line
25/11/2008
New plans announced by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) for West Ham Station will leave a legacy of road improvements, better landscaping and widened footpaths. West Ham Station is one of the main stations that spectators will use during the Games. Plans are being published this week to seek vi
25/11/2008
A major new report published is urging a cull of bureaucracy in the planning application process to make it work better for everyone and help economic recovery. Joanna Killian and David Pretty have developed an ambitious, but deliverable, package of practical recommendations which will create a mor
25/11/2008
Laing O'Rourke has won a £425m contract to help deliver a five year project for signalling, track and railway infrastructure in New South Wales, Australia. Laing O'Rourke is a leading part of the Novo consortium which has been appointed by the New South Wales Government through RailCorp to create n
25/11/2008
Help for people struggling with high home energy bills was announced by the Chancellor in the Pre-Budget Report, with additional Warm Front funding of £100 million, and £50 million of existing allocation to be spent a year sooner than planned. This comes alongside other environmental measures whic
25/11/2008
Footballers who support asbestos campaign from around Birmingham, Walsall and the Black Country are following the example set by former tradesman and England footballing legend, Ian Wright, who has given his support to help highlight the importance of the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) 'Asbesto
25/11/2008
Energy company E.ON has given a £17,618 grant under it's SOURCE community initiative towards the cost of installing a solar panel system at Wyburns Primary School in Rayleigh. The cash will go towards the installation of 20 high-efficiency 'hybrid' photovoltaic panels, which will generate 'clean' e
25/11/2008
The team that built the A595 High and Low Newton bypass in Cumbria is celebrating after winning a top environmental award. They have been awarded an excellent rating in the Institution of Civil Engineering's Environmental Quality Assessment (Ceequal). The tip top partnership is made up of the High
24/11/2008
Sixty councils will benefit from increased funding to boost their housing and employment advice options for local residents, announced Communities Minister Iain Wright. The twenty projects cover sixty council areas and each scheme will receive up to £260,000 to develop their housing advice services
24/11/2008
Construction union UCATT has welcomed the verdict in the High Court which rejected an attempt by the insurance industry to deny compensation to victims of mesothelioma. In June this year the insurance industry launched a legal challenge in the High Court, where they argued that insurers should no l
24/11/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning of the importance of carrying out risk assessments and implementing safe systems for working at height following the prosecution of a company and one of its employees after an incident in which an elderly man died. Pervez Mohammed Iqbal, was ordered,
24/11/2008
Representatives of the London, South-East and East of England regional planning bodies have released a joint statement that expresses their unified position on aviation and opposes further expansion of Heathrow airport. At the Advisory Forum on Regional Planning, the Mayor of London and leading mem
24/11/2008
The National Housing Federation (NHF) has warned that the delivery of new social housing could grind to a halt next year - unless the Government announces a change to the way it funds new developments through today's Pre-Budget Report. The Federation, which represents England's housing associations
24/11/2008
Houseman and Falshaw have won the contract to enhance the waterside viewing terrace on Knaresborough's famous riverside walk in Harrogate. Work will start today and the plans include an upgrade of the existing viewing terrace and the provision of new seating. The Terrace will be closed during the c
24/11/2008
The largest single investment ever in Barnsley education continues to make excellent progress as the council has announced the preferred bidder for its £1.1 billion Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. The announcement is a major step towards the launch of a new partnership between the
24/11/2008
Faithful + Gould's North West division has increased its building surveying team from four to 11, having relocated to Manchester from the Altrincham office in only 12 months ago. Despite the current financial climate, the building surveying team has capitalised on a number of regional and national
24/11/2008
Newell Roofing Products Ltd were pleased to accept a New Product of the Show Award (Materials) Certificate of Merit at the Building Exhibition 08. The certificate was awarded for ExtruPol and ExtruBit FPO Single Ply Membrane for Roofing and Waterproofing. ExtruPol sets the new standard for syntheti
24/11/2008
The total value of new construction projects in the UK has fallen by 21% over the last year with residential projects down by more than 30%. According to the November edition of the Glenigan Index, which monitors and tracks the value of all new construction projects across the UK to provide a defi
24/11/2008
Green CO2 plc is a national business specialising in providing certificates and guidance with regard to Energy Performance Services necessary under the government Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). We work closely with Local Government and a selection of professional services compan
21/11/2008
The number of homes repossessed by mortgage lenders has risen by 12% to 11,300 in the last three months, new figures have shown. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) also said 1.44% of mortgages were at least three months in arrears as at the end of September 2008. The number of cases in arrears
21/11/2008
A prestigious Queen's Award for sustainable development is to be presented in Birmingham next week. The city was chosen to host the event by the Utilicom Group who won the Sustainability Award for Continuous Achievement due to its successful Combined Heat and Power (CHP) projects, it's newest (the
21/11/2008
Balfour Beatty has appointed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to carry out the first phase of works of the £30m plan to transform Exhibition Road into a "shared" space for cars and pedestrians. The project, which is being managed by Schal will begin in the New Year by unravelling the
