Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for October 2014
31/10/2014
BAM has been selected to build a new £23m Materials Innovation Factory (MIF) at the University of Liverpool. An existing lecture theatre will have to be demolished in order to make way for the 120,000 sq ft four-storey facility, which will also be rated BREEAM Excellent. Work is scheduled to com
31/10/2014
Improvement work is to commence on the M6 next week, it has been announced. The project will focus on Junction 17 of the M6, at Sandbach. The £2.3m scheme will address current problems at the junction, reducing congestion and allowing for faster journey times. Improvement works will include:
31/10/2014
An £85m extension is to be carried out at the Arndale Centre in Eastbourne, it has been announced. Earlier this year, Legal & General Property (LGP) announced that it had received planning permission for its extension to the centre. The proposals would transform the site and deliver a leisure elem
31/10/2014
Southwark Council has applied for a judicial review to be carried out into plans to use a busy site in Bermondsey for a "super sewer" on the riverside of the Thames. Last month, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles approved plans for the Thames Tideway Tunnel to commence. This would run from west to
31/10/2014
Kier has announced a new partnership with Enfield Council. The deal will see the two organisations fund and construct the first council homes in the area for 30 years. Both affordable and private housing for rent will be delivered under the scheme. Funding for the development has been raised t
31/10/2014
Proposals to transform Cardiff city centre have been unveiled. The development, which will be known as the Capital Square development, is a multi-million pound renovation scheme for the city. The main focus of the development will be a new 150,000 sq ft headquarters for BBC Wales; it is expected t
30/10/2014
Derby City Council has awarded Balfour Beatty a £9.5 million contract. The firm has been appointed to build the T12 Derby Link Road. Involving the construction of a new, approximately 2.4km long single carriageway between Wilmore Road and Holmleigh Way, the scheme will also include the creation of
30/10/2014
The installation of new bridge expansion joints on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at Dartford is now complete. Connect Plus completed the installation this week. The project involved replacing six bridge expansion joints, weighing 80 tonnes each, which had reached the end of their lifecycle having
30/10/2014
Too many workers are still being injured or made ill by work despite Britain being one of the safest places to work in Europe, according to figures from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). Injury and ill-health statistics released by the HSE show that an estimated 28.2 million working days were lo
30/10/2014
Over 54,000 homeowners in England signed up to the Help to Buy schemes, according to new figures. The new figures show how Help to Buy is helping more and more people onto the property ladder and getting more homes built, with over 39,000 households buying new-built properties through the equity lo
30/10/2014
The Royal Insurance Building has been transformed into a new Aloft Liverpool hotel. It is the culmination of an £18 million investment project to regenerate and preserve Liverpool’s historic Grade II listed Royal Insurance Building, according to the Liverpool Express. The development has been led
30/10/2014
West of Duddon Sands Offshore Wind Farm has oficially been opened by the Secretary of State Edward Davey. The wind farm is located 20km off the Barrow-in-Furness coastline in North West England. He was joined by ScottishPower and Iberdrola Chairman, Ignacio Galan, and DONG Energy Executive Vice Pre
30/10/2014
AFI has further strengthened its presence in the Exeter area by relocating to a new and larger depot and expanding its sales team in the area by appointing Finbar Roberts as sales representative. The new purpose-built premises are double the size of AFI's previous depot and feature improved trainin
30/10/2014
A man who was injured at a construction site in Brighton has died in hospital. The man, 55, suffered serious head injuries while working on building in Stanmer Park on 30 September. He was taken by air ambulance to St George's Hospital, however he died from his injuries on Tuesday. The HSE and po
29/10/2014
Demolition work has started on the redevelopment works of Mercers' Yard in Covent Garden, London. Osborne scoped the £19m contract which is set to further enhance the Covent Garden experience. Three new mixed-use stand-alone blocks will be constructed with retail and restaurant space at ground an
29/10/2014
Battersea Power Station has declared the closure of a syndicated debt facility totalling £1.35bn. The financing, which is one of the largest real estate financing transactions in recent years, comprises: • A £750m facility to fund the development of the Power Station building; • £600m facility t
29/10/2014
Barton Willmore has secured planning permission for over 300 homes on behalf of Harworth Estates, subject to planning agreement. 325 new homes are to be built for its North Gawber development in Mapplewell, Barnsley. The 16.2 hectare site has been disused since the former North Gawber Colliery clo
29/10/2014
Laing O'Rourke has appointed a new Managing Director of the firm's business activities in the Middle East. Mark Andrews will have lead responsibility for driving the development and delivery of the firms growth strategy in the region, with particular focus on core markets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. M
29/10/2014
Energy firm E.ON has launched E.ON Energy Fixed 1 Year v12. This is currently E.ON's cheapest fixed price tariff at £965 a year for the average unrestricted dual fuel customer paying by fixed monthly Direct Debit with paperless bills. The tariff is available to both existing and new customers. Be
29/10/2014
Filtermist International has held a ceremony at the Telford 54 site to mark the beginning of work on its new £3 million headquarters. The ceremony was jointly hosted by construction firm Morris Property and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The T54 site, which is owned by the HCA is part of
29/10/2014
