Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for April 2014
30/04/2014
The company driving forward the development of a pioneering £150m green energy power plant has selected a joint venture partnership to design, build and operate the facility. MWH Treatment, part of the giant US-based MWH Global, and leading engineering specialist Spencer Group have combined to win
30/04/2014
A new generation of motorway opened on the M25 today between junction 5 (Sevenoaks) and junctions 6/7 (Godstone/M23) as part of a record investment in roads. The twelve mile section of the M25 on the Kent/Surrey border is a new style of 'smart motorway' where pioneering technology and use of the ha
30/04/2014
McLaren Construction has been awarded a £9.8m high end residential scheme for Wrenbridge and Legal & General JV on Tufton Street in the heart of Westminster, London. The project comprises a refurbishment of an existing six-storey office building to provide 22 high quality residential apartments, w
30/04/2014
Muse Developments has handed over the 126,000 sq ft Bickerstaffe Square office development at Talbot Gateway, Blackpool, to the Council. Situated within Muse's 25-acre Talbot Gateway Central Business District (CBD) in the centre of the seaside town, the property, built by Eric Wright Construction,
30/04/2014
Following its appointment to the Education Funding Agency's Framework, Bowmer & Kirkland (B&K) has now been named the successful bidder for a batch of Derby schools. Under the Priority School Building Programme, which addresses the needs of schools in most urgent need of repair, B&K will be underta
30/04/2014
A Suffolk logistics firm has been fined for safety failings after a lorry driver fell from a flat-bed trailer at a company warehouse in Felixstowe. The 60 year-old worker from mid Glamorgan, who does not wish to be named, broke his hip in three places and needed two steel pins inserted to help repa
30/04/2014
A two year programme, designed to convert council flats into family homes across Blackpool, has been completed. The final phase of the works saw 66 flats converted into 33 homes at Horsebridge Road, Grange Park, and was wrapped up last week. It brought to an end a programme of conversions which sa
30/04/2014
Stainless UK has supplied over 1,000 stainless steel ribbed bars to contractor VolkerStevin for use in a weir rebuilding project on the River Tees at Barnard Castle in County Durham. The 12mm diameter bars were supplied cut to length and set into the concrete at every joint to form a dowel that tie
29/04/2014
The Stepnell Wantage team has been awarded a £5.9 million contract to refurbish and extend the New Library at Magdalen College, Oxford. Construction of the new scheme designed by Wright and Wright Architects, will start in June this year and complete in early 2016. Stepnell will extend, refurbish a
29/04/2014
Sanctuary Group has completed of 36 family homes at its development in Walsall. The affordable new homes in Midland Road and Dairy Close have been developed by Sanctuary Group in partnership with Walsall Council in a £3.3m project with investment from the Homes and Communities Agency. The new home
29/04/2014
The economic recovery in the SME construction sector is under threat from rising building costs and material shortages warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Commenting on the results of the FMB's State of Trade Survey for the first three months of 2014, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the
29/04/2014
Carillion's One St Peter's Square project in Manchester has won the construction industry's prestigious 'Most Considerate Site' award. The 13-storey office and retail development in the heart of the city was named the best in the country in the awards run by the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS
29/04/2014
Work has started at the first Custom Build housing scheme in the North West in the village of Croston, West Lancashire. The scheme has received £1.12m loan investment from the £30m Custom Build Fund, which is a Government-backed initiative to encourage smaller developers to build homes that can be
29/04/2014
ISG has secured its largest hotel project to date in Dubai, winning a circa £21m project to comprehensively refurbish all 393 rooms in the iconic Kempinski Mall of the Emirates Hotel. The scheme encompasses upgrading guest rooms, suites and ski chalets, meeting rooms, gym and spa facilities, as we
29/04/2014
A West Midlands roofing firm has been fined after a passing safety official spotted an employee working unsafely at height without any fall protection. Water Orton-based GS Roofing Specialists LLP was prosecuted following the chance encounter at the Kelvin Way Trading Estate in West Bromwich on 26
29/04/2014
GEC-CO have announced that they are exhibiting at the Grand designs show in London EXCel. Grand Designs Live, the UK's top contemporary home show, returns to London's ExCeL from 3 - 11 May 2014. Presented by design guru Kevin McCloud, and based on the hugely popular Channel 4 series, the show off
28/04/2014
The University of Sheffield has officially opened the new Engineering Facility built by Graham Construction. The newly named Pam Liversidge Building will provide state-of-the-art study facilities for the Faculty of Engineering, comprising of two lecture theatres, flexible study and teaching spaces,
28/04/2014
