Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for August 2015
28/08/2015
The construction of a new £26 million housing development is underway in Liverpool. The city's Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ann O'Byrne, cut the ceremonial ribbon and released the 200 affordable homes in Walton on 26 August. The Queen Mary Place development is being built by Countryside on behalf of S
28/08/2015
Scape Group has appointed Kier to its National Minor Works framework. The framework is worth up to £1.5bn over the next four years. Kier was first appointed to the Minor Works framework in 2011. The scheme was developed to support a wide range of requirements and has delivered over 500 projects a
28/08/2015
UCATT has announced fresh strike action is to take place against a housing association (HA) based in Staffordshire. Workers at Aspire Housing are staging a 24 hour walkout on 1 September. The strike is taking place due to the the company refusing to meet unions or seek meditation via ACAS over pla
28/08/2015
Highways England has announced overnight road closures on the A1 motorway due to installation works. The road will be closed in both directions from junction 4 (Hatfield) to junction 6 (Welwyn) from 10pm until 5am for two nights beginning 1 September. This is to allow work to install two key gantr
28/08/2015
One of the UK's oldest construction companies has been appointed as principle contractor on a conservation scheme. The company, William Anelay, has been named as contractor on the £3.5m Key to the North project. It will start on site at Pontefract Castle, Wakefield at the beginning on September.
28/08/2015
Brighton & Hove City Council has given its approval for a new student accommodation residence. Planning permission has been granted for a 51-room hall of residence for students near the Vogue Gyratory in Brighton. The green light was given by the council's planning committee on 26 August. Proposa
28/08/2015
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has stated local authorities and housing associations (HAs) should set targets to increase their spend with small businesses Sarah McMonagle, Head of External Affairs at the FMB, said the Government's announcement that every £1 in £3 is spent with small busin
27/08/2015
ISG has been awarded a £59m office refurbishment contract. The company is contracted to fit out London's Old Bailey by global investment and advisory firm Blackstone. The scheme adds to ISG's current portfolio of office projects for the global asset manager, including the Adelphi Building and One
27/08/2015
Network Rail has announced it will host a drop-in session to display plans for step-free access at a railway station in Surrey. Passengers and residents will be able to view proposals for the £3.1m investment at Godalming station. Members of the Network Rail team will be on hand to answer question
27/08/2015
Slough Borough Council has submitted a petition against government plans to build a railway depot. The parliamentary bill proposes, as part of the High Speed 2 (HS2) project, moving the Heathrow Express (HEx) depot at Old Oak Common to an area north east of Langley station. However, councillors be
27/08/2015
Planning permission has been granted for a University Technical College (UTC) in east London. The college, designed by LSI Architects, will be built by Kier in Dagenham, ELUTec. The education facility aims to inspire young people in east London and Essex to become the 'next generation' of engineer
27/08/2015
Crendon Timber Engineering has announced the appointment of Alex McLeod as its new Managing Director (MD). He will take over the position following the retirement of Philip Bell after 38 years of service with the company. Mr McLeod brings a wide-ranging expertise in green building products to Cren
27/08/2015
Building firm Seddon has been appointed to develop a £7m modern art innovation centre in Staffordshire. The company will build a three-storey, 65,336 sq ft Innovation Centre 5 (IC5) at the Keele University Science and Innovation Park. IC5 is the latest in a series of facilities at the university's
27/08/2015
The Mayor of London's office has given the go ahead to develop the first dedicated cruise liner passenger terminal in London. The Royal Borough of Greenwich's Planning Board gave its approval last month for the development at Enderby Wharf, SE10. Up to 55 cruise ships per year are expected to dock
27/08/2015
Galliford Try's Facilities Management (FM) business has secured a ten-year reactive maintenance contract with Anglia Ruskin University. The contract, worth over £5m, is spread across two of the university's campuses in eastern England. Galliford Try will work in partnership with Anglia Ruskin's Es
26/08/2015
The development of Walney Extension Offshore Wind Farm has reached a 'ground-breaking' moment, according to DONG Energy. Construction of the onshore substation is now underway in Heysham, Lancashire. Development of the substation is a 'key part' of preparatory works for the project. When the wind
26/08/2015
Worcestershire County Council has granted planning permission for a new £22m railway station. Groundwork for the Worcestershire Parkway Regional Interchange Railway Station, which will link the Cotswolds and Birmingham to Bristol lines, is scheduled to begin by spring of next year. The station wil
26/08/2015
Builder and developer Seddon has been contracted to build a housing development as part of a town centre rejuvenation. The company is set to regenerate part of Evesham town centre in Worcestershire. The £2.6m development for Rooftop Housing Group will transform the site of a derelict factory, ware
26/08/2015
Breedon Aggregates has announced Aggregate Industries' (AI) Europe CEO Pat Ward is to join the company as its new Group CEO. He will succeed Breedon's CEO Simon Vivian, who having led the company since its creation, has decided to step down to a non-executive role. Mr Ward is currently CEO of AI E
26/08/2015
Highways England has announced overnight resurfacing work is scheduled for the A19 carriageway. The work will improve the road surface of the A19 northbound carriageway in Billingham, Cleveland. The roadworks, which also includes essential concrete repairs, will take place from 1 September to 4 Se
26/08/2015
An unregistered gas installer has been given a suspended 18 month prison sentence for carrying out unsafe work and using a counterfeit Gas Safe registration. Norwich Crown Court heard how James Gotts, 39, of Surlingham Road, Bramerton, Norfolk carried out gas work at five premises in the Norwich ar
26/08/2015
