Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for December 2012
21/12/2012
Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, announced today that Gammon Construction, a leading Hong Kong construction company that is 50% owned by Balfour Beatty, has been awarded a HK$ 3.4 billion (equivalent to £270 million) contract to work on a major section of the new Shatin to Cen
21/12/2012
A £200m investment fund to accelerate the building of new high quality homes for private rent has been launched. The Build to Rent Fund, announced today, will invest equity or loan finance in a range of viable projects in England where there is both local demand and support for new private rented h
21/12/2012
Energy company E.ON and a Vauxhall-based housing association joined forces to offer local residents the chance to learn how to make their Christmas brighter this year. Tenants of the Eldonian Community Based Housing Association were invited along to a Christmas buffet at the Eldonian Village Hall,
21/12/2012
A bright idea on partnership is set to get the green light from Bristol mayor George Ferguson. City Hall currently works with South Gloucestershire and North Somerset on a joint contract for the maintenance and installation of traffic signals. This Joint Arrangement contract is now being expanded
21/12/2012
The Government's announcement that the notice period that companies have to give before making workers redundant is to be slashed has been described as a "kick in the teeth" by construction workers union UCATT. From April 2013 companies making over 100 workers redundant will only have to give 45 da
19/12/2012
A £4.5 million scheme to ease congestion and boost business has been completed. Surrey County Council and the University of Surrey joined forces to improve traffic flow at a busy roundabout outside the Surrey Research Park in Guildford. Their project saw the roundabout removed and a crossroads wit
19/12/2012
Peterborough City Council will be extending the registration period for people to join its Ready to switch? scheme. Over 13,000 people have signed up to the scheme so far, which is being run in partnership with 11 other councils – making it the biggest local authority led collective switching schem
19/12/2012
A Cardiff building company has been fined for ignoring a safety notice and exposing workers and members of the public to serious risk of injury. Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard that Rimo Construction Ltd, of St Mellons, allowed unsafe work at height at a house in Rumney in June 2012. An investiga
19/12/2012
Companies could cut the running costs of their fleets* by an average of £350,000 and reduce CO2emissions by more than 5% (830 tonnes) each year by replacing just 10% of their current vehicles with electric models. The potential savings were identified in a British Gas study, conducted by TRL, the
19/12/2012
Kier Construction has started work on a £19m school project expected to rank as the largest structure in the UK built with the latest cross-laminated timber (CLT) technology. Foundations are now being laid for the William Perkin Church of England High School in Oldfield Lane North, Greenford, under
19/12/2012
A splashback is designed to protect your walls where they may be damaged by water and are often found behind the sink in the bathroom or kitchen. Splashbacks are also common behind the hob in the kitchen where the walls may be splashed with grease, fat or other foodstuffs. A splashback is commonly
19/12/2012
The Pre-fix Gauge System is a highly precise construction tool that can be used for all block and brickwork. The Pre-fix Gauge gives you quality on site control at a glance. Our system is accurate to 1mm over 3m. Our highly trained and skilled workforce tailor our services specifically to suit all
18/12/2012
A landmark has been reached in the restoration of The Avenue, a former coking works and chemical plant in Chesterfield that closed in 1992 and once identified as one of the most contaminated sites in Western Europe. One of the waste lagoons, where the worst contaminants had been stored, has had all
18/12/2012
E.ON has today confirmed that Kingsnorth coal-fired power station in Kent, ceased commercial generation at 1510hrs. Decommissioning / closure work will be undertaken at the power station as it heads towards formal closure by 31 March 2013. The power station, along with others across the UK, was for
18/12/2012
The Costain team working on the Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Framework, welcomed fifteen local students to the site of a new service reservoir at Coed Dolwyd, Glan Conwy, to help develop their skills and provide encouragement for the future construction workers within the local industry. The students from
18/12/2012
BAM Properties has sold its commercial property development at Chiswick Green in West London to the M&G Property Portfolio for £47.7 million. BAM Properties recommenced the development of the seven storey Grade A BREEAM Excellent building in the spring of 2010 and was the first developer to resume
18/12/2012
Representatives from leading companies have come together to support a new initiative from the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) that will create an online sustainability search to point built environment professionals to the best resources, tools and guidance available. EPR Architects, Marks and
18/12/2012
A building firm has appeared in court after a plumber suffered life-threatening injuries in a fall at an outdoor activities centre near Gwynfe in Carmarthenshire. The 64-year-old man from Llandovery, who has asked not to be named, was working on the refurbishment of an accommodation block at the si
18/12/2012
