Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for July 2012
31/07/2012
Development Securities, in joint venture with Berkshire Investment Capital and Gallions Housing, have announced that it has signed an agreement with Sainsbury's for the pre-let of a 46,000 sq ft sales area food store, subject to planning, to anchor its mixed-use regeneration project, Cross Quarter,
31/07/2012
Construction industry leader Peter Hansford has been appointed as the Government’s new Chief Construction Adviser, it has been announced. Mr Hansford will work with government and industry to ensure Britain's construction sector is equipped with the knowledge, skills and best practice it needs in i
31/07/2012
BAM Construction has been selected to turn a disused Siemens factory in South-east London into one of the government's University Technical Colleges. The contractor will retain a large proportion of the frame and envelope of the former factory in creating modern facilities for this University Techn
31/07/2012
Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham has praised a partnership between The Prince's Trust youth charity and support services and construction company Carillion aimed at helping young unemployed people find work. The Prince's Trust and Carillion work together to run the Get into Construction programme,
31/07/2012
Costain/Skanska joint venture commenced work to build the new Crossrail Station below Eastbourne Terrace in Paddington in February 2012. In January this year it teamed up with Paddington Waterside Partnership (PWP) to draw up a community involvement package, supporting a range of local charities an
31/07/2012
Eric Pickles, MP for Brentwood and Ongar and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, have officially opened Rosewood, the new development by award-winning developers Crest Nicholson on the former Severalls hospital site in Colchester. Mr Pickles was joined by Sir Bob Russell MP
31/07/2012
Construction union UCATT members working in local authorities or on outsourced local government contracts will begin receiving ballot papers from today (July 31), over proposed changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). UCATT are recommending a YES vote in the consultative ballot. While
31/07/2012
Kier has been awarded a five-year contract to provide planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive facilities management (FM) services to approximately 400 council buildings across West Surrey. The £3m a year contract was awarded after the council tendered its PPM and FM services at the end
31/07/2012
A construction and design company in Berkshire has been prosecuted for safety failings after a bricklayer was seriously injured when he fell three metres through a skylight The worker, who does not wish to be named, broke his pelvis and wrist in the fall at Holmsbury St Mary, Surrey, on 18 Novembe
31/07/2012
GMB has welcomed Centrica's announcement that it will create 4,000 new jobs, as part of the development of gas fields, as shot in the arm for the economy and energy sector as Chancellor George Osborne pledged hundreds of millions of pounds of tax breaks to encourage more drilling for gas off the coa
31/07/2012
Why all the paper? As a practising health and safety professional and CDM co-ordinator it continues to confound Callsafe Services Limited as to organisations’ and construction projects’ preoccupation with paperwork and the desire to preclude any liabilities. Callsafe Services Limited has been pr
30/07/2012
Willmott Dixon's Birmingham branches are celebrating winning a double gold for the quality of services to tenants in the city. The company's repairs and maintenance team in its Birmingham North and Birmingham South branches both gained a gold award for 'Service Excellence' from the city’s Tenant Pe
30/07/2012
Morgan Sindall has completed a £19 million redevelopment project to regenerate Stockbridge Village in Knowsley, Merseyside. The major scheme, undertaken for Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, has seen the village undergo a complete transformation since work started in 2010. The project has incl
30/07/2012
First Minister Carwyn Jones has formally marked the start of works for the multi-million pound re-building of Blast Furnace number 4 at Tata Steel in Port Talbot. The work is part of a £240 million investment in the steel works. £185 million is being used to rebuild the Blast Furnace and £55 millio
30/07/2012
Weak demand in the construction industry is holding back the economic recovery, said the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the news that the UK economy shrank again in the second quarter of 2012. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB said: "Once again, today’s GDP figures are no
30/07/2012
Green Deal provider Carillion has agreed a partnership with one of Birmingham's first Studio Schools to develop green energy skills' courses for students. Proposals for the Waverly Studio College in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, have just been approved by the Department of Education. Due to open in
30/07/2012
A Birmingham metal recycling company has been prosecuted after a worker trapped and broke his arm in an unguarded conveyor belt. The 28 year-old man, from Blackheath, employed as a recycler, was attempting to retrieve a piece of scrap metal that had got stuck in the conveyor at Hawkeswood Metal Rec
30/07/2012
Flower fun in North Tyneside In the latest enhancement to Richardson Dees Park in Wallsend, team members involved in its regeneration took part in a planting ceremony to improve the appearance of the newly refurbished site. Despite being faced with rain, Kier executive director Ian Lawson and elect
30/07/2012
Danaher & Walsh Group, of Syston, Leicester has had its approach to the prevention of accidents and ill health recognised in the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2012. The third of three consecutive Gold awards was presented at a ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, at the
30/07/2012
Families in the UK are among the worst off in Europe when it comes to housing costs. One in six people in the UK (16.5%) are overburdened by housing costs, according to findings published by the European Union. This means they are spending more than 40% of their income on costs such as rent, mortg
30/07/2012
Residents will soon enjoy a new supermarket, restaurants and cafes alongside hundreds of new homes after councillors gave the thumbs up to a planning application for the next stage of the multi million-pound regeneration of Centenary Quay, Southampton. Members of Southampton City Council's Planning
30/07/2012
Chris and Nicola Gerwitz with their young daughter, Isabella, have taken advantage of the benefits of an early reservation on a new home before construction starts to customise the design at Cumbrian Homes' Otters' Holt development in Culgaith Village. The family had moved up from Stratford for hus
30/07/2012
Halifax has now delivered a $1,000,000 single fan to a petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia. The million dollar fan, with an 82" diameter high efficiency Mistral backward curve impeller is made of high strength carbon steel, and is driven by a 4.16kVA 1.58MW ExN motor of special design. Ian Crum
27/07/2012
Development and regeneration specialist Places for People has chosen Lovell to deliver 93 new homes at West Gait in Edinburgh with a £7.7 million design and build contract. The mixed-tenure site, in the north of the city, is being developed by Places for People. The new housing will complement a pr
27/07/2012
Liverpool City Council is calling on local organisations to take advantage of a new Government initiative and help build a better future for housing in the city. The council is updating its housing strategy for 2012 - 2015 to take account of the national Self-Build scheme. The council is supporting
27/07/2012
Iain Duncan Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, recently viewed a new building system that it is hoped will result in the first carbon neutral homes being built in the Wirral. Wirral Partnership Homes (WPH) is piloting the new system, which is the culmination of seven years scientific
27/07/2012
The Government's announcement that they will establish a new compensation scheme for mesothelioma victims, has been described as doing too little too late by construction union UCATT. The announcement comes an incredible 26 months after the consultation into establishing an Employers Liability Insu
27/07/2012
Two firms have been prosecuted after a worker suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a pipe and fell from a stepladder. The 37-year-old from South Shields, who has asked not to be named, was working for MB Air Systems Ltd as a pipework installation engineer when the incident happened on 13
27/07/2012
