Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for May 2010
28/05/2010
Bromley-by-Bow looks set to be the first major beneficiary of an Olympic regeneration legacy after recent steps taken by the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) and supermarket giant, Tesco has been agreed. Planning permission was granted to transform Bromley-by-Bow through a sche
28/05/2010
A council project aimed at building up to 650 affordable homes on former garage sites and other disposable land will shortly deliver its first new houses. Three families could be moving into the properties in Comyn Walk, Fishponds, Bristol, in the autumn of 2010 following the completion of work on
28/05/2010
The enhanced facilities for Rowing and Canoe Sprint events during the London 2012 Games have been completed on time and on budget. The Rowing, Paralympic Rowing and Canoe Sprint events during the Games will take place at the Eton College Rowing Centre at Dorney Lake near Windsor. Construction work
28/05/2010
Manchester Council's Executive Member for Housing Councillor Paul Andrews has requested an urgent meeting with Housing Minister Grant Shapps MP to seek assurances on the Collyhurst Private Finance Initiative. The Council had gained an indicative commitment from the previous government for £252 mill
28/05/2010
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) supported excellence in the housing sector with over £11 million investment in charitable activities in 2009, an increase of seven per cent on the previous year. During a challenging year for many of its members CIH continued to support housing professionals
28/05/2010
More than 200 construction workers attended a special North East health and safety event to help reduce fatal and serious accidents at work. In the last 25 years more than 2,800 people have died from injuries they received as a result of construction work and many more have suffered serious injurie
28/05/2010
An experienced and well equipped leak detection and repair and damp specialist, Water Network Solutions provides services to clients throughout the UK, Ireland and France. The director and engineers all have a minimum of 15 years experience in the water industry pinpointing and repairing water l
28/05/2010
Make Me Dugouts are proud to be supplying dugouts for use at stadiums for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Make Me Dugouts supply sports shelters or football dugouts that cater to specific requirements. Manufactured in the UK using high quality materials and craftsmanship, Make Me Dugouts offer
27/05/2010
Galliford Try, the housebuilding and construction group, has been awarded two contracts worth a total of £21.2 million to undertake construction work in the north west of England. The first project is a £16.5 million contract to undertake the regeneration of Orford Park in Warrington for Warrington
27/05/2010
Lovell has expanded its operations with the opening of a new North Wales office in Mold, Flintshire. Lovell Managing Director Stewart Davenport said: "We are delighted to be bringing our expertise in housing regeneration and the creation of energy-efficient new homes in partnership with housing ass
27/05/2010
A Gloucestershire loft conversion company and its subcontractor have today been fined for carrying out dangerous gas works which left a family at serious risk. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) successfully prosecuted J S Loft Conversions Limited, of Bracken Close, Lydney, and its subcontractor
27/05/2010
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, the chief executive of Siemens, Andreas J. Goss and the Mayor of Newham Borough Council, Sir Robin Wales, have announced a plan for Siemens to invest £30 million in a new landmark building in East London, comprising an exhibition and conference centre. This is s
27/05/2010
Oxford University's Bodleian Libraries has announced they have secured Planning Permission approval and Listed Building Consent from Oxford City Council for the £78 million restoration and renovation of the New Bodleian Library, to be reopened as the Weston Library in 2014/2015. The project, desig
27/05/2010
Sallu Plastics have recently signed a new deal to purchase Flexible PVC (calendered and pressed) sheet at very competitive rates. They are gaining many new customers at present based on the rates and high level of service they provide. To help with the expansion of their customer base in the flexi
27/05/2010
Energy company E.ON has awarded nearly £10,000 to Age Concern in Merstham to fund a range a energy efficiency measures at the centre. The grant will be used to install roof insulation, new 'A' rated double glazing and new radiators which will be connected to an efficient boiler to help make the bui
27/05/2010
More and more people are spending a considerable amount of time at their doctor’s surgery, as a result of our ageing demographic society combined with the increase of General Practioners (GPs) surgeries facing closure. Infection and bacteria control within these facilities is becoming an even great
26/05/2010
The first major construction contract has been awarded at Liverpool's largest regeneration scheme, marking another step forward in the £200 million transformation of a key city centre site. Joint venture partners, Merepark and Ballymore, have appointed the McGee Group on a £7 million design and bu
26/05/2010
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has welcomed the legislative programme announced in the Queen's Speech. Richard Capie, CIH Director of Policy and Practice, welcomed the Centralisation and Localism bill. He said: "A localism agenda that devolves greater responsibility to local authorities
26/05/2010
