Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for April 2015
30/04/2015
A Vinci and Bouygues Construction joint venture (JV) has been awarded a contract worth over €250 million by Egyptian authorities. Development plans are to build an extension of metro system on Line Three in Cairo. Phase 4A of works will involve developing 5.15km of metro tunnel and five undergroun
30/04/2015
Mace has started developing a £240 million regeneration scheme in Bracknell's town centre. The sites foundations were laid on 27 April for a new 585,000 sq ft leisure centre and retail space. Plans include building ten restaurants, a 12-screen Cineworld cinema, 1,300 parking spaces and 60 shops al
30/04/2015
Bethell Construction started building work on a new bus station in Radcliffe. The Dale Street site was previously a car park and has now been cleared. Bury Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have worked together to plan the project. Plans include installing stepped seating areas,
30/04/2015
The Government has announced new carriageway lanes on the A14 Kettering bypass are to open on 1 May. The lanes will be opened following a widening project between junctions 7 and 9. However from 5 to 8 May there will be night time closures to complete resurfacing work on the existing lanes and sli
30/04/2015
GTC in partnership with Sky has been awarded a contract to provide gas, electricity and a fibre optic network to a housing development in Reading. Plans for the Kings Mead development by Bellway Homes include building 192 properties ranging from one bedroom flats to four bedroom detached houses, as
30/04/2015
Bristol City Council has been fined £20,000 after a park keeper suffered injuries while carrying out maintenance work. The council was also ordered to pay £4,700 in court costs. The 51 year old woman broke her pelvis and badly damaged her achilles tendon after she was thrown off of a tractor while
30/04/2015
Galliford Try has chosen Peter Truscott as its new Chief Executive as part of a boardroom reshuffle. Mr Truscott is currently South Divisional Chairman at Taylor Wimpey and also a member of its Group Management team. His appointment is to be made official on 1 October 2015. Terry Millar, Chair of
30/04/2015
Ecology Building Society has invested £250,000 through Abundance to support renewable energy projects in the UK. Ecology has selected the Oakapple Berwickshire project to be the first scheme to benefit from the investment. The project involves the installation of 749 roof mounted solar panel syste
30/04/2015
JCB has donated diggers and electrical power generators worth $1 million to the earthquake relief effort in Nepal. Ten backhoe loaders were made available immediately to the Nepalese Army through JCB's Nepal dealer MAW Enterprises. The electrical generators are currently on their way from a JCB fa
30/04/2015
A free event is to be held in London inviting leading politicians and build professionals to share their post-election predictions for UK construction. Commentators will discuss their outlooks and what the election outcome will mean for the industry during the Glenigan Breakfast Briefing. Stewart
29/04/2015
Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £26 million contract to build an academic hub building for the University of Kent. Plans include to build a four-storey building approximately 8,000m2 for the Kent Business School and the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science. Roger Forsythe, Man
29/04/2015
A rigger/erector has been awarded over £3000 after winning an employment inquisition against his former employer for unfair dismissal. John Kelly was awarded £1,250 in damages for injured feelings and £2,003.11 for being unfairly discharged. Construction union Unite said the victory "draws a line
29/04/2015
UrbanWind has announced £30 million in funding from Zouk Capital to develop on-shore wind projects in the UK. Zouk Capital will provide equity finance to fund wind turbine schemes throughout the UK. UrbanWind currently has 100 sites in the development appraisal stage. The Urban Winds Assets joint
29/04/2015
Mace Group has been selected for two of the £5 million Southern Construction Framework (SCF) regional lots. Each lot is estimated to be worth between £1.5-2.5 billion. Mace has acquired Lot 2, covering the seven South East councils of Surrey, Sussex, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent and M
29/04/2015
Housing Maintenance Solutions (HMS) has been awarded a £200 million repairs, maintenance and investment contract from Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH). The deal involves HMS carrying out repair and maintenance work on 15,000 homes owned by LMH over the next four years. HMS will also provide environmen
29/04/2015
Tidal Lagoon Power has appointed Andrew McNaughton as Director of Engineering and Construction. Mr McNaughton previously held a number of executive positions at Balfour Beatty including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer. He has also served as Vice President of the Institution of C
29/04/2015
Quintain has announced a second joint venture with Keystone Alto S.A. to deliver 260,000 sq ft of residential development at Wembley Park. The partnership will pay Quintain £19 million for the 1.5 acre plot and a separate £8 million for future infrastructure to be developed. Two buildings comprisi
29/04/2015
Southwark Council has granted planning permission for the Aylesbury estate regeneration development by Notting Hill Housing. The scheme aims to develop 3,500 homes for the area along with community facilities and open spaces. Two separate planning applications were approved. The first development
29/04/2015
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warned that shortages of bricks and bricklayers will threaten future house building plans. In the latest FMB State of Trade Survey for Q1 2015 businesses stated they found difficulty in recruiting bricklayers, as well as carpenters/joiners, supervisors an