Leading business energy supplier, Opus Energy, has experienced significant growth in 2012 with revenue growing by 38%, mirroring the company's corporate customer base expansion to over 56,000 sites. The growth of Opus Energy's corporate sales reflects the steady growth in customers signing up to i
18/12/2012
Contour Casings’ pioneering Aluminium parapet wall capping range withstood windspeeds of over 400mph during recent independent testing. The system is now being extensively used by Taylor Wimpey throughout Hampshire and Essex on chic apartments and sumptuous family homes. Items tested withstood wind
17/12/2012
Plans for the regeneration of Great Homer Street moved an important step forward today, as the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for land in the area was confirmed by the Government. The approval, which follows a public inquiry in July, is an important milestone in the plans to regenerate North Liver
17/12/2012
Work is officially underway on the next phase of housing at the award-winning £400m mixed-use community of Locking Parklands in Weston-super-Mare. St. Modwen, the developer responsible for the regeneration of the former RAF Locking site, and landowner the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), marked
17/12/2012
Balfour Beatty, the global infrastructure Group, has been selected as preferred bidder to maintain Suffolk's highways in a contract worth £200 million over five years, with the possibility of an extension to 10 years. The decision for awarding the contract remains subject to formal legal procedure
17/12/2012
Over 10,000 people have now registered to a new city council scheme to save residents money on their energy bills. Peterborough City Council has led on the Ready to switch? scheme, which includes 11 other local authorities from across the UK. In the last week alone over 5,000 new registrations ha
17/12/2012
Staffordshire County Council and a refurbishment firm have been fined for exposing a nursery class, school staff and two joiners to asbestos fibres. Rugeley firm G Evans (Services) Ltd was refurbishing Glenthorne Community Primary School in Cheslyn Hay for the council when the incident happened on
17/12/2012
Basildon town centre could soon be revitalised by a new cinema, restaurants and bars along with a new market and college following the approval of the towns' masterplan at cabinet. The final version of the plan highlights how a number of schemes are proposed to be completed in the next five years.
14/12/2012
London Array has announced that the 175th and last turbine at the first 630MW phase of the London Array Offshore Wind Farm has been installed, marking the end of major construction activities. Turbine installation began in January 2012 and has been completed by MPI Discovery, A2SEA's Sea Worker and
14/12/2012
The Minister with responsibility for Transport, Carl Sargeant, has confirmed that an additional £3m will be spent on maintenance over the next three months to improve resilience of the trunk road network in North Wales with a particular focus on the A55. The decision to commit additional money to t
14/12/2012
Construction union UCATT are warning that selling life-saving Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) through vending machines risks workers safety and could breach legislation. The union's warning came after it was reported that Barr Construction had begun selling PPE to sub-contractors through vendin
14/12/2012
Housing Minister Mark Prisk visited the new community of Cranbrook in East Devon to announce £20m of Government investment in the project and see first-hand how a partnership approach to development is reaping impressive results. He announced a package of support to further accelerate the building
14/12/2012
National housing and regeneration body, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), today welcomed an additional £515m government funding boost to de-risk and dispose of surplus government public sector land, and spend up delivery of large-scale sites. This will enable the delivery of thousands of new h
14/12/2012
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey today announced that exploratory hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for shale gas can resume in the UK, subject to new controls to mitigate the risks of seismic activity. Mr Davey said: "Shale gas represents a promising new potential energy resource for
14/12/2012
Clarke & Associates Ltd (Consulting Civil & Structural Engineers and Project Managers) are pleased to welcome Dominic Sparkes to the business. Dominic is a Chartered Civil Engineer with 20 years experience in the construction industry. He has joined Clarke & Associates as a Director and his techn
14/12/2012
(Local) Landscape Architect Practice, Applied Landscape Design has enjoyed a night of success at the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on the 7th December. Prior to the event, Oxford based business Applied Landscape Design, were t
13/12/2012
The latest addition to Crossrail's tunnelling team, 1,000 tonne Victoria, has begun work, joining sister tunnelling machine Elizabeth to create the eastern section of the new rail line between Docklands and central London. The two machines will create the 8.3km (5.16 miles) eastern tunnels from Doc
13/12/2012
Mr Xuhua Chen, of Hunters Grove, Hayes was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay the council's legal costs of £1885.95 for failing to demolish an illegal outbuilding in his back garden at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court. He pleaded guilty to an offence of failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice
13/12/2012
