Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for April 2008
30/04/2008
Organisers of the 2012 London Olympics have been accused by MPs of being willing "to spend money like water". The Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee report, published today, states that "it appears to be over-designed... and an expensive way of providing the facilities for water sports need
30/04/2008
Corus Kalzip has won a £500,000 contract to supply 4,925 sq metres of Hi-Point - Corus' innovative off-site roofing system - to Mid-Kent College Campus in Medway, Kent. As of September 2009, the £53 million development will provide a modern learning environment capable of accommodating almost 30% m
30/04/2008
Council chiefs in Wales are in discussions to select a preferred developer for a top name hotel which is being planned at Llanelli's Machynys Golf Club, Carmarthenshire. A four-star development with panoramic views of the course is being proposed on land near the access road to the golf club. The
30/04/2008
Following the recent prosecution of builder and roofer David Johnson, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is issuing a warning to anyone that has had work carried out by him. Mr Johnson was found to be guilty of Gross Negligence Manslaughter following the death of a resident after he had worked o
30/04/2008
Regional contractor Kier Western, part of the Kier Group, and developer Samatt Ltd are celebrating coming one step closer to completing a stylish new development in Newquay. Bredon Court on Tower Road is a selection of eight two and three-bedroom terrace houses and 42 two and three-bedroom apartmen
30/04/2008
The industry consultation undertaken by the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT), asking for comments on the suggestion that building contracts should include stronger sustainability performance provisions, has came to an end. The level of response was positive, with comments lodged by individuals, compa
30/04/2008
South Tyneside College has appointed a new director of estates to head up its multi-million-pound rebuild project. Durham-born, Jim Petterson will be responsible for delivering the college's £103m new build project and ensuring it provides a state-of-the-art teaching facility for South Tyneside and
30/04/2008
House prices in the UK have fallen by 1.1% during the past year according to a report released today by Nationwide Building Society. This is the first such decline since 1996, as the credit crunch continues to take its toll on the property market. The average home in the UK now costs £178,555, £1,
30/04/2008
A brickwork training recruitment event is taking place in Huddersfield on 8 May. People living in Kirklees, aged 19 years or over and either unemployed or working less than 16 hours a week are invited to attend the event which starts at 10.30am at the National Children's Centre, Huddersfield. 'bui
30/04/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning employers about the need to properly maintain machinery and provide adequate training after a Gateshead company was fined £10,500 following an incident that left a worker blind in one eye. Weldex UK Ltd pleaded guilty to three breaches of the Provisi
29/04/2008
Oil giants Royal Dutch Shell and BP have made massive combined profits of more than £7 billion over the last three months. The companies continue to benefit from higher oil and gas prices. BP reported first quarter profits of £3.32 billion and Shell recorded profits of £3.92 billion. Royal Dutch
29/04/2008
Two reports by the National Heritage Training Group (NHTG) launched today at The Prince of Wales’s Foundation for the Built Environment, highlight serious skills and knowledge gaps affecting specialist workers in England and building professionals working across the UK built heritage sector. Encour
29/04/2008
Average house prices in England and Wales fell to £184,798 according to the latest figures from Land Registry. This is the seventh consecutive decrease in the annual rate of growth. The average cost of a home in England and Wales dropped by 0.4%, and the volume of transactions was also down 26% fr
29/04/2008
Council leaders today called for energy suppliers to pay a £500 million annual charge to help fund a home insulation programme that would lift half a million people out of poverty. The call comes as energy regulator Ofgem hosts a summit to discuss the plight of people struggling to pay rising gas a
29/04/2008
The new Innovation Centre at the University of Exeter has been awarded the top rating in the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) thanks in part to a rainwater harvesting system installed by Stormsaver. The building, which was completed late last year, was deemed
29/04/2008
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has submitted plans to build one of the most expensive private residence in the UK. The mansion is believed to be worth an estimated £150 million, and reportedly includes eight bedrooms and the renovation of two buildings in the Lowndes Square area of Knightsbridge in
29/04/2008
Ward Insulated Panels has supplied an insulated roof deck which helped to meet tight deadlines on the Anchor Point residential development in Sheffield. Advanced Roofing Ltd installed Topdek supplied with an integral Trocal membrane to the popular city centre development of 188 contemporary apart
29/04/2008
Thomas Pocklington Trust, in association with the Housing Association for disabled people (Habinteg), has produced a design guide for developing housing for people with sight loss. The new guide is being launched this week. The guide, entitled Housing for people with sight loss - A Thomas Pocklin
29/04/2008
Lord Sainsbury has unveiled a model and images of how the first building, Spark One, will look as part of the new £300 million science park for Bristol and Bath. The announcement came as part of a one day conference celebrating Science City Bristol and all that the city-region has done and continue
29/04/2008
Staff and pupils are marking a key milestone in a project to create one of the country's greenest schools. A topping out ceremony will take place today at the new school for Hillside in Whitleigh, Plymouth, which is set to become the most sustainable school in Britain. The £5.5 million building ha
28/04/2008
Capita Symonds has announced the acquisition of structural and civil engineering consultants NRM Bobrowski for an undisclosed sum. NRM Bobrowski, which has offices in London, Southampton and Sheffield, will now be known as Capita Bobrowski. Formed in 2004 following the merger of NRM Consultants an
28/04/2008
PME, the mechanical and electrical maintenance services arm of Carillion plc, has announced that from 1 May it is changing its brand name to Carillion Planned Maintenance. Originally a family-owned company, PME was acquired by Carillion in March 2005. Since then it has expanded both organically and
28/04/2008
Galliford Try has been awarded a £26m contract to build a new justice centre in Leamington Spa on behalf of Warwickshire Police Authority. Galliford Try will build the centre on the site of the former Magistrates' Court which will include 24/7 policing facilities, Judicial Services, Crown Prosecuti
28/04/2008
Members of a Carlisle City Council planning committee gave their final approval for development proposals for Carlisle airport on Friday. Modified planning conditions for the Carlisle Airport planning approval were discussed and after assessing all the information and issues, Carlisle City Council'
28/04/2008
Gleeds, the International Management and Construction Consultancy, has been chosen by the new Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to provide Cost and Project Management services across the UK in a framework agreement. The Framework Agreement will cover £1.6 billion of annual capital spend on the con
28/04/2008
Lovell is set to undertake £18 million of Decent Homes housing refurbishment and other improvement work for Dales Housing and Seven Locks Housing, both members of Acclaim Housing Group. The company has been selected to carry out a two-year programme of improvements to 1,500 properties managed by Da
28/04/2008
Motorists and pedestrians are set to benefit from major improvement works starting early next month at Grantham’s London Road, Wharf Road and High Street junction. The scheme is to upgrade the existing traffic signals and amend the junction alignment to improve HGV movements at this junction, there
28/04/2008
Young children at a Shropshire primary school are about to stay safe and play safe following a £2,500 grant from Central Networks. The Parent Teacher Association at St John's Primary School in Bridgnorth has been given the money from the electricity distribution company's Safer Environment Fund to
