Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for November 2011
30/11/2011
A housebuilder has been fined £20,000 after a young boy was seriously injured when some timber roof trusses fell onto him. The eight year old boy was playing with friends on 28 April 2009 when they got into an unsecured storage area on a construction site at Meadowbrook, Linwood, near Paisley. The
30/11/2011
Construction union UCATT has confirmed that an attempt by former General Secretary Alan Ritchie to win an injunction to stop the current General Secretary election has been unsuccessful. Mr Ritchie's application was defeated and costs were awarded against those bringing the case. George Guy, Actin
30/11/2011
The Government could have gone further to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and first time buyers to get the economy back on the road to sustained economic growth, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the Autumn Statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Bri
30/11/2011
Rochdale's new transport interchange has been given the green light after funding for the scheme was announced by the government. The new £11.5 million interchange on Smith Street will create a modern public transport hub for the borough - and is a key element of the regeneration currently taking p
30/11/2011
A combined smoke and natural ventilation solution from SE Controls is helping create a comfortable and safe environment for patients, visitors and staff at Salford Royal Hospital’s new £90 million Hope Building. Designed by architects HKS and constructed by Balfour Beatty, as part of the Salford Ro
30/11/2011
Balfour Beatty, the global infrastructure group, today confirmed its professional services division had been awarded the programme management consultancy contract on a £5 billion roads and drainage scheme in Qatar. Under the five-year commission, worth £104 million, Parsons Brinckerhoff will have o
30/11/2011
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has hailed the rapid and impressive progress that has been made to improve the nation's social housing stock, with the numbers of homes considered 'non decent' down by more than a quarter. Despite the need to cut the deficit, the Government will spend £2.1 billion on t
30/11/2011
TrustMark, the Government-endorsed quality mark for tradesmen, today announces the winner of its sponsored skills and training category - the National Federation of Roofing Contractors Limited (NFRC) for its innovative 'CompetentRoofer' campaign, which is a Competent Person Scheme (CPS) to raise sta
30/11/2011
Following the 'Reset Review' of its business announced last week, E.ON has launched a set of principles for business energy brokers and called on other energy firms to follow its lead. Over 50% of all micro businesses1 use a broker to switch energy supplier however there is currently no minimum sta
30/11/2011
Farrar Bamforth employees mark another milestone as the company celebrates 35 years of high quality Architectural Services. Founded in 1976 by John. H. Farrar and Elon Bamforth, the company has grown from strength to strength and is looking forward to providing the same high standard of work for it
30/11/2011
Fitz Impressions were tasked with the manufacture and installation of new banquette seating for Stafford Junior School. It's amazing how much banquette seating and fixed seating is now being specified within educational establishments. Fitz Impressions installed fantastic fixed banquette seating i
30/11/2011
Maximise your space utilisation with mezzanine flooring. Your capital costs are returned very quickly versus rent and rates needed to hire the extra space making mezzanine flooring a cost efficient way to maximise your space. Base-Line Storage Systems have been in the business supplying and install
29/11/2011
Following a competitive tender, the London Borough of Waltham Forest has entered into an agreement with Morrisons and Willmott Dixon to develop a 1.5 hectare site in Walthamstow town centre that is currently a council-owned car park and industrial area. The new mixed-use scheme, which represents a
29/11/2011
Plans for a major Brownfield development in Northampton have been boosted after vital junction improvements were completed. The improvements are on a key route into Northampton town centre, and have enabled a site owned by the Homes and Communities Agency to be opened up for development. The Rans
29/11/2011
Rail passengers in Newcastle are set to benefit from a multi-million pound investment to transform the station. The investment is part of a £100m station improvement initiative developed by the Department for Transport in partnership with ourselves, the Association of Train Operating Companies and
29/11/2011
Derwent Living has celebrated the launch of its low carbon affordable housing scheme in Derby, with the help of a few special guests, including acclaimed film and television director, Ken Loach. The scheme, at Vicarage Road in Mickleover, is the most environmentally friendly development that Derwen
29/11/2011
BAM Construction and architects Aedas have secured a contract to design and build Network Rail's new rail operating centre (ROC) and training facility in York. The ROC, located on the Engineers Triangle, will be one of just 14 proposed centres across Great Britain and will eventually coordinate and
29/11/2011
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has welcomed the publication of the Löfstedt review. Employment Minister Chris Grayling commissioned the independent review in March 2011 and appointed Professor Ragnar Löfstedt, Director of the King's Centre for Risk Management at King's College, London, to ch
29/11/2011
Kensa Heat Pumps has always believed in sharing knowledge for the benefit of the industry and consumers. Kensa's Installer Partner Programme offers pre sale and marketing support, discounts, referrals and UK based technical support every step of the way. To support Kensa's Installer Partner Pro
29/11/2011
Churchill have launched the UK's 1st ecommerce web site selling lightning protection and earthing on line store offering a wide range of products from Europe’s leading manufacturer's. The online store provides a unique no fuss purchasing solution for companies and organisations both in construction
29/11/2011
Environmental damage and the resulting claim and clean up costs are becoming more prevalent and costly and businesses need to assess the risk both at their premises and any location where they may be working. Environmental risks have three features: • A source of pollution • A pathway for it to t
29/11/2011
Dublin's Heuston Station, the flagship Intercity station on the Iarnród Éireann network, has won the overall Best Station prize at the 6th annual International Station Awards. The awards, involving eight major railway companies from across the UK and Ireland, are aimed at raising standards in stati
29/11/2011
PAGE Concrete is in the process of adding two more 400 gallon drinking trough moulds to help keep up with demand, the first of these moulds should start producing next week. Page Concrete & Steel Limited is a family run business which started trading in 1969 from Down St Mary. In 1991 we moved in t
29/11/2011
A serious question now, would you throw money onto the floor? You may be mistaken in thinking that Twistfix have gone completely crackers! However, it is an honest question and we want to make the point that so many homeowners are throwing money away because they have inadequate roofing insulation.
28/11/2011
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has launched a sustainability action plan that spells out how it is engaging with the environmental agenda and working towards a fairer, more sustainable world. A Vision for Sustainability comprehensively details RICS' approach to corporate responsi
28/11/2011
Three construction companies were fined after a worker helping build Arsenal's Ashburton Grove stadium was injured so badly, his leg had to be amputated. A dumper truck drove over the right leg of Michael O’Donovan, 41, from Bromley, while he was kneeling to clean steel 'shuttering' used to form re
28/11/2011
Willmott Dixon is in pole position to deliver an important part of Redcar and Cleveland Council’s multi-million pound regeneration plans. The company has been selected through the Scape framework on the first of a two-stage contract to build Redcar and Cleveland's Leisure and Community Heart, a £3
28/11/2011
Global charity Oasis has announced that it has chosen the award-winning United House Group as its preferred partner for the redevelopment of the Oasis Centre in Waterloo. Oasis chose United House after a demanding three-stage competitive selection process, based on a range of criteria including the
28/11/2011
New figures have placed Manchester City Council in the top five per cent of organisations across the country who have taken early action to monitor and reduce their carbon emissions. The first annual Carbon Reduction Performance league table places the City Council in joint 88th place with neighbou
28/11/2011
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has announced the allocation of more than £71 million to help families trapped in half-empty and abandoned streets, as a consequence of a controversial regeneration scheme introduced in 2002. A new fund will help tackle the 'ghost streets' across the Midlands and the n
28/11/2011
National Grid has published a new document presenting its energy supply and demand scenarios up to 2050. For the first time, the document 'UK Future Energy Scenarios' brings together gas and electricity data to provide a picture of how energy supply and demand may look under different conditions.
