Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for February 2009
27/02/2009
Laing O'Rourke has announced a significant overhaul of its apprenticeship programme to assist the economic recovery in UK construction. In partnership with ConstructionSkills, Laing O'Rourke's new programme - 'Apprenticeship Plus' - will see current apprentice intake levels rise by 200 later this y
27/02/2009
Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, has announced it has acquired a controlling interest in a project to convert the Baird gas field in the southern North Sea into the UK's second largest gas storage facility. Centrica has acquired from Perenco a 70% interest in a project to convert the la
27/02/2009
Construction is underway on a new bridge that will link the Olympic Village to the rest of the Olympic Park during the London 2012 Games. The 18m-high arched bridge spans rail lines within the Park and will form part of the Olympic Park Loop Road in 2012. The huge arch is made up of three sections
27/02/2009
Better services and better value for money are among the benefits for the people of Sheffield following the selection of a new partner to run selected services on Sheffield City Council's behalf. Kier Ltd has been selected by the Council as its preferred bidder to supply key services to the people
27/02/2009
Lovell has been chosen to undertake a £7 million scheme to transform a run-down neighbourhood shopping precinct in the St. Dials area of Cwmbran in south Wales. Lovell is working in partnership with Torfaen County Borough Council and local housing organisation Fairlake Properties (part of the Seren
27/02/2009
Local residents are to be given more time to respond to the Government's second eco-towns public consultation after Housing Minister Margaret Beckett today extended the deadline for responses. The consultation on the draft Planning Policy Statement (PPS) and Sustainability Appraisal on eco-towns ha
27/02/2009
One in ten construction workers are giving away an average of 40 days unpaid overtime a year, according to a Trades Union Congress (TUC) analysis of official statistics published today. The TUC analysis suggests that the collapse of mortgage availability and the subsequent fall in house prices have
27/02/2009
The two organisations charged with championing tenants rights and delivering affordable housing have identified building sustainable communities as being at the top of their joint agendas. The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) agreed their first Memorandum o
27/02/2009
KwikStep will be exhibiting at is Railtex 2009, it has been announced. The ninth annual exhibition will take place at Earls Court 2, London on 10 11 & 12 March. It's an international exhibition of Rail equipment, systems, and services. Kwik-Step will be exhibiting on stand number 630. Visitors w
27/02/2009
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 58 workers were fatally injured as a result of falling from a height in 2007/2008, with scaffolding being one of the most common agents associated with a fatal injury to workers during this time. In light of this the National Construction College
26/02/2009
British Gas profits dropped by 34% to £379 million last year according to its new owner Centrica. The energy giant said the huge rise in the cost of wholesale gas had cut profits by 34% from the previous year, when it made £571 million. Centrica said it made a total operating profit of £1.94bn in
26/02/2009
The price of a typical house fell by 1.8% in February bringing the annual rate of change to -17.6% according to the latest figures released by the Nationwide. The average house price has now fallen to £147,746, compared with £179,358 at the same point last year. Commenting on the figures Fionnuala
26/02/2009
Construction workloads continued to fall sharply in the final three months of last year according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK Construction Market Survey published today. Total construction workloads declined for the third consecutive quarter with the net balance falling
26/02/2009
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is urging the Government to allow the extension of planning permissions that are due to expire to help struggling firms who have been forced to postpone projects during the recession. Planning permission is often given with a time limit of three years. Fi
26/02/2009
Pupils will benefit from improved school facilities after Derbyshire County Council approved building schemes costing over £7.2m. The Government has given the authority the go-ahead to bring forward a number of major building projects, including:
26/02/2009
Plans for the parkland areas within the London 2012 Olympic Park have been approved by the Olympic Delivery Authority Planning Committee. The Park is on the site of former industrial land, much of it contaminated through years of industrial neglect. It has now had the go ahead to be transformed int
26/02/2009
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has welcomed the wide-ranging response of the Communities and Local Government Committee (CLG) on housing and the credit crunch, in particular its call for more emphasis on providing social rented housing both to meet a backlog of demand, and new demand from
26/02/2009
Speedy, one of the UK's largest equipment and support services providers, has signed a two-year £6 million sole supplier agreement with M&E contractors, Southern Electric Contracting. Speedy will provide a range of tools and equipment including generators, site accommodation and powered access. Ri
26/02/2009
Leading tap and shower manufacturer Deva has proven that its export capability knows no limits following a recent despatch of mono basin mixers to British military bases and hospitals in Afghanistan. The 250 DCM113 mono basin mixers with pop up waste from Deva's Earthwise Collection of commercial w
26/02/2009
Project Overview The concept for the new facilities was based on excavating the site to provide the extra room required for the development. This required a contiguous pile retaining wall to support the surrounding ground and neighbouring roads. Van Elle, one of the UK's leading piling and ground e
26/02/2009
RocBloc Cobbles are ideal to create a traditional cobble surface. The surface is profiled to produce the classic "bread-loaf" top before ageing by tumbling. RocBloc Cobbles are available as both Airedale and Wharfedale RocBloc Cobbles in thicknesses from 38mm to 100mm. The main advantage of our cob
25/02/2009
Housebuilder Barratt Developments has announced staggering losses of £592.4 million in the six months to 31 December, compared with a £196.4 million profit at the same time last year. Most of the losses came from a £494.9 million charge to reflect impairment changes on its land bank. Group revenue
25/02/2009
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) is calling for the Government to pump funding into the ailing construction sector to stave off collapse and secure more new homes to meet growing demand. Following the interim results from Redrow yesterday (
25/02/2009
Town halls are revising this year's council tax rises to help hard-pressed residents deal with their bills, new research published today shows. The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils in England, has today revised its prediction for council tax rises for this year to 3% as
25/02/2009
Support services and construction company, Carillion, has been selected to build and finance a major £145 million expansion of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, Ontario, which will nearly double the size of the existing hospital. The project in Barrie, a city 45 minutes outside Toronto, will a
25/02/2009
A lack of insurance availability for new homes built in flood risk areas could restrict the recovery of the housing market, experts have warned. With global warming increasing the possibility of Britain suffering from heavier rainfall and more ferocious tidal surges, insurers are becoming more caut
25/02/2009
Construction union UCATT have welcomed a new HSE campaign launched to improve safety in the refurbishment sector. The sector is both the most casualised in construction and the most dangerous. Last year there were 38 deaths of workers operating in the repair, refurbishment and maintenance sectors.
