Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for August 2009
28/08/2009
Plans for a major property development next to Canary Wharf, which could provide thousands of new jobs and help fund Crossrail, is to be decided by the Mayor, Mr Boris Johnson. It follows the decision by Tower Hamlets council to refuse the developer's planning application on 4 August. Using his n
28/08/2009
A huge investment of £40million is heading for Ashton-under-Lyne as government ministers gave the final go-ahead to build a new education campus. A new home for the New Charter Academy is to be built by the Inspired Spaces consortium on land at Broadoak to the north of the town. It will be constru
28/08/2009
Plans are due to be submitted for a £4.3 million new extra care scheme for older people in Richmond. The scheme, which will replace an existing sheltered housing scheme and Richmond House Elderly Persons' Home will be built in Lile Close. It will be developed by Housing 21 in partnership with Ric
28/08/2009
Residents of a Camden estate are reaping the benefits of a pilot for a new heat metering system, giving them more control of when and how they use their heating. More than one hundred and fifty households in Kiln Place, Gospel Oak, had their old warm air systems replaced with new radiators, heat me
28/08/2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging companies to re-examine their working from height practices after a firm was fined for the death of an employee. This warning comes after the HSE's successful prosecution of EDF Energy Contracting Ltd at Chichester Crown Court. The company pleaded gui
28/08/2009
Three Lovell apprentices have taken part in a study trip to Hamburg where they were taught by German experts in building low-carbon homes. Joel Alcindor, James Daplyn and Ryan Murphy gained hands-on experience at a German centre of expertise in sustainable construction, the Ausbildungszetrum-Bau in
28/08/2009
Council tenants in one inner city borough are set to save a recession-busting £50 each after the authority was awarded £4.35m from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) as part of an energy saving £84m plan to insulate council housing cavity walls over the next two years. Around 5,500 households i
28/08/2009
Residents are due to be balloted on their views next month to decide the future of an estate in Pinner, Harrow. Currently owned by Harrow Council, the Mill Farm Close estate will get a £32 million injection under proposed plans, which could fund 165 new homes under proposed plans. 86 of the new hom
28/08/2009
Seven homes in north Bransholme, Hull, which lay empty for many years have been officially opened following their recent refurbishment to a top quality standard. The homes in Welshpool Close were transformed by a partnership made up of the United Residents of Bransholme area North (URBaN), housing
28/08/2009
All the traffic lights in Kent are being replaced with cost-effective low-energy units. Kent Highway Services is nearing completion of its countywide replacement programme, costing £1.7million. The benefits for council taxpayers are:
27/08/2009
Support services and construction company Carillion has reported a 17% increase in the first half of this years pretax profit and said it is on track to achieve a rise in earnings for the full year. Philip Rogerson, Chairman, commented: "Carillion continued to perform strongly in the first half of
27/08/2009
House prices rose by 1.6% in August according to the Nationwide. At £160,224, the average price of a typical UK property is still slightly lower than a year ago, however the annual rate of change rose further in August, from -6.2% to -2.7%. Martin Gahbauer, Nationwide's Chief Economist, believes l
27/08/2009
Capita Symonds has signed a unique partnership agreement with Sheffield United Football Club to provide multidisciplinary professional consultancy services across the club's global property assets. Sheffield United's group of companies has an international track record of commercial property invest
27/08/2009
Britain's biggest union, Unite, has welcomed the government's plans to appoint a chief adviser on construction. The chief adviser will have responsibility for strategy and equipping Britain's construction industry with the necessary skills and knowledge to compete in the 21st century. Unite assist
27/08/2009
The National Federation of Builders (NFB) and UK Contractors Group have jointly launched a competition law code of conduct to help avoid breaches of competition law by the construction industry. The code highlights the need for construction companies to have rigorous internal procedures to prevent
27/08/2009
Experts from business, the public and third sectors have been chosen to help review the planning application process to make sure it is ready to support sustainable economic recovery in Wales. The independent group, who will steer a research project to look at good practice and the barriers to achi
27/08/2009
Work to prevent homelessness has saved a local council over £180,000 this year. The housing team at Harrogate Borough Council has managed to save money by reducing the use of bed and breakfast and other third party accommodation for those they have accepted as homeless. Where they have had no choi
27/08/2009
The public private partnerships investor Catalyst Lend Lease and Building Schools for the Future Investments (BSFI) and Birmingham City Council have achieved 'Financial Close' on the framework agreement and to kick start the first £180 million phase of the city's BSF programme. Catalyst Lend Lease
27/08/2009
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said the Department for Business Innovation and Skills' (BIS) new Chief Construction Adviser role will achieve nothing until the powers of the post are far stronger. Richard Diment, Director General of the FMB said: "Ideally the construction industry need
26/08/2009
A new 200mph high-speed line to the Midlands, the North West and Scotland, has been revealed by Network Rail today. The results of a detailed investigation concluded that a new halving travel time to Scotland to just over two hours, was the best option generating almost £55bn of value with a capit
26/08/2009
Support services and construction company Carillion has won three high quality building projects for private sector customers, worth £121 million - a £50 million project for Segro plc in Farnborough, a £45 million contract for the new Greater Manchester Police Authority Headquarters and an extension
26/08/2009
New rules to revise the way power plants get connected to the UK's power grid have been proposed today by Energy and Climate Secretary Ed Miliband. The shake-up will help new projects waiting to get a date to feed electricity into the grid to get out of the queue, and will in particular help renewa
26/08/2009
Members of the trade union Unite and Corus workers from across Teesside will highlight their jobs plight by demonstrating at the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square today in their campaign to safeguard the 150-year old plant. Teesside writer Linda Robinson, who is supporting the Unite campaign, will
26/08/2009
Morgan Sindall's affordable housing business Lovell has been chosen by social housing provider Atlantic Housing to undertake a major redevelopment programme on the Velmore Estate, Chandler's Ford, near Eastleigh in Hampshire. The regeneration scheme, worth in the region of £20m, will involve the de
26/08/2009
News that work is set to begin this week on Birmingham City Council's new office building at Woodcock Street in Aston is a huge boost to the jobs market and the environment. The new office is a key element of the authority's plans to deliver over £200m of gross savings by streamlining its office po
26/08/2009
Ministers have announced the Government's response to the recent consultation exercise on the appointment of a Chief Construction Officer. The Government plans to appoint a Chief Adviser to Government on Construction to equip Britain's construction industry with the skills and knowledge to become c
26/08/2009
Costain has been named Major Contractor of the Year by New Civil Engineer magazine for 2009. The previous year Costain also beat all rivals to take the Award. New Civil Engineer magazine stated: "Costain has had a massive year – it's as simple as that. Years of positioning itself in the waste i
26/08/2009
