Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for May 2016
31/05/2016
M&G Real Estate has purchased a development site in East London from Telford Homes. The company sold its Carmen Street site to the UK property investor for £63.2 million, marking Telford's second transaction in the private rented sector. Full planning application for the site includes a 22-storey
31/05/2016
Proposals have been submitted for a £185 million residential and office development in Manchester. Both Muse Developments and Network Rail plan to build mixed-use facilities at a 2.5 acre site on Corporation Street, adjacent to the recently redeveloped £44m Victoria station. Architecture firm Shep
31/05/2016
A new £25 million green energy biomass plant is due to be built in north Wales. Developers Green Plan Energy have secured funding from the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) and Equitix to build the facility in Wrexham Industrial Estate. The 5.4MW biomass plant will generate around 34GWh of electricit
31/05/2016
Plans are progressing to build a new £130 million film, TV and moving image centre in South Bank, London. The British Film Institute (BFI) revealed last week it has received up to £87m towards the projects total cost, subject to the tender process beginning immediately. The International Centre fo
31/05/2016
British Land has gained approval to redevelop the Eden Walk Shopping Centre in Kingston upon Thames. Proposals by both the property developer and the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) includes building 380 new homes, office space, a new shopping centre, a cinema and public car parking. Othe
31/05/2016
A joint venture (JV) between Costain, Halcrow and Colas has renewed its multi-million road maintenance contract in Yorkshire. The A-one+ JV will begin providing routine highway maintenance services on the Yorkshire and Humber network from 07 June. In addition, it will deliver emergency incident re
31/05/2016
Watson Beatty Architects has made two new senior appointments at its studio in Leeds. Ben Pickersgill has been promoted to Associate Director, while Simon Collins has been promoted to Associate. Having been with the practice for 12 year, Mr Pickersgill will use his skills across commercial, indust
31/05/2016
Network Rail is due to begin a railway upgrade programme between Newport and Shrewsbury. Engineers will carry out improvement works over six consecutive weekends from 11 June until Sunday, 17 July. Features include essential maintenance work, track renewals (including significant work at Shrewsbur
31/05/2016
BAM Nuttall has appointed Colin Evison as its first Head of Innovation. With over 25 years of experience, Mr Evison was previously an engineering manager at the firm. He will lead a team looking to bring in and develop new technology, methods and ideas from a wide range of sectors, such as manufac
31/05/2016
Contractors are due to begin installing an extra carriageway lane on the A1 at Gateshead this week, Highways England has announced. Works include widening the slip road and building a dedicated feeder lane from the Lobley Hill junction to the A184. For safety reasons, the slip road will be closed
27/05/2016
The number of newly built homes is at a seven year high, according to new figures revealed by the Department of Communities and Local Government. In the year to March a total of 139,690 new homes were complete, a rise of 12% on the previous year. The latest house building figures also show that th
27/05/2016
Wilmott Dixon has said that more customers will benefit from Building Information Modelling (BIM) on their projects, after it became the first contractor to achieve company-wide BRE Global BIM Level 2 Certification for use across its entire construction, residential and interiors activities. As mor
27/05/2016
A prominent figure in the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street has been recognised as one of the leading women in construction and engineering at the Europe-wide Women In Construction and Engineering (WICE) awards in London. Carol Stitchman, from Network Rail, lead the design for the station rede
27/05/2016
UCATT, the construction industry union, has criticised the Chancellor George Osborne for his "abject performance" during the economy and work debate held on Thursday in the House of Commons. The union believes it showed the complete lack of industrial strategy and economic policy of the Tory Gover
27/05/2016
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has called on parents to encourage their children to take up a career in the house-building industry. CITB said past studies have shown that 38% of people who embark on house-building apprenticeships reach managerial level, while seven in 10 entering
27/05/2016
The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has launched a public consultation into the process and methodology of the National Infrastructure Assessment (NIA). When established by the government, the NIC was given responsibility to: • analyse the UK's long-term economic infrastructure needs •
27/05/2016
New figures have shown the number of new home registrations are up 17% compared to the same period last year. A total of 14,228 homes were registered with the National House-Building Council (NHBC) in April, with 11,258 in the private sector and 2,970 in the public sector. During the same period l
27/05/2016
An HGV driver has been prosecuted after a worker was killed during road maintenance work in Kent. Anthony Steven Smith, 48, of Philadelphia road, Porthcawl, Newport, Wales, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and a breach of section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act at Sevenoak
26/05/2016
BAM has been selected to deliver a new £41 million life sciences building for Birmingham City University (BCU). Designed by architects Sheppard Robson, the three-storey Health and Biomedical Suite will be built at the university's City South Campus in Edgbaston. Features include a range of teacher
26/05/2016
Plans have been revealed for a new town centre at Elephant and Castle in London. Designed by planning practice Allies and Morrison, proposals by Delancey and APG include creating new shops, leisure venues, restaurants and over 1,000 new homes. Other features include a 500-capacity music venue, a 1
26/05/2016
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has stated cancelling the £175 million Garden Bridge project would cost taxpayers more money than it would to finish it. Speaking during Mayor's Question Time Mr Khan said scrapping the scheme, which is due to be completed in 2018, would "simply cost Londoners more
26/05/2016
Skanska has reached a major milestone on the development of a new MOD college building in Hampshire. The company is working in partnership with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to build a new home for the Defence College of Logistics, Policing and Administration at Worthy Down. A topp
26/05/2016
Britcon has secured five new building deals with Lidl UK, it has been announced. Overall, the company will deliver 11 contracts valued at around £18 million for the supermarket chain. Projects include demolishing an existing Lidl store in Ripley, Derbeyshire to build a new 74,000 sq ft purpose des