Advancing the skills of low-paid workers is essential if the UK is to remain globally competitive, says a new Social Market Foundation (SMF) report, sponsored by support services and construction group Interserve. As part of its pioneering SustainAbilities plan, Interserve has worked closely with t
28/04/2014
A building constructed by Balfour Beatty has been recognised by the leading association of British architects for its "thoughtful approach" in delivering "one of the most energy efficient student accommodation buildings in the UK". Ash Court at Girton College in Cambridge received both a regional a
28/04/2014
Lovell has been appointed by Linc Cymru Housing Association to build phase one of an £8.6m development of 99 affordable homes at Coity, Bridgend. The homes are being constructed on land sold to the housing association by the Welsh Government, under its land release protocol, designed to provide pub
28/04/2014
The innovation of modular steelwork is making the construction of a major wastewater treatment plant in Liverpool safer, faster and more cost effective. GCA (Galliford Try, Costain & Atkins) JV is building the UK's first multi-storey CASS (Cyclic Activated Sludge System) sequencing batch reactor (S
28/04/2014
Construction union UCATT are calling for both Crossrail and its main contractors to undertake urgent action after a leaked safety report revealed a "culture of spying and fear". It added that workers were "afraid to report [accidents] due to the likelihood of being laid off". Steve Murphy, General
28/04/2014
Komatsu, Zetor and Merlo distributor McHale Plant Sales is to host a reserved auction of used tractors, plant and machinery at its headquarters in Birdhill on Tuesday 20 May. With very competitive sellers and buyers fees modelled on the lines of well established international practice, some 100+ lo
28/04/2014
A development company carried out potentially dangerous work and then ignored a Prohibition Notice requiring them to stop until improvements had been made, a court has heard. Eastlake Developments carried out the work to install septic tanks in a six-metre-deep excavation for cottages in Llanfair D
25/04/2014
Housing developer Lovell has signed contracts for an £11m mixed tenure housing development at the former Brentry Hospital site in Bristol. The deal will see 79 high-quality houses and apartments built on the five-acre site on Brentry Lane with construction set to start in summer 2014. Benefiting
25/04/2014
Eight young tradesmen from Cradley and the surrounding area have consolidated their construction careers working on an £18m Extra Care scheme in the village. Lime Gardens, as the scheme has been named, is a 120-bed affordable housing complex currently under construction by Loughborough-based contra
25/04/2014
Work is continuing to transform the former Olympic Village, with the seventh residential area now finished, including 298 more new homes. This brings the total number of homes completed and transferred by the Olympic Delivery Authority to the Village's long-term legacy owners, Get Living London and
25/04/2014
British Gas and National Energy Action (NEA), the charity which aims to eradicate fuel poverty, has launched a two-year community investment programme worth more than £1m. The Community Action Partnership will involve working with local authorities and their partners to bring affordable energy to v
25/04/2014
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has added more surplus public land sites to its portfolio as it reports an increased number of disposals in the past 12 months. In 2013/14, through its land programmes, the HCA has: • Disposed of enough land for 5,944 homes, against a target of 4,771 homes –
25/04/2014
Planning consultancy Turley is advising Liverpool Football Club on its proposed stadium expansion plans which aim to deliver an expanded stadium and improved public realm space around the stadium. The expansion will support the wider Anfield area regeneration led by Liverpool City Council. Consu
25/04/2014
Construction union UCATT will be taking their campaign against the Qatar Government's treatment of migrant construction workers directly to the country's embassy. The event which will take place at 8.30am on Monday 28 April, coincides with International Workers Memorial Day when workers vow "to rem
25/04/2014
The basement is often something of a neglected room, with grandiose plans disappearing into thin air as soon as the first obstacle is conceived. Leaving the basement to dwindle in a state of disrepair, with leaky pipes and boxes of old belongings, slowly growing mould and slipping into disrepair. He
24/04/2014
Plans to create a centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing at Sheffield Business Park have taken a big step forward as Sheffield City Council approved plans for Factory 2050. The £43 million stunning circular building will combine a range of technologies, including advanced robotics, flexibl
24/04/2014
Liverpool Football Club has unveiled its stadium expansion plans with detailed proposals for the expansion of its Main Stand and outline proposals for expansion of its Anfield Road Stand. Public consultation and exhibitions on the proposals are scheduled for this week, and LFC is asking for residen
24/04/2014
Costain has completed work on the refurbishment of Severn Trent Water (STW)'s Kineton waste water treatment plant near Coventry twelve months ahead of schedule. The Kineton Q project involved revamping the site’s process assets to enable it to comply with lower EU ammonia discharge consent levels.