Kier apprentice Nathan Fairfax Kier Sheffield apprentice, Nathan Fairfax, is celebrating after receiving a Construction and Engineering Award at a ceremony held at Sheffield College recognising outstanding achievements by students. Having joined Kier Sheffield as an apprentice bricklayer in August
27/07/2012
The MP for Daventry has marked the start of work to increase the number of rural affordable homes in the district, with a commemorative brick laying ceremony. Chris Heaton-Harris MP and Richard Atterbury, board member for Daventry & District Housing (DDH) laying the foundation stone Chris Heaton-Ha
27/07/2012
Residents will be at the heart of new proposals to regenerate the area around Hammersmith Town Hall – with a height limit of eight storeys a 'cast iron guarantee'. This is the message from Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council's new leader, Cllr Nicholas Botterill, who today (July 19) signalled a radi
27/07/2012
Large quantities of 20' first trip ISO shipping containers are promptly available from various depots in the UK. All of them have been manufactured in 2012 to high specifications and can be purchased any time! Specifications: •External colour Gentian Blue or Moss Green •CSC plates for 30 tons •S
27/07/2012
Speedy Services are offering oil free, petrol, electrical and
27/07/2012
The EED (Energy Efficient Directive) is being overseen by a Government initiative to "water down" its policy. The Government are in demands for lower targets in improving the energy efficiency of buildings used for public purposes. As opposed to a plan to create an EU wide target, which was intend
27/07/2012
One of Europe's leading equipment rental providers, Boels Rental of Sittard, Netherlands, has significantly expanded the availability of REID Lifting's lightweight, portable PORTA-GANTRY cranes across the continent. Markets in Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, N. France, Czech Republic, Poland, Austria
26/07/2012
Plans to create a new and improved Kirkby Market, in the heart of the soon to be regenerated town centre, have been submitted for planning approval. The proposals outline more than £2.5 million of investment from Knowsley Council. This will create a completely redesigned market which will build upo
26/07/2012
Construction union UCATT has called on the Government to urgently invest in social housing in order to kickstart the struggling construction industry and help return the UK economy to growth. The latest statistics have revealed that the UK economy shrank by 0.7% in the second quarter of this year a
26/07/2012
An independent investigation review should be held to look at the city's options for the proposed energy from waste plant, says Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council. He is calling for independent legal advice to see if there is any avenue the Council can take to stop the plant from being bu
26/07/2012
Work has begun to update the town’s Parndon Wood Cemetery & Crematorium as part of a major £750,000 refurbishment programme. The main feature of the programme, which is based on plans announced at the end of last year, will be a stunning new open chapel bathed in light with large bay windows overlo
26/07/2012
A well-used footpath in Dronfield is being resurfaced by Derbyshire County Council. Work to repair a 300m stretch of path between Stonelow Road and Callywhite Lane has started. The path is a popular route to Cliffe Park and and the industrial estate on Callywhite Lane. Councillor Sue Allsop, Derb
26/07/2012
Mansell has secured a £4.1 million contract with The Ediston Opportunity Fund for the refurbishment of Phoenix House, Tudor Road, Reading. The six-storey, 50,000 sq ft office building, which is adjacent to Reading Station, will benefit from a new reception area as part of the works which will run f
26/07/2012
Lovell has secured a leading safety award for its work at a major housing regeneration scheme in Chandler's Ford. Lovell received a British Safety Council International Safety Award with merit for its health and safety regime at the Velmore Estate, where the company is building 189 energy-efficient
26/07/2012
The Oldham based company, DCT Civil Engineering, has secured work for its local workforce of 10 and created two new apprenticeship opportunities having won a £1.5m contract with Balfour Beatty as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. The company will be undertaking external w
26/07/2012
In a complex and meticulously planned lifting operation that took place in the middle of the night, the Kier site team craned a 73m-long footbridge into place at Mansfield's new multi-million pound bus station. The process began over two weeks ago with the delivery of the bridge to the site adjacen
26/07/2012
Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, has welcomed the announcement from the Government on the shallow water gas field allowance, an important step forward in ensuring that the UK can maximise the potential of its natural resources in the North Sea. The allowance will enhance the economics o
26/07/2012
A Nottinghamshire die-casting firm has been fined after an employee suffered severe burns when he fell into a furnace. Keith Buckley, 59, from Mansfield, was removing equipment from the top of a magnesium furnace at Meridian Lightweight Technologies (UK) Ltd in readiness for the removal of the inne
26/07/2012
It has been reported recently that portable ceramic heaters have been causing issues with Health and Safety, where by many have been reported to have broken down. Causing fire hazards and electric shock risks, an American company have been forced to recall their ceramic heaters and space heaters as
25/07/2012
Significant progress continues to be made at Crossrail's major tunnelling site in east London ahead of work commencing on the eastern tunnels between Docklands and central London. Workers have now reached the temporary bottom of the two huge launch shafts where tunnel boring machines will be lowere
25/07/2012
A decision to relocate a Hull City Council customer service centre has been approved by the Leader of Hull City Council. Hull City Council's Northpoint Customer Service Centre will relocate to the New Bransholme Health Centre on Goodhart Road later this year working in partnership with NHS Hull and
25/07/2012
Northamptonshire is responding to changes in the construction industry with a new approach to offering training, education and experience. The industry is under increasing pressure, with a growing demand from government and property buyers for more environmentally friendly buildings. Together, Nor
25/07/2012
The County Council has temporarily converted an empty office in Nottingham into a school so that the £500,000 refurbishment of West Bridgford Infant School can be completed in time for the children going back to school in September. The nine-week programme began earlier this month and involves stri
25/07/2012
A new £25 million balcony that features ten new retail outlets has opened at Waterloo Station's main concourse in time for the Olympic Games. The new balcony is designed to reduce congestion on the concourse for 300,000 daily passengers and improve access to and from Waterloo East. BAM in the Lond
25/07/2012
British Land has entered into a corporate agreement to purchase Clarges House, 6/12 Clarges Street and 82/84 Piccadilly in Mayfair based on a property price of £129.6 million. The site is located on Piccadilly overlooking Green Park, and is close to the Ritz and Bond Street. The acquisition is exp
25/07/2012
A scheme delivered by MGWSP, on behalf of Northamptonshire County Council, Corby Borough Council and the European Regional Development Fund, has been shortlisted in the prestigious National Transport Awards 2012. The 12th National Transport Awards will shine a spotlight on the successes that have b
25/07/2012
Consumers should avoid being tempted by a cheap cash deal and protect themselves against paying more in the long term, says the National Federation of Builders (NFB) in response to comments by Exchequer Secretary David Gauke. The NFB believes that rogue traders dealing in cash are costing the econo
25/07/2012
Work by Kier Construction on a £2.6 million refurbishment of the leisure centre at Marl Pits is progressing well. To mark the completion of the installation of the roof trusses, the Kier site team invited Rossendale Borough Council leader, Alyson Barnes, and Rossendale Leisure Trust board member, Y
25/07/2012
Shropshire people will have a new chance to get their foot on the property ladder when 62 affordable homes are built by Shropshire Council. The council is going to build the homes in various locations around the county to help tackle the shortage of affordable homes in the area. The new homes are
25/07/2012
A Remmers polyurethane (PUR) comfort floor system was chosen to compliment the new Dublin based headquarters of Avolon, the global providers of aircraft leasing and lease management services to airlines. The seamless flooring system was applied to the raised access floor of the reception and circul