21/11/2008
With the highest number of entrants since the Awards began, this year's London Planning Awards shortlist trumpets little and local schemes as well as the big and bold. From cornerstone local schemes in deprived areas, such as the Barking Learning Centre, to more high profile entrants like St Pancra
21/11/2008
Four of the UK's most respected names in architecture, planning and property development are to advise the Mayor of London Boris Johnson on delivering design excellence across the capital. Architects Richard Rogers and current RIBA President Sunand Prasad, Chair of the English Heritage Advisory Com
21/11/2008
Freefoam Plastics, the market leader in environmentally friendly and UV protected roofline and rainwater products, has always worked hard to ensure that it provides its customers with the highest levels of service. In doing so, Freefoam has developed a unique service culture that provides customers
21/11/2008
Rok is working with regeneration specialist St Modwen Properties to revamp Farnborough town centre. Following demolition of outdated buildings and the completion of essential infrastructure work, St Modwen has appointed Rok for the first phase of the redevelopment. To be known as The Meads, the cen
21/11/2008
Lovell has been chosen by Cross Keys Homes to carry out a £1.1m programme of external repair and improvement work at flats in Peterborough. Lovell is set to start work in December on the upgrading scheme for two- and three-storey blocks at St Mary's Court. The work will include the application of
21/11/2008
Enair-G-flow has been developed in co-operation with Flamco and Sunvic Controls utilising both their products and technical resources combined with standard Air Source Heat Pump technology. The system has been designed initially for the domestic market providing both the hot water and central heat
21/11/2008
Construction companies were today warned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to keep health and safety under constant review throughout the life of a project. The warning comes on the day after Sellafield Ltd and P C Richardson & Co. (Middlesbrough) Ltd (demolition contractors) were fined afte
21/11/2008
Miller Construction has been awarded a £7m project to build a new residential and community care centre in Staveley, Derbyshire. The 65 week project will see Miller Construction create a two-storey residential home, complete with a single-storey day centre, in the Middlecroft area of the town. Wit
20/11/2008
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has today announced a £5 billion investment plan to support the capital's housing market over the next three years. The Housing Strategy aims to boost the construction sector in London during the economic downturn, support the industry to deliver new affordable homes,
20/11/2008
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) has set up a design review panel to specially provide expert advice on the design quality of seven new Crossrail stations. When it opens in 2017, Crossrail will provide high-frequency rail access into and across London, running from M
20/11/2008
The first school of its kind in the country will be unveiled in Lambeth tomorrow as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Park Campus is a specialist site supporting Lambeth's mainstream schools by providing education for up to 80 11 to 18-year-olds who have a wide range of s
20/11/2008
Harrogate district residents who want to 'move-on' into rented accommodation are being offered help as Harrogate Borough Council unveils its latest project to support those in housing difficulty. The council is establishing a rent bond guarantee scheme to assist those wanting to rent property who m
20/11/2008
"The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) will be a catalyst for change to improve the lives of ten million people", that was the key message from TSA Chief Executive Peter Marsh. In a speech to delegates at the Northern Housing Summit in York, Mr Marsh stated that "three million households deserve bett
20/11/2008
Icynene, the leading North American manufacturer of soft foam insulation products, has been awarded BBA (British Board of Agrément) Certification. This follows the European Technical Approval issued by VTT and ratified by the Members of EOTA, (the European Organisation for Technical Approvals) earli
20/11/2008
Surrey County Council has signed up to an agreement to protect the interests of residents in the face of any possible future development of Gatwick Airport. The council's Executive adopted a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which ensures that West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council
20/11/2008
The company planning a 'new community' of around 4,000 homes on a former mine and industrial site between Rotherham and Sheffield is seeking changes to an existing planning consent to accommodate a major Government Office Campus. It is aimed at increasing employment diversity, attracting more jobs
20/11/2008
Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) Chairman John Armitt has told business leaders that London 2012 will deliver a transformational change to east London. The work on the Olympic Park will leave a lasting change in the area with new world-class sports venues, thousands of new homes, new transport and
20/11/2008
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has appointed Faithful+Gould's Andy Hirst as the new Chair of RICS matrics for Yorkshire and the Humber. Andy, an Associate Director at Faithful+Gould's Leeds office, has been appointed to the role after being elected by the committee's current me
20/11/2008
A company that prides itself on being more aware of the need to protect and promote the environment is to be rewarded. Milton Keynes firm, Universal Skips, has been selected as this year's winner of the prestigious Business Award (BA) for Recycling & Waste Management (2008/2009). In choosing a win
19/11/2008
A new research study published today by insurance, pensions and investment group LV= reveals a worrying 'mortgage gap'. Nearly half of the UK's 2.9 million interest-only mortgages have no specified investment vehicle in place to pay off the capital on the loan. Borrowers have not been obliged to ha
19/11/2008
