Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for June 2015
30/06/2015
Orbit Homes has announced a leading development programme after unveiling plans for almost 8,500 new homes between 2015-2020. A survey of top housing association (HA) developers shows Orbit Homes having the second largest development programme between 2015-2020. The company has planned to build 8,
30/06/2015
SP Energy Network Engineers are set to begin a £13 million reinforcement project on the electricity network in North Wales. The project in the Tawsfynydd area is designed to boost electricity supplies to more than 45,000 homes and businesses in the area. The company is installing approximately 6km
30/06/2015
Amey has been announced as the preferred bidder for a waste collection and treatment services contract for the Isle of Wight. The 25 year deal will see Amey, through its waste management business AmeyCespa, deliver both waste and treatment services on behalf of the Island's council. Features of th
30/06/2015
The former Balfour Beatty Regional Managing Director (MD) for the Midlands has joined Seddon. Steve Davies has joined Seddon as its Commercial Director and will be responsible for the company's commercial contracts across the Midlands region. Mr Davies previously worked for Balfour Beatty for 14 y
30/06/2015
Galliford Try has signed an agreement with the Greater London Authority (GLA) for a development in East London. The firm has agreed to secure planning and develop the Silvertown Way project in Canning Town. Proposals include building over 1,100 mixed tenure homes across a series of individual bloc
30/06/2015
Workspace Group has acquired planning permission for a development in London. The site is located at Lombard House on the Purley Way, Croydon. Workspace has secured mixed use planning consent for the development of 96 residential units along with 19,000 sq ft of new studio and light industrial spa
30/06/2015
Strada Associates Ltd have expanded their extensive trench convector range with the introduction of 22 fan assisted and 26 natural convection trench models. The fan assisted models use high efficiency Al/Cu heating coils and variable speed 24 volt DC EC motors linked to low noise tangential fans Th
30/06/2015
North Midland Group (NM Group) has announced plans for a new Leeds Bradford Super Highway and Heras Readyfence are on board to support them with 2000 high visibility pedestrian barriers. The construction group will link Leeds and Bradford with a new cycle route in a programme valued at almost £10 m
29/06/2015
Willmott Dixon Interiors has scooped a £20 million contract to fit-out the Design Museum in Kensington, west London. The firm will turn into reality an interior vision created by John Pawson to transform the vacant Grade II listed building into a 21st century museum providing three times more space
29/06/2015
Engineering firm, Owen Pugh Group, has appointed a new non-executive director. Andrew Jackson has joined the firm and is responsible for providing strategic input into the company's corporate growth plan and advising the executive board on a range of issues, including business development opportuni
29/06/2015
Construction union UCATT is urging workers to check their wages to make sure employers have adhered to the latest pay deal. From today, 29 June, pay rates for workers covered by the Construction Industry Joint Council increase by 3 per cent. The new minimum rate for a General Operative is £8.52 an
29/06/2015
Improvement work at East Horsley Railway Station is now complete. Construction firm Osborne was selected to carry out the work which is part of the Wessex Framework improvements. Osborne engineers worked to replace copers and resurface the platforms. They upgraded the car park lighting system and
29/06/2015
Graham Construction has been appointed to work with the Port of Dover team to develop optimum infrastructure design solutions for Dover Western Dock, as part of a Pre-Construction Agreement. The work will involve finalising the design and cost plans for the marine civil engineering works for the ne
29/06/2015
Strada Associates Ltd have expanded their extensive trench convector range with the introduction of 22 fan assisted and 26 natural convection trench models. The fan assisted models use high efficiency Al/Cu heating coils and variable speed 24 volt DC EC motors linked to low noise tangential fans Th
26/06/2015
Dong Energy, based in Denmark, is to develop the Race Bank Offshore Wind Farm, off the north Norfolk coast. Race Bank is to have a capacity of up to 580 megawatts (MW), enough to power over 400,000 UK homes. The offshore wind farm will consist of 91 6MW wind turbines, with Siemens Wind Power chose
26/06/2015
Osborne has been selected for pre-construction services to design and construct the new teaching and learning facilities in Hampshire, valued at over £20 million. The project, at the West Down Campus of the University of Winchester, includes the development of a new lecture theatre and create learn
26/06/2015
Construction firm Wates has appointed a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mr David Allen, Crossrail's Finance Director, is to take up the post on 04 January 2016. Joining the Wates Group Board, Mr Allen will succeed current CFO and Company Secretary, Huw Davies. Mr Davies will leave Wates at the
26/06/2015
Members of construction union UCATT employed by Aspire Housing Association have started balloting following the firms plans to cut its workers. The dispute is a result of Aspire attempting to force workers' to accept poorer conditions. The organisation has threatened to dismiss workers who refuse t
26/06/2015
36,000 new homeowners have signed up to the Right to Buy since 2012, according to new government figures. The figures also show that 3,337 new starts and acquisitions have been made since the scheme was reinvigorated in 2012. Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said: "We want to help anyone who works
26/06/2015
The Environment Agency has announced that "necessary repair work" to flood defences in East Cambridgeshire will begin on Monday 29 June. The works, taking place in Ten Mile Bank, Littleport, are expected to last about 12 weeks. The road closure will be maintained by Jackson Hyder, a contractor car
25/06/2015
BAM Construction has been appointed preferred contractor for the third and final phase of Birmingham's Snowhill development. Work on the final phase of the Three Snowhill, which has already attracted world class, blue chip occupiers to its first two phases which are fully occupied, is expected to b
25/06/2015
Seventeen new contracts worth a combined £55m have secured the "successful expansion" in the northern regions for Kier Living. The contracts, which range in size from developments of 15 units up to schemes of over 100 units, are in various stages of completion, and are located across the north west
25/06/2015
