Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for March 2008
31/03/2008
The nuclear industry has been invited today to bring forward new reactor designs for a Justification Decision, an important stage in getting the first new nuclear build started in the UK. As set out in January's White Paper on Nuclear Power, the Justification process is a necessary step to meet the
31/03/2008
Chelsea Football Club owner and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has bought the world's largest drill for $16bn. Measuring 66ft in diameter, it is almost a quarter wider than its nearest rival, a 49-foot drill acquired by China to build a tunnel under the Yangtze. Mr Abramovich's drill is cap
31/03/2008
A £2.3 billion strategy to develop low carbon colleges marks a new approach to delivery of public buildings, the Secretary of State and Innovations John Denham announced. All new colleges throughout England will have to emit no carbon by 2016 and all new or partly built colleges must have wind turb
31/03/2008
A record number of visitors attended Health and Safety 08 held recently at Sandown Park in Esher, Surrey. The event, the first of two in a regional series sponsored by DuPont, experienced a rise in visitor numbers of over 20% clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of its combination of a high quali
31/03/2008
Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council has received a letter from the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport confirming the Council's Compulsory Purchase Order for Hadlow Tower. The Council will now proceed with the plan outlined at the Public Enquiry, which took place on 20 and 21 November l
31/03/2008
Unions representing 40,000 local government craft workers have submitted their annual pay claim. The unions UCATT, Unite, the GMB and the CSEU are seeking a 7.5% pay increase over the next 12 months. In recent years the rates of skilled craft workers in local government have fallen far below the
31/03/2008
From today, Land Registry customers will no longer be able to lodge applications or visit the Customer Information Centres at its Land Registry Harrow and York offices. The offices are due to close in 2010 as part of a planned programme to reduce office space. The first stage in this process is the
31/03/2008
Gleeds, the International Management and Construction Consultancy, has been appointed by Manhattan Loft Corporation (MLC) to provide Cost Management and Project Management services for the £100 million conversion of the Grade I listed St Pancras Chambers, London, where work has just begun. The goth
31/03/2008
Barnsley Council is considering allocating funding to try and encourage people to bring empty homes back into use. With over 1,500 long term empty homes in the private sector in Barnsley, the council wants to work with individual property owners to get the homes back into use, and where appropriate
31/03/2008
E.ON, the company behind Kingsnorth and Grain power stations, has awarded 17 community groups in the Hoo Peninsula a total of £32,000 in funding from their £100,000 community investment fund. The special fund was launched in May last year to celebrate the start of work at the new gas-fired combined
28/03/2008
Communities were today challenged to 'cut the carbon' and release their greener potential. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead said a new £17 million Climate Challenge Fund would give communities across Scotland an unprecedented opportunity to reduce their carbo
28/03/2008
Construction work on a new £225m hospital in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, is to begin immediately. The consortium which includes John Laing, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Interserve, is responsible for the design, build, finance and operation of the hospital. Partners Laing O'Rourke are in charge o
28/03/2008
The Scottish Arts Council has announced the investment of £11,176,440 of National Lottery funds to four new arts buildings in Shetland, Greenock, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Peacock Visual Arts has been awarded £4 million towards a visionary project which will provide a new model of arts organisation,
28/03/2008
A landlord, who failed to provide Peterborough City Council with information relating to a property he was renting, was fined £2,000 by Peterborough Magistrates yesterday. Officers from the private sector enforcement team at the city council visited 88 Russell Street, in Peterborough, following se
28/03/2008
Sainbury's has announced it has entered into a £1.2bn deal with British Land. The company is set to buy back a half share of 39 supermarket sites, and specific plans include the extension of 25 stores by about 500,000 square feet, in line with the firm's target to boost its sales area by 10% by 201
28/03/2008
Future plans to regenerate the Dearne area of Barnsley have received a significant boost this week with the news that the Barnsley Housing Market Renewal Programme will receive almost £15 million between 2008 and 2011. Cabinet Spokesperson for Development Cllr Bill Newman, said: "This sustained lev
28/03/2008
The planning inquiry into US tycoon Donald Trump's plans to build a £1bn golf resort in Scotland is to begin on 10 June. Around 30 witnesses are expected to give evidence during the inquiry, which is scheduled to last three weeks. The Trump Organisation are expected to call up to 10 witnesses to
28/03/2008
Contracts for the new Glan Usk primary school in Wales have been signed between developers Vinci Investments Ltd and Newport City Council. The new school, which will be built at Glebelands, will replace Durham Road Infants and Junior Schools and Rockfield Nursery. Vinci Investments Ltd is building
28/03/2008
One of Scotland's largest community regeneration initiatives has won a top accolade at the Flourish Awards. The regeneration of Oatlands in Glasgow - being led by Gladedale Partnerships in conjunction with Glasgow City Council - is creating a high quality urban neighbourhood comprising of 1,275 hom
28/03/2008
Barnsley Council has announced plans to build 30 new houses at Darfield. The new homes will be a direct replacement for homes in the Bellbrook Avenue area which is being partly redeveloped. Cllr Bill Newman, Cabinet spokesperson for Development, said: "We have secured funding of £3.5M to build 30
28/03/2008
A shortlist of seven internationally renowned architectural practices to design the new Library of Birmingham has been announced. This marks a major milestone in delivering a world-class library for the city. The list is made up of the top architects in northern Europe, including four based in the
27/03/2008
The opening of the new Terminal 5 building at Heathrow has been marred by cancelled flights and baggage delays. According to reports, British Airways, which is operating from the new terminal, were forced to cancel 34 flights by 2pm on Thursday due to "teething problems". The cancelled services in
27/03/2008
Plans for a £60m 'super-highway' have been scrapped by Welsh Transport Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones. The announcement, made at 8am this morning, would have meant residents living nearby being rehoused. 2,300 objections from tenants and community leaders were put forward in a public inquiry in Septembe
27/03/2008
The UK is making progress on cutting Greenhouse Gas emissions, but there is still much work to do according to Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. Provisional statistics published today for total UK Greenhouse Gas emissions for 2007 showed a drop of 2% over the previous year, with 639.4 million tonn
27/03/2008
Members of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and Jane Davidson, Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, met yesterday to discuss action the National Park Authority must take to secure sustained improvements in the planning development control service.