The National Housing Federation (NHF) has welcomed the announcement by Housing Minister Margaret Beckett that the Government is not going to end secure and permanent tenancies for residents of social housing. Ms Beckett made the announcement following intense press speculation that some in the Gove
19/11/2008
The reintroduction of mortgage interest tax relief and an extension of the reduced VAT rate to include all repairs and maintenance on domestic property are two of the ten recommendations that the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to adopt in his Pre-Bu
19/11/2008
Lovell is giving two teenagers the chance to build careers in the construction industry as it carries out major housing improvement works for Homes for Haringey. Lewis Wood, 18, and Sean Cronin, 17, are learning their trades with Lovell under the company's apprenticeship scheme. Both are working fo
19/11/2008
Manchester City Council has announced they have settled out of court over the design and construction problems of the sculpture B of the Bang, which is situated at Sportcity in east Manchester. The settlement has been reached with Thomas Heatherwick Studio Limited and their subcontractors Packman L
19/11/2008
Four of the UK's most respected names in architecture, planning and property development are to advise the Mayor of London Boris Johnson on delivering design excellence across the capital. Architects Richard Rogers and current RIBA President Sunand Prasad, Chair of the English Heritage Advisory Com
19/11/2008
The new agencies need to build on the legacy of the Housing Corporation and this is an opportunity to be bold and innovative in these challenging economic times. This was the key message from Housing Corporation Chief Executive, Steve Douglas, at the Northern Housing Summit, York. In his final spee
19/11/2008
There has been a call to reduce energy costs with the help of a new, high frequency induction heating system. Cheltenham Induction Heating - an Ambrell company - has the solution and has just announced the expansion of the Ekoheat line of induction heating systems to 135 kW. They said it is equipp
19/11/2008
Work on the £21-million Cudworth and West Green bypass is underway and to mark this event officially Barnsley Mayor Cllr Ken Sanderson joined Cudworth ward councillors Charlie Wraith, Joe Hayward and Steve Houghton for a turf-cutting ceremony. Also present were representatives from Barnsley Council
19/11/2008
The use of drugs and alcohol by an employee is of serious concern to employers. As well as causing ill-health and absenteeism amounting to around £6.4 billion each year in the UK, drug misuse interferes with productivity and increases the chances of accidents. In fact, a regular drug or alcohol misu
18/11/2008
Wolseley, distributor of plumbing and heating products to professional contractors and a leading supplier of building materials, has announced it is to cut more than 2,000 jobs and to shut down 200 of its branches in the UK and Ireland. The Reading based firm, which trades as Plumb Center and Build
18/11/2008
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, services and investment Group has announced the appointment of Andrew McNaughton to the new role of Chief Operating Officer and to the Board of Balfour Beatty. The appointment will further strengthen the Group senior management structure.
18/11/2008
Up to 400 new sustainable homes will be built across Wales as part of a unique project announced by the Welsh Assembly Government. The £80 million scheme will see 22 schemes being constructed in both urban and rural locations. All the properties will be built to the highest green standards, known a
18/11/2008
Growing numbers of older people are being denied proper access to housing choice, the Retirement Homes Group (RHG) said today. It is urging Housing Minister Margaret Beckett to ensure that older people are not forgotten as the Government focuses on first time buyers and home owners facing reposses
18/11/2008
The latest key housing association Performance Indicators (PIs) results for March 2008 have been published. Results on average across the sector and across the range of PIs are consistent with last year's results. However there remain significant differences between those at the upper and those at
18/11/2008
Construction union UCATT has warned workers involved in housing maintenance to be vigilant for dirty needles, in order to avoid possible needlestick injuries, when entering or working on properties. Several UCATT regions have reported concerns that the health and safety of members could be potentia
18/11/2008
The group of companies that will supply all the timber for the construction of the venues and infrastructure for the London 2012 Games has been announced by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). The Timber Supply Panel will ensure that only sustainable timber is used during the project and that it
18/11/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has lent its support to carbon monoxide (CO) Awareness Week, organised by campaign group CO Awareness. Often referred to as 'the silent killer', CO fumes are particularly dangerous because they cannot be smelt, seen or tasted and in extreme cases can kill in ho
18/11/2008
Central Networks is launching its eye-in-the-sky helicopter patrols across central England next week as part of its work to inspect some of its 750 primary substations. The company will send up a helicopter fitted with thermal imaging equipment which will be used to spot potential hazards and ident
18/11/2008
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who in a few short years has gone from Naked Chef to national hero, is now turning his attention from British school dinners to bringing la cucina Italiana to the local high street. The first collection of restaurants serving quality, authentic and affordable Italian fo
17/11/2008
One of the world's leading subsea engineering companies has been appointed to manage the design, procurement and construction of the Wave Hub renewable energy project off the coast of South West England. The South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) has selected J P Kenny, part of international
17/11/2008
The next generation of architects are being encouraged to consider and include innovative counter terrorism measures in their designs as part of a new Home Office competition launched today. Students from across the country are invited to take part in the 'Public Spaces, Safer Places' initiative wh
17/11/2008