25/02/2009
A new plan to lessen Wales' reliance on fossil fuels and increase the use of renewable, low-carbon energy sources was published by Welsh Environment Minister Jane Davidson. The Bioenergy Action Plan for Wales aims to generate at least 5 terawatt hours of electricity, about 20% of our current needs,
25/02/2009
Planners at Macclesfield Borough Council (MBC) have asked for more information from the developers behind proposals for Macclesfield's £200 million Town Centre scheme. Wilson Bowden submitted an outline application in November 2008 for a department store, cinema, shop units, a multi-storey car park
25/02/2009
East Anglia's leading independent home furnishers, Glasswells, have chosen two Stannah lift products to meet all the people-moving requirements within their brand-new, purpose-built, home furnishing centre in Ipswich. An exclusive eight-person, two-stop Maxilift MXL lift lends elegance and distinct
24/02/2009
UK housebuilder Redrow has reported a £46.2 million loss for the first half of its financial year and has warned of more job losses. The firm plans to cut around 90 jobs after announcing pre-tax losses of £21.2 million, compared to £35.8 million profits a year earlier. Turnover was £149.5 million,
24/02/2009
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, services and investment group, has announced today it has acquired RT Dooley Construction, a family-owned construction firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a cash consideration of approximately $40 million. RT Dooley specialises i
24/02/2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a campaign to increase health and safety awareness amongst those involved in developing property as part of their business. Robert Parkes, of HSE's Construction Division, said: "Tragically, last year, 38 people died on these types of projects and m
24/02/2009
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) observes that the resumption of new mortgage lending by Northern Rock will be another factor that may help to ease the continuing lack of supply of mortgage lending to the market. Northern Rock was a significant lender before nationalisation, and its previous
24/02/2009
Housing associations are well placed to help tackle long-term shortages in affordable housing, according to the latest figures from the Tenant Services Authority (TSA). In its quarterly survey of housing associations and their financial positions, the TSA found that while not immune to the current
24/02/2009
Construction union UCATT has warned the Government that its plans to significantly increase the number of apprenticeships being offered in the construction industry are being undermined by the agency whose job it is to promote the scheme. The revelation comes at a particularly sensitive time, the b
24/02/2009
As national Apprenticeship Week began yesterday, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced that the GLA group is well on its way to providing more than 3,000 apprenticeships over the next three years. A raft of different training opportunities, including work placements will be on offer, r
24/02/2009
A campaign to raise awareness of a new mandatory emissions trading scheme for firms with an energy bill of £1 million or more per year has been launched by BCSC (formerly British Council of Shopping Centres), the British Property Federation (BPF) and the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The Carbon
24/02/2009
Ministers have thrown their weight behind apprenticeships today setting out how more than 21,000 apprenticeship places in frontline public services will be delivered - as the Cabinet meets in Southampton. Marking the start of National Apprenticeships Week, Skills Secretary and Southampton MP John D
24/02/2009
Trend has launched two types of extra long router cutters designed specifically for the new style of hollow board honeycomb kitchen worktops. The honeycomb style worktop is 60mm deep and is designed to be light in weight but have the required depth for a kitchen worktop. The unique rigid honeyco
23/02/2009
The Government has been urged to kick-start the economy by investing £6.3 billion in social housing over the next two years. A newly-formed campaign group - The 2020 Group - has said the credit crunch has meant a collapse in house prices and lending, and an estimated loss of 450,000 job losses in t
23/02/2009
Nationalised bank Northern Rock is to make £14 billion available for new mortgages by 2011, it has been announced. The move follows Chancellor Alistair Darling's decision last month to reverse the wind-down of its loans, and is part of wider plans to restructure the group. It is understood the New
23/02/2009
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has welcomed the Conservative Party's focus on tackling empty homes across the UK. CIH officials have applauded the Opposition's emphasis on housing associations, local councils and national agencies working closely together. However, CIH cautioned agains
23/02/2009
Housing provider Sanctuary Group has strengthened its Information Systems (IS) department with a double appointment to meet the growing needs of the business. David Barnett and Alan Young have been appointed as systems and development support managers at Sanctuary's Worcester head-office looking af
23/02/2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today urged employers to risk assess work involving woodworking machines to ensure they are appropriately guarded and operators are adequately trained. The call follows the prosecution of an Oxfordshire-based company after an employee suffered serious and perma
23/02/2009
An agreement has been signed between the South West RDA and Mendip Housing to regenerate the Beckery Cottages at the Morlands Enterprise Park. The 12 red brick 1930s cottages will be renovated to become affordable housing for the Glastonbury and Street community. Paul Calvert, property manager at
23/02/2009
Turner & Townsend has been appointed to work with Nottingham City Council on its pioneering workplace strategy project from February 2009. Turner & Townsend's strategic advice on the project will directly impact Nottingham City Council's key Improvement programme entitled 'Service Nottingham Better'
23/02/2009
Formed in 2005, Home IQ has more then 25 years experience in the Home And Gate Automation line of work, with the focus on providing Gate Automation, Security, Residential Access Systems, CCTV, Garage Door Automation and Audio / Visual installations to clients throughout the UK. The company is situ
23/02/2009
Following the success of the original Trend Routabout, the unique floor access routing template, Trend has now launched a smaller diameter version, ideal for plumbers and electricians. A 108mm diameter opening can be cut in the floor, allowing access to junction boxes or cables and is ideal for mak
23/02/2009
Colourful rainscreen cladding panels from Steni were specified by MeadowcroftGriffin Architects to meet a host of criteria for an extension to a children's centre in north London. More than 200m2 of "steni colour" fibreglass reinforced polymer composite panels, that feature a smooth surface of elec