A major initiative has been launched seeking to create international standards in construction measurement. More than 30 professional bodies from around the world, including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), have met with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to discuss the estab
25/06/2015
The director of a Hove-based letting agency has been disqualified from acting as a director for ten year for failing to secure tenant deposits and rent payments. Peter Philip Leonard, director of Direct Residential Lettings Limited, will not be allowed to become involved in the promotion, formation
25/06/2015
Highways England (HE) has advised that the Chain Bar roundabout at junction 26 of the M62 near Bradford will be reduced to a single lane this weekend for Yorkshire Water emergency repair work. The road will be reduced to one lane on all approaches to the roundabout from Friday 26 June until at leas
25/06/2015
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to investigate the proposed acquisition of W Corbett Galvanizing Ltd by Joseph Ash Ltd. The two firms offer steel galvanising services to customers within the Midlands area of Great Britain. Galvanising is a process used to protect steel from corrosion
24/06/2015
Over 270 new homes are to be developed in Greenwich following a joint venture by Weston Homes and the Cathedral Group. The JV aims to transform the historic 1.2 acre Telegraph Works site in Greenwich, into a new £120 million residential address providing 272 new homes, including apartments and hous
24/06/2015
Building, civil engineering and structural steelwork contractor Britcon has appointed Mark Powell as Contracts Director for the UK business. A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Powell brings more than 18 years industry experience following senior roles with high performance bu
24/06/2015
Woman are being encouraged to pursue careers in engineering, with two females in the profession sharing their experiences to show what is possible. To mark National Women in Engineering Day, Inna Laurinaitiene and Laura D'Oca, spoke about the opportunities for females in the profession. Ms Laurina
24/06/2015
Highways England have issued a notice of resurfacing work on the A19 Billingham Bypass southbound carriageway from Monday 29 June. Work will be carried out on the 2.5 mile stretch of carriageway over four days, taking place overnight between 20:00 and 06:00. Highways England project manager, Kyle
24/06/2015
Willmott Dixon have been awarded their fourth project for the Low Carbon Workplace (LCW), a consortium that includes Stanhope, Threadneedle and The Carbon Trust. The company has secured a £20million contract to completely refit the 1980s built Summit House on Wilson Street to deliver 9,500 square m
24/06/2015
Highways England (HE) has launched its supplier recognition scheme for 2015, giving its suppliers a chance to boost their profiles by putting themselves forward for a series of awards. This is the first time the annual recognition scheme has been held under the new government-owned company, Highway
23/06/2015
Work has begun on the Evershed redevelopment, which will transform a derelict St Albans city centre site. The Higgins Construction development will provide 80 new homes alongside 52 town houses, 16 maisonettes and 12 apartments. Mark Witham, of Spen Hill Developments, said: "We're very excited tha
23/06/2015
NHBC Pride in the Job Quality Awards have been given to fifteen site managers of Miller Homes. The awards, now in its 35th year, recognise and reward "outstanding" site managers and are said to be the UK house-building industry's most prestigious honours. Welcoming the news, Chief Executive of Mil
23/06/2015
Wates Group has unveiled new branding as part of its latest move in the Group's strategic market positioning and growth plan to double turnover to £2bn. Launching the new logo amidst an 'evolving market', this is the first time in over ten years that Wates has undergone a brand refresh. The Wates
23/06/2015
Interserve has been confirmed as the preferred bidder to develop a new £200 million Defence establishment at Stanford Hall. The project, at the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC), for BS Stanford Ltd, involves the construction of a new 37,000 square metre specialist clinical facility
23/06/2015
Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is co-ordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas. Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances c
23/06/2015
Speedy installation and reliability in operation, these are a couple of the many features found in the new AlertMAXX alarms from Delta Membrane Systems. They are used in sump installations, with the new DMS270 AlertMAXX being used for ground water and surface water applications, and the DMS269 Alert
22/06/2015
Wates Construction has been appointed the main contractor for the development of Redrock Stockport. The new development, to be built on the current site of Bridgefield Street Car Park, and will comprise a ten screen cinema, a new 340 space multi storey car park, restaurants, café bars and retail un
22/06/2015
Phase one of refurbishment works of four loading bridges at the Woolwich Ferry has been completed, Transport for London (TfL) and Briggs marine and Environmental Services have announced. The work, which began in October last year, has been carried out to allow the bridges cope with an expected in
22/06/2015
Barnett Council in north London have launched an amnesty on the licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) following the successful prosecution of a landlord. Under the amnesty – a joint operation launched by the London Borough of Barnett and Capita called 'Re' – owners and managers of illeg
22/06/2015
Camden Council has announced new licensing conditions for landlords of shared accommodation. The council has established the new conditions following a public consultation, which received some 1,400 responses with 70% of those backing the council proposals. The council said that the scheme would b
22/06/2015
A planned strike by workers at Tata Steel, including 6,000 from Unite the union, has been suspended after a new offer was made over pensions. Members of Unite, Community, the GMB and Ucatt were due to walk out for 24 hours on today, 22 June, in protest at plans to close their final salary pension s
22/06/2015
The government has released up-to-date details of planned roadworks for the week of Monday 22 to Sunday 28 June. They include:
19/06/2015
Sutcliffe Construction has won a £2 million contract to redevelop a brownfield area in Yorkshire. A multi-use complex will be built on the 10 acre site, becoming home to landscape and forestry supplier Green-tech. The £10 million Rabbit Hill Park development will accommodate 40 staff and become a
19/06/2015
Graham has been appointed as main contractor on a development programme for schools in Dumfries. The firm is part of a £100 million school investment programme which will see a range of primary and secondary schools demolished or redeveloped. The Dumfries Learning Town plans were unveiled at St Jo