29/04/2015
Masco Window Group has been fined £10,000 after a worker severed his fingers and hand while using a chop saw. The firm was also ordered to pay costs of £2940. The worker cut off four fingers and severed most of his right hand in March 2013. He was cutting down thermal plastic inserts for window f
28/04/2015
ISG has won a £10 million scheme to develop a retail and leisure facility in South Gloucestershire for Shopping Centre Trustees, Crestbridge. The Yate Riverside development team includes Hanover Cube as the external project management, Haskoll as the architect, Quadrant Harmon as consulting enginee
28/04/2015
Wates Construction has been awarded a contract to refurbish the Old Marylebone Town Hall in London. The London Business School is making the investment following its acquisition of the building from Westminster City Council in 2013. The project is also partly funded by a £25 million donation from
28/04/2015
Shepherd has been appointed by to carry out pre-construction services at Merrion House in Leeds ahead of scheduled refurbishment and extension work. The city council agreed a 25 year lease deal for approximately 170,000 sq ft of new and refurbished space with Merrion House owners, Town Centre Secur
28/04/2015
SPIE has announced the merger of six Northern office teams into the 8,500m2 Venus Building at Manchester's Trafford Quays. The company said that by joining the teams it allows them to capitalise on their synergies and to "work in closer collaboration that ever before". The SPIE team will occupy th
28/04/2015
Kier is to acquire Mouchel in a deal worth £265 million. It is understood the agreement follows Mouchel's growth during the previous three years, with a profit of £27.7 million on a turnover of £617 million in the financial year ending September 2014. Revenues for the previous three months have in
28/04/2015
The management teams of Jablite and Styropack have purchased the two companies from previous owners Synbra Group. The move has created the largest expanded polystyrene (EPS) manufacturer in the UK. The business is now owned by Richard Lee, Managing Director, Ken Hutchins, Finance Director, Wayne B
28/04/2015
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has selected Andrew Wylie CBE as a new Vice President of ICE. Mr Wylie is currently the Chief Executive of Costain. He will join current Vice Presidents Tim Broyd, Professor Robert Mair, Keith Clarke, Adrian Coy, Stephen Fox and Zara Lamont. Commenting on
28/04/2015
A Midas Construction development project in Bristol's Aztec West business park has been awarded a 'Very Good' rating at design stage by BREEAM. The £5 million office building at 740 Waterside Drive is undergoing a range of refurbishments and improvements, including replacing mechanical and electric
28/04/2015
The Director of Hamtech Electrical Services has been fined £12,500 after the death of a 21 year old worker on a construction site in July 2011. Mark Hammond pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, after the worker was electrocuted while carrying out work
28/04/2015
Ultracrete Instant Road Repair® is a market-leading, world-renowned cold lay asphalt which offers a proven, durable and flexible, first time, permanent, repair for dangerous potholes. Applied in 3 easy steps - clean, pour, compact - and for use in all weathers and climates, this product is certainly
27/04/2015
MGR Fluid Power has built four hydraulic operating systems to be used at a hydro power plant on the River Trent, generating electricity for 700 homes. The hydraulic systems aim to generate up to 500 kilowatts of electricity for the Holme Pierrepoint scheme, offsetting 1,770 tonnes of CO2 per year.
27/04/2015
The Labour party has announced they will build one million homes by 2020 if they are elected as the new UK Government. The party has promised to construct 200,000 homes per year to achieve their 2020 target. At a recent speech in Stockon-on-Tees, leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband said: "We wi
27/04/2015
J. Murphy & Sons has appointed Steve Hollingshead as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr Hollingshead responsibilities include growing the company's activities in the UK as well as the company's overseas activities. Mr Hollingshead said: "The capability and talent that exists within Murphy a
27/04/2015
Mace has been appointed to project manage the delivery of a cancer facility for the £125 million Proton Beam Therapy Project in Manchester. Selected by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, the centre will be the first of its kind in the UK and will treat approximately 44,000 patients a year. The fac
27/04/2015
Lockheed Martin UK Ampthill has been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay more than £7,300 in costs after a contractor fell from a roof. The man was working on a roof at Lockheed Martin's Ampthill site in January 2012 when he fell through a skylight. He suffered injuries that required emergency life-
27/04/2015
Sea Change Sussex has announced that development of its Eastbourne Sovereign Harbour Innovation Park is on schedule. Building work began in September 2014 with the completion date due for Summer 2015. A three storey building named Pacific House has recently had a roof, floors, external insulation
27/04/2015
Stoford has revealed a portfolio of 18 industrial and warehouse projects totalling 700 acres of development. The ten million sq ft development projects will occur right across England, including London, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester. Dan Gallagher, Joint Managing Director, said: "The facts spe
27/04/2015
Lovell has appointed Nick Brown as operations manager for its North West and North Wales region. Based in Altrincham, Mr Brown will be responsible for the operational delivery of all open market homes, design and build work as well as contracting work. Speaking on his appointment, Mr Brown said: "