28/11/2011
Rockwool, the world's leading manufacturer of non-combustible stone wool insulation, has been awarded the British Safety Council’s prestigious 'Sword of Honour' accolade for 2011 in recognition of the company’s outstanding health and safety performance. The award represents a pinnacle of achievemen
28/11/2011
Crofton the Sussex based consulting engineer has expanded its business with the acquisition of the Brighton based engineering firm ndesigns. Crofton has had a working relationship with ndesigns for a number of years, and both companies collaborated on local projects such as the Brighton & Hove Prog
28/11/2011
OFP Timber Framed Homes is producing its own open web joists from its factory based in Sandwich, Kent. Its WebSpan Joist System has been introduced to allow a greater range of flexibility when creating timber frame solutions for every project. The strength of its WebSpan Joist System lies in the
25/11/2011
Social housing consortium, JV North, is spending £104.3 million to build more than 900 new affordable homes in the North West over the next four years. The HCA has invested £20m through the Affordable Homes Programme as part of the deal that will see 905 homes built for families across Greater Manc
25/11/2011
Morgan Sindall has secured a contract with Essex County Council to build a vocational college in the county. Canvey Skills Campus will offer a range of vocational courses for 14 to 19-year-olds, and evening classes to adults. The scheme will involve constructing a two-storey 2,500m² building on th
25/11/2011
Local builders could still face being squeezed out of the Green Deal market unless the Government ensures that small local building companies have an equal opportunity to offer Green Deal finance to their customers, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the launch of the Gover
25/11/2011
Lovell has won two gongs at the prestigious What House? Awards 2011. Hugh Dennis presents the Compendium team with their Bronze Award Viewed as 'The Oscars' of the construction industry, The What House? Awards are the longest running awards in the sector in the UK. Lovell was awarded a bronze in
25/11/2011
Businesses and communities across Britain will from Monday be able to apply for a heat tariff payment, ushering in a new era of clean green heat technology, Greg Barker said today. The world's first Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will be open to applicants from Monday 28 November, providing payment
25/11/2011
Szerelmey the stonework specialist, has completed a striking stone façade and internal flooring contract worth £800,000 at 15 Sackville Street, London, W1, a new building that comprises offices and luxury residential apartments on the upper floors. Szerelmey used a variety of materials on this proj
25/11/2011
Migrations experts are looking for skilled trades people, engineers and construction workers to emigrate to New Zealand and help rebuild Christchurch. The city was damaged in a devastating earthquake which hit New Zealand's Canterbury region, in February 2011. New Zealand is now actively looking
25/11/2011
Last year saw Oakland's success with network rail reach NEW heights. The highlights were securing specification compliant NWR lifts on three of the major stations being renovated and rebuilt for the 2010 Olympics. The lifts at Stratford Station have been completed. We also secured the NWR lifts fo
25/11/2011
Established in 1983, P&R Building Supplies are a family run builders merchant with an emphasis on customer service and satisfaction.P&R Building Supplies supply to experts in the trade,domestic handymen and the general public. P&R Building Supplies source and supply quality materials to a wide ran
25/11/2011
Over the past couple of months the Bath Business Web Team have been very active building awareness of our creation of fully optimised customer websites. We played a major part at the West Wilts Show with our business stand in the business tent over the 3 days. Warminster Town Council approached us
25/11/2011
The National Federation of Demolition Contractors has announced that it has suspended the membership of one of its Corporate Members, pending an enquiry by the Federation’s accident investigation committee. The National Federation of Demolition Contractors, the voice of the UK demolition industry,
24/11/2011
Middlesbrough College has appointed Miller Construction to deliver its new £6.8 million Sixth Form College and works have already started on site. The new Sixth Form Centre 'MC6' will specialise in AS and A Levels, providing students from across the Tees Valley, access to some of the best teaching
24/11/2011
The new look North Terminal at Gatwick Airport has been opened by former Prime Minister Sir John Major KG CH, marking the successful completion of the 18-month project delivered by Morgan Sindall. The North terminal has been extended to accommodate 20 million passengers per year by 2020. The £73 m
24/11/2011
Skanska has officially entered the UK's homebuilding market with the launch of the company's new offer, Homes by Skanska. Magnus Andersson, President of Skanska Residential, said: "We are very excited to be celebrating our launch, which brings some Scandinavian thinking to homebuilding here in the
24/11/2011
Willmott Dixon Group's repair and maintenance specialist Willmott Dixon Partnerships has won a five year contract worth £15m with Guinness South, a member of the Guinness Partnership, to deliver responsive repairs to 6,500 homes. The contract, which has an option to be extended to 10 years, will s
24/11/2011
Leading housing specialists have come together to discuss how the West Midlands can bring up to £2bn a year into the economy from the growing housing 'retrofit' market. In the week that David Cameron and Nick Clegg announced the government's new housing strategy, over 100 delegates attended the Ret
24/11/2011
Stonework specialist Szerelmey, has completed an impressive stone façade contract worth £350,000 at the partly refurbished and partly new build Goldsmiths Centre, the Goldsmiths’ Company teaching facility on Britton Street, Clerkenwell, London. The façade comprises brass and stone cladding and Szer
24/11/2011
Construction union UCATT has warned that the Government's much hyped new Housing Strategy is tinkering at the edges and is not addressing the biggest issues. The Government are proposing to introduce a new build indemnity scheme to boost the housebuilding industry by reducing the deposit required b
24/11/2011
Mayor Boris Johnson has been criticised by local London Assembly member John Biggs for failing to deliver on his flagship policy to reduce fuel bills in East London. As local residents face huge energy price hikes this winter, new figures reveal that the Mayor's promise to insulate 200,000 home ac
24/11/2011
One of the most targeted items of machinery for theft is contractor's plant, and that might just include the Porta-loos! If you are hiring in plant, you need to make sure that you are fully aware of the conditions that you are hiring under, there are various but the main ones you will come across a
24/11/2011
Acorn stairlifts aim to be the number one choice in stairlift choice for all developers, refurbishment contractors and architects. Acorn stairlifts design stairlifts to be used by people with varying levels of mobility and are the ideal choice when converting property to enable elderly mobility an
24/11/2011
Fabric Architecture has been recognised with four 2011 International Achievement Awards (IAA) for design excellence in specialty fabrics applications. The ceremony took place at the IFAI Expo Americas 2011 at the Baltimore Convention Centre in Baltimore, Maryland on October 25. Fabric Architectur
24/11/2011
The new LST radiator brochure from Contour Casings is the most comprehensive guide to LST radiator products to date, containing a quick and easy selection table to help you establish which product is suited to your clients needs. Discover how removing traditional LST radiator casings with the assis
23/11/2011
Crossrail has announced that it has awarded the main construction contracts for Farringdon and Whitechapel stations. Intensive construction for both stations will get underway next year. Andy Mitchell, Crossrail Programme Director: "Crossrail contracts continue to generate significant constructio
23/11/2011
Greendale Construction has handed back Durlston Castle, the centrepiece of Durlston Country Park, re-opening to the public on 18 November 2011. The multi-million pound refurbishment project is now complete following 19 months of major works giving the Dorset County Council run park world class vis
23/11/2011
Mansell has handed over the iconic Engineering and Science Learning Centre to the University of Nottingham on time and on budget. Set within the heart of the University Park campus science area, a large central glazed atrium is the focal point of the three-storey, high-specification development. Th
23/11/2011
A reduction in VAT on home repair, maintenance and improvement work to 5% would cut the number of empty properties in Wales and ease the pressure on housing supply, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) as politicians prepare to debate a Liberal Democrat motion on housing in the Welsh Assembl
23/11/2011
New flexible tenancies will help end long-held prejudices about social housing and ensure it once again becomes a springboard for success, Housing Minister Grant Shapps said. Mr Shapps said the flexible tenancies will end the lazy and patronising perception that social housing is a dead-end option
23/11/2011
£14 billion worth of private sector investment in home energy improvements over the next decade will help insulate households from rising global energy prices and create thousands of jobs in the British insulation and construction sector, Chris Huhne has announced. A consultation on the Green Deal,