24/04/2014
Willmott Dixon has achieved the UK's most prestigious commercial accolade for its investment in the community and its sustainability performance across the construction and property sectors. Willmott Dixon is one of a select few in the country to receive a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the sustai
24/04/2014
Northumbrian Water Ltd has been fined a total of £30,000 for two sewage pollution incidents that happened last year. In two separate cases that were both heard before Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on 22 April, the water company admitted and was sentenced for two offences of discharging polluted matte
24/04/2014
Construction union UCATT is organising an event in London to mark this year's International Workers Memorial Day on Monday 28th April. The event will take the form of a ceremony including wreath laying at the Building Workers Statue next to the Tower of London. The keynote speaker will be Steve Mur
24/04/2014
An Orkney-based construction firm has been fined for safety failings after a worker was seriously injured when he fell six metres through a roof sheet. William, known as Wilbert, Paterson, then 58, and from the island was one of three workers employed by Daniel Harcus Construction repairing a fragi
24/04/2014
A special ceremony marked a milestone at Mildenhall's brand-new community centre. Representatives from the partners behind the scheme – Orbit Homes, Forest Heath District Council, Keystone Development Trust and developer Lovell – helped put some of the first bricks into place. The event celebrated
23/04/2014
Mott MacDonald has been appointed by Energos to provide engineering, procurement and construction management services for a 90,000 t/annum energy from waste plant in Milton Keynes, UK. Located at Milton Keynes Waste Recovery Park – which is being designed, built and operated by AmeyCespa on behalf
23/04/2014
Balfour Beatty has secured its third Regional Technology Maintenance Contract (RTMC) from the Highways Agency worth £8.7 million over five years. The contract to maintain approximately 28,000 technology assets on behalf of the Highways Agency will cover both the Highways Agency’s Area 7 (the East M
23/04/2014
Work to expand Derbyshire's regeneration site is due to start next month after a visit to Markham Vale by Eric Pickles MP today confirmed Government cash is in the pipeline. In January, the Government announced Markham Vale was to receive £14.2 million to turn the former Seymour Colliery site into
23/04/2014
The Berkeley Group has won the Queen's Award for Sustainable Development for the second time. Regarded as the most prestigious accolade for business performance in the UK, this award recognises Berkeley's achievements over the five year period to 2013, including: • Delivering more than 10% of all
23/04/2014
Eight major renewable electricity projects are unveiled as part of the government's world leading electricity reforms, giving a massive boost to green growth and green jobs. By 2020, the projects will provide up to £12bn of private sector investment, supporting 8,500 jobs, and they could add a furt
23/04/2014
Work can start on building homes at Crawley's 14th neighbourhood due to the legal agreement being signed between all public and private sector partners. Planning permission for the first phase of new homes was granted in March for a brand new neighbourhood in Crawley called Forge Wood. The developm
23/04/2014
A pilot inclusion and equality scheme run by the Construction Industry Training Board's (CITB), in which Wates Living Space joined 20 other construction companies to take part, has seen it awarded with the pilot 'Be Fair' people accreditation. The award was given to Living Space Planned Maintenanc
23/04/2014
Skanska is planning to create around 1,500 jobs in the UK during the next two to three years. These will be required to complete major rail, water, building and roads contracts won by the company. The company is looking forward to a period of planned growth and expansion. To fuel this growth, Ska
17/04/2014
Balfour Beatty has started work on an £11.6m mixed-use residential project at Willow Walk in Southwark for Southwark Council. The project involves the demolition of existing temporary residential accommodation to be replaced with a four-storey building fronting Willow Walk and Alscot Way. The bui
17/04/2014
The Mayor of London has approved plans to redevelop the Warner Stand at Lord's Cricket Ground. The new stand will provide 2,922 seats with improved views of the ground and new catering facilities. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "There is no better way to spend a warm summer's afternoon
17/04/2014
Project leaders and partners recently came together to mark the start of work on the brand new leisure centre at Hough End, south Manchester. The new leisure centre is one of three new leisure facilities planned for the city, along with developments in Levenshulme and Beswick – bringing brand new,
17/04/2014
A £68m scheme to improve the A477 between St Clears and Red Roses has been officially opened by Transport Minister Edwina Hart. The new road will improve safety and journey times along the busy route which, together with the A40, forms part of the Trans European Road Network linking West Wales with
17/04/2014
Government cash has been provided to local 'custom build' house developer to help prospective home owners design their own home in Peterborough. Hempsted Green will be a custom-built new home development of 11 detached three- and four-bedroom homes by Urban Selfbuild Ltd (USB Ltd), one of the firs
17/04/2014
Work to complete the new Docklands Light Railway (DLR) Pudding Mill Lane station and connect it up to the wider network is nearing completion. The works, which will help to increase passenger capacity by an extra 1,100 people per hour, are scheduled to finish following a 10-day suspension of servic
17/04/2014
A Staffordshire fitter has been handed a suspended prison sentence for illegal gas work that potentially endangered lives. Glenn Edkins, 43, trading as GPE Plumbing and Heating, carried out faulty gas work while installing a boiler at a home in Barton-under-Needwood between 8 and 22 November 2012.