28/04/2008
Meeting the ever-increasing demand for temporary CCTV is the latest development from wireless specialists Tag Guard. Their new Mobile 3G Camera System is compact and totally portable and operational from virtually anywhere within hours. The high scrap value of raw materials like copper, lead and s
28/04/2008
Sperian Protection, formerly Bacou-Dalloz, one of the market leaders in Personal Protective Equipment, is launching brand new eye, ear and fall protection products to the UK market at Safety & Health Expo 2008. Visitors to stand D20 will also be able to see a demonstration of the company’s new UK-s
25/04/2008
The New Forest Park Authority's application for a judicial review of Christchurch Borough council's granting of planning permission for the extension of Bournemouth Airport has been refused. The National Park Authority sought permission from the High Court to apply for the judicial review stating t
25/04/2008
A company director of a construction firm has been charged with manslaughter after a Chinese man died from a fall on a building site in Norwich. The man, who cannot be named, fell at The Panary in Trowse on January 31, and later died in hospital from his injuries. Company director of Alcon Constru
25/04/2008
The vast majority of Britain's new home buyers would recommend their home builder to a friend, according to the Home Builders Federation's (HBF's) third annual Customer Satisfaction Survey released this week. The survey also showed that over three quarters of purchasers questioned in the 12 months
25/04/2008
Bristol Metropolitan College opened its doors for the first full day today with staff and students in the brand new building. The new school, which replaces Whitefield Fishponds Community School, has been completed on time and in budget, following a 20-month building programme. The rebuild is part
25/04/2008
Many people on low incomes renting privately are being forced to live in slum-like conditions and struggle to find a decent, affordable place to live, according to a new report by Shelter. The report, 'A route to homelessness?', written by Julie Rugg, examines the problems people on low incomes liv
25/04/2008
Plans to convert the former Pump House at Llanelli’s North Dock, Wales into a restaurant have been approved by Carmarthenshire councillors. The proposals by Bendigo 9-10 went before the planning committee yesterday. They are part of the mixed-use urban development planned by Llanelli Waterside – a
25/04/2008
Simplex Foundations is installing abutment foundations for a new road bridge over the Grand Union Canal at Rothersthorpe on the A43 at the 15A junction of the M1 motorway adjacent to the Rothersthorpe Motorway Services. The new bridge is necessitated by the dualling of the single carriageway link r
25/04/2008
Liverpool's founding deeds are finally being donated to the city. Sir Bernard de Hoghton Bt KM DL, whose family has been closely linked to Liverpool for centuries, has chosen Capital of Culture year to hand over the deeds, which include the oldest proof of the city's existence from 1192. Sir Berna
25/04/2008
A scheme which will strengthen Herodsfoot Village Bridges is due to start on the week commencing 28 April 2008, it has been announced. The bridges carry the unclassified road that passes through Herodsfoot Village over two unnamed tributaries of the River West Looe. The bridge to the west of the v
25/04/2008
Three major themes for the National Home Improvement Council’s (NHIC) 2008 Annual Awards Scheme will be energy efficiency, safety, and innovation in the UK home and environmental improvements. This year’s awards brochure provides full details of the various categories in the Annual Awards Scheme, n
24/04/2008
Doncasters Group Ltd., a leading global manufacturer of precision components for the aerospace and industrial gas turbine industries, is investing £16 million to expand the capabilities of its Blaenavon plant, creating 125 new jobs. This latest project by the Group in Wales is in addition to a prev
24/04/2008
Wildmoor Quarry Products has been fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £3,520 in costs at Bromsgrove and Redditch Magistrates Court, after an employee suffered head injuries after a 30kg lump of sandstone fell on his head. The incident happened on 21 March last year at Bromsgrove quarry and the victim s
24/04/2008
Housebuilder Persimmon has reported sales have dropped by 24% this year after a deterioration in the mortgage market over the past three weeks. The firm has decided to postpone new builds as it had suffered from rising cancellation rates in the market. It said revenues for the year to date were ab
24/04/2008
Three vandal attacks in a matter of days on Nottinghamshire power cables left thousands of people without electricity and could have caused serious injury or death, according to Central Networks. The first attack was near Clay Lane in Newark, where engineers discovered that someone had thrown a set
24/04/2008
Coleford is to be transformed thanks to a £1.6m investment by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (South West RDA). The funding will be used to lead a sustainable economy by unlocking the business potential of the Forest of Dean town. It will realise bold plans for two major town
24/04/2008
Construction and management consultants Turner & Townsend have announced the appointment of Dave Belmont as its first Company Secretary. Mr Belmont, who was named Company Secretary of the Year in 2006, joins from CODA plc and brings 15 years company secretarial experience to Turner & Townsend. His
24/04/2008
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC), in association with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), has announced Matthew Boulton College, Birmingham and Usworth Sixth Form College, Sunderland, as the joint winners of the prestigious Further Education Design Excellence Awards 2008. The awa
24/04/2008
A bus company operating in Peterborough has become even greener after introducing three double-decker buses which have been converted to reduce carbon emissions. Delaine Buses, which has been operating in Peterborough since 1923, has converted the three bus engines to the latest Euro 5 engine speci
24/04/2008
Energy company E.ON is holding a second series of public exhibitions to give local people a chance to find about more about its proposed £700m offshore wind farm off Spurn head. If approved, the 300MW Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm, which would consist of up to 83 turbines, would generate enough
24/04/2008
Lovell has been presented with a major award for helping set up and support a construction training project at a Birmingham school. Lovell received the One Edgbaston Partnership Award for Corporate and Social Responsibility in recognition of its close involvement with the construction training cent
23/04/2008
The Government is failing pensioners and poor families in fuel poverty, according to a coalition of Age Concern, Child Poverty Action Group, and National Energy Action. As ministers and energy industry leaders prepare for a major summit hosted by Ofgem today, new figures show that the average energ
23/04/2008
The construction workload in the UK has fallen to its lowest level for two years, according to a survey by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The decline in construction is further evidence of the slowdown in the UK housing market, according to the FMB, which represents 13,000 building compan
23/04/2008
Gas fitters have been warned to ensure they are competent and registered before undertaking work. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued the caution following the prosecution of a Leeds gas fitter who provided a landlord with completed landlord gas safety records without carrying out the full
23/04/2008
Sheffield United's football stadium has been evacuated after a gas cylinder on an adjacent building site exploded yesterday morning. Firefighters were called to the blaze on Bramall Lane and over 100 employees had to be evacuated. It is believed an acetylene cylinder was on fire on the seventh flo
23/04/2008
The owner of a car lot, who failed to comply with a planning enforcement notice, has been fined £2,500. John Roper of Wavertree Car Centre, High Street, Liverpool, pleaded guilty at Liverpool Magistrates Court to failing to comply with an Enforcement Notice issued to him on 29 August 2006. He was
23/04/2008
Land Securities has been granted planning permission from the City of London's Planning and Transportation Committee to develop 30 Old Bailey EC4, a mixed used development designed by Make Architects. The development will replace a series of properties dating from the 1960's with a contemporary n