27/03/2008
Landlords in the Yorkshire and Humber area have been warned to ensure gas installations in their properties are safe and that they are annually checked by a competent registered gas installer. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued the warning following its prosecution of a Doncaster caravan
27/03/2008
Plans for a £4.5bn Brent Cross regeneration scheme have been submitted to Barnet Council. The site, between Brent Cross shopping centre and Cricklewood Broadway, will create a new town centre if the proposal is given the go-ahead. The project will create 27,000 jobs, 7,500 homes, three schools, ne
27/03/2008
A spate of metal thefts in Staffordshire has meant Central Networks, the electricity distribution company for the county, has called in the police. The local force will now be stopping and questioning people seen working on power lines or electricity cables in the county after there were almost a d
27/03/2008
Two new mental health units at Wrexham Maelor Hospital were given the green light today by Health Minister Edwina Hart. The Welsh Assembly Government is providing £21.3m funding for the two developments. The re-development of the current mental health unit, Llwyn y Groes, will provide a 44-bed uni
27/03/2008
Plans for a major business park have received a £9m cash boost on the site of the former Felindre Tinplate Works in Swansea. The site comprises 60 hectares of land which is being redeveloped as part of a joint venture between the Welsh Assembly Government and Swansea Council. The Felindre scheme,
27/03/2008
Barnsley Council has agreed the first part of its rural housing programme for 2008 to 2011. Cllr Bill Newman, Cabinet Spokesperson for Development, said: "Over the past few years we have secured funding for new homes in the rural west of the borough, and we agreed to keep the momentum of that progr
26/03/2008
A new red tape busting review to weed out bureaucratic hurdles and create a more efficient planning service for the public and business, has been launched by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, Business Secretary John Hutton and Housing and Planning Minister Caroline Flint. Major reform to the plan
26/03/2008
Businesses are losing £250 a second in costs and payouts for needless accidents in the workplace according to a survey carried out by the British Safety Council (BSC). Millions of British men and women are at risk at work today because of a lack of safety training. BSC bosses were shocked to find t
26/03/2008
A £60m package of improvements to relieve congestion and improve access to the M4 for Reading and Wokingham has been given the go-ahead, Transport Minister Rosie Winterton announced today. The package of improvements comprises a large scale reconstruction of the junction 11 gyratory and the A33 sou
26/03/2008
Campaigners were delighted yesterday after they succeeded in preventing one of Scotland's most historic pub's to be converted into housing. The owner of the Crook Inn in Tweedsmuir, James Doonan, planned to turn the building into four apartments and a house, however members of the Tweeddale Area Co
26/03/2008
Fire fighters are investigating the cause of a fire on a construction site in Manchester. The blaze happened at a new five-story apartment building in Burnage, which was under construction. At around 10.30pm on Easter Sunday, more than forty fire fighters were called to put out the 40ft flames. T
26/03/2008
The Leeds City Varieties music hall theatre is to be receive a £9m revamp. The Heritage Lottery Fund is giving £3m and the Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Limited is also giving £1m towards the scheme. Work on the grade II listed Victorian building will include the restoration of the auditoriu
26/03/2008
Pectel Group, a leading asbestos removal company, has signed an exclusive license agreement in the UK and Ireland, with US market leading waste management technology developer, ARI Technologies Inc, for their Thermochemical Conversion Technology. This innovative technology, invented by ARI Technolo
26/03/2008
De Montford University has issued a call for prospective project management consultants to help deliver plans for a new arts faculty building at its Leicester City Campus. The Faculty of Art & Design Building will provide accommodation for the delivery of teaching and learning studios, workshops, o
26/03/2008
Designs for the Central St Giles scheme in London's Tottenham Court area have been unveiled. Designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, the 500,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme, comprises 393,000 sq ft of offices, 109 apartments in two residential towers,50% of which will be affordable, ground floor ret
26/03/2008
Hussain Chizari from University College London has won this year's Undergraduate Dissertation Award at the Chartered Institute of Building's (CIOB) International Innovation and Research Awards 2007/2008. His dissertation 'Skill Shortages within the UK Construction Industry', investigates an area th
21/03/2008
The opportunity to create a 'green beacon' for London was showcased to the construction industry as the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) held an industry day for the contract to design and construct a wind turbine on the Olympic Park Site. The turbine, to be located at Eton Manor in the north of th
21/03/2008
Scaffolding boss James McLaughlan and three of his employees have been found guilty of defrauding the Ministry of Defence of almost £500,000. McLaughlan from Ayrshire used a "simple" clocking-in scam to claim the wages of almost 300 "ghost workers", during a huge upgrading of the Royal Navy's Devon
21/03/2008
Health and Safety Commission (HSC) Chair, Judith Hackitt, spent time with a group of 10 and 11 year-olds from Staple Hill Primary School, Page Road, Bristol, at the Lifeskills - Learning for Living training centre. The HSC Chair was in Bristol to see how the youngsters were taught valuable lessons
21/03/2008
The UK will remain the world's leading donor to the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), with £2.5 million in funding for the coming year announced by UK Energy Minister Energy Malcolm Wicks in Japan this week. UK Environment Minister Phil Woolas said that the funding would f
21/03/2008
The Government has announced the start of a prioritisation process to select no more than three nuclear reactor designs to proceed to the next stage of Generic Design Assessment (GDA). The objective of this is to allow the nuclear regulators to focus their resources on those designs which are most
21/03/2008