Crossrail has confirmed that notices have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) inviting expressions of interest for two principal tunnelling contracts - Package C300 for Tunnels West and Package C305 for Tunnels East. The publication of these OJEU notices marks the be
26/08/2009
Plans for a multi-million pound regional sports and leisure centre in Plymouth's Central Park have been approved by the City Council's Planning Committee. At £46.5 million, the Life Centre scheme will see the city's biggest ever investment in leisure facilities and underline Plymouth's credentials
25/08/2009
Details of the successful schemes for the second round of funding from the Homes and Communities Agency's (HCA) low carbon infrastructure initiative, totalling £8.80m, were announced today. The initiative, a partnership with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Communities and Loc
25/08/2009
The Government owns an area of surplus land almost as big as Slough that could be used to build almost 100,000 new homes, analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. Over 3,100 hectares of surplus land are owned by the public sector. Guidelines say that property must be sold within six months i
25/08/2009
Lovell is set to start work on a £2.6 million affordable homes scheme at Taffs Well, just outside Cardiff. The development will create nineteen new two and three-bedroom houses for sale, including six properties which will be offered for sale through Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's low-cost home owners
25/08/2009
An excavator has started work on the Corn Exchange site in Peterborough to demolish the building. The demolition, which began yesterday, marks a significant step in the works to breathe new life into the city centre. Connell Brothers, an award-winning Salford-based specialist demolition company, h
25/08/2009
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) aims to have all UK service families living in the highest standard of accommodation by 2020. The Ten Year Accommodation Management Strategy launched last week sets out plans for improving housing for both Service Families Accommodation and Single Living Accommodation
25/08/2009
A man and a woman from Leeds have been fined a total of £16,000 and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs after they repeatedly breached planning regulations which a magistrate called 'premeditated and blatant'. Humrazz Shahid and Siakha Kuser Pinnu from 210 Oakwood Lane in Leeds admitted failing to compl
25/08/2009
Central Neworks, the distribution company for central England, has earned a top award for customer service innovation from energy regulator Ofgem, in its annual Customer Service Reward scheme. The award highlighted the company's work with vulnerable customers, particularly its provisions for the bl
25/08/2009
The preferred bidder for Rochdale Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme - which is worth approximately £192 million - has been revealed as the Carillion joint venture. The LEP, comprising Rochdale Borough Council, Building Schools for the Future Investments LLP (BSFI) and Carillion, expec
25/08/2009
Leicester-based civil engineering construction firm, Danaher & Walsh, are 'stars' in the eyes of the business traders in St Neots, Huntingdon, they have completed essential maintenance work in the town centre in just two and a half weeks, rather than the four weeks that was predicted. This success
25/08/2009
A Halifax-based engineering firm could be set to change the nature of building after investing £300,000 in state-of-the-art machinery and software that manufactures a unique innovation in roof design and structure. U-Roof Ltd, founded in 2008, has developed a new method of roof construction using a
24/08/2009
Housebuilder Bovis Homes has reported a £8.6 million loss for the first six months of this year. Bovis said the rise in unemployment could be holding back the house price recovery, and also blamed the lack of loan availability. The firm said average house prices dropped to an average of £160,400 c
24/08/2009
Part of the government's £500m recruitment subsidy fund to help the unemployed should be redirected to help fund new apprenticeships, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said today, as it warned that youth unemployment is reaching unacceptable levels. The proposal is part of a five-point pl
24/08/2009
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, investment and services group, has announced that Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc., its US civil engineering contractor, has been selected by the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) to work on a major design-build road project in the Da
24/08/2009
Work has begun on the building of a new primary school in Telford to serve Lightmoor Village - an 800 home new community being developed in partnership by the Homes and Communities Agency, Bournville Village Trust, Telford & Wrekin Council and private developers. Building the school is seen as the
24/08/2009
A leading housing charity has renewed its call for more new homes. The call from Shelter comes as figures just released show that the number of new house builds started in England in the last quarter was nine percent lower than the same period in 2008. The Department of Communities and Local Gover
24/08/2009
The public will be asked for their views on how many more homes are needed in the East of England in a major public consultation being launched in September, the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) has announced. The consultation will run until 24 November 2009 and will primarily seek views on
24/08/2009
As part of the housing stock transfer process, Plymouth City Council has been identifying those areas of public open space which would be more appropriately owned and maintained by Plymouth Community Homes in future. An initial list of public open spaces, which the Council is proposing to form part
24/08/2009
Muirfield Contracts are the latest company to sign up with Mardak Ltd for their construction accounting and contract management software. After extensively researching the marketplace, Muirfield selected Mardak Construction Accounts (MCA) as the best fit solution for their requirements. Based
24/08/2009
Delta House Group is celebrating their recent news of gaining the SAFEcontractor accreditation. They are now one of the latest groups of successful companies in the UK to join this leading edge scheme, which is designed to help the building industry improve its safety record. The SAFEcontractor p
21/08/2009
The housing figures published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) showing a marked increase in housing starts and completions mask the real housing crisis which is gripping the country, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs
21/08/2009
Good progress is being made on the new network of roads and bridges being built throughout the Olympic Park site. The site of the Olympic Park is made up of poorly connected areas of land, broken up by railway lines and waterways. The new infrastructure being put in place will help join up the Park
21/08/2009
A new Government scheme to help people faced with repossession to stay in their homes has been put into practice by affordable homes specialist Plumlife. The non-profit-making company, part of Great Places Housing Group, worked with the Homes and Communities Agency, (HCA) the Department for Communi
21/08/2009
Homes for Haringey has taken on 10 new apprentices to start in its in-house repairs depots in Tottenham next month. The housing management organisation is committed to its long standing apprenticeship programme and tackling the UK manual skills shortage. The apprentices - selected from over 150 a
21/08/2009
Thousand of South Tyneside Homes tenants across the borough will soon be benefiting from Decent Homes work sooner than originally planned thanks to a successful bid to bring forward government funding. South Tyneside Council and South Tyneside Homes have been told they can use more than £18 million
21/08/2009
Toxins alleged to have been produced in an industrial process are to be the subject of fresh legal action. Corby Borough Council (CBC) has filed an application for permission to appeal against a judgement which ruled that birth defects affecting 16 to 18 children may have been caused by toxins rele
21/08/2009
