Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for May 2015
29/05/2015
Keepmoat has announced it has secured regeneration projects worth over £5.8 million in the North East of England. One of the deals includes a £4.8 million development contract with South Tyneside Homes. Keepmoat was selected through a procurement process via the HCA DPP 2. Plans involve a multitu
29/05/2015
Network Rail has announced over £80 million in upgrade works is scheduled to commence on rail crossings in North Lincolnshire. Six level crossings in Grimsby will receive a series of improvement works which includes replacing obstacle detection barriers. Maintenance will start on 30 May at the Wel
29/05/2015
Swansway Group is to invest £12 million into three new centres across the North West. The group's Honda site on Queensway in Rochdale will be demolished and redeveloped into a new van facility, costing £3.5 million. The group will also invest £4.5 million into a new Jaguar centre in Crewe and prov
29/05/2015
A green energy plant has won an accolade at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) West Midlands awards dinner in Birmingham. The Pershore Weir Hydro Station in Worcestershire received the sustainability award and was named overall winner for 2015. The facility is a 236kW turbine installation on
29/05/2015
NG Bailey's IT Services division has won a contract as part of a two year £30 million refurbishment project. The division is working alongside the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) to install a site wide structured cabling solution. NG Bailey has been appointed to install the upgrade
29/05/2015
Woodhead Living is working alongside BESTbuild to develop four sustainable bungalows in Nottinghamshire. The new properties on Denton Green in Broxtowe will form part of the council's and Nottingham City Homes' (NCH) Building a Better Nottingham scheme. Over 400 homes have been developed across th
29/05/2015
Barnes Construction has been appointed to redevelop a shopping complex in Ipswich. LaSalle Investment Management awarded the £4 million contract to transform the Tower Ramparts centre. Plans include installing new entrances at Tavern Street and Crown Street along with a major internal refurbishmen
29/05/2015
Darma Limited has been fined £13,400 and ordered to pay £4,719 in costs after allowing employees to work on a site in dangerous conditions. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out an unannounced inspection of a basement excavation site on Filmer Road in Fulham. The inspection discovered
29/05/2015
Balfour Beatty has sold its 50% share interest in the joint venture (JV) Signalling Solutions (SSL) to Alstom. The SSL was established in 2007 as a JV between the two companies, providing signalling solutions to the UK's rail sector. The deal now makes Alstom the sole owner of the company. A Balf
29/05/2015
An expansion project for Hambleside Danelaw is underway in Northamptonshire. The new 30,000 sq ft facility is being developed by Clegg Construction for Hambleside's Long March headquarters. The project will accommodate a new production line for glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) rooflights. The proje
28/05/2015
Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association (LYHA) has announced work is underway on a residential development in Barnsley. The £2.2 million development by LYHA will build 25 homes at Aldham House Lane in Wombwell. The scheme consists of 20 bungalows and five houses designed by architects Acanthus WSM.
28/05/2015
PP O'Connor has announced work is underway on a wastewater treatment plant in Greater Manchester. The company was appointed by Celtic Technologies to carry out the bulk earthworks, remediation and ground stabilisation within the existing Davyhulme Wastewater plant. The site will form part of the l
28/05/2015
Investment firms Partners Group has announced plans to develop an office building in London. The group will work with joint venture (JV) partner Marick Real Estate. The project is expected to cost £200 million. The building will be a 14 storey 245,000 sq ft office complex with design features inc
28/05/2015
Osbourne has been awarded a contract to develop the University of London's new Library and Student Services Centre. The Royal Holloway development will be located opposite the university's Founder's building. The £48 million contract includes a copper cladding feature wing, anodised aluminium curt
28/05/2015
The Highways England has announced roadworks taking place on the A1 in Hertfordshire are now complete. The £4.5 million scheme took place on the northbound carriageway. The roadworks at junction 6 in Welyn included a new road surface, road markings, safety fencing and improved drainage. Highways
28/05/2015
Keepmoat has acquired an area of land for residential development in Essex. The 1.57 acre plot is located at Stanford-le-Hope. Keepmoat's Homes Division has already acquired planning permission for demolition of the existing property and the development of 19 new homes. Associated parking and gar
28/05/2015
A new industry organisation is to be formed after a merger between two trade groups. The new grouping will be called Build UK. The UK Contractors Group (UKCG) and the National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) are to formally vote in June confirming the merger. The institution will be made up
28/05/2015
The British Property Foundation (BPF) and Federation of Master Builders (FMB) have responded to announcements in the Queens speech. The BPF has welcomed the announcement of the Housing Bill, highlighting the Bill's stipulations to: • Increase the supply of new Starter Homes to 200,000 by 2020. •
27/05/2015
Bouygues Construction has been selected to build a new development in Stratford. Property developer Manhattan Loft Corporation has appointed Bouygues to build the 143 metre Manhattan Loft Garden's tower in East London. The 42 storey £250 million development will include 248 apartments above a 150
27/05/2015
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has welcomed a new programme promised by the Conservative Government. In her speech today 27 May, the Queen described the Government's new legislative programme. In one of the agendas, Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to create three million
27/05/2015
Three Rivers District Council has selected Countryside Properties and Home Group as the preferred bidders for its South Oxhey redevelopment. The initiative includes 500 new homes, a larger foodstore along with an improved shopping environment and new public spaces including a market square with bet
27/05/2015
Highways England has announced roadworks are to be undertaken on a section of the A19 near Thirsk in North Yorkshire. A section of the northbound carriageway between the A19/A61 South Kilvington Interchange and A684 Osmotherley Interchange will be closed today 27 May until the 20 June. This is due
27/05/2015
Amey has been awarded a £250 million extension to its waste water contract with Severn Trent Water. The Sewerage Commercial Model (SCM) contract was originally awarded in 2011. From 1 June, Amey will be taking over repair and maintenance of the sewer network across the entire Severn Trent region.
