Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for February 2014
28/02/2014
Lovell has been chosen by City West Housing Trust for a design-and-build development of 50 affordable homes in Little Hulton, Salford. Work is under way on the £4.4 million Kenyon Gateway scheme which will create 50 homes for affordable rent and low-cost home ownership across six sites. Thirty-eigh
28/02/2014
Birmingham City Council has unveiled the Birmingham Curzon HS2 Masterplan, which will see 141 hectares of the city centre transformed. The plans form one of the biggest urban regeneration schemes in Britain, and by far the biggest redevelopment so far announced on the back of HS2. The new developm
28/02/2014
Interserve has entered into a conditional agreement with a subsidiary of Rentokil Initial Plc, to acquire its facilities service business (Initial Facilities) for a cash consideration of £250m (the Transaction). The Transaction will be funded through a new bank facility, together with the net proc
28/02/2014
Ofgem is calling on large suppliers to make sure money is returned to their former customers after its analysis revealed that the companies hold more than £400m in credit from closed accounts. This builds on recent commitments by most major suppliers to automatically refund surpluses to current di
28/02/2014
Liverpool City Council is launching a new pilot project to bring vacant land across the city back into use for small-scale housing projects. According to the Liverpool Express, the city's Property and Asset Management team has drawn up an initial list of 16 council-owned sites, some of which have b
28/02/2014
Kier Stoke is backing a new scheme to help people buy homes for just £1 and contributing to a £3m regeneration plan of the local area. Kier, which provides repairs and maintenance to more than 19,000 properties in Stoke-on-Trent, is carrying out £1m of internal and external renovations, including c
28/02/2014
Young people in South Tyneside are being given an opportunity to gain a valuable insight into how a successful North East construction company operates and to learn new skills. South Tyneside Council is working in partnership with major contractor Willmott Dixon on a new traineeship programme that
28/02/2014
Three of the world's leading forest certification organisations will be sharing a stand at Ecobuild 2014 (4-6 March) to educate visitors on a wide range of issues surrounding the use and supply of legal and sustainable timber in the UK market. Joining PEFC UK on Stand S940 will be the Sustainable Fo
27/02/2014
The Business Secretary Vince Cable is opening the new government-backed Burnley Bridge Business Park today, 27th February, and visiting some of Burnley's most successful manufacturing companies. In his speech at the site of the new business park, the Minister is expected to praise the "spirit of en
27/02/2014
A sod cutting ceremony has taken place to mark the start of construction for the development of much needed affordable new homes in a County Durham village. The scheme, at Primrose Crescent in Bournmoor near Chester-le-Street, will see 14 new two-bedroom homes delivered by local housing provider C
27/02/2014
A former gravel pit and landfill site in Dagenham is being transformed into a new £78.4m scheme which will deliver hundreds of new homes on public land released by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Building work is now under way to create the new Lymington Fields housing development, which is exp
27/02/2014
iCITY, the company selected by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to transform the former Press and Broadcast Centres on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park into a world-leading creative and digital cluster, has had its plans for redevelopment approved by the LLDC's planning committee. The c
27/02/2014
Lend Lease has started construction on a farmyard themed park at Stoneleigh Reserve. The five hectare park which is due for completion later this year, will have three main areas – The Farmyard and Figtree, The Farmhouse and The Orchard – with lots of activities for toddlers, juniors and teens. Re
27/02/2014
Exterior Solutions Ltd has started the 'Exterpark' timber decking for the first public garden in Central Gibraltar. The FSC Elondo decking supplied by Exterpark with the patented and invisible fixing system was a sure choice for the designers and project managers at Landform Consultants Ltd. The
27/02/2014
A London firm has been ordered to pay more than £250,000 in fines and costs for safety failings after a worker was killed by a large concrete beam during a dangerous lifting operation in strong winds at a hospital construction site in Essex. Guilherme de Oliveira, 44, from Portugal, sustained fatal
26/02/2014
Two new developments to create new council homes in Oxford have started on site. The developments will provide 48 new homes at Minchery Farm in Littlemore and a new sheltered housing scheme at Bradlands in Marston. The Bradlands redevelopment will see the old and poorly designed buildings demolis
26/02/2014
Muse Developments has announced that work will commence on the headquarters for a new housing group at the £100m Northshore scheme in Stockton on Tees. Extending to 43,000 sq ft, the new building will be located adjacent to the Infinity Bridge and will accommodate up to 436 employees for thirteen G
26/02/2014
A South Midlands housebuilder has welcomed the decision by Coventry City Council's planning committee, to grant permission for a housing development on Skipworth Road in the village of Binley. Persimmon Homes South Midlands plan to invest £3.5m in the construction of 41 new homes on the 2.4-acre pa
26/02/2014
Construction union UCATT has slammed the construction industry for failing to train apprentices. A new cross party parliamentary inquiry into jobs for young people launched today titled, No More Lost Generations: Creating Construction Jobs for Young People, found that the number of people completin
26/02/2014
From 31 March new rules will come into force meaning the six largest suppliers and the largest independent generators will have to trade fairly with independent suppliers in the wholesale market, or face financial penalties. The six largest suppliers will also have to publish the price at which they
26/02/2014
John Lewis has officially taken ownership of its new shop in Grand Central, Birmingham, an important milestone that marks the end of the construction. John Lewis will be the anchor tenant of the Grand Central development at Birmingham New Street station when it opens in 2015. Grand Central will a
26/02/2014
The Construction Development Alliance (CDA) has announced the official launch of its 2014 annual awards, developed to support the growth of young people within the North West property and construction industry. "The CDA was set up to fulfil a growing need for local businesses, in the property and c
26/02/2014