E.ON, one of the country's leading green generators, has announced that the team responsible for the operation and maintenance of Robin Rigg offshore wind farm has moved into its new base in the Port of Workington. The first 22 members of the 32-strong team, almost all of whom hail from Workington
21/03/2008
The due date for water bills is fast approaching and the Consumer Council for Water wants to alert customers who may be struggling to pay, that support is available when it comes to paying for water and sewerage charges. Water companies have quick and efficient procedures to deal with customers who
21/03/2008
Following consultation on the New Lodge blueprint, Barnsley Council has announced major funding to support the areas regeneration. Cllr Bill Newman, Cabinet Spokesperson for Development said: "We were pleased when we secured Neighbourhood Management funding for the area, and now we can help turn so
21/03/2008
More householders will be able to access grants of up to £4,000 and community groups up to £100,000 to install energy generating equipment including solar panels and heat pumps, Finance Secretary John Swinney announced. The Scottish Government has tripled funding to help householders, small busines
21/03/2008
A staggering 300 million Easter eggs are produced each year - that's the equivalent of 30 million for Scotland that will generate 300 tonnes of waste in the process. Cabinet Secretary for the Environment Richard Lochhead has encouraged everyone to enjoy their eggs but to recycle the boxes afterward
20/03/2008
The local NHS authority has given the go ahead to plans for a new £227 million hospital in Tunbridge Wells. If the plans are approved by the Department of Health construction of the first phase of the 512-bed Pembury Hospital will begin before the end of the year. Greg Clark, MP for Tunbridge Well
20/03/2008
Employers and workers have been warned about the dangers of working with plant or equipment with the potential to come into contact with overhead power lines. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued the warning following the prosecution of a company involved in a major road-resurfacing project
20/03/2008
One of Scotland's most respected female property and construction experts has warned that house prices may tumble because of the Single Survey. Janey Milligan, Chairman of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS Scotland), expects a surge of properties for sale in the summer and autumn,
20/03/2008
Grangefield Estates has submitted plans for a 4m sq mixed-use development and 300,000 sq ft 'health mall' in Manchester. The Chancellor Place scheme in Ardwick will also include a hotel, office, leisure space, a 21st Century mill and 2,000 new homes. The plans have been developed in partnership wi
20/03/2008
Rem Koolhaas' Office of Metropolitan Architecture(OMA) has been awarded the contract to redevelop the the Grade II*-listed Commonwealth Institute in Holland Park, west London. The decision was made by site owner Ilchester Estate and developer Chelsfield Partners. The design team will be fronted by
20/03/2008
Four developments by one of the country's leading developers, CALA Homes, have been short-listed in the prestigious Homes for Scotland Quality Awards. Grandholm Village, Aberdeen; Canniesburn in Bearsden, Glasgow (a joint venture with Miller Homes) and two East Lothian developments, Briery Meadow i
20/03/2008
Energy company E.ON has given a £20,000 grant under its SOURCE community initiative to cover the cost of installing a carbon neutral biomass boiler at registered charity the Magdalen Project. The cash will enable the education centre to swap its ageing LPG boilers for a new efficient and economical
20/03/2008
Yorkshire Forward and Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council are seeking private sector partners for the largest Renaissance Market Towns project in Yorkshire and Humber. More than 14 hectares of brownfield land in the Sowerby Bridge Copley Valley area will be developed to provide a range of new h
20/03/2008
A mixed-use development that could cut carbon emissions by up to 50% is planned for Epsom. English Partnerships has chosen a joint partnership between Crest Nicholson and Galliford Try to develop more than 700 new homes across three former hospital sites near the town, which include important liste
20/03/2008
East Ayrshire Council has won three awards at the recent Scottish Awards for Planning which was held in Edinburgh. The eleventh annual awards received a total of 39 entries from throughout Scotland, in four distinct categories: development plans, development management, development on the ground an
19/03/2008
First Minister Alex Salmond has formally opened Steven's Croft Power Station near Lockerbie. It is now the largest wood-fired power station in the UK, allowing biomass generation in Scotland on a new scale. This marks a significant step towards meeting the Scottish Government's targets of generati
19/03/2008
Work has officially started on the first phase of AskBury's exciting new £80m Townside scheme, which is set to be a major part of the regeneration of Bury town centre. AskBury, the joint venture company created by Ask Developments and Bury Council began preliminary 'enabling' works on the scheme i
19/03/2008
Balfour Beatty, an engineering, construction, services and investment business, has acquired civil engineering and building business Dean & Dyball, for approximately £45 million. Balfour Beatty said the acquisition will provide strong presence in civil engineering markets in the south of England an
19/03/2008
The vast renewable energy resource in the Western Isles must be properly harnessed, Scottish Government Minister Jim Mather said. The Energy Minister announced a study to examine how to derive economic and community benefit from renewable developments, while respecting environmental obligations. S
19/03/2008
A North Wales coroner is claiming asbestos in Flintshire's schools was the likely cause of the death of art teacher Renee Blodwen Eden. Dewi Pritchard Jones wrote a warning letter to Flintshire County Council about the danger of asbestos in schools. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers are de
19/03/2008
Plans for a new £40 million stadium for Newport RFC have ensured the future of rugby in the city. The 15,000 capacity stadium, on the site of its current ground Rodney Place, will have new training facilities and a clubhouse. The new stadium will be open in 2010, subject to planning permission, an
19/03/2008
Businesses in South Yorkshire are being invited to register on a national website offering Olympic contracts for 2012. CompeteFor, a website set up for the publication of 2012 related contracts is supported by Yorkshire Forward and acts as a brokerage service between buyers throughout the 2012 supp
