Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for December 2016
22/12/2016
Work is underway on a £30 million new cancer treatment centre in Reading. The scheme is being delivered on behalf of the University of Reading by Graham Construction. The facility is part of the University's wider redevelopment of The Thames Valley Science Park, which aims to provide 800,000 sq f
22/12/2016
A project milestone has been reached on a £13.7 million shopping centre extension project in Leeds. Morgan Sindall is delivering the 65,000 sq ft leisure extension to White Rose Shopping Centre. The contractor has now reached the topping out stage of the project and is on schedule for completion i
22/12/2016
Thousands of industry workers are being "cheated" out of a pension due to "major flaws" in the Government's auto-enrolment pension scheme, according to union Ucatt. The organisation said as the majority of construction workers are agency workers who change jobs frequently and the scheme only activa
22/12/2016
New research has revealed UK schools could save on average £165,000 over their lifetime by upgrading their energy efficiency. A joint venture (JV) between Scape Group and Willmott Dixon, Sunesis, has produced the "Energy Performance Review" which outlines how schools could save thousands of pounds
22/12/2016
Work is to begin next year on a £3.6 million road safety scheme in Cornwall. The four-month scheme on the A38 in the Glynn Valley will get underway on 16 January. Works include reinforcing the carriageway, construction of a new retaining wall, the installation of vehicle restraint barriers, draina
22/12/2016
Network Rail has selected a contractor to carry out the £2.7 million refurbishment of Middlesbrough station. The 13-month project is scheduled to begin in spring next year. Features include repairing the Grade-II listed station's roof and stonework. Lisa McGuinness, commercial scheme sponsor for N
21/12/2016
Work is to begin on a £30 million residential re-development in Ashford, Kent next year. Orbit Housing Association (HA) and Chartway Group have exchanged contracts with West Kent & Ashford College to build 158 new homes on the former K College campus on Jemmet Road. Overall, the scheme will Orbit
21/12/2016
Work on a new £10 million primary school in North London is now complete. The new facility is an addition for London Academy and was built by Morgan Sindall. Features include 14 classrooms, two communal assembly halls and a kitchen area. The two-form entry facility also features a central atrium,
21/12/2016
A major milestone has been reached on a £192 million dual carriageway project in Cheshire. Highways England is continuing work to build a new A556 Knutsford to Bowdon link road between junction 19 of the M6 and junction 7 of the M56. With work on the remodelled slip roads at Yarwood Heath and Bowd
21/12/2016
A construction worker has been sentenced after carrying out dangerous work at height during a hotel development project in Manchester. David Mullholland, Victoria Road, Walton le Dale, Preston, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was sentenced to
21/12/2016
Wates has completed work on a new £5.7 million school expansion project in Nottingham. The multi-million pound scheme on Harvey Road at Bluecoat Academy was delivered earlier this week. The new 420-place academy has 15 classrooms, an assembly hall, a playground, break-out areas, small group rooms,
21/12/2016
A new industry review has set out a number of recommendations to boost home energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. The Bonfield Review, chaired by BRE Group's chief executive Peter Bonfield, contains 27 recommendations for energy efficiency, including creating a new framework featuring th
20/12/2016
Plans have been approved for the second phase of the £700 million Middlewood Locks scheme in Salford. The development is a joint venture (JV) called FairBriar International between Scarborough, Hualing Group, and Metro Holdings. Construction work is being carried out by Beijing Construction and Eng
20/12/2016
Willmott Dixon is set to be awarded a £45 million contract to develop a new headquarters (HQ) for Merseyside Police Force. The contractor is at the pre-construction stage on the scheme, which will see the Force move from its HQ in Canning Place to a new purpose-built facility on Scotland Road. Ove
20/12/2016
Kier has secured a major highways maintenance contract worth £140 million covering Cumbria and north Lancashire. The 15-year deal will see Kier carry out repair and maintenance services on Area 13 of the Highways England network. The deal is set to commence on 01 April 2017. The company is current
20/12/2016
North Midland Construction is continuing work on a £2.7 million culvert improvement project in Warwickshire. The contractor is working with the Environment Agency, Warwickshire County Council and Stratford-upon-Avon District Council to reduce the risk of flooding from the culvert which carries the
20/12/2016
Bristol-based housing specialists Mi-space has started work on a new major housing development in South Gloucestershire. The company, part of the Midas Group, is building 70 new homes on the site of the former Mount Pleasant Farm in Longwell Green. Completion is scheduled for autumn 2017. The 'Hoo
20/12/2016
Britcon has completed a £68,000 refurbishment project in York. The civil engineering firm delivered the three-week scheme for the Information Centre at the University of York. Features of the 'FastTrack' project included stripping out, reconfiguring and refurbishing the centre with new floor finis