17/04/2014
The construction industry is enjoying record low prices on energy efficient LED bulbs as it was announced that the average price for an LED lamp has fallen by 9.4% over the past year. Increased competition in the market and ever-improving production standards means that manufacturers and suppliers
16/04/2014
Mace has been selected as preferred bidder on a new contract with Sellafield Ltd for its Silos Direct Encapsulation Plant (SDP) project, as part of an equal three way joint venture with Areva and Atkins. The SDP is a bespoke, mechanical handling and encapsulation plant for nuclear Intermediate Leve
16/04/2014
The Construction Products Association's (CPA's) latest forecasts highlight that the industry recovery is becoming stronger and broader. Rapid increases in private house building, together with growth in the infrastructure and commercial sectors, will drive activity. Key highlights include: • Con
16/04/2014
Peterborough residents are on their way to saving thousands of pounds on their energy bills thanks to a new partnership between the city council and British Gas. Nearly 100 people have signed up to the local energy package in the first six days and it is estimated that those who did will save £4,0
16/04/2014
A key route in Liverpool has taken on a new look in recent months as it has been transformed with major environmental improvements. The work at Great Howard Street is part of the Green Print for Growth programme which is aimed at improving the environmental quality of life in North Liverpool and at
16/04/2014
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Leeds City Council (LCC) have announced that they are working together to secure the future development of the Tower Works site on the edge of Holbeck Urban Village. The site, with its historic Italianate towers, had been derelict for 30 years until the f
16/04/2014
First Minister Carwyn Jones has officially opened a new £6m food waste recycling plant in Llwyn Isaf, near Caernarfon. Prosiect GwyriAD is Wales' first purpose built anaerobic digestion facility treating food waste collected by local authorities and generating renewable electricity. The Welsh Gov
16/04/2014
Balfour Beatty is to set up a national UK training academy following the award of £4.4 million of funding through the Government's Employer Ownership of Skills pilot scheme. Balfour Beatty will more than match the funding, through cash and in kind investment with a further £9 million to be in inves
16/04/2014
Work is to begin this month on a new art commission in Lockleaze, to design and build a pavilion for Gainsborough Green through a collaboration between local young people, artists, architects, designers and engineers. The project is conceived and delivered by muf architecture /art and will give loc
16/04/2014
A construction worker has died and another has been injured in Grosvenor Square, London. Jerry Swain Regional Secretary for UCATT's London and South East Region said: "This was a terrible tragedy and our thoughts are with the victim's family at this dreadful time.” Mr Swain added: "From the facts
16/04/2014
Mayfair has an understated elegance that is unique in London. Walking along its leafy streets are the people who continue to shape one of the fastest moving cities in the world. When Sir Robert McAlpine were redeveloping Fifty Grosvenor Hill they turned to Power Access Systems to supply and instal
15/04/2014
Mace, has completed and handed over ITV Studio's new production facility at Trafford, MediaCityUK. Originally appointed as project manager to oversee design and gain planning permission for the site, Mace's remit soon expanded to construction manager for delivery of the project. The new 7.7 acre
15/04/2014
Interserve and its joint venture partner Kajima Partnerships, have been appointed preferred bidder by the Education Funding Agency (EFA) for the first batch of schools to be funded using the Government’s new PF2 private finance route. With an estimated capital value in excess of £100 million, the s
15/04/2014
A stone quarrying company in Portland has been fined for safety breaches after a worker fell more than four metres onto a concrete floor, suffering a broken hip and head injuries, while replacing roof lights on a fragile roof. Weymouth Magistrates' Court heard that the 50-year-old employee, from W
15/04/2014
UK house prices increased by 9.1% in the year to February 2014, up from 6.8% in the year to January 2014, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). House price annual inflation grew by 9.7% in England, 5.3% in Wales, 2.4% in Scotland and 2.8% in Northern Ireland. House price growth is
15/04/2014
Hull City Council has announced the appointment of a preferred contractor for an £84m project to design, build and run three Extra Care facilities in the city. This is more good news for Hull who was the only local authority to retain Department of Health funding to deliver Extra Care accommodatio
15/04/2014
The Royal London Hospital's new main entrance and dedicated entry points for the Women and Children's Hospital and Renal Unit are now open, thanks to the combined efforts of Skanska, Barts Health NHS Trust and Capital Hospitals Ltd. The north colonnade, which opened last week, provides easier acces
15/04/2014
Costain's Alan Kay has started his new role as Chief Executive of ABC Electrification, an incorporated business jointly owned by Alstom, Babcock and Costain, which recently secured two geographic frameworks as part of Network Rail's £2 billion electrification programme over the next seven years. Al
15/04/2014
Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) has created a new Chief Operating Officer role to strengthen its national leadership team. Uma Shanker joins BBES rom Network Rail where he has held a number of senior leadership roles, most recently as a project director in the Infrastructure Projects tea
15/04/2014
Terminal 2 at London Heathrow Airport is being replaced as part of a £4.8bn development programme at the airport. The Terminal 2 project which is estimated to cost around £2.5bn includes the main building, a 522-metre satellite pier, a 1,340 capacity car park, an energy centre, cooling station, and
