Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for April 2009
30/04/2009
The price of a typical house fell by 0.4% in April according to the latest figures by the Nationwide. April's decline leaves the average price of a house at £151,861, down 15% from a year ago. Commenting on the figures Fionnuala Earley, Nationwide's Chief Economist, said: "The chancellor announced
30/04/2009
The Equality Bill published by Government this week is likely to have a major impact on housing organisations when the legislation comes into force in April 2010 according to the Chartered Institute for Housing (CIH). The legislation will place new duties on public bodies, which are likely to form
30/04/2009
Research by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has shown that construction managers over the age of 60 are the fastest growing age group in the sector. The research which looks at the impact of what an ageing population will have on the construction industry, revealed not only the implicati
30/04/2009
Two areas of land owned by Leicester City Council are being made available to businesses to enable progress on a range of development schemes. The city council has agreed to sell the freehold for a site at Madeline Road, on the Bursom Industrial Estate, to the bakery firm Samworth Brothers so it c
30/04/2009
Energy companies E.ON and RWE have been confirmed the successful bidders in the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) auction for nuclear land at Oldbury power station. E.ON already owns some land near to the NDA site and, last month, nominated Oldbury into the Government's Strategic Siting Asses
30/04/2009
Cherwell District Council's executive heard that progress on the district's revamped and rebuilt leisure centres has been "excellent". It's exactly a year since the leisure centres were transferred to Parkwood Leisure and the programme remains on target and within budget. At the meeting, Councill
30/04/2009
A new report published to coincide with International Workers Memorial Day, reveals the shockingly high number of deaths of construction workers who were working for small construction companies. The report 'Small Isn't Beautiful' written by the Centre for Corporate Accountability for UCATT, reveal
30/04/2009
A consultation on the regulations that govern housing associations in Wales was announced yesterday by Deputy Housing Minister Jocelyn Davies AM. The move is part of actions to implement the key recommendations of the Essex review into affordable housing. The independent review made a number of rec
30/04/2009
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has unveiled a series of measures to back a people's revolution to recycle buildings by putting real power in the hands of locals to support communities during the downturn and beyond. The tougher economic climate has led to renewed interest in communities maintai
30/04/2009
An independent report has found Arun District Council is providing a 'fair' housing service with promising prospects to improve further. The Council has accepted the 'fair' one-star rating from the Audit Commission following its Strategic Housing Assessment, which covered homelessness and housing
29/04/2009
CABE's London 2012 panel is unable to support the Olympic Delivery Authority's (ODA) proposed designs for the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre (IBC/MPC), on the edge of the Olympic Park. The panel has reviewed all of the key projects for the Games and in the majority of proposa
29/04/2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding companies in Cumbria of the danger of failing to carry out risk assessments after a machine toppled over and crushed an employee to death. The warning comes after George Robertson Graham, the senior partner at Auto Recoveries of Millrace Road, Will
29/04/2009
Birmingham's newest property landmark, Brindley House, has scooped a top award at the Built in Property Awards, held at the ICC, Birmingham. Brindley House, a development from Birmingham-based MCD Developments and Balfour Beatty, was nominated for the award in the apartment category, and beat off
29/04/2009
Ventrolla has completed the renovation of 70 sash windows at Halcyon Court, a care home for the elderly in Headingley, near Leeds. Originally two private residential properties built in the early 1900s, Halcyon Court was completely refurbished four years ago when new owner Anchor Trust first acquir
29/04/2009
Expamet Building Products has announced a half million pound investment in its UK base, securing production at its Hartlepool site and expanding its range of bespoke builder's metalwork. The company has invested £500k into new tooling and machinery to enhance productivity for current lines whilst
29/04/2009
The international construction and management consultancy, Turner & Townsend, has been awarded an International Safety Award by the British Safety Council. The awards scheme recognises and rewards organisations committed to improving corporate health & safety. Applicants are judged for their board
29/04/2009
SAS International has announced the introduction of SAS 'International White' Tee Grid, a robust and competitively priced product for ceiling contractors. Manufactured in the UK, the SAS Tee Grid is one of the highest galvanised steel content grid products on the market. Double stitched for stre
29/04/2009
The Highways Agency will be working to replace the bridge deck waterproofing and surfacing on the A47 bridge at the Wansford Junction on the A1, just north of Peterborough, starting on 7 May for two weeks. The bridge carries the A47 over the A1 and works will take place between the two adjacent rou
28/04/2009
Construction company, Carillion, has been awarded two contracts by Network Rail - for the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link and the Great Eastern Overhead Line Enabling works - together worth £111 million. The £80 million contract for the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link project includes the provision of new st
28/04/2009
National housing and regeneration agency, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), has appointed six industry experts to provide independent strategic policy advice to the HCA on design and sustainability. The advisory group will have an important role in helping the HCA deliver its statutory object
28/04/2009
Hull City Council has been allocated an additional £11,250,000 in the current financial year to carry out repair work to its housing stock, as part of the Council's overall Decent Homes programme. The funding follows an announcement in the Government's Pre-Budget Report last autumn, inviting local
28/04/2009
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is exceeding its targets for making deliveries to the Olympic Park for construction by sustainable means. The target set out in the Sustainable Development Strategy published in 2007 stated that 50% of materials (by weight) would be transported by rail or water.