C J Pryor (Contracts) Ltd has been awarded works for Skanska Infrastructure Services. The works involve a new 350m link road from the A1303 into the new development area, road widening and Junction improvements to the existing Park & Ride and to the M11 J13 On/Off slip roads. The existing road imp
25/02/2014
The University of Liverpool has begun work on a £90 million project to create new residences and renovate existing buildings on its Mossley Hill student accommodation site. The investment will provide a self-contained student village, including new catering and sports facilities at the University's
25/02/2014
A major project to widen the Fletton Parkway in Peterborough will get underway this week. The scheme will see the A1139 Fletton parkway widened from two to three lanes in each direction between junction 1 and junction 2 (Goldhay Way/Malborne Way roundabout). The central reservation area will be use
25/02/2014
The Minister for Housing and Regeneration, Carl Sargeant visited Maerdy to see what can be done to tackle the number of empty properties there. Since 2008, Rhondda Cynon Taf has worked hard to reduce the number of empty properties in Maerdy, with good results (92 empty properties in 2008 reduced to
25/02/2014
Householders have only two weeks left to join an energy switching scheme that aims to cut household bills. Over 1,500 people have already joined the Switch TogetherSave Together scheme organised by local charity, Energy Projects Plus, together with the six Merseyside local authorities. It aims to
25/02/2014
Housing developer Lovell is searching for four new apprentices to work on its major housing regeneration programme for Southampton City Council. Creating training opportunities is a central part of the company's commitment to delivering a lasting legacy in the communities where it works. The Southa
25/02/2014
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) 2050 Group has launched a major survey to gain an on-the-ground perspective of what inspires people working in construction today. It invites professionals across all disciplines and of all ages and stages in their careers to participate and in so doing provi
25/02/2014
Balfour Beatty has started construction on a £31 million age-exclusive residential village in Exeter for Renaissance Villages Ltd and Helical Bar plc this week. Millbrook Village will comprise a selection of luxury cottages and apartments for the over-55s as well as a residents' clubhouse featuring
25/02/2014
A new fund to help community projects in towns and villages across Nottinghamshire has been oversubscribed by more than £7m. The Supporting Local Communities fund (SLC), previously known as the Local Improvement Scheme, has a £500,000 pot to fund heritage, environmental and conservation projects.
24/02/2014
The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey announced have announced a deal with Shell today which could generate enough clean energy to power half a million homes, and capture 1 million tonnes of CO2 each year. They made the announcement on a visit to Peterhead Power
24/02/2014
Works are to commence on Station Street as part of the final stages of Nottingham Station's redevelopment, due to be opened to the public later this spring. From today, Monday 24th February, for approximately five weeks, there will be no vehicle access for general traffic from Station Street into
24/02/2014
Interserve has started work on a £1.7 million swimming pool repair and maintenance project for Southampton City Council. The project will return Oaklands Swimming Pool to full working order for local residents in the Lordshill area by early 2015. Following mechanical issues with the pipes feeding
24/02/2014
Construction Union UCATT is deeply alarmed after research by BBC Radio Wales revealed that the number of vital life-saving inspections in construction undertaken in Wales fell by 35% in just 12 months. Via a Freedom of Information Request to the Health and Safety Executive the BBC discovered that t
24/02/2014
Kier is helping students from Prospects College in Southend gain valuable hands-on experience with a host of new work experience placements. Kier is working with the college to provide opportunities to talented students wanting to get ahead in the trade industry. The first intake of students will j
24/02/2014
Balfour Beatty has joined with its customer Heathrow Airport Limited to welcome the world's largest passenger airliner to the Star Alliance Terminal 2B for the first time. A Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 docked at the largest 'airside' construction project ever carried out at Heathrow, which is no
24/02/2014
The shadow housing minister has visited Liverpool to witness how local organisations are working together to regenerate the city. Emma Reynolds MP, and Walton MP Steve Rotheram and Assistant Mayor, Councillor Ann O’Byrne, visited Anfield to see the city's £260 million plans to create new housing an
24/02/2014
Blyko Paving has announced the Appointment of Nick Pryke as its new Business Development and Design Manager. Nick will be promoting the firms range of paving Products to architects, designers and specifiers focusing on building client relationships and liaison between manufacturer, constructor, d
21/02/2014
Students of Garston Manor School in Watford have joined Wates Construction on site of their brand new £4.7m school building on Horseshoe Lane. Joining the contractor for a tour of the building works, the students were shown plans for the new secondary SEN facility, which will provide 124 places for
21/02/2014
Kier has started work on a building programme that will create a new office complex for Waveney District Council and Suffolk County Council in Lowestoft. The new building on Riverside Road will reduce energy and maintenance costs for the two councils and is part of a wider accommodation programme,
21/02/2014
Work has commenced on an £8.5m housing scheme as part of the continuing regeneration in The Meadows, Nottingham. A total of 73 new homes, 38 of which are affordable, will be built on Pitcairn Close and Hobart Close, by Loughborough-based contractor and developer, William Davis Ltd as part of a part
21/02/2014
Working with Bam Nuttall, the principle contractor, TMS Maritime has undertaken emergency flood relief work at Dunball Wharf, Bridgewater, Somerset. The contract required immediate response to a relief programme developed to respond to unprecedented flooding of the Somerset levels, so widely publis
21/02/2014
Balfour Beatty has completed infrastructure works which serve as the base for 34 wind turbines for SSE Renewables on the largest on-shore wind farm project in England. The £30 million contract in Keadby, North Lincolnshire, will bring power to approximately 57,000 homes and includes the constructio
21/02/2014
A Lincoln builder has been handed a four-month suspended prison sentence after a self-employed bricklayer broke his back in two places after falling three metres from faulty scaffolding. Robert Wilkin, 70, of Lincoln, was left paralysed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair for the rest