Carillion has reported a 'strong' growth in its construction activities despite a decline a new orders. The company experienced a 21% increase in revenue for the first six months ended 30 June 2015, with a leap from £1,871.0m last year to £2,258.6m in 2015. Pre-tax profit remained steady at £67.5m
26/08/2015
Property specialist Andrew Granger & Co has appointed Stephen Mair as an Associate Director. Mr Mair has been with the company since 2012 and recently gained membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) by completing the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). He will work from the
25/08/2015
A new £6 million tidal gauge to help the Environment Agency (EA) measure tides, predict flooding and assess the impact of climate change, has been installed in Lincolnshire. VBA, a joint venture comprising of VolkerStevin, Boskalis Westminster and Atkins, delivered the project. The scheme complete
25/08/2015
Morgan Sindall has revealed it has been appointed to deliver the western section of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. The group was awarded the deal in a joint venture (JV) with BAM Nuttall and Balfour Beatty. The project is valued at £416m to the JV. The £4.2 billion Thames Tideway Tunnel is currently
25/08/2015
A construction management company and a director of a construction firm have been fined after employees were exposed to asbestos at a construction site. Work was carried out by three employees of Chelmsford firm Cowen Builders on a site at Kensington Church Street in London. The workers were expos
25/08/2015
Hart District Council has given the go ahead for the development of a new leisure centre in Hampshire. The £23m Hart Leisure Centre will be developed by Willmott Dixon at the edge of a new country park at Hitches Lane, Fleet. The new centre, designed by GT architects, will provide extensive facili
25/08/2015
ISG has been appointed to deliver a fit-out scheme for the Royal Institute of British Architects' (RIBA) first office and exhibition space outside London at Liverpool's Mann Island. The new architecture centre is the latest win for ISG on the renowned Liverpool waterfront, with the contractor deliv
25/08/2015
Construction workers from nine sub-contracting companies at the Sellafield nuclear plant are to stage a wave of industrial action over a health and safety dispute. Workers involved in the decommissioning and renewal project at the site are angry at the refusal by Sellafield and the sub-contractor t
25/08/2015
DONG Energy has acquired full control of the Round Three Hornsea Zone, one of the world's biggest offshore wind development zones. The Round Three Hornsea Zone has the potential to supply the electricity needs of almost three million UK homes. The Hornsea Zone is located between 31 and 190 kilomet
25/08/2015
The installer industry is a primary target market for Stroma Certification, who have announced an online promotion this September with the company's first
24/08/2015
Thames Water has announced a new £4.2bn 'super sewer' is to be developed in London next year. Construction of the sewer will begin following the confirmation of independent investors to finance and deliver the scheme. Bazalgette Tunnel, a new special-purpose company appointed to take the project f
24/08/2015
VolkerFitzpatrick has appointed Neville Tucker Heating as a sub-contractor on the development of a turbine blade factory project in Hull. The £12m contract will see Neville Tucker Heating undertake a range of electrical and mechanical building services on the site. Other services include controlli
24/08/2015
Kier Property, in a joint venture (JV) with Investec Structured Property Finance, has acquired a vacant building in London. A £55m deal was agreed with British Airways Pension Trustees to purchase 31-36 Foley Street in Fitzrovia. The 34,000 sq ft building was originally built in the 1920's and is
24/08/2015
Highways England has announced a £500,000 project to widen the A66 carriageway is scheduled to begin. A single lane carriageway section of the route near Troutbeck is to be widened to provide space for two new dedicated right turns. The turns will relieve queuing behind vehicles waiting to turn in
24/08/2015
A construction company has been fined £10,000 with over £6,600 in costs after a toddler managed to wander onto a building site. 360 Property was the principal contractor for a new build housing development at Oak Road in Blaina, Wales. The site was served an improvement notice after security issue
24/08/2015
The Government's announcement that bids for public sector contracts worth over £10m must demonstrate a clear commitment to apprenticeship training, will help increase apprenticeship numbers, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Head of External Affairs at the FMB, Sarah McMonagle,
24/08/2015
Work is underway to demolish the last remaining high rise tower as part of a regeneration scheme in London. Over this week, Cambria House will be the final of seven tower blocks to be taken down as the next phase of the Erith Park redevelopment in Bexley. Housing association Orbit South is leading
24/08/2015
WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff has been selected to provide engineering services as part of a shopping centre refurbishment project in Sheffield. The Meadowhall shopping and leisure complex is being transformed as part of a £50m interior design refurbishment by British Land. The appointment represents t
21/08/2015
Ofgem has completed the second round of tendering for its Offshore Transmission Owner (OTO) regime. It has granted West of Duddon Sands (WoDS) Transmission a licence to own and operate the £269m transmission link to the West of Duddon Sands offshore wind farm. The decision now brings the total new
21/08/2015
The market for building Anaerobic Digestion plants could be at risk from government alterations to the feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme. Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) adjustments to the FiT has the potential to kill off popular sectors of the renewables industry, according to the Renewa
21/08/2015
A new map has been produced to highlight areas in Northern Ireland considered "at risk" for radon gas. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that seeps into homes from the ground. Long term exposure can lead to cancer and it is estimated that every year there are about 1,000 radon linked l
21/08/2015
Network Rail has announced plans to develop a new entrance for a station in London. The London Bridge station is being completely rebuilt as part of the Government sponsored Thameslink Programme. Planned works include a new entrance onto St Thomas Street in Southwark. The entrance will provide a