27/05/2015
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is encouraging small businesses to attend HSE asbestos workshops across Lancashire. The free events will advise companies on how they can avoid work that may disturb asbestos. This will include everyday activities, the risks of disturbing the fabric of the bui
27/05/2015
Roger Bullivant (RB) has announced the company will relocate to a new manufacturing facility in South Derbyshire. RB will move to the former Sandvik site in Hearthcote Road, Swadlincote, leaving the current Drakelow site free for planned future development. RB Managing Director Gary Farnell said:
27/05/2015
Planning permission has been granted allowing an army barracks to be relocated from Germany to England. Approval was allowed for 326 new specialist dog training facilities, a veterinary clinic and squadron headquarter offices to be developed at St George's Barracks in North Luffenham. The developm
26/05/2015
Barr Construction has announced the completion of the steel frame for a cinema and hotel development in Darlington. The £30 million Feethams Leisure complex will include a nine screen Vue cinema, an 80 bed Premier Inn hotel and a number of restaurants. The scheme will also involve an undercroft ca
26/05/2015
The University of Derby has been granted £5 million as part of an investment into a new university centre. The funding was granted by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). The University will use the £5 million grant as part of a £12 million investment in a new 4,200 square met
26/05/2015
Wolffkran has announced the acquisition of HTC Plant. The £40 million turnover HTC business has been sold to Wolfffkran, who will take on a fleet of over 200 cranes and 370 staff. Dr. Peter Schiefer, CEO of Wolffkran, said: "The acquisition is a big step for WOLFFKRAN, but a very logical one. It’s
26/05/2015
Work is underway on the third phase of a regeneration scheme in London led by the joint venture (JV) English Cities Fund (ECf). The JV between Muse Developments, Legal and General Property and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) will bring a further 216 homes to Canning Town in Newham. The Rath
26/05/2015
Quintain has accepted an offer for its 50% interest in its Hilton hotel development at Wembley Park. Joint venture (JV) partners Oaktree Capital Management have offered £40 million for the 361 bedroom four star hotel. The Hilton London Wembley was developed by Quintain and is located within the en
26/05/2015
Berkeley Group has announced the opening of a new regeneration development in London. The Southwark Development was built on top of a derelict brownfield site, with plans to develop over 500 homes on the site. Seven buildings will be developed ranging from ten to 14 storeys in height. Work for th
26/05/2015
NG Bailey has been awarded a contract to modernise a children's hospital in Sheffield. The £7 million contract involves the delivery of mechanical and electrical (M&E) services to the £40 million pound extension of Sheffield Children's Hospital. The main project is a mix of new build and refurbish
26/05/2015
Laing O'Rourke has been awarded a contract which involves the delivery of the £1 billion Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project. The company will deliver a £200 million contract for the project's 41 metre turbine house and sluice structure block. Up to 500 workers will be required for the build. Laing
22/05/2015
Planning permission has been secured for a new mixed-use development in London. The St William joint venture (JV) between National Grid and The Berkeley Group has secured permission from the council to develop 839 homes on the five acre Battersea development. Located on a former gasworks site, the
22/05/2015
Recent statistics have shown over 40,000 new homes were started in England for the first quarter of 2015. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) suggests the figures show the rate of housebuilding in the country is increasing. This year experienced an 11% improvement in the number of new properties d
22/05/2015
Kier has been appointed to carry out minor and major upgrade works for three healthcare facilities in the UK. The £25m contract was awarded by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT). Kier will deliver an upgrade programme over the next year at Pilgrim Hospital, Grantham and District, and L
22/05/2015
The Merseylink construction consortium selected to deliver a new gateway project on the River Mersey has developed a new bridge. The trestle bridge will be used by heavy construction vehicles and sophisticated equipment purely as an access platform to the build site. A lifting section, which will
22/05/2015
Chevin Housing Association (HA) has selected Lovell to carry out £20 million of improvement works for homes across Yorkshire. The two year refurbishment scheme will involve major replacement and improvement works including new kitchens and bathrooms, rewiring work, the installation of new heating s
22/05/2015
Landrose Developments has been fined £16,000 and ordered pay over £2,000 in costs for repeatedly breaching work height regulations. The company was carrying out construction of 20 domestic properties, including ten houses and ten flats at a London site in 2013. Health and Safety (HSE) inspectors a
22/05/2015
BAE Systems has announced it is to upgrade four Watchman radars for the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The £7 million contract was awarded under the Marshall programme led by the joint venture (JV) Aquila. The JV is to provide air traffic management services at MOD operated airfields in the UK and abr
22/05/2015
Wates Group has announced an agreement for the acquisition of Shepherd Groups Built Environment businesses. Shepherd will sell its Engineering Services and facility management company, Shepherd FM. Wates will also obtain a significant number of contracts and frameworks as part of the deal. David
21/05/2015
Lend Lease and London & Continental Railways (LCR) have announced the agreement of a pre-let deal with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The joint venture (JV) partners have signed an agreement for the FCA to occupy the third stage of the £2.1 billion International Quarter development in Strat
21/05/2015
Willmott Dixon has been selected to redevelop a town centre building in Shrewsbury. Shropshire Council appointed Willmott Dixon under the Scape framework for a £3.4m contract to develop the building into student accommodation. Plans include converting the six storey Mardol House into studio apartm
21/05/2015
Marley Eternit has urged the Government to consider using new building technology as part of its air pollution plan. The plea comes after the Supreme Court warned the UK must act to meet its failing air pollution targets. The UK is in breach of its air pollution targets in 16 areas, especially in
21/05/2015
Galliford Try's housebuilding division, Linden Homes, has scooped two awards at the 'London Evening Standard New Homes Awards'. The division was awarded 'Best Out of London Homes' for The Yeoman development at Froyle Park and claimed first place in the 'Best Family Home' category for the same site.