21/02/2014
Building contractor G F Tomlinson has been awarded a further £33 million of contract works by public sector construction procurement, design and consultation specialists Scape. G F Tomlinson's latest win is for the East Midlands Property Alliance (empa) minor works framework contracts. The company
21/02/2014
Leading stadium and auditorium seating manufacturers Ferco Seating Systems Ltd have installed the first-ever block of 'rail seats' in the UK. Unveiled today at Bristol City's Ashton Gate Stadium, the block of 30 seats will be used to demonstrate the versatility of Ferco's RailSeat product, which ena
20/02/2014
New housing figures confirm Britain is building again, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said announced. The latest statistics reveal starts on new homes in 2013 totalled 122,590, up by 23% on the previous year, and the highest since 2007. Despite the poor weather conditions this winter, work on
20/02/2014
Amey has secured a second consecutive term as Network Rail's sole supplier of civil examinations, and retained a major footprint in rail structures assessments. The new contracts are worth over £40m per annum. The Civil Examination Framework Agreements (CEFA) for Control Period 5 (CP5) will be
20/02/2014
Planning on behalf of the Mayor of London have confirmed the decision of Hounslow Council Planning Committee to grant planning permission for Brentford Football Club's planning application for a new stadium an association development at Lionel Road South. The Club can proceed to develop a 20,000-c
20/02/2014
Interserve has been awarded a contract with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to provide support services in France. This three-year contract will go live on 1 April, with an option to extend for a further three years. It will see Interserve delivering a range of services to British diploma
20/02/2014
The funding package for Bristol's arena was agreed by councillors on 18 February as part of Mayor George Ferguson's capital budget. Work can now begin to appoint an operator to run the planned 12,000 capacity venue, which will host large scale music and other spectator events from 2017. The counci
20/02/2014
Liverpool City Council is launching a new pilot project to bring vacant land across the city back into use for small-scale housing projects. According to the Liverpool Express, the city's Property and Asset Management team has drawn up an initial list of 16 council-owned sites, some of which have b
20/02/2014
Lakesmere has secured a £5.5m contract to provide the full building envelope for a new state of the art data centre in Slough, Berkshire. The building envelope specialist has been appointed by Laing O'Rourke's building services provider Crown House Technologies to work on the new LD6 building for g
20/02/2014
Balfour Beatty has commenced work on a £23m contract for Sheffield Hallam University to construct a £30m, 10,000m2 building in the heart of Sheffield's Cultural Industries Quarter. The two-block, seven-storey building on Charles Street will house the University's Sheffield Institute of Education an
20/02/2014
The consortium behind London Array will not proceed with the development of Phase 2 of the offshore wind farm. The decision follows a review by the consortium members of their respective portfolios, the technical challenges and the environmental uncertainties surrounding the site, which require a w
20/02/2014
A Suffolk plumber has been given a suspended prison sentence after carrying out illegal and dangerous gas work at a home in Lowestoft. Barry Goodge, 59, from Oulton Broad, attempted to repair a faulty boiler at a home on London Road South on 28 June 2013, despite not being registered with Gas Safe
19/02/2014
The University of Cambridge has awarded Skanska a £3 million junction improvement contract. It was awarded as part of the £1 billion North West Cambridge Development, which will create new facilities for the university together with homes and community services for the area. Skanska will carry out
19/02/2014
BAM Construction has now started work on Salford’s new £10.4m University Technical College (UTC) at MediaCityUK. UTC@MediaCityUK, as it will be known, will specialise in the creative and digital industries. It will give 14-19 year olds from Greater Manchester the chance to work with employers at Me
19/02/2014
Willmott Dixon is leading the way for social responsibility in the construction sector by being one of the first companies in Birmingham to adopt the City Council’s Business Charter for Social Responsibility. The company’s repairs and maintenance brand, Willmott Dixon Partnerships, is just one of 1
19/02/2014
A £4 million project has been completed by Clegg Construction to create much-needed additional parking capacity at the University of Birmingham. A six-storey car park covering 100,000 square feet has been built on the university's Edgbaston Campus, providing almost 500 parking spaces for staff and
19/02/2014
Changes to the government's Green Deal cash-back scheme have been announced, to help more households drive down fuel bills and reduce carbon emissions by carrying out energy efficiency improvements. The scheme helps people to install energy efficiency measures by providing them with money back on t
19/02/2014
A Cardiff building contractor has been fined for breaking safety legislation after a young worker broke his back in a seven-metre fall through an unprotected hole in a roof. Daniel Thorley, 25, from Llantrisant, was working on the roof of a new three-storey home in Dinas Powys when he fell. He suff
19/02/2014
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is to sell International House and surrounding land to Ashford Borough Council. The sale will help pave the way for the council to take the place of the HCA in driving forward bold plans for a comprehensive redevelopment of that area of the town, known as the
19/02/2014
Almost 60,000 households are set to save money on their fuel bills as a campaign to make the region's homes more energy efficient gets underway. The region's ten local authorities have announced Keepmoat Regeneration, Wates Living Space and Willmott Dixon as the three providers who will carry out e
19/02/2014
To add to a growing number of awards for innovation within the security industry, Heald recently won the 2013 Mail News and Media Business Awards category for Exporter of the Year. The Mail News and Media Business Awards are open to businesses of all sizes based in the Hull and East Riding area, b
19/02/2014
Due to the current UK weather and housing stock conditions, Go Geothermal are supplying the Stiebel Eltron WPL 15 & 25 AS series. These inverter driven air/water pumps offer many benefits for both new build and modernisation projects - these models reach an output level that enables flow temperatur
18/02/2014