23/04/2008
Kent Police is working with the construction, farming, insurance, security and transport industries, as well as the public, to reduce the theft of heavy machinery. It is part of a major drive to stop specialist gangs stealing the valuable equipment from building sites, farms and lay-bys. Officers
23/04/2008
Students from City College in Norwich got the chance to take a closer look at a working construction site, thanks to Lovell. The company, which has local offices in Thorpe Road, Norwich, invited a group of the college's carpentry and bricklaying students to visit its site at All Saints Green where
23/04/2008
Thames Water is proposing to upgrade its sludge treatment facilities at Riverside Sewage Treatment Works, in Rainham. It will enable the plant to treat the solid waste left behind after the sewage treatment process and turn it into enough renewable energy to power the entire site. Nick Fawcett, Pr
23/04/2008
Cornish residents are being invited to help decide what Cornwall will look like in 20 years time by taking part in a consultation into the new Sustainable Community Strategy. The Sustainable Community Strategy for Cornwall has been produced by the Cornwall Strategic Partnership, a group of 40 repre
23/04/2008
Flagship and Haymills Property Solutions have launched a competition for the next trade 'Apprentice'. Haymills Property Solutions currently provides responsive and planned repair and maintenance services to over 14,000 of Flagship's homes across Norfolk and Suffolk on behalf of Peddars Way Housing
23/04/2008
SpectraROOF has added a complete suite of system accessories to compliment its range of advanced polymeric single ply membranes. This enables SpectraROOF to provide a comprehensive waterproofing solution for single ply projects, ensuring single point accountability for its rapidly growing client b
22/04/2008
More than 19,000 complaints were made about builders, plumbers, electricians and other home improvement traders which totalled almost £80 million in the first three months of this year. Consumer Direct, a government-funded telephone and online service which offers information and advice on consumer
22/04/2008
More than 500 people have lost their jobs at debt-laden property services company Erinaceous. KPMG were forced to call in administrators last week and announced the sales of three of the firm's key subsidiaries. A total of 546 job cuts were made. The move helped to protect the jobs of about 1,800
22/04/2008
Chancellor Alistair Darling and Housing Minister Caroline Flint are to meet mortgage lenders later today to discuss ways to help homeowners to survive the credit crunch. The Bank of England has launched a scheme to allow banks to swap temporarily their high quality mortgage-backed and other securit
22/04/2008
The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has showed further commitment to staging a truly sustainable Games by becoming a member of the 'Supplier Ethical Data Exchange' (Sedex). LOCOG also announced it is working towards publishing a Sustainable Sourcing Code in autumn 2008. The measures will
22/04/2008
A Welsh haulage boss is counting the cost of using illicit fuel after HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) stopped his tipper truck in Swansea. The Pontardawe-based operator's truck, which had a concealed tank housing red diesel, is due to be crushed. Andrew Burgoyne, Road Fuel Control Officer, HMRC comme
22/04/2008
BRE Global has gained United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation as scheme operator for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) As scheme operator, BRE Global has been awarded accreditation for the certification of installers, plus heat pumps, solar heating collectors, micro w
22/04/2008
An English teacher who was suspended after she starred in a raunchy advert that was posted on YouTube has been given the all-clear to return to work. Sarah Green, 25, was suspended from Stockport Grammer School in January after the clip was discovered by pupils. The advert shows Miss Green playing
22/04/2008
HRH The Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister will address an audience of South West businesses on 1 May at The Prince of Wales's May Day Business Summit on Climate Change, via a live feed from a central event taking place in London. The Summit will reconvene the May Day Network, a group of over 80
22/04/2008
Development Securities has awarded Skanska UK a contract worth around £88 million to construct Two Kingdom Street at PaddingtonCentral. This latest project will be the second building Skanska has constructed for Development Securities and follows the successful completion of One Kingdom Street in
22/04/2008
Energy company E.ON and the University of Nottingham have announced plans to go back to the future by building a replica 1930s semi-detached house to research the challenges and costs involved in improving the energy performance of the UK's ageing housing stock. The project will involve building a
22/04/2008
Provider of property maintenance services, PH Jones, has announced the acquisition of the Coolfactor Group. The second acquisition in six months, the company adds to the breadth of services available to the public sector through air conditioning and refrigeration and increases development opportuni
22/04/2008
Winners of a competition to design a primary school of the future will be presented with their prizes at a ceremony on Friday 25 April. The competition was open to Year 6 pupils from primary schools in Gloucester and they were asked to think about what kind of spaces and rooms they would like to se
21/04/2008
The Construction Confederation has called on the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to ensure a sensible and proportionate response to the findings of their four-year investigation into industry practices. The bulk of the alleged infringements listed in the published Statement of Objections are examples
21/04/2008
Three former workers for Amey Mouchel, maintenance, improvement and management services company to the Highways Agency (HA), have been jailed for three years after subjecting a Muslim workmate to racial harassment. Phillip Skett, Sean Melaney and Lee McDermott, who worked at a Walsall roadworks dep
21/04/2008
West Sussex company RH Phillips & Sons Ltd has been fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £1,600 costs, plus a £15 victim surcharge at Chichester Magistrates' Court in a case brought by the Health and Safety Executive. R H Phillips & Sons Ltd pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 4 of the Work at Heig
21/04/2008
Arun Council has written to Housing Minister Caroline Flint, requesting a meeting about the proposed eco-town at Ford, west Sussex, detailing the main issues they wish to discuss. The Council was informed in a letter from Ms Flint's office last week that Ford had been selected as one of the 15 loca
21/04/2008
Housing charity Shelter will today call on the Government and mortgage lenders to jointly fund a rescue package to help struggling homeowners facing repossession. Treasury and housing ministers meet with the Council of Mortgage Lenders tomorrow to talk about the housing crisis and the number of rep
21/04/2008
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is making a commitment to renewable energy by officially launching its state-of-the-art wind turbine at renaissance House in Warrington at the end of May. Standing almost 25m high, the turbine will feed directly into the Agency's electrical supply an
21/04/2008
Providing cutting edge skills for the engineers and construction workers of the future is a cornerstone of the Assembly Government's plans to build a strong economy, First Minister of Wales Rhodri Morgan said . He was in the borough to officially open the new £5.2 million Engineering and Constructi
21/04/2008
Willmott Dixon Group's social housing specialist Inspace has been appointed as contractor for a major programme to revamp elderly care accommodation across Walsall. It has secured a £40 million contract from registered social landlord Housing 21, which is working in partnership with Walsall Boroug
21/04/2008
Birse Civils came out on top at the Considerate Constructors awards, scooping 11 nods for projects, including the Most Considerate Site. The firm left laden with two bronze, three silver and two gold awards, as well as two silvers awarded for projects in conjunction with Leeds and Sheffield City Co
21/04/2008