21/05/2015
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has welcomed new figures showing an increase in the number of new homes being developed across the UK. The latest housebuilding figures shows both development starts and completions have risen over the past year. Over 40,000 homes were started between January and Mar
21/05/2015
Network Rail has awarded a Principal Contractor Licence to Eric Wright Group. The Licence follows a comprehensive audit by Eric Wright Rail (EWR) for Network Rail's level crossing upgrade project in Kent. The programme involved design development and installation of an electronic early warning sys
21/05/2015
KSMT has been fined £5000 and ordered to pay £500 in costs after metal sheets crashed through a karting track roof in the West Midlands. A sub-contractor working on behalf of KSMT had lifted new metal roof sheets weighing three quarters of a tonne on to the kart track roof using the forks of a tele
21/05/2015
Saxlund International has installed and commissioned a waste-derived fuel solution for Hope Construction's cement plant in Derbyshire. The solution has been designed to provide storage, transportation, weighing and injection of Solid Waste Fuel (SWF) into two kilns at the site. Matt Drew, Managing
20/05/2015
According to the latest figures, office construction in central London has risen for the first time in 18 months. Deloitte's London Office Crane Survey reports 31 new project starts, with a 12% rise in volume of let space under construction. Over the past six months, London has experienced a 24% r
20/05/2015
Nine museums and heritage attractions throughout the UK are to benefit from a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) investment. The projects are set to receive £98m for various redevelopment, refurbishment and restoration schemes. The development initiatives include: • £12.1m to revitalise Jodrell Bank, ho
20/05/2015
A university led consortium has been announced as the preferred bidder to develop a new construction training initiative in Wales. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) will work with The University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD), delivering training to meet construction employers need
20/05/2015
NG Bailey has appointed a new Regional Director for the North West. Paul Briars joins from Rotary Building Services in Warrington where he was previously Managing Director (MD) and North West Managing Director. Mr Briars will lead NG Bailey's Engineering division within the region. Speaking on hi
20/05/2015
Allison Homes has appointed Adrian Evans as its new Managing Director (MD). Mr Evans was previously MD of Persimmon Homes, East Midlands Division. His role will involve being responsible for the leadership and development of Allison Homes, part of the Larkfleet Group. CEO of Larkfleet, Karl Hick,
20/05/2015
Bellway Homes has been fined £35,000 and ordered to pay £14,520 in costs for safety failings after a bricklayer was injured in a fall. Daniel Kersey, 64, suffered a fractured vertebrae, deep cuts and bruising after falling three metres when a temporary platform collapsed at a development in Reading
20/05/2015
Todd Waste Management has grown their waste and recycling services to include the hire of waste equipment. The waste equipment hire will be available throughout the UK. Equipment available for hire includes: • Tracked trommel screen – suitable for screening compost, C&D wastes, soil and sand & gr
19/05/2015
E.ON has announced the development of an offshore wind farm located in the English Channel. Total investment in the project is approximately €1.9 billion. The UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) has acquired a €327 million Euro stake in the project. The Rampion Offshore Wind Farm will be located 13km
19/05/2015
Mace has completed a £20 million extension for the Lyric Hammersmith theatre in London. The Reuben Foundation Wing includes a new drama, dance, film and TV recording studio, a 60-seat cinema and a new bar along with a café. Mace also refurbished some of the theatre's existing front-of-house spaces
19/05/2015
Belltown Power has announced the commission of four solar power projects in the UK. The projects total 50MW of power. Michael Kaplan, CEO at Belltown Power, said "We are very pleased that the company’s model of integrating acquisition expertise with deep engineering experience continues to deliver
19/05/2015
Highways England has announced the completion of an M6 transformation project worth over £4 million. The project increased the capacity of junction 23 where it meets the A49 and the A580 East Lancs Road. Drivers can now cut through the centre of the roundabout to turn right onto the M6 or the A49
19/05/2015
JCB has donated additional machinery towards the earthquake relief effort in Nepal. The company had previously donated a fleet of backhoe loaders and electrical generators worth $1 million. JCB has dispatched an additional four machines worth $250,000, including compact skid steer loaders, a pick-
19/05/2015
A kitchen fitter has been fined £5,000 after leaving a gas pipe at a customers home in a dangerous state. Matthew Heath of Tremadden Kitchens was also ordered to pay £483 in costs after he removed a kitchen hob in Torquay but failed to cap the remaining gas pipe. The pipe had the potential to fill
19/05/2015
Aecom and Waterman have been awarded a £30 million contract to deliver multidisciplinary design services for Midlands Highway Alliance (MHA). The three year contract has an extension option of up to one year. Aecom and Waterman will support 20 councils that are members of the MHA on highway proje
19/05/2015
The Welsh Government has announced it is to invest £108m in the country's social housing stock. The funding will be used by local authorities and Registered Social Landlords to improve homes and ensure they are safe, secure and met the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS). Currently, 67% of all