Kier has announced that Paul Sheffield will step down as Chief Executive and from the Board with effect from 30 June 2014. Haydn Mursell, currently Group Finance Director, will take up the role of Chief Executive with effect from 1 July 2014. A full executive search will be conducted for a new Grou
18/02/2014
The Costain Skanska joint venture's (CSJV) record of success on Crossrail has continued with the early hand over of the Western Ticket Hall Box at Bond Street. The handover was accomplished six weeks ahead of schedule. The earlier Eastern Ticket Hall, completed in 2012, was four weeks ahead of plan
18/02/2014
Senior councillors will meet to discuss the latest plans for three renewable energy parks close to Peterborough. The sites that have been chosen are America Farm, Morris Fen and Newborough. Solar panels at America Farm and a potential combination of panels and wind turbines at Morris Fen and Newbo
18/02/2014
Work on a world-class exhibition centre and hotel on Liverpool's waterfront is underway, according to the Liverpool Express. Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, visited the construction site of the £40m Exhibition Centre Liverpool and £26m integrated hotel at Kings Dock on Monday 17 February. He was
18/02/2014
Construction union UCATT have welcomed the announcement that the Health and Safety Executive is to conduct inspections on the Alder Hey Hospital site in Liverpool. The HSE's decision to inspect comes a week after UCATT raised safety concerns about the construction of the site. Steve Murphy, Gener
18/02/2014
Plans to attract new investment and jobs to Helston Business Park in Cornwall have taken a step forward following an agreement by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to sell the site to a local developer. The HCA has sold the 15-acre site to an investment fund operated by businessman David Marti
18/02/2014
Styles&Wood has completed a £1.7m refurbishment project at Barnsley Hospital. The 44-week scheme included the complete demolition, strip-out and reconfiguration of the 500-bed south Yorkshire hospital's Emergency Observation and Resuscitation wards. Styles&Wood's specialist health service team was
18/02/2014
Four of the big six energy companies will now automatically refund direct debits to customers who are in credit. While EON were already doing this, negotiations chaired by Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker have resulted in EDF, British Gas and SSE plus First Utility following suit and
18/02/2014
Accredited Passivhaus Design (APD) are exhibiting at Ecobuild 2014 on stand S502 and will be happy to talk to developers, building owners and contractors about the benefits of building to the Passivhaus standard. Their certified Passivhaus Designer Peter Ranken said: "In 2013 we were fortunate to
18/02/2014
During these trying times of our weather problems, you can protect your property by installing a soakaway borehole. The precautions that can be taken by local authorities or the environment regulators to protect against groundwater flooding are limited. GPD Water Wells have a maintainable cost ef
17/02/2014
Sir Robert McAlpine Limited has been appointed to undertake the main construction works for Hammerson's £150m Victoria Gate development in Leeds city centre. The new retail scheme, which received detailed planning consent last year, will deliver John Lewis' first store in the city with a 21,000m² s
17/02/2014
Urban regeneration and strategic land specialist MJ Gleeson has announced a 32% increase in revenue, a 112% increase in operating profit and 120% increase in interim dividend for the six months to 31 December 2013 The company's interim results for the half year ended 31 December 2013 show: • Signi
17/02/2014
The recent growth in the number of people employed is expected to slow again in the coming months, the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) has said. In a survey of 1,000 employers, CIPD found just over half of firms – 54% – would be increasing payrolls, down from 65% last year
17/02/2014
New jobs and homes have been created in an £800,000 regeneration project to restore Aberdare's grade-II listed Georgian town hall. The hall, which had been derelict for many years, now houses a coffee shop and flats. The restoration was part of the £7.7m Aberdare Town Centre Regeneration project.
17/02/2014
The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation into a series of accidents at the construction site of the new Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Merseyside. It is understood that builders' union Ucatt (Union of Construction Allied Trades and Technicians) has raised concerns over work a
17/02/2014
Lafarge Tarmac has won top prize at the Marketing Excellence Awards in London. The firms resealable tubs range won Lafarge Tarmac the Excellence Award in the Construction/Engineering/Manufacturing category, beating shortlisted organisations including Caterpillar, NHBC, Crossrail and British Gas. T
17/02/2014
The British Safety Council has announced a programme of free seminars on the latest developments in health, safety and environmental law, policy and practice at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre (NEC) on 11-13 March 2014. Taking place as part of the free-to-attend Health & Safety Event organi
17/02/2014
Celebrating the silver anniversary of its famous second-hand machinery auction, JCB are to offer a gold-plated birthday bonus to bidders at the next sale. The company is giving a 5% discount off every lot that goes under the hammer at the event on Tuesday, April 8 at JCB's World Headquarters. And
14/02/2014
Skanska has secured a £97 million contract to build One New Street Square on behalf of its client Land Securities. The team will use its expertise in construction, mechanical and electrical engineering and the installation of bespoke ceilings to deliver a modern office building over 20 floors, incl
14/02/2014
Heathrow and Regus have announced plans to develop the first independent business centre at the UK’s hub airport, with Regus Express set to open at Terminal 5 this summer. The move responds to a growing demand for 'third place' work locations where business travellers can check their emails, hold c
14/02/2014
As the Big Six energy companies reveal they had more than 5.5 million complaints in 2013, Which? are launching a new campaign calling for six fixes to the broken energy market. The biggest energy companies - British Gas, EDF Energy, E.On, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE - have published data showing
14/02/2014
Suffolk window replacement company has been fined after it exposed workers to potentially fatal asbestos material during work to replace window units at a school in Bury St Edmunds. Frames Conservatories Direct Ltd (FCDL) informed Westley Middle school that asbestos panels would be removed by regis
14/02/2014
Lovell will be the main sponsor of the SHAP Conference on 17 February in Birmingham. SHAP is the Sustainable Housing Action Partnership, and its conference will look at all elements of sustainable housing, both new build and retrofit. Among subjects to be covered at the conference are ECO, LABVs,