More than 1,500 Barnet households will benefit from improved insulation and lower fuel bills after Barnet Homes was successful in a bid for almost £2million funding. The £1.992m from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) will enable Barnet Homes to install cavity wall insulation in 1,569 propertie
21/08/2009
Lovell has been awarded a £1.2 million scheme to build ten new homes for affordable housing provider Circle Anglia at West Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk. The ten new two-bedroom houses in Pott Hall Road will all be for affordable rent. Properties will meet Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, the
21/08/2009
An investigation into a fatal incident involving a top cutting machine, which is used to prepare trenches in roads, has prompted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to issue a safety alert warning of the dangers of using these machines without proper safety devices. Last month, a worker was fatal
20/08/2009
Lending for home loans totalled an estimated £16 billion in July, a 26% increase from £12.7 billion in June but down 36% from £24.9 billion in July 2008, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). This is further evidence of a modest improvement in the market over the summer
20/08/2009
A Carillion-telent joint venture, has signed a letter of intent with Openreach for a future contract to provide nationwide support services for Openreach, BT's local access network business. Under the future contract, the joint venture would deliver a range of services across Openreach's five regio
20/08/2009
In a recent report by Ofsted into the teaching of the 14-19 Diploma, inspectors found that work was "no better than satisfactory" in construction and the built environment courses. It also highlighted that the choice of Diploma was frequently along "traditional gender lines", with very low female
20/08/2009
John Sisk & Son Ltd (Sisk), one of the largest construction groups in the UK and Ireland, has been appointed by Battersea Dogs & Cats Home to build a new cattery for its London location. The £3.9m project will involve the construction of a new, highly sustainable, four storey building featuring rec
20/08/2009
A core group of councils opposed to Heathrow expansion have been told they can challenge the Government's decision to approve a third runway at the airport. The 2M Group of local authorities have learnt that the application launched by local authorities and campaigners for a judicial review against
20/08/2009
Home Information Packs (Hips) from estate agents can cost over 50% more than those bought directly from a specialist, shows new research from Which? Money. All homes put up for sale in England and Wales require a Hip, but the consumer champion has found a gulf between the cheapest and most expensiv
20/08/2009
State-of-the-art facilities designed and built by Costain are coming into service at Cheltenham General Hospital as the Gloucestershire NHS Foundation Trust improves its services for its patients. The £13.5 million St Luke’s Wing Phase 2 was officially opened in July, while a building housing a li
20/08/2009
Hyndburn Homes, one of the region's biggest social landlords, is introducing a new housing allocation system for the 1,500 people on its waiting list. Nigel Fenton from Hyndburn Homes said: "It is no secret that the housing market is in crisis and many social landlords are facing increasing pressur
20/08/2009
Exbury Home's success continues as they are appointed as constructors on a sensitive rural build in Amberley West Sussex. This contract requires Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, and draws upon Exbury's expertise in this area. Following continued success since their first home build in 1
20/08/2009
To guarantee the delivery of a no-break power supply, it's often necessary to switch a load from one power source to another. For example, when the main supply either fails or is no longer able to stay within the tolerances specified for the load. The latest development in automatic transfer switch
20/08/2009
Mastercover is said to be delivering 'market beating' van insurance to individuals and small businesses guaranteeing to beat an existing quotation by a minimum of 15%. The business has rapidly grown and now has over 25,000 customers. Working with major insurers, Mastercover provide van, liabilit
19/08/2009
Multibuild has been awarded the £3.3m contract to form a hotel within the Studio Block on Peel Media's MediaCityUK development at Salford Quays in Manchester. The contractor will fit out 11 floors of the 17 storey building on behalf of managing contractor, Bovis Lend Lease UK. To allow Multibuild
19/08/2009
A compulsory purchase order (CPO) that is needed for a priority regeneration project in Stoke-on-Trent city centre has been approved by communities secretary John Denham. The compulsory purchase order will bring into public ownership land that is needed for the building of a new Tesco supermarket a
19/08/2009
A national property company has recently been prosecuted by Hull City Council for failing to comply with an enforcement notice relating to a well-known Hull property. At a hearing at Hull and Holderness Magistrates' Court, Queensway Properties Ltd pleaded guilty to the offence of failing to comply
19/08/2009
Two local councils in the United Kingdom have decided to extend a hand to private sector residential landlords, in order to address some of the challenges they face due to the difficult economic climate and frugal lending conditions. Gloucestershire is organising a so-called "Landlord Expo", sched
19/08/2009
A South West-based leader in marine engineering has signed an agreement to build new premises at Osprey Quay on Portland enabling the business to grow, potentially creating up to 20 new jobs. Specialised Technologies Group Limited, which is currently located in Weymouth, has agreed terms with the
19/08/2009
Plans for a pedestrian and cycle bridge north of Junction 29 of the M5 motorway in Devon, will go on show at a public exhibition today, 19 August. Devon County Council is hosting the exhibition at the Gipsy Hill Hotel between 3pm and 8pm. The exhibition will preview a planning application for a 12
19/08/2009
In a recession-defying move, Kier Property has completing the sale of its last unit at Crown Road, Enfield. Obsidian has purchased the unit, which it intends to use as a data centre, for £4.5m. Kier speculatively built 79,790sq ft of warehouse space within its Trade City brand for a combined market
19/08/2009
Bury residents are getting more money than ever to keep their homes warm and energy efficient. Figures show that 1,355 households took advantage of the Government's Warm Front scheme last year - and received almost £2 million towards heating and insulation measures. The maximum household grant has
19/08/2009
The National Construction College (NCC) has honoured its top construction apprentices at its annual graduation ceremony. Nearly 300 apprentices received their framework achievements, with 16 apprentices being presented with awards on the day in recognition of the hard work, skill and determination
19/08/2009
A new clubhouse, to replace the one originally built in 1937, has recently been constructed to house the Westhoughton Cricket Club in Bolton. With brand new washroom and changing rooms to furnish, the architect was keen to source the perfect products and TBS Fabrications were thrilled when their Ev
18/08/2009
Carillion and its joint venture partners in the Local Education Partnership (LEP), have achieved financial close on the £500 million Durham Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, part of the UK Government’s £55 billion BSF programme. The LEP, comprising Durham County Council, Building Sch
18/08/2009
Danish wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas, has reported weaker operating profits than it was expecting, however its revenue has increased by €1.2 billion. The firm's net income dropped 34% in the second quarter, compared to the same period last year. The company was also forced to lay off 1,142 emp
18/08/2009
The Government is putting short term political and economic considerations before the interests of some of the poorest in society, the National Housing Federation (NHF) has said. Representing England's housing associations, the Federation says the Government's plans to cut the income for social hou