15/04/2014
In their first showing at the 'Light + Building 2014' , a place where the leading names from the lighting industry reveal their latest innovations, V-TAC outshined with orders of over $ 20 million from their European offices. 'Light+ Building' is the world's biggest trade fair for lighting that ha
14/04/2014
Architects have been appointed to design over 500 new homes which will be built in the second phase of development by Sheffield Housing Company. The properties – of which around 350 will be for sale - will be in the Fir Vale, Manor, Norfolk Park, Parson Cross and Shirecliffe areas of the city. Des
14/04/2014
The University of Sheffield has officially opened a new £21m development led by GRAHAM Construction. The Pam Liversidge Building will provide state-of-the-art study facilities for the Faculty of Engineering, comprising of two lecture theatres, flexible study and teaching spaces, IT facilities and a
14/04/2014
The contract has been signed for a new joint venture company – Matrix Homes – that will establish Manchester's pioneering housing investment model in a first-of-its-kind partnership. The housing investment fund – a joint partnership between Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Pension Fund (
14/04/2014
Quintain has established a 50:50 Joint Venture with Keystone, a subsidiary of Keystone Group Holding AG, a Swiss real estate and private equity family office, to deliver the next 306,000 sq ft phase of residential development at Wembley Park. The Joint Venture will pay Quintain £22.7m for the unser
14/04/2014
Work to create a 10-year masterplan for the redevelopment of Plymouth Rail Station and the surrounding area is now under way. The plan, which is one of Plymouth City Council's 100 pledges, will be developed in partnership with station owner Network Rail, station operator First Great Western and Ply
14/04/2014
A ceremony to cut the first piece of turf celebrated the start of construction work on St Andrew's View – a brand-new development of 20 shared ownership homes for sale in Bearsden, Glasgow by Bield Housing & Care. Representatives from Bield, Scotland's leading provider of housing and care services
14/04/2014
Nine workers at a ceramic tile factory in North Wales had levels of lead in their blood above national safety limits, putting them at risk of serious health problems, a court has been told. The employees of specialist firm Craig Bragdy Design, of Denbigh, were tested after the issue came to light i
14/04/2014
Balfour Beatty has started work to deliver a £19 million infrastructure scheme designed to bring new jobs and investment to Norwich. The scheme will include the construction of a roundabout, a triple span road bridge, eastbound and westbound slip-roads on to the A47, a new signalised junction to su
11/04/2014
BAM Construction has completed the new Glenwood Health Centre in Glenrothes. The new £4.25m facility for NHS Fife, located on Napier Road, is the first project completed under the East Central Hub framework and provides purpose built accommodation for the nine GP’s from the Lomond Medical Practice
11/04/2014
The £260m Watford Health Campus project has taken another significant step forward with the submission of a hybrid planning application for the major regeneration scheme. The part outline and part detailed applications, comprising 375,000sq ft of hospital redevelopment space, retail and business ar
11/04/2014
Balfour Beatty has commenced work on one of the largest coastal defence schemes in the UK which will protect over 12,000 homes and businesses from the risk of coastal flooding while regenerating parkland for local community use. The £73 million scheme consists of two separate projects along the Fyl
11/04/2014
The contract has been signed for a new joint venture company, Matrix Homes, that will establish Manchester's pioneering housing investment model in a first-of-its-kind partnership. The housing investment fund – a joint partnership between Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GM
11/04/2014
Hague Fasteners have been manufacturing Custom Fasteners for Global Industry since 1971. Over the decades Hague Fasteners have machined every conceivable thread form and thread pitch combination, relying on British, ISO, American, indeed all International standards to verify the data needed to prod
11/04/2014
Touched Interiors has announced that its luxury showroom is now open in the heart of Manchester city centre. At Touched, we don’t just sell beautiful opulent furniture but we give you the opportunity to bespoke your chosen designs and choose your custom size, finish and fabric. For upholstery if t
11/04/2014
Construction union UCATT have described revelations that leading blacklisters have been handed "lock, stock and barrel" the names of blacklisted victims as a "national scandal". In a statement published the Construction Workers Compensation Scheme, said: "When the Construction Workers Compensation
11/04/2014
E.ON has announced it is to hold two final public information sessions for The Isles Wind Farm proposals and is inviting local community members to attend. Following previous public consultations, E.ON has made amendments to its original plans which were to feature up to 45 turbines. The final prop
10/04/2014
London-based Piercy & Co architects have specified a fibre cement EQUITONE facade on the 1 Baker's Row development in Clerkenwell Green Conservation Area. Anthracite-coloured EQUITONE [natura] was specified because the architects felt that the matt surface appearance created a contemporary aestheti
10/04/2014
BSI, the business standards company has published PAS 1192-3 Specification for information management for the operational phase of assets using building information modelling (BIM). Developed with Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Building Information Modelling (BIM) Task Group, PAS 1192-3
10/04/2014