21/08/2015
Keepmoat has been appointed by West Lancashire Borough Council to deliver new factory units to meet the needs of businesses in the region. The 11 units will replace those which were demolished at 18-24 Gorsey Place on the Gillibrands industrial estate in 2013. The £1.75m 'Greenshoots' development
21/08/2015
Highways England has announced two major improvement projects are scheduled for the M27 motorway. The work to junctions three and five represents a £12.5m investment and will reduce congestion, improve journey times, improve flow across the junction and increase safety. The upgrades are part of th
21/08/2015
South Tyneside Council has announced construction is underway on a £5.1m housing development. The 47 home complex will be built on the site of the former Tunnel ex-servicemen's club in North Street, Jarrow. South Tyneside Housing Ventures Trust is working in partnership with construction firm Gall
21/08/2015
The value of infrastructure contracts increased by almost 90% year on year in July, according to a recent report by Barbour ABI. The latest Economic & Construction Market Review shows the contract values awarded reached £2bn, based on a three month rolling average. The figure is almost 90% higher
20/08/2015
Construction firm Willmott Dixon has secured a £10m contract to develop a University Technical College (UTC) in Durham. The new UTC South Durham will be built on the Aycliffe Business Park. The project, which is due to begin soon, will be developed in collaboration with engineers at Hitachi Rail E
20/08/2015
Costain has announced a 'strong' performance in its results for the half year ending 30 June 2015. The company experienced increases in revenue and underlying operating profit, a record order book and a 15% increase in the interim dividend for the first six months of 2015. Group revenue improved t
20/08/2015
Keepmoat along with partners Strata, Hull City Council, Home Group and Priority Space has held a consultation for a new housing development in Hull. Residents of East Hull were given the opportunity to have their say in the pre-planning process of the Wawne View development. The project is part of
20/08/2015
Highways England are advising motorists of a closure to the M56 next month as construction works get underway. Junction eight of the M56 near Bowdon in Cheshire will close for approximately four weeks. The closure is part of construction work on Highways England's new £192m A556 link road between
20/08/2015
Royal BAM has turned around 2014's loss-making position at the half-year stage into a profit this year. In the first fix months of 2015, the company made a profit of €3.9m compared to the €3.8m loss during the same period in 2014. The Dutch-based group reported revenue was up to €1,093m, an 18% in
20/08/2015
Orbit Group has secured a £75m bank loan from HSBC to further its plans to develop 12,000 new homes. The five-year funding agreement will support Orbit's programme to achieve the minimum development of 12,000 new homes between 2013 and 2020. With 39,000 homes, Orbit is one of the UK's largest hous
20/08/2015
Cambridge City Council has given the go-ahead for a new station to be developed in Chesterton. The station will have three new platforms and will be fully accessible with a footbridge and lifts to each platform. Other features include retail facilities, a 1,000-space cycle park and 450-space car
20/08/2015
UK consultancy Mott MacDonald has been appointed to oversee the development of two sections of the A1 motorway in Poland. The scheme is being co-financed by the country's General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways along with the European Union (EU). The project aims to reduce congestion
20/08/2015
A project to save an old church tower has received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Initial support of £50,800 has been given by the HLF for the project to save the 13th century church tower in Bramcote. The first round pass will help the Bramcote Old Church Tower Trust to develop pro
20/08/2015
East Yorkshire firm Heald has been awarded the UK, European and US patents for its HT1-Raptor anti-terrorist security barrier. The system combines the high security of a roadblocker with the flexibility of a shallow mounted bollard. Crash tests for Hornsea-based Heald's range of Hostile Vehicle Mi
19/08/2015
Eco World Ballymore has revealed plans for a 35 metre high suspended swimming pool in London. The suspended swimming pool, named 'Sky Pool', will be developed at Embassy Gardens in Nine Elms on South Bank. The 'Sky Pool' will link two residential buildings at the 10th storey, allowing residents to
19/08/2015
A new £21.7m flood defence scheme has been completed in Kent. The Sandwich Town Tidal Defence Scheme was delivered in partnership by the Environment Agency, Pfizer and Kent County Council. It is the single largest flood defence scheme for three decades in the county. The scheme involved works on
19/08/2015
Kier has been awarded a £34.5m contract to carry out improvement works for a mixed-use development in London. Royal London Asset Management has appointed the company to deliver works at Parnell House on Wilton road, Victoria. The works are part of the large-scale regeneration projects currently un
19/08/2015
Two thirds of UK building companies are having to turn down work, according to new research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The survey revealed 66% of small construction firms admitted they have been forced to turn down work due to a skills shortage. Almost half have been forced to out
19/08/2015
Community groups in East Berkshire are being urged to apply for grants from Southern Electric Power Distribution's (SEPD) £1m Resilient Communities Fund. The fund was set up to help towns and villages be better prepared for emergency situations and extreme weather events. Almost £20,000 has been h
19/08/2015
Empiric Student Property (ESP) has announced the acquisition of student accommodation apartments in Cornwall. The property is located on Pendennis Rise in Falmouth. The Maritime Studios accommodation comprises 146 large, self-contained studio apartments with communal facilities. ESP has acquired t
19/08/2015
Central Bedfordshire Council has awarded Ringway Jacobs a seven-year highway maintenance contract. The current contractor on the deal is Amey. The decision to award the contract to Ringway Jacobs was confirmed at a council Executive Meeting on 4 August, following a 'rigorous' procurement exercise.