20/02/2009
The University of York has appointed BAM Construction to deliver a £66 million development of new buildings, which will be the centrepiece of the first phase of the University's expanded campus at Heslington East. The buildings will provide accommodation for four departments - the Department of The
20/02/2009
Yesterday Members of the European Parliament sent a strong message to the UK Government when they voted by a majority of over 600 in favour of reduced rates of VAT for building repair and maintenance work. The vote took place during a debate on European Commission plans to increase the range of g
20/02/2009
Thousands of homeowners with sub prime mortgages are at risk of losing their home in the next six months, Shelter has revealed. A poll, carried out for Shelter by YouGov, shows more than 22% of respondents - around 160,000 households - admit to struggling or falling behind with their monthly mortga
20/02/2009
A new study has revealed that introducing full business rates on empty commercial properties will not achieve government's objectives. The government claimed that the imposition of empty rates would encourage landlords to reduce rent levels on their empty commercial properties and bring them back i
20/02/2009
The Liberal Democrats plans to increase the supply of social housing, stem the tide of repossessions and rescue the construction industry are a welcome step forward to help the construction industry which is facing its worst recession since 1980, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian
20/02/2009
A new name and the opening of state-of-the-art buildings, a floodlit sports pitch and a new chapel are further steps towards a brighter future for St John Fisher Catholic High School, Peterborough, on Friday 6 March 2009 at 2.30pm. The Bishop of East Anglia Michael Evans will perform the official o
20/02/2009
Energy company E.ON has welcomed the findings of an independent study of the site of a proposed wind farm in Northamptonshire which found no link to the English Civil War battlefield almost two miles away at Naseby. E.ON is developing the wind farm on behalf of the Kelmarsh Trust and commissioned t
20/02/2009
Plans to regenerate Efford have reached a major milestone with the submission of a planning application to build a £8.6 million new school. The new school will replace Highfield and Plym View primary schools, which have become tired and dated. The planning application is being submitted this week a
19/02/2009
Britain's biggest builders' merchant Travis Perkins has reported a 22.5% drop in full year pre-tax profit. The company also confirmed no final dividend payment will be made to share holders. The group said: "The speed and scale of the impact of the turmoil emanating from financial markets has been
19/02/2009
As a consequence of the increasingly difficult economic climate, Crest Nicholson has withdrawn from the development of the Erith Western Gateway regeneration scheme. In doing so, Chris Tinker, Group Board Director and Regeneration Chairman, expressed his regret and huge disappointment at having to
19/02/2009
Gross mortgage lending declined to an estimated £12.4 billion in January, an 8% fall from £13.5 billion in December and a 52% fall from January 2008, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). A slight decline is typically experienced between December and January. However, this is the lowe
19/02/2009
The recent economic downturn has had a significant impact on pay budgets in the housing sector, with associations cutting the estimated average pay awards by almost 30% since the autumn. The survey from Smith & Williamson, the accountancy and financial services firm, shows that the average predicte
19/02/2009
Work has started on a new building which will boost services for people with learning disabilities in Derbyshire. The £2.4 million two-storey building is being built in Alfreton Park, Alfreton, by Derbyshire County council and will be used to provide short breaks for adults with learning disabiliti
19/02/2009
Over 260,000 hard-up families, who have been forced into having gas prepay meters installed in their homes after falling into debt with their energy company, face paying an extra £7m in excess charges this year, according to new research. The National Housing Federation (NHF), which represents Engl
19/02/2009
The National Housing Federation (NHF), which represents housing associations in England, has warned it would be a mistake for a Conservative government to scrap all house-building targets. Responding to Tory proposals to ditch regional house-building targets, which form a key plank of Gordon Brown'
19/02/2009
Chesterfield's Market Hall is to undergo a detailed study that will look at its future potential uses and likely options and costs for refurbishment and development. Chesterfield Borough Council has successfully secured funding to carry out the Market Hall study. The work will be done by Taylor You
19/02/2009
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is urging councilors at the East Riding of Yorkshire County Council to approve plans to bring forward £100 million of capital expenditure over the next three years. The FMB hopes that the council will provide the extra money to help create more jobs and prov
19/02/2009
Birmingham City Council has approved a £134 million budget for investment in council properties this year (2009/10) which will contribute to a better quality of life for Birmingham citizens. The major investment highlighted in a report to cabinet on 16 February is an increase on last years' £129 mi
18/02/2009
The UK's unreliable and congested transport network is undermining the long-term competitiveness of business, according to a new report by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which is being launched to coincide with the first meeting of a new transport group of influential business leaders.
18/02/2009
The government has unveiled plans for rolling out insulation and low-carbon technology to seven million homes by 2020 in a bid to slash carbon emissions and to cut energy bills. The London Assembly published a report, Lagging Behind - Insulating homes in London, in December 2008. Darren Johnson A
18/02/2009
Politicians from across the UK this week called on the Government in Westminster to cut VAT to five per cent for all building repair and maintenance work. In Westminster an Early Day Motion (EDM 7) tabled by Bob Russell MP received its one hundredth signature. EDM 7 calls on the Government to cut t
18/02/2009
Middle East company Al Futtaim Carillion, has signed a £550 million contract with ALDAR to deliver the prestigious Al Muneera development in Abu Dhabi, for which Heads of Terms were agreed and announced last November during a visit by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Al Muneera forms a key part of A
18/02/2009
Plans to create a £300,000 community sports village within Macclesfield's South Park have been unveiled. Macclesfield Borough Council is working in partnership with the Friends of South Park to transform part of the 17-hectare site with play, sport, recreational social and community opportunities.