19/03/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning employers to ensure that they undertake suitable and sufficient assessments of the risks involved in their undertakings. The warning follows its prosecution of two companies within the JCB group, after two employees, Darren Ellis and Paul McNamara di
19/03/2008
Over 60s who haven't yet claimed the Winter Fuel Payment have just days to get in touch with The Pension Service to receive help with energy costs. Pensions Minister Mike O'Brien urged older people to get their claim forms in the post before 28 March. The Winter Fuel Payment is £200 for the over 60
19/03/2008
A major shake-up of office space used by Lancashire County Council is saving millions on administration costs. A revolution in working practices and a fast and flexible approach to managing property has reduced the amount of accommodation needed, with many offices being vacated. Over £2m has alrea
18/03/2008
The building industry, local authorities and home owners will all benefit from a shake-up to the building control system proposed by Housing Minister Caroline Flint today which cracks down on illegal construction. The "Future of Building Control" consultation recommends a more efficient risk-based
18/03/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging construction companies to ensure they carry out proper planning, inspection and maintenance programmes of their projects while construction work is in progress. Alfred McAlpine Capital Projects Ltd was fined £250,000 and ordered to pay £5,859 in costs
18/03/2008
The sky's the limit for the St Austell town centre £75 million regeneration scheme, as the first skyscraper crane is moved onto the site to help with construction this week. Excavation work has continued at a pace on the project which is a joint venture between the South West of England Regional De
18/03/2008
The National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) considers the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget was a missed opportunity to help get Britain's existing housing stock on track for beating our global warming challenge. Millions of homes are totally inefficient and unnecessarily "leaking" thousands of
18/03/2008
Over £63m of new build affordable housing is coming Barnsley's way in the next three years, with potentially more to come, following a Cabinet members' decision. The investment, a record for the borough, will provide over 500 new affordable homes across a number of communities. Cabinet Spokesperso
18/03/2008
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls has given the go-ahead for the next stage towards a new Academy in Wyke by launching a preliminary study of a newly identified site. A potential site in Wyke, made up of the High Fernley primary school site and adjacent land, has now be
18/03/2008
All central Government departments will be included in a pioneering emissions trading scheme that will also target emissions from large businesses including supermarkets, banks, hotel chains and department stores, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has announced. The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC
18/03/2008
A new Centre of Expertise is to be set up to help Whitehall departments achieve their targets for reducing carbon emissions and waste across the government estate. Details of the Centre of Expertise for Sustainable Procurement (CESP) were unveiled as the Government published its response to the Sus
18/03/2008
Lovell has been chosen by Cheltenham Borough Homes to carry out a £3.5 million housing improvement programme. The company's refurbishment teams will start work in April on the new two-year scheme of housing modernisation work for the arm's length management organisation which manages and maintains
18/03/2008
Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) has appointed Richard Quincey (MEng, MCIBSE) as Technical Director: Sustainability Initiatives. Richard brings to IES extensive knowledge and experience in leading edge holistic and sustainable building design. Richard's unique vision and ideas will further
14/03/2008
The Queen has officially opened Terminal 5 at Heathrow, just 24 hours after a man was arrested for running onto a runway at the airport. The new £4.3 billion terminal was opened by the monarch amid strict security. The Queen was greeted by 800 specially invited guests, including business and airpo
14/03/2008
Land Securities has submitted a planning application for 'Evolution Corby', a second phase of development in Corby town centre. The £100m development, on a former bus station and multi-storey car park, will also provide 350 residential units, an 8,000 sq ft sports facility and two new car parks. T
14/03/2008
Proposals to demolish Meadowbank Stadium and build a smaller £25m sports centre were agreed by councillors in Edinburgh last night. Under the new plans, the 16,000 seater stadium will be replaced with a 5,000 seater arena, and around 8.5 acres of land will be sold to housing developers. The smalle
14/03/2008
Scottish Enterprise has confirmed it wants to demolish Kirkcaldy's abandoned linoleum works, a building which has stood empty for over 20 years. Scottish Enterprise Fife is preparing to discuss with Fife Council plans to haul down the A listed building. Many of the local residents agree the buildi
14/03/2008
New rules to allow homeowners to install solar panels, ground source heat pumps and other microgeneration technologies to help cut carbon emissions were given the green light by Planning Minister Caroline Flint. From 6 April, all homeowners will be able to install microgeneration equipment, like so
14/03/2008
Developer, Urban Splash has been awarded the £70m contract for the Irvine Bay regeneration project in Scotland. The plans for the 11-acre site is to develop 300 homes , shops, leisure facilities and commercial workspaces. Many of the homes will be affordable for first time buyers. Tom Bloxham, C
14/03/2008
Construction companies across the Ashford area have been given the opportunity to build a greener future by reducing and recycling waste generated on building sites. Remade South East has been working with Ashford's Future to help construction businesses in Ashford to meet forthcoming legislation b
14/03/2008
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced what it describes as 'a world-class shortlist' of contractors bidding to manage the landscaping of the northern section of the London 2012 Olympic Park, which will be one of the largest urban parks in Europe for 105 years. The four companies are Fi
14/03/2008