The vision to bring Sheffield a brand new indoor market has moved a step closer. Sheffield City Council has signed the Agreement for Lease for the new Moor Indoor Market. David Curtis, Interim Executive Director of Development, Environment and Leisure at Sheffield City Council said: "Signing the le
18/04/2008
In reaction to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) report into construction price fixing, UCATT have called for a reversal of successive Government policies in the public sector in order to stamp out the practice. Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of construction union UCATT, said: "The widespread and s
18/04/2008
Workers for steelmaker company Corus fear for the future as it is expected to announce 300 job cuts at its factory in Trostre in Llanelli. It is believed a meeting will be held later this morning to discuss the issue, however speculation has been growing that Corus will axe jobs at its tinplate wor
18/04/2008
Figures produced by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) have put the total repair bill for the June and July 2007 floods at £3 billion. With VAT charged at the full rate of 17.5% on almost all building repair work, £525m could be generated in VAT for the Treasury - almost as much as that spe
18/04/2008
Taylor Wimpey, one of the UK's largest housebuilders, has reported a downturn in market conditions as first time buyers and investors are facing difficulties with the restricted availability of mortgages. The company reported it sales rates have remained significantly below those of the equivalent
18/04/2008
A new 125-year lease for Butlins in Bognor Regis has been signed by the Leader of Arun District Council and Butlins' Managing Director, which guarantees further multi-million pound investment in the town. The Council agreed to grant the new, longer lease at a Cabinet meeting last October on the bas
18/04/2008
Discussions have begun over plans for the £24 million revamp of Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. The plans have been submitted to Canterbury Council and a decision is expected to made later this year. The modern theatre will have a new main auditorium will have 1,200 seats and new box office and toi
18/04/2008
Firefighters have rescued two men who plunged 40ft down a shaft on a building site in Yorkshire yesterday. Darren Cousins, 39, and Andy Topham, 40, were trapped down the shaft, on Daniel Hill, for over an hour before the fire service brought them to safety. Both men were wrapped in foil blankets a
18/04/2008
The highest safety standards are being met on the construction site of the Olympic Park, with over two million hours achieved without a reportable accident. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) gained possession of the site last July, and since then over 2,000 workers on site have been working to c
18/04/2008
Major demolition and construction work began this week to demolish the former Barnsley Council offices off County Way and construct a new 170-space car park on the site. The additional town centre parking will be linked to the existing Lower Courthouse car park. It will replace parking spaces lost
18/04/2008
Following Ofwat's announcement that Thames Water will pay a reduced fine of £9.7 million, down from £12.5 million, for misreporting information to the regulator and failing to provide some customers with compensation payments, the Consumer Council for Water is surprised that Ofwat has decided to red
17/04/2008
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has accused over 100 construction firms of "bid-rigging" in one of its largest ever investigations. Construction giants Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Connaught, Interserve and Kier are among the 112 firms alleged to have taken part in a cartel to fix prices when biddin
17/04/2008
Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, has fined Thames Water 0.7% of its turnover of £9.7 million for misreporting information and delivering poor service to customers. Ofwat is now publishing final notices penalising the company, after proposing to fine the company last September. Defici
17/04/2008
Sheffield Council and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have signed an agreement to work in partnership on health and safety matters. The Statement of Intent is aimed at helping the organisations meet national targets on improvements in health and safety at work. Both organisations are enforcin
17/04/2008
Arun District Council is to conduct a widespread public investigation into the proposed siting of an eco-town at Ford. Members resolved to establish a special Select Committee at a special cabinet meeting that will examine exactly how suitable the proposed location at Ford is to site a new town. I
17/04/2008
A host of improvement projects across the county are set to benefit from grants, as Lincolnshire County Council distributes funding from the Government's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund again. The fund can support a diverse range of schemes including improvements to public access, cycleways, up
17/04/2008
Projects to kickstart the fight against climate change have been given the green light by the Lancashire Local Rossendale committee. Energy saving is the aim of three separate schemes, the first in the district to receive grant aid from Lancashire County Council's Climate Change Fund. The Rossenda
17/04/2008
Harrow Estates has been granted outline planning permission by Manchester City Council for the development of a 44 acre site in Openshaw West, east Manchester. To be known as Dreyfus Village, the residential-led scheme, predominately designed for families, will encompass 1,100 residential units and
17/04/2008
House prices for first time buyers throughout the UK have risen a staggering 200% in a decade, the annual Roof Affordability Index has revealed. The Index shows the average first time property price has rocketed from £52,674 to £159,494. The figure is higher in London with first time buyers facing
17/04/2008
Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) has reacted with anger to an unprovoked attack by former newspaper boss Mr Eddie Shah concerning the work ethic of construction workers. Mr Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "It is a pity that Eddie Shah has crawled out from
17/04/2008
The introduction of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) could seriously undermine the UK's claim to leadership on climate change and increase emissions from the transport sector, according to Greenpeace. The group claims that new rules to oblige motorists to pump biofuels into their tank
16/04/2008
Construction union UCATT have sent their condolences to the family of a young worker killed in the early hours of Saturday morning at the Corus plant on Teeside. Kristian Norris was a refractory bricklayer employed by Vesuvius to perform maintenance at the Corus factory on Teesside. Mr Norris, 29,
16/04/2008
A pensioner has been ordered to pay £300,000 after building a network of tunnels underneath his home, which nearly caused it to collapse. William Lyttle, also known as the 'Mole Man' by local residents in Mortimer Road, Hackney, spent 40 years digging a labyrinth of tunnels. Mr Lyttle, 77, was evi
16/04/2008
Associated British Ports' (ABP) Port of Southampton has awarded a multi-million pound building contract for its fourth cruise terminal to Dean and Dyball, the Hampshire-based multi-disciplinary contractor. The as-yet unnamed £19m terminal is being built after ABP and Carnival UK signed a 20-year co
16/04/2008
Fareham-based construction firm Amiri has had plans approved to build a new shelter for homeless people in Hampshire. The £2.6m development will provide housing and employment for up to 23 homeless people and the brand new building will also be environmentally-friendly. The building will comprise
16/04/2008
A ceremony in Croxteth, Liverpool, celebrated the handover of the first homes built by Lovell with funding obtained through the Housing Corporation's National Affordable Housing Programme. The landmark properties are part of a £5.6m development of 66 properties - for rent and shared ownership - fo
16/04/2008
Two Neath Port Talbot projects have scooped top awards in the annual Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Awards for South Wales. The Intertissue paper mill on the Baglan Energy Park and a six executive house development at Cilfrew both won the praise of judges in their categories. The scale of
16/04/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned of the dangers of allowing cranes to operate over the heads of employees. The warning following the prosecution of a Liverpool-based company after a man was killed and another seriously injured after they were struck by a load that fell from a crane.