24/04/2015
Ransom Wood has opened a new three acre solar farm at their Business Park in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The new solar farm has over 2,000 photo voltaic panels that can provide up to 450 KW of power. The park spans 110,000 square feet of which 75,000 square feet is occupied by office space, a rest
24/04/2015
Henry Boots Development has been contracted to build a 479,285 square foot distribution centre for a development site at Markham Vale, Derbyshire. A £14.2 million Government grant awarded through the Sheffield City Region's Enterprise Zone has allowed the final phase of works to take place. It is u
24/04/2015
Elliotts has purchased two new construction lorries from Iveco Stralis, increasing its number of commercial vehicles to nearly 50. The lorries, fitted with HIAB cranes, can carry up to 13.5 tonnes and will be used to transport building materials to sites across Southern England. Managing Director,
24/04/2015
FCB Studios has produced a masterplan with Grant Associates to develop the university quarter of the University of Sheffield. The masterplan includes studying potential development sites within the campus to meet the needs of future growth. A transport strategy will also be devised focusing on imp
24/04/2015
Planning consent has been granted to Arup to develop a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power station in east Knottingley, Yorkshire. The UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has approved a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the Knottingley Power Project on behalf of Knottingley Po
24/04/2015
A Birmingham trader has been fined £800 after undertaking gas work when he was not registered with the Gas Safe Register. Terence Moulton of Terry Moulton Building Services was also ordered to pay £924.32 in court costs. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Mr Moulton after he underto
24/04/2015
Robert Woodhead Construction (Woodhead) has been appointed to install two carbon neutral school buildings for Mablethorpe Primary School in Lincolnshire. Woodhead was appointed through an agreement with the East Midlands Property Alliance (EMPA) on behalf of the Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust. Th
24/04/2015
Wates and Willmott Dixon have been appointed as contractors on a London construction framework agreement worth approximately £1 billion per year. The London Construction Programme (LCP) Major Works Construction Framework Agreement is led by Haringey Council and covers five sub-regions across London
24/04/2015
Architecture, urban design, planning and regeneration practice Nash Partnership is set to become the latest tenant at 25 King Street in Bristol. The practice, which provides integrated built environment services to local and national clients, has taken 1,300 ft² of space in the prominent six-storey
24/04/2015
The original fully stabilized one set unit Professional Bricklayers Profile System made from specified and tested high tensile aluminum box section and steel parts. This tool will mirror to adapt to fit most all corner, splay and inline situations and you do not need a mountain of equipment because
23/04/2015
VolkerStevin has been awarded a contract worth £34m to reconstruct a jetty at Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth). The jetty will house two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince Of Wales. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has appointed VolkerStevin to develop lar
23/04/2015
Persimmon Homes has signed a deal with the Welsh Government to acquire 98 acres of land to develop almost 600 new homes on the outskirts of Bridgend. The residential development will consist of 590 new builds, however some land has also been designated for public open space, landscaping and buffer
23/04/2015
Muse Developments has submitted planning applications for the 'Your New Town Hall' redevelopment in Brixton town centre. The plans for The Triangle and Olive Morris House sites include refurbishing the listed Lambeth Town Hall, building new office and meeting spaces, developing a new 120,000 sq ft
23/04/2015
Wates Living Space has been appointed by Circle Housing to carry out repairs and maintenance works to 18,000 households across London and the West Midlands. Emergency repairs and refurbishment work for 15,000 households in the Circle 33 residence will be carried out by Wates, in addition to 3,000 h
23/04/2015
Bowmer and Kirkland (B&K) has been awarded a contract by the Peel Group for MediaCityUK's £20 million Tomorrow development in Manchester. Salford City Council granted planning permission in September. The project includes over 100,000 sq ft of space and features a 10 storey Premier Inn hotel with
23/04/2015
ISG are working with Walsall Council to deliver two leisure centres in Bloxwich and Oak Park. The projects are to be completed by summer 2016. It is understood the plans include to build a 25 metre eight lane swimming pool, a six court sports hall, a 100 station fitness suite, an artificial turf p
23/04/2015
Network Rail has announced 14,000 workers are to be begin working on schemes worth £50 million over the May Day bank holiday. The scheduled schemes include new tracks and junctions for Crossrail services, a new bridge and tracks to be built on the London Liverpool Street line and also a junction up
23/04/2015
Birmingham builder Mark Hewitt has been fined £3000 and ordered to pay £1255.30 in costs after failing to properly plan or manage construction work next to a public path. After a member of the public raised concerns over building work taking place beside the pavement, a Health and Safety Executive
23/04/2015