28/04/2009
The ACT-UK Simulation Centre - the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) backed construction management simulation centre currently under construction in Coventry - will this month (April) host the launch of a new trust set up to promote lifelong learning in the construction industry. The formatio
28/04/2009
Energy company E.ON has launched a Sustainable Energy Fund for green-thinking community groups across the UK, offering grants and advice for sustainable improvement energy projects. The fund replaces E.ON's SOURCE fund. Over the last couple of years SOURCE has helped many charities and community gr
28/04/2009
Market leader SAS International has supplied the recently extended Western Leisure Centre in Ely, Cardiff with ceiling solutions for the pool and changing room areas. SAS worked with the project's Cardiff-based architects, EPT Partnership, from the outset of the design process to ensure that the bes
28/04/2009
On the 1st November 2008 Mastercut acquired another 5,000 sq. foot manufacturing warehouse and office space in Clay Cross to compliment the existing, cramped 4,500 sq ft facility. The extra floor space will be used for additional warehousing and a special products machine cell and Heat Treatment cap
27/04/2009
Morgan Sindall's urban regeneration business Muse Developments has secured a £300 million scheme to create a Civic and Cultural Quarter (CCQ) in Doncaster town centre. Under the terms of the agreement, the company will redevelop the Waterdale area of the Yorkshire town for Doncaster Council. The fi
27/04/2009
Galliford Try, the construction and housebuilding group, has announced that it has been awarded two rail contracts totalling £19 million. Galliford Try will undertake a £13 million regeneration project at Newport station in South Wales for Network Rail, scheduled to be completed by Autumn 2010. Th
27/04/2009
Transport links at one of the UK's fastest growing towns have been boosted thanks to a £9 million railway station which was officially opened today by Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon. Initial services connecting Corby with London and other regional stations began running earlier this year - more tha
27/04/2009
The Budget was a timid response to build the homes that are desperately needed and to make our existing homes greener and more energy efficient, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the FMB said: "The Chancellor had an opportunity today to inves
27/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have welcomed the announcement by the Department of Energy and Climate Change that an additional £1.4 billion will be spent on developing the low carbon economy. It is estimated that the investment will help to create 20,000 new construction jobs in the coming months. The a
27/04/2009
Cherwell District Council has rejected a plan for a large wind turbine development at Willow Farm in Fewcott. The planning proposal called for the construction of four wind turbines, each with a height of 125 metres, associated buildings and a site entrance. At its planning meeting councillors un
27/04/2009
Gordon Brown the Prime Minister has indicated that the Government are preparing to ban blacklisting. When asked at Prime Minister's Question Time by Michael Clapham the Chair of the UCATT group of MPs, whether it was now time to bring in regulations to prohibit blacklisting, Mr Brown, said: "I am,
27/04/2009
A nationwide search has begun for 20 green and keen children to become members of the UK's first ever environmental think tank for seven to 14 year olds. The hunt begins as new research shows that our children believe they can make a difference to the green cause if they are listened to. The think
24/04/2009
Plans for a massive prison scheme are to be abandoned by the Ministry of Justice, according to media reports. Three 'Titan' prisons facilities, with the capacity for 2,500 offenders, will now not proceed. It is believed the Justice Secretary Jack Straw will instead introduce plans for five smalle
24/04/2009
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has announced that Populous has been appointed as the Official Architectural and Overlay Design Services Provider, becoming a Tier Three commercial provider in the process. Populous (formerly HOK Sport) is leading the
24/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have welcomed the announcement by the Department of Energy and Climate Change that an additional £1.4bn will be spent on developing the low carbon economy. It is estimated that the investment will help to create 20,000 new construction jobs in the coming months. The additio
24/04/2009
John Sisk & Son Ltd (Sisk), one of the largest construction groups in the UK and Ireland, is to construct a brand new hotel for Holiday Inn on the Winnersh Triangle Business Park, Reading. The client is Meridian Leisure Hotels, which operates the Holiday Inn franchise. The £14.5m, 8 floor developme
24/04/2009
Climate change will have a dramatic effect on the way we build houses in the future. At Grand Designs Live, London the Met Office will show you why new houses must be designed to reduce their carbon footprint. The houses we build today will need to be ready for the challenges of climate change, suc
24/04/2009
Two of Turner & Townsend's projects in Yorkshire have received accolades from the Civic Trust Awards, regarded as one of the most respected and valued public realm award schemes. Celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, the Civic Trust Awards recognised five projects in the Yorkshire and Humbe
24/04/2009
Construction in Mendip has been celebrated at an awards evening in Glastonbury. Private homes, farm buildings and an orthodontist were among the winners of Mendip District Council's, Built in Quality Awards 2009. The awards, sponsored by Bradford’s Building Supplies and InterPublic Systems Ltd, w
24/04/2009
ISG has been recognised for its commitment to occupational health and safety, by winning 12 Gold Medals, six Gold Awards, and one Silver Award, from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The winners were from ISG InteriorExterior, ISG Jackson, ISG Regions and ISG Pearce. With
24/04/2009