19/05/2015
A leading galvanizing company has provided its specialist treatment to a large sculpture as part of the 50th anniversary of Britain in Bloom. The eye-catching Sunflower sculpture, which stands at 4.7 metres high, was designed and fabricated by the team at Ironart of Bath, who opted for galvanizing
18/05/2015
J. Murphy and Sons has been appointed to carry out sewer improvements off the coast of Blackpool. The project is underway already and will be delivered by a subsidiary of Murphy, Land and Marine Engineering. The company will design, build and commission works in connection with the replacement of
18/05/2015
ISG has announced work is underway to redevelop listed buildings in West Yorkshire. The Grade Two Listed Princess Buildings in Halifax are part of a £6.2 million redevelopment project. The building will be refurbished and built into contemporary, majority open plan office accommodation for council
18/05/2015
Bardsley has been selected to extend and remodel a primary school in Warrington. The council awarded the £1.9 million contract to redevelop the St Philips (Westbrook) CE Primary School. Works will involve the phased refurbishment and remodelling of 2500m2 of internal spaces in the school, offering
18/05/2015
Interserve has been awarded a £10 million contract to deliver services across Debenhams UK stores and offices. The five year contract runs until 2018 with a two year extension option covering 124 stores along with Debenhams head office in London. Services include cleaning, washroom services, windo
18/05/2015
VolkerFitzpatrick has won an award for a development currently being built in South Gloucestshire. The Stoke Gifford train maintenance centre development achieved the Gold Award at the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CSS) National Site Awards 2015. The centre will be a maintenance hub for the new
18/05/2015
Bouygues has been awarded a contract to develop a site in Canterbury. The council selected the company to build retail, leisure and accommodation facilities in the Kingsmead area. Plans include a multiplex cinema, restaurants, student housing, residential development and other indoor leisure outle
18/05/2015
A scaffolder has been fined £18,000 and ordered to pay costs of over £1,000 after carrying out work at an unsafe height. Michael Alldis, trading as Southern Tube Scaffold, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following a complaint from a member of the public. The HSE visited the
18/05/2015
Heat Mat has added a new colour touchscreen thermostat to their range of intelligent NGT’s. The NGTouch is a contemporary easy-to-use electric underfloor heating controller, with a number of clever functions to enhance a homeowner’s lifestyle. The polar white NGTouch is exclusive to Heat Mat and ma
15/05/2015
Charterpoint Senior Living has secured planning permission for an assisted living scheme in Nottingham. The 58 apartment project is located in the suburb of West Bridgford and will be built by McCarthy and Stone. The development will feature 32 one bedroom and 26 two bedroom retirement apartments
15/05/2015
Stiller Warehousing and Distribution has invested over £1 million into a new storage facility. The multi-user warehousing facility has been constructed by local steel company Finley Structures and will increase the Stiller's warehousing capacity to 200,000 sq ft. The new unit will include a new ra
15/05/2015
Tower Hamlets has secured over £24 million from the government's New Homes Bonus scheme for 2015. Between 2011 and 2015, Tower Hamlets has increased its housing stock by 14,547 and brought 769 empty homes back into use. Aman Dalvi, Corporate Director of Development and Renewal said: "Once again th
15/05/2015
Moda Living and Apache Capital have formed a £1 billion joint venture (JV) to establish the UK's first regional private rented sector (PRS) platform. The JV will develop five schemes totalling 5,000 units with further sites to be developed in the future. Included in the Apache-Moda JV is the 40 st
15/05/2015
Balfour Beatty has laid the first section of track for Network Rail's Crossrail infrastructure project. The firm has removed 20,000 tonnes of earth, imported 10,000 tonnes of ballast and drove in over 1000 piles as part of its £132 million Crossrail South East Section contract. Jeremy Lunn, Balfou
15/05/2015
Robertson has been selected to develop an integrated care facility for the South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust. The Integrated Care Services Hub will be built in the grounds of South Tyneside District Hospital. The facility will incorporate 80 beds with around 30 people living on the site. Feature
15/05/2015
BAM Construction are using the Hoardtek External Hoarding System for the start of a multimillion pound upgrade in Yorkshire. The Withernsea High School site location is susceptible to high wind pressures and therefore needed a suitably designed system. Due to the close proximity of children in the
15/05/2015
TIMco, the UK’s largest independent supplier of screws and fixings, has announced the appointment of Tracy Haynes as Regional Account Manager and Richard Cole as the new Quality Control Assistant. The two new employees will extend TIMco’s current number of staff to 86. Richard Cole joins the comp
14/05/2015
Sewell has announced work is underway on a student development for the University of Hull. The £30 million accommodation was designed by GSS Architecture and will provide accommodation for 560 students. Plans include to build eight bedroom flats alongside a smaller number of four-bedroom, deluxe,
14/05/2015
Blaby District Council has invited local firms to a tender event for a new Vehicle Depot. The event has been organised by Wates Construction in partnership with the council. The £5 million Blaby Vehicle Depot will accommodate the council's 14 refuse vehicles, a vehicle service area and accommodate