Morgan Sindall has installed a 30 metre bridge weighing 2,000 tonnes in Cheshire. The development is part of the Crewe Green Link Road project. The 54 hour operation took place over the Easter weekend and was the result of three months of construction. Gary Crisp, Highways Director at Morgan Sind
22/04/2015
Facebook UK has signed a lease agreement with British Land to occupy 66,000 sq ft of space at 338 Easton Road, Regent's Place in London. In addition to the 87,000 sq ft that Facebook already occupies, the social media company will accommodate the fifth floor of the building, as well as floors nine
22/04/2015
Greencells Group in collaboration with Huawei has completed the construction of five solar plants in the UK, with a capacity of 62.5MWp and powering approximately 20,000 homes in the surrounding regions. The solar facilities were built as an Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) provider. Ove
22/04/2015
Turner & Townsend (T&T) has acquired Australian project management specialist Thinc. The deal makes T&T the leading independent project manager in Australia. Thinc's CEO Geoff Hardy will lead a specialised project management practice, Turner & Townsend Thinc. Mr Hardy said: "By joining with Turne
22/04/2015
Benniman Construction has began developing a £14.5 million project at Thame in Oxfordshire for Stoford Developments. Two units of 83,000 sq ft and 48,480 sq ft will be built on the Cotmore Park site. Print firm Windles Group and haberdashery company Groves have made pledges to invest in the new fa
22/04/2015
Kier has been named the preferred bidder to complete the £170m first phase of The Ram Quarter regeneration scheme in Wandsworth. Selected by the Greenland Group, the project will be delivered in three phases, valued at £600 million. Kier will build 411,000 sq ft of new housing and retail space, la
22/04/2015
Quintain has selected a new Managing Director of Wembley Park. Mr Matthew Slade will work on completing the transformation of Wembley Park into a retail and leisure facility. Mr Slade said: "I am proud to be joining Quintain and to become part of a team that is establishing a vibrant new leisure d
22/04/2015
Costain and Southbay Civil Engineering have both been fined after a worker suffered fractures to his back, hip and leg while he was working on a sewage outfall site at a beach in Hartlepool. Eric Wilson, 62, was injured by a four-tonne piling hammer after it broke free of its sling while being lift
22/04/2015
Acrow Galvanizing has started building work on a new £6 million processing facility in Haverhill. The current plant, which employs 41 people, will relocate from Saffron Walden. Steve Milnes, Regional Director of Wedge Group Galvanizing, said: "We’re pleased to be starting construction on the new f
22/04/2015
On Thursday 5th March H.D. Services Ltd of Ashley Green, Buckinghamshire won the RHI Installer of the Year award for the South East region, following some extremely close competition. Successful entries received their awards in front of over 150 industry professionals ranging from Green Deal Assess
21/04/2015
Engineers working on the Bermondsey Dive Under, part of the £6.5 billion Thameslink Programme, have uncovered the remains of an abandoned railway station which closed over 100 years ago. The forgotten Southwark Park Station was open from 1902 until closing in 1915. The programme will provide new t
21/04/2015
Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £14 million contract by Dorsett Hospitality International to convert The Matrix building in Aldgate into a 13 storey hotel complex. The development in London will provide 270 bedrooms, along with a restaurant, fitness centre and 1,600 square feet of meeting area fo
21/04/2015
Hy-Ten Limited has been fined £13,000 and must pay £7,000 in costs as well as a £120 victim surcharge after two tonnes of steel rebar being moved by a crane fell onto a worker, breaking his legs. The firm pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He
21/04/2015
Work has been completed by Eric Wright Construction on a £13.5m leisure centre project to build a sports and swimming complex in Blackburn. The 62 week development includes two sports halls, a gym, a 25 metre swimming pool, a sports science performance and testing laboratory along with an aerobics
21/04/2015
Planning permission has been granted by Flintshire County Council for a £9 million scheme to build an extra care centre. The Earl Lea Scheme was designed by John McCall Architects for Pennaf Housing Group. Plans include 72 self-contained one and two-bed apartments with a range of communal faciliti
21/04/2015
Kensa Heat Pumps are working alongside Trent & Dove Housing to deliver a scheme which will half the energy costs of over 130 residents in Staffordshire. Using Kensa's "ground source heat network", conventional electrical heating systems will be replaced in one and two bedroom bungalows with a groun
21/04/2015
C2V+, a joint venture between VolkerStevin and CH2M, have been awarded a £43 million design and build Water Treatment Works (WTW) scheme in Oswestry, Shropshire. As part of the AMP6 Construction Delivery Partner framework for United Utilities, the scheme will develop a new flocculation/sedimentatio
21/04/2015
A joint venture (JV) between Morgan Sindall and Grontmij have won the Institution of Civil Engineers Yorkshire and Humber Centenary Award for their £26 million Scarborough Revised Bathing Water Directive scheme. The venture involved the construction of a one megawatt UV system with 16,000m3 of addi
20/04/2015
Planning has been approved for the University of Huddersfield over its proposed £27.5 million building for the University's Law School and the School of Music, Humanities and Media. The proposed new building will provide 7,500 square metres of space and will be six storeys high. It will also link i
20/04/2015
A new headquarters for Lloyd's of London has been completed in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) by ISG. The project included a 1,750 metre squared fit out of two floors, including the construction of an internal stairwell, raised access floor, glazed and solid partitioning, moveable