20/12/2016
Three galvanised steel tanks suppliers have been fined over £2.7 million for breaching competition law after colluding with each other to share their market. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) fined Franklin Hodge Industries and its parent company, Carter Thermal Industries, £2,015,135. In
20/12/2016
Three firms have been prosecuted after a worker's leg was crushed during storm drain installation work in Lincolnshire. Kier MG Ltd (formerly known as May Gurney Ltd) of Tempsford Hall, Sandy, Bedfordshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 22(1)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management)
20/12/2016
Recruitment specialist One Way has warned the industry's skills crisis is set to get worse in 2017. With recent studies suggesting activity is rising at its fastest pace in eight months in November, there was still not enough newly skilled workers entering the sector to meet demand. Paul Payne, Ma
20/12/2016
Instarmac's Estonian partner, RoadService, have supplied UltraScape Flowpoint to grout over 3,000m² of paving at the beautiful and historic Rotermann Quarter. Known as the 'City in the Heart of Tallinn' Rotermann Quarter is located between Old Town, The Port and Viru Square and is referred to as th
19/12/2016
Galliford Try has won a £32 million contract to build Northumberland County Council's new headquarters (HQ) in Ashington. Work on the new five-storey building is scheduled to begin in January next year. The project will generate up to 220 construction jobs over the next 18 months. Works involve cr
19/12/2016
A new £2.5 billion joint venture (JV) has been revealed between housing association Your Housing Group (YHG) and renewable energy company WElink Group. The partnership, which involves creating 25,000 low-carbon homes each year by 2022, has been welcomed by the Government as it will help support pla
19/12/2016
Kier has been selected to deliver the first phase of early works on a new £300 million campus development for Cardiff University. The contractor will build two facilities worth £135m as part of the major Innovation Campus (CIC) development at the University. Work is scheduled to begin early next ye
19/12/2016
BAM Construction has been selected to build a new £25 million multi-faith school in West London. The Nishkam School will be able to accommodate up to 1,400 pupils once completed. The all-through school will be set over two- and three-storeys with four wings radiating from a central hub. Features
19/12/2016
Keepmoat has been selected to deliver a £50 million mixed-use development in west London. The contractor will build 195 luxury homes in Maida Vale, City of Westminster on behalf of Latimar, part of the Clarion Housing Group. Once completed, 50% of the scheme will be sold back to Westminster City C
19/12/2016
Speedy Hire has secured around 200 jobs by purchasing Lloyds British Testing. The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, will see the new employees join Speedy from across a network of 12 Lloyds British offices in the UK. Administration firm PwC were called in to Lloyds British two months ago after
19/12/2016
A company has been prosecuted along with its director after it breached serious gas safety laws following a construction project. Plastic and Wood Specialists Ltd pleaded guilty of Regulation 8(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. It was fined £40,000 with over £1,419 in co
19/12/2016
It's estimated that a house is burgled nearly every minute in the UK. There are some tips that can help you to improve your home security and to avoid burglaries. According to POLICE.UK, homes with no security measures in place are five times more likely to be burgled than those with simple securi
16/12/2016
Balfour Beatty has won a £35 million contract to carry out the first phase of a hospital redevelopment project in north London. The contractor will deliver phase one of the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital (RNOH) redevelopment on behalf of the RNOH NHS Trust. The scheme is scheduled for completio
16/12/2016
Vinci has won a £39.1 million contract to build a new M20 junction near Ashford, Kent. The junction 10a project involves creating two new bridges to connect the existing A20, as well as a new dual carriageway link road built to the A2070 near Sevington. The scheme is currently progressing through
16/12/2016
Plans have been unveiled for a new £130 million arrivals facility at Stansted Airport. Subject to relevant approvals, it is expected the three-year project will be completed by 2019. Features of the 34,000m2 facility includes plans for larger immigration and baggage reclaim areas, including new re
16/12/2016
Work is continuing on the £600 million Mersey Gateway Project. Contractors working on the major infrastructure scheme have used the large bridge-building machine, 'Webster', to build a section of the approach road in Runcorn. The route will take traffic across the Manchester Ship Canal and onto th
16/12/2016
A major bidding war is ongoing between TVH and Loxam on who will takeover powered access specialist Lavendon. Last month, Belgian firm TVH offered 205p-per-share for Lavendon, valuing the company at £348 million. It was rejected by the Lavendon Board. However, a 220p-a-share offer from French renta
16/12/2016
Plans have been approved for a new £50 million Cardiff University student hub. The 'Centre for Student Life' facility will be built on the Cathays Campus and construction is scheduled to begin in 2017. Designed by architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios), the building will comprise of