18/08/2009
A designer for switches and crossings renewal work for Luton Station has been announced. Amey has been appointed to undertake the job which was included in Amey's contract in preference to the incumbent principal route contractor for the London and North East region, in order to fully integrate all
18/08/2009
Student membership of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has almost doubled despite the recession. In stark contrast to the slowdown within the construction sector overall membership (including students) of the CIOB, between July 2008 and July 2009, has grown by 9% with almost 3500 new memb
18/08/2009
Rosi Edwards has been appointed as the new Regional Director for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the Midlands. She has taken over the top job after seven years as Head of Operations for the Construction Division for Midlands, Wales and the South West. In her new role she will oversee the w
18/08/2009
Over £120 million of investment will be considered by the Plymouth City Council’s Planning Committee this week, showing that the city is open for business, despite the recession. As well as the £46.5 million Life Centre, regeneration proposals of £28 million for Devonport (the Ker Street redevelopm
18/08/2009
Based in Loughton Essex, UK, Makki Architectural Services provides 3D design services to clients throughout the UK. Formed in 2009 the firm is in its first year but has many years experience in the Architectural Design Services sector. Makki Architectural Services provides high quality design to s
18/08/2009
A strong performance in the public and utilities sectors has helped steady the flow of construction work, according to the July Glenigan Index. The Index, which tracks the underlying value of construction projects starting on site, recorded a 16% year on year decline in July, a further improvement
18/08/2009
Hoval's range of TopVent warm air heaters includes units that have been optimised for use with any hot water source, including condensing and conventional boilers, biomass, solar energy and heat pumps. The range also includes decentralised, gas-fired recirculation units and heating and ventilation
18/08/2009
Leading trade paint brand Leyland has added a splash of colour to the streets of London with an eye-catching digital advertising campaign. Running across two weeks at the end of July and into the start of August, the campaign was designed to reinforce the bold marketing strategy employed by Leyland
18/08/2009
A specialist firm that supplies, repairs and maintains all types of industrial doors is offering a free site survey. Working within the M25 area, Pro Door can offer a full range of roller shutters to suit all bars and serveries - public houses, golf clubs, social clubs, hotels and canteens. A spok
17/08/2009
The preferred bidders for the £35 million Skipton development have been chosen. Lovell and Maple Grove was picked for the scheme which involves the construction of 220 new homes – 88 for affordable rent and low-cost home ownership and 132 homes for open market sale – as well as new retail outlets.
17/08/2009
One of the leading building services companies in the UK, SES, has signed a deal worth more than £16 million to help provide household waste recycling plants to the Greater Manchester area. 27 sites are to be built over the next three years. Working alongside principal contractor, Costain, SES wi
17/08/2009
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is calling for national minimum space standards in all new-build housing, whether it is privately or publicly funded. This is further to recommendations by CABE in their new research publication 'Space in new homes: what residents think'. Jointly c
17/08/2009
Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction, investment and services group, has announced that Stephen Howard, who has been a Non-Executive Director of Balfour Beatty since July 2006, will stand down from the Board with effect from today. Commenting, Steve Marshall, Balfour Beatty C
17/08/2009
Transport for London (TfL) is to install energy busting LEDs at 3,500 traffic lights at around 300 junctions in the Capital. The Mayor of London has announced that the LED technology involved can reduce electricity consumption and the associated CO2 emissions that cause climate change by a massive
17/08/2009
Wirral Council has approved Peel Holding's Northbank East proposal that will see some £200m investment and create around 1,000 jobs, in construction and proposed office and retail uses in Birkenhead and Wallasey's docks. Northbank East will see the creation of a new community based neighbourhood wi
17/08/2009
Surrey County Council leader Dr Andrew Povey has hit out at the "madness" of a new South East housing target that could see more than one million new homes built and green belt land concreted over. New advice from the National Housing and Planning Advisory Unit (NHPAU), the government's advisory bo
17/08/2009
VSD Avenue, a joint venture partnership between VolkerStevin, DEC and Sita Remediation, has been awarded the contract to remediate the former Avenue Coking Works in Chesterfield. The £82 million contract, commissioned by client East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and funded by the Government's
17/08/2009
Local groups in need of cash and expertise for ambitious community energy projects still have time to apply for a share of a £2 million energy fund as part of the nationwide British Gas Green Streets campaign. The campaign, backed by conservationist and explorer Ben Fogle, aims to encourage innovat
17/08/2009
Ministers have urged homeowners concerned about their mortgage payments to seek immediate help from their lenders and the Government to avoid repossession. Hundreds of thousands of families are benefiting from a comprehensive range of support available for people facing the threat of repossession -
17/08/2009
Hull City Council is offering "empty nesters", and others who find their home too big for them, the chance to downsize to a smaller home. Hull City Council tenants who find they have bedrooms that they don't need can, if they wish, use the Council's Homesearch service to move to a smaller home. Wit
17/08/2009
Over sixty housing organisations have reached the final stages of the prestigious UK Housing Awards for their outstanding contribution to improving the lives of people in their communities. The UK Housing Awards are in their 13th year and the final winners will be presented by the Chartered Institu
14/08/2009
The Government's announcement to safeguard affordable rural homes in thousands of newly designated 'protected' areas doesn't address the root cause of the housing crisis in Britain's countryside which is the need to increase the supply of new affordable rural homes, warns the Federation of Master Bu
14/08/2009
Workloads continued to fall in all parts of the construction industry - bar the non-housing public works sector. It has benefited most from an injection of state spending says Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) construction market survey, published today. Construction workloads remained
14/08/2009
Galliford Try Renewables has been selected as the preferred partner to provide low and zero carbon energy solutions to the first major zero carbon housing development in the UK. Under the £10m Energy Service Company (ESCo) contract the firm will design, install and operate a gas-powered combined he
14/08/2009
The second phase in the world's first Garden City's regeneration of its town centre has taken a major step forward. Against the backcloth of the national economic downturn, Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation commissioned Skanska for an £8m contract to construct vital Street Scene Improvemen
14/08/2009
Kier North East has been awarded a £2.7m contract to refurbish the Ellison Building for the Northumbria University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The work will comprise three phases to include the refurbishment of existing lecture theatres and laboratories. The contract is to be split between the summer
14/08/2009
Following the administration of East Anglian based Haymills Group on 13 August 2009, VINCI Construction UK Limited has acquired the business assets relating to the company's Property Solutions and East Anglian Projects businesses. Property Solutions carries out facilities management and maintenance