19/06/2015
Resurfacing work on sections of the M6 near Carlisle are due to take place next week. A total of £50,000 will be spent on the southbound M6 around junction 44 resurfacing sections of lane one along with renewing road studs and markings. As part of the carriageway being worked on runs past the entr
19/06/2015
A power station scheme in West Yorkshire has reached a 'major' milestone in its commissioning process. The Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 (FM1) project has began exporting electricity to the grid for the first time. The FM1 scheme is part of the Multifuel Energy Ltd (MEL) joint venture between SSE and Wh
19/06/2015
Roger Smith Installations has been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of over £1,200 after a worker fell from scaffolding in Warwickshire. The employee was working on a soffit and fascia installation at Stirling Avenue, Cubbington on 3 April 2014. The platform he was standing on fell from the
19/06/2015
The Palace of Westminster will need at least £1 billion to refurbish and restore the parliament buildings, according to a study. The Independant Options Appraisal (IOA) report, carried out by Deloitte Real Estate, AECOM and HOK, has suggested a number of options and costs for refurbishment. The co
19/06/2015
Highways England has announced its new Chief Executive. Jim O'Sullivan will take over the post from Graham Dalton who announced his departure in January. Mr Dalton led Highways England's predecessor the Highways Agency for seven years. Mr O'Sullivan is an experienced engineer, having been Managi
19/06/2015
An exhibition for a tower development in London is due to take place later today. Plans for the proposed 22 Bishopgate building were displayed on 15 June. New designs were drawn up following the acquisition of the site earlier this year by a consortium of international investors led by AXA Real Es
19/06/2015
The National Federation of Builders (NFB) has announced its new national chair. Henry Boot Managing Director Simon Carr will be sworn in to the NFB at the federations annual general meeting on 23 June. Current NFB chair John Maddock will hand over the position to Mr Carr. Commenting on his appoin
19/06/2015
A Glasgow-based company is marking a prestigious milestone achievement which has seen it protect security fencing for over two decades. For over 20 years, Scottish Galvanizers – part of Wedge Group Galvanizing – has been working with the team at fellow Glasgow-based security fencing specialists Loc
18/06/2015
Wates Construction has been appointed as the main contractor for the construction of a retail and leisure development in Stockport. The firm will build the £45 million Redrock Stockport complex designed by architects BDP with project manager Gardiner & Theobald. Development plans include a ten scr
18/06/2015
J Tomlinson has won four West Midlands contracts worth potentially over £25 million. The company has been appointed to a four year framework contract by Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police. The deal involves covering servicing, maintenance, reactive repairs and minor works. The award has t
18/06/2015
Planning permission has been granted for the over £35 million Daventry Development Link Road. The A45 Flore/Weedon Bypass is a key infrastructure project to relieve traffic on local villages and enable Daventry's future growth. The council approved entering into a funding agreement last month with
18/06/2015
The Government has proposed changes to the HS2 hybrid Bill following discussions with communities along the London to Birmingham route. Over 120 amendments have been put forward for the high speed railway project, which is scheduled to begin development in 2017. Parliament has announced a debate o
18/06/2015
Birmingham City Council has extended Morgan Sindall's position as contractor on the Constructing West Midlands framework. In a consortium with its sister company Lovell known as Community Solutions, Morgan Sindall has had its role on Lot 7 of the framework extended by a further two years. The work
18/06/2015
Transport for London (TfL) has been given permission for the redevelopment of London Underground's headquarters. Planning approval was granted at Westminster City Councils Planning Applications Committee on 16 June. TfL will redevelop the Grade I listed 55 Broadway building, delivering a mix of af
18/06/2015
Buckingham Group Contracting has been appointed to develop Scunthorpe United's new stadium. The Frank Whittle Partnership (FWP) designed the ground. Buckingham was contracted by the club in conjunction with FWP and will carry out build work on the 12,000 capacity stadium. Scunthorpe United hopes
18/06/2015
Barratt Developments has announced Neil Cooper will join the board as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He is currently Group Finance Director (GFD) of William Hill and was GFD of Bovis Homes from 2007 until 2010. Beforehand he worked with Whitebread in finance roles across a range of businesses,
18/06/2015
A galvanizing company has pledged its support to an innovative product that enables homeowners to conveniently access their external drains without the need for specialist support. East Anglian Galvanizing has partnered with RJC Commercial to galvanize the steel parts used to create the firm’s Easy
18/06/2015
Mitchell Scaffolding has won the Health and Safety Award at the 2015 North West Regional Construction Awards ceremony. The company had been commended for the award on three previous occasions. A small company among a number of large organisations, Mitchell Scaffolding knew receiving the award woul
17/06/2015
BAM has been announced as the main contractor to refurbish a Grade II listed building in London. The Department of Education (DfE) appointed BAM to redevelop the Old Admiralty Building in Horseguards Parade. The historic site will become the departments new headquarters in 2017 when it relocates f
17/06/2015
Capita has been appointed by IJM Land to project and cost manage its £200 million Royal Mint Gardens development. The 550 unit project is adjacent to Tower Bridge in central London. The scheme is the first major UK project for IJM Land. Capita has been appointed as project manager for phase one o
17/06/2015
Highways England has announced roadworks taking place on the A40 will begin later this month. The company is carrying out a maintenance scheme at the viaduct near Gloucester to maintain the integrity of the structure and avoid repairs in the future. The works, which are part of a £15 million inves
17/06/2015
The Confederation of British Industries (CBI) has nominated Paul Drechsler to be its next president. The former chief executive's name has been put forward as a potential candidate for the role. CBI members will be asked to endorse Mr Drechsler's appointment as President at the organisation's annu
17/06/2015