18/02/2009
A senior figure in the construction industry has revealed the true thinking of many employers about health and safety in the industry. In an interview in last week's Construction News, Bob Whincap President of the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC), said: "There is a health and sa
18/02/2009
Sustainability experts BioRegional are looking for a roof in London that they can use for a six-month trial of new green roof technology. The trial, being carried out with WRAP and Enviros, will use 100mm deep trays that rest on the roof top. The roof would need to have accessible space of at leas
18/02/2009
EDF Energy has announced a cut in its prices for its standard rate electricity customers of up to 12.5%. The average change is a reduction of 8.8%. The decrease will take effect from 31 March 2009. These reductions will apply in London, South East, South West, Wales and Scotland benefiting the va
17/02/2009
Carillion and its joint venture partners in the Local Education Partnership (LEP), have reached financial close on the £300 million Tameside Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, which forms part of the UK Government's £45 billion Building Schools for the Future programme. The LEP, which
17/02/2009
The Conservative Party announcement that empty houses in the UK would be used to house those on council house waiting lists, under a future Conservative government, is welcome news at a time when there are 1.8 million families waiting for a home and when there are 850,000 empty houses in England alo
17/02/2009
Dan Roberts, a housing advisor at Cambridge City Council, has received the prestigious Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Distance Learning Student of the Year award. This has been awarded to Dan, who lives in Waterbeach near Cambridge, for outstanding performance in studying for the Postgraduat
17/02/2009
Osborne has completed the £1.9 million development of 12 affordable homes, two commercial units and a resident's centre in New Cross, South East London. The scheme forms part of the larger 'Kender regeneration project' for Hyde Housing Association. The scheme was constructed using a concrete fram
17/02/2009
UCATT activists will be launching a leaflet and poster campaign outside Broomfield Hospital as concern grows that the workforce employed on building the new hospital are not receiving minimum pay and condition levels. French-based company Bouygues is building the new Broomfield Hospital Site. The c
17/02/2009
Hulley & Kirkwood have been chosen to provide M&E Design for the new Birmingham BSF scheme. The project, worth a mammoth £2.4billion, is the biggest BSF scheme to date, and will be delivered by Catalyst Lend Lease (CLL), a Consortium made up of Catalyst Education and Bovis Lend Lease, who were recen
17/02/2009
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Skills Secretary John Denham today announced their Departments will be conducting a review of productivity and skills in engineering construction sector. The review will be led by Mark Gibson, who leaves his post as Director General Business and Enterprise at t
17/02/2009
Nottingham Trent University has just completed an innovative building services upgrade with the support of Roof-Pro Systems. The university, at the heart of Nottingham city centre, has undertaken a regeneration programme that has seen the refurbishment to two of the universities most historic bu
17/02/2009
Barbour, publishers of the leading 'big red' building products directory Barbour Compendium, have enhanced their portfolio with the launch of a revolutionary website, called Barbour Product Search,
17/02/2009
As electronic wizardry goes, it could have come straight from the pages of a Harry Potter novel. A Westcountry entrepreneur has developed a device that can switch public street lamps on and off at the touch of a button, not unlike the magic "delumininator" dreamt up by J K Rowling. Nigel Graver's
16/02/2009
The Government talks about a radical shift to make our homes more energy efficient but it fails to offer practical radical solutions that will deliver this ambition, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the publication of the Government's heat and energy saving strategy to re
16/02/2009
A petition calling for new eco standards to be applied across the house-building industry has been handed in to 10 Downing Street - with the backing of 200 housing associations from across the country. The petition, which was organised by the National Housing Federation (NHF), demands private devel
16/02/2009
The Conservative Party has unveiled the Empty Property Rescue Scheme (EPR), a new initiative to tackle Britain's social housing crisis, which has seen the number of hard pressed families left languishing on social housing waiting lists soar. With Gordon Brown's recession deepening and repossessions
16/02/2009
Galliford Try has been appointed to carry out a £103 million contract to undertake the restoration of London's St Pancras Chambers and create 67 residential apartments, a £10 million penthouse and a 244-bedroom Five Star Marriott Renaissance Hotel for St Pancras Chambers Investments Ltd (part of the
16/02/2009
The Government's plans to retrofit seven million homes by 2015 to reduce carbon emissions and cut energy costs is a programme that the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has long called for and is very welcome. It is absolutely crucial that it works fast enough and achieves the deep emission cuts
16/02/2009
Riches Hawley Mikhail Architects have won the competition to design the new affordable housing development on the Greyhound Opening site, off Dereham Road in Norwich. The competition was run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and attracted 101 expressions of interest from architect
16/02/2009
E.ON has announced it is to appeal the East Riding Council's decision to refuse consent for its Tedder Hill wind farm near Roos, Yorkshire. The initial application for a 6.9MW, three turbine wind farm was rejected in August following a tie-break decision in which the council chairman cast the deci
16/02/2009
Omar Homes, a major company in Brandon Suffolk is facing a bleak future due to the refusal of Lloyds bank to provide credit. The company, which employs 200 workers, builds Park homes. Construction union UCATT have been working with the company to save jobs and secure the company's future. Workers h
16/02/2009
Householders across England will be asked their views on how the UK can reduce its carbon emissions through better energy efficiency and low-carbon heating, as part of the 'Big Energy Shift' citizens' forums. The first of the forums was launched on Saturday by Energy and Climate Change Minister Joa
16/02/2009
With the economic landscape becoming tougher a scaffolding contractor can have no better weapon in his arsenal than that of being an NASC (National Access and Scaffolding Confederation) member. With more and more Main Contractors stipulating the use of NASC members companies only, the value of membe
13/02/2009
New images have been released showing the progress being made on the site of the Energy Centre. Foundations have been completed on the new Energy Centre, which will provide an efficient power, heating and cooling system across the Park both during and after the Games. The Centre will house biomass