A series of design showcase events in April and May will unveil the plans for the first schools to be transformed under Sandwell's multi-million pound Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. BSF aims to rebuild or renew every secondary school in the borough over the next few years, transf
23/04/2009
The Secretary of State for Environment Hilary Benn has welcomed the measures in the 2009 Budget which encourage investment in low carbon jobs and energy generation using organic waste. The Chancellor announced additional funding of £10 million for anaerobic digestion and waste infrastructure and a
23/04/2009
Better service and bigger grants will help thousands of people save money and keep warm The Department of Energy and Climate Change's Warm Front Scheme has been changed to improve the quality of service for its customers. Warm Front provides grants for people on qualifying disability or income rela
23/04/2009
The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has announced Populous as the Official Architectural and Overlay Design Services Provider, becoming a Tier Three commercial provider in the process. Populous (formerly HOK Sport) will lead a consortium made up of Allies & Morrison and Lifshutz Davidson S
23/04/2009
Thousands of secondary students in Bristol are to benefit from a massive development programme that will see five secondary schools rebuilt and a new special school constructed. Bristol Local Education Partnership (LEP) has signed contracts with Bristol City Council for the £100 million programme t
23/04/2009
The vast majority of Britain's new home buyers would recommend their home builder to a friend, according to the Home Builders Federation's (HBF's) fourth annual Customer Satisfaction Survey released this week, a sure fire vindication that house builders are striving successfully to ensure they meet
23/04/2009
More top-of-the-range prestige homes could be built in Peterborough to meet the needs of high-earning professionals as the growing city seeks to attract new businesses. Research by planning officers at Peterborough City Council shows the city and 25 adjacent villages have a lower proportion of larg
23/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have given a cautious welcome to measures announced in yesterday's Budget to kick-start housebuilding. However UCATT is seeking further details about the proposed schemes, as they believe that the best way to restore confidence in the industry is to build new social housing
23/04/2009
The All England Club, Wimbledon, confirmed that its new Centre Court retractable roof is on schedule to be ready in time for the Centre Court Celebration matches on Sunday 17 May, when Andre Agassi, Stefanie Graf, Tim Henman and Kim Clijsters will be the first players to play under the new structure
23/04/2009
HCP, a division of SAS International, supplied 930 metres of bespoke electric radiant heating units to the refurbishment of the South Block of the University of London's, Grade II listed, Senate House. The refurbishment called for a total replacement of the electric radiant heating system, which wa
22/04/2009
Gross mortgage lending was an estimated £11.5 billion in March, a 16% rise from £9.9 billion in February but a 52% decline from £24.2 billion in March 2008, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). Gross lending for the first quarter was an estimated £33 billion, a 29% de
22/04/2009
The recession continues to hit small builders hard with 73% of FMB builders reporting a decline in workloads in the industrial sector, and 66% reporting similarly for the commercial sector during the first three months of 2009, according to the latest State of Trade Survey published by the Federatio
22/04/2009
Empty Property Rates (EPR) are paving the way for future instability in non-residential property markets as property owners are increasingly turning to demolition to avoid paying the rates whilst cutting back on future investment, according to the results of Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (R
22/04/2009
The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) has asked housing associations to note a major change in gas safety. The change which came into effect on 1 April 2009 now means that all gas engineers must be on the new Gas Safe Register to lawfully carry out gas work. The Gas Safe Register replaces the CORGI g
22/04/2009
Construction of the new foyer building for Bristol's Colston Hall music and performance venue is complete, on budget and on time. The building in the heart of the city centre was handed over to Bristol City Council by main contractors Willmott Dixon at a special ceremony on 20 April. Builders, ca
22/04/2009
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has asked whether Tesco was boosting its record profits by forcing its construction suppliers, including consultancy and engineering firms, to accept draconian cuts in fees for their services. Speaking following the announcement that Tesco had r
22/04/2009
The back yard of a typical city centre home has been transformed into a jungle-inspired piece of paradise thanks to some inspired landscaping ideas - and BSW's Timeless Timber. The owner wanted to change the ubiquitous back yard of her terraced house in London. Working with photographer and garden
22/04/2009
SAS International supplied both passive and active Integrated Service Modules (ISMs) to the Police Federation of England and Wales’ Headquarters in Leatherhead, Surrey. The design brief demanded that the building utilise energy efficient technologies to meet the Police Federation's ongoing commitmen
21/04/2009
Chancellor Alistair Darling is expected to announce a £1bn package to support the housing market in tomorrow's Budget. Mr Darling will also extend the stamp duty holiday until the end of the year on properties under £175,000. The government is also expected to provide money for construction sites
21/04/2009
Healthcare services specialist, Clinicenta, part of leading UK support services company Carillion, has achieved financial close on the new Surgicentre facility, worth a total of £153 million, to be built at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage for the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust and Hertfords
21/04/2009