16/12/2016
Amey has appointed Tim Harbot as Director of Technical Excellence for its Highways Executive Team. With over 26 years' experience, Mr Harbot previously worked as a former Regional Director at Highways England. He also worked for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council on the design of Black Country
16/12/2016
Plans have been submitted for a new footbridge in Lincoln city centre. The structure will be located at Brayford Wharf East level crossing and forms part of Network Rail's £40 billion Railway Upgrade Plan. If approved, features include a permanent stepped access over the railway so that pedestrian
16/12/2016
Property maintenance specialists Melchior Gray have joined the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The company has been working with homeowners, businesses and landlords in London over the last 10 years, carrying out comprehensive building, plumbing, electrical and maintenance services across the
16/12/2016
An Eccles-based construction company has been prosecuted after a fork lift truck overturned and seriously injured a 58-year-old worker. Worsley Projects Limited trading as Egan Projects, of 19 Green Lane, Eccles was found guilty of breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Working at Height Regulations 2005
15/12/2016
Kier Highways, Amey, and a joint venture (JV) between CH2M and Costain have secured four new-style contracts from Highways England worth over £300 million. Two maintenance and response contracts worth up to £262m have been awarded to Kier Highways and CH2M Costain JV. The deals are set to begin on
15/12/2016
BAM Construction has been selected to deliver a new £11.1 million sixth form college building in Leeds. The contractor will develop the new facility for Elliott Hudson College in Beeston. Designed by Bond Ryan Architects, features include refurbishing a former data centre located on the White Rose
15/12/2016
Procurement organisation Fusion21 is renewing its £290 million Compliance and Facilities Management (FM) Framework. The four-year programme offers 17 lots in various areas, such as asbestos; water hygiene; fire safety; electrical safety; and facilities management. In addition, Passive Fire Safety a
15/12/2016
Gatwick Airport has announced Sir David Higgins will become its new Chairman from next year. Sir David, who is currently Chairman of HS2, will take up the new position on 01 January 2017. He will replace Sir Roy McNulty, who is to remain on the Gatwick Board as Deputy Chairman. Speaking on the an
15/12/2016
Wates has entered into a new long-term trading agreement with equipment hire firm A-Plant. Under the new deal, A-Plant will offer its product rage and services to all of Wates' businesses, including SES Engineering Services. The agreement builds on a previous long standing supply deal between the
15/12/2016
Brexit Minister David Jones has held a meeting with global infrastructure leaders to discuss opportunities presented by the UK leaving the European Union. Following the announcement of a new National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, the Minister chaired a meeting with the Minister for Indu
15/12/2016
Robertson Timber Engineering has strengthened its regional presence by appointing two new Technical Sales Managers for England and Scotland. Andy Lewis will cover the central England region, while Cameron Scott has been selected to cover Scotland and northern England Barry Armstrong, Robertson Tim
15/12/2016
A self-employed builder has been fined after one of his workers fell from a roof during work to build an extension at a house. Frank Gaskin, a self-employed builder who trades under the name of FG Blockplan from Coldstream Road, Caterham, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6 (3) of the Work at
15/12/2016
Engineers have completed the first phase of upgrade work at Shrewsbury Railway Station. The scheme was carried out as part of Network Rail's £40 billion Railway Upgrade Plan. Features include maintenance repairs and removing the existing roof canopies, as well as installing a new roof structure an
15/12/2016
Chairman of James Latham Plc, Peter Latham, was elected as Chairman of the PEFC International Board, at the PEFC General Assembly which was held recently in Bali, Indonesia. As well as being Chairman of one of Britain's oldest timber companies, he is a former Chairman of the Forests Forever Commit
14/12/2016
Wates has won a contract to install new fire detection systems at the Palace of Westminster. Designed by IFC in conjunction with Purcells Conservation Architects, the 13-phase programme involves upgrading automatic fire detection and alarm systems alongside modifications to the emergency lighting a
14/12/2016
A joint venture (JV) between Farrans Construction and Victor Buyck Steel Construction (FVB) is continuing work on a £117 million bridge project in Sunderland. The new New Wear Crossing is being developed over the River Wear and completion is scheduled for spring 2018. Preparation works for the mai
14/12/2016
Equipment rental group Lavendon has recommended a proposed £374 million takeover offer from French rival Loxam. Last month, the Group's board rejected a £348m bid from Belgian company TVH. However, the 220 pence per share offer from Loxam has been accepted by Lavendon's board. John Standen, Chair
14/12/2016
The UK Government has outlined how it will use three million tonnes of steel on major infrastructure projects by 2020. In the new procurement guidance, over £500 billion worth of planned private and public investment is set out. Features include the High Speed 2 rail project, the construction of H