19/08/2015
Keepmoat has made progress with a £30m regeneration project in Tyne and Wear. The scheme involves developing 223 new homes across 5.6 hectares of land in the Trinity South area of Laygate. The project area includes the former Circatex factory site as well as the southern half of Frederick Street,
19/08/2015
Two construction unions are staging a series of protests at employers' organisations which have blocked the introduction of the London Living Wage for workers. UCATT and Unite have organised demonstrations which began at 8am this morning 19 August. The trade unions are staging protests outside the
19/08/2015
A leading galvanizing company is playing its part in the ongoing restoration of a fire-stricken Victorian pier to bring it back to its former glory. Wessex Galvanizers, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, has teamed up with MRK Steel Erectors to provide its hot dip galvanizing protection to over 250 t
18/08/2015
Birmingham City University has submitted a planning application for a new £41m School of Life Sciences and a relocated School of Education. The 10,500m2 building will be located at the University's City South campus in Edgbaston and will offer a range of new health, nutrition, biomedical science an
18/08/2015
Private equity platform Cogress has announced it is to develop seven luxury flats in London. Working with developers Linton Group, the project will be built on Redington Road in Hampstead. The total equity to be raised is £6.6m, of which nearly £5.5m has been raised by Cogress' investors. The mul
18/08/2015
Highways England has announced a £6.4m project to replace a bridge on the A38. The new Merafield Bridge will be 80 metres long, 11.3 metres wide and made of 2,503 tonnes of concrete and 401 tonnes of steel. It will be developed alongside the old bridge this autumn. Once the new structure is opene
18/08/2015
A Gloucester firm has been fined £15,000 with costs of £3587 after refurbishment work at a home left an elderly resident at risk from a gas heater. The woman's home in Coral Close, Holmleigh, was one of 67 properties that had been refurbished as part of a project undertaken by civil engineering fir
18/08/2015
Skanska has been awarded a 12-year lighting contract to replace 55,000 street lights with energy-efficient LED lanterns. Gloucestershire County Council has handed Skanska the contract which is expected to save £22m in energy costs over 12 years. The work is also expected to cut carbon emissions by
18/08/2015
A Carillion joint venture (JV) has achieved financial close on the Midlands Priority School Building Programme. Using the UK Government's PF2 model, the 25-year private finance concession contract will generate £187m of construction and support services revenue. Carillion will invest £5.5m of equi
18/08/2015
CDL Group has opened a new office in Buckinghamshire. The expansion provides a better service to CDL customers in London and the South East of England. The office opened on the 1 July 2015. It offers all the same services as the existing Head Office including, ISO Certification, EN 1090 Conforma
18/08/2015
Porcelain tiles are among the most popular. This is because they are not only incredibly versatile, but also very cost effective. They are perfect for people who are looking for a cheaper, yet effective alternative to other tiling materials. If you are considering having them installed in your home,
17/08/2015
Crossrail has welcomed a 465 metre long concreting train to help fit-out the tunnels on the infrastructure project. The train will lay concrete within the tunnels to enable tracks to be laid. Following the end of the 26 mile tunnelling operation, the train arrived at the Plumstead railhead in sout
17/08/2015
Willmott Dixon has been awarded a contract to develop a new school in Kent. The company was appointed by Kent County Council through the Scape Major Works Framework. A new home for Trinity Free School will be built on the site of Wilderness School in Sevenoaks. Works include new car parking and b
17/08/2015
Costain has completed the acquisition of professional services consultancy Rhead Group. Rhead Group was established in 1985 and operates with over 550 people. It provides a range of solutions for the lifecycle of infrastructure, construction and asset management programmes, primarily in the UK, fo
17/08/2015
A construction skills shortage is threatening government plans to develop 275,000 affordable homes by 2020, according to local councils. New analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA) reveals a growing mismatch between the construction industry's increasing demand for skills and a falling n
17/08/2015
The Government has announced it is selling its 36.5% stake in a 67 acre redevelopment site around King's Cross Central in London. The decision to sell the government's investment in King's Cross Central Limited Partnership (KCCLP) was announced by the Chancellor in June. The sale of the government
17/08/2015
Lovell has been selected to re-roof over 1,100 council houses in Hull. The housing refurbishment specialist has been handed a further £3.9m contract by Hull City Council. Lovell has been working with the city council since 2012. Works have included the removal and renewal of roof coverings and th
17/08/2015
H. Mullins (Earby) has been fined £13,500 with over £1,400 in costs for deliberately compromising the safety guards on machinery for production reasons. South Tyneside Magistrates' Court heard how the engineering firm, which produces precision engineered components, used Computer Numerically Contro
17/08/2015
Capable of waterproofing and damp‐proofing internal and external walls and vaulted ceilings, above and below ground, in new construction of existing buildings over a contaminated or damp background – Delta-PT is a versatile product that is one of the most popular from the extensive Delta Membr
14/08/2015
Kingston University has been given the green light for a new £55m building and landscaping project. Councillors on the Royal Borough of Kingston's development control committee approved the project application at a meeting on 11 August. The University said the scheme at its Penrhyn Road campus wil
14/08/2015
Highways England has announced resurfacing works are scheduled to take place on the A19 carriageway in Sunderland. Work will begin on 23 August and will take place for five days between 8pm and 6am. The road will be closed between the A183 Chester Road interchange and the A1231 Hylton Grange inter
14/08/2015
House builder Keepmoat has partnered with Riverside and Newcastle City Council to create a £34m housing development in Newcastle upon Tyne. The project will develop 253 new homes including 163 two, three and four bed private homes along with 90 affordable homes at Etal Lane. The scheme is the firs
14/08/2015
Volkerstevin has announced work is underway on two flood alleviation schemes in Lincolnshire. The schemes were launched on 11 August. The projects will help manage the flow of the river Lud and River Bain at high tides in Louth and Horncastle. Both schemes are being completed by VBA, a joint ventu
14/08/2015
Energy provider Flogas Britain has announced it is entering the mains gas business. The move will see the company bringing its experience and customer service expertise to mains gas business clients. Customers with an annual spend of less than £7,500 will be able to switch online to Flogas' fixed
14/08/2015
North Devon Homes has been fined £6,000 with £833 in costs after capping off a chimney at one of its properties despite the chimney being in use. Barnstaple Magistrates' Court heard how the South-West housing firm were investigating damp at a property at Church Lake, Landkey. In an attempt to solv
14/08/2015
SP Energy Networks has 'switched-on' a new £22m overhead power line. The line was activated between Legacy, Wrexham and Oswestry, North Shropshire. The project will boost the security of electricity supplies for over 130,000 homes and businesses across Mid Wales, North Shropshire and South Wrexham.