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has released new images showing the progress that has been made on the Olympic Park now that construction work has started on all of the 'big five' venues - Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Olympic Village, Velodrome and International Broadcast Centre/Main Press
21/04/2009
Galliford Try, the construction and housebuilding group, has secured two academy projects in the secondary education sector, valued at a total of £38m. The first contract, valued at £23 million, is to build the new City of London Academy - Islington, for The Trustees of The Academy and the Departme
21/04/2009
John Sisk & Son Ltd (Sisk), one of the largest construction groups in the UK and Ireland, is to construct a brand new hotel for Holiday Inn on the Winnersh Triangle Business Park, Reading. The client is Meridian Leisure Hotels, which operates the Holiday Inn franchise. The £14.5m, 8 floor develop
21/04/2009
As part of his drive to boost access to skills and employment in the Capital, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced details of his planned Crossrail Tunnelling Academy, which will provide Londoners with the chance to gain qualifications in a variety of roles essential to the project and
21/04/2009
Environment Minister Jane Davidson has reminded planners that some planning applications in Wales will require new Design and Access Statements from 1st June this year. Design and Access Statements will now accompany planning applications and/or listed building consent. They will show how the final
21/04/2009
Peterborough City Council aims to reduce climate change damage and boost its reputation as a top recycler by introducing a process that converts household food waste into electricity and a compost-like soil improver. When the system is introduced, possibly next year, kitchen food waste will be coll
20/04/2009
Transport for London's (TfL) Docklands Light Railway (DLR) has confirmed funding for an £18.2m upgrade which will increase capacity by 50 per cent on its Beckton route in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The funding means upgrade work can start on the Beckton branch which serv
20/04/2009
Tightening of lending means that first time buyers are still locked out of home ownership despite the fall in house prices, new research by Shelter's ROOF magazine has shown. Figures from the annual ROOF Affordability Index, seen as the most comprehensive yearly data on house affordability, show th
20/04/2009
Carillion, the leading UK support services, Public Private Partnership project and construction company has been awarded this £90m contract by Network Rail. The project will enhance the network between South Acton and Stratford/Barking to improve rail services, including connections with the new Ea
20/04/2009
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson and the Government today published their proposal to create a world-beating research, learning and innovation centre in the Olympic Park after the 2012 Games. The centre will build on east London's Olympic legacy and focus on digital media, green technologies, scien
20/04/2009
Ambitious plans to regenerate Clapham have been given the go-ahead by Lambeth planners. The council's development partner, Cathedral Group, has been granted permission for the multi-million pound Future Clapham scheme. The development will deliver new, high quality public facilities for Clapham at
20/04/2009
Hull City Council's second planning surgery is due to be held this month to help people who are thinking about developing their properties or undertaking a development project. This series of planning surgeries by the council are designed to help people through the planning application and building
20/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have welcomed new procurement guidelines, which require all contractors on Government projects to train apprentices. The new policy is a vindication of UCATT research Apprenticeship - A Firm Foundation which was published last year. The document warned that unless the Gover
20/04/2009
The Forgen vertical axis wind generator has reached Antarctica where over 200 units are in use in extreme weather conditions. This is due to its reliability at extreme temperatures and wind speeds. Goodridge Engineering are market leaders for Covermate manhole lifters, Forgen Wind-driven Generato
17/04/2009
Building work on the foundations of the International Broadcast Centre/Main Press Centre (IBC/MPC) has started, a month earlier than originally planned. More than 2,000 concrete piles will be installed up to 24m into the ground to form the foundations of the IBC/MPC. All of the 'big five' venues ar
17/04/2009
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), have teamed up to pledge their joint commitment to drive up the design quality of new homes, following the publication of the first national design survey of new affordable housing in England
17/04/2009
At the depth of the last housing market recession in 1993, 1.5 million households or more were estimated to have negative equity according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). A new research article by James Tatch, Senior Statistician at the CML, suggests that about 900,000 home-owners curren
17/04/2009
Construction union UCATT are shocked and appalled after an "impartial" civil servant launched an unprovoked attack on the terms and conditions of skilled local government craft workers. Over 40,000 skilled craft workers in local government (carpenters, painters, bricklayers, labourers,etc) are empl
17/04/2009
The Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne MP and the Shadow Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change, Greg Clark MP, announced their green budget plans at a UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) event yesterday. The UK-GBC welcomed the Conservative's "Shadow Green Budget" but warned even more will n
17/04/2009
A comprehensive package to build more houses and retrofit existing homes needs to be the Chancellor of the Exchequer's top priority when he outlines his Budget proposals on 22 April, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Richard Diment, Director-General of the FMB said: "We are sinking deep
17/04/2009