14/05/2015
The latest Construction Trade Survey has stated firms across the industry reported a growth in activity for the first quarter of 2015. According to the survey, industry growth activity has increased for the eighth straight quarter. 50% of building contractors on balance reported a rise in output f
14/05/2015
A project currently in development by Wates has received an award from the Considerate Constructor Scheme (CCS). The £15.5 million Highgate Junior School in North London has been given the Considerate Constructor Scheme Gold award. The CCS organisation presented the award due to the environmental
14/05/2015
Dunne has appointed George Young as its new Construction Director of its Main Contracting Division. The newly created role involves overseeing the company's contract projects throughout Scotland and Ireland. Mr Young was previously at Balfour Beatty as Project Director, responsible for the deliver
14/05/2015
Trafford Council has awarded Amey a contract to provide environmental and infrastructure services for the region. The deal is worth £235 million and will run for 15 years, with a potential extension of eight years. Amey will deliver a range of environmental and infrastructure services including co
14/05/2015
Costain are working alongside Lafarge Tarmac to reduce the carbon footprint of a roadworks project in Lancashire. The Heysham to M6 link road project will connect Heysham and Morecambe to a new Junction 34 of the M6 including 4.8km of dual carriageway with a combined footway and cycleway. Lafarge
14/05/2015
Tesla has announced its market entry into a new segment as part of its stationary storage launch in Los Angeles. From the fourth quarter of 2015, the Tesla Home Battery will be available on the market in collaboration with the inverter manufacturer Fronius. The initial product launch will be in Germ
13/05/2015
BAM Construction has won a contract to build an office development in Manchester. The £73 million design and build contract was awarded by Allied London for the development of No. 1 Spinningfields at the former Quay House in Quay Street. Plans include to develop a 24 storey building with over 260,
13/05/2015
Bowmer & Kirkland (B&K) has announced work is underway on the redevelopment of a school in Nottinghamshire. The £10 million rebuild of the three storey South Nottinghamshire Academy is being delivered through the Education Funding Agency's Priority School Building programme. The development is par
13/05/2015
Shepherd Group has agreed to sell its Shepherd Homes' Yorkshire housing assets to Galliford Try. The deal involves the sale of six current sites and five sites in planning totalling 515 plots to Galliford Try's house building arm Linden Homes. The agreement follows a review by the Shepherd Group b
13/05/2015
Grundfos Pumps has been fined £300,000 and £115,000 in costs after a trainee design engineer was killed at its factory in Windsor. Jake Herring, 19, was carrying out electrical testing work at the Grundfos Pumps factory in March 2009. He was working unsupervised while testing an electric control p
13/05/2015
Interserve has announced it is the first contractor to be certified as BIM Level 2 compliant. The certification was achieved under BRE Global Business Systems Certification Scheme. Interserve is now permitted to use the BRE Global Badge of Compliance. The company is the first to firm to meet the
13/05/2015
LDA Design has won a contest to develop the plan for a new eastern campus at the University College London (UCL). The 125,000 sq ft campus will feature a collection of innovative knowledge centres located on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. LDA Design is leading a team including: • Nicholas Hare Arc
13/05/2015
Wates Group Chairman James Wates CBE has been appointed as a Non-Executive to Argent. Mr Wates will contribute to Argent's strategic growth and performance as a property developer. He said: "Our industry benefits greatly from collaboration between contractors and developers, both in terms of strat
13/05/2015
ISG has announced work is underway to create a new hospital in London. Development of the £4.5 million project in the Marylebone district is being undertaken for ophthalmic specialist Optegra. The scheme will involve the conversion of two properties in Queen Anne Street, redeveloping them into a f
13/05/2015
After the success of Brundle Design Studio, and having responded to customers who have requested templates for gates, railings and stair balustrades, FH Brundle are pleased to announce Design Studio 2. Brundle have made many upgrades and created useful new features such as its calculators. These a
12/05/2015
O'Brien Contractors has acquired a new GPS controlled CAT D6T dozer for a development in the Midlands. The D6T will be utilised on the £100 million St. Modwen's town centre plan, featuring a 150,000 sq ft Marks and Spencer store with a six floor multi storey 500 space car park. An additional 45,0
12/05/2015
Silverstone Building Consultancy has been selected as Project Manager on a refurbishment project in North East England. The Pulman Group has announced a £500,000 investment in redeveloping its Volkswagon car showroom on Abbey Road in Durham. Robertson Construction has been appointed as the main co
12/05/2015
Pochin Construction has completed a new £17 million hospital in Manchester. The 75,000 sq ft build and fit-out project was developed on behalf of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and includes a dedicated haemodialysis unit. Working in partnership with Citybranch, the ne
12/05/2015
Planning application has been submitted by intu Group for the redevelopment of its shopping centre site in Milton Keynes. The company has submitted proposals designed by 3DReid architects to the council for the Midsummer Boulevard and Oak Court site. Plans include redeveloping the 430,000 sq ft sh