Following a host of high profile campaigning by the British Property Federation (BPF), a Kent Conservative candidate has launched a No 10 petition calling for the scrapping of empty proper rates as the Welsh Assembly says no to the tax. Kent has been badly hit by the downturn and many firms are fac
17/11/2008
ISG Jackson has secured its latest project under an influential £400 million, four year framework deal with affordable homes provider, Swan Housing Group. The contractor has commenced work on a £4 million scheme to build 42 affordable and shared ownership houses and apartments in Southend-on-Sea,
17/11/2008
British Gas Business and Centrica, in partnership with facilities company Carillion have shared a prestigious 'Green Apple' award for Environmental Best Practice in the Commercial Utilities Sector, for cutting energy use by 10% in their UK offices. Managing Director of British Gas Business Badar Kh
17/11/2008
Seven volunteers from Shepherd Construction in York have been getting creative in the name of charity by taking part in an interior decoration project for learning disability charity Mencap. The Shepherd Construction volunteering team used their decorating skills to bring colour to a Mencap support
17/11/2008
BAM Construction has been appointed by Sutton Coldfield College as the preferred contractor for the first phase of its £44 million Riverside Campus project. The company is now in negotiations with the College to discuss the design of the new campus which requires approval from the Learning and Ski
17/11/2008
The British Gas Help the Aged Partnership has launched a winter campaign to help older people beat the growing threat of fuel poverty. The 2008 campaign, which will run until March, comes as fuel poverty levels are predicted to reach an all-time high affecting one in four households of older people
17/11/2008
Costain, in collaboration with Bradford Metropolitan District Council and the Integrated Bradford Local Education Partnership, has signed Design and Build Contracts for three brand new Primary Special Schools in Bradford as part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
14/11/2008
Crossrail, the £15.9bn railway for London and the South East, and Transport for London (TfL) have announced the composition of its legal panel for property acquisition and planning activity, following a competitive tendering process. The panel will have a critical role to play in acquiring over 13
14/11/2008
Work to remove the first of 52 pylons on the Olympic Park has started. Removing the pylons will transform the landscape of the Park and allow construction work to take place on keys areas of the site. Following the two-year powerlines construction project, power has now been switched to undergroun
14/11/2008
A multi-million pound congestion-busting road scheme has been welcomed by the Transport Secretary. The £50 million final stage of Leeds' vital Inner Ring Road was officially opened today by Geoff Hoon, who also saw progress on the soon-to-be-completed £32m East Leeds Link Road during his visit to t
14/11/2008
UK COAL and Peel Energy, has announced that they have signed a Collaboration Agreement which provides a framework to identify, assess and potentially develop wind farms on sites within UK COAL's land portfolio. Peel Energy has considerable experience of onshore wind farm development in the UK and
14/11/2008
Boards are key to self regulation, was the message from the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) Chairman, Anthony Mayer, at the Chartered Institute of Housing's Annual Conference, Eastern Region. In his speech 'The Road Ahead', the challenge to Board members was issued as he set out the TSA's approach
14/11/2008
Four top companies are competing for the contract to create a new world-class Central Library in Liverpool. The city council launched a Europe-wide search earlier this year for a blue chip development partner for the £50 million PFI project. The building on William Brown Street has gradually falle
14/11/2008
Sheffield City Council has indicated it was working to ensure that a 'state-of-the-art' housing project would be able to achieve its aims, even though the developer has ceased to operate. The 'Green Homes' scheme at Norfolk Park in Sheffield offers 47 homes that are very cheap to run and will reduc
14/11/2008
The Welsh Assembly Government unveiled its 10-year plan to reduce homelessness in Wales. The plan aims to prevent people from becoming homeless and to improve the accommodation and services provided for people who lose their homes. Deputy Minister for Housing, Jocelyn Davies, said: "Over the next
13/11/2008
£130 million has been set aside for Fire and Rescue Service projects to build new stations and other facilities, Fire Minister Sadiq Khan has announced. Fire and Rescue Services have been bidding for a share of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits for long-term projects to modernise the country
13/11/2008
More than 40 leading organisations representing the construction sector in Wales have teamed up to sign the first green building charter of its kind in the UK. They are committing themselves to support progress towards a built environment that contributes low or zero net carbon emissions as quickly
13/11/2008
BSI auditors have recommended that British Gas receives certification to the international environmental standard ISO 14001 after a rigorous assessment in September. The BSI report said: "This was a very strong performance by the company with commitment and awareness demonstrated by staff spoken to
13/11/2008
Harrogate Borough Council's pioneering work to provide council tenants with affordable and renewable energy to heat their homes has earned them the title of Sustainable Social Housing Landlord of the Year 2008. Organised by Inside Housing in partnership with the Footprint Trust, this is the first y
13/11/2008
The house where novels including Cranford and Wives and Daughters were penned has been given the go ahead to receive a £2.5 million upgrade. Mrs Gaskell's House in Plymouth Grove, Ardwick was recently granted planning permission by Manchester City Council for the restoration to begin. The famous a
13/11/2008
E.ON is due to hold two public exhibitions to provide West Ancroft residents with the opportunity to voice their opinions about the plans for a new wind farm. The exhibition will provide local residents with the chance to see the plans for the site and to ask the E.ON team any questions or queries.