14/02/2014
Hercules, a 50:50 joint venture between Kier Group and Balfour Beatty, has commenced a £121 million contract to transform a former RAF airbase into a new Armed Forces training facility for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. The start of the works was celebrated with a sod-cutting ceremony at
14/02/2014
Welsh households and local councils are recycling more than ever and producing less black bin waste, according to the latest official figures. Between July and September last year, recycling, reuse and composting rates reached 57% in Wales, the highest in the UK. The local authorities with the h
14/02/2014
The Energy Industries Council (EIC), the leading trade association for UK companies that supply goods and services to the energy industries worldwide, will lead a trade delegation of 19 UK company representatives to Azerbaijan on 10-14 March. The mission, supported by UKTI, will visit companies in
14/02/2014
The first Exemplar phase of the NW Bicester eco-town led by developers A2Dominion has been highly commended at the recent national Placemaking Awards, which recognises projects, people and organisations that are making places better. Coming a close second place for the sustainability award, judges
14/02/2014
Land Securities has let a further 18,000 sq ft at 123 Victoria Street, SW1 to Ophir Energy. Ophir Energy, the FTSE 250 oil and gas exploration company, is relocating from its existing Mayfair headquarters to join existing tenants such as US software company Intuit, CDC Group, CPA Global and Jimmy C
13/02/2014
A £5.8m innovation centre on a Leicester science and technology park, which was completed by contractors Willmott Dixon during autumn 2013, has been officially opened by the city's mayor, Peter Soulsby. The landmark building, known as Dock and designed by award-winning architects maber, is located
13/02/2014
Two British companies have been awarded over £8million to spur on innovation in storing energy, Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker has announced. The announcement comes as UK public funders of low carbon innovation today provide enhanced investor certainty, with the publication of a joi
13/02/2014
Manchester City Council has set out ambitious plans to reduce its carbon emissions over the next three years. The plans, going before the executive group of leading councillors this week, sets out what the City Council will do up until 2017 to cut its own emissions and help the rest of the city bec
13/02/2014
A plant hire firm has been fined for safety failings after two employees were struck and injured by a reversing mini-digger at a North London depot. One of the workers, a 60-year-old from Barnet who does not want to be named, broke a bone just below his knee and suffered extensive tissue damage to
13/02/2014
British digger maker JCB is reacting to the national flood disaster by deploying a £750,000 fleet of machines complete with operators to help stricken families. The company has announced that four of its high-speed, high ground clearance Fastrac tractors equipped with trailers and two of its iconi
13/02/2014
Construction union UCATT has discovered that the Government's decision to cut vital proactive safety inspections was taken without a detailed formula, without an impact assessment and without any investigation of increased risks to workers or the general public. In March 2011 the Department of Work
13/02/2014
Anfield residents are having their say on a new vision to improve the quality of housing and create new opportunities within the 'COBRA' neighbourhood, the Liverpool Express reports. The city council is undertaking an independent Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment (NRA) for the area, which is bounded
13/02/2014
East Hampshire District Council car parks are set to get a facelift in a £145,000 deal. The money will be spent on car parks across the district and will go towards resurfacing, patching up potholes, re-painting white lines and more. The upgrade was agreed by EHDC's Cabinet last week and the work
13/02/2014
Hundreds of workers are calling on their local MPs to demand political action to save 800 jobs and to safeguard the future of the strategically important Eggborough power station in North Yorkshire. Eggborough has been working for over two years on a biomass conversion project which was due to begi
13/02/2014
LanTen Metering Services have announced that they recently completed a second order for the supply of HeatPlus ™ Heat Meters to a London-based Property Services Company. The order comes in the light of the developers rapidly expanding portfolio, with LANTEN now supplying metering and billing servi
12/02/2014
Lovell has started work on a key stage of Freebridge Community Housing's £30 million regeneration programme for the Hillington Square estate in King's Lynn. The transformation of the 1960s estate, which has been under way since August 2013, has reached an important milestone as work begins to demol
12/02/2014
Carillion, has been awarded a £110m contract by Aabar Properties to build a five-star Hard Rock Hotel in Abu Dhabi. The Hard Rock Hotel, Abu Dhabi, which will be the first of its kind in the Middle East, will comprise 378 rooms and be located on the UAE capital's Corniche. The hotel will also featu
12/02/2014
Costain has announced that its Joint Venture (JV), ABC Electrification Ltd, has been appointed by Network Rail as one of four suppliers to the £2bn National Electrification Programme, delivering electrification to more than two thousand miles of the UK's rail system. The contract is valued at an i
12/02/2014
City leaders have approved a draft framework for the regeneration of Anfield which could pave the way for planning applications to deliver a proposed £260m scheme to breathe new life into north Liverpool, the Liverpool Express reports. Now local residents and businesses are to be asked for their vi
12/02/2014
Building, civil engineering and structural steelwork contractor, Britcon has started works on the toll plaza canopy that will house new, state-of-the-art toll collection technology on the Humber Bridge. This represents a significant milestone for the £5.5 million project which, when completed nex
12/02/2014
Plans to develop Derbyshire's waterways have been drafted with the aim of making the most of their potential. The Councils Cabinet were shown the draft Waterways Strategy and agreed to share it with interested parties for consultation before a final version is submitted in April. The council owns
12/02/2014
Willmott Dixon's credentials as one of the most prolific constructors of sustainable developments have been further strengthened Appointed F with its appointment by A2Dominion for the initial stage of the UK's first eco town, located in Bicester, Oxfordshire. NW Bicester aims to be a glimpse into t
12/02/2014