14/08/2015
Midland Heart Housing Association (HA) has received an accolade from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The HA was presented with the Healthcare Services Industry Award at a recent ceremony in Birmingham. This is the fifth year Midland Heart has entered the scheme, gaining
14/08/2015
Galliford Try has been appointed to a new government framework worth up to £3bn. In a joint venture (JV) with OCS Group UK, Galliford Try's Facilities Management (FM) businesses has earned a place on Lot One of the Crown Commercial Services FM Framework. The JV will operate under the name of Sigma
14/08/2015
Cembrit Cemwood cladding has been selected to add a touch of colour and a contemporary finish to a garden summer house situated in Crown Woods Way, South East London. Over 40m² of Cemwood has been installed on the new building, designed and built by homeowners, Effie and Peter Antoniou. Effie and P
13/08/2015
The final tunnel boring machine (TBM) used in the Crossrail project is being dismantled following the completion of tunnelling works. The machine, TBM Victoria, is being dismantled 40 metres below Farringdon in central London. Victoria's 130 metre trailer is being removed via the shaft at Stepney
13/08/2015
Miller Homes has announced it is developing a new primary school in Derbyshire. The housebuilder has now started construction of the £2.2m development in Luke Lane, Brailsford. The building will comprise of four classrooms and specialist teaching facilities, including an IT suite, a large multi-us
13/08/2015
Morgan Sindall has announced it is underway with work to build a new £2.6m primary school in Halton. The £2.6m Halebank Church of England Primary School will be located on Heath View Road in Widnes. It is one of 12 schools to be delivered by Morgan Sindall under the Education Funding Agency's (EFA
13/08/2015
Britain's largest tunnelling machine is being used on a £1bn electrification project to improve rail services across north-west England. 'Fillie', the tunnel boring machine (TBM), has begun work to reconstruct Farnworth Tunnel as part of an electrified railway project between Preston and Manchester
13/08/2015
A Bedford man has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after installing an LPG fuelled boiler when he was not gas safe registered. Kalimat Ramalingum, 58, also had no recognised qualifications to carry out the work at the domestic property. Luton Magistrates' Court heard how Mr
13/08/2015
A new sports club has been unveiled in Birmingham. The new Edgbaston Foundation Sports Ground will become a new hub for junior, recreational and community sports projects in the area. The club also features a £750,000 pavilion funded by Persimmon Homes Central, which is based on the nine acre Cape
13/08/2015
Southern Electric Power Distribution (SEPD) has provided a financial boost of £19,000 towards Eastbury Village Flood Prevention Association's (EVFPA) flood defences. The funding comes just after the completion of a flood alleviation scheme to protect the residents and business in Eastbury, Berkshir
13/08/2015
Legal & General Capital (LGC), working in partnership with Legal & General Property (LGP), has acquired a 50% stake in a business development site in East Leeds. L&G has entered into a joint venture (JV) with Scarborough Group for the acquisition of Thorpe Park Leeds, a 200 acre mixed-use site. Th
13/08/2015
Costain has announced its Technical Director, Bill Hewlett, has been elected to the board of the Engineering Council (EC). The EC is responsible for setting and maintaining the generic standards for professional competence for all professional engineers in the UK. Mr Hewlett, who was elected for a
13/08/2015
Osbourne has won its first contract under the Sussex Cluster Contractor Frameworks to design & build a primary school for Kent County Council. The new Langley Primary School will be the first school Osbourne has built in Kent and is valued at almost £5m. The two form entry school will be based in
12/08/2015
Enfield Council has shortlisted five developers for the second stage of selecting the master developer for the Meridian Water Development. Berkeley Homes, Barriet & Segro, Taylor Wimpey & Dorchester, PCPD & Willmott Dixon and Peabody have all made it to the next stage. The Meridian Water Developme
12/08/2015
A new footbridge over the A38 at Carkeel has been opened in Cornwall. The bridge has been developed on the Plymouth side of the roundabout and will let pedestrians walk between Saltash and Tamar industrial and retail estate. The 66-tonne structure was officially opened at a ceremony attended by Sh
12/08/2015
Main Line Timber has been fined £10,000 with costs of £1,000 after an employee lost two fingers on his left hand while working on machinery. The 27-year-old employee of the Daventry-based timber gate manufacturer was pulled into the rotating blade of an inadequately guarded circular saw on 25 July
12/08/2015
A 'crunch' meeting of union representatives is to be held on 14 August to discuss future industrial action at the Sellafield nuclear facility in Cumbria. Over 1,200 construction workers involved in the decommissioning and renewal project at the site are angry at the refusal to facilitate a full-tim
12/08/2015
Balfour Beatty has reported a £150m loss for the first half of the year, according to its latest results publication. With an overall order book at £11.3bn and a £1.25bn investment portfolio, the contractor remains in a powerful position. However, problem contracts continue to hinder the construct
12/08/2015
RGB Building Supplies has announced its expansion plans following a successful 2014/15 trading year. RGB has been given the go ahead for a new branch in Torquay and a larger premises in Okehampton, with both builds due to begin in the near future. Each branch will have a varied offering, including
12/08/2015
Wates Living Space has been appointed by Newlon Housing Trust to deliver responsive repairs and maintenance for its housing stock across London. The five-year contract will see Wates take responsibility for providing a range of repairs and maintenance services for nearly 8,000 homes. It is also ho
12/08/2015
International companies Abengoa and Toshiba have been selected as preferred bidders to develop the Tees Renewable Energy Plant in Middlesborough. The £424m project is owned by MGT Teeside (a subsidiary of MGT Power) and will be located in Port of Teeside. The plant will become the world's largest
12/08/2015