14/12/2016
Local people should help shape any proposals on estate regeneration, according to London Mayor Sadiq Khan. In a draft good practice guide, Mayor Khan recommended that Londoners be involved in any early stage of estate regeneration plans by boroughs and housing associations. The guidelines recommen
14/12/2016
Keepmoat has acquired MCI Developments as part of its plans to strengthen its position in the social housing sector. The deal will see MCI Developments continue to operate as before, with no changes to the day to day management and operation of the business. Overall, the agreement will see Keepmoa
14/12/2016
New research has revealed nearly half of councils (45%) see a lack of planning resources as one of the barriers to developing more small sites. In a new joint report from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU), 90% of local authorities believe the G
14/12/2016
Engineering consultancy Sweco has strengthened its UK leadership team by appointing two new members. Jen Hamilton will now lead the company's environmental unit, while Andy King will lead its energy unit. Both Ms Hamilton and Mr King are Sweco Directors and have been with the consultancy for 10 an
14/12/2016
A roofing company has been fined along with two of its directors after carrying out unsafe refurbishment work at a hotel development in Manchester. Enviroply Roofing Limited of Unit 20b, Yarrow Business Centre, Yarrow Rd, Chorley pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Reg
14/12/2016
Work is to begin on a £6 million Essex roads maintenance scheme in the new year. Highways England have revealed the major repairs project on the A120 and A12 will get underway on Monday, 09 January. The phased scheme will be delivered on sections of the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey, Colche
13/12/2016
Schroder UK Real Estate Fund (SREF) and its partner Stanhope Plc has confirmed the completion of One Ruskin Square. The premises is the first Grade A commercial building at its £500 million Ruskin Square scheme, located next to East Croydon station. Designed by shedkm architects with Arup and con
13/12/2016
A new rail line, connecting Oxford city centre and London, has been opened by Network Rail and Chiltern Railways. The project follows a £320 million investment by the franchise operator and the infrastructure manager. The link sees central Oxford connected to Marylebone in London via new stations
13/12/2016
The latest UK House Price Index has revealed that for October 2016, there was an annual price increase of 6.9% – taking the average property value in the UK to £216,674. In England, the October data shows an annual price increase of 7.4% which takes the average property value to £232,655. Monthly
13/12/2016
Heathrow is to start working on a planning application to develop a new runway. The application is intended to be formally submitted in 2019, after the Government has designated the National Policy Statement. The Government announced in October 2016 that a new runway at Heathrow is its preferred o
13/12/2016
The Chief Executive of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has resigned. Sarah Beale, currently Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Performance Director, will take over as Acting Chief Executive when Adrian Belton leaves the post at the end of the year. CITB Chairman James Wates said
13/12/2016
International integrated support services firm Carillion has begun working on the first building at the former Vaux brewery site in Sunderland today, 13 December. The site has stood empty for 17 years however it now forms part of a major city wide regeneration programme being undertaken by Siglio
13/12/2016
The designs for the Henry Royce Institute at the University of Manchester have been revealed. The £235million project is located at the heart of the University's Engineering Campus and will be the UK's leading centre for advanced materials research and commercialisation. Arcadis, together with it
13/12/2016
Regulatory gradings for two Housing Associations are currently under review, it has been revealed. The GUR lists organisations being investigated for an issue that could result in non-compliant grades for the governance and/or financial viability standard. The Homes and Communities Agency has co
12/12/2016
Willmott Dixon has won a £24 million contract to build a new police custody suite in Blackpool. The contractor will replace Lancashire Constabulary's current Bonny Street Police Station with a new modern facility. Designed by McBains Cooper Consultancy, the development will provide a base for loca
12/12/2016
A joint venture (JV) between John Sisk and Lagan Construction (Sisk Lagan) has started main construction work to build a new £75 million triple decker roundabout in North Tyneside. The scheme aims to improve the A19/A1058 Coast Road junction. Works involve lowering the A19 beneath the existing A105
12/12/2016
Morgan Sindall has secured a number of infrastructure deals worth around £750 million. At Heathrow Airport, the company has received an extension to cover the Airport's full five-year framework term with an additional year, taking the contract through to 2020. The firm was one of four partners orig
12/12/2016
Speller Metcalfe has announced one of its founders, Andy Metcalfe, is to step down from the company. After over 20 years in charge, Mr Metcalfe will officially retire on 01 April 2018. As a result, joint owner Steve Speller will become sole proprietor of the business while stepping into the role o