Bouygues UK has been appointed to deliver a new graduate facility for the Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). The £27 million contract will develop a new building at the QMUL's main teaching campus in Tower Hamlets. Proposals include to develop large amphitheatre-style teaching areas and 63 of
17/06/2015
Derwent London has secured planning permission for a hotel and office project in Southwark. Plans include to develop a 15 storey 68,200 sq ft hotel that will be operated by The Hoxton on 40 Blackfriars Road. A further 41,800 sq ft of offices will also be built. The hotel will include 192 rooms, a
17/06/2015
Morgan Sindall has held a topping out ceremony after reaching a key milestone in its Arts University Bournemouth development. The company is building a £1.7 million drawing studio for the university. The development is a freestanding steel pre-fabricated pavilion specifically designed by architect
17/06/2015
Recent government statistics have revealed that over 260,000 affordable homes have been delivered since April 2010. The figures show that nearly 60,000 properties were delivered in the last year alone, a 63% rise from the previous year. The 2011 to 2015 Affordable Homes Programme has so far built
17/06/2015
Corporate Risk Systems Ltd (CRS), one of the UK's largest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) accredited training providers, has gained NEBOSH approval for a new 'two qualifications in one' course. The NEBOSH General and Construction certificates can be gained in only 18 days saving six days and aro
17/06/2015
Thomson Habitats has been awarded a £300,000 contract to undertake Japanese knotweed remediation works for AMCO at the Stanton Cross development in Wellingborough. The works are part of a plan which includes a significant upgrade to Wellingborough Station and the development of 5000 new houses. In
16/06/2015
The joint venture (JV) team Galliford Try Costain Atkins (GCA) has begun process commissioning a wastewater extension for United Utilities. The £200 million project for the company's Liverpool wastewater treatment works is one of the largest AMP5 projects in the UK. The extension has been built in
16/06/2015
A bungalow development in Corby has been marked with a completion ceremony. The council in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Willmott Dixon Homes (WDH) attended the event. The development in the Lodge Park estate has seen an unused garage forecourt redeveloped into five n
16/06/2015
Howard Russell has been certified as the second Building Information Modelling (BIM) level 2 contractor. The company has been accredited ahead of the Government's 2016 deadline to make BIM mandatory on government projects. So far, the only other contractor to be certified is Interserve. BIM is a
16/06/2015
Government reforms on apprenticeships could indicate a new 'age of the apprentice'. According to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the latest proposals are a positive step. The statement comes after an announcement by Skills Minister Nick Boles MP, that the term 'apprenticeship' will be leg
16/06/2015
Chelsea Football Club (FC) is progressing with plans to develop Stamford Bridge. The clubs owner Roman Abramovich has appointed consultants to assess the possibility of expanding the stadium. The current capacity is just over 40,000. In statement issued on 15 June, Chelsea FC said: "A year ago a
16/06/2015
Sunderland AFC's charity arm, the Foundation of Light, has announced it is looking for a contractor to build its new Beacon of Light development. The building will provide a mix of indoor and outdoor sporting facilities located next to the Stadium of Light and Sunderland Aquatic Centre. The develo
16/06/2015
The Kier Group has been awarded a £22 million contract to reconfigure and refurbish a hospital for the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust (MYHT). The company will carry out both refurbishment and new build works for Dewsbury and District Hospital. Works include a new main entrance to provide a cent
16/06/2015
DP Designs has been fined £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of over £1,000 after workers were injured when a roof truss collapsed during construction. The four men were working on the new extension at the premises in Brandon Court, Binley, Coventry on 26 June 2014. One man was trapped by his legs,
16/06/2015
BAM Construction has announced it is to carry out the redevelopment of Tate St Ives art gallery in Cornwall. The company was appointed under the Construction Framework South West. The centre is to undergo two-phase re-modelling of its existing learning and roof terrace areas. BAM will develop a n
16/06/2015
Fulbridge Academy in Peterborough was recently the recipient of a brand new, state of the art, 3G football pitch. The installation towards the end of 2014 was a much sought after addition to the schools sports department. The material chosen was Playrite Conqueror 60 MF, a dedicated 3G football su
15/06/2015
Ealing Council has approved an overhaul of Southall station as part of the Crossrail programme. The design includes a glass and steel structure to let in natural light along with a new forecourt. Other improvements include: • A new footbridge with three new lifts to provide step-free access to ev
15/06/2015
Local communities across Central Southern England have received nearly £160,000 in funding for protection against extreme weather. Electricity network operator Southern Electric Power Distribution (SEPD) awarded the money as part of its £1 million Resilient Communities Fund. The funds will be put
15/06/2015
Interserve has published a sustainability report showing progress is being made towards its 2020 targets. 'Sustainabilities' is a business -wide plan setting out targets which help the organisation manage risk in its future operations, while increasing opportunities for growth now and in the future
15/06/2015
Recent research has revealed output in the construction industry decreased by 0.8% in April compared to March in 2015. The published Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures show there was a 1.4% increase in March. Repair and maintenance (R&M) decreased by 4.8% while all new work increased by 1
15/06/2015
Harris Construction Management (HCM) has announced the start of expansion work at a site in Scunthorpe. HCM are carrying out a £4.5 million extension for Can-Pack UK at its Holyroad Drive warehouse. Approximately 10,000 m2 of new storage facilities will be developed. The expansion is necessary du
15/06/2015
The 'New Wear Crossing' project contractors Farrans and Victor Buyck are to hold a 'Meet The Buyer' event. The exhibition is being held to find subcontractors for the multimillion pound development. The FVG joint venture (JV) was agreed as preferred bidder for the scheme in January. Preliminary w
15/06/2015
A development by BAM Construction has received an accolade at an industry awards ceremony in London. The upgraded £18 million facility at Park Community School in Havant was awarded the Gold Award from the Considerate Contractors Scheme (CCS). It is the second time BAM has received the accolade.