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, has announced that the new minister with responsibility for the construction industry is Chartered Surveyor Mark Prisk. The Minister has already met the Steering Group of the Low Carbon Construction Review Innovation and Growth Team (IGT), an industry-led body set
26/05/2010
AMEC, the international engineering and project management company, has signed a five year contract with Czech utility CEZ for the management of radioactive waste at their nuclear power plant in Dukovany. The contract, the value of which has not been disclosed, will be run by AMEC's Slovakian busin
26/05/2010
A vision of how the West Bank could look in the future has been revealed in the West Bank Regeneration Study, carried out by Baca Architects on behalf of Arun District Council and West Sussex County Council. The study explores different ideas for the area including flood defences funded by new dev
26/05/2010
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has confirmed ArcelorMittal as a Tier Two sponsor of London 2012 and Official Steel Supporter of the Games. The deal follows confirmation that ArcelorMittal will fund the construction of a 115m-high visitor attractio
26/05/2010
More than 80 pupils at Montgomery Infant School and Nursery in Colchester designed striking posters to highlight the dangers of construction sites for a poster competition set by Lovell. The company, which is carrying out a £19.5 million housing regeneration scheme for Colne Housing Society at Oaka
26/05/2010
Plumbworld the UK's largest online bathroom retailer has launched a new and exciting bathroom accessories range called 'Never Drill Again', a revolution in bathroom accessories at
25/05/2010
The regeneration of Dee Park estate in Tilehurst, Reading, has received the green light as Reading Borough Council and Dee Park Partnership have achieved financial close to deliver the £44 million first phase. Over an eight-year period, hundreds of families will benefit from new and affordable home
25/05/2010
Galliford Try, the housebuilding and construction group has reached financial close as a construction partner of the Equitix consortium, which is undertaking the Cambridgeshire Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Following financial close, Galliford Try will now undertake the £26 milli
25/05/2010
ISG has announced that it has been reappointed by Lloyds Banking Group (Lloyds) as a framework contractor to carry out remodelling of its retail and commercial office portfolio. The initial framework period is for two years. The appointment further bolsters ISG's growing retail sector revenue in
25/05/2010
A waste management and recycling company has been fined after a driver was killed at a Northamptonshire landfill site. SITA UK Limited was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the death of Gary Carter, 32, at the Cranford landfill site on 4 January 2007. The company, of Gr
25/05/2010
In response to the new Government's 'Coalition Agreement', Heathrow Airport has announced that it will stop work on the planning application for a third runway. The company also plans to stop buying properties in Sipson, after a period of notice. In line with assurances given to local residents in
25/05/2010
Shelter's Chief Executive Campbell Robb has described new house building figures as "shocking". The government figures show that the number of new homes built in the first quarter of this year is down by 46% from the first quarter of 2007. 26,090 homes were completed in the first quarter of 2010,
25/05/2010
To compliment its fully branded F1 range Rapid Frame has introduced a new window lock which has been designed with versatility, reliability and security in mind. It has a manufacturing guarantee of 10 years and it is a secured by design product which means that it has been tested accordingly to ind
25/05/2010
HSS Training, the specialist training division of HSS Hire, the UK’s award-winning tool and equipment hire company, has announced it will be expanding operations to now also offer training courses throughout Ireland. The announcement comes just days after HSS confirmed the acquisition of the Hydrex
24/05/2010
Costain has announced that it has been awarded an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract by Lancashire County Council (LCC) to develop and construct a major road decongestion and regeneration scheme. The scheme will link the A589 Morecambe Road near Torrisholme to a fully remodelled junction 3
24/05/2010
A contractor has been fined £7,000 for breaching health and safety law after a builder broke his back and ribs when a wall fell on him at a construction site in Forest Gate. Jason Lunnon, 41, from Barnet was seriously injured when he was struck by the falling concrete blocks on the site in Field Ro
24/05/2010
The Primary Substation that will help power the Olympic Park during and after the Games has won an award for architectural excellence. The Substation, which was switched on in October 2009 and will keep power flowing across the Park, was named Commercial and Industrial Building of the Year. It was
24/05/2010
Kier, bidding as part of the Equitix consortium, has achieved financial close in wave four of the Fenland Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme for Cambridgeshire County Council. It comprises the construction of two new schools in Wisbech with a combined value of £44.4 million. The Thomas
24/05/2010
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has welcomed the publication of details of the coalition government’s priorities around housing. The government has set an ambitious programme of far-reaching reforms anchored in a greater role for local government and communities, notably proposals to refor
24/05/2010