16/04/2008
Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) has appointed a team led by URS to draw designs for the redevelopment of the market in Vauxhall, London. The team is made up of nine companies - Foster + Partners, Davis Langdon, Promar International, MVA, Preston Solutions, Utilities, Booth Smith Food Technolo
16/04/2008
Erinaceous has announced it has appointed administrators to the company with immediate effect. The company, providers to the management, maintenance, procurement, design, construction and insurance of property, said it has vigorously explored all of the available strategic options including the pos
16/04/2008
SEGRO plc has announced that Mr Ian Sutcliffe is to be appointed as SEGRO's Managing Director, UK Property, and will be joining the main SEGRO Board when he takes up his position, which is expected to be no later than this July. Mr Sutcliffe stood down as Chief Executive of Taylor Wimpey UK. He pr
15/04/2008
House prices are falling to their worst levels in 30 years with a record number of chartered surveyors reporting a drop in the cost of property during March. A report published by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed 78.5% more surveyors said the value of property had dropped, t
15/04/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned of the need to manage the risk from live electricity cables on construction sites after two workmen suffered serious burns after a cable explosion. The warning follows the prosecution of SP Power Systems Ltd of Glasgow after Peter Mason was engulfed
15/04/2008
Carillion, one of the leading UK support services and construction company, has secured a five-year Managing Agent Contractor (MAC) contract for the Highways Agency with its joint venture partner, WSP, worth £85 million. The contract is for the maintenance of all motorways and trunk roads in Area 8
15/04/2008
New rules requiring drivers to fill their tanks with greener fuels have come into force today. The initiative is known as the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and requires 2.5% of all road fuels sold to come from biofuels, rising to 5% by 2010. The idea behind the initiative is to reduc
15/04/2008
An innovative regional infrastructure fund is to be explored by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) which could be worth £1 billion and pay for the accelerated delivery of transport and other infrastructure projects in the East of England. EEDA has commissioned a team of consultants, led
15/04/2008
Lovell has been chosen to undertake the £2.9 million second phase of a major estate regeneration project in Newport, South Wales. Lovell will build 32 houses, apartments and bungalows in the Ringland area of the town for Fairlake Properties, which is part of the Seren Group, for rent and low-cost h
15/04/2008
Church Farm Museum in Skegness has secured a Project Planning Grant of £22,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the production of plans for conservation, access and audience development at the site. Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Cllr Eddy Poll, said: "This grant is a first
15/04/2008
Regional Development agency One NorthEast has welcomed the launch of the Bio-Energy Capital Grants Scheme. The announcement was made last week by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), who expect to allocate £4m to businesses in the industrial, commercial and community sect
15/04/2008
LABC Training, provider of building control practice updates and training on new regulations and innovations, has appointed Anna Thompson as Director of Training. Ms Thompson took up her new post after working in local authority building control, including most recently East Devon District Council
15/04/2008
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and Hill International have announced the details of the 2008 UK Masterclass, which will be held on the 11 and 12 June in London. The focus of the 2008 event is 'Delay and disruption in construction contracts'. The speakers confirmed to appear include fig
14/04/2008
Tesco has released £60 million plans to open one of its largest stores in Wales which will create over 300 jobs. The proposals include a new 80,000 square foot Tesco Extra store on the site of an old steel foundry at Risca. Planning permission from Cardiff County Council is required, and the new s
14/04/2008
A former piece of wasteland on Birmingham's Hagley Road may soon benefit from a new retail development. RPS has recently submitted a planning application for a mixed-use retail development combining food and non-food goods retail in one building with an additional mezzanine storage area. The 0.3h
14/04/2008
The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and BRE are to host several free events across the UK, promoting the extensive grant funding available under phase II of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP2) starting with the launch event at BRE's headquarters in Watford on 2
14/04/2008
The next Healthy, Wealthy and Warm Roadshow in Sheffield is at a venue with a difference, Elm Lane Fire Station. The event on 16 April runs from 10.30am to 2.30pm and is the latest in a series of roadshows giving advice on energy efficiency, healthy living, benefits and home safety. The event is o
14/04/2008
An environmental team is handing out free energy efficient light bulbs to Manchester residents. The Manchester City Council team visited Harpurhey and Cheetham last week giving more than 100 low-energy light bulbs to residents who signed pledges saying they would use them to replace their old bulbs
14/04/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning employers about working with dangerous substances without a proper health and safety assessment following the prosecution of the world's largest clay brick and tile manufacturer. Wienerberger Ltd, based in Cheshire, pleaded guilty to two breaches of
14/04/2008
Delivery of London's vital Thameslink Programme came closer as Network Rail announced their preferred contractors for initial work worth a total of £27 million at three key sites. The preferred contractors will have to work with Network Rail to provide firm timescales and budgets for three key proj
14/04/2008
Bath & North East Somerset Council is seeking residents' views on locally important buildings and on planning policies relating to existing houses in the Green Belt. Two new documents are out for consultation from now until 22 May. Both supplement local planning policies outlined in the Bath & Nort
14/04/2008
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has underlined its commitment to improving local employability and sustainability by awarding a major transport contract to new social enterprise E&HCT. ECT Group and HCT Group, two of the country's largest social enterprises, formed the partnership. Both alread
14/04/2008
Sperian Protection has announced the launch of Sperian Ignite safety spectacles, a comfortable, sleek addition to its range of safety eyewear and the first innovation under the new Sperian brand for eye protection. The lightweight, frameless design of the Ignite spectacles offer 180-degrees of uno
11/04/2008
The shortlisted teams competing to deliver the latest packages of structures and bridges for the Olympic Park have been announced by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). The structures, roads and bridges project will play a major role in creating a compact and integrated Olympic Park and leaving a
11/04/2008
As the £4 million Public Realm improvement scheme in Lincolnshire enters its final stages, work continues to make good progress. The carriageway is currently being reconstructed and yorkstone setts laid on the parking area outside Danesgate House. Work has also been extended to include the carriage
11/04/2008
Next Generation Data is to invest up to £200m in Wales to create one of Europe's largest and most technically advanced "green" data-centres. The announcement was made yesterday by Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, who described it as a strategically important investment that
11/04/2008
Major building works to restore and conserve the historic limeworks at Llanymynech have now been completed and will be officially opened on 16 April by Shropshire County Councillor, Barbara Craig. For the first time in over a 100 years smoke will emerge from the chimney to the Hoffmann Kiln to cele
11/04/2008
Plans by Amber Valley Borough Council, in partnership with the Crays Hill Park Community Project, to breathe new life into Crays Hill Recreation Ground near Swanwick get underway this month. The land, which has formerly been used as a colliery yard, storage facility and landfill site for domestic w
11/04/2008