15/06/2015
Unite Students has agreed a £271 million student accommodation portfolio deal. Unite's UK Student Accommodation Fund (USAF) acquired the 2,100 bed contracts from Ahli United Bank (AUB). The acquisition increases USAF's property portfolio value by 16% from £1.64 billion to £1.91 billion, comprising
15/06/2015
A builder has been jailed for 26 weeks after exposing workers to asbestos while working on an industrial site in Colwyn Bay. Brian Roberts of 123 Bryniau Road, Llandudno and three other men were exposed to asbestos fibres while working in the unit at Eagle Farm Road, Mochdre Business Park around 11
15/06/2015
Cemplas Waterproofing and Concrete Repairs has completed the second phase of works at the Hughenden Road site in Hertfordshire. Due to Cemplas' successful completion of the first phase of works for Skyswood Management, the company was appointed to carry out the second phase. Cemplas surveyors unde
12/06/2015
Approval has been granted for a new school building as part of a transformation project in London. The £155 million redevelopment of West Ealing's Green Man Lane estate is led by joint developers Rydon and A2Dominion. The development for St. John's Primary School has been given the go ahead by Eal
12/06/2015
A Skanska contract for the London Underground has been extended by two years. The four year civil engineering maintenance deal originally began in 2011 with the possibility of extension depending on performance. The Skanska team will work alongside London Underground to maintain over 1,000 bridges
12/06/2015
Network Rail has announced the beginning of demolition work at a site for the £6.5 billion Thameslink Programme. The Bermondsey Dive Under is being developed to separate flows of trains approaching London Bridge from South East London, Croydon and Kent. In order to create the dive under, two Victo
12/06/2015
Carillion has marked the topping out of a new University of Birmingham library. The £42 million building at the Edgbaston campus will include a variety of learning spaces and an audio listening room. Four editing suite booths will be developed and study/research desks will be installed. The build
12/06/2015
A batch of steel 'cans' making up the tower section of the i360 project have been delivered in Brighton. The structures were made at a specialist factory in Holland and arrived at the site on 11 June The first six cans arrived by barge, with a total of 17 to eventually form the tower. A 100 metre
12/06/2015
A company director has been fined £1,200 and ordered to pay costs of £858 after carrying out illegal gas work on a property in the West Midlands. Ross Kitson, a 29-year-old director of Kitsongas, was prosecuted after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The HSE found Mr Kitso
12/06/2015
The joint venture (JV) between Enisca and J Browne Construction has been awarded a double contract by South East Water. The Enisca Browne JV has secured the AMP6 Non Infrastructure Intermediate Capital Works and Minor Capital Works contracts. Following a procurement process, the JV will deliver a
12/06/2015
A recent study has revealed one in five people responsible for checking cards on building sites have seen fake certification cards. This means some of the workers carrying out jobs on development sites may not be qualified. The UK-wide survey of 1180 construction workers showed that while 86% of c
12/06/2015
O'Brien Sports has been awarded a contract to develop a 3G pitch in Worthing. The pitch construction specialists will build and install a new 60mm ACT Global 3G Synthetic Grass pitch for Worthing FC. The project involves converting the main natural turf pitch into an all-weather surface that meets
12/06/2015
Casella, a leading manufacturer of occupational hygiene monitoring solutions, has been awarded a place on the Innovation Trail at the Safety & Health Expo. By following the Innovation Trail through the Protection & Management Series across ExCeL, visitors can view the latest innovative products fro
11/06/2015
ISG has announced its latest framework scheme for Cleveland Fire Authority. The company will develop a £6 million training and administration centre in Hartlepool. The facility was designed by Bond Bryan Architects. ISG is the sole contractor to a four year capital build framework with the Fire A
11/06/2015
The joint venture between Mott MacDonald and Grontmij (MMG JV) has announced the acquisition of two technology work orders. The MMG JV was appointed the orders through Lot 1 of Highway England's Professional Services Framework. The JV will provide feasibility studies to identify potential technolo
11/06/2015
Morrison Utility Services (US) has appointed its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Jim Arnold took up the position on 1 June. Mr Arnold joined MUS in 1998 as an Area Manager before being appointed a Director in 2000. He became Executive Director in 2009 and a Group Board Director in 2013. Char
11/06/2015
Graham Construction has announced the opening of a newly developed bridge in Croydon. The £10 million Tennison Road Bridge in South Norwood is due to open later today 11 June. The structure spans the London Bridge to East Croydon main line, replacing a smaller bridge that had served the area since
11/06/2015
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has confirmed plans for housing to be developed on an empty area of industrial land in Rainham. The 29 hectare site in Beam Park will be redeveloped into a neighbourhood with a train station providing access to central London. The area has the potential to host ap
11/06/2015
Procare has announced the appointment of Steve Cook to the role of Divisional Managing Director (MD) of Construction and Special Projects. Mr Cook joins the building services company from Jarvis Contracting where he was MD for 14 years. Procare stated the organisation is looking to expand its cons
11/06/2015
BAM has been appointed to develop an office block at a science park in South West England. The company will build a £6.5 million 2,500 square metre building as phase five of Plymouth Science Park. The three storey development will provide facilities for science and technology businesses. Features
11/06/2015
Architect company Purcell has announced the acquisition of S T Walker & Duckham. Purcell stated purchasing the Worcester-based architects would increase the company's presence in the West Midlands, strengthening the firm's 'legacy in heritage architecture'. S T Walker & Duckham is known for its co
11/06/2015
Pelloby Engineering has been fined £12,000 with costs of over £1000 after a beam fell onto an employee crushing his leg and torso. A team of two workers were moving the seven metre beam at the company's 'finishing shop' site on 21 August 2014. The load was connected to an overhead crane using a si
11/06/2015
67 Pall Mall, London has been transformed into a luxurious clubhouse where members can enjoy access to some of the finest and rarest wines in the world direct from the Club's extensive cellars. The site is in the heart of historic St James’ and occupies Sir Edwin Lutyens’ designed Grade II listed b
11/06/2015