Kier Property has signed up the sandwich chain Subway to its £25m Hemel Hempstead gateway development. The company has signed a 15-year lease on the 1,000sq ft space at the mixed-use development park near St Albans Road, joining a 108-bed Travelodge hotel and a Mitchell and Butlers Toby Carvery res
13/12/2012
Construction work has begun on a £1.5m development of 16 new affordable homes on a former flats site in Blackburn. Specialist affordable homes developer, Mulbury Homes, is building the homes in North Road, Blackburn, on behalf of housing association Great Places Housing Group. Plans for the two an
13/12/2012
Plans for the regeneration of Portsmouth have received a huge boost with the announcement of almost £19.5 million of government funding for the redevelopment of Tipner. The Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded the money for the construction of a new motorway junction on the M275 accompanied b
13/12/2012
A Burton upon Trent builder has been fined for dangerous working practices and for failing to report an incident after a Derbyshire worker seriously injured his hand on a chainsaw. The worker, from Swadlincote, who does not want to be named, caught his left hand on the moving teeth of the machine a
13/12/2012
Willmott Dixon will further underline its objective to be a major enabler of growth and opportunity in Birmingham by investing £1 million in a new academy that opens in January. The company announced its intent earlier this year to create a skills academy capable of training 2,000 people a year and
13/12/2012
After three months of picture submissions and voting, the Ladder Association's Idiots on Ladders campaign has discovered the biggest 'ladder idiot' in the UK. Beginning on 1st September, the Ladder Association welcomed submissions from the public of the worst uses of ladders they could find. The co
13/12/2012
Carillion Canada has been selected for long-term contracts to provide year-round routine maintenance services for Provincial Highways in Ontario and Alberta, worth some £525 million. In Ontario, the Ministry of Transportation Ontario has awarded Carillion the Area Maintenance Contracts for Kingston
13/12/2012
VendEase Ltd have secured business with Barr Construction to help solve the costly problem of providing personal protection equipment (PPE) to sub contractors. Now workers who turn up to the job without the proper safety clothing will be able to have immediate access to everything they need thanks
12/12/2012
A new scheme to help people slash around £200 a year from their energy bills has been launched. The 'switch and save' scheme was officially unveiled by Surrey County Council leader David Hodge at a Full Council meeting. It comes after E.ON became the last of the major energy companies to push up p
12/12/2012
Carillion has been selected by Lancashire County Council as the preferred bidder to become a strategic partner for the delivery of a range of property services for East and North Lancashire. This contract will initially focus on property development, which is expected to be worth up to £150 million
12/12/2012
Significant safety failures by a plumbing company may have led to two workers being exposed to dangerous asbestos fibres during a major refurbishment project on flats in Aberystwyth. The workers - a site manager and a subcontractor - were not provided with information about the presence of asbestos
12/12/2012
First Minister Carwyn Jones has set out his hopes of a vibrant economic future for Blaenau Ffestiniog as he officially unveiled the £4 million regeneration of the town centre. The EU backed project aims to boost the local economy and create job opportunities. It has been funded with more than £3 mi
12/12/2012
Costain’s involvement in the NHS Procure 21 programme has ended on a high note with a project winning a trio of prizes in the Building Better Healthcare (BBH) Awards. Discovery House in Lincoln, a mental health rehabilitation facility in the grounds of the city’s St George’s Hospital, was entered f
12/12/2012
A major redevelopment plan for Portsmouth has now commenced with a new community hub. BAM Construction is to construct an iconic building, to include community, youth and health facilities, in the Somerstown area of Portsmouth. The contractor has started work on the landmark tubular structure, whi
12/12/2012
Plans for a substantial increase in spending on major infrastructure projects - announced as part of the Chancellor's Autumn statement - have been welcomed by Nottinghamshire County Council. And the Chairman of the Council's Finance and Property Committee, Councillor Reg Adair has vowed that Nottin
12/12/2012
The number of loans advanced to first-time buyers in October returned to levels similar to those seen over the summer following a slow September, according to new data released today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). Lending to home movers also increased, contributing to a jump in house pur
12/12/2012
London's festive season has kicked off in sustainable style with the lighting of the iconic Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree on 6th December. The traditional annual gift from Norway to the UK will be the 66th in the series of trees donated by Oslo to London and is symbolic of the good relations tha
12/12/2012
The installation of structural lightning protection is available from a number of suppliers. But how many possess the knowledge, experience and expertise to design and plan the systems? From design, right through to innovative bespoke solutions Harrison Lightning Protection & Earthing has the abili
12/12/2012
Ash hardwood would normally only be used for bespoke internal joinery projects, however, due to the Thermo process (Thermo-Ash) can now revolutionise the outdoor market bringing a high quality exclusivity to the discerning client who wants only the best.