Hundreds of potential investors and developers went to see for themselves the success story that is Luton at the recent Marche International des Professioneles d'immobilier (MIPIM) 2008 exhibition in Cannes, south of France. MIPIM is recognised as the world's leading and most influential annual rea
11/04/2008
Morriston Comprehensive pupils are taking their first lessons in a state-of-the-art new science and maths block. Youngsters at the Swansea school were delighted to take their seats in a multi-million pound new building on their return from their Easter break. The £3 million new extension contains
11/04/2008
A Costain worker has been killed following an incident in roadworks on the M25 in Kent. Richard Caddock, 38, a surveyor for the engineering and construction group, died at around 3.20pm on Tuesday afternoon. It is still unclear how he died, however the Health & Safety Executive and the Kent Police
11/04/2008
Power companies will help up to 100,000 households who are struggling to pay their fuel bills. An extra £225m will be provided by the six biggest energy firms according to Business Secretary John Hutton. Mr Hutton said the companies would spend £150 million by the year 2010 on social assistance, o
11/04/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning companies to put in place proper safety precautions and procedures to ensure that all machinery is properly guarded. The warning follows the death of a sub-contractor working for Edeco Petroleum Services on a drilling project at Aldbrough Gas Storage
10/04/2008
Plans for a multi million pound pipeline that will keep the taps running in Gloucestershire during an emergency have been unveiled. The proposed new system, part of a £25 million package, would safeguard supplies to Gloucester and Cheltenham if ever the Mythe Treatment Works failed again. The plan
10/04/2008
Wates Group Ltd, one of the largest UK building & construction companies, has announced its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2007, which demonstrate excellent growth in all businesses and a 20% increase in Group pre-tax profit. 2007 proved to be a successful year for the Wates Group
10/04/2008
A turf cutting ceremony has marked the start of a new era for Rollesby Primary and Nursery School. Over the next 23 weeks local contractor Kier Eastern will build new classroom facilities, a play area and cycle storage and carry out internal refurbishment at the school in Main Road, Rollesby. The
10/04/2008
Minerva has signed a £150 million construction contract with Skanska, one of the world's leading construction groups, to build a large office building in London. The £150m St Botolphs project involves a new 14-storey office and retail development that will provide approximately 52,000 square meter
10/04/2008
Oak Holdings plc, the AIM listed company behind the £350 million YES! Project, announced that it has reached a further milestone in the project, signing a partnership agreement with Laing O'Rourke, the UK's largest privately-owned construction company. The agreement provides Oak with a relationship
10/04/2008
As work draws to a close on the £6.24 million London Road 'gateway' improvement scheme in Peterborough, there will be a number of changes to pedestrian crossings, with new additional facilities also provided. New crossings will be located at the following locations: East Station Road; London Road a
10/04/2008
Early unvalidated figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggest that around 69 construction workers were killed in 2007/08. This points to a 10% improvement on the previous year's figures, but HSE warned the construction industry not to be complacent. HSE's Chief Inspector of Constr
10/04/2008
Every local authority could have the opportunity to join Building Schools for the Future (BSF) earlier, under proposals to accelerate entry into the programme published for consultation by Schools Minister Jim Knight. Over 1,000 school building projects in 72 local authorities are already under way
10/04/2008
Today's official opening of the Knowle West Media Centre follows a £1.38 million investment from the South West RDA - the project's main financial backer - as part of its commitment to creating a vibrant local economy. It is the Agency's vision to strengthen the region's economy in a sustainable wa
10/04/2008
Electricity customers in south Wales pay up to 10% more compared to people in England, according to a report by Energywatch. Energy consumers in north Wales pay on average 4% more and Energywatch is concerned that more than 270,000 households were classed as "fuel poor". The results of the report
09/04/2008
HSBC is taking advantage of rivals and is offering mortgages to people whose fixed-rate deals with other lenders are reaching an end. The offer will apply to current HSBC customers and those who have mortgages elsewhere. HSBC says it will match existing deals for up to two years. Joe Garner, HSBC
09/04/2008
A £4m fund to support the installation of biomass-fuelled heating and combined heat & power projects, including anaerobic digesters, was opened to applications today by Climate Change Minister, Phil Woolas. Applications are welcome from industrial, commercial and community sectors. This encompasses
09/04/2008
Contracts have been signed for the construction of the two flagship 2012 venues, the Olympic Stadium and the Aquatics Centre, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) announced yesterday. Discussions are also at an advanced stage on the Velodrome with a construction contractor due to be appointed in th
09/04/2008
Police officers carried out a spot check at a building site in Wales after bosses were suspicious drugs were being used among workers. The raid took place at St David's 2 shopping centre in Cardiff and specially trained sniffer dogs were used to carry out the search on more than 500 workers. The m
09/04/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is highlighting how falls from height can shatter lives after an incident in Norwich lead to a company being prosecution. Air Plant Dust Extraction Ltd in Leicester, was fined £5,000 with £5,147 costs, at Norwich Magistrate's Court on 7 April, after pleading gu
09/04/2008
Big Ben has officially been named Britain's favourite landmark in a survey to mark the birthday of engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Stonehenge came second in the poll which was answered by more than 2,000 adults. Blackpool Tower and Edinburgh Castle were also popular favourites. Six of the top
09/04/2008
A property company has been selected by Portsmouth Council to develop the first phase of a £100 million business park for the south coast. Countryside Properties beat off competition ahead of MEPC and ProLogis to develop the £100m Dunsbury Hill Farm business park in Hampshire. Countryside is plann
09/04/2008
From the size of work surfaces to the way the windows open, the shape and feel of thermostat controls and the way rooms are lit, a revolutionary new guide from Thomas Pocklington Trust details over a hundred ways that good housing design can improve the lives of people with poor sight. The guide 'H
09/04/2008
E.ON, one of the country's leading green generators, has submitted a planning application for a £700m offshore wind farm located over 8km off the East Yorkshire coast. If built, the 300MW Humber Gateway Offshore Wind Farm - which would generate enough clean, green electricity to power up to 195,000
09/04/2008
Work to improve a school in Gowerton, Swansea, reached new heights this week. The roof has been completed on a new teaching block at Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr as part of a £1.3 million programme to improve facilities there. The block will house seven new classrooms and the scheme includes a new sprinkler s
08/04/2008
A renowned UK marine company has submitted detailed plans for a major expansion of facilities at their base. Sunseeker International made the application for their Osprey Quay site in Portland to Weymouth & Portland Borough Council. This includes a new 4,200m2 boat building facility which will enab
08/04/2008
The Welsh Assembly Government is now advertising for a contractor for its prestigious new office in Llandudno Junction. The advertisement inviting interested companies to formally express an interest in developing the project has now been issued to the Official Journal of the European Union and the
08/04/2008
Building the new Rushenden Link Road will be a major milestone for the Thames Gateway project. Funding of £13.2 million will come from South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG), it has been announced. Kent County Council will build t
08/04/2008