Morgan Sindall's Managing Director has been made redundant. Graham Shennan has been let go following an announcement the firm is to restructure. A spokesperson for Morgan Sindall said: "We've taken a detailed look at how we run the construction and infrastructure division in order to create a more
29/10/2014
If you're reading this article, you're probably attempting a little research on which oil burner to purchase, whether you're switching from some other heat source or a different brand of oil burner. So, Why Riello? Once the facts fall into place, Riello is the only easy choice. The makers of Riel
28/10/2014
A new £7.5m Medium Secure Unit (MSU) for Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust is now complete. The project, known as IHP, was a joint venture between Vinci Construction UK and Sir Robert McAlpine. The 13-month contract started on site in November 2013 and included the extensi
28/10/2014
The Department of Communities and Local Government has granted planning permission for Renewable Energy Generations' six-turbine Hallburn Wind Farm. Carlisle City Council resolved to grant permission for the 12MW project in June. Following a review of the decision by DCLG, planning permission has n
28/10/2014
An extra care facility currently being developed in Rochdale is to open in Spring 2015. The facility is being built with over £900,000 funding from the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA). Representatives from providers Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) and Rochdale Borough Council, who are supporti
28/10/2014
Graham Construction has been selected to develop a new £22 million Central Library and Archive in Halifax. Calderdale Council's Leader, Cllr Stephen Baines, said: "This is a significant milestone for the Piece Hall transformation project and the new Central Library and Archive. I'm delighted that t
28/10/2014
The electricity margin is expected to be 4 per cent this winter, it lowest level for seven years, National Grid has reported. Plants will be on standby in Kent, Scotland and Hertfordshire to provide extra electricity's it is needed. Cordi O’Hara, National Grid’s director of market operations, said
28/10/2014
HTC Plant crane drivers have voted for strike action following a pay dispute. The crane drivers, who are members of construction union UCATT, voted 94.6% in favour of industrial action short of strike action. UCATT is now in consultation with its activists at the company and the exact dates and na
28/10/2014
Yorkshire Water's £34m bio-energy plant at Esholt waste water treatment works has officially opened. The scheme was designed and delivered by the Morgan Sindall Grontmij joint venture. The project involves the application of thermal hydrolysis, a method of treating and disposing of waste sludge ge
28/10/2014
Energy management is the optimisation of energy consumption, for example heating, electricity and water. Turning down the heating at night or using water sparingly in the home are among the simplest ways to lower energy consumption. In addition, Fronius inverters offer a comprehensive energy manag
27/10/2014
Skanska has been chosen as the preferred bidder for Phase 2 of Battersea Power station redevelopment worth £750m. The Power Station is one of the largest brick buildings in Europe, with six million bricks used to construct it in the 1930s and 1940s. The former powerhouse of London is one of the mos
27/10/2014
Wales is on target to provide 10,000 homes by May 2016, according to new figures. The statistics show 2,416 affordable homes were delivered during 2013-14, which is an 18% rise on the previous year and brings the total number of additional affordable homes provided so far during this Assembly term
27/10/2014
Work to improve the A585 Windy Harbour near Blackpool is to start on Monday 10 November. The scheme will involve the realignment and widening of the existing crossroads to create extra lanes through the junction. Included are improvements to the pedestrian routes, the addition of cycle facilities a
27/10/2014
Two out of five construction apprentices are being paid below the minimum wage, according to construction union UCATT. The union is highlighting the exploitation and mistreatment of apprentices and young workers throughout November, which the TUC have designated as young workers month. It has also
27/10/2014
Councils, housing associations and other public sector bodies are being urged to use local SMEs for construction contracts. LHC is playing its part by developing an innovative new framework opportunity. The new Kitchen & Bathroom Installation framework, due in 2015, will be the first to fully benef
27/10/2014
Weblight is delighted to have been shortlisted for the Lux Awards in the Client of the Year award having nominated its client Spirit Pub Company. Weblight has converted the Spirit Pub Company managed estate to LED lighting over the last 12 months and was very pleased to nominate Spirit in view of th
27/10/2014
DCM Surfaces are frequently asked whether or not it is a legal requirement to install safety surfacing at schools, nurseries and other playground areas. The truth is that in fact there is no law which states that safety surfacing must be installed however, it is highly recommended by a number of pro
24/10/2014
Students at King's Lynn, tackling a sustainable construction challenger, have been given a tour of the large-scale regeneration scheme at Hillington Square estate for Freebridge Community Housing. Local housing specialist Lovell organised visits to the project for 23 students from Springwood High
24/10/2014
House prices in the UK have reached a new record high, with values in Cambridge being three times greater than in 2007. The UK Cities House Price Index, produced by property firm Hometrack, reveals average house prices have grown between £61,000 and £5,000 in the 12 months to September 2014. Pric
24/10/2014
Newly published figures reveal that average private sector rents have risen by 1% in the past year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that privates rents in England rose by an average of 1%, in Scotland by 1.4% and by 0.4% in Wales over the last twelve months to September 2014.
24/10/2014
Vermont Capitol Ltd has been fined £2,000 and ordered to pay court fees after pleading guilty to a breach of the CDM regulations. The firm admitted that it had failed to ensure that mains electricity supply had been disconnected to a construction site, but had informed the site foreman that it had.