11/12/2012
Dualling of the Brynmawr to Tredegar section of the A465 Heads of the Valleys took a major step forward with confirmation that almost £82m of European money has been granted for the scheme. With the additional European funding secured the Welsh Government will now move to the next stage of the proj
11/12/2012
Pupils laid the final bricks to complete the external building works at the new £24m Stanground Academy buildings in Peterborough on 10 December. Zak Jupp and Lewis McPartlin, who previously carried out work experience on the site where they received tuition and training in bricklaying, laid the fi
11/12/2012
A detailed vision for the future of Peterborough city centre has been approved for consultation by Peterborough City Council's Cabinet. The draft City Centre Plan, which sets out the proposed vision of how and where the city centre will develop in the next 15 years, was discussed by Cabinet at a me
11/12/2012
Plans for the next phase of the transformation of Rowner in Gosport, with new homes and improved open space have been approved by councillors. Gosport Borough Council's planning committee last night approved Rowner Renewal Partnership's detail for the third phase of its regeneration. Community cons
11/12/2012
East Thames is to launch a new repairs, maintenance and asset management service from April 2013 to be delivered by newly appointed maintenance partner Interserve. The initial seven year contract, with a provision to extend to fifteen years, will improve the service residents receive, save East Tha
11/12/2012
Two construction companies have been fined for serious safety failings after a Coventry worker suffered life-changing injuries after plummeting more than six metres through a badly-covered hole in a floor. Contract worker Ian Howells, 33, of Tile Hill, punctured his lung, broke every rib on the lef
11/12/2012
Due to the continued success of the Callsafe Services Limited Design Risk Management course, we are presenting the next course on6th & 7th February at Aston Conferences in Birmingham. This is the only Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM) designers’ course that is accredited b
11/12/2012
The appointment of four new trainees sees international smoke and natural ventilation solutions specialist, SE Controls pass the 100th employee landmark, as the company continues to grow to meet sustained demand for its products in UK and overseas markets. The four new recruits are aged between 19
11/12/2012
A leading firm has played a role in helping one of the UK's biggest shopping centres ensure Santa has the perfect place to meet visiting youngsters. Metaltreat Limited, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing has partnered with long-standing client G & D Enterprises Ltd and KD Decoratives Ltd to help creat
11/12/2012
The Metrocentre in Gateshead, South Tyneside is the largest shopping centre in the UK. The complex, which first opened in 1986, was subject to a regeneration project last year in which Tiles Porcelain supplied
11/12/2012
Callsafe Services Limited celebrated 25 years of trading on 9th October 2012. The company originally formed by Bruce Calder, now owned and managed by Dave Carr, has been providing health and safety services to the construction industry for many years, being incorporated as Callsafe Services Limite
10/12/2012
GI Energy, the UK market leader in heating and cooling systems powered by Ground Source Heat Pumps, has welcomed new guidance issued by Ofgem on the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The advice spells out how owners of GSHP systems that both heat and cool a building can confidently apply for payments
10/12/2012
Willmott Dixon has secured a £6.8 million contract to build a home for The Bristol Technology and Engineering Academy (BTE Academy), the first University Technical College (UTC) in the South West. The BTE Academy will specialise in Engineering and Environmental Technology and provide facilities for
10/12/2012
Businesses using large amounts of electricity can now get round-the-clock access to wholesale electricity prices, thanks to an innovative new service from British Gas Business. Flex 24/7, the first service of its kind in Britain, allows companies to manage their demand by buying and selling electri
10/12/2012
Support services company Carillion is looking forward to working with Citysave Credit Union Ltd as it rolls out delivery of the Birmingham Energy Savers (BES). Developed to improve the energy efficiency of up to 60,000 households across Birmingham, together with schools and other council properties
10/12/2012
Construction companies from Bath and the surrounding area are being offered the opportunity to meet prospective client, Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust (RUH), on Tuesday 18 December. RUH is looking to build a local supply chain for all general works up to a value of £50,000. Works will include