26/05/2016
Specialist excavation support company MGF has appointed Simon Littlewood as its new director and managing director designate. Mr Littlewood will join MGF from competitor Groundforce, where he was MD since 2008. Gerald Nowicki, MD of MGF, said: "Simon has a wealth of experience in our sector and hi
26/05/2016
Balfour Beatty has secured a £130 million contract to build a proposed lorry area near the M20 in Kent. The company was selected by Highways England to develop a facility which can hold 3,600 lorries at capacity, providing relief to the Kent road network when services across the England Channel are
26/05/2016
An energy company has been fined for releasing natural gas and crude oil during a maintenance operation in 2014. Humbly Grove Energy Limited, of Humbly Grove Oilfield, Alton, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined £80,000 wi
26/05/2016
A new survey has revealed members from the National Federation of Builders (NFB) would rather leave the EU than remain in the economic-political union. Out of 100 participants, 47% said their business would benefit more from being outside of the EU, while 33% said remaining within would be of great
26/05/2016
Mott MacDonald's development director, Mark Leggett, has been appointed as chairman of the British Tunnelling Society (BTS). He will take over from Roger Bridge, who has completed his two-year tenure. With 26 years' experience in designing, leading and managing multi-million pound underground infr
25/05/2016
Forrest has been selected to deliver a £12.6 million residential project in Manchester. The contractor will develop the M-One Central high rise scheme for Factory Estates Limited in Great Ancoats Street. Designed by architects IDP Group, the project will comprise of 119 one and two-bedroom apartme
25/05/2016
Osborne has been awarded a £12 million five-year housing maintenance contract extension with Winchester City Council. The company's Property Services division will continue with its work to maintain around 5.000 homes. In addition to carrying out responsive repairs and preparing empty homes for ne
25/05/2016
Engineering consultancy WSP has revealed it intends to buy Sweett Group for £24 million. Under the terms of the deal, shareholders will be entitled to receive 35 pence in cash for each Sweett share held. WSP said it believes the company to be an "attractive acquisition opportunity" due to its grow
25/05/2016
Over 47,000 people took part in a consultation discussing the new lower Thames crossing project, Highways England has announced. The scheme would be the first new road crossing in 25 years for the river east of London. The roads agency said the project would open up new areas for economic growth,
25/05/2016
Hundreds of steelworkers are underway with a 'save our steel' march in London today, 25 May. Members from union Unite are being joined by fellow workers from the Community and GMB unions in a 'march of the steelworkers' protest, as Tata Steel's board meets in Mumbai to discuss the sale of its UK bu
25/05/2016
J Murphy & Sons is one of two new members to join trade body Build UK, it has been announced. The firm is the first new Contractor Member to join the organisation since it formed in 2015, while Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA) are the third Trade Association to join Build UK this yea
25/05/2016
Former Labour transport minister Lord Adonis has been appointed as chair of the Crossrail 2 project. The £32 billion project involves tunnelling under London between Wimbledon and Tottenham Hale to improve connectivity. In addition, it aims to tackle overcrowding in the city's main terminal statio
25/05/2016
Emergency resurfacing repairs have been completed on the Blackwall Tunnel in London. A large spillage of fuel and hydraulic fluid covering 1.1km of the route forced the tunnel to be closed on Tuesday. Transport for London (TfL) said CCTV footage has shown the leaking fluid came from a mobile crane
25/05/2016
Work is underway on the final phase of a bridge improvement scheme in North Yorkshire. The project is taking place on a bridge which carries the A64 over the River Ouse at Bishopthorpe. Highways England has installed a new bridge barrier on both carriageways and contractors will now replace the ma
25/05/2016
The Fire Place High Peak company has launched a Spring Sale with up to 20% off selected stock. With well over 50 stoves on display and several under fire, in addition to 14 years of experience, the company can help customers choose the right stove to suit their needs. Not only can it supply, it ca
24/05/2016
Wates has secured a £30m contract to expand the Farnborough International venue in Hampshire. Designed by architects Terence O'Rourke, the company will build a new 12,500 sq m exhibition hall and conference centre. In addition, the scheme will include multi-purpose function rooms and restaurants,
24/05/2016
Work is underway on a £12 million school rebuilding project in Wirral. Morgan Sindall has began developing Ridgeway High School in Noctorum as part of the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP). The school is one of 12 across the UK being rebuilt by the firm under the programme which aims to pr
24/05/2016
Kier has secured a £24 million contract with developer Bond City to build retail and leisure facilities in Dover. The deal forms part of the overall £53m St James Dover development, which aims to create over 156,000 sq ft of mixed-use space in the town centre. Features includes a six-screen cinema
24/05/2016
Weston Homes is due to begin building a £120 million residential development in Buckinghamshire. The developer will transform the historic Denham Film Laboratories into an "Art Deco and movie inspired residential address". The famous site has been previously involved with a number of famous films,
24/05/2016
UK Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom has opened a new combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Oxfordshire. The facility will provide heat and hot water for the Elmsbrook North West Bicester Eco-Town development. The project is being developed by housing provider A2Dominion. SSE will maintain and oper
24/05/2016
SMEs are being urged to apply for places on the Education Funding Agency's (EFA) new £6 billion schools framework. The programme will be used to deliver free schools, university technical colleges, studio schools, and academies. The call for smaller contractors is being made after a report by the
24/05/2016
Clugston has announced the appointment of Ian Pattinson as Group Finance Director and Company Secretary. He will replace Howard Bales, who is stepping down from the company after 14 years in the role. Previously, Mr Pattinson worked at AIM listed support services business Restore, where he was Fin
24/05/2016
The majority of small builders will vote in the EU referendum based on their personal beliefs rather than business interests, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). In a recent poll, over 80% of construction SME bosses will base their remain or leave decision "on their broader person
24/05/2016