20/04/2015
Gleeds has announced the appointment of Mr Jon Dedman as Director of Cost Management, based in London. Mr Dedmans new role will involve growing Gleeds' Mechanical and Engineering (M&E) service provision. Commenting on his appointment, Mr Dedman said: "I am delighted to be joining the team at Gleed
20/04/2015
A £1.6 million project to expand Catton Grove Primary School in Norwich has been completed by Morgan Sindall plc. The project was initiated to accommodate the growing number of school places required in the area. The school can now accommodate 630 pupils. New classrooms, storage facilities, an extr
20/04/2015
BAM Construction has designed and built a £5 million facility for NHS Tayside in the grounds of Dudhope House in Dundee, which will provide care for young people coping with mental health issues. The facility includes an education wing, a multi-purpose gym, therapy kitchen, breakout areas, family a
20/04/2015
Wates Living Space has been awarded a £5.6m contract to build 50 new homes for Whitefiars Housing in Coventry. A range of two to six-bedroom homes will be built across three sites in the city. In partnership with Oakley Architects, 45 of the homes will be built across two sites on Whiteworth Avenu
20/04/2015
Brookfield Property Partners, in partnership with Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), has completed a £2.6 billion takeover of the Canary Wharf Group. The takeover was completed through the acquisition of Songbird Estates Plc and their acquisition of the share capital of Canary Wharf Group not owned
20/04/2015
Daver Steels Ltd has been fined £62,000 and ordered to pay £38,000 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching a health and safety ruling which resulted in the death of a worker on 6 December 2012. Robert Ismay, father of three, was killed after being crushed by three tonnes of 7.5 metre steel tube
17/04/2015
The University of Manchester has announced the launch of a £1 billion Construction Academy. 13 applicants are currently studying for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) qualification. The academy is the only initiative of its kind in higher eduction. Steven Grant, Assistant Direct
17/04/2015
The Costain Laing O'Rourke - London Underground (LU) team has been awarded the Team/Partnership of the Year award at the annual London Transport Awards. The ceremony took place at Lancaster Gate, West London. The award was given due the success of the upgrade to LU's Bond Street Tube Station. 155
17/04/2015
Over 1,200 members of construction union Unite voted 98% in support of industrial action over a dispute with Sellafield Contractor Group Ltd. The company has refused to allow a full time union shop steward and a more proactive remit for the sites health and safety committee. Negotiations to settle
17/04/2015
An in-patient hospice in Newport, Wales, is to be expanded. The Welsh Government is to invest £3 million in the expansion, which will be developed next to the main hospice building at Blackett Avenue. The new 15 bed unit will replace a smaller 10 bed unit at St. Anne's Hospice, which opened in 197
17/04/2015
Kybotech Ltd has been fined £40,000 with £1314 in costs after an employee severed most of his forearm on an unguarded conveyor. Mark Marshall, 19 years old, accidentally dropped a glove on the machine and instinctively went to retrieve it, resulting in his other hand being drawn into the conveyor t
17/04/2015
The British Research Establishment (BRE) Trust has announced funding for five PhD programmes at the School of Civil and Building Engineering at Loughborough University. The research programme will cover: - High performing buildings: including building information modelling and design, energy dema
17/04/2015
English Cities Fund (ECF) has been granted planning approval by Plymouth City Council for a regeneration scheme at Millbay. ECF, in partnership with Muse Developments, submitted an original plan in 2008 for over 400 homes, 4,000 square metres of business and retail space as well as a new School of
17/04/2015
UCATT has described the Conservative election pledge to extend the Right to Buy Scheme as "politically illiterate". The construction union criticised the party's plan to sell properties currently owned by housing associations, claiming that councils will "be forced" to sell up to 210,000 of their "
16/04/2015
The Greater London Authority (GLA) has approved planning permission to developer ABP for a 4.7 million square foot development at the Royal Albert Dock. In a new £1.7 billion business district in London, work on the 35 acre site is expected to begin later this year, with the first phase being compl
16/04/2015
Mr Bill Thicknes has been appointed by J. Murphy & Sons Limited as its new Operations Director for London & South. Darren Ramsay, Managing Director London & South, said: "Bill joins us at a very exciting time of dynamic change and growth, not only for the company as a whole but for the water and wa
16/04/2015
Construction union UCATT has condemned proposals by the Conservatives which would make industrial action illegal unless there is a 40% vote in favour of striking. If elected, the Conservatives will also abolish laws which prevent the hiring of agency workers to replace striking workers. Steve Murp
16/04/2015
A planning application has been submitted by Stride Treglown for a new entry school and nursery on a former airfield site in Haywood Village, Weston super Mare. Up to 420 pupils will be accommodated alongside a single class nursery. However, this is subject to fundable demand. The design also inco
16/04/2015
Construction firm Skanska has announced it will host an event highlighting the importance of sustainable buildings on the 10th April in London. Part of Open-City's Green Sky Thinking Week, the event will discuss key themes on sustainable building, such as green infrastructure, social sustainability