23/11/2011
A Walsall landlord has been sentenced for failing to provide a gas safety certificate. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Khalid Hussain following a complaint from a tenant and her partner, who rent a house at Raleigh Street, Walsall from him. Walsall Magistrates' Court heard that th
23/11/2011
Finance Minister, Jane Hutt saw how £4.2 million of Welsh Government funding is providing new affordable sustainable homes of the very best standard for people in Ystrad Mynach. During her visit to the Cwm Calon project in Ystrad Mynach the Minister saw the finishing touches being put to a United W
23/11/2011
Which Building Contract is excited to announce that architects can make savings of 10% off the now published, New 2011 RIBA Contract Administration Forms and Guides that give help in administering construction works under the New JCT 2011 Contracts. Both the new JCT 2011 Contracts and the matchin
23/11/2011
BuildBase are the industry leaders in building, plumbing and DIY supplies not only in Croydon but nationwide. They set the standard in service, quality of suppliers and meeting the needs of local trades' people. BuildBase Peckham branch are holding a Demo Morning on Thursday 24th November, from 7am
23/11/2011
An apprentice with County Armagh company Shilliday Refrigeration, looks set for a bright future, after coming third in the world's largest ever international skills competition. Pitted against rivals in his category from 25 other countries, Stuart Millar won a bronze medal at the global skills comp
23/11/2011
The Church was founded on 16th October 1837 on its present site by the evangelist and educationalist Henry Battiscombe, Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, who had seceded from the Church of England. It grew rapdily and was constituted as a church of 'Evangelical Protestant Dissenters of the Parti
23/11/2011
Continued success and expansion for smoke and natural ventilation solutions specialist SE Controls, has resulted in the company strengthening its nationwide team with six key new appointments within the last few weeks. At its Staffordshire head office, Helena Preston joins as Marketing Assistant al
22/11/2011
The Prime Minister has announced that the Government will provide a guarantee for up to 100,000 new mortgages at up to 95 per cent loan to value for new build properties in England. The scheme will be led by the Home Builders Federation and Council of Mortgage Lenders. The new build indemnity sch
22/11/2011
The Olympic Park Legacy Company has unveiled images of the shortlisted designs for London's newest public space. The centrepiece will be a major public space that will welcome crowds to the south of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park after the Games. Sitting between the Aquatics Centre, the Stadium,
22/11/2011
Vinci Construction UK have won a £3 million contract from Gatwick Airport to undertake various changes and improvements to the security facilities for passengers within the North Terminal. The work includes adapting the existing search and retail area to form a new 4-lane facility. A mezzanine will
22/11/2011
A North Yorkshire company has been fined under safety laws after a supervisor suffered severe injuries to his hand. The man, who does not want to be named, had his right hand crushed with two fingers severed when he attempted to clean an air slide under a large machine used for mixing animal feed.
22/11/2011
The Government's new housing strategy is far from radical and only makes a small step in tackling the worst housing crisis we have seen for many years, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the Government's Housing White Paper. In particular, it does little to help small and
22/11/2011
Scottish, Irish and Northern Irish ministers will meet later this week to discuss the issues raised in a major study on a future offshore grid infrastructure linking the countries, as well as other areas where the countries have mutual and shared energy, environmental and economic interests. The tr
22/11/2011
Kier Construction (East Midlands) has been awarded a £20 million contract to build an iconic facility on the University of Bedfordshire's Luton campus. The new Postgraduate and Continuing Professional Development Centre will be a one-stop shop for postgraduate learning, equipping students with the
22/11/2011
Carl Gardner, Director of CSG Lighting Consultancy Ltd’, was recently invited by the city authorities in Hong Kong to advise them on ways that the city and its local businesses can reduce the problems of light nuisance and light pollution. During visits in December 2010 and October 2011, Carl Gard
22/11/2011
Phoenix Door Panels, one of the UK's largest domestic replacement door manufacturers, has launched its all-new, lifestyle-themed composite door brochure specifically designed to appeal to consumers. The glossy brochure's 40 pages showcase the entire County Collection Composite Door range using loca
22/11/2011
Balcony Systems has reported their best-ever Grand Designs exhibition with record levels of enquiries and increased orders from more visitors attending the October consumer home show at Birmingham's NEC. Refurbishment projects featured strongly in many quotations for the company’s market-leading ra
22/11/2011
Homeowners are choosing to look up rather than down! Loft conversions are a popular choice for many but many people fail to look at basement conversions. Unfortunately not all parts of your house are efficiently used; this is the case with basements within properties. When spaces such as your basem
22/11/2011
Under legislation, insurers have to meet all claims against uninsured motorists by people injured or whose car or property has been damaged through their negligence. This cost is now approaching £1bn a year and unfortunately is factored into the premiums of all the responsible owners and businesse
21/11/2011
Dragons' Den investors Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis have today shown their commitment to the distressed British solar sector by signing a deal with Yorkshire-based Ploughcroft Solar, one of the UK's leading solar PV panel installers. With a solar rally and lobby of Parliament planned for tomorr
21/11/2011
The Driver CPC Qualification, which will be require all drivers who operate vehicles over 3.5 ton to complete 35 hours of classroom based training by September 2014, is here to stay say the DSA and VOSA. Each Driver is required to complete 5 days of training each lasting 7 hours which once a month m
21/11/2011
The Prime Minister has revealed the Government's new plan to build 16,000 new homes. On Monday, David Cameron said the initiative includes a £400m fund, which will go to stalled schemes that are ready - but lack necessary finance. Building work could begin as early as next July. The Prime Minister
21/11/2011
Kier Construction (East Midlands) has been awarded a £20m contract to build an iconic facility on the University of Bedfordshire's Luton campus. The new Postgraduate and Continuing Professional Development Centre will be a one-stop shop for postgraduate learning, equipping students with the essenti
21/11/2011
The main contractor for the Plymouth Life Centre has confirmed a final completion date for the new facility. Balfour Beatty has announced it will be officially handing the building over to Everyone Active on Monday 27 February 2012. The Council received written confirmation that there would be a r
21/11/2011
Shelter has secured critical changes to the tenancy deposit scheme, which will help to protect millions of people living in the private rented sector. The changes, which were included this week under the Localism Act 2011, will tighten up previous legal loop holes and mean landlords will no longer
21/11/2011
In a week where the national focus has been on anti-bullying, Manchester teachers and students have spoken out about how the physical design of their schools has helped them to feel safe and protected. Manchester's £509m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme covers the rebuilding or refur
21/11/2011
Network Rail has completed a purchase of the assets of the rail division of Hydrex Equipment (UK) Ltd from its administrators, KPMG LLP. The purchase includes a transfer of employment for all rail division staff. Hydrex's remaining contracting and plant divisions are being wound down with 117 sta
21/11/2011
Muse Developments and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have submitted a detailed planning application to Swindon Borough Council for the first phase of regeneration at Union Square. The application seeks approval for one residential building comprising 45 assisted living apartments, and a hi
21/11/2011
Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, has signed a strategic agreement with Statoil ASA for the supply of 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to the UK. The 10 year, NBP-linked gas supply contract begins in 2015 and secures sufficient gas to meet around five per cent of total UK annual dem
21/11/2011
Work has now finished on the final Thameslink platform extensions at Flitwick and Harlington stations meaning 50% longer 12-car trains with more seats can operate on the Bedford to Brighton Thameslink route from December 2011. Over the last four years, Network Rail has lengthened 41 platforms at 12
21/11/2011
Specifiers and contractors selecting STYROFOAM-A insulation from Dow Building Solutions will benefit from improved thermal conductivity across the product range thanks to the latest in a long history of manufacturing improvements. Thermal conductivity of STYROFOAM-A - which includes ROOFMATE-A, FLO
18/11/2011