All central Government departments will be included in a pioneering emissions trading scheme that will also target emissions from large businesses including supermarkets, banks, hotel chains and department stores, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said today. The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC),
14/03/2008
Planning excellence throughout Scotland was recognised yesterday at a prestigious awards ceremony. Finance Secretary John Swinney presented the Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2007 in Edinburgh. This year's overall winner is the Kilmarnock Conservation Area Maintenance Guide, which provide
13/03/2008
Thousands of first-time buyers and key workers could see their purchasing power boosted by up to 50% with new home loans announced in the Budget. The Chancellor announced that from April this year two new equity loans will be available through the Government's shared equity scheme Open Market HomeB
13/03/2008
Shell UK Oil Products Limited had a 'narrow escape' after 20 tonnes of a highly flammable and toxic gas escaped through a corroded pipe at their Stanlow Manufacturing Complex, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, but dispersed without exploding. The Health and Safety Executive's message to all companies is to
13/03/2008
Carillion, support services and construction company, has scooped a £155m contract to construct Lumiere Development in Leeds. The contract involves the construction of two mixed-use high-rise towers in the West End area of Leeds. Tower One will be 55 stories and Tower Two, 32 storeys, and when comp
13/03/2008
Harnessing Scotland's renewables potential will have minimal impact on the growth of Scotland's tourism industry, according to research published yesterday. Three quarters of tourists surveyed for the study into the Economic Impacts of Wind Farms on Scottish Tourism felt wind farms had a positive o
13/03/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding employers to ensure they adequately assess the risks from workplace vehicles. The warning follows the prosecution of a construction company after an 18-year-old apprentice was killed. Taylor Wimpey Developments Ltd (formerly Taylor Woodrow Developm
13/03/2008
Housing and planning experts have gathered at Devon County Hall to discuss how to provide sustainable and affordable homes in the region. The Towns and Planning Association (TCPA) seminar was highlighting the issue of eco-towns and creating sustainable communities, while looking to address the affo
13/03/2008
Builders merchant Gibbs & Dandy has reported a profit of £3.27m compared to £2.8m last year. For the year ended 31 Dec, 2007 the Luton-based builders' merchant said its pretax pre-ex profit was up 10.8% to £4.47m from £4.03m while sales rose 7% to £6.25m. Sales in the first two months of 2008 have
13/03/2008
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, services and investment group, has announced that it has been awarded a contract, as part of the Interlink M74 Joint Venture, by Glasgow City Council to complete the M74 motorway in Scotland. Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering, together wit
13/03/2008
Westminster's House of Commons has still no fixed date to open a new £12m visitor centre. Delays have pushed back the project which was originally supposed to be finished by September 2006 at a cost of £8.6m. The Commons Commission said last year it would open in "early 2008" but now says trials m
13/03/2008
Two businesses based at the Springboard Business Centre in Stokesley are working together on a new technology that reduces power stations' sulphur emissions. Prosalus UK, a technical safety consultancy which specialises in the implementation and compliance of safety standards, moved to the Yorkshi
12/03/2008
One of the temporary structures at Cheltenham racecourse has lost its roof after being damaged by strong winds yesterday. A restaurant in the tented village bore the brunt of the storm and debris from the roof lay across the marquee below. Clerk of the course Simon Claisse said: "We had gusts up t
12/03/2008
Two men have been rescued after they were trapped in a south London mosque when a ceiling fell in on them. The incident happened shortly after 9am, and approximately 40 firefighters took part in the recovery operation. Dariusz Naidek, 28, a Polish builder living in Tooting Bec, was freed from the
12/03/2008
The construction of the Olympic Stadium will start at the end of May - three months ahead of schedule, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has confirmed. Progress on the Stadium site will surge ahead this week as work competes to dig the Stadium bowl and the site offices are established for worker
12/03/2008
The UK's first BSc in Sustainable Construction has been launched by UHI, a group of educational institutions pushing for university status in the Highlands and Islands in Scotland. The online science degree will be offered this autumn by UHI Millennium Institute. The course was principally designe
12/03/2008
Welsh Education Minister Jane Hutt has today welcomed the opening of the new Special School, Ysgol Maes y Coed, which has been built with £3.9m of investment from the Welsh Assembly Government. The school, formally Britton Ferry Special School, has been constructed using funding from the School Bui
12/03/2008
An £80 million fund to pump-prime major infrastructure projects in the South West will be "open for business" today. Launched by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA), the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) is the first fund of its kind in the country. It will provide seed inv
12/03/2008
House prices are falling rapidly and the decline has increased to near historical levels not seen for a decade, according to a report by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The RICS house price balance dropped for the seventh month in succession signalling more than half a year of ne
12/03/2008
Tullow Oil, the independent oil and gas exploration and production group, has reported pre-tax profits of £114.2m for 2007, a massive decrease of 57% on last year's figure due to lower UK gas prices and exploration write-offs. The fall was much greater than expected by analysts who predicted, on av
12/03/2008
Birmingham is challenging architects to come up with a radical new approach to housing in the city which is it hoped will shape all future construction in the city. Speaking at the opening of MIPIM 2008, the worlds leading property and investment exhibition, Cllr Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham C
12/03/2008