16/04/2015
If you have any interest in the long term prospects for our industry – and your business - this report could hold important messages for you. Based on feedback from 14-22 year olds, the National House Building Foundation's (NHBC) latest research shows only 37% of boys and young men, and 11% of girl
16/04/2015
The Finishing and Interiors Sector (FIS) has rebranded following a merger of the Assocation of Interior Specialists (AIS) and the Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors (FPDC). The organisation has stated that the rebranding reflects its aim is to create one voice for the finishes and int
16/04/2015
Mi-Space has installed 5,000 kitchens across the Neath Port Talbot Borough as part of Neath Port Talbot (NPT) Homes' six year Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) improvement programme. Since the WHQS programme began, over £75m has been invested. Along with 5000 kitchens, NPT Homes has fitted 4,3
16/04/2015
H20 Water Audits would add considerable value to a great many energy consultancies and procurement businesses both in Scotland, England and Wales. Gas – Power – Water and Telecoms cost reduction and efficiency go hand in hand yet the industry has a massive imbalance with an apparent unawareness of t
15/04/2015
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has welcomed the focus on housing numbers in the Labour party's recent manifesto. If elected, Labour has promised to build 200,000 homes per year by 2020. The manifesto also includes a promise to provide up to 230,000 jobs in construction. Brian Berry, Chief
15/04/2015
A £6 million energy fund has been launched by E.ON to help those struggling to pay energy bills. The independently-run fund, managed by Charis Grants, has been set up following E.ON's commitment to Ofgem in September 2014 to give back closed credits to vulnerable people who meet its eligibility cri
15/04/2015
Morrison Utility Services (MUS) has received a Safety Performance Award from Northern Powergrid at the Annual Northern Powergrids Safety Conference. The award is in recognition of Morrison Utility Services' Occupational Safety and Health Organisation (OSHA), as well as a Lost Time Accident free yea
15/04/2015
Graham Construction has been awarded a contract with the University of Manchester to refurbish 72 student bedrooms in Greenwood Block by September 2015. The project is to start in June 2015. Comprising of seven residential blocks, Greenwood forms part of the Hulme Hall Residential Campus, the olde
15/04/2015
Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) has announced the closure of a loophole in their scheme specifications, after instances of candidates not having relevant experience or training certificates. From September 1st 2015, participants must have held a valid CISRS Trainee Scaffolde
15/04/2015
Persimmon Homes Midlands has developed 5 bedroom show home in Cranfield, Bedfordshire. 99 homes are due to built in the 1st phase of Persimmons Home Farm development, including 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes. Suzanne Irons, Sales Director for Persimmon Homes Midlands, said: "We are not surprised that
15/04/2015
Building work on a new Hub building, designed by Building Design Partnership (BDP), has begun at the centre of Manchester Science Park. The development was planned following an increase in demand from businesses in both the science and technology industries. The building is to include office and l
15/04/2015
House purchasing lending fell 1% in January, whilst buy-to-let loans increased from 11% compared to 2014, according to data released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). A total of 40,600 house purchasing lending loans were advanced, down 1% in January 2015 and 16% compared to January 2014. W
14/04/2015
Tower Hamlets Strategic Planning Committee has approved planning permission for 1 Bank Street and outline planning permission for 1 Park Place for the Canary Wharf Group. Both sites are in London, with construction due to begin later in 2015. Designed by John Pederson Fox (KPF), a 700,000 square f
14/04/2015
Parts of the M60 will be closed for six nights in April due to a motorway project being carried out by Highways England. 16 overhead gantries are to be demolished due to their unsuitability and new electronic signs are to be installed as part of the scheme. Closures will take places between 10pm an
14/04/2015
Turner & Townsend has been appointed to provide support for a new £480 million retail development in Sheffield City Centre. It will provide consultancy, cost, project and procurement management support. Plans include a 900,000 square foot retail scheme, along with 200,000 square foot dedicated to
14/04/2015
British Land has acquired Paddington Central in London for £210 million. The firm is currently working with Hopkins Architects to develop a new plan for the site. Phase 1 of the development is currently underway at 4 Kingdom Street and is expected to be completed in 2017. The site, from the Emplo
14/04/2015
Wates Construction has appointed a new Business Unit Director for Yorkshire and North East England. Mr Paul Dodsworth will lead Wates' current projects within the private and public sectors, including Haribo's £35 million Wakefield production facility and a £5.6m XP School in Doncaster. Phil Harri
14/04/2015
Easy application to the most complex of architectural details is promised with Köster 21 – a two-component, solvent-free, multiple use crack bridging waterproofing coating from Delta Membrane Systems. This elastic, crack-bridging waterproofing material offers excellent adhesion to dry and moist sub
13/04/2015
Wates Living Space has officially handed over keys of 75 new homes in Aylesbury. The new £9 million development located on the former site of Bearbrook House has transformed the vacant site into much-needed homes for the local community. It includes 49 homes for private sale, 26 for affordable rent