Balfour Beatty has handed over the highly sustainable, low carbon Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Centre to Hethel Engineering in Norfolk following its completion. The £5.4m centre was officially opened at an on-site ceremony last week, where Balfour Beatty was joined by the chairman of the
10/04/2014
Liverpool city dignitaries and health leaders today officially "topped out" Mersey Care NHS Trust's new £25m mental health unit, Clock View. The new centre is being built on the site of the former Walton Hospital and the "topping out" ceremony marked the completion of the main exterior works and ro
10/04/2014
RDA Projects (RDA) and Mezzanine International are joining forces in a move that will see the specialist flooring supplier bolstering its offering to the construction industry. For the past 18 years, RDA has been the only mezzanine provider specialising in servicing the professional construction i
10/04/2014
A 20% increase in visitor numbers at The National Homebuilding and Renovating Show and The Home Improvement Show this year put 500 companies from the self-build, renovation and home improvement markets in front of 32,353 keen home improvers and serious self-builders, reinforcing the increasing deman
09/04/2014
Mulberry Property Developments (MPD) have partnered with Savoy Cinemas on a construction project, which kicks off next week and will take around nine months to build. The project is the latest phase in the transformation of the former Tresham College site which has seen Corby Borough Council and th
09/04/2014
A unique specialist dementia care unit in Liverpool has won a top national design award. The purpose-built £1.2m council-run Sedgemoor Dementia Support Centre in Norris Green opened in spring 2013 and was the first of its type in the country, reports the Liverpool Express. Now it has beaten off co
09/04/2014
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has launched proposals for a new investment scheme designed to accelerate house building and help deliver thousands more low cost homes for Londoners. The unique 'London Housing Bank' scheme would loan up to £200m to development partners to help them speed up the
09/04/2014
The government has published an improved compensation and assistance package for property owners close to the route of HS2. After listening to feedback and suggestions, the measures for people along Phase One of the route between London and Birmingham have been thoroughly examined and revised. Som
09/04/2014
Activists from construction union UCATT will stage a protest this Friday in Bridlington outside the offices of major payroll company Hudson Contract Services. UCATT is campaigning for the end of payroll companies. The protest will be held at 10am at Hudson Contract Services, Millbank Lane, Bridling
09/04/2014
A plumber has been told to do 180 hours unpaid community service for illegal and dangerous gas work at a home in Milton Keynes. Darren Queeley, from Hampton, Middlesex agreed to install a new gas boiler and pipework at a vacant rental property on Arncliffe, Milton Keynes on 2 January 2013, despite
09/04/2014
JELD-WEN, the UK's leading manufacturer of timber windows and doors, has boosted its customer service offering with the appointment of three new staff members and an internal promotion. Paul Clemmens has joined the business as Sales Office Manager, heading up the Customer Services team at the She
09/04/2014
Thermally-efficient PVC-U windows and Secured by Design-accredited composite doors supplied by Total Glass have contributed to new-build homes at Norris Green Village in Liverpool reaching Level Three of the Code for Sustainable Homes. In addition to the 'A'-rated white casement windows, the Mersey
08/04/2014
Battersea Power Station Development Company has unveiled the plans for Phase Three of the development, designed by architects Gehry Partners and Foster + Partners. Following an international design competition held in September 2013, the two architectural practices were chosen for the bold and inno
08/04/2014
Morgan Sindall has been awarded a £3.5 million contract to deliver a new retail unit at the Greyhound Retail Park in Chester. The project, for Land Securities, involves alterations and extensions to the retail park’s former cinema unit to create a new 48,000 sq ft development, which will house an A
08/04/2014
Bristol West MP Stephen Williams has visited the Carillion Training Centre in his constituency and congratulated the apprentices on their hard work, dedication and enthusiasm for learning and developing new skills. During the visit Mr Williams also presented Bristol Centre's Apprentice of the Year a
08/04/2014
The Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council (BATJIC) has agreed a two year pay deal following the successful conclusion of negotiations between the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and Unite the Union. The deal involves variable wage rises for the standard wage rates averaging 2.5%,
08/04/2014
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is to invest in two major commercial developments in Liverpool, following agreement between the HCA and Aviva Investors to close the north-west property joint venture NorwePP. The Partnership was formed by the North West Development Agency (NWDA) in 2006 as a
08/04/2014
An unregistered gas fitter and his employee have been prosecuted after carrying out illegal gas work and leaving a gas fire in a dangerous condition. Ashley Rice, 41, who trades as Bathroom Inspirations, carried out extensive work at a house in Lipson between October and November 2012 with Gavin Be
08/04/2014
The numbers of empty properties in England have fallen to a 10-year low, new figures show. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles welcomed the news as "a significant achievement". The latest data shows that as of October 2013, there were 635,127 empty homes across the country, down by around a fifth s
08/04/2014