10/12/2012
E.ON is writing to each customer whose price will change, whenever possible highlighting the individual impact on their own bill. The average dual fuel price increase is 8.7%, average electricity only price increase is 7.7%, average gas only price increase is 9.4%. Around 1 in 6 of all E.ON custom
10/12/2012
The Partnership Board of the Barry Regeneration Area will focus its efforts on the regeneration of Barry Island over the next financial year. By March, the Welsh Government will have invested £6.5m through the programme since 2010, delivering a range of benefits from improving links between the to
10/12/2012
Sweett Group has secured a four-year project commission through the Transport for London (TfL) Engineering and Project Management framework. Under the terms of the appointment, Sweett Group will be the sole provider of cost management services on TfL's London Overground Capacity Improvement Progr
10/12/2012
Pendock column casings have contributed to the striking interior of Dudley Evolve, the new vocational training centre of Dudley College which was opened in September 2012 by Government Business Secretary Vince Cable. In keeping with its location in Dudley's conservation area, project architect Pick
10/12/2012
Cable Detection are pleased to announce that the latest additions to our product range, the EZiSYSTEM xf series Locators and Transmitters, are now Network Rail approved meaning all our products can now be used on and around the rail infrastructure. With Cable Detections' state of the art xf locato
07/12/2012
The London Legacy Development Corporation has reopened the Greenway and the View Tube to the public so they can see first-hand the dramatic changes to the Olympic Park. The much-loved Greenway cycle and footpath, which connects Hackney Wick to Pudding Mill Lane in Stratford, was visited by thousand
07/12/2012
The owner of a Norfolk aggregate site has been prosecuted for failing to complete a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for moving rail wagons without a locomotive. King's Lynn Magistrates' Court heard that during a site visit to Sibelco Ltd, in Leziate, near King's Lynn, in November 2010, the
07/12/2012
A primary school near Chichester has been awarded £29,989 from EDF Energy towards a renewable energy project. The grant comes from the EDF Energy Green Fund and will help pay for a biomass wood pellet boiler scheme at Eastergate Primary School in Eastergate. The biomass boiler will use locally-sou
07/12/2012
George Osborne's failure to support energy efficiency in the home is a missed opportunity to help boost growth, cut carbon emissions and reduce householders’ fuel bills, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). In response to the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, Brian Berry, the Chief Executive
07/12/2012
Lovell has launched a new dedicated website – www.lovellrepairsandmaintenance.co.uk - for its leading social housing and public sector Repairs & Maintenance business. The easy-to-navigate site showcases Lovell's comprehensive maintenance offering across the UK where it provides maintenance services
07/12/2012
Claims that Crossrail contractors have met with an organisation dedicated to compiling blacklists of construction workers needs to be urgently investigated by London's Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy. Unite, the largest union in the country, said that it had continuing and serious concerns abou
07/12/2012
London developer United House Developments is expanding its team with the appointment of Adam Gaymer as a Director. Adam joins United House from Altyon, a property development and investment fund. He will be working alongside Managing Director Nick Stonley to enhance and manage the procurement and
07/12/2012
The team will have just 24 hours to access the lake before the borehole refreezes. Although hot-water drilling technology has been used extensively by Antarctic scientists on previous experiments, at 3 km this will be the deepest borehole ever made this way. The hot water drill is designed to cope
07/12/2012
Professionals who have been in the tiling industry for a long time recognise quality when they see it. When experienced tiling contractor Daryl Newland ordered 25 square metres of Midnight Black Quartz Mosaics from Tiles Porcelain for a refit in the K-West Hotel, London, he was extremely impressed w
07/12/2012
Versatile Cleaning Equipment Helps With Tough Clean Up Jobs The last few months has seen severe weather conditions causing floods and serious damage to homes and other properties across the UK. Thanks to their adaptability and unique functionality, pressure washers have been able to play a key part