Derwent Living has chosen Lovell to build a £1.7m housing development in Nottingham. Lovell will build 13 three-bedroom houses and seven two-bedroom apartments on land at Bulwell Lane, Basford. The development will provide 18 homes for shared ownership and two homes for affordable rent. The Housin
08/04/2008
A competition to find a new home for a pair of the original wrought iron gates from the Morlands site has been widened to include the local Councils. The South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) launched the competition in conjunction with the Central Somerset Gazette before Christm
08/04/2008
One of Bristol's busiest and most loved community buildings has received a major funding boost to completely refurbish and extend its premises. St Werburghs Community Centre, a former Victorian primary school which serves some of Bristol’s most deprived communities, is to receive £1 million. Despi
08/04/2008
A project to help tackle climate change has been given the green light by Lancashire Local Burnley. £6,710 was agreed by councillors for an energy conservation scheme in the town. The proposal by the Canalside Community Association will see better insulation and a more efficient heating system ins
08/04/2008
Work is starting to find a new developer for the Market Walk Phase Two development, after RREEF pulled out of the exciting project for Chorley Town Centre. Builders were expected to make a start on the £20m development later this year but the current developers have withdrawn from the project stati
08/04/2008
A Peterborough property has been given a new lease of life thanks to Peterborough City Council after originally being left empty for more than six months. It is the first time anywhere in the country a local authority has issued a Final Empty Dwelling Management Order to bring a property back into
08/04/2008
Thompsons of Prudhoe, Northumberland, has purchased its first Volvo excavator which takes charge of prime extraction duties at the company’s Bishop Middleham Quarry located in County Durham. Whilst Thompsons of Prudhoe are not strangers to Volvo Construction Equipment products, having operated arti
07/04/2008
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today released new aerial photographs and footage of the Olympic Park, showing the rapid progress that has been made to clean and clear the area ready for the start of construction. The site of the Olympic Stadium will this week be handed over to Team Stadium, t
07/04/2008
The UK is continuing to lead the world in marine renewables technology as the Secretary of State for Energy, John Hutton, grants planning permission for a prototype tidal stream generator to be tested in the Humber Estuary near Grimsby. The second such development, with the world's first already on
07/04/2008
As part of the work to address corrosion in the main suspension cables of the Severn Bridge, an initial phase dehumidification systems has successfully been installed on the centre spans of the main cable. Final commissioning took place on 11 February 2008 and the system has been operational since
07/04/2008
Dismay greeted the announcement that Ford is among the fifteen locations being considered by government for an eco-town of 5,000 new homes. The Leader of Arun District Council, Cllr Gillian Brown, signalling the start of a Council-led community campaign against the proposal, said she was appalled t
07/04/2008
A company has been fined £5,000 by Bath magistrates for failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice. Temple Park Homes Ltd, pleaded guilty on 20 March to an offence of failing to comply with the enforcement notice which required that an unauthorised building be removed from land within the
07/04/2008
The Consumer Council for Water welcomed the All Party Parliamentary Water Group's (APPWG) report - The Future of the UK Water Sector, and the key proposals put forward to make things better for water consumers. The APPWG report acknowledges that there are numerous challenges in the water sector inc
07/04/2008
From Friday private tenants and landlords in Cornwall will benefit from a new local housing allowance scheme that simplifies the way housing benefit is worked out. Under the new allowance, tenants will be able to see how much benefit can be paid towards their rent before they take on a tenancy, all
07/04/2008
BRE has acquired two specialist business divisions of i&i limited, one of Europe's leading intelligent building consultancy. This acquisition brings two important service areas into BRE – intelligent building systems consultancy and the world-renowned Centre of Excellence for Intelligent Building
07/04/2008
Rok has acquired building and regeneration specialist Richardson Projects. Formed 25 years ago by its current chairman Alan Richardson, he employs more than 350 people from offices in Rochdale and Leeds. It has established itself in the North West and Yorkshire as a well respected business with a s
07/04/2008
Children across the country are to get an extra 3,500 play areas and 30 local authorities will get £2m each to build new adventure playgrounds, as part of £235m Government investment on children's play. Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, and Secretary of State for Cult
04/04/2008
Thirteen people have been arrested after climate change protesters blockaded a Welsh power station in protest of its carbon emission. Protesters from Bristol, Cardiff, Oxford and Bath all chained themselves together outside Aberthaw Power Station in the Vale of Glamorgan. Police said the the prote
04/04/2008
A draft legislation has been published which seeks to unify heritage protection regimes, allow greater public involvement in decisions and place heritage at the heart of the planning system. The draft Heritage Protection Bill will now be scrutinised by the UK Parliament and is the first dealing wit
04/04/2008
Legendary Project Director of the Millennium Dome, Bernard Ainsworth, is leaving Atkins to head the development of London Bridge tower. Mr Ainsworth has been brought in to take the lead of the 312m Shard tower for Sellar Property Group. He said: "I am very excited. I'm a project management guy, I
04/04/2008
Plans for a new £120 million Science Park on the outskirts of Exeter have taken a major step forward yesterday with the announcement that the land for the project has been purchased. The South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) has agreed to invest up to £19 million to enable Devon C
04/04/2008
Residents of Crawshawbooth in Rossendale are to benefit from a £495,000 capital investment programme to extend and refurbish the local library and youth and community centre. The decision by Lancashire County Council, agreed jointly by the Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services and Cabinet
04/04/2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned businesses to make sure that workers and contractors are properly trained to carry out risk assessments and operate safe systems of work. The warning came after two companies were fined when a worker lost the tips of two fingers at a paper recycling
04/04/2008
Lovell has been chosen as a contractor partner by First Wessex Housing Group. The company will work with First Wessex, which develops around 700 new homes a year, across Hampshire and Surrey on new-build housing and regeneration schemes. "We're delighted to have been appointed to First Wessex Hous
04/04/2008
Builders merchant Travis Perkins has acquired Tile It All from owners Stephen and Shirley Bell. A spokesperson from Travis Perkins said: "Tile It All complements our existing portfolio of recently acquired tile businesses, Tile Giant and Tile Magic. "The acquisition represents an excellent geograp
04/04/2008
Eco-friendly DIY enthusiasts are being urged to take part in one of the most creative recycling campaigns ever in a scheme launched by leading woodcare manufacturer Ronseal. The 'Tree of Life' is a recycling initiative that will see a giant eco-sculpture, created by award-winning artist Ptolemy Elr
04/04/2008
ProLogis, one of the world's largest owner, manager and developer of distribution facilities, has announced that it will require all new industrial space in the UK to be built according to environmental standards. Effective immediately, all new ProLogis facilities currently in the design or plannin
03/04/2008
The shortlist of sites for a series of 'eco-towns' has been unveiled by the Government. The top 15 proposals for the new low-carbon, environmentally friendly developments were announced by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). Coltishall, Curborough, Bordon, Elsenham, Ford in
03/04/2008
Mortgage lenders are continuing to pull its products following an announcement made by First Direct to put all new mortgages on hold. The Co-operative Bank took away its two-year mortgage range, however the company has still said it will remain "fully committed" to providing quality mortgages. Joh