Morgan Sindall has completed work on the £5.5 million construction of a nuclear research centre in West Cumbria for The University of Manchester. The Dalton Cumbrian Facility (DCF) is located at Westlakes Science and Technology Park near Whitehaven and will support world-leading research and educat
18/11/2011
Balfour Beatty is set to build, renovate and manage another 858 homes for United States military personnel and their families in a second housing deal with the US Air Force announced. Under the terms of the agreement Balfour Beatty Communities - a division of Balfour Beatty Capital Group - has been
18/11/2011
Construction of Bristol’s brand new, leisure facility at Hengrove Park Leisure Centre is keeping to the planned timetable. The opening - on time and on budget - is set for Wednesday, February 29, 2012. To mark the occasion, a special exhibition about Hengrove Park Leisure Centre in south Bristol wi
18/11/2011
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has called on the capital's boroughs and public sector bodies to use their huge buying power to create as many jobs, apprenticeship and skills training opportunities as possible. Since April 2009 the Mayor has led the way in creating employment opportunities via
18/11/2011
The completion of Southampton's first estate regeneration project has been celebrated with a grand opening involving its supporters. The event marked the completion of four one-bedroom and twelve two bedroom flats for rent and five new shops at Hinkler Place in Thornhill, which was formally opened
18/11/2011
The sustainable progress of Willmott Dixon's housing business has seen it achieve its best ever position in NextGeneration’s benchmark report that ranks the UK’s top 25 homebuilders according to their sustainability performance. In NextGeneration's report "Delivering on the ground - the UK home bui
18/11/2011
Lincoln University has been fined for putting staff, students and contractors at risk of exposure to asbestos. The failings came to light on 24 February 2010 when a lecturer became trapped in a room after a door lock broke. She enlisted the help of a colleague to release her and once freed, they no
18/11/2011
The biggest support act for the Leeds Arena has arrived and it's not a rock band but a 180 tonne, 45 meter long proscenium steel beam which will take pride of place supporting the main stage. The beam is the heaviest piece of steel in the entire arena building, providing stability to a complex stee
18/11/2011
The Unite Group, the UK's leading developer and manager of commercial student accommodation, and construction partner, Mansell, have celebrated the topping out of 'Moonraker Point', in Southwark's Southbank. The topping out celebrates the completion of the structural construction phase of the Group
18/11/2011
A galvanizing company's expertise has seen it called upon to play a part in the huge redevelopment of a train station which is set to become one of the most vital transport hubs in the UK. Worksop Galvanizing, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, has galvanized more than 300 tonnes of structural steelw
18/11/2011
Twenty-four social housing providers across Britain have been awarded a share of a £4 million fund to install green heating systems in the homes of their tenants. They are the first winners to be announced under the Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme competition for social landlords, which was
18/11/2011
Manchester developer, Kempsten Ltd, has transformed a run-down former art deco cinema site into major commercial premises, with numerous Contour casings products specified for the project and forming an integral part of the external aesthetics of the building. Major hotel chain Travelodge has moved
17/11/2011
Mansell has won a £2.4 million project to transform former assembly rooms and a museum in Camborne, Cornwall into affordable apartments for Coastline Housing Association. 18 one and two bedroom apartments will be created over three floors. There will be a community space and parking will be avail
17/11/2011
Union Square, the major Swindon town centre redevelopment scheme, has secured outline planning consent from Swindon Borough Council. Doug Finlay, development director at Muse, said: "Confirmation by Swindon Borough Council of the outline planning permission is the first significant milestone if thi
17/11/2011
Businesses will be given the power to design, develop and purchase the vocational training programme they need under a £250 million plan announced today by the Prime Minister. The move is designed to boost economic growth and ensure that the UK workforce has the skills that businesses require. In
17/11/2011
The first planning application for development in Northampton's Waterside Enterprise Zone has been submitted. West Northamptonshire Development Corporation has made the application for a prominent office scheme known as the Innovation Cube. Located opposite Northampton Railway Station, the 3,74
17/11/2011
Partners in a company that erected unsafe scaffolding, which crashed to the ground in strong winds, were sentenced. Terrence Foster, of Scaffolding Systems South West, was fined £8,000 and his partner in the business, Shaun Greenslade, was fined £5,000. Both were ordered to pay costs of £2,040 each
17/11/2011
BRE and the International Passivhaus Association have launched a competition for design of two Passivhaus homes which will be built on the BRE Innovation Parks in Watford and Scotland. The aim of the competition is to demonstrate that the Passivhaus standard can provide an affordable method of deli
17/11/2011
Housing specialist Lovell has been working with Dunedin Canmore Group to improve the gardens at Ferry House and build a place of relaxation for its residents. Ferry House, a group home for older men with mental health issues in the Leith area of Edinburgh, is run by Health in Mind, a charity that a
17/11/2011
With Britain experiencing 'colder than normal' winters these past few years, foam and tape innovators – Zouch Converters have been forced to reinvent their draught seal range to ensure homeowners are offered better insulation for their homes. Preserving and improving original buildings not only rein
17/11/2011
Used plant and equipment auction website Mr Machinery's new interactive helpdesk has received a big thumbs-up from both buyers and sellers. Visitors to
17/11/2011
Permaflor are the largest independent manufacturer of access flooring solutions in the UK. Meeting requirements of both PSA and BSEN specifications. A recurring issue when refurbishing older office buildings is the problem of how to accommodate cabling data, communications, HVAC equipment and othe
17/11/2011
Shave pounds off interiors this Christmas with Creative Woodwork, Chiswick's high end bespoke furniture and cabinet maker. All I want for Christmas is a brand new home. Well you could have just that but without the stress of moving. Why not give yourself and your home a bespoke gift this Christma
16/11/2011
BAM has secured another academy new build, developing a strong relationship with Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC). BAM has won the contract to deliver the new £22m Aylesbury Vale Academy in Buckinghamshire. The project is the second win for BAM under the Partnership for School’s (PfS) national
16/11/2011
Mansell has secured two affordable housing contracts in the South of England together worth £4.1 million. 44 homes will be built in Highbridge, Somerset for Raglan Housing. The £3.6 million affordable housing scheme will be built in two and three-storeys in one continuous block. Cross Oak in Winds
16/11/2011
One of the largest "green" training centres in the country opened its doors in Liverpool this week. The centre – which features a full-size 'indoor house' – has been opened by Liverpool Community College as part of its drive to invest in the sustainable sector. The £250,000 facility at the College
16/11/2011
A roofer was caught on camera working on an industrial unit roof without any safety equipment, a court heard. Nottingham Magistrates' Court fined Michael Hallwood and his son Michael Thomas Hallwood, partners in Cladding Coatings, after a worker was seen risking his life on a roof at Farrar Close,
16/11/2011
Shameless thieves who desecrate war memorials, damage churches and cause transport chaos are being assisted by out-of-date legislation which hampers regulation of the scrap metal industry, council leaders have warned. Following a surge in the theft of copper, lead and bronze from memorials, railway
16/11/2011
A bid to open one of the country's first special schools via the Free School route in Peterborough has been approved by the Department for Education. Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust put together a bid with Peterborough City Council's Children's Services to open a new special school on the same site
16/11/2011
An overwhelming number of UCATT members working in the public sector have voted in favour of industrial action to protect their pensions. UCATT members voted by a margin of more than 4 to 1 in favour of strike action, in total 83% of members voted for strike action on a 27% turnout. UCATT balloted
16/11/2011
Ahead of the Welsh Government Draft Budget being debated in the National Assembly, the Finance Minister has visited the construction site of a Mental Health Assessment Unit for Older People. Finance Minister Jane Hutt spoke to staff and construction workers at the development of the Unit at Llandou
16/11/2011
Metal Column Casings from specialists Pendock have been used to striking effect at the new West Cheshire College in Ellesmere Port. The project forms Phase 1 of the new 19,500 sq metre Creative and Service Industries Campus which opened in September 2011. Phase 2 is due for completion in spring 20
16/11/2011