24/10/2014
Morgan Sindall have held a meet the buyer event in Essex, strengthening its supply chain and extending its network of local contractors. Held last week at the Essex County Cricket Ground, and was open to any interested tradespeople. The company is currently working on a number of major development
24/10/2014
Housing providers in England can now bid on a share of approximately £800 million of the Homes and Communities Agency's(HCA) Affordable Homes Programme. The second phase of bidding has begun following confirmation in July that £886m has already been allocated to 2,697 firms, which will result in ov
24/10/2014
Brandon Lewis, the housing and planning minister, has announced new plans that will support custom and self builders who want to build their own homes. The new Right to Build across England proposal will task council's with helping anyone who wishes to build their own property with finding suitable
24/10/2014
Bowmer & Kirland have beaten Morgan Sindall and John Sisk to win the contract to build a 125,000sqft, 8-storey, office project in Salford. The Ralli Courts building, worth an estimated £50m, is being lead by English Cities Fund, which is a joint venture between Muse Development, Legal and General a
23/10/2014
Willmott Dixon has been selected to take on the largest ever building project commissioned by Ceredigion County Council. The firm will create a new "super school", which will see five schools merge into one. Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi, Aberbanc, Coedybryn, Llandysul, and Pontsian will combine to form the
23/10/2014
Energy firm RWE has abandoned work on the Galloper wind farm, because of financial difficulties. The wind farm would have seen 85 turbines constructed 18 miles off the coast of Suffolk, and created hundreds of jobs in the area. RWE said they have stopped work after a partner pulled out of the proj
23/10/2014
The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has granted Balfour Beatty an additional £36 million to be used on its Olympic Stadium conversion contract. A statement posted on the LLDC website suggests that the development of the stadium has suffered issues with its roof. The statement said: "Th
23/10/2014
North Lincolnshire Council has granted planning permission for the Lincolnshire Lakes development, which will see a total of 6,000 new homes built once completed. The council's planning committee approved the development proposed by the Lucent Group, despite objections made over the development's f
23/10/2014
Laing O'Rourke has been chosen to fund, design, deliver and maintain seven secondary schools in Yorkshire. The Education Funding Agency (EFA) chose the firm to construct new, purpose-built buildings in Bradford, Kirklees and north Yorkshire. The contract is worth and estimated £100-£150m. Laing O'
23/10/2014
The number of construction contracts awarded in September reached a total value of £5.6 billion – its highest figure since January. The figure was revealed in Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, compiled by Barbour ABI and published as the latest Economic & Construction Market Review. Th
23/10/2014
Phase one of the £1.5 billion Meridian Water development has been given the green light by Enfield Borough Council. The first stage of the works will focus on the 'Meridian Boulevard', described as "the backbone" of the 200 acre Lee Valley regeneration plan. Construction of the boulevard will is s
23/10/2014
Construction workloads have increased at their fastest rate since 1994, according to the latest survey by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The institute's UK Construction Market Survey shows that despite 57% of respondents saying that there is growing shortage of quantity surveyor
23/10/2014
The construction of new homes in the UK reached a seven-year high in the three months to September, new figures have revealed. The National House Building Council(NHBC) figures show 36,343 new home registrations were made between July and September, an 8% increase on the same period in 2013. The c
23/10/2014
HTS Direct Ltd, designers and manufacturers of innovative material handling equipment, has launched its newest addition, the ECO-Skate Motion 40, with radio remote control and 40 tonnes capacity. The product, which is exclusive to HTS Direct, allows the user to move loads completely independent wit
22/10/2014
ISG has won a £10.8m contract to construct two new buildings for North Devon Campus in Barnstaple. The contract will see the construction of the new Engineering Centre of Excellence and the Lifestyle and Tourism Centre at the college, which it is said will "create realistic working environments for
22/10/2014
A new development for older people has opened in Halifax. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)-funded Ing Royde development consists of 30 apartments, including some for couples, offering residents the freedom to live in their own self-contained home but with the reassurance of 24-hour on-site s
22/10/2014
Work is underway in Liverpool to replace high voltage underground cables, with the next stage focusing on the Old Swan area. The work is part of a major £15m investment programme and is being undertaken by SP Energy Networks, Iberdrola Engineering Construction and main contractors Excalon. Contrac
22/10/2014
Ardmore is to join clients Orion City Road Trustee and development managers Groveworld, to celebrate the "topping out" of the Canaletto scheme on London's City Road. The event will commemorate a key milestone in the construction of the £60m scheme, as the highest structural point of the 96m tall bu
22/10/2014
Wigan Council has announced that it is seeking tenders for its A49 Link Road project. The proposed A49 Goose Green to Westwood Park Link Road, a new 2.5km dual carriageway, will provide a high-capacity route into the town centre from the south and includes three structures that will bridge current
22/10/2014
An administrator has been appointed to two subsidiaries of ERH Holdings Ltd – ER Hemmings Ltd (Building), and ERH Construction Ltd (Construction). It follows the news last week that the two subsidiaries were to close with the loss of 37 jobs, while road repair work worth more than £2m has also been
22/10/2014
Housebuilding and construction group, Galliford Try, have been awarded two new office construction contracts, worth a combined £77m. They have been chosen as preferred bidder by Northamptonshire County Council to build its new headquarters in Northampton in a £38m project. The new 17,600 sq m four
21/10/2014
Construction firm Interserve has scooped a one-year contract extension with Bolsover District Council. Interserve will continue to deliver its asbestos management surveys. For the past five years, Interserve's environmental services team has worked to develop tailored programmes to deliver HSG 264
21/10/2014
The Chairman of Galliford Try is stepping down with "immediate effect". Ian Coull's post will be temporarily taken up by Chief Executive Greg Fitzgerald, who will act as executive chairman, until a replacement is found. Mr Coull said: "As a result of my growing business and personal commitments I
21/10/2014
House builder Lovell has been selected as the preferred bidder for a housing development in King's Lynn, Norfolk, worth over £80m. The project will see up to 600 new homes built by September 2020 in the Lynnsport and Marsh Lane area. 300 of these homes will be for sale on the open market, with 200
21/10/2014
Plans to expand a primary school in Brighton have been agreed by the council. Brighton & Hove City Council's children and young people committee has agreed to the move in response to increasing pressure on primary school places in the Saltdean area. The development is subject to planning permissio
21/10/2014
Three new non-executive directors have been appoint to the board of HS2. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin appointed Christine Emmett, Neil Masom and Baroness Jo Valentine. Neil Masom said: "I am extremely pleased to have been invited by the Secretary of State to join HS2’s board. It is an e
21/10/2014
Significant progress is being made on the construction of 48 new homes on the outer edge of Swindon. The £6.2m development on Highworth Road, near Honda, is being provided by Jephson Homes Housing Association. It is also supported by Swindon Borough Council, backed with a £330,000 investment by th
21/10/2014
Resurfacing work on the A27 in Sussex has started. Sections of the carriageway will be resurfaced between Falmer and the Southerham roundabout using carriageway closures. It is due to be completed, weather permitting, by Monday 17 November. Highways Agency Asset Manager Bob Coram said: "We are r
21/10/2014
We are a family run Timber Merchants who have been trading at our Parkstone Road location since February 2001. The directors alone have over 100 years' experience in the Timber trade so can help you with your timber requirements. We supply tradespeople as well as being open to the public, now from
20/10/2014
Bam Construction has been selected to develop an £8.6 million University Technical College (UTC) in the East Midlands. The contractor will deliver the Burton and South Derbyshire UTC (BSD UTC) with the refurbishment of an annexe at Burton Town Hall, in addition to the construction of a new buildin