Council officers have visited 20 houses in the Abbey Rise area in Leicester after a contractor disturbed some asbestos in their homes. The asbestos is the low-level white Chrysotile type and was disturbed by contractors when they were undertaking some rewiring work in the homes. As soon as the c
17/04/2009
Understanding the impact of fuel poverty on people's lives will be the focus of one of two major new research projects for Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), funded by the Eaga Partnership Charitable Trust (Eaga PCT). 'Fuel Poverty Perspectives', led by CSE's new Senior Researcher Will Anderson,
17/04/2009
A black Trucell aluminium ceiling system by SAS International has been specified by Rafael Vinoly Architects for the revolutionary Curve Theatre in Leicester. The state-of-the-art theatre is Vinoly's first UK project to be completed and turns the notion of theatre inside out by opening up views of a
16/04/2009
A second poll released by the HCA Academy, the skills and expertise arm of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), has found a significant increase in the number of housing and regeneration professionals admitting to mounting concern about the recession. The poll found that four in ten organisation
16/04/2009
The Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council (BATJIC) has announced that the 2009/10 round of negotiations has concluded, and that that there will be no increase to the pay, allowances, and conditions agreement currently in force when it expires in June 2009. In a statement issued yeste
16/04/2009
The Department for Transport (DfT) today announced that it has appointed Jacobs Engineering UK Ltd as the Project Representative for Crossrail following a competitive tender process. The Project Representative is a team of highly skilled project management professionals who will provide oversight s
16/04/2009
More than £30million Welsh Assembly Government-funding has been earmarked for the re-development of the Cardiff Royal Infirmary site, Health Minister Edwina Hart has announced. Subject to planning approval, work will begin in the next few months and expected to take three to four years to complete.
16/04/2009
All aspects of the challenging process of valuing new build properties have been drawn together for the first time by Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and published in a 'Guidance Note' which comes into effect on 1 May 2009. In September 2008, the industry agreed changes to the Red Boo
16/04/2009
Households across Leicester are being asked to give their views on the future of affordable housing in the city. The city council has just published its draft Affordable Housing Strategy and Delivery Plan, which sets out the city's housing targets until 2013. In all, the council wants to build 9
16/04/2009
Services for young families in Preston are to get a £355,000 boost. Barton and Fulwood are in line for new facilities in the third phase of Lancashire County Council's ambitious children's centre programme. The programme has already established children's centres in Ribbleton (Brookfield Primary a
16/04/2009
E.ON's nomination of a potential nuclear site at Oldbury has been published as part of the Government's Strategic Siting Assessment process. The site nomination follows a series of drop-in sessions that gave local people in the Oldbury area the opportunity to find out more about the Government proc
15/04/2009
The number of house purchase loans ticked up in February, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). There were 24,300 house purchase loans worth £3.1 billion, compared with 23,400 loans worth £3.1 billion in January - a 4% increase. But historically activity remains very weak
15/04/2009
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) delivered some 50,000 new, affordable homes across England and hit its target to invest £3.9bn on its national housing and regeneration programme in 2008/09. Despite the downturn the agency has been able to increase the number of completed rental and low cost
15/04/2009
Plans for a major development in Southampton city centre have moved a step forward. Southampton City Council awarded the Watermark WestQuay development outline planning permission at its Planning and Rights of Way meeting. Watermark WestQuay, led by developer Hammerson, is planned for the former P
15/04/2009
The number of people living in overcrowded homes in England will soar by 15% to 2.6 million within two years as unemployment and repossessions soar during the recession, a leading campaign group warned today. The National Housing Federation (NHF), which represents England’s housing associations, sa
15/04/2009
A scheme which gives rundown rural buildings a new lease of life has been extended to cover more areas of Derbyshire. The Redundant Buildings Grant Scheme has been run by Derbyshire County Council on behalf of the Derby and Derbyshire Economic Partnership (DDEP) since 2005. More than £300,000 has
15/04/2009
A list of eleven sites that could be potential hosts to new nuclear power stations in the UK is has been published. Members of the public now have a month to comment on the proposed sites before the nuclear planning consultation later this year. The Department of Energy and Climate Change published
15/04/2009
One of the country's leading water features companies, UK Water Features - which now offers the UK's largest water features showroom - is about to show its worth at a major UK show. The Yorkshire-based business has grown from a small, e-bay business into one that offers not only the largest showroo
15/04/2009
Rok, the property repair and maintenance specialist, has announced wins of framework agreements worth £86m. The announcement follows the Group's appointment by two organisations to carry out work under four-year framework agreements which bring the total value of framework agreements won so far thi
15/04/2009
Derby College have recently become the first nationally recognised centre approved to offer the new GQA qualification, Installing Domestic Fascias, Soffits and Bargeboards (IDFSB). More importantly, however, three candidates from Leicester have become the first people to undergo assessment and comp
09/04/2009