HSS Hire Service Group (HSS Hire), the national supplier of tool and equipment and outsourcing services, has announced revenue of £136.4m and EBITDA of £30.7m for the first nine months of 2011. Revenue grew 7.7% on a like-for-like basis over the same period in 2010 as the group continues to demons
16/11/2011
Greg Johnson & Barry Peniston, both directors with BDC, were recently invited to speak at a seminar at Salford University looking to demonstrate "What can BIM do for Contractors". Greg and Barry presented examples of how BIM work completed on previous and current BDC design projects was of benefit
16/11/2011
When CED's director Giles Heap was called to a site to identify some golden coloured rocks, no-one could have guessed the interesting journey they would end up having. The site was a housing development in Amersham, Bucks, and large chunks of the stone, approx 100 tonnes in total, were being unear
15/11/2011
The Brick Awards which first took place in 1977 are one of Britain's most respected design competitions. Organised by the Brick Development Association, the annual contest provides the definitive showcase for what brick can achieve. This year, there were a record number of entries, with projects f
15/11/2011
Construction union UCATT have launched a survey in order to better understand the level of harassment, discrimination and bullying experienced by women construction workers. UCATT is encouraging all women construction workers to participate in the confidential online survey. George Guy, Acting Gen
15/11/2011
Ahead of the Welsh Government Draft Budget being debated in the National Assembly, the Finance Minister has visited the site where contracts are signed with Leadbitter to build a multi-million pound state of the art secondary school. Finance Minister Jane Hutt visited the construction site and saw
15/11/2011
The director of a scaffolding company from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, has been fined after a roofing contractor was injured during a scaffold collapse. The 48-year-old, from Nottingham, fell six metres and fractured his pelvis in four places after scaffolding built on behalf of David Know
15/11/2011
Specialist London contractor and developer United House and private equity firm JER Partners have combined forces in a joint venture to deliver the landmark Paynes & Borthwick Wharves site in West Greenwich. The £120 million riverside development will provide 257 high specification one, two and thr
15/11/2011
Nearly 1,900 new affordable homes will be delivered across the South of England over the next four years as a result of an agreement between the Sovereign Development Consortium (SDC) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The agreement, worth £31.5m to consortium members, will see the SDC del
15/11/2011
Willmott Dixon is to form a strategic partnership with the country's largest facilities management alliance as it seeks to expand its integrated service offering. The company is linking up with Mercury Alliance, a new delivery model that brings together a network of 'best-in-class' FM partners that
15/11/2011
Demand for new housing will outstrip supply by over half a million units by 2015 which is equivalent to the size of the UK's second largest city Birmingham. This is the conclusion from a new report, 'Tackling the Housing Crisis' , from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The report also revea
15/11/2011
Magnox has awarded a Framework Contract worth £304 million for de-planting, demolition and bulk asbestos removal across 10 nuclear reactor sites in the UK. Magnox, who operate the sites on behalf of their owner – the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), has established a pioneering framework mo
15/11/2011
Kidderminster based CHG Property Services (a member of The Community Housing Group) is celebrating their achievement of the quality standard ISO 9001. The company, which incorporates Oakleaf Grounds Services and Bespoke Joinery Service, is delighted that their hard work has resulted in this succes
15/11/2011
Although this may seem like a fairly self explanatory term, basement waterproofing you would be surprised how many people who are thinking about basement conversion do not even think about it. One of the most vital parts of a basement conversion is to ensure that when basement finishing has occurre
15/11/2011
If an employee suffers an industrial disease, such as deafness, industrial cancer, asbestosis and other lung conditions, back damage etc, there is a strong likelihood that the problem was caused over many years covering his/her employment with a number of different businesses. Some of these may ha
14/11/2011
Scheduled to be complete in summer 2012, Networail Rail has started work at Vauxhall station to provide easier access, build a more spacious concourse and provide better facilities, improving journeys for tens of thousands of passengers who use it every day. The upgrade will include:
14/11/2011
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has today set out his plans to ensure that each of our country's service men and women get the housing help they need. He argued that all too often, the nature of military work can become a "blockade" to members of the armed forces meeting their aspirations for a secur
14/11/2011
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has reassured anxious homeowners struggling to pay their mortgages of the wide range of support available to help them keep their homes, and ensure that repossession remains the last resort. Latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show the number of homes t
14/11/2011
A roofing firm has been sentenced after one of its employees was injured when he fell from a garage roof in Broughton. Hawarden Roofing Supplies & Contractors Limited was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident at a domestic property on Madeley Close in Broughton
14/11/2011
Kier Partnership Homes is experiencing huge demand for new homes at Heritage Green, its increasingly popular development of one and two-bedroom apartments, and two, three and four-bedroom homes at New Cardington, Bedford. This historic area is home to the Cardington Airship Works, founded by Short
14/11/2011
E.ON has unveiled further details and images of its biomass-fired renewable energy plant, which will begin construction at the end of November, at Blackburn Meadows near Sheffield. The £120m renewable energy plant will be set near the site of the old Tinsley Towers, adjacent to Meadowhall, and when
14/11/2011
Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has awarded Interserve, the international support services and construction group, new contracts in Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and Gibraltar. The combined contracts are worth an estimated £60 million a year for five years with the possib
14/11/2011
Birmingham City Council has won the overall prize at the UK Housing Awards for its Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust scheme, which delivers hundreds of affordable but high-quality new homes each year. Established in January 2009, Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust has so far provided Birmingham co
14/11/2011
Councils will have to pull the plug on thousands of solar panel installations and face being left hundreds of millions of pounds out of pocket because of rushed Government cuts, local authority leaders have warned. On the day that the last of the 'big six' energy suppliers hikes up energy bills, lo
14/11/2011
Tesco has announced that it has been awarded the prestigious ‘Green Supply Chain Award’ by The Global Supply Chain Council in China. The Judging Panel praised Tesco for demonstrating strong environmental leadership and a firm commitment to promote green in China, while the supermarket's Jiashan Gre
14/11/2011
GSR Self Storage have announced their opening of new facilities for self storage in East London and Essex. GSR offer 24 hour access, 7 days a week for all storage facilities including builders tools. GSR Self Storage also operate a Van and Lorry Park and you can find them at at the end of Chequer
14/11/2011
Ferrari are keen to help our customers find economic cost effective solutions for their air movement requirements. We can help in many ways, by optimising fan selection, choosing the correct motors, advising and supplying products which allow for variable capacity and pressure. Fan Selection Opti
11/11/2011
Nearly 400 new affordable homes will be delivered across the South of England as part of a four year agreement between the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Source Development Partnership. The HCA has agreed a contract with Source Development Partnership, which will see it deliver a total of
11/11/2011
BAM Construction has broken ground with Plymouth University to commence work on the £8.5million development of its first on-campus combined student and medical staff accommodation at the Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital. The facility will benefit Cornwall's future doctors, dentists and other
11/11/2011
Energy regulator Ofgem has been asked by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to look into whether further action is needed to ensure that medium to long-term gas supplies for consumers remain secure. In the short term, gas supplies are relatively secure and the wholesale gas market i
11/11/2011
Education Minister, Leighton Andrews, has attended a sod-cutting ceremony on the site of a new building for Cwm Ifor Primary School in Penyrheol, Caerphilly. The ceremony marks the beginning of construction on a £6 million project, with £4.4 million coming from a capital funding grant from the Wels
11/11/2011