Network Rail is due to begin a railway improvement project in Worcestershire. As part of the company's £40 billion Railway Upgrade Plan, engineers will refurbish part of the regions existing signalling system, replacing a number of tracks and carry out essential maintenance work. Works will take p
24/05/2016
Mayne Gas Heating Ltd, The Grimsby area's premier plumbing & heating company, have joined forces with Which? The UK's no1 consumer watchdog group, in the fight against cowboy tradesmen. Mayne Gas Heating have reached the very high standards required to become accredited as a Which? Trusted Trader,
23/05/2016
Willmott Dixon has secured a £12 million contract to build a vehicle depot in Barnet. The company was selected under the Southern Construction Framework (SCF) and will develop a new base for Barnet's fleet of household waste collection and collection vehicles. The new Oakleigh Road South Vehicle D
23/05/2016
Thousands of tonnes of steel beams have been installed over the M1 as part of a £162 million road project in Bedfordshire. Highways England has released a
23/05/2016
Skanska's joint venture (JV) with PORR and A.Hak has been selected to deliver a £100 million pipe replacement project by National Grid. Worth nearly £40m to Skanska, the deal involves designing and building a replacement high-pressure gas pipeline within a tunnel, underneath the River Humber from P
23/05/2016
A £1.5 million electricity improvement project is due to begin in Surrey. Southern Electric Power Distribution (SEPD) is set to install a new underground cable between Godalming and Milford. The new cable will be installed between each town's substations, ensuring supplies in the area are more rob
23/05/2016
New figures have revealed poor quality English homes are costing the UK £18.6 billion. The BRE Trust report, 'The True Cost of Poor Housing', shows there is a "significant number of health and safety hazards" in many homes. Overall, the cost to the NHS from injuries and illnesses attributed to hom
23/05/2016
ISG has been appointed to refurbish and redevelop a building for the University of Oxford. The firm will modernise and upgrade existing facilities at the Tinbergen Building, as well as creating a new chemistry teaching laboratory. The building is currently home to the University of Oxford's Depart
23/05/2016
Work is underway on the Education Funding Authority's (EFA) £47 million priority school building programme (PSBP) in Devon. BAM Construction has began building the £10m South Molton Community College and the £18m Ilfracombe Academy. Work on a further two schools began last week (South Molton Unite
23/05/2016
Two companies have been fined after a worker fell from a building ledge at a construction site in Bournemouth. Parsons and Joyce Contractors Limited (P&J), of Ashley Road, Poole, Dorset, pleaded guilty to offences under Regulation 22(1)(a) and 22(2)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Re
23/05/2016
Wates Developments has formed a housebuilding joint venture (JV) with Scottish developer Miller Homes. The partnership adds to two further JV's previously formed between the two companies in Didcot, Oxfordshire and Southwater, West Sussex. The move will help increase business opportunities for bot
23/05/2016
Approval has been granted to carry out major improvements to Acton Main Line railway station in Ealing. Network Rail will deliver the upgrades as part of a project to prepare the route for the arrival of Crossrail and the new Elizabeth line services. The new glass and steel ticket hall has been de
20/05/2016
Horizon Nuclear Power has selected a joint venture (JV) between Hitachi Nuclear Energy Europe, Bechtel Management Company, and JGC Corporation (UK) to build a new nuclear power station in Wales. The Menter Newydd JV will be responsible for building the £14 billion Wylfa Newydd on the Isle of Angles
20/05/2016
Work is underway on a new £45 million mixed-use development in Stockport. A ceremony has been held to mark the start of building work on the Redrock Stockport project. The 75,000 sq ft scheme is being built by Wates and will include leisure, retail and restaurant provision, featuring a 360-space c
20/05/2016
Laing O'Rourke has been selected to deliver a £178 million shopping centre extension project in Watford. The company will expand intu Watford, creating a new 1.4 million sq ft retail/leisure destination. A 113,000 sq ft Debenhams store will act as the anchor for the extension, with additional rest
20/05/2016
Plans have been approved for a £100 million five-star hotel development at Salterns Marina in Poole. The project also includes building 73 luxury apartments at the site of the Harbourside Hotel. Property consultant Richard Marr has now revealed he is in negotiations with the owners of London's Wes
20/05/2016
Babcock has secured a multi-million pound deal to build a reactive compensation station (RCS) for the Hornsea Project One offshore wind farm near Yorkshire. The engineering support services company will develop the facility for DONG Energy at its Rosyth base in Fife, Scotland. The 1.2Gw Hornsea Pr
20/05/2016
A road resurfacing programme is underway in Middlesbrough, Highways England has announced. Contractors began repairing over 1.5 miles of the A174 from the B1365 Blue Bell to the A172 Stokesley Road on 03 May. While work is being carried out overnight each weekday between 8pm and 6am, a full road c
20/05/2016
A South Wales construction pipe manufacturer has been fined for health and safety failings after reported cases of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Asset International Limited, of Stevenson Street, Newport, pleaded guilty to offences under Regulations 5,6,7, and 8
20/05/2016
Installation works are to begin on a new railway signalling system in Bristol, Network Rail has announced. The scheme is part of the company's Railway Upgrade Plan and will replace equipment installed in the 1960s and 70s with modern technology. In addition, it will also prepare the Great Western
20/05/2016
Union UCATT has welcomed the decision by Land Securities to require all of its construction projects to pay the Living Wage. Strict clauses have been inserted in all of the organisations tenders which states all contractors and sub-contractors must pay the Living Wage. The decision was made after
20/05/2016
Go Geothermal Ltd has announced it is sponsoring the Prima Team Racing, a new Cycle Racing Team based predominantly in the North East. The team are an experienced group of riders who are extremely passionate about cycling. Throughout 2016 and beyond, the firm will be sponsoring races and promoting
20/05/2016
Airsculpt has announced the completion of its six-month project to build the Sky Q box Interactive Digital Tensile Membrane. Although smaller in stature than the company is normally used to, the project was incredibly complex, and Airsculpt were selected to develop the design concept, fabricate, en
19/05/2016
Britcon has won a £13.5 million contract to deliver construction works on a new anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Dagenham. The £32m project is being developed for Refood (UK) at the London Sustainable Industries Park (SIP) in Dagenham Dock. Britcon's contract award follows the firms successful de
19/05/2016