25/07/2012
R P Air Testing Ltd is proudly celebrating quadruple successes - for attaining certification to both ISO9001: 2008 (Quality Management System) and ISO14001: 2004 (Environmental Management System), together with accreditation to CHAS (The Constructors Health & Safety Scheme) and registration with Con
25/07/2012
A Staffordshire man has been prosecuted for pretending to be Gas Safe registered, putting tenants at risk from dangerous gas work and for breaching a legal Notice which prohibited him from carrying out gas work. Mark David Austin, of Riceyman Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, who trades as APS, was prose
24/07/2012
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is launching FMB Certification, a 'complete solution' registration and certification service to companies committed to delivering the highest standards of customer service and workmanship in the building industry. The FMB is pleased to be able to offer these
24/07/2012
Willmott Dixon will deliver nearly 200 extra care apartments in Derbyshire after being chosen by Chevin Housing Association to build new accommodation at three locations. The £23 million contract is in the final stages of being agreed with Chevin Housing Association, part of The Together Housing Gr
24/07/2012
Bath-based Scott Franklin claimed fifth place in the national finals of a competition to find the country’s best young bricklayers. The 23-year-old is an apprentice with Lovell and is working on the major housing regeneration programme which Lovell is carrying out for Bath social landlord Curo, bui
24/07/2012
A fresh drive to help a new generation of social tenants understand how they could buy their home with dramatically increased discounts was today launched by Housing Minister Grant Shapps. A new dedicated call centre and user-friendly website have now gone live to ensure aspiring home-owners among
24/07/2012
The creation of England's first New Town since Milton Keynes has received a massive boost with the endorsement of the Development Framework Document (DFD). The announcement by South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridgeshire County Councils underlines their support for Northstowe, which could deliv
24/07/2012
A tour operator and a ship management firm have been fined after workers were exposed to asbestos fibres during refurbishment work on board a cruise ship. Teesside Magistrates' Court heard that All Leisure Holidays Ltd and Andrew Weir Shipping Ltd had arranged for the work to be carried out on the
24/07/2012
Mansell has won a £3.7 million contract with Fawleybridge Student Accommodation for the design and build of a new student accommodation development at Regis Park Road, Green Road, Reading. The five-storey building will provide some 100 en-suite bed rooms arranged in shared flats of various sizes, f
24/07/2012
A Kier consortium has been selected by Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire Authority as preferred bidder in a £50m PFI contract to build and maintain 11 new community fire stations across Staffordshire. As part of the deal, Kier will provide hard and soft facilities management and community suppo
24/07/2012
Four independent companies are combining their expertise to offer the construction industry a sustainable solution to the ever increasing problem of security on construction projects. Building materials, plant and machinery are tempting targets for opportunist thieves as well as organised gangs; it
24/07/2012
Renderplas has launched two new PVCu plasterers' beads which make it quick and easy to create neat 'shadow gaps' at plaster edges for a contemporary interior design effect. The new Shadow Gap profiles from Renderplas allow controlled gaps between 10mm and 20mm to be formed, for example, around door
24/07/2012
With the tight Olympic schedule closing in, a lot must be said for the background work that helps bring sports on this scale to the rest of the world. Zouch Converters are proud to have been involved in a secondary project that has seen their conversions incorporated in the major international event
24/07/2012
Nomad Portable Weather StationCasella Monitor – leading global specialist in the design and manufacture of advanced environmental monitoring systems - recently won a competitive tender to supply six Nomad Portable Weather Stations to the six Environment Agency Incident Response Teams throughout Engl
23/07/2012
A UK construction giant has announced plans to take on a further 58 paid apprentices this year. Carillion plc who take on over 1,000 apprentices annually is offering placements to out of work youngsters keen to learn a new trade in construction. The firm, behind Southampton newest secondary schools
23/07/2012
The delay in the regeneration of Portsmouth has been blamed on the stalled construction of the Northern Quarter project. Since recession hit in 2008 the £500m shopping, housing and business project has been repeatedly put on hold, delaying the overall renewal of the area. Described by the city co
23/07/2012
The first phase of the prestigious new Eastgate Quarters development in Leeds, could be open by Autumn 2016. Construction of the Harewood development is expected to get underway in the summer of 2014 following initial work on the £110million first phase of Eastgate Quarters beginning this autumn. D
23/07/2012
An expert in Britain's oil and gas industry has said production could fall by an average of 7% a year over the next five years. Tony Mackay, who runs a consultancy firm in Inverness, said his forecasts of a sharp fall were based on forecasts for each oil and gas field in UK waters, including those
23/07/2012
Final agreement has been given to developers in Oxfordshire planning to build the UK's first 'eco-town'. The official go-ahead comes after permission was given to NW Bicester last August but developers and interested parties took time to negotiate on the details. NW Bicester in conjunction with de
23/07/2012
Government plans to revamp the electricity market could lead to higher bills, less competition and put off investors, MPs said today. The shake-up Energy Bill, designed to create a system of long-term contracts giving power companies a guaranteed price for their low-carbon electricity, has raised f
23/07/2012
The shortlist for the prestigious 2012 RIBA Stirling Prize has been announced. The shortlist features six exceptional and completely different buildings from across the UK, now set to go head to head for architecture's highest accolade and a £20,000 prize from the Royal Institute of British Archite
23/07/2012
Employment prospects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the construction sector are continuing to deteriorate, according to figures from the UK's largest construction trade association. The Federation of Master Builders' State of Trade Survey found that in the second quarter of 2012,
20/07/2012
Pupils and staff at Old Moat Primary School, Withington have celebrated the opening of their brand new £7.7m school building this week with a 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' themed ceremony. One pupil from each of the seven year groups in the school - nursery through to Year Six - wore a different col
20/07/2012
Daley Thompson has unveiled a unique Olympic lightshow on the EDF Energy London Eye, driven by the nation's tweets on London 2012. EDF Energy is capturing the nation's excitement about the Games by measuring London 2012 related tweets and converting them into the world's first social media driven
20/07/2012
Hillingdon Council has scooped two more prestigious Green Flags this year, bringing the current collection to 21 awards, one of the highest of all the London boroughs. The esteemed Flags have been awarded to Breakspear Crematorium, Ruislip and Swakeleys Park, Ickenham. The latest Flag awards mean H
20/07/2012
NFB Training, the skills development arm of the National Federation of Builders, and the Building Safety Group (BSG) have announced that they have entered into a collaborative partnership to jointly deliver a range of Site Safety Plus training courses. Running as a pilot scheme initially in the NFB
20/07/2012
ISG has been awarded the £1.9 million fit out contract to complete Wakefield Council’s recently built office scheme, Wakefield One. Located in the Merchant Gate development in Wakefield, the new five-storey building will see Wakefield Metropolitan District Council bring together a number of departm
20/07/2012
The first workers in 30 years have returned to Tower Works in Holbeck, Leeds following completion of the first phase of the redevelopment of this derelict factory complex. Tower Works was one of the sites that powered the industrial revolution in Leeds but had been empty for over three decades unti
20/07/2012
Proposals to dual the Brynmawr to Tredegar section of the A465 Heads of the Valleys have been given the go ahead by the Transport Minister, Carl Sargeant. The decision to proceed with Section 3 of the A465 dualling scheme will see improvements to the 7.8km route which extends from the north of the