13/11/2008
Salford University will this month launch a new masters degree in offsite construction for managers already working in the industry. The university says its MSc in Advanced Manufacturing in Construction is one of the first of its kind in the world. Designed for middle- and top-level managers, the
13/11/2008
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced that piling has been completed on the first three blocks of the Olympic Village with construction work continuing to make good progress on the site. The first two tower cranes have been erected on site prior to commencing work on the superstructure
13/11/2008
Working in close conjunction with BAM Construct UK, one of the UK's leading construction services organisations, Sperian Protection has developed a novel and effective method of using protective gloves as a medium for delivering safety messages to workers in the construction industry. The messages
13/11/2008
One of the largest UK contractors BAM Construct UK is to insist that its scaffolding contractors should be members of the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC). BAM has written to scaffolding contractors informing them that it believes that membership of the NASC represents best prac
12/11/2008
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has reaffirmed support for the Construction Advisory Committee, in a letter to Lord McKenzie of Luton Minister for Health and Safety, and stated that the effectiveness of the group will be limited if its mandate is transferred to the Strategic For
12/11/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning shopfitters to have correctly assembled mobile tower scaffolds after a worker fell three metres from unprotected scaffolding at a new shopping centre, in Enfield, on 15 September 2006, and suffered serious head injuries. E&F Joinery, based in Hailsh
12/11/2008
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, investment and services Group, has announced that Transform Schools, its education sector PPP concession vehicle, has been appointed by the London Borough of Southwark as selected bidder for the £200 million Southwark Schools for the Futur
12/11/2008
Research by Savills shows that the credit crunch is now affecting even the best property with values down by an average of more than 10%. This is considerably more than the 2.4% falls recorded for these properties in April. A survey of Savills agents established the amount by which the realisable s
12/11/2008
Executive Chair of Crossrail Doug Oakervee has agreed to lead the Greater London Authority's preliminary feasibility study into a new airport in the Thames Estuary, the Mayor has confirmed. Mr Oakervee, who was instrumental in the development of Hong Kong's revolutionary offshore International Airp
12/11/2008
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has released new pictures of the future of Stratford Regional Station as new hoardings outside the station were unveiled yesterday morning. The hoardings depict the history of the station and its important role in East End life, taking commuters and residents th
12/11/2008
Leading figures in the world of affordable housing from Europe, North America and New Zealand will share lessons and visions for the future at a major event in London tomorrow. The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and the regeneration consultancy theplaceteam have brought together some of the m
12/11/2008
Construction union UCATT have labelled proposals by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), to end secure tenancies and introduce means testing for council housing, as dangerous and ill thought out. The CIH proposes that council tenants should only receive fixed term tenancies and be subjected to
12/11/2008
Plans for the Council and a partner to build around 2,500 quality new homes in Sheffield will be discussed at a meeting of Sheffield City Council's Cabinet today. The Council proposes to set up a Local Housing Company with a developer partner. The aims are to speed up the building of new houses, in
12/11/2008
ISG Jackson has secured its latest project under an influential £400 million, four year framework deal with affordable homes provider, Swan Housing Group. The contractor has commenced work on a £4 million scheme to build 42 affordable and shared ownership houses and apartments in Southend-on-Sea,
12/11/2008
HIB4U is regarded by many as one of the most responsible business of it's type in the UK. There are several factors which combine to make us so successful. HIB4U's workforce is focused and respondent to our customers needs, these highly skilled individuals are trained to give you high quality servi
11/11/2008
Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has reported a 27% drop in house sales since the summer, and warns that as the absence of any improvement to market conditions continues the group may need to make further provisions against its land and work in progress. Net private reservations for the second half to da
11/11/2008
Councils will get over a hundred million pounds tomorrow to help maintain the building of the family and first-time buyer homes still desperately needed announced Housing Minister Margaret Beckett today. The 2008-09 Housing and Planning Delivery Grant will provide for the first time additional dire
11/11/2008
The temporary increase in the stamp duty threshold saw 51% of homebuyers avoiding stamp duty in September, compared with 22% in September last year. However, the number of house purchase loans was 57% lower than September 2007, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). There
11/11/2008
The National Housing Federation (NHF) has criticised proposals suggesting that people living in social housing should no longer be entitled to a secure and permanent tenancy. Under proposals which have been submitted to the Government, new tenants would have fixed-term contracts, with regular revie
11/11/2008
Miller Construction has been awarded the contract to build Bristol's new £25 million Civil Justice Centre. The project will see the creation of modern court facilities and administration offices over six storeys. The building, which will be finished with cladding in three different types of stonewo
11/11/2008