Costain, one of the UK's leading construction companies, has reported a profit of £19.8m before tax compared to a loss of £61.7m last year. Chief Executive Andrew Wylie said: "The construction market has continued to consolidate and polarise towards a smaller number of larger contractors. Our strat
11/03/2008
The DfT consultation on an expansion to Heathrow officially closed this week and the council has submitted over 16,000 response cards to them. The response cards, handed in by both residents and council staff, showed an overwhelming objection to the expansion plans with 93% of people registering th
11/03/2008
A further £12.5 million of funding from Bristol City Council and the government is set to be invested in South Bristol to create new jobs, housing, health services, leisure opportunities and community facilities. Most of the cash would go towards the cost of creating the road access, services, land
11/03/2008
Plans to build a new mosque in Reading are a step closer to reality after the final terms were agreed between Muslim leaders and the Borough Council. The new £4 million mosque would be built on land provided by Reading Borough Council on the corner of Wokingham Road and Green Road, close to the Tha
11/03/2008
Work on a new £1.5m scheme to strengthen the coastal defences of an Anglesey village is now underway. Parts of Trearddur Bay have constantly suffered during stormy conditions with sea water breaching defences and flooding roads and occasionally properties. The Trearddur Bay Coastal Scheme will inv
11/03/2008
Scotland's Communities Minister today called on the housing sector to embrace Scottish Government plans to deliver more houses for the thousands of Scots in need of a home. Mr Maxwell, speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Conference in Aberdeen, said it was essential to see greater
11/03/2008
Planners, architects and developers are being encouraged to work closely with the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) as they develop Greener Buildings to create a greener future for Wales. CCW staff can offer advice on how developments fit into their local environment, advising, in particular, on
11/03/2008
Aberdeen City Council has announced that the Westburn Lounge will be refurbished for hosting the World Singles Bowls Competition this summer. The estimated cost of the overhaul is £95,000. City councillors agreed that the venue should be upgraded throughout for the world-class sporting event, whic
11/03/2008
Yvette Cooper, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and Caroline Flint, Minister for Housing and Planning, launched the review of the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy system today. The review was launched at the House of Commons before an invited group of key stakeholders. It will build on the work of t
11/03/2008
Plans for the new Fitness Suite, Exercise Studios and Children's Playzone will be unveiled at Purbeck Sports Centre's Annual Customer Focus Meeting on Thursday 13 March. Starting at 7.30 pm at the Sports Centre, members, non-members and the local community will have an opportunity to see the new im
11/03/2008
Recycling facilities in Amber Valley are set to become bigger and better, as Amber Valley Borough Council upgrades its recycling sites across the Borough. All recycling sites that provide facilities for recycling plastic will be upgraded to include new, larger plastic recycling banks. These banks w
10/03/2008
Housebuilder Bovis Homes has called for "decisive action" on interest rates after revealing a 20% drop in sales reservations since the beginning of this year. The company revealed a fall in profits for 2007, with the surplus of £123.6 million down on the £132 million seen in 2006. The company desc
10/03/2008
A warehouse in Salford has been fined £5,000 plus £3,800 in costs for several health and safety offences including using unsafe ladders and allowing untrained staff to drive forklift trucks. S Goldstein based at Selecta House in Swinton pleaded guilty of two serious offences under the Health and Sa
10/03/2008
Birmingham City Council and the City Housing Partnership have introduced a new housing plan which is to be unveiled at the city's Cabinet today. The plan which is made up of housing, health, education, social care, business and voluntary sector professionals with a stake in improving housing in the
10/03/2008
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has awarded 300 members Chartered Environmentalist status. Michael Brown, CIOB Deputy Chief Executive said: "Construction is an environmental industry and its importance to such issues like sustainability, energy efficiency and climate change cannot be und
10/03/2008
A property developer has been ordered to pay £500 for fraudulently obtaining a resident's parking permit in Kensington and Chelsea. West London Magistrates heard that Steven Aldridge was caught after a two-month long investigation by an officer from Kensington and Chelsea Council. Aldridge, who ow
10/03/2008
Planners in Chorley have unveiled new guidance for homeowners across the borough that would like to improve or extend residential property. Following public consultation, Chorley Council's Householder Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document is now available to help and guide residents with
10/03/2008
The children's playground at Green Lane Recreation Ground, New Malden, is to be relocated and substantially upgraded in a £224,000 refurbishment project. This announcement follows lengthy negotiations between Kingston Council and Thames Water, with the utilities giant agreeing to meet 100% of the c
10/03/2008
The Royal Borough's building control consultancy team is celebrating after being awarded a Charter Mark for the second time. The team, which ensures developments across the borough comply with building regulations, still remains the only building control service in Berkshire to hold the Charter Mar
10/03/2008
From Monday 17 March, Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council will once again manage the borough's Housing Register and homelessness prevention services itself in-house. The Housing Register and homelessness prevention services have been managed on behalf of the Council by the housing association Russe
10/03/2008
Stewart Milne Homes' Caraille Green development has offered buyers the opportunity to purchase a home in one of Fife's most picturesque Royal Burghs, Crail. The launch of Caraille Green is the latest venture in Fife for Stewart Milne Homes and is situated in the ancient town on the East Fife coastl
07/03/2008
Following the release of the Construction Skills report on the state of the building industry, The Construction Centre released a statement about its concern for the skills shortage. The UK building industry is predicted to need over 80,000 new workers each year between now and 2011. The type of jo