20/07/2012
British Gas customers are receiving the clearest top rated bills, payment policies and account management in the energy sector according to Which? research. Which? has published results of research that looks at key communications sent to energy customers, including bills, price change letters and
20/07/2012
Sainsbury's has announced that it is working with key partners E.ON and Geothermal International to roll out the first phase of an innovative energy solution to up to 100 stores, tapping renewable energy from deep underground to provide energy efficient heating, hot water and cooling. Both new-buil
20/07/2012
A Burnley firm has appeared in court after it put four of its employees at risk of contracting a potentially-deadly lung disease. Elite 04 Ltd, which specialises in shot blasting metal components, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after the workers were exposed to a fine airbo
20/07/2012
Crofton, the consulting engineer, has won contracts totalling £140,000 in Saudi Arabia because a Middle Eastern client found them online! The engineer has just started work on two projects in Jeddah. It is responsible for the M&E and structural design of a residential apartment block in downtown Je
19/07/2012
Plans for a new Visitor Centre at Sizewell B power station have now been given the go-ahead. The owners of Sizewell B power station, EDF Energy, applied to Suffolk Coastal District Council for planning permission to create a temporary visitor centre at the site near Leiston. The development is par
19/07/2012
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has invited Londoners to apply for a share of an £8m fund aimed at putting design and architectural excellence at the heart of community building projects. Under 'Build Your Own Home – the London Way' Londoners can now apply for loans or grants from the Governmen
19/07/2012
The Government has unveiled a new UK Guarantees scheme to dramatically accelerate infrastructure investment and provide major support to UK exporters. Applications have opened for UK Guarantees to kick start critical infrastructure projects that may have stalled because of adverse credit conditions
19/07/2012
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has appointed Nigel Stubbings as its new Commercial Director. The appointment is part of the FMB's new five year strategic plan to modernise the trade association and make it the first choice for construction Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs). Brian
19/07/2012
Families in the UK are among the worst off in Europe when it comes to housing costs. One in six people in the UK (16.5%) are overburdened by housing costs, according to findings published by the European Union. This means they are spending more than 40% of their income on costs such as rent, mortg
19/07/2012
The Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt. Hon Justine Greening MP, has announced that the Western section of East West Rail (EWR) will form part of the government's strategy for rail transport. This means that funding for the project, including electrification of the Oxford to Bedford part of
19/07/2012
Construction is now fully under way on the new £20m Winsford E-ACT Academy in Cheshire and a bolt tightening ceremony to mark completion of the first steelwork section of the development. Pupils and teachers joined the Kier Construction site team and representatives of sponsors E-ACT to celebrate t
19/07/2012
For the third year in a row, Peterborough City Council's planning services team has achieved a national standard customer service excellence award. The team is one of just seven planning services departments across the whole country to be awarded the Customer Service Excellence Standard, a recognit
19/07/2012
Two Stoke-on-Trent companies have been fined for their part in a major scaffold collapse. Seventy metres of sheeted scaffold peeled away from a row of houses in Wellington Road, Hanley, on 30 April 2011. Fortunately workers were on a break so no-one was on or near the scaffolding at the time of th
19/07/2012
Eleven Bristol parks are raising the Green Flag Award of excellence. Three new winners this year are Canford Park, Greville Smyth Park and Redcatch Park. Eight Parks - Ashton Court and Blaise Castle Estates, The Downs, Netham Park, St Paul's Park, Troopers Hill Local Nature Reserve, Queen Square an
19/07/2012
Rapid set, flexible tile adhesive, Ultra Tile ProFlex SP has been used by The Great Northern Tiling Company to install tiled floors within the Fendi boutique on Sloane Street, London. The project was not a straightforward job; an uncoupling system was installed as well as the tiles. Renowned Ultra
19/07/2012
With the introduction of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) only months away, PEFC UK hosted a Stakeholder Meeting in London on the 26 June, with the central theme of mitigating risk in procuring forest products. The first in an annual opportunity for the sustainable products community to come togeth
18/07/2012
BAM Construction North East is to build 112 luxury student flats in Durham for private developer Sophiero. Each of the hi-spec apartments will be unique, and include its own kitchen and bathroom. They will be housed in one four-storey block on Green Lane near the River Wear. Work is due to start
18/07/2012
VINCI Construction UK has successfully reached a significant milestone in the construction of the new bus facility in Stoke-on-Trent city centre, with the completion of the steel frame comprising 240 tonnes of complex curved steelwork. VINCI Construction UK is the principal contractor designing and
18/07/2012
New solar panels on the roof of a Bristol secondary school are helping students discover how renewable energy reduces carbon emissions while saving the school money. More than 100 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School (SMRT) and its sixth form cen
18/07/2012
Construction work is getting underway on a £1 million specialist dementia care unit in Liverpool. Diggers will start work on Thursday 19 July on the purpose-built facility which is being constructed as an extension to Sedgemoor Care Home in Norris Green. It will be used by up to 30 people per day
18/07/2012
One of the UK's largest telescopic cranes has been deployed by Morgan Sindall at the £17 million Splashpoint Leisure Centre development in Worthing. The project team used the 800-tonne telescopic crane to carefully lift the enormous 50-tonne steel beams into place on the roof of the centre's main p
18/07/2012
A Barnsley plumber, who left a householder in danger after posing as a qualified gas engineer and badly fitting a new boiler at their home, has been given a suspended prison sentence. Self-employed trader Mark Dixon of Royston, Barnsley, charged the homeowner £1,200 to carry out the work at the pro
18/07/2012
More than 1,800 homes in Byker, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, have been transferred from Council to community ownership, following the completion of an innovative funding deal with Yorkshire Building Society that will deliver much needed funding and investment into the Grade II* listed estate. The initial f
18/07/2012
One in four public sector clients are likely to cancel construction projects over the next six months and a further quarter will ask their suppliers to slash prices due to budget cuts, a new survey has revealed. Local authorities admit they are more likely to cancel projects over the next six month
18/07/2012
Long-standing Ultrascape customer, English Landscapes has created a grand entrance for Keele University's Student Union. Due to an outstanding track record using the Ultrascape mortar paving system, English Landscapes had no hesitation in quoting the system for use on this university project. Pro-
18/07/2012
Those arbiters of good taste at Ralph Lauren recently selected
18/07/2012
Swansea-based artist, Catrin Jones, is a key member of a team that scooped first prize for integrating art and healthcare, at an awards ceremony held in Bristol. The Berkeley Vale Health Community Arts Project won the top award in the Health Organisation category at the Arts & Health South West Aw
17/07/2012
Work is starting on the new Notre Dame Catholic College - the first of 12 schools to be built in Liverpool as part of a major investment programme. The scheme is part of the newly elected Mayor's Investment Plan for Secondary Schools, devised as a rescue package following the scrapping of Wave Six
17/07/2012
Housing association Grŵp Gwalia has appointed Lovell to deliver a £1.4 million contract to create 19 new homes for social rent in Swansea. Lovell recently started construction work on the 12-month scheme at the site of the former Margaret Street Nursery in Wallace Road, St Thomas. The construc
17/07/2012