Enabling Works Framework Agreements have today been awarded by Crossrail to 16 companies following a competitive tender process. The chosen firms will have the opportunity to compete for packages of enabling works for the Crossrail project, including on site facilities, demolition, civil structure
09/04/2009
Costain has announced that it has been awarded a £397million contract by Viridor Laing (Greater Manchester) Ltd to design and build municipal waste treatment infrastructure as part of the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority's (GMWDA's) PFI Waste and Recycling Contract, which is the largest m
09/04/2009
New images released by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today show the first permanent new bridge into the Olympic Stadium site being lifted into place. The Olympic Stadium is being built on a compact island site which is surrounded by water on three sides. The footbridge now in place is the fi
09/04/2009
Ex-servicemen and women who are seriously injured are to be given priority to specially adapted social homes, the Housing Minister Iain Wright announced today. Councils are being instructed to treat seriously injured service personnel as a priority when allocating modified housing, under new guidan
09/04/2009
Hundreds of homes in the southeast of England and south Wales are to get a thorough health-check from 'Green Doctors' to treat the symptoms of fuel poverty, thanks to the environmental charity Groundwork. While the economy is in turmoil and gas and electricity bills continue to rise, Groundwork's G
09/04/2009
Conservative Party plans to allow communities to deliver the new housing that they want and need is good in principle but offers no guarantee that they will actually deliver the millions of homes that are needed to house the five million people on council house waiting lists, warns the Federation of
09/04/2009
A thermal imaging flight above Peterborough will help residents discover how much heat their homes waste and how they can save money by improving their loft insulation. The flight, covering the city's urban corridor from Hampton to Glinton, will allow people to compare the insulation efficiency of
09/04/2009
Local people are to be asked to decide on the shape of multi-million pound youth and community developments being planned for the Cedars Youth Centre and Cedars Hall site in Harrow. An ambitious scheme is being considered on the Cedars Estate site with exciting new facilities and meeting places for
09/04/2009
Birmingham City Council's green credentials have received another major boost after the 'Birmingham Construction Partnership' scooped a prestigious national award for its sustainable approach to construction. The partnership, which comprises the council's Urban Design team, plus contractors Thomas
08/04/2009
The contract to construct enhanced rowing and canoe sprint facilities for the London 2012 Games has been awarded to Morrison Construction, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced. The rowing and canoe sprint events during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place at th
08/04/2009
A landfill operator has been fined £22,000 for failing to correctly monitor methane and carbon dioxide at two closed waste sites in Leeds. Mone Bros Civil Engineering Limited pleaded guilty at Leeds Magistrates' Court to 11 offences, eight in respect of Thorpe Quarry, in Thorpe Lane, and a further
08/04/2009
Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is to receive a Tariff payment of over £1.5 million from Milton Keynes Partnership (MKP). The money will let the hospital develop essential infrastructure on its site, allowing it to support the continued expansion of healthcare facilities and meet the n
08/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have welcomed the decision to delay by two months the report into fatalities in the construction industry. The chair of the Inquiry Rita Donaghy was due to have submitted her report to James Purnell the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 30 April. UCATT has learnt
08/04/2009
Crossrail has announced that shaft construction works and demolition of properties in Hanbury Street are no longer necessary. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has welcomed news that Crossrail has reached agreement with the London Fire Brigade (LFB) to remove eight of the proposed permanent acces
08/04/2009
Lovell has been chosen by the Syniad Consortium to work on its £150 million development framework in Wales. Syniad - which comprises Wales & West Housing Association, Linc-Cymru Housing Association and the Pennaf Housing Group - is set to embark on a major programme to build new affordable, energy-
08/04/2009
The publication of 'Extending Opportunities - A Conservative Policy Paper on Housing', indicates an encouraging approach to many aspects of future housing policy and will provide some much needed debate to help develop some long-term solutions to the UK's housing sector, says the Chartered Institute
08/04/2009
Dickies (UK) Limited, one of the UK's leading workwear manufacturers, which is based in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, have introduced a premium range of stylish garments created for the modern worker who wants practical and durable clothing whilst looking and feeling good. The 'Dickies 22' collection
07/04/2009
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has outlined to Government the action that must be taken in this month's Budget to boost house building, so vital to the country's social and economic future. It believes measures are needed to kick-start mothballed sites - and so immediately creating jobs - mainta
07/04/2009
On Monday 6 April Ramboll Whitbybird changed its name to Ramboll UK to mark its successful integration with the Ramboll group. A shared set of values and synergy of approach has created one of Europe's leading, and most creative engineering and multi-disciplinary consultancies. For 25 years the wh
07/04/2009
Lovell has been awarded £9.6 million of housing refurbishment work in Liverpool. The company is set to carry out a £6.2 million housing modernisation scheme for Liverpool Mutual Homes. It is also undertaking a £3.4 million housing modernisation programme in Liverpool for Cobalt Housing. Lovell will
07/04/2009