London Network Scaffolding (LNS) have been awarded the contract to supply and erect various scaffolds over a two year period at London's notorious King's College Hospital in Denmark Hill. Principle contractor McLaughlin & Harvey have awarded the scaffold contract to LNS to aid them in creating a ne
12/02/2014
International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has recently announced the worldwide access platform training figures for its accredited members. These figures show an increase of 12.8% of people IPAF trained in 2013 compared to 2012. The majority (almost three quarters) of those trained were still
12/02/2014
It is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, witnessed by millions of people from every corner of the globe – but whilst the Superbowl was something of a one-sided washout with the Denver Broncos embarrassed by the Seattle Seahawks, LED lighting provided a beautiful spectacle during the stu
11/02/2014
ISG has secured a circa £30m project with global investment firm Blackstone to remodel and refurbish floors one to six of the iconic Art Deco Adelphi Building, which overlooks the Victoria Embankment in London. ISG will deliver approximately 190,000 sq ft of high specification Cat A open plan offic
11/02/2014
Balfour Beatty and Transport for London (TfL) have received a prestigious national heritage award for work to refurbish Crystal Palace station in South London. The 'London Underground Operational Enhancement Award', given by the National Railway Heritage Association, recognises "the upkeep of our r
11/02/2014
Work to build eight new homes designed for people with learning difficulties has started in Scunthorpe. North Lincolnshire Homes (NLH) in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and North Lincolnshire Council are building their first specially designed supported housing scheme in N
11/02/2014
A total of seven building firms have been awarded a share of contract works worth £140m by public sector construction procurement, design and consultation specialists Scape. The two East Midlands Property Alliance (empa) framework contracts cover minor works. The first has a contract value of £55m
11/02/2014
A man who saved money through an energy switching scheme is urging other Greater Manchester residents to get involved. David McGealy, from Oldham, saved £274 from his annual bill when he joined the collective bulk buy scheme organised by Greater Manchester authorities last year. He was one of 4,57
11/02/2014
Around one million pounds is being invested by Anglian Water in a project to protect homes in Ruskington, Lincolnshire. The 10 week scheme will see close to 200 metres of new sewer pipes installed in the High Street area to increase the capacity of the sewer network. An additional 80,000 litre capa
11/02/2014
Construction union UCATT have sent a report of their industrial relations concerns, involving the Alder Hey Hospital Project in Liverpool, to a highly influential Parliamentary committee. The Scottish Affairs Select Committee which is investigating blacklisting requested further information from UC
11/02/2014
London's historic Victoria Park has been restored and improved in a £12 million project designed by LDA Architects. Blyko has supplied more than 1600 m² Percola® grey permeable paving. The result is a beautiful park which provides a pedestrian and cycle link to the neighbouring London 2012 Olympic
11/02/2014
Makers Construction & Sika are to host a CPD open day on a live site where Makers are carrying out refurbishment work on 28 February from 11am to 1pm. The event, at Allhallows Multistorey car park in Bedfordshire, will include talks on Sika materials and consist of a CPD from all parties. A QA sit
11/02/2014
Government and construction industry leaders are meeting to mark the second anniversary of the Green Construction Board (GCB) and announce that it will continue its work for a further 2 years. Its focus will be a reduction in industry carbon emissions. Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon
10/02/2014
The latest Construction Trade Survey, published today, shows that construction activity rose in Q4, marking the first time in over five years that the industry recorded three consecutive quarters of growth. Firms across all areas reported increased output, including building contractors, SMEs, spe
10/02/2014
Balfour Beatty has completed a fast track refurbishment scheme of 520 student accommodation spaces for Loughborough University. The £8.8m refurbishment project of the Falkner Eggington accommodation blocks involved the design, build and fit-out of the existing 1970s buildings with the provision of
10/02/2014
Work has started on a road straightening project, costing almost £3m, to improve access to the St Athan and Cardiff Airport Enterprise Zone paving the way for new multi-million pound investments in the site. The Welsh Government is funding the improvements to the B4265 between Gileston and Oldmill,
10/02/2014
Compendium Living, a joint venture between Lovell and the Riverside Group, the developer behind Derby's £100m Castleward redevelopment, is leading the way in sustainability by recycling 96% of the waste generated during the building process – well above the 90% target set for the project. The firm
10/02/2014
An empty community centre has been transformed into a specially adapted home for an elderly disabled couple with the help of Arnold and Beryl Barratt in their new homefunding available to bring empty properties in Daventry district back into use. Arnold and Beryl Barratt recently moved into their n
10/02/2014
New analysis produced by Sweett Group for the Zero Carbon Hub shows that the additional costs associated with building to the proposed Zero Carbon Standard have declined significantly since 2011, and are expected to continue to fall as we approach 2020. Understanding the cost of zero carbon homes h
10/02/2014
Roads Minister Robert Goodwill has called on Britain's road building companies to get ready for a massive increase in work ahead of the biggest investment in the road network since the 1970s. The government is tripling funding on the road network over the next eight years with more than £24bn to be
10/02/2014
Laing O'Rourke's Anna Stewart has been appointed by HM Government as a Business Ambassador, promoting British infrastructure and construction excellence in international markets. Group Chief Executive of Britain's leading privately owned, internationally focused engineering enterprise, as a Busines
07/02/2014
Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy has announced the start of a £120,000 major resurfacing scheme on B64 Legavallon Road, Dungiven. Preparatory works have begun on Legavalllon Road between the Drumsurn Road junction and Belraugh Road junction at the Pot. The Minister said: "The scheme wil
07/02/2014
The Mayor of Southampton, Ivan White, enjoyed a ground-breaking experience at a new £8.4 million care home in Southampton, Hampshire. Mr White was the guest of honour at the official ceremony to mark the start of the foundation dig at Anchor's newest development, Mayflower Court, on Westwood Road.