13/04/2015
Over 100 people attended Costain's Behavioural Safety Conference in Leamington. This is the 3rd time the conference has taken place. Attendees ranged from internal staff, external clients and guests from across a range of industry sectors. Delegates listened to a wide range of presentations, each
13/04/2015
A new £7.4 million training facility for Babcock International Group is now complete. Building contractor Britcon was appointed to develop the facility. The Babcock International Group are chosen training partners for the London Fire Brigade (LFB). The initiative aims to increase the amount of t
13/04/2015
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Building Lives have announced they are to work together to support apprenticeships for young people seeking to enter the construction sector following charity funding cuts. Building Lives supported over 250 apprenticeships in London last year, how
13/04/2015
Persimmon Homes South Coast have collaborated with designers to build a modern, fully furnished show home on the South Coast, which opens later this month. The show home located in Parkside, Lower Drayton, will give potential buyers an idea of the type of home they can expect, with a selection of 2
13/04/2015
Growth forecasts for 2016 have been downgraded by construction economists, but forecasts for 2015 have been upgraded and longer-term projections are unaffected. The Construction Products Association (CPA) is forecasting construction output growth of 5.5% for 2015 and 4.0% for 2016. Two months ago t
13/04/2015
Aker Solutions and Fjords Processing have today formed a partnership to develop both their respective technologies for the subsea, topside oil and gas industry. The alliance aims to develop technology and capabilities for advanced, cost-effective wellstream separation and treatment solutions. The
10/04/2015
Plans to introduce 5,000 affordable homes across England by 2020 have been unveiled today in a new rent-to-own housing model. Housing company Rentplus have created the model with the financial backing of private and institutional investors, with the first agreements to produce 900 new homes being a
10/04/2015
Bridge repair work is set to begin on Monday 13 April on the A19.A172 Tontine Interchange, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Work is to be carried out in three phases and is expected to be completed by early October. Phase 1: Work will start on Monday April 13. During the work there will be off
10/04/2015
A market consultation has been launched by the Football Association (FA) in connection with the delivery of 'changing room' facilities. The FA has said that it has up to £200m to spend in the next four years on providing brand new changing room facilities to support community sport and participatio
10/04/2015
Wiltshire Council has granted planning permission for a new 26-space coach park at Stonehenge. Farmland next to an existing coach park will be converted by English Heritage into new parking spaces and pedestrian walkways. It is understood that a condition of the planning approval is that the land
10/04/2015
Willmott Dixons' private rental company has acquired 3.9 acres of the 9 acre Abbey Retail Park site in Barking to develop approximately 650 flats for the private rental sector (PRS). The company agreed a deal, which is subject to planning consent, to acquire the land from Estates and Agency Group.
10/04/2015
Accident rates for scaffolders have risen in 2014, but are only directly proportionate to an increase in the contractors workload. The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has published its 2015 Safety Report, showing a 9% increase in a number of injury incidents reported by member
10/04/2015
A plant hire company based in Leicestershire has been fined after a worker was injured by a defective dumper truck. JB Tool Hire Ltd of Hermitage Industrial Estate was found guilty by Derby Magistrates' Court to breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
09/04/2015
Mulbury Homes has completed building work on a new development in Blackburn. The properties are located in North Road for housing association Twin Valley Homes. Twin Valley Homes will now make the new homes available for affordable rent. The 16-unit scheme, which has been supported by the Homes a
09/04/2015
Market Tech Holdings has chosen Mace as the main contractor to deliver the first phase at Camden Lock Village development. Camden Lock Village is a mixed use development located in the heart of Camden Town. The scheme will see the delivery of over 170 new private and affordable homes, a new single
09/04/2015
Development of the National Grid's new T-pylon has started at the new training academy. The building of the training line of pylons will be the first opportunity to see the new design in the landscape. The T-pylon was the winner of an international design competition to look for a 21st century des
09/04/2015
Thomas Vale, Buoygues UK's Midlands Regional Business, is to develop a £30 million retirement village in South Derbyshire, on behalf of Richmond Care Villages, part of Bupa. Richmond Aston-on-Trent is situated at Aston-on-Trent in South Derbyshire and is expected to open in 2016. Facilities wit
09/04/2015
Construction firm Willmott Dixon has been selected for three separate projects worth approximately £27 million. The scheme will create 209 new homes in Atherstone, Leamington Spa and Swindon. 161 of the 209 homes will be exclusively for people over 55. The largest contract is an £11 million proje
09/04/2015
Turner & Townsend has announced it has appointed Colm Lavery as Director of project management and cost management services at its Belfast office. Colm joins the firm with over 20 years' experience of delivering professional services in the commercial, education, healthcare, retail, residential an