Plymouth City Council is urging developers to bid for funding to help kick-start stalled housing schemes. The deadline for bids in the second round of the Government's Get Britain Building (GBB) fund is now just over a week away. The fund aims to unlock stalled housing projects, particularly those
17/07/2012
First Minister, Carwyn Jones and Transport Minister, Carl Sargeant, have welcomed the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport that the Great Western Main Line to Swansea and the Valley Lines network will be electrified. Responding to the announcement, Mr Jones, said: "I am delighted th
17/07/2012
Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has been appointed to a third framework agreement to assess the condition of, paint and refurbish Extra High Voltage (EHV) Towers. The new contract with Northern Powergrid is worth circa £3 million per year. The three-year fra
17/07/2012
Employment prospects for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the construction sector are continuing to deteriorate, according to the latest State of Trade Survey from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The FMB's State of Trade Survey, the only one of its kind looking at construction
17/07/2012
EDF Energy has welcomed the decisions by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to approve applications to build and operate a temporary sea jetty at Hinkley Point C in West Somerset, the site of a proposed new nuclear power station. The 50
17/07/2012
The influence of the Olympic Games in attracting new investment to east London has seen two organisations join forces to deliver a £250 million estate regeneration just over two miles from the Olympic Stadium. Willmott Dixon's development division Regen has formed a joint venture with housing and c
17/07/2012
Network Rail has awarded VolkerRail, an operating company of VolkerWessels UK, a £15.5 million contract for works at Acton freight yard, West London as part of the Crossrail programme. VolkerRail will be jointly delivering the contract to remodel Acton freight yard, with sister company VolkerFitzpa
17/07/2012
Miller Construction has secured two student residencies contracts, a student accommodation block on Carmelite Street, York, and Jarratt Hall, University of Birmingham. The leading contractor will deliver a £12 million 258-bed student accommodation block on behalf of S.Harrison Developments for York
17/07/2012
The Government has given the go ahead for Manchester's newest school - New Islington Free School – which will be created by a partnership between the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Manchester City Council, Manchester Grammar School (MGS) and Urban Splash. The primary school will provide educat
17/07/2012
The main initial construction work at a new £5.5 million galvanizing factory in Witham has been completed just six months into the project. Initial foundation work on the new South East Galvanizers plant – located on the town’s Crittall Road Industrial Estate – has now been carried out, with the en
16/07/2012
Ofgem is today announcing proposals to upgrade and renew Britain’s electricity and gas networks. These include funding £17 billion of investment with around a further £5 billion potentially available over the course of the price control period (1 April 2013 – 2021). The majority of the proposed
16/07/2012
Willmott Dixon has secured a £5 million contract through its framework with Scape to refurbish a former school in Wokingham to create Oakbank, a new secondary Free School which opens this September. The move follows local demand for a new secondary school serving the needs of villages to the West o
16/07/2012
Kier Partnership Homes site manager Craig Robson picked up the National House Building Council (NHBC) National Health & Safety Award in the medium builder category for Kier's project at Beasley Place in Newcastle-under-Lyme. These awards recognise and reward site managers who demonstrate the highes
16/07/2012
The new community of Cranbrook in East Devon will pass another milestone in September when the first affordable homes for local people become available. Cranbrook near Exeter will be developed in several phases and eventually provide thousands of new homes. The first phase will consist of 1,120 dwe
16/07/2012
Plans to breathe new life into housing in Anfield in Liverpool are taking shape, with the announcement that over 370 properties previously earmarked for demolition are to be saved. Agreement has been reached between the city council, residents and partners to retain and refurbish the properties as
16/07/2012
A £1.5 million project to regenerate one of the city’s main shopping streets will soon get underway following the announcement that Peterborough City Council has appointed a contractor to carry out the works. A Cabinet Member Decision Notice has been published by the city council which details a de
16/07/2012
Plastic Surgeon - cosmetic repair specialists for damage to - Plastic and GRP, Woods and Veneers, Stone and Brick, Ceramics and Enamel, Glass and Glazing, Metals and Foils, and other Surfaces is pleased to announce they have won the award for ‘Specialist Contractor of the Year’ at the prestigious Co
16/07/2012
With just two weeks to go before the start of the Olympics, Housing Minister Grant Shapps has called on social housing landlords in East London to be extra vigilant and take tough action against tenancy cheats trying to make a fast-buck out of sub-letting their homes. His call came ahead of the Sec
16/07/2012
Construction Union UCATT has warned that the recent conviction of serial fraudster Thomas Scragg for £10 million worth of fraud involving construction companies, is just "the tip of the iceberg" in the industry. Mr Scragg was convicted of the fraud last year, but the case has only now been publicis
16/07/2012
The unsafe removal of asbestos insulation boards at a large independent school in Dorset led to several people being exposed to asbestos fibres, Dorchester Crown Court heard. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Sherborne School and Peter Eldridge, the director of a company responsible
11/07/2012
Work is about to begin to refurbish Northamptonshire County Council's Kettering Library. The county council has invested £250,000 to restore the ancient wooden parquet flooring which has been in place since the library was first opened over 100 years ago. The work to the floor will also include the
11/07/2012
Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, has announced that its proposed Race Bank offshore wind farm project has received consent from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The project, which is subject to final investment approval, could meet the equivalent annual electricity d
11/07/2012
Wates Living Space has been awarded two consecutive Considerate Constructor Scheme 'Beyond Compliance' Awards. The company received a 36.5 for Kingsway and 37 for Lincoln Avenue multi storey cladding contracts in Glasgow. Both projects have involved overcladding, window and roof replacement to mult
11/07/2012
Residents have celebrated the completion of a £9.5m development of much needed affordable homes in Alton, Hampshire. Sentinel Housing Association’s site bordering the famous Watercress Line in Chawton Park Road provides 54 new affordable homes for local people. It was formerly home to a Hampshire C
11/07/2012
Construction Union UCATT has warned that the recent conviction of serial fraudster Thomas Scragg for £10 million worth of fraud involving construction companies, is just "the tip of the iceberg" in the industry. Mr Scragg was convicted of the fraud last year, but the case has only now been publicis
11/07/2012
Housing association Accent Peerless has extended its £1.8 million annual turnover repairs and maintenance contract with housing repairs specialist Lovell until 2014. Lovell has been providing repairs and maintenance services for Accent Peerless since 2010, when it stepped in at short notice after t
11/07/2012
Pupils and staff were delighted to have had their first day at school in a brand new state-of-the-art Academy in Telford. The Kier-built Abraham Darby Academy in Madeley is now open for business and the landmark building is already proving to be a real success. Principal Steve Hawke said: "We are
11/07/2012
In the age of 'more for less' where every penny counts and construction clients look to their contractors to make reduced budgets go even further, the Midlands office of Willmott Dixon has won recognition for how they delivered true value in building Landau Forte Academy in Tamworth. The Coleshill-
11/07/2012
Tunnel design engineer Kate Cooksey from Morgan Sindall is celebrating after being awarded a place on Management Today's prestigious '35 Women Under 35' list. Kate, who works in the Tunnelling team at UK construction, infrastructure and design business Morgan Sindall, was nominated for the award fo
11/07/2012