GRAHAM has announced it is progressing with work on the first phase of a new £100m biomass terminal at the Port of Liverpool. The firms construction division is developing the port, which will eventually handle three million tonnes of wood pellets a year as part of the decarbonisation of Drax Power
12/08/2015
Norfolk County Council is to call a special full council meeting ahead of rising construction costs on Norwich's Northern Distributor Road (NDR) project. The Extraordinary Council Meeting on 2 September will discuss closing the funding gap, which has now risen to nearly £30m. Council Leader George
11/08/2015
A Carillion joint venture (JV) has been selected as the preferred bidder to deliver the Midland Metropolitan Hospital Public Private Partnership project. Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust has appointed The Hospital Company to deliver the £430m development. The new hospital will have
11/08/2015
The Environment Agency is to review its options for a tidal defence scheme in Devon. The proposed Starcross and Cockwood scheme on the Exe Estuary is estimated to reduce flood risk to over 600 residential and commercial properties. The scheme is being accelerated as part of the March 2015 Budget a
11/08/2015
Building materials supplier Tarmac is trialling a new concrete mixer that has been designed to enhance the driver's field of vision. The new Econic concrete mixer has been designed by Mercedes-Benz and features a panoramic windscreen and floor-to-ceiling doors. This allows the driver to have a cle
11/08/2015
Morgan Sindall has been appointed to build a £27.5m teaching facility for the University of Huddersfield. The 7,500 sq m six-storey building will be developed in a campus location opposite the Shorehead roundabout between Queensgate and Wakefield Road in Huddersfield town centre. The building will
11/08/2015
Network Rail has announced work will soon begin on a 14-month investment programme at Stirling station. The £3m project will upgrade and replace the glass roof and install safe access for future maintenance on the listed building. Existing glass panels, which are prone to cracking and discolourati
11/08/2015
Stepnell has announced the appointment of Rob Speirs as Regional Director to develop its business across Dorset and the southwest. Mr Speirs joins Stepnell from Feltham Construction where he was Construction Director. He will be the new Regional Director for Stepnell's Poole-based operations. Pri
11/08/2015
Nottingham City Council is set to open a new £80,000 children's playground in Basford. The facility at Stockhill Park was developed after a partnership between the council and the local residents' group, Saltar. Features of the park includes climbing frames, two sets of swings, a roundabout and fi
11/08/2015
Rotork UK has been fined £15,000 for safety failings which led to a worker suffering head injuries at its site in Huthwaite. Mansfield Magistrates' Court heard how on 31 January 2014, a 30-year-old worker was struck in the face by a chuck key at the site, resulting in serious injuries. The chuck k
11/08/2015
Highways England has announced off road trials of new 'electric highways' technology are due to take place later this year. The trials will be the first of their kind and will test how the technology would work safely and effectively on the country's motorways and A roads. Every major roadway and
11/08/2015
The British property market is continuing to climb, with the latest ONS figures indicating house prices increased by 5.7% in the year to May 2015. Financial website This is Money has advised homeowners that smartening up properties can add an additional 10% to resale prices. Turnkey designer, manufa
10/08/2015
Hightown Housing Association (HA) has submitted plans to build affordable homes on the site of an empty office block in Hertfordshire. Proposals include developing shops, green space, and nearby public transport in Maylands, Hemel Hempstead. The housing development will consist of 87 one and two-b
10/08/2015
The southbound M53 junction at Moreton has been opened for the first time in years after a bridge repair project was recently completed. The entry slip road for the southbound M53 at junction two re-opened on 7 August following completion of repairs to a bridge which carries the slip road over the
10/08/2015
Communities Secretary Greg Clark has boosted the government's starter homes initiative by launching a £26m fund for house-builders. The fund will support architects, developers, councils, housing associations and small builders to develop properties that will increase the quality of design. The fu
10/08/2015
Eastern Concrete has opened a new ready-mix concrete batching plant near Norwich. The depot resides adjacent to Longwater Quarry off Stanfield Road in Wymondham. It is the companies third plant and is capable of mixing over 50m3 of concrete per hour. Managing Director, Tom Baker, said: "Eastern C
10/08/2015
Structural work is underway to transform a quay at a North East port in England. Port of Sunderland has announced that Jubilee Quay, the third largest of its eleven quays, is currently being redeveloped. A new asphalt hardstanding will be built to allow the 120m long quay to be used for the shipme
10/08/2015
A plumber has been fined £500 with costs of £933 for safety failings which led to an explosion at a property in Lancashire. Burnley Magistrates' Court heard how Lee Barrett failed to implement appropriate safety devices when removing an existing water tank for a loft conversion in Cambrian Way, Has
10/08/2015
Osbourne has completed construction work for two primary schools in Surrey. Work has finished at St Peter's Primary School near Ashtead and Hillcroft Primary School in Caterham. The new £1.1 million building works at Hillcroft increased the school from a one to a two form entry. Similar extension
10/08/2015
Whitefriars Housing together with Wates Living Space has officially opened a new homeless centre in Coventry. The multi-million pound 'Gateway' development in Hillfields has been purpose-designed to help local homeless people achieve independent living and improve their employment aspects. Built b
07/08/2015
Rockspring, alongside development partner Sterling Property Ventures, has received planning permission to build the tallest office tower in Birmingham. The development will be located at 103 Colmore Row in the city. Birmingham City Council approved plans to demolish a 22-storey, 1970s-built NatWes
07/08/2015
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded a grant of over £2.1m towards the restoration of a town hall in Northamptonshire. The funding was given to Brackley Town Council to repair and upgrade the 'vulnerable' Georgian Town Hall building as a rejuvenated community venue. The historic hall was b