From the fourth quarter of 2015, the Tesla Home Battery will be available in collaboration with the inverter manufacturer Fronius. The initial product launch will be in Germany and sales will be rolled out across Europe and Australia. Fronius and Tesla are developing communication compatibility b
10/06/2015
ISG has been awarded a contract by Aviva Investors to develop a series of restaurants at the Guildhall shopping centre in Exeter. The £12 million project involves redeveloping the 36,500 sq ft Queen Street site into a dining quarter. ISG will install piled foundations to support a two-storey steel
10/06/2015
Gamesa has agreed a deal with Renewable Energy Generation (REG) to supply 19 wind turbines for five of REG's UK onshore windfarms. The sites have a combined capacity of 38MW and will double REG's total wind power capacity to 72.2MW. Gamesa will manufacture, erect and commission the turbines while
10/06/2015
Muse Development's will reveal regeneration plans for a town centre in North East England at a public consultation. South Tyneside Council and Muse will reveal the next phase for South Shield's town centre as part of the council's £100 million 365 plan. The public will be provided an opportunity t
10/06/2015
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has given planning consent for the £1 billion Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project. The scheme is set to become the world's first tidal lagoon energy initiative and can now begin development of the 240MW project. The Planning Inspectorate's Chief Exe
10/06/2015
Linden Homes has announced two new board-level appointments. Andrew Hammond will become the new divisional Managing Director (MD) for the company's Western division. Mr Hammond, 44, was previously Regional Chairman of Persimmon's South East division. He will take over from Greg Locke who is retir
10/06/2015
Osbourne has announced the appointment of John Dowsett as its Managing Director (MD) of Infrastructure. Mr Dowsett joined the company as a Graduate Civil Engineer in 1996 and has worked across numerous highway and rail projects. He has held a number of senior roles, such as MD of the Network Rail
10/06/2015
Race Interiors has been fined £60,000 with costs of £7,784 after an employee fell through a skylight roof. Petros Pogosyan, 55, fell though a skylight from a unit roof at Roseberry Industrial Estate, London on 18 January 2013. Mr Pogosyan, from Armenia, fell four and a half metres onto a concrete
10/06/2015
Letchworth Sports and Tennis Club in Hertfordshire, was first formed in 1906, to support tennis in Letchworth. In May 2005, the club moved to its current venue and has grown in stature from a small club run by its members, to a limited company supporting a wide reaching audience and now offering a
10/06/2015
Corporate Risk Systems (CRS) has announced it is supporting Health & Safety Week, running from 15 to 19 of June. As one of the UK’s largest providers of Health & Safety Accredited Training, CRS are offering a 20% discount on any of its Open NEBOSH Courses ran at one of CRS' ten training venues acro
09/06/2015
Mace has announced the sale of a campus development to Greystar Real Estate Partners. The £110 million deal involves the sale of Assam Place, home of the Hult International Business School in Aldgate, London. The development is a campus of three buildings, comprising of 346 student residential roo
09/06/2015
A study by the London School of Economics (LSE) shows that new housebuilding has little to no impact on local house price patterns. The report, titled 'Understanding the Local Impact of New Residential Development' was jointly commissioned by Barratt Developments and the NHBC Foundation. The five
09/06/2015
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced funding for a Severn Rivers Trust (SRT) project. The HLF approved a development grant of £204,000 to restore the River Teme. The grant will allow the SRT to develop plans and apply for a £3 million grant towards its 'Springs of Rivers' project. The sc
09/06/2015
New research has revealed the UK's toughest places to find construction work. The figures, published by business insurance website
09/06/2015
Highways England has announced the A12 Breydon Bridge in Great Yarmouth is to be closed for maintenance. The closure will last for five nights. Work is taking place between 8 June and 13 June to maintain the bridge and replace worn-out components. During maintenance, the A12 will be closed in bot
09/06/2015
Fitzgerald Contractors has reported a record turnover of £34 million for the year to 31 March 2015. The figures represent an improved performance over the previous two years, following a management buyout in May 2013. Managing Director Nick Coley said: "The freedom and flexibility of the new owner
09/06/2015
Network Rail has announced a bridge has reopened to the public in Wiltshire The Corsham footbridge was replaced as part of the company's electrification programme to enable a new fleet of green electric trains. A 500 tonne crane lifted the new structure over properties and into position. The brid
09/06/2015
Marden Homes has been fined £50,000 with costs of over £1,400 after exposing workers to potentially fatal asbestos fibres. The Essex firm was appointed to convert an office block into residential flats in July 2012. Works involved the removal of a disused boiler and its pipes from the building's f
09/06/2015
Following a recent announcement by the Secretary of State, Greg Clark, that a Cabinet group will be tasked with selling off enough government owned land to build 150,000 homes, he is also urging councils to follow their lead with vacant brownfield sites, according to The Telegraph. To help support
09/06/2015
Ferrari Fan Technology are pleased to announce additional certification of their centrifugal and axial fan series which is now available conforming to EN12101-3 rated 6000C for one or two hours. The company has for some years offered axial fans rated F300, 3000c for one hour and F400, 4000C for two
08/06/2015
The BBC has announced the sale and sublet of its Media Village site in West London. The broadcasting company will receive £87 million for a land sale totalling four acres to Stanhope and Mitsui Fudosan. The agreement also includes the lease of six buildings, three of which will continue to be occu
08/06/2015
High Speed Two (HS2) has appointed Emma Head as its Health and Safety Director. Ms Head will join from Network Rail where she was Director of Safety Strategy. She led the strategic safety agenda focusing on technology, working practices, culture change, risk management and system safety. With 16
08/06/2015
Network Rail has announced a 'significant' upgrade project is due to begin in the North-East of England. The development is due to start on 15 June and will last five months. One section of the St James Road bridge, Gateshead, will be completely removed and replaced. This will allow vehicles weig
08/06/2015
James Wates CBE has been reappointed as Chairman of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). The reappointment was made by Skills Minister Nick Boles. Mr Wates became Chairman of the CITB in 2010 having served on the board since October 2002. As well as being at the head of CITB, he is al