Leading UK sports surface manufacturer Playrite have just had their Conqueror 60 3G surface installed at Leeds United’s training headquarters, Thorp Arch, Wetherby. Leeds United is a club of great heritage within UK football, with some of the most enthusiastic fans in football. Thorp Arch became th
07/04/2014
Willmott Dixon's housing repairs and maintenance brand Partnerships has secured two contracts worth £91 million to deliver its service across the Midlands. The company will also be investing in skills with a commitment to create 11 apprenticeships as part of the work. The largest is a £64 millio
07/04/2014
Sanctuary Group is developing 33 apartments at the Sutton Road site in a £4.8m scheme, supported by investment from the Homes and Communities Agency. The development is being built by Sanctuary's contractors UK Construction Ltd and on completion, will replace Chalkwell Lodge, an existing supported
07/04/2014
New borrowing powers will enable councils to build up to 10,000 affordable homes, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander announced today. From today, councils can bid for a share of £300m of extra borrowing, which will be made available through an inc
07/04/2014
Construction union UCATT are calling for a lifeline to be found after a Doncaster company called in the receivers. The 50 Workers at Norking Aluminium, which produces fabricated aluminium frames, were informed on Friday that the company was going into administration and they would be made redundant
07/04/2014
A Tyneside house builder has been fined after a worker was seriously injured in a fall when a temporary handrail gave way as she leant on it. The 23-year-old, from Gateshead, who does not want to be named, was working for Bellway Homes Ltd at a site in Earsdon View, Shiremoor, when the incident hap
07/04/2014
Balfour Beatty has received two prestigious national awards for its innovative approaches to safety from the Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA). The UK's largest construction company was successful in the ECIA's 'Recognising Initiative in Safety Excellence (RISE)' award categories
07/04/2014
Interserve has secured more than £11 million in cleaning contracts from both new and existing clients. Highlights include contract wins at Mercedes-Benz and real estate group CBRE, and contract extensions at Bournemouth University, Turner Broadcasting and Walnuts Shopping Centre. Among the new wi
07/04/2014
Following successful field trials and trade show demonstrations, MAM Software is pleased to announce the general release of MAM SalesRep. MAM’s second tablet app, SalesRep integrates with MAM's Trader business management solution and empowers field-based sales representatives to strengthen customer
04/04/2014
Balfour Beatty has handed over the £18 million state-of-the-art Felixstowe Academy building in Suffolk to its customers the Academy Enterprise Trust and Suffolk County Council. With a capacity of around 1,800 secondary and sixth form students the academy brings together two previously separate scho
04/04/2014
Construction union UCATT have welcomed an Early Day Motion tabled by MPs which places more pressure on the Qatari Government to end the abuse and exploitation of migrant construction workers in their country. The EDM (number 1244) has been tabled by Chris Williamson MP and Stephen Hepburn MP who bo
04/04/2014
Bouygues UK has announced the appointment of Craig Tatton as the new Managing Director of Thomas Vale. Craig joined Bouygues UK recently and brings with him over 25 years' experience of working in the UK construction sector. During this time, Craig has held a number of senior positions at businesse
04/04/2014
Freudenberg Oil & Gas Technologies is investing £11m consolidating its three sites in Baglan into one consolidated manufacturing centre, which with Welsh Government support is creating 60 jobs. The investment, backed by £3m business finance from the Welsh Government, will also safeguard around 90 d
04/04/2014
The first improvements for passengers using London Bridge Station have been unveiled with the opening of the initial two rebuilt platforms. This week commuters stepped off their trains on to the newly re-opened platforms 14 and 15, which have been demolished and rebuilt over the past 11 months as p
04/04/2014
Willmott Dixon is introducing a new system that enables its Category 'A' suppliers to get access to their payments two weeks before the company's standard payment terms. With cash the lifeblood of any business, Willmott Dixon's EarlyPay scheme will enable those suppliers on 42 day terms to receive
04/04/2014
Work is underway to build 36 new houses as part of the second phase of Covent Garden Urban Village in Stockport town centre, developed by Seddon in partnership with Stockport Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The new homes will be built over four sites, including Hopes Carr, and w
04/04/2014
BAW Insurance talk you through how positive changes in the UK economy - and the construction sector specifically - could affect your insurance needs. According to the January PMI (Purchase Managers Index) report, the UK construction industry is expanding at its fastest level since August 2007, befo
03/04/2014
The construction sector has welcomed a sharp increase in output growth at the start of 2014, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) has revealed. The survey outlines dramatic growth across all three broad areas of construction with Residential construction remaining the best performi
03/04/2014
Some 60 jobs are to be created at Port Talbot, Wales, and a further 90 safeguarded, it has been announced. Freudenberg Oil & Gas Technologies is set to invest £11m consolidating its three sites in Baglan into one consolidated manufacturing centre, which with Welsh Government support is creating th
03/04/2014
Workspace Group PLC has secured further planning permission for the second phase of its mixed-use development in Wandsworth. The site, located adjacent to the Filaments, is Workspace's current joint development with Mount Anvil, the specialist London residential developer, on Buckhold Road, SW18.