Proposals for the Garden Bridge project have been backed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan. However, Mr Khan demanded the scheme must be made "more accessible" to all Londoners. The planned £175 million green footbridge will link Temple with Southbank in the city. Describing the project as one that coul
19/05/2016
Student accommodation developer Unite Students has purchased a new development site in central Birmingham. The Group plans to build a £40 million development to provide a home for around 600 students. The project will be located adjacent to another Unite building and will increase the number of be
19/05/2016
New research has revealed the value of the UK Government's construction pipeline has jumped to £181 billion. Analysis by KPMG shows a £62.6bn boost in the pipeline's value, a rise from £119bn in August 2015. Reasons for the increase are due to: • An increase of £32bn in the transport sector attri
19/05/2016
Conamar has completed a £1.8 million refurbishment project in London. The company redeveloped the five-storey Grade II-listed Energy Institute (EI) building on New Cavendish Street. Overall, the project involved transforming the 13,606 sq ft building with a 1950s extension into a modern HQ for the
19/05/2016
The National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) has revealed that the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is joining its organisation. As the world's largest body for construction management and leadership, CIOB will work closely alongside companies such as British Gas and LABC, trade associations
19/05/2016
A meeting to discuss the UK's current steel crisis is due to take place this week in Scotland. Councillors from Scotland, England and Wales will meet at the National Mining Museum Scotland in Midlothian on Friday, 20 May. Members of the Industrial Communities Alliance (ICA) will discuss issues cur
19/05/2016
Miller Homes has been fined for polluting a watercourse at a housing development in Huddersfield. The Edinburgh-based firm admitted to one environmental offence for an unauthorised discharge of water before Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday, 18 May. The housing developer was fined £100,000 with over
19/05/2016
Union UCATT is set to merge with Unite after delegates voted in favour of combining the two organisations. UCATT said the decision was made "in order to preserve its existing structures and to maximise the representation of construction workers in all sectors". Negotiations will now begin with Uni
19/05/2016
The Environment Agency (EA) has delivered a flood alleviation scheme in Grantham, Lincolnshire. The improvement works were carried out at Witham Brook due to the result of summer storms in 2015. Four properties and the Witham Brook Park Industrial Estate were flooded when water levels in the brook
18/05/2016
Halton Borough Council has granted Alstom planning permission to purchase 30 acres of land for a new Technology Centre development at Widnes. The engineering firm plans to build the £20 million facility at the North West Transport Training Academy and construction is due to begin later this year.
18/05/2016
Interserve has won a £25 million contract to build a one of England's biggest leisure developments in Hampshire. The new Fleming Park Leisure Centre has been designed by AHR Architects and will be built next to the existing facility in Eastleigh. Work is already underway on the project, which will
18/05/2016
Galliford Try has been appointed on two student accommodation projects worth £102 million. The company's Building division will develop the new £62m Park View Student Village for Newcastle University. In addition, it will deliver a new £40m scheme for Coventry University. The first project involv
18/05/2016
Decorean has won a £27 million contract to build a new residential development in Hampshire. The company will build 107 new apartments at Bartley Wood Business Park in Hook. The development, which represents one of the UK's largest office to residential projects to date, will see the 84,000 sq ft
18/05/2016
Graham Construction has been appointed by Oxford Brookes University (OBU) to its new major works framework. The programme will support the delivery of the university's £130 million ten-year estate investment plan. Features of the development include upgrading facilities on all of Oxford Brookes' c
18/05/2016
Engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald has appointed Richard Waite as its Director of Nuclear Generation. With over 35 years' experience in the nuclear and defence industries, Mr Waite will be responsible for delivering the business' development portfolio in the nuclear generation market. Mr Waite
18/05/2016
The opening of Midland services to Birmingham's New Street station has been delayed due to further track alignment works, it has been announced. Services were due to begin running from Bull Street to Stephenson Street on Sunday, 22 may. However, the delay follows extensive safety checks by Centro,
18/05/2016
New research has revealed average UK house prices have increased 5.1 times faster than average weekly earnings over the past five years. Analysis by the Resolution Foundation shows house prices have risen 36% since April 2011. However, average weekly earnings have increased just 7% over the same p
18/05/2016
A new apprenticeship standard for plastering has been approved by the Government. The guidelines, which are part of the trailblazer initiative, are set to be rolled out in autumn 2017. In addition, a new bricklaying standard has also been approved which will be agreed upon in the near future. The
18/05/2016
Action Wall Ties (AWT) has completed a Victorian bay window repair project. The subject building was a substantial traditionally built semi-detached Victorian residence. On, inspection AWT found a scaffold in place and it was apparent that a recent attempt at remedial works had been aborted with t
17/05/2016
Plans have been submitted to regenerate South Thamesmead housing estate in London. Peabody Housing Association plans to invest £500 million in the area and create 1,500 new homes along Harrow Manor Way. Four planning applications have been put forward to the London Borough of Bexley. These includ
17/05/2016
Everton Football Club have scrapped plans for a new stadium at Walton Hall Park, it has been announced. Both the Club and Liverpool City Council are now exploring the potential of two other brownfield sites in the city boundary. The proposals for Walton Hall Park were abandoned due to the plans he
17/05/2016
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has opened a new Crossrail train testing and commissioning facility in Derby. The £12m development was built by Balfour Beatty on behalf of Bombardier Transportation. The project included the creation of a 250-metre long 'V' industrial building with four multi
17/05/2016
Floods Minister Rory Stewart has launched a new £3.5 million fund to help repair pathways damaged by winter storms in Cumbria. The Cumbria Countryside Access Fund can provide grants to help repair public rights of way in the Lake District and the region's countryside. The funding covers reinstatin
17/05/2016
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has accused his predecessor Boris Johnson of "leaving the cupboard bare" when it comes to delivering 'affordable' housing in the city. After taking office last week, Mayor Khan asked officials to produce an audit of City Hall's preparedness to tackle the housing crisi