Central Networks, the electricity distribution company for central England, is warning people to stay away from its substations as vandals again put their lives in danger by stealing copper cabling. In three separate incidents last week across the East Midlands - in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire
24/05/2010
Szerelmey has launched a top-quality raised flooring system which can offer the visual appearance of a hard-finish monolithic floor while still providing the advantages of a raised floor. And it does this while eliminating the need for wet trades on the site, so enhancing speed and quality. The sys
24/05/2010
Dealec is one of the UK's leading distributors of Electric Heating, Ventilation and Water Heating products. Their showroom is online to view and buy a wide selection of products from leading brand manufacturers with daily deliveries throughout the UK. Solutions from
21/05/2010
Costain, in joint venture with Skanska, has announced that it has been awarded a second contract by Crossrail, as part of its enabling works framework, for the construction of the Pudding Mill Lane Portal. The value of the contract is similar in size and scope to the Royal Oak portal previously ann
21/05/2010
Network Rail's redevelopment of King’s Cross station reached another crucial milestone today with the official opening of Platform 0 by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond. The addition of the new platform means Network Rail can begin refurbishing the station's existing platforms, which will be take
21/05/2010
The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) has welcomed the Coalition Agreement but warned that it falls short of the progressive vision necessary to cut carbon from our homes and buildings. Paul King, Chief Executive of the UK-GBC said: "Much of the Coalition Agreement should be warmly welcomed, such
21/05/2010
First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones has picked up the keys for the Welsh Assembly Government's new North Wales office in Llandudno Junction, as he marked the end of the construction of the building. The office, which is the greenest building on the Assembly Government estate, was completed on time
21/05/2010
Housing associations could consider radical ways of raising funds for new affordable homes – as the sector faces up to a dramatically different operating environment, according to a new report from the National Housing Federation. 'Facing the future: Evolution or revolution?' explores a range of fi
21/05/2010
The companies behind the London Array Offshore wind farm have announced that the Port of Ramsgate will become London Array's construction and operations and maintenance base for the project which, once complete, will be the world's largest offshore wind farm. Up to 100 employees will be based at a
21/05/2010
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Housing Minister Grant Shapps have announced that, with immediate effect, Home Information Packs (HIPs) are suspended. Location, Location, Location presenter Kirstie Allsopp joined Mr Pickles and Mr Shapps on a visit to an estate agents in Battersea, London to
20/05/2010
Construction workloads turned positive for the first time in two years, according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK construction market survey. Five percent more chartered surveyors reported rising rather than falling workloads for the first quarter of 2010. The positive turna
20/05/2010
As Parliament officially returns, Shelter research reveals that new MPs will find housing is the chief concern of their constituents. In a survey of 150 MPs from the last Parliament, almost three quarters (72%) agreed that housing is one of the top three problems raised by their constituents whilst
20/05/2010
The £110 million contract for Cambridgeshire County Council's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project has been signed. The contract establishes a Local Education Partnership between the County Council, BSF Investments and Equitix Ltd. The partnership will now deliver the BSF project in Cambri
20/05/2010
Lovell has received a top rating from homebuyers in the Home Builders Federation (HBF) National New Home Customer Satisfaction Survey. The company received five stars, the highest possible score, from customers questioned in the annual survey. More than 90% of buyers surveyed who had bought ne
20/05/2010
A construction firm and building owner have been fined after a builder suffered fractured vertebrae when he fell from a factory roof in Hertfordshire. Danny Langdon (63) of Sudbury, Suffolk, injured his spine in the seven-metre fall on Christmas Eve 2008 and has been off work since. Mr Langdon fel
20/05/2010
A new team of 'green doctors' start work this month to help residents in Brixton cut their carbon emissions and energy bills. The five new recruits will visit hundreds of Brixton homes helping to install free energy efficient measures like draught proofing and radiator panels. Employed by Lambeth
20/05/2010
Veka fabricator Regent RS Group has won national acclaim for its part in the restoration of a listed-status Army Regimental Command Post. The accolade comes from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), which named Regent a 'Company of Excellence' for the project, at the HQ of the Signal S
20/05/2010
Cold Control, the award winning air conditioning and refrigeration specialists were the preferred contractors for the design, specification and installation of all the air-conditioning requirements within the ongoing refurbishment projects at Carshalton College, Surrey. The vibrant and innovative
20/05/2010
Ferrari has announced additional certification of their axial fan series "EF" which is now available conforming to EN12101-3 rated 3000C for 2 hours. The range is already certified at 4000C for 2 hours; however the additional certification permits an extended range of fans. The main features are:
19/05/2010