13/02/2009
The National Housing Federation (NHF) has welcomed the Government's ambition of cutting carbon emissions from all residential homes by 30% by 2020, and urged ministers to work closely with housing associations to help achieve the goal. The Federation, which represents England's housing associations
13/02/2009
Responding to the announcement by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on home insulation, council leaders called for energy suppliers to pay a £500 million annual charge to help fund a comprehensive home insulation programme that would lift half a million people out of fuel poverty
13/02/2009
E.ON has announced it will decrease electricity prices for the majority of its residential customers, effective from 31 March 2009. Graham Bartlett, Managing Director of E.ON's Retail business, said: "We are delighted to announce today that we'll be reducing our electricity prices for millions of
13/02/2009
Faithful+Gould has become one of only four firms to be accredited by the Association for Project Safety (APS) as a training provider for its Management of CDM Co-ordination course. The course is aimed at those within the construction industry who wish to practice as CDM Co-ordinators and manage the
13/02/2009
Politicians from all parties and construction industry representatives have united to help kick start the ailing construction industry which is suffering its worst recession since 1980 with eight firms going bust every day and house building at its lowest level since 1924. 'Get Britain Building',
13/02/2009
UCATT has welcomed the Government's announcement that there will be increased investment in ensuring that all homes will become energy efficient. Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "These plans demonstrate how green investment can be good news for the construction industry. As well as
13/02/2009
Hill International, in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) have announced their plans to hold a Masterclass in March 2009, focusing on risk and cost management, and dealing with delay and disruption in the construction industry. The event will be held for the first time in
13/02/2009
Proposals for improvements to the A470 between Cwm-bach and Newbridge-on-Wye, Powys have been published. And people have until 2 April to have their say on the proposals, which will go on public exhibition at the Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd between 18-20 March. After all correspondence has
12/02/2009
New data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) shows the sharp decline in mortgage lending activity over the past year. There were 516,000 house purchase loans in 2008, a decline of 49% from 2007 and the lowest level of activity since 1974. There were 32,000 house purchase loans in December, a
12/02/2009
Following a public meeting, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) Planning Committee has recommended the Handball Arena planning application for approval. It will now be passed to the Greater London Authority for planning permission to be granted. Sports users, local people, faith groups, community
12/02/2009
Support services and construction company Carillion has appointed Richard Sykes as Managing Director for the company's consulting business. Richard joins Carillion following an 18-year career with Taylor Woodrow where he was most recently Executive Board Director responsible for Taylor Woodrow Cons
12/02/2009
A National Audit Office (NAO) report has concluded that two programmes aimed at building capacity in the third sector have had a positive impact on frontline third sector organisations but have not yet demonstrated value for money. Both have suffered from administrative weaknesses and a lack of in
12/02/2009
Plans to demolish the long derelict Muhammed Ali Centre in Hockley have been approved. The centre, which has been closed for a number of years, has been subject to a number of break-ins, damaged by a major fire and has become a focal point for drug users who continue to discard needles in and arou
12/02/2009
On 9 February Cherwell District Council's Executive agreed to submit a proposal to Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) to build a new Bicester Hospital. The PCT have called for expressions of interest to develop replacement facilities for Bicester Hospital. Previously, the Council has offered the
12/02/2009
Carbon emissions must be cut by 80% by 2050, Lambeth Council has pledged. The south London council has cut its carbon emissions by approximately 14% between 2004/5 and 2007/8, and is well on the way to meeting its 2012 target of a 20%reduction. But now the council has now set itself a more challen
12/02/2009
Plans for a major refurbishment of Manchester's town hall complex, improving services to the public and investing in key civic buildings and spaces, have been given the go-ahead. Manchester City Council's top-level Executive approved proposals for a project lasting up to five years. At its heart ar
12/02/2009
The Smart family can be traced back to the early 18th century where for many generations they were agricultural labourers in the Hamlets of Gloucestershire. In the mid 19th century Francis Smart and his sons Frederick & George were cabinet makers in Gloucester. Frederick Smart walked from Gloucest
11/02/2009
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell have unveiled plans for the legacy of the Olympic Park after the 2012 Games. The vision, developed in conjunction with the five host boroughs, is of a vibrant, thriving district of new communi
11/02/2009
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) is to play a leading role in promoting good practice and equality on lesbian, gay and bisexual issues in the housing sector. The work forms part of a wide-ranging equality and diversity strategy being undertaken by CIH in a year when the housing sector will
11/02/2009
Housing minister Iain Wright said that there is "no room for complacency" in efforts to improve private sector housing as he addressed today a conference organised by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). Stressing the link between good housing and good health the Minister praised
11/02/2009
Derek Simpson, joint leader of Unite, together with a delegation of Unite members working in engineering and construction delivered a petition to Number 10 yesterday, calling on Gordon Brown to insist that employers give UK workers fair access to work on UK engineering and construction projects. Fo
11/02/2009
Work is about to start on further environmental improvements to Liverpool's waterfront road. It will involve improving the street lighting between James Street and New Quay and repaving the footpaths, between the James Street junction and Chapel Street, using high quality materials. Although it ma
11/02/2009
The Education Minister Jane Hutt visited three schools in the Wrexham area that are to benefit from a £24 million funding package to support small capital work and refurbishment programmes at schools. Ysgol Bryn Alun, Maelor School and Darland High School will receive a combined amount of £5million