17/05/2016
Roads Minister Andrew Jones has said a "major upgrade" to roads around the Port of Liverpool will help boost economic growth and deliver a "Northern Powerhouse". Two options are being explored to reduce congestion on the A5036, the main route between the motorway network and the Port: • Upgrading
17/05/2016
Energy services group Lakehouse has issued its second profit warning this year due to "difficult trading conditions". In its interim results, the contractor said it was struggling against "headwinds" in its regeneration and energy services divisions. The Group has had a turbulent few months follow
17/05/2016
Highways England has demolished a road bridge on the A38 as part of a £6.3 million maintenance scheme near Plymouth. The old Merafield Bridge at Plympton was levelled overnight on 14 May. A new bridge has been built alongside the old structure and is part of a Government scheme to deliver £15 bill
17/05/2016
Morgan Sindall has commenced work on a new £39 million nuclear training centre in West Cumbria. Construction of the facility for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) near Sellafield is a four-storey hub which will include classrooms, operational stores/offices and communal use areas with two connec
17/05/2016
A man has been jailed after carrying out illegal gas work and pretending to be a legitimate gas engineer on three separate occasions. Neil Simon McKimm (trading as Macs Plumbing Services and alias as Robert Welsh), of West Moorland Street, Darlington, was found guilty of breaching Section 3(2) of t
16/05/2016
Hollywood actor Robert De Niro has teamed up with property developers Capital & Counties and BD Hotels to create a new luxury boutique hotel in London. Plans have now been submitted to Westminster City Council for the 83-room Wellington Hotel in Covent Garden. Features of the scheme include luxury
16/05/2016
Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK leaving the European Union (EU) would result "in an economic shock" for the country. A vote to leave the politico-economic union would terminate Britain's membership of the European Investment Bank (EIB). With more than £16 billion invested in UK infrastruc
16/05/2016
Student accommodation developer Unite has purchased a new development site in Portsmouth. The company acquired the Chaucer House site on Isambard Brunel Road from the city council. Plans include creating a £30 million student halls facility to provide a home for around 480 students by 2018. Richa
16/05/2016
Bouygues UK has won a contract to build the first stage of a large school project in Wales. The firm will develop phase one of the £42.9 million Pembroke Learning Campus. Works on the first stage includes creating a new 1,463 place 11-18 secondary school and autism centre for 30 learners. The ove
16/05/2016
Research by union UCATT has found that while hundreds of thousands of young people begin construction training courses, only a small number secure apprenticeships. A total of 167,000 young people began a training course for construction industry jobs in 2014/15. However, just 18,000 secured a build
16/05/2016
Morgan Sindall has been selected to deliver a £1.7 million primary school expansion project in Great Yarmouth. The two-phase scheme at Southtown Primary School is being delivered for Norfolk County Council. The first phase will see Morgan Sindall extend the existing school hall and develop the cen
16/05/2016
On Tuesday, 22 March, the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) proudly announced their plans to transform their former Studio Theatre into a state-of-the-art rehearsal and recording area. And how will they do this? With a BOXY modular room system of course! However, this is not any old BOXY suite
16/05/2016
Airsculpt has announced the completion of its six-month project to build the Sky Q box Interactive Digital Tensile Membrane. Although smaller in stature than the company is normally used to, the project was incredibly complex, and Airsculpt were selected to develop the design concept, fabricate, en
13/05/2016
Local authorities in Hampshire have begun looking for a developer to lead a large residential development to the west of Basingstoke. The Manydown development will consist of 8,000 homes on a 842ha greenfield site. Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hampshire County Council have now issued
13/05/2016
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to back the £4.2 billion Thames Tideway Tunnel project in London. The bank will provide a £700 million loan for the scheme, which aims to tackle overflows of untreated sewage through the centre of the city into the River Thames. The 35-year loan has be
13/05/2016
Graham Construction has been selected to develop a new train station in Warwickshire. The firm will begin building the new Kenilworth Rail Station on Priory Road this summer. The project is part of Network Rail's programme to carry out significant infrastructure works in spring 2017, including con
13/05/2016
Crane hire firm Hewden has purchased the rental arm of cleantech company Firefly. The move marks Hewden's second acquisition of 2016 following its purchase of lifting and materials handling firm, Interlift. As a result of the deal, a range of equipment will be added to Hewden's product portfolio i
13/05/2016
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has welcomed the Appeal Court's decision to uphold a Government initiative to waive affordable housing requirements for small developments. The organisation said the ruling is a "boost for SMEs and house building". Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, sa
13/05/2016
Morgan Sindall has been selected to deliver a £4.1 million school expansion project in Norwich. The project involves building a 10-classroom extension to Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School. In addition, the assembly hall will be modified to create more space for indoor sports activities and d
13/05/2016
New research has found a "widening gap" between the help private tenants receive with housing costs and the actual rent they pay. Analysis carried out by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) discovered in some areas of the UK, people are only able to afford rent in the lower 5% - 10% of the pri
13/05/2016
Persimmon Homes has started developing the second phase of a new housing development in Wales. Preparations are taking place on the roads and sewers for the next stage of the Cross Hands scheme near Cefneithin. Once complete, the development will consist of 127 homes. Sharon Robinson, sales direc
13/05/2016
Resurfacing work is due to get underway next week on the M62 in West Yorkshire. The westbound entry slip road near Castleford at junction 31 and part of lane 1 on the westbound carriageway will be repaired between Monday, 16 May and Friday, 27 May. Work will take place between 8pm – 6am Monday nig
13/05/2016
Structure specialist Neptunus has designed and built a temporary showroom for Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, the leading household appliances manufacturer. Whirlpool, which produces a range of white goods from washing machines to dishwashers, ovens to fridges and hoods to coffee makers, required