07/02/2014
Chancellor George Osborne has launched the start of the Northern Hub rail upgrades - a £600m rail investment programme set to create up to 20,000 jobs and boost the northern economy by billions of pounds. The Chancellor visited the start of construction at Manchester Airport station, marking the fi
07/02/2014
The Welsh Government is actively supporting and driving forward a number of key projects recommended by the Newport Business Development Task Force to revitalise the city, Economy Minister Edwina Hart has said. Mrs Hart said she is fully supportive of the work currently being undertaken to establis
07/02/2014
A trust providing housing and care for the elderly and two firms hired to carry out refurbishment work at its premises in Alnwick have been fined after staff and residents were put at risk of exposure to asbestos. West Yorkshire firm Express Elevators Ltd was contracted by Anchor Trust to replace t
07/02/2014
Tidal Lagoon Power Ltd (TLP) has taken a major step towards realising one of the UK's most game-changing infrastructure projects: the world's first tidal lagoon power plant. After three years of feasibility work and impact assessments, TLP submitted its application for a Development Consent Order (
07/02/2014
One of the biggest employers in Hitchin is on the move, but only to larger premises within the town. The construction company Willmott Dixon, which has had a presence in Hitchin for more than 100 years, has moved its regional construction office from Park Street to a bigger property in nearby Wilbu
07/02/2014
A Leeds initiative to improve housing standards and target empty properties across the city has moved into Armley this week. The Leeds Neighbourhood Approach, led by Leeds City Council, has already proved successful in the Nowells area in east Leeds and will now be targeting 130 properties in the E
07/02/2014
Construction work to upgrade the train depot at Ilford Yard got underway with an event at the site, which is located between Ilford and Seven Kings stations. The event was attended by Councillor Keith Prince, Leader of the London Borough of Redbridge, Mike Gapes, MP for Ilford South, and Matthew W
06/02/2014
The intention to award a contract to deliver rolling stock and a new depot for Crossrail with a capital value of around £1bn to Bombardier has been announced today by Transport for London (TfL) and The Department for Transport (DfT). The contract between TfL and Bombardier covers the supply, delive
06/02/2014
Key building projects which generate thousands of jobs in communities across the UK will benefit from changes to tackle costly and unnecessary legal delays under plans to speed up and reform the Judicial Review system announced today by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling. Legal disputes over major de
06/02/2014
Wates Construction, is preparing to commence construction of a new leisure centre for Selby District Council, following its appointment to deliver the approximately £6m contract. Work on the project, which is to be part-funded by a £2m Sport England lottery grant, is set to begin in February. Featu
06/02/2014
E.on has announced it is to change the name of Inverneill Wind Farm and is inviting local community members to attend a final public exhibition. The energy company has taken on board feedback from the local community during previous public exhibitions and has made amendments to its proposals, inclu
06/02/2014
A project to extend a Peterborough secondary school has won Peterborough City Council and its construction partner a national award. The city council and Kier picked up the LHC Framework Award after being nominated for the extension of Hampton College. The city council contracted Kier to extend th
06/02/2014
42 new flood schemes have been given the green light by Floods Minister Dan Rogerson. A further 13 schemes previously given funding will also begin construction, bringing the total number of schemes starting work to 55 for this year. In all, the new schemes starting construction this year will pro
06/02/2014
The UK division of global documents security company Iron Mountain has been fined for safety failings after an employee fractured his arm in a fall from a dangerous step ladder. The 48-year-old, from Barking, who does not want to be named, damaged the radius bone in his left elbow in the incident a
06/02/2014
Lovell has appointed Nick Hann as business development director for its national Repairs and Maintenance business. Nick joins the company from maintenance specialist Kier Services where he held the same job title. Based at the Lovell office in Elstree, near Watford, Nick heads up the business deve
05/02/2014
Construction work is set to start on a £4.8 million development of affordable homes for older residents in Wombwell, near Barnsley. The 50 apartments are designed for people aged over 55 and will all be for affordable rent. They are being developed by South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA) and
05/02/2014
Merseyside-based Hugh Baird College is opening the doors to a brand new multi-million pound facility, following an extensive building project delivered by Wates Construction. The new ultra-modern L20 Building, based on Stanley Road, opened today (FEB 3) and is designed to drive community and employ
05/02/2014
ISG has been awarded the largest London office fit out contract of the last twelve months, securing the £125 million project to deliver the new UK headquarters for UBS at 5 Broadgate. The striking office building is currently under construction and ISG is scheduled to commence work on site at the
05/02/2014
A ceremony has been held to mark the topping out of a new £6.5 million medical centre, due to be completed by contractor G F Tomlinson. The 'Two Spires Medical Centre' in Wigston, Leicestershire, is currently under construction by Midlands-based G F Tomlinson. The centre will replace the existing f
05/02/2014
Construction union UCATT have welcomed reassurances from the Health and Safety Executive that the manual handling guidance will not be merged. UCATT was highly concerned that the guidance would be merged with the guidance on display screen equipment after the HSE undertook a joint consultation on b
05/02/2014
Ex-armed forces personnel in need of housing will be able to benefit from funding for life-changing accommodation initiatives across the country, Defence Minister Anna Soubry has announced. The new funding, guaranteed through London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) fines imposed on banks, has doubled
05/02/2014
Liverpool is on-track to deliver the ambitious new homes target set by the Mayor. New figures, in the city's annual Residential Development Update, show that 477 new homes were built in Liverpool in 2013, with work on a further 883 properties, at 32 sites, getting underway during the year. The May
05/02/2014
Crossrail's plans for a major over-site development at Paddington station have moved ahead after Westminster City Council's Planning Committee resolved to grant planning permission for the scheme. The Committee resolved to grant planning permission for the 320,000 sq ft development located at the j
05/02/2014
AVA Lights has secured a contract to supply energy-efficient lighting to Virgin train stations across the country. Virgin Trains has invested in AVA's LED lighting technology to help reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs for many of its train sites across the UK. The large-scale refurbish
05/02/2014
Poor standards of welfare and unsafe work on building sites in the West Midlands will be targeted this month as part of an annual push to reduce death, injury and ill health in the industry. During a concentrated drive running in February, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will visit sites acro
04/02/2014
GB Building Solutions has secured contracts worth over £50m at two of London's regeneration schemes on Greenwich Peninsula for Knight Dragon and in Mill Hill for Countryside Annington (Mill Hill) Ltd. The award-winning construction company is on site for Hong Kong developer Knight Dragon at its lan
04/02/2014
The next step towards creating a new community of homes at the site of a former colliery in Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire, has taken place, following detailed planning approval being issued by Rushcliffe Borough Council. The development of 450 new homes, which is the first in the county to have achieve
04/02/2014
Four suppliers have been appointed by Network Rail to deliver a £2bn programme to electrify more than two thousand miles of Britain's railway over the next seven years, providing faster, quieter, greener and more reliable journeys for passengers and freight users and cutting the cost of the railway.