Further information on Lincolnshire's Energy from Waste facility will be available for viewing at public exhibitions as the Lincolnshire County Council's waste services department submits its planning application. Details of the application, including what the facility will look like, how it will o
11/11/2008
Lovell set up some hands-on challenges for young people at a West Midlands construction careers event last week. Twelve experts from Lovell - including surveyors, site managers and designers - took part in the Building People event, held at the Stoneleigh Park exhibition and conference centre in Wa
11/11/2008
Faithful+Gould is to play a prominent role in the multi-million pound redevelopment of Wiltshire College. The company has been appointed to provide quantity surveying expertise on the project, which will see significant investment in the Chippenham, Trowbridge and Lackham campuses. Each campus will
11/11/2008
A vacuum-lifting specialist, AL-Vac, has announced the launch of the latest addition to its range of lifting equipment. The Batlift is a uniquely flexible fork truck attachment offering lifting capacities up to five tonnes and is a portable, battery-powered vacuum lifter that fits quickly and easi
11/11/2008
The Highways Agency (HA) has launched a new information DVD to protect thousands of road workers across the country. More than 4,000 road workers - approximately one for every mile of the Highways Agency's network - work day in, day out to keep the roads safe and well maintained for drivers. With
10/11/2008
A Wilmslow company has been fined £6,000 after pleading guilty to three offences of failing to manage asbestos. Macclesfield Borough Council brought the prosecution against Freedom Finance at Macclesfield Magistrates Court. An employee of the company, based at Brook House, Church Road, complained
10/11/2008
Faithful+Gould and Atkins have been appointed as the single partner to Scape, a local authority controlled company, for the provision of professional design services. Under a four year National Framework Agreement, the arrangement will enable them to be appointed for professional services by any pu
10/11/2008
Homeowners in Bristol who are struggling to maintain the condition of their property in the current financial climate are being offered a helping hand by the city council. A new scheme being launched this month will bring a range of home improvement products to private properties to ensure they ar
10/11/2008
Floods Recovery Minister John Healey has announced that 25 councils helping over 1,500 flood-hit families pay their council tax bills will share over £1.2 million Government funding. While many of these families affected by last summer's floods are now back home, this step will help councils giving
10/11/2008
As the American housing crisis deepens, a key speaker at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) North East housing conference on Friday 14 November will explain how innovative housing policy can help create a future for vulnerable households. The region's largest housing event, to be held in New
10/11/2008
Research by construction union UCATT has found wide regional disparities in construction deaths. In 2007/8 there were a total of 72 construction deaths, a slight decrease of 2006/7 when 79 construction workers were killed. A regional breakdown revealed that there were: 11 deaths in Scotland, 11 in
10/11/2008
Leading paint brand Leyland Trade is set to bring a touch of glamour to this year's National Painting & Decorating show in the shape of the very shapely Leyland Lovelies. Taking place on November 11 and 12 at Coventry's Ricoh Arena, the event will also see the launch of Leyland's exciting new 'Get
10/11/2008
Solution-mining at all eight caverns at E.ON's Holford gas storage facility in Cheshire has begun. Work on the final cavern has begun, marking another important milestone in the project which will help to ensure E.ON can keep homes warm and lights on at an affordable price. The solution mining, or
10/11/2008
Designs have been unveiled for the London 2012 Handball Arena that will become a new multi-use indoor sports centre after the Games. The venue has been designed to be simple, efficient and flexible. The designs were part of the planning application for the venue which has now been submitted. The A
10/11/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned companies to protect employees from dangerous substances after a 59-year-old man was engulfed in flames following a petrol leak. Phoenix Autoparts 2000 Ltd, of Derby Road, Stapleford, Nottingham, was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £2,375 costs, at
07/11/2008
A leading telecommunications company, Evolution Telco has welcomed a new Business Development Manager, David Ward. Mr Ward joined Evolution Telco - which has been in telecommunications for over 14 years - at their High Wycombe headquarters. He commented that Evolution specialize in fixed land tele
07/11/2008
New plans have been unveiled for the London 2012 Olympic Park. They will combine centuries of British park design with ground-breaking green technology to create a 21st Century park. Former industrial land, much of it contaminated through years of industrial neglect, is being transformed to create
07/11/2008
Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBIA) has unveiled a £28m development of its passenger terminal to deliver a step change in the passenger experience at Yorkshire's gateway as the airport prepares for the next decade of air travel. The airport has been working with a team of industry leading c
07/11/2008
Property groups have welcomed a change to the Planning Bill that removes a controversial link between the level of the new community infrastructure levy (CIL) and the increase in land value once planning permission has been granted. The link had been vigorously opposed by industry lobby groups comp
07/11/2008
The first turbine has been installed at the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm, which is one of the UK's largest renewable schemes. The jack-up barges Sea Energy and the Sea Worker are now on site in the Solway Firth installing the wind turbines. These join the MV Resolution which E.ON, the owners of th
07/11/2008
Jocelyn Davies AM, Deputy Minister for Housing has been laying bricks at a £3 million housing project in Caerphilly Borough that has created local housing and jobs. The project in Bargoed being developed by United Welsh Housing Association will consist of 21 three bedroom properties, 1 four bedroom