Total Glass has donated a new aluminium door to Southport YMCA Gymnastics Club where Great Britain gymnast and London 2012 Olympics competitor Daniel Scott Purvis learnt his sport and currently trains. The Liverpool-based PVC-U and aluminium window and door fabricator used the Sapa 202 non-thermall
10/07/2012
Seddon Group has received an overwhelming response to its apprentice recruitment drive with more than 1,400 applications from candidates across the UK. The Group is celebrating its 75 years of supporting and recruiting construction, maintenance and painting apprentices by taking on 75 apprentices a
10/07/2012
Morgan Sindall marked the completion of work on a £8.4 million scheme to redevelop Highwood Primary School in Bushey at a special celebratory ceremony held by the school. The event marked the official handover of the school. It was attended by guests including GB paralympian Derek Derenalagi who cu
10/07/2012
Civic leaders were on hand to congratulate a group of long-term unemployed people in Stevenage whose job prospects were given a boost thanks to a successful construction training course run by Wates Group. By completing the two-week programme the 11 trainees joined more than 530 around the country
10/07/2012
The UK housing market continued to stutter during June, as demand failed to pick up and supply of new property fell back, according to the latest RICS UK Housing Market survey. Interest from potential buyers dropped off slightly last month, with a net balance of ten percent more chartered surveyor
10/07/2012
North Devon building contractor David Parsons has been sworn in as the new national Chairman of the National Federation of Builders (NFB) for 2012/13. David, Managing Director of Pearce Construction (Barnstaple) Ltd, has taken the reins as The Saunton Sands Hotel played host to the historic ceremo
10/07/2012
Willmott Dixon and Scape's solution to cut the cost of building new schools by up to 50 per cent is gaining real momentum with Southampton City Council the latest local authority to opt for their standardised Sunesis concept. Sunesis is Willmott Dixon and Scape's brand for a new generation of pre-d
10/07/2012
Lovell has teamed up with North East Worcestershire College to help prepare the next generation of tradesmen for life in the construction industry. With the current economic climate meaning jobs are at a premium, the College and Lovell decided to address interview skills as their first project toge
10/07/2012
European marketing director for STYROFOAM™ manufacturer Dow Building Solutions, Marco ten Bruggencate, will be hoping for better weather this September as he attempts to windsurf across the English Channel. Marco plans to set off from Folkestone on the weekend of September 15/16th as soon as winds
10/07/2012
Kier has started work on a new state-of-the-art £15m academy in Gloucester. Proposals to demolish the current Cotteswold Road building and create a new modern facility in its place were approved by the city council last month. John Reilly, head teacher at the Academy, said: "This is the start of t
10/07/2012
Almost half of the refurbishment construction projects in and around Stamford Hill in North East London have failed health and safety spot checks. A day-long inspection initiative by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) last week (3 July) saw a small team of Inspectors visit 22 construction sites
10/07/2012
It gives us great pleasure at Protec Direct to launch our new HIGHLIGHTS catalogue for July 2012. In A5 format, this first edition is a handy pocket-sized celebration of our Best Sellers, Latest Deals and Special Offers. With this compact catalogue, you’ll always have your favourite PPE, Workwear &
10/07/2012
Stroma Technology, leading providers of building compliance assessments and energy carbon consultancy services, completed a package of sustainable services on the Lea Field Court development at Huntington, York. The housing development achieved a Level 5 Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) rating, the
09/07/2012
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today visited a new community hub to boost jobs, volunteering and youth opportunities in Tottenham, part of a £41m regeneration of the area. The Mayor's funding is transforming the former borough planning offices on 639 High Road, Tottenham, into the first Team L
09/07/2012
The new smartphone app from Trustmark lets you record your conversations with traders and takes you through a checklist of questions to ask when getting tradespeople to quote for work. Trustmark - a tradespeople membership scheme - has launched a new app that guides you through issues to think abo
09/07/2012
The government should set up a regional task force to deal with the economic fall-out from the proposed closure of the Coryton oil refinery with the loss of 800 jobs. Unite, the largest union in the country, has joined with Thurrock Council to call for ministers to form a beefed-up task force, bac
09/07/2012
Plans for the nation's first ever dedicated large-scale self building community were given the green light by Housing Minister Grant Shapps. Mr Shapps announced a wide package for aspiring self builders, offering exclusive access to £30 million funding and Government-owned land to help them turn th
09/07/2012
E.ON has confirmed the final demolition timetable for its High Marnham site in north Nottinghamshire meaning that the five remaining cooling towers will be brought down at 10am this Sunday, 15th July 2012. Preparatory work began on the site of the former coal-fired power station in May and the fin
09/07/2012
Housing, Regeneration and Heritage Minister Huw Lewis today visited the Llangollen International Eisteddfod where he watched the Folk Song & Dance competitions, and met some of the volunteers whose contributions make the Eisteddfod possible. The Minister took a tour of the Eisteddfod site, includin
09/07/2012
The Mayor of Southampton, Councillor Derek Burke recently attended the weathervane crowning ceremony at Regent's Park Road. The site is being redeveloped by the Mansell Southampton team to provide 60 modern, two-bedroom flats for the elderly. The new weathervane, designed by local students in a D
09/07/2012
Elstree-based housing specialist Lovell has secured a clutch of leading safety awards for its work on housing developments and regeneration schemes across the London region. The company has won British Safety Council International Safety Awards with merit – which recognise the firm’s commitment to
09/07/2012
Crews are now mobilised and ready for action at Bury's new Community Fire Station as the doors open to a new era of fire and rescue service provision in the town. Last week local councillors and members of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority got a sneak preview of the this newest Community
09/07/2012
Household Automation explores how British Standards allow for a security alarm to act as a fire alarm. Most security and home automation systems are able to connect to smoke, heat and Co2 detectors to provide warnings of fire, Household Automation explores the viable possibilities using British St
09/07/2012
People are being asked to have their say on plans to build a bypass on the A45 around the villages of Flore, Weedon and Upper Heyford – a priority scheme for Northamptonshire County Council. The county council is presenting four bypass options for consideration including one lower cost northern byp
09/07/2012
Join us to celebrate the 10th Anniversary. The company, founded and still headed up by Kym Jones has gone from strength to strength during the last decade, with an unrivalled reputation for professionalism, passion and dedication to their clients. When Applied Landscape Design opened its doors for
06/07/2012
Telford & Wrekin Council has announced the appointment of Shepherd Construction Ltd as the council's contractor for the next phase of its Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme. The first school in this phase is the complete rebuild of the Ercall Wood Technology College in Wellington. Out
06/07/2012
A new research facility built by Kier has won a prestigious architectural prize. The Sainsbury Laboratory at the University of Cambridge was presented with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) East Building of the Year Award. The RIBA Awards have been running since 1966 and the winning
06/07/2012
A Cheshire firm which makes large steel containers has been sentenced after one of its employees lost part of a finger at a factory in Ellesmere Port. The 55-year-old man, who has asked not to be named, was trying to remove debris from the chains under a rotating table when his hand was pulled into
06/07/2012
Construction union UCATT has described the latest construction fatality figures announced as "not good news in anyway". The provisional figures published by the Health and Safety Executive, show that there were 49 construction fatalities in 2011/12, compared to 50 deaths in the previous 12 months.