06/12/2012
Unite, Britain's biggest union, has welcomed Sellafield's announcement to create 500 new jobs to accelerate the decommissioning of the West Cumbria site. Sellafield, along with other ageing UK nuclear sites, is being decommissioned ahead of a planned investment in new power stations.The clean-up pr
06/12/2012
The Mayor of London has welcomed news that the Government has agreed a loan of up to £1bn that will allow London Underground to fund an extension of the Northern Line to the Battersea Power Station site. Extending the Northern Line is key to kickstarting regeneration of the Nine Elms area of sout
06/12/2012
A plan which supports hundreds of millions of pounds of investment while helping cut carbon emissions had been agreed. The Sustainable Energy Action Plan, (SEAP) which has been endorsed by the city council’s cabinet, brings together low carbon programmes throughout the City Region. Liverpool has s
06/12/2012
Construction activity remains a key plank in the government's growth strategy according to the Chancellor, who outlined several initiatives in his Autumn Statement, which he hopes will help stimulate the recovery the economy desperately needs. The Chancellor also recognised the need to divert curre
06/12/2012
Kier has signed a new waste and recycling contract that will save four East Sussex councils an estimated £30m over the next decade. Representatives of Eastbourne Borough, Hastings Borough, Rother District and Wealden District councils, officially confirmed the agreement with Kier at the Towner Gall
06/12/2012
Capital & Centric Plc has announced plans to acquire Liverpool’s iconic Littlewoods building at Edge Lane, Liverpool, following its submission of a planning application to Liverpool City Council (LCC) that seeks approval to adapt and refurbish the building. This scheme could involve £16m of privat
06/12/2012
Lovell is working on a £3.14 million affordable housing scheme contract for Dunedin Canmore Group, the latest phase of a major housing regeneration programme for the Oxgangs area of Edinburgh. Through the scheme, Lovell is building 22 flats and 12 houses at Firhill Drive on land previously occupied
06/12/2012
United Utilities and Costain's joint venture with Galliford Try and Atkins, GCA, have won a top environmental award for the work on the High Lane Service Reservoir in Stockport, Cheshire. The project received a Silver Award from Green Apple for demonstrating Environmental Best Practice in the const
06/12/2012
Odournet UK is pleased to announce the opening of their second UK olfactometry laboratory, following the recent granting of UKAS accreditation according to the internationally recognised standard 17025:2005 (laboratory no. 2430). The accreditation covers both odour sampling and analysis to BSEN 1372
06/12/2012
Armstrong Ceilings has refreshed its Atelier stand at The Building Centre. Almost three years after debuting at The Building Centre, Armstrong Ceilings has moved its exhibition space there up a gear and relaunched it under its high-end Atelier brand. The Armstrong Atelier stand in the product gal
06/12/2012
As one of the leading independent contractors in the UK, Forefront Utilities offer comprehensive utility solutions including gas mains installation, repair and maintenance as well as specialist services such as under pressure drilling, line and flow stops and vacuum excavation. Their aim to provide
06/12/2012
While governments across the world struggled to stimulate their economies, the UK forestry market continued to deliver excellent returns, according to the Forest Market Report 2012 launched jointly by Savills and UPM Tilhill today in London on 27th November and in Edinburgh on 28th November. Over t
05/12/2012
Researchers and students at the University of Leeds will be continuing to produce world class research thanks to the new Energy Research Building, constructed using custom-built Optima IPC Pressed Plank Cladding from one of the UK's leading manufacturers of rainscreen and bespoke architectural fabri
05/12/2012
The ceremonial first cut of steel for the £1.4 billion (GBP) Cygnus gas field project was celebrated today by operator GDF SUEZ E&P UK and partners Centrica Energy and Bayerngas at Heerema Fabrication Group's Hartlepool yard in North East England. Mr Stuart Drummond, mayor of Hartlepool, performed
05/12/2012
Residents across Bristol will be able to apply from today for home energy improvement grants to help them cut their bills. The £2.8 million project will provide generous grants for Bristol residents for home improvements with the focus being on solid wall insulation and heating system upgrades. The
05/12/2012