The Government and businesses must adopt a two-pronged approach to deliver both short and long-term solutions to the housing crisis, the CBI has said. In its report,Unfreezing the housing market,the UK's leading business group says boosting housing activity could be a major game-changer for growth
11/11/2011
Centrica's North American subsidiary, Direct Energy, has acquired the Illinois-based home protection plan business Home Warranty of America (HWA) for £30 million in cash. The acquisition of HWA provides Direct Energy with a national platform to build and grow an extensive protection plan business i
11/11/2011
Efficiency North (EN) has selected Lovell to its £975 million framework to improve the homes and communities across Yorkshire and the Humber. EN, a consortium of social housing providers in Yorkshire and the Humber, has divided the framework into 3 sub regions - West, East and South - to ensure a m
11/11/2011
Plans for a new 900 place secondary school with community sports facilities in Dawley have been given the go ahead by councillors. The new Sports and Learning Community will replace the existing Phoenix School, which will relocate to the new site. Telford & Wrekin Council's Plans Board has approve
11/11/2011
The North West Air Ambulance charity has had a surprise boost to their valuable rescue efforts. The Warrington office of fitout, housing and maintenance contractor Morris & Spottiswood has chosen them as one of the charities they will support over the next year. As well as a share of funds raised
11/11/2011
Household Automation has been involved with the Comfort security alarm and home control from Cytech for many years. The product is primarily a reliable approved security system, but it provides more than just security, in fact Comfort provides so much functionality that it's hard to know where to
11/11/2011
A basement of a large home in Manchester is actually going to be transformed into three basement rooms each with their own specific function! The basement conversion will be part of a development project where the large house is currently used for student dwelling. Three rooms as mentioned will b
11/11/2011
HSS Training, the specialist training division of HSS Hire, the national supplier of tool and equipment hire and related services, has launched a new website that offers users unrivalled control of their training needs. The site,
10/11/2011
Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £28.5 million contract to deliver a new city centre police headquarters in Newcastle for Northumbria Police Authority. Construction will commence this month on the site adjacent to the East Coast mainline station on Forth Banks. The project involves a clever use
10/11/2011
A Nottinghamshire manufacturing company has been fined after a worker suffered severe hand and arm injuries. A 52-year-old production operative from Heanor, Derbyshire, suffered fractures in two fingers, a twisted knuckle and burns to his forearms after his hands became trapped in a pre-preg machin
10/11/2011
The Local Government Association (LGA) has voiced concerns about the announcement from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) on the feed-in tariff for solar energy and the effect this will have on council finances and local community projects. These changes include:
10/11/2011
Kidderminster based CHG Property Services (a member of The Community Housing Group) is celebrating their achievement of the quality standard ISO 9001. The company, which incorporates Oakleaf Grounds Services and Bespoke Joinery Service, is delighted that their hard work has resulted in this succes
10/11/2011
London Assembly Members have urged the UK's six main energy suppliers to take immediate action to help tackle the disproportionate number of Londoners suffering from fuel poverty. In a motion agreed unanimously, Members called on the Mayor to join the Assembly in pressing for a better deal for Lond
10/11/2011
Kier in Sefton has helped restore the Norris Green Youth Centre in Liverpool as part of a special edition of the BBC's DIY SOS for Children in Need. Due to be aired tonight, 10 November, at 9pm on BBC One, The Big Build for Children in Need calls upon the local community, trades and companies to pu
10/11/2011
Unite, the UK's largest union, has given notice to Balfour Beatty Engineering Services of its plan to ballot more than 1,000 members employed at the firm for strike action, as thousands march in London against the employer-led attacks on the skills and pay of workers in the sector. The strike ball
10/11/2011
A basement conversion which came with a lot of history, Rockcliffe House which is situated at Wesley Place in Bacup was originally home to the Maden family. It was built in 1866 by John Maden; he was a cotton spinner and manufacturer. At the tender age of twenty he married Miss Alice Ackroyd, on do
10/11/2011
GRPMS and Aerovac Systems, both subsidiaries of Umeco plc, have entered into a non-exclusive agreement for GRPMS to distribute the Aerovac Systems product range in Sweden, Norway and Finland. Aerovac Systems, part of Umeco Composites Process Materials (UCPM), operates out of facilities in the UK, I
10/11/2011
Household Automation has been specifying and installing the Sonos multi-room audio product range since its first introduction to the UK. As a multi-room audio system Sonos has achieved amazing market penetration. The product provides complete flexibility at an affordable price. The Sonos equipment
10/11/2011
All over the UK Newey & Eyre customer have been invited to take part in a survey researching what businesses need to do to capitalise on the opportunities that the booming interest in Solar Photovoltaic renewable energy industry presents. With many construction projects on hold due to stunted econo
09/11/2011
A Birmingham handyman has been prosecuted after releasing asbestos fibres while refurbishing a kitchen at a flat in Solihull. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found William Rogers, a carpenter and general handyman, had removed partition walls containing asbestos insulating boar
09/11/2011
Balfour Beatty has been selected to construct and manage 4,761 new homes for the American military in a $470 million (£293.4 million) deal announced by the United States Air Force. The Air Force said Balfour Beatty Communities has been selected as the preferred bidder for a 50-year project to deli
09/11/2011
Construction firms in Scotland are on tenterhooks today as councillors in North Ayrshire meet to decide later whether to support controversial proposals for a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston. Although planning officials have recommended the local authority rejects the plans, Ayrshire Pow
09/11/2011
The new multi-million-pound Bert Williams Leisure Centre in Bilston is due to open its doors for the first time on Saturday December 3, once the last of the construction work is completed. The state-of-the-art facility will replace the ageing Bilston Leisure Centre and offer a dramatically improved
09/11/2011
BAM Construction has confirmed that the Bridgwater schools project is running to schedule as it hands-over Trinity Sports and Leisure Centre. The Centre is the first completed part of the £50 million education build across Bridgwater. Trinity Sports and Leisure Centre is part of the Chilton Trini
09/11/2011
Rapid progress in constructing a multi-million pound training centre in Barking, aimed at giving young people the skills for a fulfilling career, was celebrated at a traditional topping out ceremony. Mark Pengelly, managing director of Kier Construction (London), invited Cllr Mick McCarthy, Barking
09/11/2011
The founder of Truro based Kensa Engineering, Richard Freeborn has stepped down from his role as Chairman to take up a new post at the Department of Energy and Climate Change. In his new role, Richard will use his 14 years' experience in the renewable heat industry to provide technical and commer
09/11/2011
Solarwall a long established local energy efficiency company, are now part of the E N Procure Elemental Works Framework meaning that Solarwall can now install Cavity Wall Insulation, Solar Thermal and Solar Photovoltaic Panels and Air Source Heat Pumps for Efficiency North. The framework, which has
09/11/2011
Northern Ireland company Kingspan Renewables is continuing to expand its presence in the South African market. As a result of a successful partnership with South African based eco supplier Green Power, Kingspan Renewables' Thermomax solar collectors are being used in an increasing number of commer
09/11/2011
May Gurney has acquired TransLinc, a market leader in the UK's £730 million per annum local authority specialist fleet services and £3 billion local authority passenger services markets. Under the terms of the transaction, May Gurney paid a cash consideration of £34.9m for the equity and loan notes
09/11/2011
Rising energy bills, combined with a tough economic climate and a Government drive to reduce carbon emissions mean that creating an energy-efficient home has never been so important. And with a whole range of eco options on the market, its easier than ever to build green and achieve a house that’s c
08/11/2011
Morgan Sindall has secured a £12.3 million contract to deliver the next phase of redevelopment at Old Trafford Cricket Ground. The leading construction, infrastructure and design business will build two new grandstands with a combined capacity of more than 7,000 seats and a state-of-the-art four-st
08/11/2011
A new HMRC crackdown on construction companies and workers avoiding paying tax is not addressing a major issue, construction union UCATT has warned. The HMRC have recently launched a taskforce in the North West of England and North Wales to crackdown on construction traders who are not paying tax,
08/11/2011