14/08/2009
A new webcam overlooking the Velodrome has gone live, giving the public a front row view of the construction progress being made on site. The webcam will show updated images of the Velodrome throughout the day. It is the latest webcam overlooking different venues across the Olympic Park that enable
14/08/2009
Shelter is calling on the Government to introduce stronger regulation of the private rented sector as latest figures show an extra 300,000 households are renting property. The Government has now finished its consultation on a proposed 'light touch' online register for all landlords, saying this wou
14/08/2009
Off-site construction specialist and Portakabin subsidiary, Yorkon, has been awarded a £2.8m contract by Interserve Project Services to build new hospital facilities in Cardiff. The three-storey scheme at the University Hospital of Llandough will provide an outpatients department decant facility wh
14/08/2009
With AA reports that surging oil costs have pushed the diesel up to an average £103.49/litre in mid-May – 2.5p above the Jan-Mar average - leading comparison site, businessfuelcards.co.uk, says that bunker prices are now an unprecedented 6p cheaper than pump tariffs. The news will be welcomed by fi
14/08/2009
An expert is available to increase a home's appeal to a wider market and get a quicker sale. Sian Wood has years of experience in preparing a house for show to maximize its value and brings this to bear at Custom Shades. Apart from completing traditional education in interior design the expert has
13/08/2009
Interserve, the services, maintenance and building group, has been named preferred bidder for a £60 million Thames Water Utilities contract covering the creation of new facilities and upgrade works at the Riverside Sludge Digestion plant. Interserve will construct a new Thermal Hydrolysis Plant, re
13/08/2009
The Olympic Delivery Authority's (ODA's) road logistics centres that manage deliveries to the Olympic Park are now fully operational, as the site gears up for the busiest phase in the project over the next 18 months. Yesterday, ODA Chairman John Armitt and Director of Construction Howard Shiplee vi
13/08/2009
Thousands of newly designated 'protected' areas will be safeguarded for future generations of first time buyers under new provisions announced by Housing Minister Ian Austin. Affordable rural homes are being targeted and where replacing affordable housing is difficult, new shared ownership properti
13/08/2009
Housing associations are thriving in the continuing difficult housing and credit market conditions, despite 92 associations reporting impairment charges totalling £174 million for 2008/09 because the value of their homes and land has dropped, according to the Tenant Services Authority (TSA). Howeve
13/08/2009
The international engineering, construction, investment and services Group, Balfour Beatty, has announced that it has been selected as one of Stoke-on-Trent City Council's two design and build partners for their £250 million Building Schools for the Future programme. The contract involves the deliv
13/08/2009
A global leader in managing construction risk, Hill International, has announced that Berger Hill, a joint venture between Hill and Louis Berger SAS, has been awarded a contract by Qatar Project Management Company (QPM) to manage construction of the $6.9 billion Barwa New Cairo project in Egypt. B
13/08/2009
Greenwich Peninsula has welcomed new residents this week, when the first of 1,800 staff from Transport for London (TfL) began work at a state-of-the-art green office. TfL is taking up occupancy at the six-storey 14 Pier Walk building as part of a drive to green its offices and save money on rents.
13/08/2009
Stoke-on-Trent City Council Cabinet members rejected a recommendation yesterday to amend multi-million pound plans to transform city secondary and special schools. Councillors sitting on the authority’s Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee had asked for plans to link Mitchel
13/08/2009
Genesis Housing Group has announced the appointment of the Group's new Chief Executive. Neil Hadden, currently Chief Executive of the Aldwyck Housing Group, will be joining Genesis in October. He succeeds the outgoing Chief Executive, Anu Vedi, who will be retiring from the Group at the end of Se
13/08/2009
A new temperature control system for hot operating climates has been introduced. Following a successful launch at the BIG 5/PMV Show in Dubai last year, Steelfields have secured an exclusive marketing agreement with specialist design engineering company, Infraserv OHG, to offer a realistic, cost ef
13/08/2009
Cherwell District Council will this month hand over the redeveloped building at 58 Bridge Street to NHS Oxfordshire for it's new health centre. This follows a successful three-month construction project to transform the council's former offices into a brand new facility for Cherwell residents. Th
12/08/2009
Three quarters of London's first-time buyers are not sure who qualifies for low cost housing schemes and may be missing the chance to get on the property ladder, according to new research carried out for the Mayor of London, Mr Boris Johnson. The Ipsos MORI survey, commissioned by the GLA to inform
12/08/2009
Local people from the Preston Road area in Hull will celebrate the opening of a new £606,564 multi-use games area (MUGA) and changing facility this weekend. The official opening of Flinton Fields will take place as part of Flinton Festival on Saturday 15 August. The project was funded with the he
12/08/2009
A 10-month campaign by construction union UCATT to prevent the loss of highly skilled jobs from Islington has been hailed a success. The campaign began last year when Kier Islington, which provides repairs and maintenance on local authority housing in the borough, announced that it intended to clos
12/08/2009
The two organisations charged with championing tenants' rights and inspecting housing services have demonstrated their commitment to promoting better services to tenants by signing their first ever Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and the Audit Commission (AC)
12/08/2009
Online guidance to help local authorities and developers establish the economic viability of housing and mixed-use regeneration schemes has been updated and re-issued today, by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The Economic Appraisal Tool (EAT) allows local authorities to establish effective
12/08/2009
Over 85 people attended a recent information event about the proposed new housing development in Millhouse Green. Barnsley Council's housing department held the event and people of all ages attended to look at the plans and find out the finer details of the proposed new properties on Royd Avenue. B
12/08/2009
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is once again opening up the Olympic Park to the public by taking part in London's largest architectural showcase – Open House. This year the ODA has space for 4,000 people from all over London to come on a bus tour of the Olympic Park on the 19 or 20 September
12/08/2009
Kier North East has been awarded a £2.7m contract to refurbish the Ellison Building for the Northumbria University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The work will comprise three phases to include the refurbishment of existing lecture theatres and laboratories. The contract is to be split between the summer
12/08/2009
Metrotile UK has announced that the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has approved their Continued Personal Development seminar, entitled 'Sustainable Lightweight Roofing Solutions'. The seminar focuses on the many positives of lightweight steel roofing systems, with a specific focus on
12/08/2009
Exbury Homes' success continues as they are appointed as constructors on a sensitive rural build in Amberley West Sussex. This contract requires Level 3 Code of Sustainability, and draws upon Exbury's expertise in this area. Following continued success since their first home build in 1993, the fo
12/08/2009
Based in Yorkshire, Mezzanine Floors (Leeds) are a company that prides itself on its commitment to providing the finest systems available to enhance the performance of handling, storage and distribution requirements. Delivering significant time and cost saving benefits for customers of all needs a
11/08/2009