12/05/2015
H.I. Quality Steel Castings has been fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £24,000 in costs after a worker died while working at its foundry in Sheffield. Stuart Stead, 49, was using a hand-held grinder on a high-frequency machine while working on a casting in March 2012. The disc fitted to the machin
12/05/2015
Lafarge Tarmac has invested in a new fleet of equipment and machinery. The new equipment includes: • 12 Volvo and 16 Vogele Pavers. • 50 heavy goods vehicles and trailers, all of which are Euro 6 and Construction Logistics Cycle Safety (CLOCS) compliant. • Five Wirtgen planers featuring a two me
12/05/2015
The National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) has released a report highlighting the increased struggle with recruiting skilled labour. According to the latest NSCC State of Trade Survey, 47% of Specialist Contractors have experienced increased difficulty in recruiting skilled labour this year
12/05/2015
ISG has made two appointments to its Engineering Services business. Stephen Henley has been selected as European Operations Director and Chris McDermott will join ISG as Commercial Director. Mr Henley will be responsible for the delivery of ISG's projects along with focusing on health, safety and
12/05/2015
A1 Football factory is Yorkshire's newest provider of indoor, five-a-side, 3G surfaces in its new 52,000 square foot facility. Co-owned by Republic of Ireland international Paul Green, the specification was to have a facility with the latest development in synthetic grass, with the ability to host
11/05/2015
Patrizia has announced the acquisition of a 20 acre development site in Manchester. The 'First Street' site is partially developed, with a 180,000 sq ft office building that has an 'Excellent' rating from BREEAM. Ford, Auto Trader and Jacobs Engineering are currently letting the building with a We
11/05/2015
NG Bailey has been awarded a contract to deliver mechanical and electrical (M&E) services for a £12.5 million development. The company's engineering division will deliver all M&E installations for Subsea's 7 £40 million office development in Surrey. The contract covers all five storeys of the buil
11/05/2015
Wates has appointed John Manning as its Business Manager in the North East. Mr Manning will oversee Wates' current project portfolio including new build developments across the region from Northumberland to Yorkshire. Mick Holling, Interim Regional Managing Director for Wates Living Space said: "J
11/05/2015
Network Rail has announced two bridges being rebuilt for its electrification project have reopened ahead of schedule. The Stump Lane bridge and Rawlinson Lane bridge were redeveloped as part of Network Rails £1 billion electrification programme in the North West of England. Four bridges are involv
11/05/2015
Work to develop a new research centre for Durham University is to begin next month. Development of the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics is expected to start in June and will cost over £11 million. Architect Daniel Libeskind of Studio Daniel Libeskind (SDL) designed the building. The Ogden Trus
11/05/2015
A plumber has been prosecuted for the second time within four months for undertaking gas work while unregistered. Matthew Congdon (33) was given a six month prison sentence suspended by 18 months after being found guilty of breaching Regulation 3(3) and 33(1)(c) of the Gas Safety (Installation and
11/05/2015
UK rental company Charles Wilson Engineers has ordered the first two 62ft Airo XL19E scissor lifts in the UK from local distributor Aerial and Handling Services Ltd. Scheduled for delivery at the end of the month, the fully electric scissor lifts offer a working height of 19.2 metres with a 500kg p
11/05/2015
DCM Surfaces recently reported concerns which many of its customers had in relation to slip resistance on a number of surfaces inclusive of its wet pour safety surfacing. It was concerns about these products which resulted in many customers choosing alternative products. DCM felt that not enough i
08/05/2015
A joint venture (JV) between Balfour Beatty and South West Highways (SWHBBIS) has been awarded a contract extension. The £40 million ten year deal is an extension to its existing contract involving operations and maintenance (O&M) works on the 102km A30/A35 Exeter to Bere Regis trunk road on behalf
08/05/2015
BAM Construction has announced they are to develop a new eco-friendly technology centre for Bradford College. The Advanced Technology Centre (ATC) campus will measure 3,600m2 and feature solar panels, a bio-diverse roof and a super-efficient plant. The building is also expected to achieve an 'Excel
08/05/2015
Mott MacDonald has been appointed as lead consultant on a regeneration project by the London Borough of Croydon. The consultancy will provide the overall design for the project along with sub-consultants Rick Mather and Turley providing architectural and planning services. The redevelopment projec
08/05/2015
Figures released by the National House Building Council (NHBC) show an 18% increase in new homes registered for the first quarter of 2015. 40,281 new homes were registered in the UK for the first three months of 2015. Compared to 34,186 homes registered during the same period last year, the priva
08/05/2015
The National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) and the UK Contractors Group (UKCG) have announced their intention to merge. Support has been given from members of both organisations and the first meeting of the new Strategy Board has already taken place. NSCC President Kevin Louch said: "I bel
08/05/2015
Muse Developments has announced work is underway on a redevelopment of South Shields town centre. The Word development is part of Muse's £100 million 365 Plan and will form the North East Centre for the Written Word project. Plans for the town centre development include exhibition spaces, a comput