Muse in partnership with Blackpool Council have announced that Sainsbury’s is the selected foodstore operator for the transformational £220 million Central Business District scheme (CBD) in Blackpool town centre. Muse and Sainsbury's are submitting a joint full application for a 60,000 square feet
08/11/2011
Peterborough City Council's Cabinet will be asked to approve a draft housing strategy which will look to support the city's growth agenda, secure regeneration and improvements to existing housing and meet existing and future housing needs. The strategy includes four priority areas: supporting the d
08/11/2011
Lovell Respond, the planned and responsive maintenance specialist, has been appointed by Barnet Homes to deliver electrical services to a portfolio of 15,000 homes across North London. The contract, which is worth £20 million over a 10-year period, will begin in April 2012. Simon Medler, managing
08/11/2011
Over 200 jobs have been lost in Aberdeen, after a major window manufacturer ran into trouble. Administrators KPMG were called in to AC Yule after the company got into financial difficulties with the consultants saying that 211 of the 272 staff had been made redundant following their appointment. T
08/11/2011
Tata Steel is to close down its Construction Products (TCSP) business in South Wales which will result in 70 job losses. The business focuses on roll-formed products and assemblies, and is based at the Llanwern site in Newport. Paul Steele, Tata Steel’s Managing Director for Distribution UK & Irel
08/11/2011
A Co Antrim-based automation and process control specialists, Pneutrol Ireland Ltd (PIL), has recently secured an order worth €180,000 in the Republic of Ireland, following support from Invest Northern Ireland to develop and market a new product. The company, which is one of the premier concrete co
08/11/2011
Specialist London contractor and developer United House and private equity firm JER Partners have combined forces in a joint venture to deliver the landmark Paynes & Borthwick Wharves site in West Greenwich, London. The £120 million riverside development will provide 257 high specification one, two
08/11/2011
Two roofers have been fined and received suspended sentences after a Derbyshire office worker was injured when a roll of roofing felt crashed through the ceiling of her office. Kathleen Philipson of Allestree, Derby, was sitting at her desk at offices in Nottingham Road, Ripley, when the metre-long
08/11/2011
Sheffield based Awarding Organisation, GQA Qualifications, confirms the appointment of their new Chief Executive, Mick Clayton. The specialist Awarding Organisation has been providing qualifications to the glass industry for over 20 years and has recently expanded into the Print and Coatings sector
08/11/2011
Commodity prices are rising once more to record levels because of uncertainty over Libya, the other Arab Spring uprisings and growing demand from China and India. This is particularly affecting oil, metals and some basic food stuff such as grain. This rapid increase has insurance implications a
07/11/2011
Communities who have had a lack of opportunity for economic growth could benefit from a multi-million pound boost to help get their building projects off the ground. The £500 million Growing Places Fund will be available to help boost economic growth by getting the required infrastructure built to
07/11/2011
Engineering solutions providers, Costain, has announced it is continuing to perform well and trading is in line with its expectations. The group's order book has risen to £2.6bn following major new contracts awarded by Network Rail and the London Bridge Station contract. In a statement the Group s
07/11/2011
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has welcomed the successful delivery of 14 new schools under the 2011 Rapid Delivery Programme. The 2011 Rapid Programme included projects for 13 primary schools and one post-primary school where accommodation could be delivered using off-si
07/11/2011
An engineer called in to investigate a gas leak in an office block was nearly killed by carbon monoxide poisoning following faulty work on a boiler. Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard John Courtney, 55, from Penarth, was almost overcome by deadly fumes when he was sent to investigate a possible gas l
07/11/2011
Land Securities' plans to revitalise Victoria took another big step forward today, as Westminster City Council resolved to grant planning consent to redevelop Kingsgate House. The development, designed by Lynch Architects, will encompass two new buildings replacing the existing office block. It wil
07/11/2011
Willmott Dixon is aiming to take a greater share of the private residential contracting market with the appointment of Keith Harley as housing for sale sector manager. Willmott Dixon currently builds over 1,500 homes a year, mainly for Registered Providers (RPs), and is increasing its contracting w
07/11/2011
Balfour Beatty has been awarded a £290m contract from Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd to replace the power line between Beauly and Wharry Burn. The work includes the design and installation of a 200km double circuit 400kV overhead electricity transmission line and associated civil and acce
07/11/2011
Builders and contractors can now save a massive 15% off the New 2012 Building Price Books from Which Building Contract, the best price from any specialist-building bookseller before the end of November 2012. All a customer needs to do is to visit the web site
07/11/2011
Chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) Pat Ritchie has praised the progress being made at Bath Riverside, one of the biggest brown-field regeneration schemes in the South West. During a tour of the site, she heard about plans for the future phases of the project, which has a capi
07/11/2011
Leading construction restoration and repair specialist Plastic Surgeon has recently completed stone repairs to the Risca Palace Cinema on behalf of Opco Construction. The restoration of a Grade II listed cinema building in South Wales has been brought to a successful completion with two of Plastic
07/11/2011
The hotly contested 2011 RIBA Stirling Prize has resulted in a triple success for SE Controls as its specialised smoke and natural ventilation solutions are used not only in Zaha Hadid's stunning award winning design for Brixton's Evelyn Grace Academy, but also in two of the other five shortlisted f
07/11/2011
Optima have been shortlisted at the prestigous CMA Awards 2011 (Construction Marketing Awards) in the category of 'Best use of Technical Information'. Optima embarked on a mission to present their core products in an innovative and industry leading way to help engage their client base and to differ
04/11/2011
An extra 2000 new homes will be built in Liverpool in the next three years under ambitious plans unveiled by the city council which will see £130 million invested in housing. And there will also be a major drive to bring empty property back into use, the potential introduction of a mortgage scheme
04/11/2011
Morgan Sindall and VINCI Energies, through its joint venture MSVE Transmission, have been awarded preferred bidder status for a potential £500 million Electricity Transmission Overhead Line partnership to deliver National Grid's overhead line construction programme for the next five years. The majo
04/11/2011
A developer has been chosen by Forest of Dean District Council to deliver the next stage of the regeneration of Cinderford and build almost 100 new and affordable homes over a two year period. Kier Partnership Homes has been selected by Cinderford Town Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (
04/11/2011
Construction union UCATT is currently preparing for the election of its General Secretary. During the process, prospective candidates for election were required to attend the union's Selection Committee, in accordance with the union’s rulebook, on 26th October 2011. Following that meeting the Selec
04/11/2011
A precision engineering company has been fined for failing to prevent access to dangerous parts on one of its machines, even after several warnings at its site in Hailsham, East Sussex. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Metaltech Precision Engineers Ltd for failing to prevent access
04/11/2011
Schools across England are to be freed from confusing and unnecessary regulations on school buildings. Ministers are consulting on simplifying and reducing the regulations around school buildings, as part of the independent Capital Review recommendations, which proposed how to build and maintain sc
04/11/2011
The 2011 Proskills Awards Ceremony will be held at Alton Towers on 3 November, highlighting the achievements of apprentices like Arron Clegg. At the tender age of 20 Arron already has some big plans for his specialist energy efficient window installation company, writes Proskills CEO Terry Watts.
04/11/2011
Novaspace recently supplied their Metalsistem shelving to the wholesaler group Edmundson Electrical. Edmunson Electrical are based all over the UK. Novaspace Shelving Ltd are not simply suppliers of shelving and racking, we are structural engineers and can design your storage needs with optimal ex
04/11/2011
As part of the significant expansion of Aston Business School in Birmingham, market leading column casings manufacturer Contour Casings Ltd, has supplied and installed a range of its preformed plywood column encasement systems as part of the £22 Million pound development. A range of aesthetically-p
04/11/2011
Due to the problem of sourcing quality bricklayers and labourers through a complicated network of contacts, PPS Design and Build supply quality bricklayers to the civil and construction industry. There are many organisations in existence today that wish to contract a team of trusted bricklayers.