12/05/2016
British Land has revealed plans for a proposed £300 million Leisure Hall at Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield. The multi-million pound proposal is one of the largest city region investments in a decade and will create 1,000 jobs. The 330,000 sq ft Leisure Hall will contain a range of dining
12/05/2016
Approval has been granted for construction to begin on the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin gave the go ahead for the £1.5 billion project yesterday, 11 May. Main construction works are scheduled to begin later this year. The 21-mile scheme wi
12/05/2016
Work is underway on the first phase of a £700 million mixed-use development in Manchester. Beijing Construction and Engineering Group (BCEGI) has began preparatory works on the Middlewood Locks development in Salford. The project is being undertaken by FairBriar International, a joint venture (JV)
12/05/2016
Work is due to begin next week to upgrade a road bridge in Gloucestershire, Network Rail has announced. Engineers will begin carrying out improvement works to the Dodington Road bridge in Chipping Sodbury from Monday, 23 May. The scheme is part of Network Rail's £40 billion Railway Upgrade Plan to
12/05/2016
Heathrow has announced a package of measures to fulfill the Airports Commission's recommendation to expand the airport. In July last year, the Commission "unanimously and unambiguously" endorsed expanding the airport after a £20 million study into the best option for expansion, which involves build
12/05/2016
A major milestone has been reached on a £27.5 million building project for the University of Huddersfield. Main contractor Morgan Sindall has held a topping out ceremony for the Oastler Building development. Planning consent for the project was achieved in April 2015. The six-storey 7,500 sq m bu
12/05/2016
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has welcomed a Court of Appeal decision which restores the government's small sites affordable housing contributions policy. The judgement paves the way for more housebuilding on smaller sites, making it easier for homes to built. Ministers have criticised moves made
12/05/2016
New research has revealed the majority of aspiring UK homeowners are concerned about the availability and quality of housing. According to a study by the HomeOwners Alliance (HOA), 73% of non-homeowners desire to own their own property, up from 65% four years ago. However, 78% say the availability
12/05/2016
Lean Workshop Group has announced it is hosting free Lean Workshop Group Training Days at Trade City Oxford on 07 and 08 June 2016.
12/05/2016
Rugby Union has been in the public eye earlier this year with the six nation's championship and the national league championship captivating the sporting world. MiniTec were delighted then when approached by the championship organisers to design and construct a mobile shelter to be used to promote
11/05/2016
Wilton Developments has secured planning permission for a £8 million enterprise zone development in Leeds. The 83,000 sq ft Kinetic 45 scheme will be built on Newmarket Lane in the heart of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Zone. Features of the industrial and warehouse development include a standa
11/05/2016
Office construction in London has hit a 20-year high, according to the latest London Office Crane Survey by Deloitte. The report reveals a total of 51 schemes have started over the past six months. Overall, the volume of office construction has increased by 28% to 14.2 million sq ft over the past
11/05/2016
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has released a statement outlining a shared ambition to increase housing output between industry and the Government. In its Statement of Intent, the organisation pledges to help deliver the Government's target of building one million homes by 2020. The industry h
11/05/2016
Robertson Engineering Services has increased its turnover by more than £10 million, it has been announced. Since 2014, the business has tripled turnover from £3.5m and has plans for further growth. Three new team members have now joined the company; Martin McCaskill as Senior Quantity Surveyor, Le
11/05/2016
Build UK has revealed new guidelines on colour coded hard hats for construction workers. The Safety Helmet Colours and Training Standards was drafted in consultation with members to "develop best practice and ensure the effective delivery of construction projects across the UK". The standard uses
11/05/2016
Environment Minister Rory Stewart has re-opened the storm-damaged A591 road in Cumbria. A four-mile stretch of the route, which links Grasmere to Keswick, was badly damaged during storms in December. However, the road was reopened today, 11 May three weeks sooner than originally planned. Works in
11/05/2016
Develop Training Ltd (DTL) has secured a £1 million contract to provide operational training to Northern Gas Networks (NGN). The two-year deal has an option for two one-year extensions and is set to begin this month. The consultancy specialist will provide gas network technical training to NGN wor
11/05/2016
Thomas Armstrong (Construction) has been selected to help deliver a multi-million pound refurbishment project in Cumbria. The firm will work with South Tynedale Railway to help redevelop the train repair shed at Alston. The 23-week project is due to begin on 23 May and is being funded by a Heritag
11/05/2016
Work is underway on a £6 million flood alleviation scheme in North Yorkshire. A new storage reservoir is being built to protect 149 homes and businesses in Catterick Village, as well as the A1 motorway, from flooding. The facility will be developed upstream of Catterick and is capable of holding 9
11/05/2016
A local galvanizing company has played a role in the multi-million pound development of one of Europe's largest and most ambitious wildlife projects at a leading zoo in the North West. Garston-based Merseyside Galvanizing, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, has galvanized nearly 70 tonnes of steel on
10/05/2016
Work is underway on the National College for High Speed Rail (NCHSR) in Birmingham and Doncaster. Groundbreaking ceremonies marking the start of construction took place on Monday, 09 May. The college, which is being built in Doncaster's Lakeside and Birmingham's university district, is on schedule
10/05/2016
Construction specialist Caledonian has secured a £13 million contract to develop a new student accommodation block for ACS Cobham International School in Surrey. The modular block has been designed by Broadway Malyan and is due to be completed by June 2017. The four-storey facility will be built o
10/05/2016
BAM Construction has been appointed as main contractor to build a new office building for the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) in Taunton. Work is due to get underway through the design stages with the Design Team, Cost Consultants and Main Contractor before seeking Planning permission later this year
10/05/2016