07/03/2008
Almost one in three of the 153 construction sites in Scotland visited put the lives of workers at risk and operated so far below the acceptable standard that HSE inspectors served 49 enforcement notices and stopped work on 27 of the sites, according to Jeanette Reuben, HSE's Head of Construction Sco
07/03/2008
Islington and Camden Councils have joined the growing number of councils that say "no" to Heathrow expansion. The north London boroughs follow Lambeth Council who also joined the 2M Group in the last two weeks. 2M represents more than 2 million people in communities affected by aircraft noise. Th
07/03/2008
Work will start next week on a major improvement scheme for the Eastgate area of Chichester. The aim of the £600,000 project - including new pavements, seating areas and tree planting - is to improve the general street scene and make the area more pedestrian friendly. The scheme also includes alte
07/03/2008
Trafford Council has announced at the next Sale Neighbourhood Forum Mike Webb from Peel Holdings will be outlining plans to transform the canal area, at Bridgewater Way. The forum is taking place in The Chambers at Waterside Arts Centre on 17 March. The Bridgewater Way is an £8 million scheme to i
07/03/2008
Construction has started on a hospital near Bath, designed by international architectural firm Foster and Partners. The new compact hospital has been developed by Health Properties (Bath) Limited for healthcare operator Circle healthcare. Circle has built a partnership of local clinicians who will
07/03/2008
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) is to contribute £2.95 million to two major cultural projects in Canterbury, Kent. The Agency will be contributing £2m to acquire a property next door to the existing Marlowe Theatre in order to create a larger venue and improve a cultural and herit
07/03/2008
Hillingdon Council is teaming up with Hillingdon Homes to give the residents of Verbena Close, West Drayton, a green gift this week when they plant new trees in their housing estate. The brand new tree species to the borough, 'Chitalpa 'Summer Bells', are being planted in the following the requests
07/03/2008
Swansea Council has selected London-based RDE Silex as preferred development partner for the redevelopment of the Mariner Street car park site in the city centre. The site is an important part of the City Centre regeneration strategy following closely behind the recent announcements of the £1bn Ham
07/03/2008
The new Kyle Academy annexe was filled with the sound of joyous music, as part of an evening of entertainment provided by school students, to mark the formal opening of the new building. Kyle Academy was opened in 1979 and at that time had a 154 pupils in first year. The school now has 765 pupils f
06/03/2008
Plans for sites owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to be made available to developers were welcomed today by Business Secretary John Hutton. Mr Hutton said: "Interest in building new nuclear power stations in the UK is strong. Planning applications for new plants are likely to foc
06/03/2008
International architects RMJM, the only UK-based architects to have designed a building for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, have defended its work in China and claims that boycotting the games will hold back the country's development. RMJM's chief executive Peter Morrison has criticised the decision o
06/03/2008
Spelthorne Council has agreed to support, in principal, the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport, subject to consideration of a number of factors. At a meeting of the Council, members debated the recent government consultation exercise to which Spelthorne has contributed. The consultation asks s
06/03/2008
Angus Council has announced that essential repair works to Arbroath's historic water tower have now been completed. The works had been identified in the initial report by Gray, Marshall and Associates, the company appointed by Angus Council to identify the work necessary for the preservation of the
06/03/2008
The Scottish Government has appointed seven new members to its Building Standards Advisory Committee. The people appointed are: Mr Kevin Burnett is an Associate Director with Mott MacDonald Ltd and has over 18 years experience of working within the Scottish construction industry; Mr Malcolm MacLeod
06/03/2008
Highways Agency has today announced a £5.5m project to resurface 1.75 miles of the southbound carriageway of the M6 between junctions 6 and 5, adjacent to the Fort Shopping Complex. This is the third and final phase of a four-year long programme to resurface and replace joints on the M6 between jun
06/03/2008
One of Scotland's leading specialist distributors of renewable heating systems, Ecoliving, welcomed the announcement that the Scottish Government is looking to review planning legislation on the installation of micro-renewables. Mark Henderson, Director of Ecoliving, said: "Currently £5 billion is
06/03/2008
DM Hall, the long-established and highly-respected firm of chartered surveyors, has successfully completed the purchase of one of the most sought-after and ideally located commercial sites in Central Scotland. The firm, which has offices throughout Scotland, bought the former Reekie agricultural ma
06/03/2008
Brodies LLP has completed the sale of Aberdeen-based CML Biotech Limited to Intertek UK Holdings Limited, part of Intertek Group Plc for an initial cash consideration of £8 million. CML Biotech provides laboratory and consultancy services to the upstream oil and gas industry. Shuna Stirling, Partn
06/03/2008
An extra £6.6 million is being invested in upgrading roads, streetlights and footpaths over the next three years as part of Telford & Wrekin Council's budget proposals. The investments would be up to £1.7 million a year spent on upgrading roads and footpaths to help improve safety and reassure peop
05/03/2008
Over one in three construction sites visited put the lives of workers at risk and operate below the acceptable standard, the HSE’s Chief Executive, Geoffrey Podger has said. The sites "operated so far below the acceptable standard that our inspectors served 395 enforcement notices and stopped work
05/03/2008
Scottish householders wishing to install energy generating equipment, including solar panels, will no longer require planning permission under proposals announced yesterday. A consultation has been launched on planning reforms aimed at increasing renewable energy generation and cutting emissions.