12/12/2016
The Chief Executive of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), Adrian Belton, has resigned from the organisation. Announcing the news today, 12 December, CITB Chairman James Wates said Sarah Beale will step up to take on the role of Acting Chief Executive. She is currently Chief Financial
12/12/2016
New figures have revealed men who work as construction & building trades supervisors are paid 45.4% more than women. The wage gap has been unveiled by the Government alongside a new online tool to show the gender pay gap by occupation. According to the tool, women are paid 23.3% less than men in a
12/12/2016
Two companies have been fined after serious safety breaches were found on a basement construction project in London. Lifehouse (London) Ltd of 28 Church Road, Stanmore, HA7 4XR pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM). It was fi
12/12/2016
Institutional investors consortium, Edge Orbital Holdings 2, has signed a deal to purchase a minority stake in the M25 motorway. The organisation has agreed to acquire the stake from engineering consultancy WS Atkins for £66.3 million in cash. Atkins said it expects the deal to be completed before
12/12/2016
Over £450,000 in funding is available to UK businesses which develop solar power technologies. As part of a Europe-wide competition Solar-era.net, Innovate UK has up to £455,000 available for UK businesses to invest in new manufacturing techniques, products and services in the solar energy field.
12/12/2016
Hitachi-GE has produced a new design for a nuclear power station in the UK. A consultation is now underway between the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural Resources Wales over the UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (UK ABWR) design, which was submitted for assessment in April 2014. Horizon Nuclear
09/12/2016
Essential Living has secured a £60 million loan deal from RBS and HSBC to finance the first modular build to rent (BTR) scheme in the UK. The four-year agreement will result in 249 new homes being built in Greenwich. Designed by Assael Architecture, the 23-storey Creekside Wharf scheme involves bu
09/12/2016
Galliford Try has won a £40 million contract to build a new private rental sector scheme in Birmingham. The contractor will deliver 323 apartments across two 17- and 22-storey blocks for developer Dandara Group at the Arena Central site. The scheme is being delivered as part of a wider regeneratio
09/12/2016
Nearly 100 drivers have ignored road closures and deliberately entered closed sections of the Manchester smart motorway scheme over the last 22 months. Highways England revealed around four drivers per month are entering sections of the £208 million project to try and cut journey times. So far, ar
09/12/2016
A multi-million pound land deal has been completed in south London. Developer London Square has finalised the £50 million deal with Rich Investments for the 4.7 acre former Rich Industrial Estate in Bermondsey. The site, which currently comprises nine industrial and business space buildings, has p
09/12/2016
Building renovation specialists William Birch & Sons has completed a £2.6 million water pumping station upgrade project in Hull. The Grade II-listed Springhead facility in Willerby has been fully refurbished Works included replacing the roof structure and sheeting, along with the rain water gutte
09/12/2016
National Grid has sold 61% of its gas distribution business to a Consortium led by MacQuarie Infrastructure. The £13.8 million deal, which involves 5,700 employees, will see 130,000km of pipes being transferred to their new owners. The GMB Union welcomed the move, however National Officer Stuart F
09/12/2016
Environmental consultancy RSK Group has acquired rival firm ADAS YK. The deal will see 300 employees from Wolverhampton-based ADAS transfer to RSK. In addition, Ian Strudwick will become Managing Director of the company. The acquisition was assisted with £10 million from the Business Growth Fund a
09/12/2016
An industry expert is to carry out a review into the barriers which prevent Network Rail from carrying out its alternative project delivery models. Professor Peter Hansford will chair the competition and contestability review, which will examine barriers in all elements of delivering projects. The
09/12/2016
The Commissioning Specialists Association (CSA) has launched an appeal for nominations for the CSA Awards. Now in its third year, the CSA Awards focus on best practice in key areas of commissioning for new builds, including innovation and achievement, energy saving, sales growth, customer care and
09/12/2016
BA Components has outlined what will be the most popular kitchen trends in 2017. With kitchens becoming the heart of the modern home, this lifestyle shift generates a desire for the latest trends each year from consumers. BA Components Director Kieran McCracken, said to keep an eye out for on tren
08/12/2016
The UK Government is to boost its £140 million estate regeneration fund with a further £32 million, it has been announced. As part of a new blueprint for regenerating deprived housing estates, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has unveiled details of a new government strategy, along with the additi
08/12/2016
Tata Steel has pledged its commitment towards securing jobs for thousands of steel workers in the UK. The company said it had reached an agreement with various trade unions on proposals that would "structurally reduce risks" and "help secure a more sustainable future" for its UK business. Union Un