Amiri Construction has been selected to deliver a £19 million manufacturing facility in West Sussex. The company has been appointed by Kingsbridge Estates to build over 11,000 sq m of manufacturing space for Natures Way Foods (NWF) at Chichester Food Park. The facility has been designed by MH Arch
10/05/2016
Network Rail has completed work to upgrade the railway between Littleborough and Manchester Victoria. Around 1,200 metres of new track has been installed as part of the project. In addition, existing track has been remodelled between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale to link the new platform to the
10/05/2016
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has launched a new funding pot for higher Trailblazer Apprenticeships. The Trailblazer Apprenticeship Fund will offer grants to employers training apprentices at levels 4-7 right up to post-graduate qualifications. Trailblazers are a new apprenticesh
10/05/2016
Former Minister of State for Energy Charles Hendry is to lead an Independent Review of Tidal Lagoon energy in the UK, it has been announced. He will be supported by a team of seconded civil servants throughout the audit. The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) announced in February it was
10/05/2016
A construction firm has been fined for safety failings after a skip loader overturned and injured an employee during sewer works in Cambridgeshire. Mead Construction (Cambridge) Limited, of Heath Road, Swaffham Prior, Cambridgeshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(2) of the Construction
10/05/2016
QuickScale is software designed to make your life easier. It's simple to use. Many of QuickScale's customers call themselves silver surfers or computer dinosaurs yet they sail through their take-offs with ease and are genuinely surprised at how easy QuickScale is. With QuickScale, you can take ar
10/05/2016
Airsculpt has announced the completion of its six-month project to build the Sky Q box Interactive Digital Tensile Membrane. Although smaller in stature than the company is normally used to, the project was incredibly complex, and Airsculpt were selected to develop the design concept, fabricate, en
09/05/2016
Construction firm Willmott Dixon has won a £31 million contract to build the third phase of Birmingham City University's (BCU) Eastside expansion. The firm has been appointed is to extend the Curzon Building. The new Curzon B extension will house over 3,000 students and members of staff and featur
09/05/2016
Over 250 workers are to receive more than £10 million in compensation following the 'blacklisting' scandal in the UK construction industry. A total of 256 workers will receive compensation after winning a court case. Unite the union said the pay-outs could range from £25,000 up to £200,000 per cla
09/05/2016
Development works at Murrays' Mill in Ancoats, Manchester, has started. Manchester Life Development Company and Graham Construction have teamed up to transform the site into 124 one-, two- and three-bedroom homes for sale. The guiding principle for the development has been to preserve many of the
09/05/2016
Severn Trent Water has awarded Barhale a multi-million pound contract to deliver three tunneling projects and one pipeline project on the Elan Valley Aqueduct. The announcement follows the recent signing of the AMP 6 Infrastructure Contract Extension. The project will be delivered by the BNM Allia
09/05/2016
Construction firm Interserve has been awarded a two-year account extension to provide facilities services for East Midlands Trains (EMT). Interserve will continue to provide cleaning services for seven EMT offices and 13 stations as well as trains. Interserve will work in partnership with EMT to m
09/05/2016
A scaffolding firm in Wales has been fined for safety failings. OW Scaffolding of Village Farm Industrial Estate, Pyle, Bridgend, pleaded not guilty to breaching Regulation 4 of the Work at Height Regulation 2005 but was tried in its absence and found guilty and fined £1,000 and ordered to pay cost
09/05/2016
Britcon Engineering Services (BES) has selected a new Construction Manager. Adrian Smith is to work with Director Nick Evans, Senior Construction Manager Kevin Cocker, and 3D Cad Detailer Dave Lomas. Mr Smith recently returned to the UK following a contract in South Africa where he was involved wi
06/05/2016
The new £44 million Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) is due to open on Tuesday, 07 June, it has been announced. Her Majesty The Queen will unveil the facility and will be given a tour of the Centre alongside His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. The CUBRIC has been par
06/05/2016
SP Energy Networks has issued a warning to criminals following a suspected electricity substation theft which caused a major fire in Widnes. The incident, which also cut off power to more than 100 properties, was reported at 11:30am in Moorfield Road yesterday, 05 May. In addition, a botched theft
06/05/2016
Trant Engineering has secured a £55.7 million contract with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to upgrade RAF Mount Pleasant on the Falkland Islands. The infrastructure improvement deal was signed on 03 May and forms part of an £180m investment to modernise military infrastructure of the
06/05/2016
Construction union UCATT has appointed Ron McKay as its Regional Secretary in its Eastern Region. As a UCATT member for over 33 years, Mr McKay's first position in the organisation was as a convenor at a large joinery firm. He had been acting as Regional Secretary on a temporary basis after Brian
06/05/2016
Balfour Beatty has been fined after an employee was killed in a trench collapse during cable installation work in Lancashire. Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions, of Park Square Newton, Chambers Road, Chapeltown, Sheffield was found guilty of breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc
06/05/2016
Project consultancy Turner & Townsend (T&T) has opened a new office in London. The company has relocated to larger premises at One New Change, opposite St Paul's Cathedral. Over 1,000 staff will be based on a single 41,000 sq ft floor plate, creating a "more collaborative working environment" for
06/05/2016
Bridge maintenance work is due to begin on the M6 in the West Midlands, Highways England has announced. The southbound carriageway of the M6, between junction 7 for Great Barr and junction 8, is undergoing works to facilitate concrete repairs to the bridges which carry the motorway over the Rushall
06/05/2016
Work is underway to repair flood defence measures in Cumbria, it has been announced. The Environment Agency is repairing the seal on the glass panels along High Hill in Keswick after they were damaged during flooding in December last year. The project follows work already undertaken to remove grav
05/05/2016
Laing O'Rourke has been awarded a £76.2 million contract to develop a new residential tower for Imperial College London. The 215,000 sq ft tower will be built at Imperial's White City Campus and is expected to be completed in 2019. It will provide 192 new homes, including 59 set aside for key work
05/05/2016
A joint venture (JV) between Interserve and Doosan Enpure has secured a £46 million contract to upgrade a water treatment works (WTW) in the Tyne Valley. The 30-month project is being carried out for Northumbrian Water. It involves building new treatment facilities alongside the current Horsley pl