A new 95 Mega Watt power plant capable of turning 600,000 tonnes of waste each year into electricity and heat, to be built at Ince in Cheshire, was approved by the Government today. The waste, which would have otherwise gone to landfill, will instead be used to generate electricity to power a new
11/08/2009
A further landmark has been reached in Europe's largest construction project, with Crossrail announcing its intention to award a set of contracts for detailed design services for three tunnel portals and four of the central stations under its framework agreements. The contracts in this set are as f
11/08/2009
Interserve, the services, maintenance and building group, has been named as a Delivery Alliance Partner in South West Water's (SWW) K5 framework programme. K5 is the company's programme covering the water industry's Asset Management Plan 5) (AMP5) period and runs from April 2010 to March 2015. It
11/08/2009
New homes are too small for everyday life, according to new research by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE). CABE conducted the research with the owners of 2,500 private new homes, to explore views on the adequacy of internal space. 44% of all households surveyed say t
11/08/2009
The key proposals that will inspire the future regeneration of Wallsend and North Bank of the Tyne are set to go on public display next month. Since December last year hundreds of residents and partner organisation, have been involved in a series of consultation events to give feedback on the plans
11/08/2009
Gateway and Hull City Council have unveiled ambitious plans to transform historic West Park. Local residents and visitors to the park are being invited to have their say on the proposals, which could see £7 million invested over the next 5-6 years to create a unique and popular attraction for the c
11/08/2009
A teenager from King's Norton, Birmingham, is making great strides in his construction career with Lovell. Michael McDonald, a former pupil at King's Norton Boys' School, is starting the final stage of his bricklaying apprenticeship having just completed his NVQ Level 2 qualification. The 18-year-
11/08/2009
Vandals have damaged three electricity substations in Northampton in the past week, cutting power to hundreds of local homes and leaving themselves at risk of serious injury or death, according to Central Networks. Engineers called to a substation in Broad Street, Northampton, on Friday found intru
11/08/2009
The GAP Training Centre has been given Recognised Centre status by the Glass Qualifications Authority (GQA). This means GAP can now offer, deliver and assess NVQ qualifications in a wide range of occupational roles including the Installation of domestic Facias, Soffits & Bargeboards ie domestic ro
11/08/2009
Majestic Transformer Co was recently approached by a consultant working on behalf of a Network Rail contractor trying to replicate or replace an old three phase transformer at Cannon Street Station in London. Sounds straightforward enough you might think, but there was no technical detail on the o
11/08/2009
Mastercover deliver market beating Van Insurance to individuals and small businesses guaranteeing to beat your existing quotation by a minimum of 15%. The business has rapidly grown and now has over 25,000 customers. Working with major insurers, Mastercover provide Van, Liability and Car insurance
11/08/2009
ALU+ Ltd. (a Leading UK Louvre Manufacturer) has announced a BSI certification to ISO9001:2008. This is an important milestone and a recognition of the company’s commitment to manufacture and supply to the best possible international standards of quality, delivery and responsiveness to customer's i
10/08/2009
Plans for Heathrow Airport's newest terminal are to be unveiled today. The £1 billion Terminal 2 will become the new home for Star Alliance airlines and will provide an estimated 20 million passengers every year with a spacious and modern airport facility. Mike Brown, Heathrow Airport's Chief Oper
10/08/2009
Research by Which? shows that 98% of people want their supplier to notify them ahead of price rises while 95% think their supplier should notify them when a cheaper tariff becomes available. What's more, eight in ten agree that new tariffs should be fixed for a certain period. On Friday, Ofgem publ
10/08/2009
A £1.7 million package of City Council land and cash to provide more than 200 new affordable homes in Plymouth within the next two years looks set to be approved by the Cabinet next week. The package will help to unlock a £44 million grant from the Government's Homes and Communities Agency which wi
10/08/2009
Villa Park, home of Aston Villa Football Club in Birmingham, will no longer be used as one of London 2012's venues for the preliminary rounds in the Olympic football tournament. The club has confirmed that it is considering plans for major development work at Villa Park over the next few years. Whi
10/08/2009
£30 million has been secured for a new housing scheme that will help people on the housing register and those needing help to get their foot onto the property ladder. People looking to buy outright will also benefit. The scheme in Cassington Road, Yarnton, will see 138 affordable homes built over
10/08/2009
The building of a new household waste recycling centre in Kettering, which will increase the volume of waste recycled in the town and reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill, has moved a step closer. Northamptonshire County Council has been granted planning permission for the facility which w
10/08/2009
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has welcomed the Treasury Committee's findings that the majority of lenders are taking pro-active steps to support consumers in mortgage difficulties. Lenders already show significant forbearance to borrowers facing temporary difficulties, to enable them to kee
10/08/2009
Council tenants are set to benefit from increased protection under proposals announced today to extend the powers of the Tenant Services Authority (TSA). Housing Minister John Healey today announced that for the first time all social housing would be covered by a single regulator, putting housing a
10/08/2009
Kingfisher Access are conducting a one day PASMA training course in support of the Little Havens Childrens Hospice on the 24 September 2009. The course will take place at our venue in Hornchurch Essex with profits from the day being donated to the charity. The Little Havens Children's Hospice pro
10/08/2009
Council leaders met with a Midlands construction firm as part of their campaign to promote Shropshire industry. Brothers Peter and Nick McPhillips, joint Managing Directors of the Telford construction company started by their late father, employ 250 in the building industry. The family firm, which
10/08/2009
One of the leading building services companies in the UK, SES, has signed a deal worth more than £16 million to help provide household waste recycling plants to the Greater Manchester area. 27 sites are to be built over the next three years. Working alongside principal contractor, Costain, SES will
07/08/2009
Hull's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) team has announced Balfour Beatty Construction (BB) as its first Private Sector Partner to deliver the 'early phase' of its £465m schools capital programme. After extensive design discussions BB Construction are now moving forward with their exciting pla
07/08/2009
The problem of empty homes in Wales is highlighted in a new report released this week. Produced jointly by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Shelter Cymru, the report reveals that at least 26,000 privately owned homes in Wales have been empty for six months or more and showcases some of t
07/08/2009
£30 million has been secured for a new housing scheme that will help people on the housing register and those needing help to get their foot onto the property ladder. People looking to buy outright will also benefit. The scheme in Cassington Road, Yarnton, will see 138 affordable homes built over
07/08/2009
The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has taken the next steps to building the cross country course for the Eventing competition at Greenwich Park during the London 2012 Olympic Games. It has appointed London Eventing as the course builder - a consortium made up of some of the most respected
07/08/2009