05/03/2008
Hillingdon Council Trading Standards and an Abbey National employee helped expose a huge oil shares scam saving a potential 'victim' tens of thousands of pounds. The Trading Standards Team were contacted by Annette Williams, a Money Advisor working at the Abbey National in Hayes Town, after she bec
05/03/2008
Doncaster-based artist Jamie Bubb has been given a unique opportunity to showcase his work to Sheffield’s people and visitors on a site adjacent to the station gateway. Jamie was selected by regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, to create a piece of unique artwork on the hoardings that wi
05/03/2008
Wales is making progress on recycling waste, water quality and some gas emissions. However, Environment, Sustainability and Housing Minister, Jane Davidson, says much more needs to be done across the board, for example in terms of carbon emissions and protecting biodiversity, to meet the Environment
05/03/2008
A home energy blitz started this week when surveyors are calling at homes throughout the borough to see if householders are eligible for free insulation and other low-cost energy efficiency measures. Reigate & Banstead Borough Council is working with government funded organisation the Greater Londo
05/03/2008
The Leader of East Dorset District Council, Cllr Derek Burt, has written to Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, to express concerns over the Report of the Panel on the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West. The Panel recommends the building of 6,4
05/03/2008
Businesses operating in the built environment sector are invited to attend a free seminar to find out more about the wealth of opportunities available overseas. UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) - the UK Government body responsible for helping businesses to grow by trading internationally, working wit
05/03/2008
Telford & Wrekin Council has announced its concern that the Government is commissioning a study to find ways to raise the number of new homes to be built in the borough over the next 20 years. A recent letter sent to the West Midlands Regional Assembly from Baroness Andrews has asked the Government
05/03/2008
Wokingham Borough Council has pledged to lead the borough in exploring ways to respond to climate change issues in the local community, now that leader of the council Cllr Frank Browne and Chief Executive Susan Law have signed the Nottingham Declaration on climate change. The Nottingham Declaratio
04/03/2008
Failure to provide suitable welfare facilities on building sites and safe use of tower scaffolding are just two areas where the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have witnessed varying standards of quality as part of their inspection campaign of refurbishment sites in North Wales. There were five d
04/03/2008
Maintaining stable charging and improving customer service will be the main priorities for the Scottish water industry as it looks to 2014 and beyond, Stewart Stevenson announced. The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change said that innovation is key to the long term success of t
04/03/2008
Reducing carbon emission and tackling climate change take centre stage in Bristol on March 11 with the region's first Low Carbon Innovation Exchange. Sponsored by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA), the Exchange is part of a UK-wide series of events that brings together top
04/03/2008
Lincoln has been declared an Air Quality Management Area, signalling the start of 18 months of intensive research and planning to improve the city's air quality. Air quality checks by the City of Lincoln Council's Environmental Protection Team have identified 12 junctions in Lincoln where small air
04/03/2008
Local MP Maria Miller has met with CORGI's Chief Executive to discuss how the Basingstoke-based company is continuing to push the gas safety message in the UK. CORGI is the UK's gas safety watchdog and, by law, anyone that works on gas is required to be registered with CORGI. Speaking following th
04/03/2008
Results of a Government programme aimed at improving rural services have been published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). As part of the Rural Delivery Pathfinder programme eight Pathfinders were set up across England to build on improvements being made in response
04/03/2008
Site clearance and piled foundation works at the £25 million Riverside Drive residential development are set to begin next week following successful completion of the site's civil and structural design works, by global multidisciplinary engineering consultancy Halcrow. Owned by Duncarse Riverside L
04/03/2008
A £2.2 million apartment complex has opened in Hardwick with the first new tenants moving in. Ruskin Court offers 20 two-bedroom apartments, 15 of which are linked to Endeavour Housing Associations' Extra Care Service, Aspen Gardens. The new service is a joint partnership between Endeavour Housing
04/03/2008
Work is getting underway on a new sports centre at Manhood Community College in a partnership between Chichester District Council and West Sussex County Council. A turf-cutting ceremony will be held at the site on 4 March at 10.30am when the Chairman of the County Council, Margaret Johnson, the Cha
04/03/2008
Chelmsford Borough Council has been working with local schools to get children growing and teach them about food, healthy living and environmental issues. At Lawford Mead Infant school in Chelmsford - a National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP) 'Advanced Healthy School' - the Council has helped to
03/03/2008
Developers have announced detailed plans for the first 'eco-town' in Fife, Scotland. Hamilton-based Banks Developments hopes to construct a 1,200-acre site at Cardenden with up to 5,000 new wooden eco-homes as well as schools and sports facilities. One thousand of which would be affordable housing.
03/03/2008
Climate Change and Infrastructure Minister Stewart Stevenson will tomorrow launch a consultation on planning reform proposals designed to encourage more householders to install microgeneration equipment and help cut emissions. Mr Stevenson will visit the Edinburgh home of Dora Elliot, who has press
03/03/2008
The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 comes into force on 6 April 2008, and to help raise awareness of employers' responsibilities under the new legislation, the South Wales Working Well Together Group (WWT) is holding a mock "interview under caution" event in Cardiff next month
03/03/2008
Children and young people will get new adventure playgrounds and exciting and innovative play areas if their local authorities succeed in becoming part of the first year of the Government's national £225 million play investment programme. Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Ba
03/03/2008
Delighted residents are settling into their homes at a new development, providing much-needed, affordable housing in West Harptree. Rural, social housing is in high demand as it allows local families to stay in the area, when they might otherwise be forced to move elsewhere. Six of the families mov
03/03/2008
A multi-million pound grant has been allocated to unlock the economic potential of Hengrove Park in South Bristol, the South West of England Development Agency (RDA) has announced. The £9.7m is a demonstration of the commitment the Agency has towards the city, and is an example of Bristol being the
03/03/2008
The third annual Construction Skills Network (CSN) report, published by ConstructionSkills, reveals that construction employment in Scotland is set to grow by 7.5% between 2008 and 2012. This will equate to around 6,320 new recruits joining the industry each year. Wood trades and interior fit-out
03/03/2008
PTS, the national lightside merchants, is rejoining the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF). Alan Ball, PTS Managing Director, said: "We have rejoined the BMF because it is through organisations like this that we can help the industry to grow. The BMF has a core role to play in driving industry legi
03/03/2008
Ashfield residents will see their council tax change by 2% - the lowest rise in the Council's history. It represents five pence a week on the council tax bills of the average taxpayer in Ashfield, and has been set at less than half the rate of inflation (currently 4.25%). Cllr Austin Rathe, Deputy
03/03/2008
Chelmsford Borough Council's Neighbourhood Environmental Action Team (NEAT) organised a tree planting session at the request of local residents in North Springfield last week. In total, nine trees were planted, including five small leaf lime trees on the grass verge in New Bowers Way near the junct
03/03/2008
The Paramount 'two' range of wall hung high efficiency condensing boilers from Potterton Commercial has been extended. They are now available in 30, 40, 60, 80, 95 and 115kW outputs, a range suitable for a wide variety of commercial and larger domestic applications. The lifetime guaranteed superior