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and Lend Lease released new images of a world-class education campus to be built within the Olympic Village. Planning permission has now been secured for the development which includes state-of-the-art facilities for pupils and the wider local community. The Ol
07/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have warmly welcomed new laws that guarantee full-time workers a minimum of 28 days paid holiday a year. The new regulations on holidays came into effect on 1 April. The additional paid leave entitlement is particularly important in the construction industry where companies
07/04/2009
Landlords and potential landlords will have a chance to find out more about the issues that may affect them when renting out properties, at an annual landlord open evening to be held on Tuesday, 28 April. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's Housing Services division is holding the Landlords' Forum in assoc
07/04/2009
Willmott Dixon has secured one of the biggest construction projects awarded in Berkshire this year after agreeing a £32 million contract with West Berkshire Council to build a new home for St Bartholomew's School in Newbury. The company will start on site on 14 April to create the new home for St B
07/04/2009
One of the World's largest work wear specialists and manufacturers, Dickies (UK) Limited, has added a new top-of-the-range, stylish and tough, jacket and trouser set to their 2009 catalogue. Called 'Eisenhower Professional', the new products are made from a combination of 60% polyester and 40% cott
06/04/2009
Galliford Try, the construction and housebuilding group, has been appointed preferred bidder on a £60 million PFI project to develop the new Worcester Library and History Centre for Worcestershire County Council in partnership with the University of Worcester. The development will create a fully in
06/04/2009
Construction union UCATT have warmly welcomed the Government's commitment to introduce a statutory register for tower cranes. The need for a statutory register has been a key demand of UCATT and other construction safety campaigners in order to improve crane safety, following a series of high profil
06/04/2009
Council leaders have called on the government to reconsider proposed eco town developments where there is strong local authority opposition. The call was made after independent legal advice revealed the government's approach to building eco towns could be subject to judicial review. The Local Gover
06/04/2009
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has declared its support for the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (CBE), launched in September 2008. The CBE Diploma is a qualification for 14 to 19-year-olds designed in collaboration with employers and universities. It is part of a natio
06/04/2009
From today, every home must have a Home Information Pack (HIP) in place, not just ordered, before it can be put on the market. Further, vendors will now also be required to complete a new Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) detailing important pre-sale information such as the home's council t
06/04/2009
Pupils at Gwauncelyn Primary School in Wales were the latest group of youngsters to enjoy a visit from the Church Village Bypass team to educate them on the dangers of gaining access to construction sites. During the past few weeks a programme of demonstrations at 10 local primary schools have been
06/04/2009
E.ON's Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station has become a little greener following the installation of an innovative solar array. The company has installed a 68 panel solar photovoltaic array at the power station to help heat and light the admin block, saving an estimated 6.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide per
06/04/2009
The creation of a statutory tower crane registration scheme to improve tower crane safety and public confidence in their safety has been announced. The new register has been agreed alongside a package of measures to improve tower crane safety and is likely to be in place by April 2010. "It's unacc
06/04/2009
We take pride in our reputation for providing a responsive and reliable service to our customers as it is this aspect of our business ethos which, we believe, most differentiates us from our peers, and keeps our customers coming back to us with confidence. Our highly skilled workforce includes seve
03/04/2009
NHBC's latest new house-building statistics show they received 14,537 applications to start new homes in the combined private and public sectors in the three-months to the end of February - 59% lower than the same period a year ago (35,733). NHBC's Chief Executive, Imtiaz Farookhi, said: "The priva
03/04/2009
Much needed improvements to the Swindon to Gloucester railway line moved a step closer today after Transport Minister Andrew Adonis announced £2.5m of Government funding for preparatory research into double-tracking 12 miles of the route. The stretch of line between Swindon and Kemble was singled-t
03/04/2009
Plans for Europe's largest immigration detention centre have today been given the green-light. Bullingdon Detention Centre near Bicester, which will be situated across the road from Bullingdon Prison. Around 500 jobs will be created as a result of the construction of the centre, which will hold up
03/04/2009
Gleeds, the International Management and Construction Consultancy, has begun work on site as Quantity Surveyor on a mixed use development in Newbury Town Centre, following their appointment by developer, Standard Life Investment Funds Ltd. This development is one of the few mixed use schemes of it
03/04/2009
BioRegional has recently carried out work for the Environment Agency to find out what the construction sector thinks about using carbon calculators to assess the embodied carbon impact of their projects. With the construction industry accounting for 15%-20% of the UK’s total carbon footprint, carb
03/04/2009
Jobs will be created or safeguarded and rail travel in East Anglia will be improved thanks to a new agreement between the Department for Transport and National Express East Anglia (NXEA), Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon announced today. Government funding is being used to allow NXEA to increase thei