Over 60 housing organisations have reached the final stages of the prestigious UK Housing Awards for their outstanding contribution to the improving the lives of people in their communities. The UK Housing Awards are in their 13th year and the final winners will be presented by the Chartered Instit
07/08/2009
RWE npower and E.ON UK have announced the appointment of Alan Raymant as the new Chief Operating Officer for the companies' nuclear joint venture. Alan is currently Director of Operations and Asset Management for E.ON's distribution business in the UK and has extensive experience within the company
07/08/2009
Ian Baker has been promoted to Group Managing Director of Galliford Try's housebuilding division. He was previously Divisional Managing Director responsible for housebuilding in the southwest and Midlands, a role which he maintains. Aged 39, Ian first joined Galliford Try in 1986 on a Youth Train
07/08/2009
Rockwool, one of the world's leading manufacturer of non-combustible stone wool insulation, has implemented a new, proprietary production process to reduce the space taken up by a number of its products - providing environmental and cost benefits for itself and its supply chain. The process, called
07/08/2009
Tecsound 35 Ultra-Thin Soundproofing Membrane has it all... unequalled value, performance, fire rating and it is even kind to the environment. Developed in response to customer demand for a thin, yet high-performing, sound proofing solution for airborne and impact noise through floors, ceilings, ro
07/08/2009
Businesses in the construction industry could be wiped out by a combination of the recession and a swine flu epidemic this winter. And every single construction business - even the very smallest - must make a plan now for how they would cope with the epidemic if it happens. That's the advice of a
06/08/2009
Surveyors have predicted that house prices will end "slightly higher" than last year, however the market will still face challenges in 2010. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) report said rising unemployment and increases in mortgage rates will limit the recovery in house prices. It
06/08/2009
The UK is on track to meet the challenge of securing energy supplies both internationally and domestically, a new report commissioned by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown concluded today. The report - 'Energy Security: a national challenge in a changing world' report - by the Prime Minister's Special
06/08/2009
Central Networks, the electricity distribution company for central England, has completed the first phase of a £60m project to improve the reliability of the power supply to East Birmingham. More than 80,000 customers will benefit directly from the improvement works to the power network in the Kitt
06/08/2009
Two organisations, one raising the standards for tenants' homes, the other responsible for resolving housing disputes, have demonstrated their commitment to improving services to tenants by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for exchanging information. The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) a
06/08/2009
Warm Wall insulation is the simplest and easiest way of thermally upgrading buildings and, with the superior range of associated components, render finishes and colours, ensure that whilst the focus is on producing energy-efficient dwellings for the future, the ability to use the creativity of the m
06/08/2009
Kier Western has been awarded a contract to build the £6.4 million Nant Celyn Primary School in Torfaen. The single-storey building, which will replace Brookfield and Hollybush schools when it opens in September, is the first primary school to be built by Torfaen Council since its formation in 1996
06/08/2009
Leighton Andrews, Deputy Minister for Regeneration, has announced that two seriously dilapidated properties in Rhyl, Wales, that have blighted the area for years have been acquired for demolition. During a visit to Rhyl he said funding from the North Wales Coastal Strategic Regeneration programme
06/08/2009
UNISON, the UK's leading public sector trade union, is calling on employers in both the public and private sector to work with staff to cut carbon emissions. The call comes in the wake of a report showing that Whitehall departments were missing their carbon reduction targets, which could leave taxp
06/08/2009
Bridge Interiors has announced it has been awarded the KRC Certificate, which is a prestigious award of accreditation based upon the quality of installations, financial integrity and vetting process. Of their 2,000 spending account customers, only 43 KRC's have been awarded over the whole of the U
06/08/2009
John Sisk & Son Ltd (Sisk) has completed St. Catherine's Court - a six-storey office block and part of a £15m development in Bristol's Clifton conservation area. It is the first commercial building built in the Clifton area for 25 years and has been awarded the prestigious BREEAM Excellent accredit
05/08/2009
House builder Taylor Wimpey has reported a loss of £7.3 million in the first six months of this year, compared with profits of £63.4 million a year earlier. After a drop in house prices the company was forced to write down the value of land and work. However, the company said it is beginning to se
05/08/2009
House prices rose by 1.1% in July, the second rise in the last three months, according to figures from Halifax. The average price of a house is now £159,623, 12.1% lower than the same time last year, but only 0.8% lower than at the beginning of 2009. So far this year, house prices have fallen by l
05/08/2009
Housing Minister John Healey (pictured) and Transport Minister Sadiq Khan have announced £30m for transport projects to support the thousands of extra homes being built across the country over the coming months. Money from the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF) will help fund crucial transport lin
05/08/2009
Originally operating out of a farm building in Markfied, Leicestershire, Tony Cooper, the founder of Markfield Woodworking Machinery (MWM) started out refurbishing used machinery. Since the company was established in 1979 it has went from strength to strength and in 1989 after continued success, MWM
05/08/2009
The National Landlords Association (NLA), the UK's leading representative body for private-residential landlords, has said landlords calling its Advice Line are questioning the need for energy performance certificates (EPC) as tenants are ignoring the information they contain. By law, most tenancie
05/08/2009
Around 20 Sandwell secondary schools are set to be completely transformed and given state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities in a £370 million Building Schools For The Future (BSF) programme. Over the next 10 years the Council - working in partnership with Environments For Learning - will
05/08/2009
One of the UK's leading public services providers, Amey, has announced it is in line to achieve work worth £3.8 billion. This follows the decision by Birmingham City Council to award the company preferred bidder status for its £2.7bn highways maintenance and management private finance initiative (
05/08/2009
Building work is progressing well on the Olympic Village with construction now underway on all of the residential plots. The Village will have 11 blocks, which are all roughly the same size as a football pitch. Each block is made up of 6–8 buildings built in a rectangular layout around a traditiona
05/08/2009
Work has now been completed on the Refurbishment of the North Chapel at Southern Cemetery in Manchester. The Chapel, which was built in 1879 is a Grade II Listed Building and has been regularly used over the years for funeral services in the cemetery. It has now been restored to its former glory an
05/08/2009
Eleven pioneering housing organisations have helped develop vital new guidance on housing services to refugees and new migrants through a two-year project, 'Opening Doors', which is launching nationally on 7 August 2009. The guidance was developed by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and the
05/08/2009
An established company, RJD Interiors, which specialises in hotel fit out, shopfitting and bespoke joinery services has been going from strength to strength - despite the current testing times - due to their value for money services and excellent track record for on-time fit outs to a high standard.