08/05/2015
Skanska has completed the redevelopment of its Bentley Works facility in Doncaster. The company used its in-house expertise from its foundations, mechanical and electrical, building and technical units to deliver facilities that have little impact on the environment. No hazardous materials were us
08/05/2015
A local blacksmith has utilised a galvanizing firm’s expertise for a unique sculpture which has recently been featured on a BBC1 nature programme. Toby Winterbourn Artist Blacksmith – a highly skilled team of blacksmiths based in North Elmham – used the specialist hot-dip treatment services of Acro
07/05/2015
A development built by Wates Construction has won an award from the British Council for Offices (BCO). The eight storey 10 Hammersmith Grove office development has received the British Council for Offices (BCO) Commercial Workplace award. The accolade was given at the BCO's 2015 regional award cer
07/05/2015
Works being undertaken as part of an improvement programme in Carmarthenshire has entered the final phase of construction. The five year Llannelli Gateway programme involves more than £60 million of improvements to the Llanelli Town Centre and has included the provision of East Gate along with deve
07/05/2015
Highways England has announced the A160 will be closed next week due to preparations for the Port of Immingham Improvement Scheme. The eastbound carriageway of Humber Road between Habrough Road Roundabout and Eastfield Road, South Killingholme will close overnight on 13 May between 8pm to 6am. The
07/05/2015
Mace has announced Tom Gent as its new Head of Innovation. Jon Harris has been appointed as Mace's Head of Business Information Modelling (BIM). Mr Gent will work across Mace's development teams in the newly created role and improve delivery of construction while working with clients towards creat
07/05/2015
Galliford Try has been appointed two contracts worth over £55 million in the education sector. Galliford reached financial close on a £38 million Hull and East Riding batch under the first phase of the Government's Priority School Building Programme. The batch includes the £18.6 million constructi
07/05/2015
Morgan Sindall has marked the final stage of a £10 million student accommodation project by hosting a topping out ceremony. The design and build development is being delivered for Alumno Developments on behalf of the Norwich University of Arts. The scheme includes the construction of a nine-storey
07/05/2015
In order to meet with its ongoing success as a major industrial battery supplier, Blue Box Batteries Ltd has now relocated to larger premises which will maintain increased stocks in line with the requirements of its valued client base. Blue Box's ability to maintain good availability of battery pro
07/05/2015
Grand Designs Live returned to London's ExCel on the 2 May and will be open until 10 May. Running for 9 days, the show will offer visitors a unique opportunity to see all the latest trends for home design as well as being able to get their hands on many products never seen before. DCM Surfaces are
06/05/2015
Wates Constructon has been appointed to deliver an apartment scheme worth over £70 million in London. The £76m project will comprise of a 32-storey tower with a seven-storey podium at its base containing 269 private and affordable social apartments. The design was developed by architects Pilbrow &
06/05/2015
Sheppard Robson has been granted planning permission for a £90m build and refurbishment project for residence halls at the University of Liverpool. Six buildings will be replaced by three new student accommodation blocks. The new build will create 1,370 en-suite bedrooms and increase the number of
06/05/2015
Lakehouse has completed the acquisition of Providor in a deal worth over £4 million. Providor will operate within Lakehouse's Energy Services division and complement Everwarm’s existing offering, by providing critical mass in the high growth smart metering market, which forms part of the Government
06/05/2015
The AMP6 framework by South East Water has been awarded to BAM Nuttall and Nomenca, in a joint venture (JV). The multi-million pound framework is for the delivery of the water company's non-infrastructure works for the next five years. An option also exists to extend the deal up to ten years. Sou
06/05/2015
A Lend Lease and London and Continental Railways (LCR) joint venture (JV) delivering The International Quarter, announced that Transport for London (TfL) has signed a pre-let contract. TfL has pre-let the entire office space within the International Quarter developments 265,000 sq ft building. The
06/05/2015
Eric Wright Construction has been awarded a £9 million project to develop a mental health facility for Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP). Development of the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) started at the end of March and is scheduled to be completed f
06/05/2015
The Chilfen Group has announced it is a finalist for the Made In Herts award, part of the Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards 2015. The Made In Herts award recognises manufacturers that run efficient, innovative and profitable businesses with a strong presence in the UK and/or abroad. Judges will be tak
06/05/2015
NRS Specialist Services has been fined £7,500 and ordered to pay £5725.22 in costs after a roofer fell from a low roof and suffered serious injuries. Chris Jones was employed by NRS to work on re-covering the roof of a single story outhouse when he fell 2.5 metres to the ground. Mr Jones broke his
05/05/2015
Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £25 million contract to develop a number of community healthcare facilities. The North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) has chosen Willmott Dixon to create new facilities that will support the NELFT's plans to roll out a new hub and service model. The cent