20/10/2014
Global investment managing firm, Blackrock, has appointed ISG to build new student accommodation in Plymouth. The Dairy project sees ISG build 193 student living units on the site of former residential and university buildings in Plymouth city centre, which were demolished during an earlier phase o
20/10/2014
HTC Plant Limited crane drivers are very angry as a result of the firm's bullying ways. Construction union UCATT are currently balloting members for industrial action in a pay dispute as a result of the company refusing to restore wages to the levels that workers received in 2008. The drivers reje
20/10/2014
The Mayor of London has marked a major milestone in the delivery of thousands of new homes for Londoners on one of the capital's largest regeneration projects, Greenwich Peninsula. By the end of this year more than 1300 new homes, including 457 for low cost rent and 229 shared ownership for first
20/10/2014
The construction industry will grow 23% by the end of 2018 and contribute £12 billion to the UK economy over the next two years alone, according to the latest Construction Products Association (CPA). Dr Noble Francis, Economics Director of the Association, commented: "Our Forecasts reflect a welcom
20/10/2014
An investigation is underway into a major fire at Didcot B power station in Oxfordshire. A fire was reported at the station at about 20:00 on Sunday night, with more than 100 firefighters and 25 fire engines on the scene at the height of the blaze. The station had to be partially shut down, but th
20/10/2014
DCM Surfaces Investigate Whether Disabled Children Face Exclusion From The Playground In Day to Day Life. How Playground Surfacing Can Restrict Access. It is interesting to look into how disabled children get involved in playtime and what helps and what effectively excludes them from such taking
20/10/2014
Hytrac lifts operating over 20 years, have become one of the most respected independent lift companies operating from its headquarters in Leicestershire, have recently been awarded two franchises to supply and install lifts incorporating the most energy efficient drive systems operating on a 240 vol
17/10/2014
Detailed plans for the south west corner of the Battersea Power Station development site have been approved by Wandsworth council. 'Phase three' of the scheme's masterplan will create a new pedestrian high street running from Battersea Park Road to the power station building. The scheme also incl
17/10/2014
ISG is to build a new primary school in Bolton. The £2.4 million scheme has been procured through the North West Construction Hub (NWCH) for the Education Funding Agency (EFA). The new school is to be developed on a vacated secondary school site which is available due to the amalgamation of three
17/10/2014
Balfour Beatty has been chosen to renovate and expand a medical centre in Texas. The contract, worth £329 million, is to carry out work on the Texas Medical Center in Houston. The complex project for the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System (MHHS) includes building a 17-storey hospital, implementing
17/10/2014
Construction firm Morgan Sindall has been selected to build a new £2 million student services facility. The scheme, for the Arts University in Bournemouth, will see the project team demolish existing buildings to make way for a new, purpose-built sustainable facility which will house the university
17/10/2014
The house building industry still has a long way to recover to pre-recession levels, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Results from the FMB's State of Trade Survey for Q3 2014 show SME workloads growing across most sectors, with the strongest growth coming from private house bui
17/10/2014
An equity joint venture (JV) has been agreed by Kier Property and Investec Structured Property Finance (Investec SPF) to buy and fund the 20.5 acre 'Reading Gateway' site. Located on the A33, the site benefits from existing planning consent for 425,000sq ft of distribution and is also allocated in
17/10/2014
Amey workers are turning trash into cash to support a charity in Liverpool. The employees have been raising funds from items which have been flytipped across the city. Frank Bellis, Amey's Street Cleansing Assistant Manager, came up with the idea of separating any scrap metal found during the tea
17/10/2014
Solar panels have been donated to a furniture recycling charity as part of a project to green 4,500 homes in Greater Manchester. 2nd Generation Furnishings in Stalybridge has been given the green makeover to mark the landmark of 1,000 homes in Tameside being fitted with solar panels in the borough.
17/10/2014
Public service provider, Amey, has scooped a £10 million contract to provide Total Facilities Management (TFM) services to Camden Council. The five year contract, which begins in January 2015, will see Amey delivering cleaning services as well as mechanical and electrical maintenance to over 130 p
17/10/2014
Stroma Certification has received approval from the Environment Agency to unveil their
16/10/2014
Wates Construction has been appointed to extend a primary school in Leeds, in a contract worth £6.1m. The Little London Primary School on Meanwood Street will see the building expand to become a three-form entry school to accommodate 630 pupils at Key Stage Two. Construction work has already start
16/10/2014
Civil engineering firm Breheny has secured an £18.6million project with Bedford Borough Council to construct the final link of the Bedford Western Bypass. The road will provide the northern section of the Western Bypass linking the A6 Bromham Road/Deep Spinney Roundabout junction with the A6 Paula
16/10/2014
A new service has launched to help residents living in Manchester save on their energy bills. The service, by Greater Manchester Energy Advice (GMEA), allows residents to access energy offers tailor made for their homes and circumstances within minutes. Residents need to visit
16/10/2014
Over £500,000 regeneration funding has been announced for Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. The £520,000 funding will go towards the completion of five projects including an extension of the Penderyn Square regeneration scheme, the creation of new office space and car park in the town centre, increased signag
16/10/2014
Plans have been submitted for a £23 million investment to fit LED street lights across Derbyshire. Derbyshire County Council is expected to make a decision next week. More than 68,000 street lights will have their bulb, light fitting and shade replaced with a new LED fitting, and more than 22,000
16/10/2014
Several sites in Liverpool are being considered to deliver 1,500 new homes for the city. Liverpool County Council also agreed that 1,000 properties will be brought back into use. Earlier this year, the council announced a new partnership with Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH), private developer Redrow
16/10/2014
Almost one third of UK homeowners are hoping to carry out work on their properties over the next three years, according to s new study by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Up to £6 billion in projected works is also planned annually over the next three years. Almost 40% of these are set to
16/10/2014
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has welcomed Labour's announcement to increase housing deliver to 200,000. Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation said: "We welcome the commitment by Labour to increase housing supply. Whilst we have seen a big increase in house buildi
16/10/2014
Solar Energy UK 2014 in October will see Fronius UK presenting products and solutions that have enabled another significant step towards 24 hours of sun – the company's vision for the future of energy supply. SnapINverter – innovation meets a standardised installation experience With its new SnapI
16/10/2014
At the end of September CED Stone Group were invited to attend the official opening of The First Touch Garden at St. George's hospital in West London. We were delighted to accept. First Touch is a charity dedicated to the neonatal ward at St. George’s Hospital, and they have spent nearly 20 years d
15/10/2014
Construction work has started on HydraForce's new 120,000 sq ft factory at Birmingham's Advance Manufacturing Hub. HydraForce, which employs 280 at its European headquarters at Aston, Birmingham, is building the new factory in response to a huge increase in demand for its products. Using a £1.8m
15/10/2014
The South East is facing a major shortfall in housing, the National Housing Federation has warned. A report called South East: Broken Market, Broken Dreams revealed not even half of the homes needed have been built in the last few years, causing house prices and rents to rocket. It explains that if
15/10/2014
Energy suppliers are continuing to confuse consumers when sending out energy bills, according to new research from uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service. Energy companies came bottom of the table for the third year in a row, with mortgage providers coming tout on top.