03/04/2009
The official opening today is taking place of RSPB Saltholme, the wildlife reserve and discovery park, on Teesside. Tipped as being the best wildlife tourism site in North East England, the £7 million development is one of the biggest construction projects ever undertaken in the history of the RSPB
03/04/2009
UK Architects, Engineers and Construction Industry can now benefit from the availability of a new version of the building design and development software system that has found favour with the world's leading architects and building development organisations including Zaha Hadid, Herzog and de Meuron
03/04/2009
Less than two-months after Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council, was invited to lead a trade delegation to Abu-Dhabi and Kuwait, financial leaders from the Gulf have asked Birmingham officials to return to the UAE to hold further talks. For the second phase of an ongoing Gulf programme,
02/04/2009
House prices surprisingly bounced by 0.9% in March, according to the Nationwide. House purchase activity has now reached its highest level since May 2008, bringing the typical value of a house to £150,946. Commenting on the figures Fionnuala Earley, Nationwide's Chief Economist, said: "While the r
02/04/2009
The creation of thousands of jobs in the capital is another step closer after Crossrail Limited announced that it intends to appoint Bechtel Limited as the Project Delivery Partner for the Crossrail project. As Project Delivery Partner, Bechtel Ltd will be responsible for overseeing delivery of the
02/04/2009
Lovell has launched a new housing maintenance business, Lovell Respond, following its acquisition of repairs and maintenance company BMS Property Care Ltd. Lovell has acquired BMS from affordable and supported housing provider Bromford Group. The deal will see the creation by Lovell of a high qual
02/04/2009
The National House Building Council's (NHBC) latest new house-building statistics show they received 14,537 applications to start new homes in the combined private and public sectors in the three-months to the end of February - 59% lower than the same period a year ago. NHBC's Chief Executive, Imti
02/04/2009
VolkerFitzpatrick, the Dutch owned construction and civil engineering company, has won an £11m contract to refurbish Leatherhead Leisure Centre. The two-year contract, awarded by Mole Valley District Council, covers a number of projects at the centre, including a new two storey extension, a gymnasi
02/04/2009
Fridges, freezers, televisions and washing machines are to have minimum energy standards and energy labels following an EU ruling. Minimum standards will ensure that only energy efficient products are sold in the European market. Mandatory energy labelling will help consumers choose the most energy
02/04/2009
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has dismissed as inadequate the Chancellors plans to spread the five percent increase in business rates over three years. FMB Director of External Affairs, Brian Berry said: "While we are relieved that the Chancellor has decided not to proceed with the full f
02/04/2009
Icynene, the leading North American manufacturer of soft foam insulation, which has recently been awarded BBA (British Board of Agrément) Certification, is looking to expand - particularly in the Midlands and North West. Founded in Canada in 1986, Icynene is the largest supplier of soft foam insula
02/04/2009
A new showroom and offices for Kubota tractor and groundcare equipment dealer Gibson's Garden Machinery Ltd (GGM Groundscare) of Colne, Lancashire, has been officially opened by the managing director of Kubota (UK) Ltd, Mr T Omote. Mr Omote was joined at the opening ceremony by Councillor Alan Buck
01/04/2009
Centrica, through its British Gas New Energy division, has announced that it has acquired a 19% share of Econergy, for a cash consideration of £1 million. The deal includes the right to acquire the remaining share capital of the business over the next four years. Econergy is a leader in biomass
01/04/2009
Tough new guidelines to ensure all houses of multiple occupation (HMO) are maintained to an acceptable standard are being pioneered by Peterborough City Council. Currently only homes which are three or more storeys high and have five or more people making up two or more households are required to b
01/04/2009
Work is under way lifting the 2800-tonne wave-shaped roof of the Zaha Hadid designed London 2012 Aquatics Centre. The lift is considered one of the most complex engineering and construction challenges of the Olympic Park 'big build'. The Aquatics Centre will mark the 'gateway' to the Olympic Park d
01/04/2009
A major new housing development at Openshaw, east Manchester, is giving two bricklaying apprentices the opportunity to cement the latest stage of their construction careers. Lovell is building the new Fairfields development which is the first phase of a £65 million, 432-home regeneration scheme at
01/04/2009
Cherwell District Council will support proposals for an eco development to be built to the north west of Bicester, provided the Government accepts a ten point plan which promises a new deal for Bicester. Councillors agreed to back the inclusion of the north west Bicester location in the government'
01/04/2009
The Mayor of London's plans to cut energy and tackle climate change could bring 10-15,000 jobs and contribute £600m a year to the capital's economy by 2025, according to a report published by Ernst and Young. The report outlines for the first time the massive economic boost and job opportunities fo
01/04/2009
Plans to transform a number of Sheffield schools are back on track after millions of pounds of Government funding for the project was finally approved. Sheffield City Council has drawn up a long term commitment to transforming learning and teaching in all its primary schools. This includes plans t
01/04/2009
Building materials manufacturer, Acheson & Glover, has supplied its innovative, Anchor retaining wall system to an eco-friendly primary school construction project in Belper, Derbyshire. The Anchor-Diamond, segmental concrete earth-retaining structure forms a 100m long snaking wall up to 2.8m high,