05/05/2015
Forrest has completed the 1,000th solar panel installation for the City West Housing Trust. The installation is part of a carbon free project worth over £2 million. The system was installed at a home in Little Hulton and will generate 2,250kWh per year as well as saving £150 on energy costs. The
05/05/2015
Canary Wharf has revealed its Crossrail Place building which opened to the public on 1 May. The building will house the concourses, platforms and ticket halls for the Canary Wharf Crossrail station when trains begin running in 2018. The seven storey structure was designed by Foster & Partner and c
05/05/2015
Vattenfall has started to develop an offshore wind farm in Kent. It is understood the Kentish Flats Extension will cost more than £150 million to build. The piling of foundations began on 2 May and the 15 turbine scheme will be located 8km off shore. The turbines are expected to generate approxim
05/05/2015
Miller Homes has announced an increase in its operating margins for 2014. Turnover increased by 19% to £391.9 million. This is due to an increase in volume and a 10% improvement in the average selling price (ASP) to £200,000 from £181,000. Profit before interest along with exceptional items increa
05/05/2015
Persimmon Homes has announced plans to build up to 700 homes after acquiring a 19.6 hectare site in Coventry. The deal makes way for a phased regeneration plan beginning in May 2015. Plans include to build 3,500 sq ft of employment land, along with a £700,000 investment in education facilities for
05/05/2015
A contractor has been fined £10,000 after illegally removing asbestos from a building. Aman Ullah was also ordered to pay £5,000 in costs. He pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. A Health and Safety Executive (H
05/05/2015
The Better Renting for Britain campaign has offered £30 billion to the next government for the development of new housing. The funds could potentially build over 150,000 homes and house approximately 350,000 people. The campaign believes an American-style rental market, where single companies own
05/05/2015
Crest Nicholson has signed a deal with M&G Real Estate to acquire 97 rental homes for a development scheme in Bath. M&G will provide £25.2 million to fund the development of the apartments and supporting community space, which form part of the wider Bath Riverside regeneration scheme within the cit
05/05/2015
The UK has overtaken Germany and India in the world ranking for utility scale solar installations. A surge of solar fitting projects in the first quarter of 2015 has increased the UK's solar plants to 408, with a combined Megawatt (MW) capacity of 3,610.1MWac. The UK is now third behind the United
01/05/2015
An anti-dumping investigation has been launched by the European Commission into large amounts of High Fatigue Performance (HFP) Chinese steel imported into the EU. The review is underway due to a complaint submitted by EUROFER over increased demand for the softening Chinese steel. The Organisation
01/05/2015
DAF Trucks dealer group, Imperial Commercials, has opened a new Service and Parts facility in Swindon. The 2.2 acre Freehold site includes an office suite, an ATF Lane, 25 spaces for truck/trailer parking and nine 20 metre truck workshop bays. 1,180 square metres of workshop and office developmen
01/05/2015
A 120 metre long steel truss has been lifted into position by King Lifting as part of a football stadium rebuild. The £45 million Aston Gate Stadium redevelopment for Bristol City FC will be increased to a capacity of 27,000 by 2016. King Lifting used a Terex AC200-1 and a Liebherr LTM1200-5.2 to
01/05/2015
McLaughlin & Harvey has secured its first project for the Network Rail Southern region. The £600,000 Streat Green Bridge redevelopment follows the firms successful acquisition of the Network Rail's Principal Contract licence in 2014. The redevelopment works include designing and building the redec
01/05/2015
Eric Wright Facilities Management (EWFM) has been awarded a contract to provide facility services for a new health centre in Chester. EWFM will carry out planned and reactive building maintenance on the 4,500m2 centre for Fountains Property Management. Other works include energy management, cleani
01/05/2015
The British Property Foundation (BPF) has stated imposing a Consumer Price Index (CPI) cap on rents could deter investment in the housing sector. The BPF has also claimed the policy could lead to uneven rent rises for tenants who have lived in a property for several years. The Labour party has ple
01/05/2015
The Executive Director and Managing Director of Infrastructure at the Osborne Group is to step down. Mr Dave Hooper will leave the company in June. Osborne's Group Chief Executive, Andy Steele, said: "Dave has taken the decision to leave Osborne to pursue his career interests elsewhere. He is curr
01/05/2015
L&Q London Housing Association has announced its 2020 plans to develop 5,000 homes per year over the next five years. Plans also include to treble its production pipeline to 50,000 homes over the next decade. L&Q Chief Executive David Montague said: "The chronic lack of quality, affordable housing
01/05/2015
Scunthorpe United has been given planning permission for a new 12,000 seater stadium on the Lincolnshire Lakes development. The Council gave the go ahead on 29 April. The decision is subject to Highways and Environment Agency issues over access and flooding being resolved. Scunthorpe hopes to mov
01/05/2015
Shepherd's Bush Housing Association (HA) has been fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs after pleading guilty to undertaking unsafe gas work at a pregnant woman's property. A Health and Safety Investigation (HSE) found the housing association at fault after a handyman, who was unregistere