07/11/2008
Businesses in the east of England will have access to training grants that will equip staff with new skills and move their business forward, following a major £6.2 million investment by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA). Announced today, the 'Beyond 2010' programme also offers a compreh
07/11/2008
Users of products which combat the effects of groundheave (particularly prevalent on the clay soils which predominate in the south east of the country) are already familiar with the benefits of using the collapsible type, such as Dufaylite Clayboard, over the compressible fill alternatives, made fro
07/11/2008
As the London Development Agency's (LDA) Green Tourism for London programme marks its one year anniversary, it is already making an impact on London's carbon emissions. Top London businesses such as The O2, ZSL London Zoo, One Aldwych, Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, Claridges, Sheraton and the Lond
06/11/2008
A man has died following an explosion at a warehouse in Hertfordshire. Six people were also injured in the blast which occurred at the site at the Mundells, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, at 3pm on Wednesday. One is said to be in a critical condition, one is seriously hurt and four received m
06/11/2008
Turner & Townsend has been recently appointed by Manchester City Council to undertake a major role in its regeneration strategy for the future of North Manchester. English Partnerships has launched an initiative to work with 14 selected local authorities to act as pathfinders to bring together publ
06/11/2008
Designs were unveiled today for a 'simple, efficient and flexible' London 2012 Handball Arena that will become a new multi-sports facility in legacy. The new designs were included in the planning application for the venue which was submitted today. The Handball Arena will be in the west of the Oly
06/11/2008
Somerset Fuel Poverty Partnership is calling on the Government to back a home insulation scheme that could make a real difference to people's lives. The Partnership - a consortium of Somerset County Council, the District Councils, the Centre for Sustainable Energy in Bristol, Age Concern Somerset a
06/11/2008
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has formally signed up to the 2012 Construction Commitments. The President, Ron Storer and Director General, Richard Diment signed the commitments which aim to ensure that the construction industry delivers high quality projects, safely and on time. These pr
06/11/2008
Carillion IT Services has announced it has secured a framework agreement with BAA - the world's leading airport company, for the provision and maintenance of network infrastructure and cabling. The Agreement will cover all seven BAA airports across the UK; Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton,
06/11/2008
Work has now started on the internal alterations and improvements at the Town House Museum, Brechin. The scheme is the first priority project to go on site as part of the City of Brechin Townscape Heritage Initiative. The cost of the project of approximately £383,000 is being jointly funded by the
06/11/2008
Asbestos-related illnesses are responsible for the deaths of 20 trades people each week, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) supported two events in Powys to highlight the dangers of "the hidden killer" to construction workers from across mid Wales. The Working Well Together (WWT) group, made
06/11/2008
A leading construction specialist, Greenspan, has launched a versatile and technologically advanced cement board system. Water-resistant Aquapanel is a complete exterior system that sets new standards for building design and construction. Aquapanel offers considerable productivity benefits, than
05/11/2008
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is calling on the Monetary Policy Committee to cut interest rates by a full percentage point this week to assist the housing market, so vital to the wider economy. It then wants to see further cuts down to 2% as soon as possible. Critically, HBF believes that the
05/11/2008
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, services and investment group has announced contract wins in Hong Kong and the United States totaling £335 million. Gammon Construction, Balfour Beatty's joint venture company in South East Asia, has been awarded a £230 million contract b
05/11/2008
The City of London has been named the second home capital of the country, with one in four homes owned by people who do not live there on a full time basis, a new survey revealed today. The National Housing Federation (NHF) found 1,148 homes were registered as second homes in the capital's financia
05/11/2008
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) have pledged to work more closely together by launching the new RTPI-CIH Planning for Housing Network at the sixth Annual Housing and Construction Conference on Friday 7 November. Mr John Callcutt CBE, who produc
05/11/2008
New amendments to the Government's Planning Bill have been laid in Parliament to strengthen the scrutiny of national policy statements by the House of Lords, and tackle climate change. The changes provide a key new role for peers in scrutinising all national policy statements including those for av
05/11/2008
One of the first young people chosen to take part in a pioneering housing project in the Harrogate district has been highly commended in the 2008 UK National Youthbuild Awards. Louis Ridgway got his first step on the housing and career ladder through the Harrogate Youthbuild project when he was cho
05/11/2008
Tenant Services Authority (TSA) CEO Peter Marsh has announced the new TSA leadership team who will be tasked with changing the landscape of affordable housing in England. The new team brings together the skills and talents of experts from the charity, regulation, local authority, finance and housin
05/11/2008
Work is set to begin this month on a £1 million improvement programme at Dare Valley Country Park, Aberdare in Wales. A new glazed reception/tourist information area will be created, the cafe and kitchen area updated and public conveniences improved, as the Country Park is developed as a tourism ga
05/11/2008