15/10/2014
Construction firm Balfour Beatty has appointed a new chief executive, according to media reports. Leo Quinn, currently group chief executive of defence research firm QinetiQ, is to take up the role in January 2015. Steve Marshall, who has been acting chief executive after Andrew McNaughton was fir
15/10/2014
Tata Steel has confirmed it is in negotiations to sell its Long Products business, which employs several thousand workers. The steel giant has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Klesch Group. The memorandum covers several UK-based assets including Tata Steel's Scunthorpe s
15/10/2014
Mears has bought Omega Group for £20 million. Omega is a provider of residential lettings and management services, providing around 1,700 properties to 24 Local Authorities and Housing Associations. David Miles, Chief Executive of Mears, said: "I am delighted to welcome Omega to the Mears family.
15/10/2014
Breedon Aggregates has acquired asphalt plants in Suffolk and Essex. The plants are based at Cavenham near Bury St Edmunds and Wivenhoe near Colchester. The Cavenham plant is located in a sand and gravel quarry owned and operated by Allen Newport, with a capacity of approximately 200 tonnes per ho
15/10/2014
Derbyshire County Council is to discuss building two new primary schools in the area. The new schools, in Chellaston Fields and Hilton, would be built on land provided by the housing developers. The council is to discuss the plans on Tuesday, 21st October. The funding for the building work would
15/10/2014
Unite the union has slammed the 'super rich' for cashing in on Britain's housing crisis, while almost two million households languish on council waiting lists. The union fears property developers could stitch up deals that would hit council tenants and leaseholders in London and elsewhere in the co
15/10/2014
Over one in 10 families living in rented accommodation have suffered health problems because their landlords fail to sort out bad living conditions, new research has revealed. A YouGov survey of 4,500 private renters, commissioned by Shelter and British Gas, shows almost half said they has lived so
14/10/2014
Green energy firm Ecotricity and Skanska have announced a joint venture (JV) to build wind farm projects in Britain. Skylark will draw on the expertise of Ecotricity in developing green energy projects through planning, while Skanska will utilise their expertise in construction and engineering. Th
14/10/2014
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has appointed a new National President. Dave Bentley, from Sheffield, was elected at the FMB's latest Annual General Meeting in Yorkshire. Mr Bentley said: "It is an honour to be given the chance to help lead the FMB and I'm looking forward to meeting and re
14/10/2014
Developer Willmott Dixon is supporting the home grown timber industry on a housing project in Kilburn, London. Willmott Dixon is using UK-sourced timber as one of the main components to build 208 homes in South Kilburn for Catalyst Housing as part of the multi-phase South Kilburn Estate Regeneratio
14/10/2014
A new phase in the construction of the Mersey Gateway Bridge has started. Three marine barges which includes the 410ft Harry McGill tower crane barge, arrived in the estuary in convoy after travelling up the River Mersey from the Liverpool Docks. The barges are being used to build temporary struct
14/10/2014
A £100m Castleward development in Derby has scooped the Refurbishment and Regeneration accolade. The Castleward team, Compendium Living, Derby City Council and Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), picked up their award at the East Midlands Forum for the Built Environment Awards. Winners of the reg
14/10/2014
Dudgeon Offshore Windfarm has selected Carillion to design, supply, install and test a twin circuit onshore 132kV cable system over a distance of 47km from landfall near Weybourne, Norfolk to Necton, Norfolk. Dudgeon Offshore Windfarm Ltd., a joint venture between Statoil, Statkraft and Masdar, wil
14/10/2014
Building products distributor, SIG, has sold its stake in Ice Energy Technologies for £1. The firm sold its 50.6% stake to the existing Ice Energy management team of Andrew Sheldon and Andrew Hillier. The consideration for the divestment comprises a nominal initial cash payment of £1 together with
14/10/2014
National Grid has awarded Aecom a design-build contract. The contract, in partnership with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, is to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for the Newtown Creek Renewable Natural Gas Project in New York City. The project wi
14/10/2014
Oughterard National School is a new single-storey primary school situated in the Connemara district of west Ireland. The architectural vision for this new building, which boasts 16 state-of-the art classrooms, was to create a modern and aesthetically pleasing learning environment that would add real
14/10/2014
Yesterday I reported a case where a business customer received a demand from Canal and River Trust (formally British Waterways) to increase their charges for the discharge of surface water (rainwater) that falls onto the site and is discharged into the canal, that was a 100% increase demand on annu
13/10/2014
A brand new campus at Bexley College in south London has officially opened. Completed by Osborne in August 2014, the £15 million Erith Campus consists of a new three-storey college building, and includes ICT suites, a media studio, a learning resource centre, and a fully-equipped gym and refectory.