11/02/2009
Galliford Try has been awarded a £47 million contract by Group 4 Securicor to develop and refurbish new and existing facilities at Parc Prison in Bridgend - the only private prison in Wales. The project will involve developing the Category B Prison to create a new accommodation block together with
11/02/2009
Mayfield Construction is celebrating after winning a Staffordshire Built in Quality Award 2008. The Liverpool-based company, which operates in civil engineering, contemporary building, landscaping and concrete flooring, scooped top place in the 'Industrial Work Over £1m' cate
10/02/2009
The construction industry is facing its sharpest decline for nearly 30 years and with little or no prospect of any turnaround in the short term, employment levels across the industry are expected to fall sharply throughout 2009. This is the stark picture according to the latest Trade Survey publishe
10/02/2009
Construction union UCATT has scored a notable victory in its battle to prevent employment agencies paying workers below industry minimum levels. As a result 24 local construction workers have all received major pay rises. UCATT discovered that Jark Recruitment was paying workers well below industry
10/02/2009
Contractors are being forced to keep tenders low in an attempt to remain competitive and ride out the recession, as a result of new orders falling significantly and the demand for construction work drying up, according to the latest Tender Price Index compiled by RICS' Building Cost Information Serv
10/02/2009
May Gurney has announced that following a competitive tender process it has signed a long-term framework contract with British Waterways for the maintenance and improvement of its canals and rivers. The four-year contract, with a possible two-year extension, is estimated to be worth around £20m per
10/02/2009
Faithful+Gould is assisting families to return to their homes months ahead of schedule following the recent flooding in Morpeth. More than 1,000 homes were affected by the worst flooding to hit Morpeth in over 40 years. 150 of these homes belong to Castle Morpeth Housing, which called on Faithful+
10/02/2009
The search is on to find a top team to help the Council to develop thousands of new homes across Sheffield over the next decade and to improve the neighbourhoods they are built in. Sheffield City Council is stepping up plans to build around 2,500 quality new homes in the city in the next 10-15 year
10/02/2009
Liverpool One, the £1 billion retail-led development in the heart of Liverpool City Centre, has landed a major planning award. It has won the Royal Town Planning Institute national award for best city or metropolitan scheme. The scheme was submitted by Liverpool City Council. Cllr Peter Millea, Ex
10/02/2009
Plans to move forward with a proposed major redevelopment at The Sands Centre in Carlisle, which could result in a new pool, sports hall and specialist teaching facilities, will be considered by Carlisle City Council's Executive next Monday, 16 February. A partnership of Carlisle City Council, the
10/02/2009
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson has announced that he has already identified which London boroughs will deliver three quarters of his affordable housing target. The Mayor has reached a provisional agreement with 14 London boroughs to deliver over 16,750 homes. The remaining 19 boroughs have already
10/02/2009
Over half of schools in England have achieved Eco School status, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn announced today. Visiting Long Eaton Secondary School in Derbyshire Mr Benn congratulated pupils on turning their school into an environmentally friendly flagship eco-school. Run by Keep Britain tidy
10/02/2009
Leading brassware manufacturer Deva has launched a smart new product, Enviro-Klick, to complement the company's extensive portfolio of water efficient taps and showers. Enviro-Klick’s reduced flow option cuts water use of some standard taps by 80 per cent, resulting in the greatest savings of all s
09/02/2009
The proportion of first time buyers (FTBs) looking to put a foot on the property ladder more than doubled in the first two weeks of 2009, according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA). 22.5% of registered buyers were FTBs, up from 10% in December and 14.5% in January 2008. Peter B
09/02/2009
Willmott Dixon's local construction office in Dartford has secured the £36.4 million contract to transform Loxford School of Science & Technology for London Borough of Redbridge The Dartford team will now create a modern replacement for Loxford School of Science & Technology at the current school s
09/02/2009
The property industry's trade body has pledged its support for a new initiative launched to improve the planning system. The British Property Federation (BPF) has welcomed the launch of the National Planning Forum's (NPF) action plan for improving the planning system and has set out the actions it
09/02/2009
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has published new images showing the final preparations for the lift of the 2,800-tonne Aquatics Centre roof. Thirty pairs of temporary support trestles up to 20m high have been put in place to support the huge steel trusses that will form the sweeping wave-shap
09/02/2009
Support services company, Carillion, has been awarded a seven year, £80m contract for maintenance of the East London Line for Transport for London (TfL). This maintenance contract is an important milestone in TfL's preparations for the new London Overground service, which will run from Dalston Junc
09/02/2009
Two Birkenhead teenagers are starting construction apprenticeships with Lovell, working on the large-scale programme to build new homes on the Fiveways estate in Rock Ferry. More than 280 new homes are being built by Lovell in the neighbourhood through the NewHeartlands Housing Market Renewal Pathf
09/02/2009
Building work begins this week on the site of a brand new £19m leading educational academy in Wythenshawe, Manchester. Manchester Enterprise Academy (MEA), which is due to open in Woodhouse Park this September, will be a totally new way of educating young people to meet the learning needs of the ci
09/02/2009
Since the start of the year, Rok has won eight major framework agreements. Together, these awards are expected to be worth £164m in revenue. The Guinness Trust, one of the largest housing associations in England, has signed a national framework agreement with Rok to build new homes under a variety
09/02/2009
Galliford Try, the construction and housebuilding Group, has announced that it has secured two contracts totalling £36 million in the education and hospitality sectors in London. Galliford Try has been awarded a £20 million contract to build the new Harris Boys Academy in East Dulwich for The Harri
09/02/2009
An eyesore Mountain Ash building has been demolished as part of the ongoing regeneration and improvement of Wales' town centre. Bulldozers raised the former shop at number 47 Oxford Road to the ground following months of work and negotiations on behalf of residents and businesses by Rhondda Cynon T
06/02/2009