03/11/2011
Provisional figures published on Tuesday indicate that apprenticeship starts for academic year 2010/11 have risen by more than 50 per cent compared with final figures from 2009-10. The Statistical First Release shows that apprenticeship numbers have risen across all age ranges and levels of traini
03/11/2011
Network Rail has awarded Balfour Beatty Rail a £50 million contract to deliver track remodelling as part of the major redevelopment of the London Bridge area. The track remodelling of London Bridge forms a vital part of the Thameslink programme and is needed to allow more and longer trains through
03/11/2011
A Trafford firm has been fined £145,000 after an employee plunged ten metres through a fragile roof onto a concrete floor, and died two years later from his injuries. J Mills (Contractors) Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to put any safety measures in place to
03/11/2011
Deborah Meaden from Dragons' Den and Grand Designs' Kevin McCloud were among a group of London 2012 Sustainability Ambassadors who paid a visit to the Olympic Park yesterday, as the Organising Committee (LOCOG) was recognised for its ground-breaking approach to sustainability. LOCOG has become the
03/11/2011
Retail rental firm Corbo has reported a £44m loss between March 2010 and January. The shop landlord company names the sale of Longwood Retail Park, Damolly Retail Park and the Marks & Spencer building on Donegall Place in Belfast as the one-off factor affecting performance. The firm, which is owne
03/11/2011
Kirkcaldy High Street was officially reopened on Saturday when the improvements made during the year-long regeneration project were revealed for all to see. Representatives from Fife Council and the Scottish Government met with traders and members of the public on the street and marked the occasion
03/11/2011
UCATT are warning that government policies will make the industry more dangerous, as the publication of the latest statistics on deaths and injuries once again underline construction’s dangers. Detailed figures published on November 2nd by the Health and Safety Executive confirm that fatalities ros
03/11/2011
GB Building Solutions has been awarded a £4.4 million contract to redevelop part of the Wakefield College city centre campus. This scheme is phase one of a £15 million re-development and will see one of the existing blocks redeveloped to include a pedestrianised walkthrough, part of the council’s
03/11/2011
A Breakfast Roundtable hosted by PEFC at the Commonwealth Club in central London and attended by some of the country's major contractors, heard Dr Peter Bonfield, Head of Construction Products at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and Chief Executive at BRE describe how the 2012 London Olympic Par
03/11/2011
HSS Hire, the UK's award-winning tool and equipment hire company, has been appointed as sole supplier by British Waterways in a five-year multi-million pound equipment management deal. Through their innovative new Outsource service, HSS will supply, manage and maintain all the tools and equipment h
03/11/2011
Work has now started on the long-awaited new Irish World Heritage Centre in Manchester twenty five years after the original centre opened. The new centre in Cheetham Hill, Manchester's most cosmopolitan area, will be unique in celebrating the history and contribution of Irish communities around the
03/11/2011
At a glittering awards ceremony recently at the Marriott Hotel, Park Lane, London, the new GRAHAM Headquarters won the 2011 'Corporate Workplace' UK National Award from the British Council for Offices. Won in the face of tough competition, the award was open to a building commissioned by owner occu
03/11/2011
DMA Signs is one of the latest group of companies to join a scheme designed to help industry improve its safety record. The Surrey based firm recently received accreditation from SAFEcontractor, a programme which recognises very high standards of health and safety practice amongst UK contractors.
03/11/2011
Silverwood are a leading European manufacturer of painted timber cladding, and The A. Proctor Group have introduced their range of timber cladding to their portfolio of products. Silverwood is a painted cladding system which can offer the following benefits:
03/11/2011
Household Automation was asked to fit automated lighting and blinds into a well furnished well finished high end flat in central London. The property overlooks the Tate gallery and has stunning views along the Thames. The new owner had asked that the existing lighting be automated with the minimum
02/11/2011
The total facilities management contract, which Interserve has operated for the London Borough of Croydon since 2006, has been extended until 2016 and is worth circa £10 million a year. The three-year extension reflects the strong working partnership that has been developed between Interserve, the
02/11/2011
Willmott Dixon took the amount of health sector work secured since July to over £100 million after being appointed for a £14.1 million contract to deliver a health centre and primary school. The company's office in Cobham will build the combined facility in Surbiton under a LIFT arrangement for Sou
02/11/2011
A massive regeneration scheme in Leeds is one step closer to completion after the Government gave its long-awaited approval for the project. The £180 million Housing PFI Project to revitalise the neighbourhoods of Little London, Beeston Hill and Holbeck has been subject to a government 'Value for
02/11/2011
Granite from Lafarge's Mountsorrel Quarry in Leicestershire will be keeping the country's railways on the right track for the next five years, after the company secured a prestigious contract. Network Rail, which owns and operates most of Britain's rail infrastructure, has awarded a framework contr
02/11/2011
In a bid to meet production demands for improvements in energy efficiency and air quality, insulation board manufacturer Celotex has replaced its existing compressor installation with an Atlas Copco full-feature, variable speed drive, oil-free compressor together with a heat regenerative IMD dryer.
02/11/2011
Essex County Council has selected Ringway Jacobs as its preferred bidder to form one of the largest integrated highways partnerships in the UK. The partnership will deliver significant savings while providing an improved level of service for residents in a challenging climate of decreasing budgets.
02/11/2011
Lovell has recently provided support to the BBC's DIY SOS project, the 'The Big Build'. This is set to be the programme’s biggest project to date for Children in Need. The one-off charity special will see the DIY SOS team transform the rundown Norris Green Youth Centre in north Liverpool, and the p
02/11/2011
Costain, one of the UK's leading engineering solutions providers, announces that it has been awarded by Network Rail a major contract for the redevelopment of London Bridge Station. Under the terms of the contract, which is worth £400 million over five years, Costain will carry out the detailed des
02/11/2011
It's time to cover up for winter. Building sites all over the UK are preparing to batten down the hatches and to ensure roofing structures are insulated and made waterproof before the onset of the cold and windy season. Twistfix have received a big increase in orders of its Super-7 warm roof fixin
02/11/2011
WPPM, the building services management arm of Watkins Payne have commissioned Purple Frog to relaunch their website with an emphasis on creating a richer and personalised user journey for their clients. The existing WPPM website has become a static and confusing experience for new and returning vis
01/11/2011
Local housing association A2Dominion has unveiled proposals for a multi-million pound redevelopment of a housing scheme in Oxford. The not-for-profit organisation plans to redevelop Luther Court to create 43 new homes and 19 cluster apartments for students. A2Dominion is preparing a planning appli
01/11/2011
Provian Construction, one of Kent’s leading main contractors, have built a 650 metre wall at the Queen Mary Reservoir to protect houses in the Surrey village of Charlton that were at risk of flooding. Finished in just eight weeks, at a cost of around £200K, the wall was needed as the wave height w
01/11/2011
Interserve, the international support services and construction group has been awarded a prestigious contract with Leeds City Council to build a new school for 630 pupils plus a 26 place nursery, designed to meet the stringent requirements of Passivhaus. Richmond Hill Primary School in Leeds will,
01/11/2011
ISG has successfully completed an £840K student accommodation project at St Mary’s College in Oscott, near Sutton Coldfield. The contractor has adopted a painstaking and methodical approach to the sensitive refurbishment and rationalisation of existing space within the Grade II listed college buil
01/11/2011
One of England's leading independent waste management company, L&S Waste, is continuing to invest in its success by appointing two new staff members. Area development managers Jim Pearce and Mark Alford have both recently joined the Fareham-based company and are already hard at work. Jim, who wi
01/11/2011
Air Science Technologies Ltd is pleased to welcome Holliday Fielding Hocking to our UK distribution network. Holliday Fielding Hocking (Holliday) is based in Leeds, UK. A family run business established 50 years ago, the company is now managed by 3rd and 4th generation family members who continue t
01/11/2011
As part of the significant expansion of Aston Business School in Birmingham, market leading column casings manufacturer Contour Casings Ltd, has supplied and installed a range of its preformed plywood column encasement systems as part of the £22 Million pound development. A range of aesthetically-p
01/11/2011
Transdek, a specialist in double deck loading solutions, is recommending the introduction of a new loading bay height at distribution centres handling high volumes of deliveries through fixed double deck trailers. Most conventional loading bays are constructed with a raised floor height of 1,200mm
01/11/2011
West Wales window, door and conservatory company Nolan uPVC is celebrating both national and regional award success as finalists at this year’s G11 and IWA / Western Mail Business Awards for Wales. Nolan has been shortlisted as one of four finalists for the national G11 Retail Promotional Campaign
01/11/2011
Padipa Solutions are having an Open House at their base in Hampshire on 18th-19th November 2011. They will be hosting several of their suppliers and also will be demonstrating their products on those days. Padipa Solutions is an enterprising company dedicated to providing a one-stop shop for those
01/11/2011
Plastic Surgeon, the leading building industry cosmetic repair specialist has signed up to the WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) Halving Waste to Landfill Scheme. Plastic Surgeon is the cosmetic repair specialist and expert in material and building product repairs such as - Plastic and GRP,