08/06/2015
Sigma has announced an agreement with Sheffield Housing Company (SHC) to deliver new homes for Sheffield. The company will help build 2,300 Private Rented Sector (PRS) properties across seven neighbourhoods in the city. SHC is a partnership between Sheffield Council, Keepmoat and Great Places Hous
08/06/2015
Wernick Buildings has announced the opening of its new manufacturing base in Wales. The £3 million development at Kenfig Industrial Estate is in Port Talbot. Works included gantry installation and refurbishment of the existing offices. Almost 300 photovoltaic panels were installed on the roof of
08/06/2015
Architect company Make has submitted a design plan for a bioscience and medical research hub for the University of Oxford. The 16,000m2 Oxford BioEscalator development is Make's sixth project for the University and will be developed at the institutions Old Road Campus. The building will incorporat
08/06/2015
Q-railing has launched a brand new full glass balustrade system, Easy Glass Max. The base shoes of the new system are Q-railing’s strongest ever. An Easy Glass Max balustrade can cope with line loads in excess of 5kN/m. There are four different types of base shoe available, including F and Y-shape
05/06/2015
Crossrail has completed 26 miles of tunnelling underneath London. The £14.8 billion east-west railway tunnels are part of the Crossrail programme. The Government project aims to spend over £38 billion between 2014-19 on improving and maintaining the UK's railways. The tunnelling project began in
05/06/2015
Highways England has progressed on improvement works for a section of the A21 in Kent. Balfour Beatty are continuing to upgrade the 2.5 mile stretch between Tonbridge and Pembury from a single to dual carriageway. A new lane will be added in each direction with upgraded junctions and an improved r
05/06/2015
First Base in partnership with Hyde New Homes has acquired a development site in Brighton. The area consists of Anston House, a derelict office building with surrounding land. Development plans include delivering approximately 200 apartments. Architects Conran & Partners has been appointed as the
05/06/2015
Agricultural manufacturing company Charles J Marshall has been fined £6,000 after a worker was seriously injured by a forklift truck. Jose Magano Ojeda, 44, was working his first day for the company welding metal runners to the steel sheet bed of a trailer on 31 March 2014. Another employee was us
05/06/2015
Skanska has announced a reform of its senior management team. Thomas Faulkner will become an Executive Vice President and will join the Executive Management Team. He will be responsible for the company's utilities, cementation and facilities services operating units. Peter Jones will move from Ma
05/06/2015
New developments and existing projects have increased by 7.9% in the first three months of 2015. The published Commercial Construction Index by JLL and Glenigan reports a strong start to the year for non-residential construction. The figures also show a solid start for the retail and hotel sectors
05/06/2015
Lovell has be appointed to develop new homes in Norfolk. The agreement will see the company build approximately 600 houses with a potential value of up to £80 million in the King's Lynn area. Development at the site will take place over the next five years. A planning application has been submitt
05/06/2015
Morgan Sindall has been awarded an £8.3 million contract to develop new car storage and handling facilities at the Port of Southampton. Associated British Ports (ABP) commissioned the development of a new multi-deck car storage facility. The work will enable the port to handle a greater number of
04/06/2015
A new £46 million library at the University of Bedfordshire's campus has been completed. A 'topping out' ceremony was held to mark the occasion on 3 June. The 7,400 square metre site is the latest in a serious of investments by the university. Facilities include silent-study rooms, group-work are
04/06/2015
Efficiency North (EN) has awarded contracts to 57 contractors over 50 lots for its new Procure Installers framework. The scheme has an estimated demand pipeline of £360 million over its four year lifetime. The plan will run alongside the EN Procure Elemental Works framework which expires in Novemb
04/06/2015
A Chinese company has been named as preferred bidder to provide marine works for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project. China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) was awarded the £300 million contract which includes the development of a six mile lagoon wall in Swansea Bay. CHEC will be responsible fo
04/06/2015
Boal UK has been fined £140,000 and ordered to pay over £32,000 in costs after a worker was crushed to death under a forklift truck. Stefan Durina, 33, died after becoming trapped underneath the truck on 23 June 2013. Mr Durina was using the vehicle to collect and return extruder dies from storage
04/06/2015
Sigma has announced the expansion of its Private Rented Sector (PRS) delivery with Gatehouse Bank. The agreement expands the company's existing PRS Portfolio Agreement with Gatehouse's £1 billion development of 10,000 new homes over the next five years. The first phase is underway, targeting 927 n
04/06/2015
A key milestone has been reached in the development of an office building near Reading. Wates Construction has installed a roof slab at the £27 million Grade A office development at Winnersh Triangle business park. It is understood the 5,000 m3 reinforced concrete frame has also been completed. T
04/06/2015
The new IEMA Lead Environmental Auditor course launched by Corporate Risk Systems (CRS) reflects the growing needs for organisations to improve their environmental management performance. This improves their reputation with stakeholders and helps them to identify opportunities for savings. Enviro
04/06/2015
Nash Partnership has signed up to the scheme 'Go Green Business', helping organisations in Bristol who want to make a difference to their local environment. The Go Green initiative provides businesses and charities with a range of tools to help them work towards a sustainable future. The scheme enc
03/06/2015
The CI-ONE Construction joint venture (JV) has been selected to build a £550 million development in London. The JV between Interserve and China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) will develop the One Nine Elms scheme in Battersea. The contract was awarded by Chinese developer Dalia
03/06/2015
Seddon has secured its first contract on the re-procured medium value North West Construction Hub (NWCH) framework. The company will deliver a £5 million school extension for Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council in Heaton Chapel. As part of the contract, Seddon will deliver a new junior block at
03/06/2015
Clive Thompson Installation has been fined £10,000 after two workers fell four metres from a partially completed roof. John Quinn, 35 and Joshua Perry, 21, were developing a vehicle spray booth in Perth when it collapsed on 22 January 2014. They accessed the roof in order to fit an extractor fan.