Ahead of the Autumn Statement this week, the Construction Products Association (CPA) is urging the Chancellor to shift from current to capital spending in order to inject funding into repair, maintenance and infrastructure, as outlined in the Association’s submission to Treasury last month. Comment
05/12/2012
London's newest environmentally friendly housing scheme has earned praise from mayor of London Boris Johnson at its official opening. The Greenway on Staines Road in Hounslow is a 18 home scheme built by Willmott Dixon for Catalyst Housing to the highest environmental standards with the latest insu
05/12/2012
Pupils from Sparkhill, Sparkbrook and Small Heath came together to help celebrate the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels at Ackers Adventure with an interactive energy-themed play. The new solar panels will help the not-for-profit activity centre reduce its carbon footprint and lower it
05/12/2012
Work has begun on a £5.9 million mixed tenure housing development which Lovell is delivering on the Heston Farm Estate in Hounslow, west London, for the London Borough of Hounslow and Hounslow Homes. The new four-storey, U-shaped development of apartments will comprise 41 energy-efficient homes on
05/12/2012
A multinational precious metals and chemical company has appeared in court after an employee sustained a serious hand injury at a plant in Royston, Hertfordshire. The worker, who does not want to be named, severed two fingers whilst operating a 10-tonne power hammer at a site operated by Johnson Ma
05/12/2012
An eBay style website is set to be launched to help local businesses cash in on council work. Surrey County Council is creating the site to help firms secure building repair and construction work as sub-contractors on larger projects. Local builders and electricians among others will be able to pi
05/12/2012
Nu-phalt Contracting has a well-established team who has worked closely with local authorities, private sector and facilities management clients, offering a cost effective solution to permanent asphalt repairs using a fully recyclable process. January 2013 will see the Nu-phalt Group approach thei
05/12/2012
Remmers have been awarded the prestigious FeRFA Large Project of the Year Award for the 600m2 bespoke resin floor in the new purpose built, state of the art Audi car centre in Leicester. A designer showroom in need of designer flooring; this project involved the installation of a unique vertical de
05/12/2012
Hall-Fast is delighted to announce that Managing Director Malcolm Hall was voted Business Personality of the Year at the Mansfield CHAD Business awards which were held at the John Fretwell Centre on Thursday 22 November. This category recognises those who have impressed a sense of their own unique
04/12/2012
EDF Energy has announced it will extend the expected operating life of two of its nuclear power stations by seven years. Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B power stations are now expected to remain operational until at least 2023, generating enough low carbon electricity for around two million homes.
04/12/2012
British Land has announced it has acquired the 2.3 acre Canal Corridor North site in Lancaster city centre. The land includes the former Mitchell's of Lancaster brewery. A development agreement is also in place with Lancaster City Council for the acquisition of its adjoining land to enable the d
04/12/2012
BAM Construction in the Midlands has been selected as preferred bidder for a £12 million redevelopment of East Midlands Airport. The contractor, which has offices in Derby, will build a new security hall and queuing space for the airport terminal, which will increase the size of the terminal by 137
04/12/2012
A bolt tightening ceremony has marked construction progress at Rochdale's new transport interchange. Chairman of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, Cllr Andrew Fender, was invited to the Rochdale Interchange site for a tour of the building works before tightening the final bolt of the
04/12/2012
The Costain Group has leaped 70 places in the official league table for Britain's Most Admired Companies. Management Today magazine has announced the Most Admired League Table for 2012, comprising a total of 254 companies, and the Costain Group is in 61st position ahead of such names as Tesco, Cari
04/12/2012
A bottling firm in Chorley has appeared in court after one of its employees was injured while being lifted on the prongs on a forklift truck. The 39-year-old worker from Preston, who has asked not to be named, was filmed on CCTV standing on the forks of the vehicle as it lifted him and a battery-op
04/12/2012
Liverpool City Council is rolling out a new incentive for landlords from giving them the chance to advertise their properties on Property Pool Plus. The service allows local people who are looking for affordable housing in the area to see what properties are available, and express an interest in se