03/04/2008
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) have announced the search for a contractor for one of the last major construction opportunities on the Olympic Park. Over 150 businesses attended a packed ODA Industry Day on Tuesday to hear the ODA's plans for the Handball Arena and details of how they can comp
03/04/2008
A consultation document outlining proposals on how stronger partnerships between elected local authorities and business-led regional development agencies like Yorkshire Forward could drive greater economic growth in the English regions has been launched by Government. Views are being sought from ac
03/04/2008
Amec plc, the international engineering and project management company, has announced the acquisition of the leading project services company Rider Hunt International Limited (RHI) from its owner managers for £25m. Based in Godalming, UK, RHI is an international provider of project services to the
03/04/2008
Homeowners are not informed or prepared for the lifestyle changes needed to live in zero carbon homes, according to research launched by the NHBC Foundation. The report, 'Zero carbon: what does it mean for homeowners and housebuilders?', identifies the attitudes of homeowners and builders towards t
03/04/2008
Bristol brickies have been banned from wolf-whistling at women. Leading building firm George Wimpey Bristol has outlawed the custom of builders whistling their appreciation of women walking below the scaffolding, for fear of putting off "savvy and sophisticated" buyers visiting sites. Sales and ma
03/04/2008
Mill owners from across the South West shared their experiences of restoring mills to be power producing sites at the Three Counties Micro-Hydro Conference, hosted by Somerset County Council with Dorset and Devon County Councils. Mill owners, national bodies and organisations responsible for implem
03/04/2008
A public exhibition on 8 April at Avonmouth Community Centre will explain all about Bristol City Council's exciting proposal to invest in sustainable wind power to supply up to 20% of its electricity needs. The City Council typically spends over £4 million a year on electricity alone - the cost of
03/04/2008
Work on the £6.24 million London Road 'gateway' improvement scheme in Peterborough is expected to be completed by the middle of next week (Thursday 10 April) bringing substantial benefits for all people needing access to the city centre. Final completion depends on the success of rigorous testing a
02/04/2008
First Direct is withdrawing its mortgage range from new customers, while two other lenders have raised their rates for existing ones. The internet and telephone bank said it was temporarily withdrawing mortgages after receiving five times the usual volume of applications in recent weeks. At the sa
02/04/2008
A fire has broke out at the North Wales Police headquarters causing "substantial damage". Five fire engines and two special appliances were needed to put out the blaze, which happened at around 11.30am yesterday. It is believed to have started on the roof of the three-storey building, which is cur
02/04/2008
Two people have been arrested after chaining themselves to machinery at the site of an opencast coal mine in Wales which brought work to a halt. Around 30 protesters arrived at the Ffos y Fran site, one of the largest sites in Europe, at approximately 6.30am yesterday highlighting the "hypocrisy" o
02/04/2008
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said today that we need to take the fight against climate change into our homes and living rooms as he sets out a range of initiatives to enable people to make their homes greener. He said: "It is because none of us will be immune to dangerous climate change, that
02/04/2008
Figures from energy regulator Ofgem show that the switching rate for gas and electricity suppliers hit more than five million in 2007, as energy customers went in search of cheaper deals. This is the highest level of switching for five years. All the major energy suppliers have now increased th
02/04/2008
The South West of England Development Agency (RDA) has been awarded £3 million to invest in a range of bioheat projects, putting the region at the forefront of this emerging renewable energy sector. The investment, from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), is a direct res
02/04/2008
Energy company E.ON has given a £1,800 grant under its new SOURCE community initiative towards the cost of installing a solar water heating system at the Monkey Sanctuary Trust in Looe, Cornwall. The Monkey Sanctuary Trust is an educational and environmental charity that promotes the welfare and co
02/04/2008
The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) has awarded its Gold Medal for 2008 to Mike Glover of Arup for his outstanding contribution to the design and construction of major multi-disciplinary projects around the world. Mike Glover is one of the most versatile and experienced engineers at
02/04/2008
Senior Aluminium Systems (SAS) have given a university building a brand new look. Gateway House at DeMontfort University in Leicester was given a £850,000 make over by the company with the help of fabricator Insight Architectural. Insight Architectural manufactured and installed a range of SAS p
02/04/2008
Construction equipment rental specialist, Vp plc, has announced it has acquired U Mole, provider for the hire and sale of trenchless installation equipment, for £4.5m. U Mole, which operates across the UK from its base in Cambridgeshire, will operate as a separate activity within Vp's Groundforce d
01/04/2008
A gloomy housing market has hit the UK construction industry causing it to fall to its lowest level in more than 10 years, according to a report by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Private housing was the worst-hit sector, with growth in workload turning negative for the first tim
01/04/2008
Lovell is set to build a £13.5 million mixed tenure housing development as part of the ongoing regeneration of the Beaumont Leys area in Leicester. A total of 135 houses, apartments and bungalows will be built by Lovell on land previously owned by Leicester City Council. The new development will c
01/04/2008
Swansea Council's Cabinet is due to discuss the awarding of the tender for the next phase of the multi-million pound Guildhall refurbishment. In 2008/9 Phase 2 Part 2 could see around an £3m programme of work taking place in the municipal block of the landmark council building. The proposals follo
01/04/2008
Plans for a new police station in North Cornwall have been given the green light. North Cornwall District Council planners have approved the application for the station in Bodmin, which will replace the current building, built over 30 years ago. Construction is due to commence this summer and will
01/04/2008
Barnsley Council is planning to spend almost £1.85 million over the next three years across the borough to help people living in private sector housing to increase the energy efficiency of their homes. Whilst the energy efficiency of council houses has been improved over recent years through the on
01/04/2008
E.ON, one of the country's leading power generators, has announced that it will be one of the entrants to the Government's carbon capture and storage (CCS) competition. The company's entry into the competition is based on its proposed Kingsnorth coal-fired project in Kent, which it plans to build C
01/04/2008
Ward Insulated Panels has supplied a total insulated roofing solution for furniture retailer Ilva. The new store, based in Piccadilly Basin, Manchester, is the first new build for the Scandinavian furniture retailer that began in Denmark in 1974 but is a relative newcomer to the UK. Ilva has set o
01/04/2008
Bury Council has decided to increase the opening hours of its Energy Show House amid fears rising over fuel prices and the Government's drive to encourage homes to become more energy efficient. This follows results from recent customer satisfaction surveys, which identified that people would like a
01/04/2008
New regulations that came into force today will strengthen the protection for consumers who suffer sewer flooding. The regulations have been introduced by the Government and follow Ofwat's recommendations of how GSS should be improved for customers. The changes will ensure customers normally recei
01/04/2008
Newcastle College has announced the next development of its ongoing £160 million investment in campus facilities. The latest addition is a new sixth form academy providing a completely wire-free, state-of-the-art home for over 2,000 students and staff. The new development will sit alongside the