13/10/2014
The Prime Minister recently addressed around 10 NG Bailey apprentices at Birmingham New Street Station. The apprentices met Mr David Cameron as he made an announcement about a new HS2 (High Speed 2) college for apprentices. The college will be partially-based in Birmingham. Mr Cameron said: "The H
13/10/2014
Amey has secured its water metering contract with United Utilities. The contract, worth around £70 million over the next five years, will see Amey continuing to install, maintain and repair water meters across the North West on behalf of United Utilities for the next five and a half years, with the
13/10/2014
To successfully meet growing house demand in the UK a renewed focus is needed on local transport infrastructure, according to Turley. Party conference commitments to build hundreds of thousands of new homes across the UK are good news for the economic and social health of the country. However, the
13/10/2014
Sections of the A14 in Cambridgeshire are to be resurfaced before the end of October, according to the Highways Agency. The £3 million scheme will take place over the next two months and will be carried out in three phases, improving 12.6 miles of this Cambridgeshire road. The work is part of reco
13/10/2014
Quintain has announced that Richard Stearn, Finance Director, is to resign from the Board. Mr Stearn has been appointed Finance Director at The Berkeley Group Holdings plc (BKG) and will take up his new position after leaving Quintain, which will be no later than 3 April 2015. The Board of Quintai
13/10/2014
AFI has made further major investments in its hire fleet to ensure that customers are hiring some of the most modern and reliable machines available. AFI Director Nick Selley said: "Our purchase of Genie, JLG, Skyjack and BoSS machines will ensure that our fleet’s current average machine age contin
13/10/2014
A security company has been fined £6,000 after a maintenance worker broke his elbow when he fell more than three metres through fragile ceiling tiles. The engineer, who does not wish to be named and was injured at a site in Essex, was attempting to access an electrical control panel in a ceiling vo
13/10/2014
There has been an increase in the quality of social housing in Wales, according to new statistics. Figures released show, at the end of March 2014, 67% of all social housing met the quality standard set by the Welsh Government, which is a rise of 7 percentage points on the previous year. Minister
13/10/2014
DCM Surfaces are the leading supplier of safety surfacing and outdoor surfacing within the UK. We install a number of surfaces including wet pour, rubber mulch, resin bound, resin bonded, self-binding gravel, tarmacadam and artificial grass which is growing massively in popularity. The company has
10/10/2014
A major regeneration for Shepherd's Bush Market has been approved. The refurbishment will create new look stalls and includes building 200 new homes in the heart of west London. In 2008 Hammersmith and Fulham council commissioned a survey that concluded more than £2.3 million of refurbishment work
10/10/2014
Graham Interior Fit-Out (GIFO) has been selected to refurbish at Mill Gate shopping centre, Bury. The two storey unit will be completely stripped out and replaced with new flooring, ceilings, décor, lifts, escalators and all associated M&E works. The project commenced on-site last week and is prog
10/10/2014
Mitie has scooped a three-year facilities-management (FM) contract with BBC Worldwide. Mitie will deliver the full range of FM services including maintenance and repairs, cleaning, catering, security and front of house services at BBC Worldwide’s new offices in Television Centre, White City, London
10/10/2014
Skanska has started construction work of the Premier Inn Clinical Building at Great Ormond Street Hospital. The development will form the second part of the Mittal Childre'’s Medical Centre. The building, which will open in 2017, will also include a respiratory ward and a 16-bed isolation unit for
10/10/2014
A new Multi Aircraft Ramp Stand (MARS) constructed by Vinci Construction UK has been handed over to Heathrow Airport. Work started on the £6 million contract in March 2013, and involved the upgrade and reconfiguration of another A340 Stand to expand the overall A380 capacity. The contract also inc
10/10/2014
The British Property Federation (BPF) has appointed a new Chief Executive. Melanie Leech, Director General of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), joins the £404bn property industry after nine years at the helm of the trade body for the food manufacturing industry, will take up her new role in earl
10/10/2014
SPS are proud to announce the addition of larger buckets to their product range. As the UK’s leading supplier of Mini excavator spare parts since 1994, SPS have traditionally focused on machines from ¾ ton up to 8 ton. Now we are excited to add buckets for 13 ton excavators as well. We have a ran
10/10/2014
The Fazeley section of the Lower Tame flood scheme has been officially opened by the Environment Agency. The work has reduced the risk of flooding to 250 properties in the area. Construction of the £3.5million Fazeley section of the scheme began in June 2013 and was completed in August 2014. The w
09/10/2014
Construction firm Balfour Beatty has finished an £8.75 million scheme to transform power from the world's largest wind turbines for use by National Grid. The project was for Westermost Rough Limited. Balfour Beatty has installed an on-shore substation servicing Westermost Rough wind farm, off the
09/10/2014
Councils have been given new powers to help them 'Get Britain Building'. Housing Minister Brandon Lewis confirmed that 22 councils will be able to borrow an additional £122 million over the next 2 years to deliver over 1,700 new affordable homes. However with £178 million still available, Mr Lewis
09/10/2014
Contractor Kier has started renovating two schools in Hartlepool. Manor College of Technology and Barnard Grove Primary School renovation programmes are part of the coalition government's Priority School Building Programme (PSBP). Both the schools' are being completely renovated as part of the £2.