03/06/2015
A Costain and Skanska joint venture (JV) has been appointed to deliver road improvement works for Highways England. The JV will deliver two of the three sections of the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme. The initiative is required to enhance the capacity and reliability of the UK's ro
03/06/2015
BAM Nuttall has been awarded a contract to undertake regeneration work at a former mail centre site in London. Royal Mail Group has appointed BAM to carry out remediation works of its former centre at Nine Elms in South London. The 4.2 hectare site has been used by Royal Mail since the 1970's and
03/06/2015
Founded by leading flooring manufacturers Polyflor and Altro to divert waste material from landfill, Recofloor is the UK’s national award-winning vinyl flooring recycling scheme and has more than 650 collectors and 63 drop-off sites throughout the UK and Ireland. The scheme is the perfect partner f
03/06/2015
Owners of a car showroom have said the roof that collapsed at the facility was significantly "within design limits". The ceiling at the Milton Keyes Audi showroom collapsed on 1 June sending vehicles falling through to the workshop below. An investigation into the incident is underway. The £7 mil
03/06/2015
As part of the continual training and development of its staff, four of Olympic's technicians plus its head surveyor and managing director, Adrian Dawson, attended a wall tie training course run by PAM ties at the new Property Care training center in Cambridge. The training center is fully equipped
02/06/2015
The University of Manchester has appointed three contractors to deliver the majority of the school's £1 billion capital programme. Balfour Beatty, Laing O'Rourke and Sir Robert McAlpine secured the contract via a partnership framework agreement. The union will deliver projects in excess of £10 mil
02/06/2015
Laing O'Rourke, FCC Construcción and Murphy have formed a joint venture (JV) to bid for future HS2 contracts. The LFM JV aims to bid for work on the HS2 high-speed rail scheme, one of England's largest strategic infrastructure projects. It is understood the tendering process for £900 million of en
02/06/2015
The Eco World Ballymore joint venture (JV) has launched the second phase of its London City Island development. The next stage of works comprises of 417 new homes ranging from suites to one, two, three and four bed units across two blocks. The 'mini Manhattan' includes a 260ft bridge linking the i
02/06/2015
The Government has announced work is underway on three schools as part of its priority school building programme (PSBP). The schools are among 31 across the North-East which will be rebuilt or refurbished as part of the £2.4 billion scheme. • Prudhoe Primary School, Newcastle, will benefit from a
02/06/2015
Beard Construction has announced the acquisition of a new office in Bristol. The company completed a deal to purchase Langford Lodge from Merrifield Holdings for £1.47 million. The site comprises of two self-contained office spaces, totalling approximately 5,882 sq ft with 18 onsite car parking sp
02/06/2015
Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay (TLSB) has announced its preferred bidder for one of the main construction projects on its Tidal Lagoon project. The company has appointed Alun Griffiths to a £25 million contract providing ancillary civil engineering for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project's public realm
02/06/2015
Olympic Construction has announced it is proud to be instructed to undertake the restoration works on the chimney stack of Delph Lodge in Oldham. The property is a prestigious private residence recently purchased by Olympic's client who wanted to restore the original chimneys into working order, as
02/06/2015
With freezing temperatures, plenty of geothermal power and a convenient location just a three hour plane ride from London, Iceland is pegged as the next big data centre destination. Known as the ‘land of ice and fire’, the region is currently selling itself as a hugely effective way for US tech gi
01/06/2015
Birmingham city officials have announced an "unprecedented" office development spree to meet demand from firms flocking to the city. Over 1 million sq ft of office development is planned to be completed from 2017. The proposal is part of Birmingham's plan to turn itself into a global financial ser
01/06/2015
J Tomlinson has installed ground source heat pumps at over 100 homes in East Staffordshire. The company was appointed by Trent & Dove Housing to install the Kensa pumps in rural bungalows across 15 sites around Burton upon Trent. So far the pumps have halved tenants' energy bills along with CO2 em
01/06/2015
Balfour Beatty has announced the appointment of a non-executive director. Stephen Billingham has became the fifth new director to join the company in 2015. Mr Billingham has over three decades of business and management experience, including 11 years at Balfour Beatty's predecessor BICC. Balfour
01/06/2015
Dawnus has been awarded a contract to design and develop a new secondary school academy in Wokingham. The £26.7 million contract to build the Arborfield Secondary School was awarded by the council. Plans include to develop a two storey building totalling 6,280m2, including playing fields and a flo
01/06/2015
KML has been fined £14,400 and ordered to pay £1,276 in costs after employees were discovered to be working at a dangerous height. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors visited the former aerospace plant site in Lancashire after responding to a complaint. Inspectors observed a worker stripp
01/06/2015
ITE Projects Ltd have partnered with Air Work from the Netherlands to supply and install indirect adiabatic cooling systems for data centres in the UK. The Air Work system operates with a unique heat exchanger ‘StatiqCooler’, the internal passages have a hygroscopic (water-attracting) layer where e
01/06/2015
The New National Technical Standards (NNTS) has been brought about on the back of the Deregulation Bill after concerns about planning bodies adding extra layers of technical requirements. Benfield Low Energy Buildings has stated this change to legislation will have far reaching consequences for loc