04/12/2012
ISG has been awarded a £4.5 million project by the Port of Dover to carry out extensive remodelling works to the ground floor of the existing passenger handling building, as part of extensive Traffic Management Improvements works. The 44-week programme sees ISG open up the east and west end façades
04/12/2012
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Gleeson Homes are celebrating the submission of a Validation Certificate to Rotherham Council that will allow the former chemical works to be developed into 381 new homes. As soon as the council confirm that the site has been remediated, Gleeson Homes wil
04/12/2012
Tilesporcelain.co.uk recent contract with popular high street chain Ann Summers saw the prestigious firm supply six of their UK outlets with porcelain tiles including the Olympic Village store in the Stratford Centre, London. Another store which benefited from their premium tiles and excellent
04/12/2012
For over 30 years, Nergeco has become the worldwide specialist for productivity doors and is now present within more than 75 countries. We offer a whole range of automatic and flexible doors equipped with our new Intelligent Curtain®. The Nergeco's Intelligent Curtain® increases insulation, energy
04/12/2012
The exclusive area of Knightsbridge in London is set to become the location of a truly astonishing basement excavation. Multi-millionaire David Graham bought a property in Knightsbridge in 2000 before converting it into a house featuring a pool and a single basement level. He now wishes to further
03/12/2012
Carillion has signed a contract with the Birmingham Energy Savers (BES) scheme to deliver energy services as part of the Green Deal. Under the BES scheme, Carillion will work with Birmingham City Council as its exclusive delivery partner to improve the energy and carbon efficiency of up to 60,000 h
03/12/2012
Hillingdon Council's planning committee approved two major planning applications which will have a significant positive impact on Hayes in West London and its residents. The Old Vinyl Factory in Blyth Road will provide 600 housing units and hopes are that it will play host to to up to 4,000 jobs ov
03/12/2012
Robertson, the infrastructure, support services and construction group is in top gear after winning a contract to convert the former Boots distribution warehouse in the North West of England, into a new Volkswagen Motor Dealership. The company, which recently opened an office in Manchester, has bee
03/12/2012
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has backed Boris Johnson's call to cut stamp duty, clearing the way for developers to tackle the housing crisis and boost the economy. "Stamp duty is very high at the moment and you can certainly look at cutting it in the round. The benefit would be to reduce
03/12/2012
Laing O'Rourke has announced that Anna Stewart has been appointed as Group Chief Executive Officer, reporting to the Group Board. This appointment will be effective from April 2013, following a period of transition of responsibilities. Ray O'Rourke, Laing O’Rourke Executive Chairman and Chief E
03/12/2012
A new report published by construction union UCATT exposes the increasing use of payroll companies in the construction industry. The report establishes how payroll companies are being used to codify false self-employment in the industry and how this is costing the Exchequer hundreds of millions of
03/12/2012
Partners have welcomed the completion of new affordable homes on a former garage site during a visit to mark their completion. Slough Borough Council Deputy Leader Cllr James Swindlehurst praised four affordable homes built by Thames Valley Housing Association (TVH) at Belle Vue Place. Cllr Swindl
03/12/2012
The Costain Carillion JV has reached another major safety milestone on the M1 Junction 10-13 project. The project, which has an inducted workforce of over 4,000 people, has again achieved one million man-hours injury free. It is the fourth time the project has reached this milestone since work bega
03/12/2012
Filoform UK (formally ISP) specialises in high-tech sealing solutions for the construction sector, which includes Power, Gas, Water, & telecoms and is now marketing its new re-enterable duct sealing system called Filoseal+. The firm's unique water and gas tight duct sealing system has now been offi
03/12/2012
More flashing options will soon to be added to the Fakro window specialist's website,
03/12/2012
It may have been 10 years in the making but it took less than 12 months in construction to achieve a 'soft opening' prior to the Queen's Jubilee and Olympic Celebrations. Applied Landscape secured a site phase role as Landscape Design Project Managers – supporting the design team West 8, Frosts t