08/12/2016
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has unveiled plans to reduce Transport for London's (TfL) costs to £800 million per year by 2020/21. Announcing a new draft Business Plan today, 08 December, Mayor Khan said efficiency savings will be made at the "flabby" organisation while also protecting front line service
08/12/2016
An innovative aerial surveying method is being used to map out the resilience of electricity networks in Scotland and England. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) are working with NM Group to create a model of its 63,000km power line network of Scottish and English operations. Using
08/12/2016
Energy Minister Baroness Neville Rolfe has opened a new electricity storage facility in Somerset. The 'grid scale' battery installation, delivered by Camborne Energy Storage and Tesla, has the capacity to provide power for over 500 homes. The centre stores renewable electricity generated by wind a
08/12/2016
Work is underway on a £2.4 million flood risk management scheme in Birmingham. The project at Selly Park South will help protect over 200 properties from flooding from the River Rea. Plans include developing an embankment on public open space, immediately upstream of Dogpool Lane Bridge, that will
08/12/2016
Morgan Sindall's joint venture (JV) with BeMo Tunnelling has secured a spot on London Underground's 'Future Stations' Civils and Tunnelling Works framework. The programme will run for eight years and is estimated to be worth £350 million. It forms part of London Underground's plans to upgrade its s
08/12/2016
Volvo Group has been prosecuted after a worker from its truck, bus and plant division fell from a step ladder during maintenance work on a delivery truck. The company, based at Wedgnock Lane, Warwick, pleaded guilt to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £9
08/12/2016
Highways England has completed a bridge maintenance project over the M6 in Staffordshire. Work on the structure in Eccleshall has involved replacing sections of the bridge on the B5026 Eccleshall Road as well as barriers to improve overall safety. In addition, re-waterproofing, resurfacing and re-
08/12/2016
A £4.5 million upgrade programme is to be carried out at Waterloo Rail Station this Christmas. The work will result in longer trains being able to operate on suburban lines running out of Waterloo, providing more space for passengers. The project is being delivered by Network Rail and will see imp
07/12/2016
Plans have been approved for a new £150 million housing development in North West London. A joint venture (JV) between Hyde Housing Group and house builder Hill will see 287 new homes built on an area of disused brownfield land in Harlesden, Brent. Features of the scheme include maisonettes, apart
07/12/2016
Three building contractors are set to be prosecuted after one worker died and another two were injured while building the Crossrail railway tunnel project in London. BAM Nuttall, Ferrovial Agroman (UK) and Keir Infrastructure and Overseas are set to appear at Westminster's Magistrates Court in Janu
07/12/2016
Two major housing associations have completed a merger, which could see up to 100,000 new homes delivered in the South East. The new partnership between L&Q and East Thames has also seen both Association's complete a £2.6 billion refinancing package, which will support their strategic objectives.
07/12/2016
Engineering firm Doosan Babcock has confirmed it is cutting nearly 500 jobs across the UK. A total of 470 posts are set to be axed across the country, including around 270 at its facility in Renfewshire. It is understood other jobs will be lost in Cumbria, Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Bristol and
07/12/2016
A new UK-China Infrastructure Academy has been launched by the UK Government and the University College London (UCL). The facility, which will be delivered by the UCL Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management, aims to help train Chinese companies and officials on investment processes i
07/12/2016
A number of industry firms have secured a new Kitemark for Building Information Modelling (BIM) launched by BSI Group. Balfour Beatty, BAM Ireland, BAM Construct UK, Gammon Construction, Skanska UK and voestapline Metsec are the first companies to achieve the PAS 1192-2 accreditation. The BSI Kite
07/12/2016
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has announced plans to reform Network Rail and diversify its responsibilities. In a statement to Parliament, Mr Grayling stated Britain's railways "need to adapt and change" to cope with growth, with plans to make publicly-owned Network Rail share its responsibly
07/12/2016
Wales' First Minister (FM), Carwyn Jones, has travelled to Brussels seeking assurances over a multi-million pound transport scheme in the wake of Brexit. The Welsh Government has committed £369 million to the Metro project over the next four years, The South Wales Metro scheme plans to deliver bet
07/12/2016
A new £16 million pumping station has opened in Hull. The facility was built by Black & Veatch at Bransholme and will help protect 15,000 homes from flood risk. It was officially opened by Hull North MP Diana Johnson on Friday, 02 December. The two-and-a-half year scheme was delivered on behalf of
07/12/2016
Highways England contractors have completed a £2 million carriageway upgrade scheme in North Yorkshire. A two-mile section of the A64 route at Rillington has undergone a series of improvements, including 6,400 tonnes of resurfacing and 800 reflective road studs replaced. In addition, the project h