07/08/2015
Overnight closures have been announced on the A1 in North Yorkshire due to a construction project. A new bridge is to be developed to form part of the A1 Leeming to Barton major road scheme. The A1 will be closed on 15 August and 22 August in both directions from 8pm to 10am between Scotch Corner
07/08/2015
A Norwich-based roofing contractor has been fined after his employee fell through a roof on which he was working. Sole trader Leighton Johnson and his employee were completing a job on a fragile roof at a factory in Kings Lynn on 11 August 2014. The 26-year-old employee was kneeling on a scaffol
07/08/2015
Premier Interlink has been named as preferred bidder by EDF Energy for a £40m accommodation contract at the Hinkley Point C (HPC) project in Somerset. Premier, part of the Waco International Group, has been appointed to design and develop a number of modular buildings covering more than 38,000m2, w
07/08/2015
JLL has announced the acquisition of UK-based design and fit-out company Bluu. The deal forms part of JLL's continuing strategic investment plan for growing its Tétris design and fit-out business. The acquisition takes immediate effect, with the Tétris UK team set to relocate into the Bluu London
07/08/2015
Interserve has announced construction work will begin at its new offices in Birmingham in January 2016. The company has been given planning permission to demolish an unoccupied four-storey office block at a site next to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International Railway Station.
07/08/2015
DCM Surfaces have been part of a huge transformation and restoration of the UK's largest and most historic lidos situated in Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, Pontypridd. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has appointed leading construction company Kier Construction Limited to undertake the extensive work and
06/08/2015
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council has become the first council in England to secure finance from the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) to replace its existing streetlights with lower energy alternatives. GIB has agreed to provide funding of £8.2m, alongside a grant of £5.1m from the Department for Trans
06/08/2015
False self-employment and casualisation grew in the construction industry last year, according to figures obtained by construction union UCATT. A freedom of information request by the union revealed that the number of workers who received payments via the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) increase
06/08/2015
A joint venture (JV) by Big60Million and Foresight Solar Fund has been announced to acquire three solar farms, totalling 34MWp. The venture brings together institutional finance with community funding raised through the Big60Million Solar Bonds scheme. The scheme offers local communities in the UK
06/08/2015
Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay (TLSB) has submitted a planning application to Swansea Council to develop an international watersport centre in the area. The facility will be developed at the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon site, a renewable energy-generating lagoon with a 320MW installed capacity. The centre
06/08/2015
Planning permission has been granted to develop a new Maggie's Centre in the grounds of St James's University Hospital in Leeds. The facility is due to open in 2017 and was designed by Heatherwick Studio. Laura Lee, Chief Executive of Maggie's said: "We're absolutely thrilled to have been granted
06/08/2015
Bilfinger GVA has announced the appointment of Jonathan Powers as Senior Surveyor. He will join the company's Lease Consultancy team in Manchester. Mr Powers has over nine years of experience in the commercial property industry and will be responsible for rent reviews, lease renewals and lease res
06/08/2015
Once a familiar sight in the halls of the Harrogate International Centre for three days in early September, Floorwise is returning to The Flooring Show with its leading range of underlays and accessories, this time thanks to Northern Flooring Distributors. The combined efforts of two Floorwise dist
06/08/2015
Sertronics are pleased to announce the introduction of a full range of Sertronics own brand battery packs and accessories including battery packs for Electric Vehicles, Bikes and scooters. The company identified a gap in the market for the provision of a high quality UK based company able to compe
05/08/2015
Bouygues UK has won the first construction contract for a regeneration project in Barking. The development is being jointly delivered by East Thames and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD). The authorities are renewing the eastern end of the Gascoigne Estate, sharing responsibility f
05/08/2015
Demolition works are underway at the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) Corunna Barracks in Ludgershall, Wiltshire. Contractors are preparing the site which has been earmarked for 246 new army family homes. Specialist contractors, working on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), are pu
05/08/2015
A £14 million scheme to lift new beams into place on the Chieveley interchange on the M4 has been completed early. Full weekend closures scheduled for the roundabout below the M4 and the A34 in both directions have now been cancelled. The scheme involved undertaking three essential bridge maintena
05/08/2015
Highways England has announced it will spend £166,000 on repairs to the M55 later this month. Wear and tear repairs to the westbound carriageway surface between junctions 3 and 4 will be carried out in five nights of work between 17 August and 21 August. Highways England project manager Peter Gee
05/08/2015
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has stated a recent High Court ruling on affordable housing will 'heighten' the housing crisis. The decision strikes down exemptions from affordable housing contributions for small developments. Chief Executive of the FMB, Brian Berry, said the ruling threat
05/08/2015
Over 1,200 construction workers have downed tools at the decommissioning and renewal project at Sellafield in Cumbria. The two and a half hour strike took place this morning 5 August between 5:30am and 8am in a campaign to improve health, safety and productivity. Members of construction union Unit
05/08/2015
Speller Metcalfe has appointed Des O'Neill as its new Managing Director (MD). Previously, he was Director of the Construction Division at the company. The position will see Mr O'Neill move towards managing both the contractor's Malvern and Wolverhampton operations. Steve Speller, Joint Group MD,