04/02/2014
Minister for Housing and Regeneration, Carl Sargeant has announced the allocation of funding for the Welsh Government's regeneration grant, Vibrant and Viable Places. The total funding has been extended to £100m over three years and so each of the eleven local authorities invited to submit detailed
04/02/2014
Communities will be rewarded for helping deliver over half a million homes across the country, Housing Minister Kris Hopkins has confirmed. The Minister published final allocations for this year's New Homes Bonus payments, totalling over £900m, which will be shared among England's 353 councils. Th
04/02/2014
A scaffolding firm has been fined for dangerous scaffold installations at sites in Wantage and Oxford. Workers and passing members of the public alike were placed at risk because of faults with the structures, which included missing ties, bracing and vehicle impact protection. West Hagbourne-based
04/02/2014
More than £1bn worth of regeneration projects started in Liverpool in 2013 despite the difficult economic climate, new figures have revealed. According to the Liverpool Express, a total of £1.06bn worth of regeneration schemes got underway last year, across the city – and together, they will delive
04/02/2014
Stewart Milne Timber Systems has announced new business wins worth more than £14m, during a period of significant growth for the business. The timber systems expert has also experienced a noteworthy year-on-year increase in quotations, up 50% on a 24-month rolling average in August and 30% in Sep
04/02/2014
Costain has launched 'Costain Upstream', a specialist provider of project management, engineering and support services to the upstream oil and gas market. Costain Upstream, part of the Group's broader oil and gas capability, combines the capabilities of oil and gas project management services compa
04/02/2014
The redevelopment of Broadmoor Hospital has officially begun as members of the West London Mental Health NHS Trust board, Kier representatives and Crowthorne community leaders gathered to celebrate the cutting of the sod ceremony. One month after the trust received government approval for the proj
03/02/2014
The number of new homes registered in London last year was the highest since electronic records began over 26 years ago, new figures from NHBC have revealed. In total 26,230 new homes were registered in the capital last year, a 60% increase on 2012 figures (16,364). Overall, annual figures for new
03/02/2014
Development Securities in joint venture with Berkshire Investment Capital, has announced that Canada Life has committed £38.1 million to forward-fund the first phase of development at Cross Quarter, Abbey Wood, at a yield of 4.41 per cent. The funding will finance the development of an 81,000 sq.
03/02/2014
Kier Group has announced Chris Geoghegan will retire from its board of directors on 21 February 2014. Mr Geoghegan has been a member of the Board for more than six years and was appointed as senior independent non-executive director and chairman of the Remuneration Committee on 1 January 2008. Ric
03/02/2014
Balfour Beatty has this week commenced construction on a £19m scheme to bypass two congested villages and link communities in Sefton along the west coast of Merseyside directly to the M57 and M58 motorways. The road will be 4.5km long and connect the A565 Southport Road to the motorway junction at
03/02/2014
A businessman who prides himself on creating jobs and training opportunities for local people wants to see Cinderford's Northern Quarter regeneration get underway. Neill Ricketts is founder and chief executive of Versarien plc, the thriving Cinderford-based advanced engineering materials group, whi
03/02/2014
Regeneration in Tunbridge Wells has taken a significant step forward with news that a leading regional law firm is set to relocate its head office to a key development site. Cripps Harries Hall, one of the town's largest employers, is to become the anchor tenant at Royal Wells Park, which is being
03/02/2014
Residents have joined representatives of Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Compendium Living as well as Stoke-on-Trent South MP Robert Flello to celebrate a major regeneration success. With the final phase of the Weston Heights development about to begin, the former Coalville area in Weston Coyney h
03/02/2014
Planning consultancy Turley Associates has submitted 10 major planning applications for office, logistics, industrial, residential and leisure floor space on land owned by the Trustees of the Barker Mill Estates (TBME) in Southampton. The scheme represents one of the largest commercial developments
03/02/2014
Powrmatic has launched a Heat Loss App, designed primarily to help heating engineers calculate the heating load for a simple rectangular building such as a factory, warehouse or retail 'shed'. It can be used for buildings of brick, block or sheet construction under a pitched roof with natural air in