09/10/2014
Construction union UCATT is warning workers that they have been denied advice about asbestos for the last four years. The union issued the warning following a new new asbestos awareness campaign launched today, 9th October. Asbestos safety packs will be distributed at TradePoint outlets and an app
09/10/2014
Abacus Scaffolding has been fined £1,000 after it ignored repeated requests to prove it held insurance for employees working on the Fylde Coast. The scaffolding firm was also ordered to pay pay £2,035 following a trial at Blackpool Magistrates' Court and was found guilty of a breach of the Employer
09/10/2014
A Morgan Sindall site is the 80,000th to be registered to the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS). The 80,000th site belongs Brampton Village Primary School site in Huntingdon, and the Managing Director for Construction East and the project team from Morgan Sindall were presented with a plaque t
09/10/2014
Providing door entry solutions for over five years, ievo have once again been favoured over biometric fingerprint competitors due to the reliability and usability of the system. ievo was used alongside Paxton Net2 for door access control and Thinking Software's Rota Horizon solution to track emplo
09/10/2014
Cambridge City Council has chosen FilterPave to replace all concrete pathways at one of their elderly residences. The network of paths looked unsightly and was in need of repair. They chose FilterPave amber brown in order to blend in with the surrounding environment. The permeability aspect of t
08/10/2014
The European Commission has approved the UK Government's support to build and operate EDF Energy's Hinkley nuclear project. Hinkley will generate a stable source of clean power to nearly 6 million homes once it is up and running, and will provide 25,000 jobs during construction. UK companies could
08/10/2014
Proposals to transform Everton Park into a visitor destination are to be discussed at a Stakeholder Event tomorrow (9 October). The event is to be held at Faith Primary School, Edwin Street, Everton. The City Council, Liverpool Vision and Friends of Everton Park, have been working with a range of
08/10/2014
A police development in Salisbury is to be converted into a university technical college (UTC). BAM Construction has been selected to deliver South Wiltshire UTC through the national academies framework. BAM will demolish a custody suite on the site and convert a garage into a training facility fo
08/10/2014
Apartments named after a Tameside policewoman killed while on duty have been officially opened by her family in Greater Manchester. Fiona Bone was killed over two years ago, and Fiona Gardens in Sale, a £7.8m extra care residential complex, has been named in memory of her. The complex features 71
08/10/2014
Housebuilder Lovell has appointed a new commercial manager for its East Anglia region. Matthew Goakes joins Lovell from housebuilder Hill Partnerships Ltd where he was regional manager for the Norwich office. He will be responsible for all commercial, financial and legal aspects of the business ac
08/10/2014
Work has started on a £9.7m scheme to extend and refurbish a mental health unit in Essex. Vinci Construction UK began the work at the Derwent Centre, located within the grounds of the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. The Derwent Centre provides in-patient wards and day centre facilities for
08/10/2014
Groundwater Dynamics have completed a drainage project at the Ascot Racecourse Parade Ring in time for the QIPCO British Champions Day on 18th October 2014 We installed our worldwide patented technology which will drain away their water problems using our unique vertical drainage system. Drain Sur
08/10/2014
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said the Liberal Democrat's 300,000 new homes target is the "most ambitious yet". However, the FMB said it needs to be underpinned by a pro-SME housing strategy if it has any hope of being achieved. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, explained: "If
07/10/2014
A new £5.9 million sixth-form centre at Sandwell College is complete. Following detailed design and planning work carried out by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and Sandwell College the new 'Central Sixth' will support a variety of arts-based activities. Interserve has handed over the projec
07/10/2014
Building work has started on phase one of a new research and education facility in Liverpool. Morgan Sindall has been appointed to build the new facility at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. To mark the start of the work, young people from the Children's Young Persons Advisory Group gathered with rep
07/10/2014
Wates Construction is to extend Milton Keynes Museum. The project, which is to be funded by Milton Keynes Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England, will see the creation of two new galleries to transform the existing site, which includes a Grade II listed Victorian farmhouse. De
07/10/2014
An additional £100m has been announced for household energy efficiency. Applications for a new phase of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund, designed to help people make energy saving improvements to their home, will open to households before the end of November. Energy and Climate Change Secreta
07/10/2014
Over 180 members of construction union UCATT working for HTC Plant have been sent out ballot papers over a pay dispute. The crane drivers are angry that the company is not prepared to restore pay in real terms to the levels they were at before the 2008 recession. This could lead to construction si
07/10/2014
The Mayor of London is calling on the public for their views on the redevelopment plans for the National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace, south London. The plans are to improve its sporting, recreational and educational facilities. The 1960's grade II listed sports centre and historic stadium, muc
07/10/2014
Construction of the Nuovo Apartments at Ancoats is now complete. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) provided £6m, through a loan from the Get Britain Building programme, to finish the apartments after the project was forced to stall a number of times. Nuovo Apartments, a mixed-use scheme featu
07/10/2014
Building firm Berkeley has appointed a new Finance Director who is currently working at Quaintain Estates and Development. Richard Stearn previously worked for Berkeley as a Finance Controller from 2002 to 2011. Rob Perrins, Managing Director of Berkeley Group, said: "We are delighted that Richard
07/10/2014
Artificial Grass used to be heavily frowned upon as it was nowhere near having the real thing! People took pride in their homes and their gardens and ensured that they had luscious green lawns. Since then times have changed and now there is a whole range of artificial grass available which is extrem
07/10/2014
Koncept is designed to reduce pressure on the spine and on the thighs. The seat cushion helps to re-balance the body, naturally, and improve blood flow in the legs. The Kango Koncept is an innovative seat which adapts to your body movement. Mounted on silent "springs", the seat cushion moves unde
06/10/2014
Broadcaster Sir David Attenborough is to unveil a new £56.5 million science building in Bristol. The world-class facilities for science research and teaching are within the University of Bristol's Life Science building. The building, designed by the architects Sheppard Robson and built by Vinci Co
06/10/2014
Construction work has started on the site of the new Bermuda Park Station in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. The new connection on the Coventry and Nuneaton railway line will serve existing major housing and office developments, with more planned in the future. The station will benefit over 5,000 local r
06/10/2014
Lakehouse has acquired H2O Nationwide Ltd, an air and water hygiene specialist. The deal marks the fifth business to join the Lakehouse Group since 2011 and another step in its strategy to acquire successful, complementary firms. Bringing H2O into the group reflects Lakehouse's ambition to bolster