05/08/2015
Building services contractor TClarke has experienced a steady improvement in the first half of 2015, according to its latest Interim Results. Group revenue for the first six months to 30 June was £112.0m (2014: H1: £109.8m) while underlying operating profit improved from £1.1m to £1.4m. This pushe
05/08/2015
Severn Valley Woodworks has been fined £8,000 with over £1,100 in costs after a worker lost three fingers while using a table saw. Egidijus Norkus, 44, was instructed to use the table saw by his supervisor to cut tongue and grove boards being used to make bird table bases on 22 September 2014. Str
05/08/2015
A colossal spike in commercial construction in June could be a sign of increasing confidence in UK business following the General Election, according to a leading construction economist. June 2015 saw the value of commercial and retail contracts awarded double versus May 2015. This increase - with
04/08/2015
Construction teams working on the Mersey Gateway Project have started to build three large pylons that will support the Mersey Gateway Bridge. A major concrete pour began on 03 August for the south pylon foundation, pumping 1,400 cubic metres of concrete into the south cofferdam for approximately 2
04/08/2015
Galliford Try has been appointed to deliver the first phase of the new Arena Central project in Birmingham. The company was selected by developer ACDL, a joint venture (JV) between Miller Developments and Pro Vinci Asset Management. The £66m contract covers the development of the 2 Arena Central b
04/08/2015
Plans to develop a £22 million National Badminton Arena in Milton Keynes have been scrapped. Following an extensive consideration of the viability of the development, the Board of Directors of Badminton England decided not to pursue the project. The proposals involved building a 3,000 seat 17-cour
04/08/2015
Mineral resources company Francis Flower has announce the acquisition of the Scunthorpe Ground Ganulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS) facility from Hanson Cement. GGBS is an environmentally friendly low CO2 cement produced from a by-product of the steel industry. The business is capable of producing o
04/08/2015
A Stockport heating engineering firm has been sentenced after two of its engineers were exposed to asbestos while working at a school in Manchester. Trafford Magistrates' Court heard Flueclean Installation Services was contracted to replace boilers in the boiler room of the school. However, two of
04/08/2015
Carillion has been appointed to develop a £19 million flood protection programme on the River Don. The scheme aims to enhance the protection of Sheffield's Lower Don Valley from major flooding. Works will take place over an eight kilometre stretch between the Wicker and the M1 motorway. Channel m
04/08/2015
Plans have been submitted for a £100 million regeneration and improvement project at Salterns Marina in Poole. Proposals include a luxury hotel with spa being built on the site of the current hotel, which is to become a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views of the harbour. A total of 73 apartmen
04/08/2015
Mott MacDonald has announced it is to design new sections of the R35 and R55 expressways in the Czech Republic. The firm will design a new 5.8km section of the R35 expressway, including three bridges, two interchanges, two roundabouts, four overpasses and one railway viaduct. One watercourse will
04/08/2015
This year has been an exciting and multi-award winning year at The Reclaimed Flooring Company (RFC). Not only has it sourced incredible new timbers from around the world, but it has worked tirelessly to redefine the standard in bespoke flooring through its specialist and sought after colouring techn
04/08/2015
Cornwall Environmental Consultants (CEC), based in Allet near Truro, are in a favourable position thanks to Natural England offering a new kind of licence for those who find they have bats living in buildings they wish to develop. Natural England have introduced a 'Bat Low Impact Class Licence' whi
03/08/2015
A new Urgent Care and Trauma Centre has been opened at Aintree Hospital in Liverpool. The centre represents the first phase of a £35 million three-phase redevelopment designed by architects and planners IBI Group. The new facility provides the hospital with an interim state emergency department, t
03/08/2015
Work is scheduled to begin next week to replace sections of the barriers on the M5 sliproad at Junction 18 near Avonmouth. The scheme involves removing the current steel restraint barriers and replacing them with concrete barriers. The project is due to start on 3 August and is scheduled to be com
03/08/2015
Vattenfall has cancelled plans for a wind farm development in Lincolnshire. The 20-turbine Nocton Fen Wind Energy Project was ceased due to a combination of local opposition and changes to the Government's planning policy. The project is one of the first major wind energy projects to be cancelled
03/08/2015
A public exhibition has taken place showing draft proposals for the redevelopment of a derelict site in Kent. The public was shown plans for the redevelopment of the Elwick Place site in Ashford town centre. Stanhope displayed its proposals for the project at a public exhibition in County Square S
03/08/2015
CRH has announced the £5bn (€6.5bn) acquisition of certain assets from Lafarge S.A and Holcim. The deal will double the company's cement production volumes and expand its aggregates and readymixed concrete portfolios. CRH has now become the third largest building materials player globally and seco
03/08/2015
Scaffolding firm Extra Access has been fined £40,000 after a roof worker fell to his death. James Bailie, 53, fell through a scaffold tower deck while carrying out roof work at a property in Thorntonhall, South Lanarkshire. He fell nearly six metres and suffered serious head injuries on 22 Septemb
03/08/2015
Surface & Materials Live, part of UK Construction Week, has announced that the Reclaimed Flooring Company will be joining its exhibitors at the show. For specifiers and designers seeking inspiration across the aesthetic, texture and performance of the surfaces they specify, Surface & Materials Live
03/08/2015
Laing O'Rourke has been named as preferred bidder for a redevelopment project in London. The company has been appointed by Derwent London for the redevelopment of the Brunel Building, 55-65 North Wharf Road in Paddington W2. The project will see the creation of a new office building sixteen storey