Energy and Climate Change Minister Mike O'Brien has granted consent for three new power stations capable of providing approximately four million homes with electricity to be constructed at Pembroke, King's Lynn and Hatfield. The new gas fired power stations will produce around 4 gigawatts of power
06/02/2009
Victoria is set to get a new lease of life as the commercial and residential heart of London's West End as Westminster City Council resolved to grant planning consent for Land Securities' Victoria Transport Interchange (VTI2) scheme. Land Securities, which has been developing in Victoria for over
06/02/2009
Elderly and disabled passengers will benefit from safer and more accessible railway stations thanks to a multi-million pound Government cash boost, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon has announced. A total of 523 stations across England and Wales will be upgraded thanks to £37 million of funding, which
06/02/2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned firms to properly assess risks when working with asbestos and ensure, if necessary, only licensed contractors are used. The call follows the prosecution on 4 February 2009 of Westpoint Schoolcare Ltd for breaching Regulations 5, 8(1) and 11 of the Co
06/02/2009
The British Property Federation (BPF) is backing calls by the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) for the introduction of minimum standards for agents. The BPF would like to see the enforcement of minimum standards on all letting agents to better prevent rogue operators operating in th
06/02/2009
Peterborough City Council and Opportunity Peterborough are announcing that Bridge Street will be the focus of the next phase of the Streets, Squares and Spaces project. Work is due to start this month on Cathedral Square which is the next phase of the project to be transformed under the city's Publ
06/02/2009
A £1.5 million scheme to reduce the risk of flooding to the Cliffe area of Lewes has now got the go-ahead following approval by Lewes District Council's Planning Committee. The Cliffe area of Lewes was just one part of the town that experienced severe flooding in 2000 and a design has been develope
06/02/2009
Leading support services and construction company Carillion hosted a very special visit by 2nd Permanent Under Secretary Ursula Brennan who visited the final phase of new Junior Ranks Single Living Accommodation (SLA), which is part of redevelopment works at Northwood Headquarters. The new SLA prov
06/02/2009
Deva has added to its multi award winning Satinjet family of showerheads with the introduction of two new head only options for the Awatea and Kiri ranges. The new head only options offer a swift and cost effective retrofit opportunity to those who simply want to change the head of their shower, w
05/02/2009
£28.5 billion is to be spent on Britain's rail infrastructure over the next five years as Network Rail has accepted the Office of Rail Regulation's (ORR) rail spending budget for 2009 to 2014. From 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2014 (control period 4, CP4), Network Rail will invest almost £7.6bn on proj
05/02/2009
A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) shows 1.9 million vulnerable households in 2006 did not receive help from the Department of Energy and Climate Change's Warm Front Scheme to tackle fuel poverty, and this rate of progress will still leave many in fuel poverty in 2010. The report reveals t
05/02/2009
Cherwell District Council has objected to a proposal from Oxfordshire County Council to build a waste incinerator in Ardley and warns it will take the fight against the plans to the highest authority if necessary. The proposal to build an 'energy from waste facility' (EFW), which generates heat by
05/02/2009
Health Minister Edwina Hart has approved plans to develop a £3.77 million Assembly Government-funded day case surgery unit at Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil. The new unit will enable patients from Merthyr Tydfil, Cynon and the upper Rhymney Valley to be treated locally during the extensive
05/02/2009
New plans have been submitted to Lambeth Council for a major regeneration scheme in the heart of Clapham. The Council's development partner, Cathedral Group, has just submitted proposals to redevelop Mary Seacole House on Clapham High Street to provide a new community library, healthcare centre and
05/02/2009
Central Networks, the electricity distribution company for central England, is taking its electricity safety vehicle into two Staffordshire schools this month to teach children about the dangers electricity can pose. Children from schools in Stafford will play laptop games to identify hazards, hav
05/02/2009
South West businesses developing new tidal energy technologies are being encouraged to apply to a new £500,000 fund designed to speed up the development of this cutting edge, but as yet unproven, technology. The half-a-million pound fund, which would be match-funded by the private sector, comprises
05/02/2009
The University of Nottingham has appointed Construction and Management Consultant, Turner & Townsend to project manage and provide cost advice on the new Humanities Building and Centre for Advanced Studies in the Arts and Social Sciences. The University of Nottingham has invested significantly in i
05/02/2009
Toolpak the professional's choice for power tool accessories and consumables, announced it has plenty of exclusive show offers and is proud to feature their new X rated diamond blades and accompanying XXX rated movie. The multi-material Force X range of diamond blades have been designed to provide
05/02/2009
Mark Morton Limited, a London-based company employing skilled local labour is now in the fourth year of being awarded membership of The Guild of Master Craftsmen. Membership was granted by The Guild's Council of Management in recognition of the company's commitment to work with skill and integrity
04/02/2009
Douglas Oakervee OBE, Executive Chairman of Crossrail has announced that Rob Holden CBE, the current Chief Executive of London and Continental Railways will become Crossrail's Chief Executive with effect from 1 April 2009. As announced on 17 November 2008, Mr Oakervee will move across to take up th
04/02/2009
Up to half the country's domestic gas heating could be met by turning waste into biogas, according to a new report from National Grid. Biogas could give the UK a new reliable source of green energy as the North Sea gas reserves run down. The report looks at how all the biodegradable waste streams
04/02/2009
Householders living in and around Devon and Cornwall will be able to get specialist energy debt and fuel poverty advice thanks to a new partnership between Plymouth Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) and EDF Energy. The energy company, which has offices in Plymouth and Exeter and 2,000 staff in the Sout
04/02/2009
BAA has appointed a new head of construction and design. Steve Morgan, the former commercial director at British Nuclear Fuels, is to replace Rob Stewart who will now report to Morgan as construction director. In his role as capital director Morgan will lead BAA's £6.6bn investment plan overseeing
04/02/2009