09/04/2015
Most recently DCM Surfaces have noted that there have been concerns in relation to the slip resistance of our EPDM rubber wet pour safety surfacing and this is resulting in many people choosing other products as an alternative. Obviously as a company who specialises in wet pour safety surfacing thi
08/04/2015
Construction firm ISG has secured a £50 million project to create a new home for the Faculty of Business and Law at UWE Bristol. The development is a key element of the University's development masterplan at Frenchay Campus, occupying a site in the central heart zone, adjacent to the currently unde
08/04/2015
Ardmore has been selected by Family Mosaic to deliver Phase 4 of its Heathside and Lethbridge regeneration scheme under a £48m contract. The award means that Ardmore will have worked on three consecutive phases of the regeneration project, following the successful completion of Phase 2 and the ongo
08/04/2015
Crown Commercial Services has awarded EDF Energy the UK's largest electricity supply contract. The renewal of the multi-billion pound four-year agreement will see EDF Energy continue to supply electricity to thousands of public buildings and sites across central and local government, including scho
08/04/2015
Barr Construction has been appointed to construct a 4,500 sq ft expansion at BrewDog's existing brewery headquarters in Ellon. This will be one of the final projects delivered under the Barr Construction banner, following a recent merger with McLaughlin & Harvey. The £5m expansion includes the cre
08/04/2015
McLaughlin & Harvey has scooped a £13m project to reconstruct Phase 2 of Teesport Berth 1 in Middlesborough for PD Ports. The scheme follows on from the successful delivery of the £17m 305m long Phase 1 project which is due to be completed within the next few weeks. Phase 2 works include the desig
08/04/2015
Construction firm Buckingham Group has won a new contract to continue on the East Stand at Sixfields for Northampton Football Club. Buckingham staff will mobilise to return to the site immediately. Paul Wheeler, Chairman of Buckingham Group Contracting, said: "We share the frustrations of the supp
02/04/2015
A £9.4 million deal has been announced to develop over 4,000 new homes in Leicestershire. The New Lubbesthorpe development near Leicester will provide 4,200 homes as well as shops, schools and a health centre. The deal will get builders on site, and provide hundreds jobs for local residents within
02/04/2015
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is to invest £5m towards construction training in Wales. Under the arrangements, the scheme will ensure that industry has access to quality training to meet demand locally. The priority is to ensure that the right construction training is available a
02/04/2015
Improvement work to stabilise a slope and re-open a footpath in Wymouth is now complete. The project, joint-funded by both Weymouth & Portland Borough Council and Dorset County Council, was a two phased project. Phase one, which included repairing and anchoring the east wing wall of the Wyke Road
02/04/2015
A new Chief Executive has been appointed to the Land Registry. Graham Farrant will take up leadership of the organisation that forms the bedrock of the England and Wales property market in June 2015. He will use his skills gained through 15 years at Chief Executive level in both private and public
02/04/2015
Willmott Dixon apprentices have kick-started renovation work on a new community facility in Rotherham. The nine apprentices, who are all working on the company's partnership with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, spent a week bringing the community facility back into use after it lay dormant
02/04/2015
Rotherham Brough Council has selected Mears to design and develop two three-bedroom bungalows. The properties, located in Redscope Crescent and Kimberworth Park, are being designed for families with disabled children. Planning permission to build the specialist properties was granted in June 2014
01/04/2015
Construction firm Balfour Beatty has scooped a £9.3 million contract. The firm is to build a new road bridge over the M1 for Leicestershire County Council through the Midlands Highways Alliance Framework. The project will connect the New Lubbesthorpe Sustainable Urban Extension (NLSUE) developmen
01/04/2015
The Mayor of London is to launch the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) today. Boris Johnson said the Corporation will lead the regeneration of Old Oak Common in West London and will seek deliver up to 24,000 homes and more than 55,000 jobs. A High Speed 2 (HS2) and Crossrail St
01/04/2015
The Select Property Group has awarded contracts, worth a total of £123m, and preferred bidder contracts to Carillion. The firm has been appointed to deliver residential schemes at three site across the UK, and by Highways England. These include a £17m contract in Newcastle city centre to construct
01/04/2015
Muse Developments has made three new appointments to its development management and project management teams in London. The firm is delivering an increasing portfolio of major projects across London, including schemes in Lewisham, Canning Town, Brentford, Tottenham Hale and Brixton and across the w
01/04/2015
Energy firm E.ON has launched a Community Support Fund for schemes in the the parishes that border the wind farm and is part of a broader Community Fund set to benefit local communities in the East Riding of Yorkshire and Grimsby. Local community groups, voluntary organisations and registered chari
01/04/2015
An agreement between the Welsh Government and the UK Treasury has been announced, which will result in greater investment in Wales' council housing. From 2 April, the eleven local authorities in Wales which have retained their social housing stock, will exit the UK Government's Housing Revenue Acco