03/04/2014
A seminar held to explore the nature of corruption in the construction industry has identified greater focus on industry 'complexity' as key to protecting businesses against it. The Corruption in Construction (CIC) Seminar, held at the Institution of Civil Engineers, has outlined the relevance of c
03/04/2014
Artez, the Bolton-based construction company has added three new members to its team. The expansion of the business follows a successful 2013 for the company having turned over £2m last year. Further work will see this turnover double in 2014, Artez has said. The first new appointment to the tea
03/04/2014
Work has commenced on a £489,000 project to restore the Montagu Monuments in Warton. The project has been made possible thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £318,000. The monuments consist of four marble memorial sculptures of international importance which attract visitors from all ov
03/04/2014
The Atlantic Rise development in Bude, Cornwall, has been launched. The landmark development consists of 29 homes and has previously only been available to customers who pre-registered. As a result, more than 50% of the apartments have already been reserved. Atlantic Rise is the first developmen
02/04/2014
Plans to build almost 1,000 homes in Islington have been approved by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. The Mayor 'called-in' the City Forum development on City Road in December 2013 after officers from Islington Council refused the application. Since then, City Hall planners have been working cl
02/04/2014
Cornwall Council and the father and son partners of a local building company have been fined for breaking safety law after the son was seriously injured in a fall through a fragile roof. Andrew Sobey, of Lewannick, near Launceston, broke his pelvis after plunging between three and five metres throu
02/04/2014
Esh Group has acquired both Border Holdings Limited and Border Construction Limited. The new subsidiary will be known as Esh Border Construction and will continue to carry out work in Cumbria and the Scottish Borders. Esh Group, which directly employs nearly 1,000 people, currently has offices in
02/04/2014
The Highland Council has appointed Kier Construction to deliver the third and final project in its programme of new primary schools for the Fort William area. The £14.6m project involves the demolition of the existing Caol Primary School and Caol Community Centre building and the construction of t
02/04/2014
Interserve has been awarded a contract with The Christie NHS Foundation Trust to design, construct and co-ordinate a UK high energy Proton Beam Therapy facility. Subject to approval, construction work is planned to start on site in 2016, completing in 2018. The project is part of a ProCure 21+ fra
02/04/2014
Wates Construction has been named as the successful bidder for the North West 4 batch of six privately-funded schools to be built under the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP). The contract consists of schools located across Stockport, Wigan, Whitby and Warrington. Stephen Beechey, Managing
02/04/2014
A leading galvanizing firm is building on solid foundations following its participation in the development of a multi-million pound luxury housing scheme under construction in the country's capital. Eastleigh-based Wessex Galvanizers, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, has joined forces with fellow H
02/04/2014
This course, which is a 10 Days TUV ASME IX (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) course is about what you require from an ASME IX qualification, it will be designed with you to maximise the level of outcome possible in the time available. All materials, consumables and the test are include
01/04/2014
Laing O'Rourke has been appointed to deliver the Etihad Stadium expansion. The firm is to will expand the stadium it originally constructed for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Appointed by Manchester City Football Club, the project will enable one of the most successful Premier League football clubs
01/04/2014
Lovell is starting work on 60 new homes in Perry Common. The homes are being built for Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust and also for a pioneering community association – Witton Lodge Community Association (WLCA), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary with 20 new homes for social rent. WLCA,
01/04/2014
The Mayor of London has released a major new report that sets out several options for redevelopment of the Heathrow airport site if a new hub airport in the south east is eventually agreed by the Government and Heathrow airport relocates. It concludes that redeveloping the site could potentially s
01/04/2014
A new housing scheme that will help service personnel get on the property ladder has been launched. The new Forces Help to Buy (FHTB) scheme, offering regular service personnel loans of up to 50% of salary towards the purchase of a home, has launched today, 1 April. Initially covering a three-year
01/04/2014
Construction of the new £25m multi-artform complex at First Street has reached its highest point this week marking a huge step forward in the £500m First Street regeneration. The milestone saw project partners, Manchester City Council and Ask Property Developments, join main contractor, Wates Const
01/04/2014
Carillion has been selected as the preferred bidder to provide facilities management and estate transformational services by the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), which includes Queen's Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital. NUH selected Carillion following a procurement proces
01/04/2014
E.ON has announced that initial demolition work has started at Grain-A (1350 MW oil fired station) and Kingsnorth (2000 MW coal fired station), following the closure of both plants. Like many other power stations around the country, the EU's Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD) legislation requi
01/04/2014
HSL have been successful in winning an order for its broaching studs from a major PCB manufacturer. The board, which is for Bombardier Transportation, uses 10 studs. They are pressed in place using our bench mounted toggle press. This was the first board to use these fixings and we hope the first