Promoting black and minority ethnic (BME) future leaders, the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) has announced it is funding five places for BME staff on this year's National Housing Federation's (NHF) leadership programme, in partnership with Lancaster University Management School. The NHF Leadershi
04/02/2009
The new 3G football pitch at Queen's Park Sports Centre in Chesterfield has been officially opened by Chesterfield Borough Council. The new facility replaces the outdoor multi-use games area that closed in 2007. The facility includes a 3G artificial grass surface, filled with rubber crumb, which cu
04/02/2009
npower has announced that it has acquired one of Britain's largest building services companies, SPI Group Ltd (SPI). The purchase, which was completed on 30 January, is a major boost for npower as it seeks to grow its energy services business. SPI specialises in providing mechanical and electrical
04/02/2009
The Welsh Assembly Government has agreed a £15 million deal with housing associations in local authority areas throughout Wales to deliver up to 300 new affordable homes, the Deputy Minister for Housing, Jocelyn Davies AM has announced . The £15 million is the first instalment of the £42 million ex
04/02/2009
Peterborough City Council's Cabinet has endorsed a recommendation not to object to plans for a major energy park provided important conditions are fulfilled. At a Cabinet meeting, a decision tabled by Council Leader Councillor John Peach asked for clarification on important planning conditions and
03/02/2009
Lend Lease Corporation has announced that its UK public private partnerships (PPP) business, Catalyst Lend Lease, has been selected as preferred partner to deliver the £1.2 billion Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project for the City of Birmingham. The Birmingham BSF project is part of a UK G
03/02/2009
Lovell is working with Tarmac Limited to build two concept homes at the University of Nottingham in order to provide housebuilders and Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) with a blueprint for low cost, scaleable zero-carbon housing which has the potential to be replicated across the UK. The semi-det
03/02/2009
Government plans to allow local authorities to build thousands of new council houses is welcome news says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) but warns the Government not to exclude small and medium sized builders from the process. The Prime Minister's announcement comes at a critical time when
03/02/2009
Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, has announced it has reached agreement with Hess Limited to acquire a 67 per cent interest in the undeveloped York gas fields in the Southern North Sea for £22 million in cash. The acquisition adds to the 23 per cent of the development acquired as part o
03/02/2009
Monthly house prices in England and Wales fell by two per cent in December, according to the latest figures from Land Registry. The average house price is now £158,946 representing an annual decrease of 13.5 per cent. In London the average price fell 12.9 per cent annually to £307,071, a level si
03/02/2009
Intensive lobbying by Liverpool means European grants could become available to help local people make their homes more energy efficient. Councillor Flo Clucas, the city's deputy leader, in her position as a senior member of the Committee of the Regions, managed to persuade her EU colleagues to all
03/02/2009
Birmingham City Council has selected Catalyst Education to undertake a £2.4 billion drive to rebuild or refurbish all 89 of its secondary schools by 2024. This is the biggest school transformation programme in the country under the Government's £multi-billion Building Schools for the Future initiat
03/02/2009
Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (CFCL), a global leader in fuel cell development, and E.ON, have extended their agreement to further develop and deploy fuel cell micro combined heat and power (mCHP) units in Great Britain . Under the terms of the new agreement, E.ON and CFCL will collaborate on a joint
03/02/2009
Turton Industrial Doors Ltd is one of the latest groups of successful companies to join a leading edge scheme, designed to help industry improve its safety record. The Bolton based firm recently received accreditation from SAFEcontractors, a programme which recognises very high standards of health
03/02/2009
Marcin & Co have three dedicated teams able to work on different projects at any one time. Marcin & Co is based in Olney with the directors and staff living locally. All vehicles are new and fully stocked with up to date and equipment necessary for carrying out works quickly and efficiently. We hav
02/02/2009
Matthew Wyles, Group Distribution Director of Nationwide Building Society, has been appointed chairman of the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) for 2009. Martijn van der Heijden, Head of Mortgages at HSBC, and John Heron, Managing Director of Paragon Mortgages Ltd, have been appointed as deputy cha
02/02/2009
The Government is being urged to compel Northern Rock to make mortgages available to people on lower incomes now that it has been fully nationalised. The National Housing Federation (NHF) has told ministers that the bank should be instructed to make mortgages available to those eligible to buy thro
02/02/2009
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), the professional body for people working in housing and communities, has welcomed the announcement by the Prime Minister of reforms to enable a new programme of local authority house building. Sarah Webb, CIH Chief Executive said: "This is great news. We ar
02/02/2009
Construction union UCATT are calling on the Government to swiftly introduce statutory director's duties, after the current voluntary code was shown to be a complete failure. UCATT have led the campaign for the introduction of statutory directors' duties, which would require companies to nominate a
02/02/2009
Geoff Barnett has been appointed Technical Operations Manager at Freefoam Plastics, it has been announced. Mr Barnett, who has worked in the PVC industry for over 30 year, is a member of the organising committee for the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining's (IOM3) international PVC confere
02/02/2009
565,000 households are now living in overcrowded conditions in England, the latest Communities and Local Government (CLG) figures show. Shelter research shows that living in overcrowded housing harms the health of children, makes it more difficult for them to study, and causes depression, anxiety
02/02/2009
ISG recently invited a group of students from Leeds College of Building to take a tour of Toronto Square, its multi-million pound commercial office re-development in central Leeds. The students, on the 1st Year BTEC National Certificate in Construction, were all classmates of Declan Storey, a new IS
02/02/2009
One of Chester's landmark hotels is celebrating after officially opening a set of spectacular gates as part of its multi-million pound redevelopment programme. The Queen Hotel, opposite Chester Railway Station, opened its luxury King Suites extension in October, as part of owner Paul Feather's £15m