06/10/2014
Skanska UK has been announced as the major sponsor of Bristol 2015, the company established to facilitate the city’s year as European Green Capital. The sponsorship was sealed by Beth Heider and George Ferguson at our Empire State Building office in New York. The announcement was made at the Unit
06/10/2014
Work started today, 6 October, on the first phase of an £80 million investment in Liverpool's highways network. The £1.4 million scheme on the Walton corridor of the A59 is the first as part of the city’s commitment to drastically reduce the £256 million backlog in road repairs over the next eight
06/10/2014
Modern Water and Northumbrian Services Limited have been appointed as preferred bidders for a new wastewater treatment plant in Gibraltar. The contract will include the design, build, finance and operation of a wastewater treatment plant capable of treating urban wastewater for the entire populatio
06/10/2014
Planning approval has been given to build almost 700 homes on parts of the Mount Pleasant postal sorting site in London. The site straddles the London boroughs of Islington and Camden but after both councils missed deadlines to consider the applications, applicant Royal Mail Group asked the Mayor t
03/10/2014
Willmott Dixon has been selected to build and refurbish the new Steiner Academy in Exeter. The £7.6m project, on Cowley Bridge Road, will see Willmott Dixon construct a 4,707 m2 two-storey facility alongside delivering a full refurbishment to Thomas Hall, the grade II listed building that was forme
03/10/2014
British construction industry employers benefited from a strong growth in September, according to new research. The construction purchasing managers' index compiled by Markit and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) has posted a score of 64.2 for September, higher than the August
03/10/2014
£37m of funding has been announced for housing in Wales. The investment was announced in the 'Priorities for Wales' Draft Budget, which has continued the Welsh Government's focus on its priorities for Wales. The £37m investment will be used to expand the Affordable Housing Land Scheme, Houses into
03/10/2014
A firm has been fined £13,000 after an employee lost the tip of his finger in an unguarded drill. Black Country Magistrates' Court heard the 32-year-old man, from Dudley, was drilling holes into metal components at H&H Alloy Sales Ltd when the incident happened on 18 December last year. As he push
03/10/2014
The housing crisis is hitting middle-income earners at an alarming rate, according to new research. However, work has risen by 350,000 since 2008, a rate of more than 58,000 a year, the National Housing Federation has revealed. The new research from the report 'Broken Market, Broken Dreams', shows
03/10/2014
Labour Councillors in London are being urged to boycott a prestige property fair over fears that property developers 'stitch up' deals that would hit council tenants and leaseholders in the capital. Unite the union said that Labour Councillors should walk away from the MIPIM property fair being hel
03/10/2014
The value of UK housing projects starting on site has dropped for the first time in 18 months, according to the latest figures from construction analysts Glenigan. The Glenigan Index for October rose by 2% compared to a year earlier. However the underlying value of residential starts fell by 6%.
03/10/2014
A 350-tonne road bridge has launched over the Great Western Main Line as part of Crossrail improvement works in the area. The 110-metre long temporary structure has been installed at Thorney Lane, in Iver, ahead of the demolition of the existing bridge at Christmas. Both Thorney Lane Bridge and St
02/10/2014
A contract to design and build a three-storey multi-use healthcare block for Stepping Hill Hospital has been awarded to Vinci Construction UK and Sir Robert McAlpine, a joint venture (JV). Stockport NHS Foundation Trust has awarded Integrated Health Projects (IHP) appointd the developers. The new
02/10/2014
Construction firm Galliford Try has been selected as a panel member for the Greenwich, Lewisham and Croydon Priority School Building Programme batch, worth over £45 million. Appointed by the Education Funding Agency (EFA), the batch comprises six new schools – Invicta Primary School, Our Lady of Gr
02/10/2014
A new £18 million sports village in Liverpool is to officially open tomorrow, Friday 2nd October. Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College, which educates 1,200 pupils, has been built by Willmott Dixon Construction on the former Long Lane council depot in Fazakerley. It is part of the Liverpool Sch
02/10/2014
Planning permission has been secured for a new library and digital hub to be developed in South Shields. Turley acted on behalf of Muse Developments Ltd and South Tyneside Council in the joint planning project, which was approved by the South Tyneside Planning Committee. Substantial remodelling of
02/10/2014
A new development in Derby, Manor Kingsway, has officially opened. A launch event heralded the partnership between Derby City Council, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Kier and Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) to bring forward this award-winning scheme which has set the standa
02/10/2014
The Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has announced she is leaving. Grainia Long is to become chief executive at the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC), based in Dublin. She said said: "It has been a privilege to lead CIH for the last three ye
02/10/2014
238,000 Homes received planning permission in 2012, however only 129,000 units started construction in the same periods, according to new figures. Data from Barbour ABI indicates a significant disparity between planning permissions and builds starting on site, following the unveiling of two new hou
02/10/2014
A Macclesfield firm has been fined £2,000 for safety failings after a worker’s hand became entangled around a factory drill. Stormguard Ltd, which produces a range of drainage products, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an investigation found it had ignored warnings by i
01/10/2014
Carillion and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) have started construction work at the Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton in Somerset. RNAS Yeovilton will become home to the new Wildcat helicopters of the British Army and Royal Navy, with Army regiments moving from Gütersloh in Ger
01/10/2014
Willmott Dixon has been chosen to carry out an extension and refurbishment of Ysgol Glan Clwyd in St Asaph. Work to develop the detailed design for the project will now commence and it is hoped building work will start in early summer 2015, with the extended and refurbished school completed by Sept
01/10/2014
Vinci Construction UK has completed building student accommodation in Nottingham. Known as Global Point, the 14-storey £31m development was built for client Mortar Developments and Aberdeen Asset Management. Of the 449 rooms, 404 have en-suite facilities while the remaining 45 are self-contained f
01/10/2014
Construction firm Balfour Beatty has been chosen to build a new road through Lincoln, in a contract worth £10.5m. The work includes building approximately 2km of new road including double lanes, bus-lanes and pedestrian crossings, and will link the High Street to Pelham Bridge with the route travel
01/10/2014
The new National College for High Speed Rail is to be located in Birmingham and Doncaster, the government has announced. The headquarters will be based in Birmingham and the college will also have a site in Doncaster. It will provide specialist vocational training to the next generation of engineer
01/10/2014
BAM has been selected as the preferred bidder to develop a £27m school in Surrey. The contractor is to build the new Rydens Enterprise School and Sixth Form College in Hersham. Subject to all the necessary consents being obtained, the school plans to use surplus playing fields as a site for the ne