06/12/2016
Plans have been announced to build a new parkway rail station connecting to Leeds Bradford Airport. The project will be developed as part of a £270 million transport improvement programme for the city. Features include building the scheme on the existing Leeds to Harrogate line, connecting to the
06/12/2016
Keepmoat has won an £8 million contract to build a new extra care housing scheme in Bristol. The 60-flat scheme will be delivered on behalf of Bristol Charities and Orchard Housing Society, with work scheduled to begin in January 2017. Plans include building a three-storey development on the site
06/12/2016
Industry merchant chain Wolseley has blamed a "weak" UK heating market as it reported a 2.9% fall in its UK revenue. While Group wide revenue was up 5.2% at £4,369m, the company confirmed it was holding employee consultations as part of its plans to cut 800 staff and shut 80 branches in the UK. Wo
06/12/2016
An additional £200 million is to be invested to improve step-free access on the London Underground. Announcing the funding today, 06 December, Mayor Sadiq Khan said the investment will help towards making London's transport system "one of the very best in the world". Once completed, over 100 stati
06/12/2016
Plans have been announced to strengthen the Construction Industry Training Board's (CITB) Levy Order Consensus process. The organisation will treble the number of industry employers which are surveyed as part of the scheme, increasing from 1,900 to 6,000 in 2017. The change will help ensure the CI
06/12/2016
Plans have been revealed for a £21 million electricity substation upgrade project on Merseyside. SP Energy Networks is aiming to start modernising Birkenhead Grid Substation in 2017. The programme will see the facility completely transformed by replacing the existing equipment, which has been in p
06/12/2016
Work is continuing on a major railway electrification project in Wiltshire. Network Rail engineers are set to start installing piles in Chippenham, which are used to support cables that will allow electric trains to run, over the Christmas period. The work is taking place on Christmas Eve, Christm
06/12/2016
An industry supplier has been prosecuted after a teenager on work experience was injured while unloading equipment from the back of a vehicle. Radwell International Limited, of Dalewood Road, Lymedale Business Park, Newcastle under Lyme, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2 and 3 of th
06/12/2016
Saw blades and tooling supplier Gerrymet Ltd is running a special Christmas offer this December. Throughout this month, customers can purchase a Euro limiter head and a pair of cutters, as well as limiters of their choice, for £75 including free delivery. To purchase, visit
06/12/2016
The British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA) has launched a new 'advisory service' to help companies achieve and maintain the correct CE Marking procedures and documentation. The organisation asks: Do you know whether the documentation supporting the placement of your products onto the UK and
05/12/2016
Up to £700 million will be invested to create new cycling infrastructure in London over the next five years, it has been announced. Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed the investment today, 05 December, with plans including the development of new Cycle Superhighways, Quietways and connection routes. Work w
05/12/2016
A joint venture (JV) between VolkerRail, Laing O'Rourke and Thales had been selected to deliver the multi-million pound Metrolink Trafford Park line. The MPact Thales (MPT) consortium will work alongside Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff to develop the exte
05/12/2016
Highways England has allocated £3 million towards a major M62 junction improvement scheme in Warrington. The £12m development next to junction 8 will help deliver over 1,400 homes and 10,000 new jobs. Overall, the project will improve access from the motorway to the £1 billion, 575-acre Omega deve
05/12/2016
New figures have revealed the UK's construction sector expanded slightly in November compared with the previous month. The seasonally adjusted Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) posted 52.8 in November, up slightly from 52.6 in October. However, while this signals an expa
05/12/2016
Over £500 billion worth of UK infrastructure projects are set to be delivered over the next five years. New figures from the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline sets out planned private and public investment over Parliament, including projects such as the Thames Tideway Tunnel, the ro
05/12/2016
London Underground has been fined after a maintenance worker fell down a former lift shaft at a disused station in the north of the city. The rail operator was prosecuted by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) under a breach of Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £50
05/12/2016
Dawnus Construction has been selected to help deliver a major regeneration project in Wokingham. The company will redevelop Peach Place on behalf of the council and work is to begin in January 2017. Works include creating a new pedestrianised public square on the site of the existing Rose Street c
05/12/2016
A company has been prosecuted after a worker sustained serious injuries during a bedroom extension project in Durham. Walter Thompson (Contractors) Limited (WTL) of Construction House, Northallerton, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 22(1)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulat
02/12/2016
NewRiver has submitted proposals for a new £60 million mixed-use development in Oxford. The plans will redevelop the Templars Square shopping centre in Cowley as well as deliver significant improvements to its surroundings. The application includes the addition of a new hotel, new restaurant units
02/12/2016
Lidl has submitted plans to build a new £70 million distribution centre in South Yorkshire. The warehouse will be located at Verdion's £500m iPort development in Rossington, Doncaster and construction is to begin in 2017. The centre will occupy 628,000 sq ft of logistics space, featuring additiona
02/12/2016
Plans have been approved for over 300 new homes to be developed in Cardiff. The schemes, which are spread across five sites and are to be delivered by Wates Residential, will form part of the council's major housing programme to deliver 1,500 homes across 40 sites. Planned projects include 192 hom
02/12/2016
Work on a £100 million motorway junction improvement scheme in Essex is now complete. The major infrastructure project involved upgrading junction 30 of the M25 where it meets the A13 to create four new lanes in each direction. Other features included new dedicated link roads, improving existing s
02/12/2016
Wates Construction has won a £27 million contract to build new Ministry of Defence (MoD) facilities in East Anglia. The contractor will develop new Squadron Headquarters to support the new F-35B Lightning II aircraft at RAF Marham. The works, which will create 300 jobs, are set to get underway in
02/12/2016
A new wind turbine blade manufacturing facility has been opened in Hull. The Siemens facility was unveiled by Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark on Thursday, 01 December. The centre will supply 75-metre long turbine blades over the next four years for a range of new offshore wind farm develo
02/12/2016
Kier Living has begun work to build a new major housing developing in Cambridgeshire. The contractor is delivering the first phase of homes at Oakthorpe on the former site of Peterborough District Hospital. A total of 43 one- to four-bedroom properties will be developed in phase one. The site has
02/12/2016
A real estate company has been prosecuted for asbestos safety failings following a fire on its premises. Tapecrown Limited, of Market Place, Wantage, Oxfordshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It was fined £8,000 with £4,000 in costs. Read
01/12/2016
Dandara Group has revealed plans to build 2,000 new Private Rental Sector (PRS) homes across Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. The developer is being supported by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) as well as HSBC with an estimated value of almost £400 million. Galliford Try, Interserve, Sir R
01/12/2016
Heathrow Airport has appointed seven companies to help design plans for the airport's multi-billion pound expansion project. The companies have each been awarded four-year contracts, which got underway in November. The successful companies will be known as the Integrated Design Team (IDT): • Amec
01/12/2016
Affinity Sutton Group and Circle Housing Group have merged together to form England's largest housing association, Glarion Group. The organisation will be comprised of a charitable housing association, a charitable foundation and a newly created commercial company to be called Latimer. The new merg
01/12/2016
Wates has been selected to deliver a new £6.8 million school extension project in Northamptonshire. The contractor will build the scheme at Corby Technical School and completion is due for October 2017. Design and construction consultancy, Pick Everard, will oversee the project for the Brooke Westo
01/12/2016
UK housebuilder Watkin Jones has forward sold two of its student accommodation developments in Cardiff and Belfast. The first scheme is a 472-bed scheme on Bridge Street close to Cardiff Queen Street station. The project is scheduled for completion in August 2018. In Belfast, the developer has als
01/12/2016
Keepmoat is to begin a £4.5 million tower block refurbishment project in Tees Valley. The contractor will improve the quality of energy efficiency and accommodation at Prior & Melsonby Court and Dawson House in Billingham, alongside Jupiter Court in Middlesbrough. The company was selected for the
01/12/2016
Breedon has purchased a number of quarries, ready-mix (RMX) concrete plants and terminals in England and Scotland. The industry materials group has acquired rival firm Sherburn Minerals Group for £15.7 million. Sherburn employs around 110 people and operates four quarries and five RMX plants in Co
01/12/2016
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has welcomed proposals by the Public Accounts Committee for the Government to develop 'quality apprenticeships'. In a recent report, the PAC said the apprenticeship training programme "involves more than just increasing apprentice numbers". With a target of
01/12/2016
Work is continuing on a major transport improvement project along the A21 in Kent. Highways England are building a new footpath for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders as part of a £69.7 million scheme to upgrade the dual carriageway between Tonbridge and Pembury. Features include extra links t
01/12/2016
Bureau Veritas has acquired construction consultancy HCD Group. As a result of the deal, HCD will rebrand to the Bureau Veritas business and align the two companies in a singular identity. HCD Management, HCD Eng. and Fusion Fire Engineering will be rebranded as Bureau Veritas, and HCD Building Co