05/08/2009
Masterhitch Europe Ltd have redesigned the Masterhitch to comply fully with the Health and Safety Executive's requirements, following concerns over a number of recent incidents involving Semi Automatic Quick Couplers, none of which incidentally have been with a Masterhitch. The new 'Auto Quadlock'
04/08/2009
Birmingham City Council has announced Amey as the preferred bidder for its £2.7bn highways maintenance and management private finance initiative (PFI) contract. The contract, a substantial boost for the region, will increase employment and make a real difference to the local highway infrastructure
04/08/2009
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has pledged to step in and plug a funding gap after the Government reneged on promises to fund homes in the capital. The Mayor believes the government is ignoring London's acute need for more new homes by cutting its share of the affordable housing budget and diver
04/08/2009
Devon County Council has just awarded the final contract which will substantially complete the section of the Exe Estuary Trail between Lympstone and Exton. Work on this part of the Trail commenced in the last financial year with the site clearance and installation of permanent fencing. This was so
04/08/2009
Thousands of cheats who are keeping homeless and needy families out of scarce social housing will be targeted in a new Audit Commission initiative. The public spending watchdog is extending the reach of its National Fraud Initiative (NFI) to help detect fraudsters who illegally occupy or sublet mul
04/08/2009
Centrica, through its British Gas Business division, has announced that it has acquired Newnova Group, which trades under BMS Solutions and BMS Setpoint, for a cash consideration of up to £3.5 million. BMS Solutions provides British Gas with an on-demand engineering capability and access to new s
04/08/2009
Haringey Council has teamed up with Lovell, which is helping deliver the Haringey Decent Homes project in North Tottenham, to help get long-term unemployed people back into work. Participants on the scheme spend four weeks working on the Lovell Haringey Decent Homes project, at the end of which Lov
04/08/2009
Leading housing financial consultant Steve Partridge has joined the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Group to lead the professional body's financial consultancy and policy development services. His appointment comes in a period when local authorities, housing associations and ALMOs are likely
04/08/2009
Seven major housing schemes in Manchester that have stalled or are struggling in difficult market conditions have been shortlisted for support from a Government scheme to kick-start developments. Between them, these schemes could bring in an additional £25 million of public investment to the city.
04/08/2009
Builders in the south west who joined forces to set up a consortium have won the opportunity to bid for public sector contracts worth more than £500m over the next four years. The four local businesses - E R Hemmings (Building) from Bristol (lead contractor), Pearce Construction from Barnstaple,
04/08/2009
Tonnes of wood has gone into the building of a new high school in Cheshunt – and Shepherd Construction has ensured none of it has gone to waste. Around 20 tonnes of wood from the construction site has been donated to a local wood recycling scheme over the past few months, meaning none of it has gon
03/08/2009
It will be two years before house prices begin to recover, it has been predicted. The National Housing Federation forecasts that prices in England will fall this year and next before recovering, It expects prices to fall 12.2% in 2009 and 4.6% next year, before stabilising in 2011 with a 1.1% rise
03/08/2009
Which? is urging the Government not to saddle consumers with the multi-billion pound bill for the roll-out of smart meters, which will save the energy industry far more than its customers. Figures show the average household will make an annual saving of just £1.43 from a smart meter. This equates t
03/08/2009
Regeneration of an area of Leicester's West End could receive the green light today if councillors agree to sell land on Duns Lane to De Montfort University. As part of the regeneration plans the council would demolish the derelict Bowstring bridge, which has been closed for a number of years beca
03/08/2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning anyone working on gas appliances and systems without having their competence assessed that they are acting illegally and dangerously. The warning comes as Peter Tongue, a gas fitter from Brecon, was jailed for three years for each manslaughter charge
03/08/2009
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced proposals for a multi-million pound 'London Green Fund' to boost London's low carbon economy, create jobs and tackle climate change. The fund will unlock the financial savings that can come from going green by developing an innovative financing fram
03/08/2009
The social housing specialist that is part of Willmott Dixon Group, Inspace, has picked up two contracts worth over £7 million from two long-term clients. The first is a £5.2 million contract to build a five storey residential block for L&Q in Tooting, South London. The timber framed structure in R
03/08/2009
Liverpool's housing market has been given a timely boost. Eight housing schemes which had stalled because of the economic downturn are to be reinvigorated after being shortlisted under the 'Kickstart' scheme for special government assistance. Projects could include more than 700 homes for sale, sh
03/08/2009
Health Minister Edwina Hart will mark the beginning of the transformation of the Cardiff Royal Infirmary as demolition work gets underway. More than £30million Welsh Assembly Government-funding has been earmarked to replace the outdated city centre hospital site with a modern healthcare complex. Th
03/08/2009
The Interserve-led consortium Environments for Learning (E4L) has achieved financial close on the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) contract with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Interserve will deliver construction and facilities management (FM) services worth more than £280 million in
03/08/2009
To compliment their range of Perimeter Casing Systems Jtech Services can now complete the package by supplying the heat emitter as well. In partnership with engineers at BKL Radiators Ltd they can tailor the offer to suit the existing heating system on site which means that most applications can