Up to 30,000 people in Liverpool could receive grants worth thousands of pounds to keep their homes warm. The city council has teamed up with the government-funded Warm Front Team to write to people on benefits inviting them to apply for a grant of up to £2,700. Those on qualifying benefits who ow
04/11/2008
Surrey County Council's Transportation Select Committee has demanded that EDF Energy explains its performance failures after the company missed a scheduled meeting. EDF and industry regulator Ofgem were asked to attend a meeting of the select committee to answer concerns about poor performance in f
04/11/2008
Crossrail took a significant step forward and agreed a £230 million funding package from BAA, Transport Minister Andrew Adonis and BAA's Strategy Director Mike Forster have announced. In return, Crossrail will guarantee a fast train service four times an hour for the majority of the day. This will
04/11/2008
More homes are still needed to house the 1.5 million people on council house waiting lists, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the House of Commons Environment Select Committee report. Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the FMB said: "The fact that Britain is suf
04/11/2008
Construction work has been completed on a new £2.1 million state of the art centre to improve traffic flow and safety across north Wales. The new North Wales Traffic Management Centre, at the Morfa near Conwy, will provide a home to all agencies responsible for trunk roads in north Wales. The keys
04/11/2008
A building's listed status has been proved to be no bar to providing better acoustic performance. Acoustics specialist Hodgson & Hodgson Group has proved that in a recent installation in the Victorian Town Hall building at Burton-on-Trent, (pictured) where the firm worked within the restrictions i
04/11/2008
Britain has teamed up with two oil-rich Gulf states to secure a mix of reliable and green energy supplies for the UK and which could see hundreds of millions of pounds pumped into the green energy revolution. The announcements were made during a visit to the Gulf by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and
04/11/2008
Local communities will get their next chance to have their say on the eco-town proposals as Housing Minister Margaret Beckett launched the Government's second round of formal consultation on the proposed locations and standards for eco-towns. The draft Eco-towns Planning Policy Statement (PPS) publ
04/11/2008
Thanks to E.ON's SOURCE community fund Jesmond swimming pool last year received £19,000 towards the cost of installing a solar thermal system to heat their pool. Now fully operational, the system is already saving the team money as well as cutting carbon emissions. The solar installation made up o
04/11/2008
Faithful+Gould's Nottingham office has been appointed to provide a number of services to the Quantum Consortium Development Consultant Framework. The Framework, which comprises Derwent Living, East Midlands Housing Group, Futures Housing Group and LHA-ASRA Group, will support each of the members of
04/11/2008
BRE Global has launched a new framework standard for the responsible sourcing of construction products - BRE Environmental and Sustainablility Standard (BES) 6001:2008. Increasingly specifiers are want to stipulate the use of responsibly sourced materials, most notably for companies undertaking wor
03/11/2008
Osborne, one of the UK’s leading construction, civil engineering and property services companies, has been short-listed by London Underground Limited as a framework contractor for its £2.8bn Vendor Capital Programme. Following a rigorous selection process, Osborne is one of only eight contractors c
03/11/2008
Rail services across south-east England are set for a major boost under new franchise requirements, Transport Minister Andrew Adonis announced today. Passengers in south London and parts of Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire will benefit from more trains on key lines - particularly in the evenings and ove
03/11/2008
Mace Sustain won The City of London Lord Mayor's Dragon Award for economic regeneration at an awards ceremony last month. The annual awards encourage organisations across Greater London to become involved in the regeneration of their local communities. While the social inclusion category covered M
03/11/2008
Turner & Townsend has reached the finals of the Building magazine 2008 QS Awards, which celebrate excellence in the profession. Turner & Townsend is in the running for three categories: Best All-Round QS Firm, the International Achievement category and QS Young Achiever of the Year for David Whysal
03/11/2008
Somerset County Council-run Stanchester Leisure Centre is giving the 'green light' to energy-saving technology which could cut its electricity bills by thousands of pounds and help reduce its carbon footprint. The sport and leisure centre in Stoke-sub-Hamdon, near Yeovil, is one of the county counc
03/11/2008
A Northern Ireland manufacturer's self-adhesive building product has picked-up a top industry award in London. Classic Marble's Classi Seal was named UK Housing Product of the Year at the Housebuilding Innovation Awards 2008, earlier this month. The London event, held in the exclusive Millen
03/11/2008
Lovell has been awarded a £8.4m, three-year contract by Dudley Council in the West Midlands to work on the council’s housing refurbishment programme. Lovell will be carrying out internal improvement work to identified properties over the length of the contract. The upgrading work will include ins
03/11/2008
Freefoam, a leading manufacturer of high quality roofline and rainwater products for the UK, Irish and mainland European markets, launched its registered installer scheme in 2002 and it has proven to be a huge success. New installers join the scheme weekly. Since June 2008, some of the installers
03/11/2008
A £4 million deal has been signed to build a multi purpose facility for the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) at Portland in Dorset in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Regeneration company the Sutton Harbour Group has signed the deal with the RYA and the South West RDA, to create
03/11/2008
Wolverhampton Wanderers recently hired Facelifts Haulotte H25TPX for two days to help them carry out routine maintenance on their sound system at their 28k seater Molineux Stadium. The machine was used to allow sound engineers from T G Baker Sound to gain access to the speakers many located some 80