05/05/2016
A High Court hearing into 'blacklisting' within the construction industry has been adjourned until Tuesday, 07 June. Unions GMB, UCATT and legal firm GCR have already settled their members claims against eight major building firms. In addition, 90 members represented by union Unite were due to beg
05/05/2016
The cost of a major mixed-use development project in London has risen to £236 million, Derwent London has announced. The Saatchi building revamp scheme at 80 Charlotte Street will now cost £29m more than anticipated. The inflated cost is due to Derwent London revising the previous planning permiss
05/05/2016
A new technique of sprayed concrete is to be tested during the Bond Street Station Upgrade (BSSU) project in a joint venture (JV) between Costain and Laing O'Rourke. The JV is the first partnership in the world to test the method in a production environment. By using a thermal imaging camera to tr
05/05/2016
A programme of road improvement works is due to begin next week near Bath. Contractors will treat 1km of both northbound and southbound carriageways on the A46 with high friction surfacing to increase the skid resistance of the surface. The project will begin on Monday, 09 May. To allow works to
05/05/2016
Southern Electric Power Distribution (SEPD) is underway with a £4.4 million electricity improvement scheme in Swindon. The project involves laying a new underground cable between Cirencester and Fairford. The upgrade work will enhance the reliability of Swindon's electricity supply along with expa
05/05/2016
A roofing company has been fined for safety failings after a worker fell through a skylight and suffered multiple injuries. Haran Limited, of Clyst Road, Exeter, Devon, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. It was fined £18,000 with £1,070 in costs. N
05/05/2016
Schneeberger has developed the MINISCALE bearing system which is essentially a high precision miniature guideway combined with an optical measuring system, all in one unit. The range has been developed in order to meet the increasing demand for high speed performance and acceleration duties require
05/05/2016
Lean Workshop Group has teamed up with WERMA to show you how to eliminate wastage and tap the potential.
04/05/2016
Willmott Dixon has won a £31 million expansion project with Birmingham City University. The firm will deliver a 100,000 sq ft extension to the University's Curzon Building which forms part of the city centre campus in Birmingham's Eastside. Planning permission for the six-storey development was gr
04/05/2016
Plans have been submitted to transform a former office complex into a housing development in Wembley. Developer Anthology plans to redevelop the 1.6 acre Amex House site into 195 homes. The building previously served as the headquarters for civil engineering firm Durkin & Sons. Designed by GRID A
04/05/2016
A construction worker has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was crushed by an excavator on a site in Stafford. The incident occurred at around 3:30pm in Corporation Street on Tuesday, 03 May. West Midlands Ambulance Service said the building site employee was crushed by a large
04/05/2016
West Lothian Council has been named as one of the nations top three local authorities at the UK Housing Awards. It was nominated in the Local Authority of the Year category due to its 1,000 new build housing programme - coming second to Manchester City Council. In addition, the council was named a
04/05/2016
Mayor of London candidate Sadiq Khan's 'affordable' housing policy is "unrealistic", according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The organisation said while Khan's focus on the construction skills crisis is welcomed, his 50% 'affordable' housing target is "entirely unworkable". FMB Chief
04/05/2016
The UK Government must take "immediate action" on expanding Heathrow Airport, according to the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA). Head of External Affairs at the CECA, Marie-Claude Hemming, said it is estimated the UK is losing nearly £1.2 billion a year due to a lack of airport capa
04/05/2016
A demolition company in Nottinghamshire has been fined for unsafe work at height activity. Prodem Demolition and Asbestos Limited, of Western Boulevard, Aspley, Nottinghamshire pleaded guilty to Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It was fined £6,000 with
04/05/2016
ScottishPower (SP) Energy Networks has completed a £2 million power upgrade project in the Mid Wales area. The project involved a major overhaul of equipment at Newtown's grid substation. The company installed modern infrastructure to boost the electricity supplies security, which will help provid
03/05/2016
Work is progressing on a multi-million pound mixed-use development in Croydon, it has been announced. The first office building as part of the £500 million Ruskin Square scheme is nearing completion. Lendlease has now began the cladding, glazing and roofing elements of the development. Once compl
03/05/2016
Coleman & Company is to be replaced as the demolition contractor on the Didcot recovery operation, it has been announced. One man was killed and three are still missing after a former boiler house partially collapsed during preparatory demolition works on 23 February. Thousands of tonnes of materi
03/05/2016
Network Rail has revealed a new code of conduct for contractors working to deliver its £40 billion Railway Upgrade Plan. The guideline will ensure around 250,000 people carrying out the multi-billion programme meet minimum standards on safety, and treat customers and communities with politeness and
03/05/2016
Kier Living has launched a new £1 billion housing delivery fund alongside the Cheyne Social Property Impact Fund and The Housing Growth Partnership. The New Communities Partnership is supported by the HCA and will provide councils/housing associations with an 'innovative delivery model' to develop
03/05/2016
The first of eight 'superspan' gantries have arrived for the M60 and M62 smart motorway project in Manchester. The overhead structures will be installed over the next six weeks, with the first being erected across the M62 on Thursday, 05 May. Each gantry is up to 59 metres wide, weigh up to 78 ton
03/05/2016
ISG has appointed Paul Cossell as the company's new CEO. He will take over from David Lawther, who is stepping down after 10 years in the role. Mr Cossell has been at ISG for 20 years and was previously MD of the company's Fit Out and Engineering Services business. Commenting on his appointment,
03/05/2016
Financial close has been reached on the £120 million Yorkshire Batch of the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP). Yorkshire Learning Partnership, a special purpose vehicle formed by Laing O'Rourke Group, Equitix and IUK Investments Limited, has been appointed to deliver the project. The sche
03/05/2016
WERMA UK was once again exhibiting at Mach 2016 and reported a great deal of interest in the products and systems shown. The organisers of Mach also reported a record number of visitors attended the show, over 25,600, up 9.8% on the 2014 show. The principal focus of the WERMA stand was the innovat