06/07/2012
The 2011 launch of the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP), which aims to deliver up to 80,000 new and affordable homes by 2015, has been described as 'a success' by the National Audit Office (NAO). The NAO published their report Financial viability of the social housing sector: introducing the Afford
06/07/2012
Kier celebrated a record breaking year at this year's Constructing Excellence Wales Awards at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff. Having been short-listed in all ten categories the company won three and management trainee Amy Griffiths was also highly commended in the Young Achiever of the Year Award.
06/07/2012
Home Group has appointed ten companies to help it build in excess of £100 million worth of homes. The social housing provider hopes to deliver 1,100 new homes over the next four years. The companies have been appointed to Home Group’s southern region development contractors’ framework which covers
06/07/2012
Level IT two, two part latex levelling compound, remains Ultra Floor's best selling leveller as customers continue to make it their material of choice. Ultra Floor Level IT two is suitable for a variety of projects from retail stores, hospitals, school classrooms and football stadiums. As a tradit
06/07/2012
R W Simon has recently supplied it's lightweight "C" blade solar shading system to a new student accommodation block at Plymouth University. The 123 en-suite bedrooms "Lozenge" project is a light-weight timber structure which has achieved a BREAAM, very good rating. The solar shading located on th
06/07/2012
Dow Building Solutions – the inventor of STYROFOAM insulation – has launched XENERGY SL, a new generation extruded polystyrene (XPS) for insulation of inverted flat roofs. XENERGY XPS combines the proven features of STYROFOAM XPS - durability, reliability and strength – but has even better insulati
06/07/2012
Whether you are a horticultural company, retail premises or agriculturalist, here at HortiStructures we have the most advanced, cost effective and durable commercial polytunnels and canopies to meet the individual needs of businesses large and small. Commercial polytunnels form the foundations of t
05/07/2012
South Tyneside Council has appointed Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering to construct the park, which has been named Harton Quays Park. The park will stretch along the Tyne from South Shields ferry landing to the Customs House and feature curved embankments, a refreshments kiosk, promenade and amphith
05/07/2012
Advances in post-consumer PVC-U recycling have lead to Eurocell winning the National Recycling Awards 2012 ‘Materials Recycler of the Year (Large)’ category. Eurocell was the only PVC-U systems company to gain recognition at this year’s event, which was held at The Lancaster hotel in London on 3rd
05/07/2012
Support for nuclear energy bounces back after Fukushima while opposition to new plants falls to five-year low, a YouGov poll has revealed. Public support for nuclear energy has bounced back strongly following last year’s Fukushima crisis in Japan while opposition to building new nuclear stations on
05/07/2012
School children from East London are celebrating their success after winning Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes with their ideas for a public space on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The London Legacy Development Corporation’s schools programme called M.A.D.E in East London gave children, aged betwee
05/07/2012
Crawley Borough Council is a step closer to appointing a development partner for the next phase of Town Centre North. Crawley Borough Council's Cabinet endorsed the cross-party members’ selection panel’s view that Stanhope had made the strongest case of the shortlisted companies to develop the reta
05/07/2012
The Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) has been announced the winner of two RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) awards for the south-east region. Built by Kier Construction for Brighton & Hove City Council, the new academy building scooped the Regional Sustainability Award in the R
05/07/2012
A-one+, a joint venture between Costain, Colas and Halcrow, together with its supply chain partners Highways Resource Solutions and VeRSco, recently won honours at the Chartered Institute of Highways & Transportation’s Annual Awards. The awards ceremony took place at Gibson Hall in London recently,
05/07/2012
Lovell has been chosen by Homes for Haringey – the arm’s-length management organisation which manages Haringey Council’s housing stock – to undertake £9 million of internal and external refurbishment work. The year-long programme will see the Lovell team carrying out improvements to 1,500 homes in
05/07/2012
More than 700 new homes were built in Peterborough during the last financial year according to research by Peterborough City Council. Seven hundred and sixty seven new homes were built across Peterborough between April 2011 and March 2012 -54 more than in 2010/11. Of the new homes built, 114 (15 p
05/07/2012
Industry veteran INSTA-STIKTM Professional Roofing Adhesive has been launched in a new 750ml size to meet rising demand on small commercial and residential projects and help roofers cut costs. The new, highly portable adhesive pack – manufactured by Dow Building Solutions and distributed by InStar
05/07/2012
An illegal gas fitter has been prosecuted for endangering lives by undertaking potentially lethal work at a property in Colchester. Kevin Cook, 55, trading as Team Electric, installed a gas fire at a house in Rowhedge, Colchester, in August 2010, although he was not registered to undertake gas work
05/07/2012
Jackson and Gocher are a Tool Hire Centre based in Godalming, Surrey. Being a small family run Hire Company, the firm listens to its customers and will help customers hire the right tool for their task. Jackson and Gocher would also like to recommend 7 No Cost Ways To Improve Building Site Securi
04/07/2012
Further moves to simplify the planning system and make it more accessible to people in communities were set out by Planning Minister Greg Clark. The package of measures includes proposals to make it easier to re-use some existing buildings without needing planning permission including the so-called
04/07/2012
Lovell has taken delivery of a new fleet of fuel-efficient, low-carbon vehicles to support growing demand for the company’s repairs and maintenance business. Lovell calculates that the 232 new Ford vans – the majority from Ford's fuel-efficient ECOnetic range – will cut monthly carbon emissions by
04/07/2012
Costain, working with Southern Water on its Capital Improvement Asset Management Programme as part of 4Delivery Ltd (4D), has gained National Skills Academy for Construction (NSAfC) status for the next three years. Achieving Academy status is a first for the water frameworks as it will cover around
04/07/2012
At the beginning of the year, Rhonda Cynon Taff Council wanted to update the facilities on offer to the local community at Treherbert Park in Treorchy. The council felt that the current facilities on offer weren’t up to scratch and as there are very few amenities in the local area they wanted the p
04/07/2012
Westfield Housing Association (WHA) were the first recipients of the Landlord of the Year category at the UK Housing Awards. WHA won the prestigious new title for their strong focus on the community, their tenant involvement programme and for their investment in the neighbourhood. The UK Housing A
04/07/2012
Sir John Armitt CBE, Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and former Chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), has been honoured as the first recipient of the Royal Academy of Engineering's Major Projects Award. As the engineer responsible for delivering t
04/07/2012
Mansell Homes is to be involved in creating Tuckton Place, a collection of one and two bedroom homes, set in the heart of Tuckton village near Bournemouth. Located just a short stroll from the River Stour and within easy reach of the village's local amenities, the homes are already proving popular
04/07/2012
During the London 2012 Olympics this summer, British supplier and manufacturer, Nicholls & Clarke will be helping to keep the building trade on the move as the UK’s first building materials supplier to remain open for collections 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As a world spectacle, the city’s reso
04/07/2012
E.ON has welcomed the announcement that Centrica will now commit to placing volumes through the N2EX Day Ahead auction helping it to boost transparency and liquidity in the UK power market. Commenting on the move, E.ON UK Chief Executive, Dr. Tony Cocker said: "Boosting liquidity and transparency w
04/07/2012
TV presenter Nick Knowles has opened the country’s first homes to be built by ex-servicemen in Bristol. The development in West Street, Bedminster, is the joint imitative of Knightstone Housing Association and the Community Self-Build Agency, who formed partnerships with the Homes and Communities A
04/07/2012
An East Yorkshire farm owner has been fined for a serious breach of safety law after a 20-year-old worker suffered severe injuries when he fell 4.5 metres through a roof light. Daniel Boldan Hoggard was on the roof trying to repair a leak between two adjoining farm buildings at Low Hunsley Farm in
04/07/2012
A insulation material manufactured by Dow Building Solutions – was used to insulate the UK’s first rural affordable housing scheme to gain Passivhaus certification: Ravenscroft in Wimbish, Essex. Produced at Dow’s facility at King’s Lynn, FLOORMATE 300-A was installed below the concrete floor slabs
03/07/2012
Morgan Sindall has completed a new £10 million Air Traffic Control Tower at Birmingham Airport. The seven storey structure will house the airport’s air traffic control provider, NATS, and will become operational in 2013. It will take over from the current control tower at the old Elmdon Airport sit
03/07/2012
One of the UK’s largest contractors, BAM, is to build an Officer Safety Training Centre for Thames Valley Police. BAM Construction South East has been awarded the £4.3 million contract for the facility on the Thames Valley Police principle training facility in Sulhamstead, Berkshire. As well as a
03/07/2012
Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, announced today that it has signed an agreement with N2EX, the UK power exchange run jointly by Nord Pool Spot and NASDAQ OMX Commodities, to sell at least 30% of the company’s generation in the N2EX day-ahead auction. The generation and supply busines
03/07/2012
The Construction Products Association's (CPA) latest State of Trade Survey indicates that, following a relatively good first quarter of the year, product manufacturers suffered from a slowdown in sales in Q2 and are extremely concerned about demand going forward. Commenting on the figures, Construc
03/07/2012
Over 100 councils across England have seized the opportunity to use cash proceeds from the reinvigorated Right to Buy to help meet the housing needs of hard working local families, Housing Minister Grant Shapps has announced. The revamped Right to Buy, launched in April, offers England's 2.5 millio
03/07/2012
Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has won a contract worth over £5 million to provide pipework fabrication and mechanical services for a new gas storage facility in Stublach, Cheshire. The Stublach Gas Storage Project is a salt cavern storage facility being deve
03/07/2012
A long-awaited new community centre and affordable housing scheme in Strouden Park, Bournemouth, is officially open. To mark the occasion a celebration took place at the community centre with the Mayor of Bournemouth Cllr Philip Stanley-Watts officially cutting a ribbon and unveiling a plaque to de
03/07/2012
Kier Construction has been appointed as the main contractor to build the University of Northampton's St John's student residences development. Kier beat off fierce competition to win a competitive tender after the University was granted planning permission in April to build a new hall of residence
03/07/2012
A Teesside council has been fined for putting workers at risk of exposure to asbestos during clearance work of premises in Stockton prior to demolition. Stockton on Tees Borough Council acquired the Music and Drama Club in Buchanan Street and decided to demolish it as part of a regeneration project
03/07/2012
Skanska UK's President and CEO has been appointed as the new Co-Chair of the Green Construction Board (GCB). Mike joins Business Minister Mark Prisk as Co-Chair of the board, which is taking a unified approach to the problems facing the industry, providing strategic leadership on key issues and ide
03/07/2012
B J Shelving have now been designing, manufacturing and installing fitted furniture for more than 25 years. B J Shelving are a young company, formed in 2007 but with a highly experienced, professional team, who have been designing, manufacturing and installing fitted furniture throughout England,
03/07/2012
Stainless UK Ltd can supply a wide range of products in heat resistant grades of Stainless Steel for use in heat retaining vessels and refractories. With extensive in-house production facilities products can be manufactured to order meeting customers' individual specifications. Dependant on the g
02/07/2012
The largest steel fabricator in the West of Scotland transported two massive climber beam structures from Westway in Renfrew through the road network of west and southern Scotland to The Port of Tyne, in the north-east of England. Steel Engineering transported the huge shipment from its base to Nor
02/07/2012
The site of the former Minnesotas public house in the heart of Coalville is to become a £3.6m development, providing brand new much needed housing for local families. Work has commenced on the partnership scheme between Loughborough-based developer and contractor William Davis Ltd, local housing p
02/07/2012
The families of those killed in the line of duty will be at the front of the queue for social housing, Housing Minister Grant Shapps has announced. The Minister outlined how a change to the law will give top priority for homes not just to members of the Armed Forces with pressing housing needs, but
02/07/2012
Mansell has won a £1.6 million contract to construct a new Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre in the grounds of the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Maggie's North East will care for anyone affected by cancer and will lie within the North of England Cancer Network – covering a population of appr
02/07/2012
Bristol has been named runner up in the European Green Capital Award for 2014. In an awards ceremony, Bristol’s strong bid was praised by judges. Copenhagen was named as the host city for 2014, beating runners-up Bristol and Frankfurt. Council Leader Simon Cook said: "To get so far in this competi
02/07/2012
Conwy County Borough Council in partnership with Six Piers Ltd has announced it will build a new £331,000 landing stage at the end of Llandudno pier in order to attract more tourists to the area. The pier's former landing stage fell into disrepair in 2006, but with a new landing stage constructed,
02/07/2012
Resurfacing work is due to start on the A6 Taddington by-pass in Derbyshire today. The £300,000 repair scheme will be carried out between 7pm to 6am each night for around two weeks, except at weekends. Improvements will be carried out along a 1.2 mile stretch between the junction with Hollow o' th
02/07/2012
Morgan Sindall has secured a contract to transform the former Pathé headquarters on Wardour Street in Soho as part of a major office refurbishment for Legal & General Property (LGP). The development, which is a joint venture between LGP and Walbrook Land, will see the existing period building under
02/07/2012
A new scheme that will help to protect hundreds of Newport homes and businesses from flood damage has been officially opened by Environment Minister, John Griffiths. The £7m Riverside Flood Scheme, which has been built as a result of £4.4m of Welsh Government funding and £2.6m from the European Reg
02/07/2012
Two construction companies have been fined a total of £301,000 after a worker fell 22 metres to his death in Manchester. Christopher Heaton, from St Helens, was working on the Leftbank riverside apartments in Manchester city centre - part of the Spinningfields development - when he was dragged over
02/07/2012
Instarmac group has been ISO accredited for over a decade. This is a significant achievement for any business, especially a UK privately-owned manufacturer. With many similar companies following suit, Instarmac has recently been audited as part of their ongoing commitment to lean efficiency and busi