Almost a third of construction sites visited in Nottinghamshire during March failed safety inspections. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out checks at 66 sites construction sites across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire during two days of intensive inspections. They issue
19/05/2010
Abercynon-based AB Connectors has won a £2 million contract to supply equipment to Thales UK's new vehicle integration centre in West Wales, resulting in the creation of 40 new high-skilled jobs. The new Thales centre in Llangennech, near Llanelli, which opened last November, specialises in the hi-
19/05/2010
The Olympic Park 'big build' is firmly on track as work continues in the project's busiest year so far. An aerial view of the Velodrome, showing work on covering its distinctive double-curved roof well underway. New aerial images, taken earlier this month, show the construction progress on the som
19/05/2010
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has announced a shake up in the Agency's top structure and office accommodation. Trevor Beattie, currently Director of strategy, policy, performance and research will become director of place making, bringing together all of the Agency's corporate property, re
19/05/2010
Work to build Oldbury's new £6 million flagship library and office building is steaming ahead. At a special ceremony organised by Morgan Ashurst, Sandwell Council's Cabinet Member for regeneration and transport Cllr Bob Badham fixes the final piece of steelwork together with a little guidance from
19/05/2010
A special ceremony has been held at Westhall Court on Sheldon Heath Road, the Meadway, Yardley to mark the completion of external works on a new extra care scheme for older people. The 'topping out' ceremony involved Birmingham City Council's Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr John Lines, viewing the
19/05/2010
Icynene distributors of Airseal Insulation has successfully completed the project to insulate the new 12 en-suite bed and communal area (total area 400m2) which makes up the new wing of The Manse nursing home in Lancashire. The Owner of The Manse Les Ansell commented: "The building is holding the h
19/05/2010
Stannah is a very familiar name to every consumer in the UK and many worldwide. To building professionals Stannah is also a well-known name. The UK manufacturer's commercial portfolio, which began in the 1860s, has significantly grown. Today the company can and do supply complete lifting solutions
18/05/2010
A green home improvement scheme will benefit people in at least 21 communities in Wales with £30 million in funding in its first year, Environment Minister Jane Davidson has announced. The arbed scheme, which means "save" in Welsh, will upgrade the energy efficiency of existing housing stock in som
18/05/2010
Morgan Ashurst has been chosen to build four state-of-the-art new primary healthcare facilities in Barnsley with a combined construction value of £13.3 million for healthcare developer Barnsley Community Solutions. The new, purpose-built primary care facilities will offer a range of medical service
18/05/2010
A new crèche facility has finally been completed at the Calthorpe Project after being awarded £50,000 through Wates Giving, a charitable programme run by the Wates family, owners of the Wates Group. The Calthorpe Project is a purpose-built community centre providing child care, training, a play are
18/05/2010
A trainee construction manager from Fradswell, near Stone, has been chosen by Lovell as its Trainee of the Year for the Midlands region. Trainee site manager Simon Wilson, 27, was presented with a certificate, a glass trophy and a bottle of champagne by Lovell regional director David Gough at a cer
18/05/2010
Energy company E.ON is calling on the community to have a further say after submitting a planning application to Daventry District Council for a wind farm between the villages of Winwick and Cold Ashby in Northamptonshire. If granted planning permission, the 17.5 MW wind farm could generate enough
18/05/2010
Hillingdon Council Leader Cllr Ray Puddifoot has welcomed the confirmation that the new Government will cancel the third runway. The decision which forms a key part of the coalition agreement between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties is the final nail in the coffin for the controversial
18/05/2010
Looking for new tractors or groundcare equipment? Then don’t miss Kubota Live! 2010 – the only event that gives visitors the chance to put the complete Kubota range to the test. The event, which is taking place at Rockingham Castle, Rockingham, Market Harborough on 18 and 19 May, will see a full li
18/05/2010
Today going green is something we all must do and the construction industry is without doubt a sector where this is very important. Going green however needs to be a fundamental part of the brand of your business if consumers are to believe you are serious. Do not just bolt it on to your marketing
17/05/2010
House purchase lending increased by 45% year on year in March, making it the ninth consecutive month of year-on-year growth, according to figures released today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). Remortgaging, however, was 29% down year on year, the 23rd consecutive annual fall. This shows
17/05/2010
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has announced a stock-take of ownership and control across economic infrastructure in the UK. The key aims of the work are to:
17/05/2010
Taylor Wimpey has announced the appointment of Kevin Beeston as Non-Executive Chairman, following a selection process led by Rob Rowley, Senior Independent Director, on behalf of the Nomination Committee. Kevin joins the Board with effect from 1 July 2010 and will take up the role of Chairman on
17/05/2010
Plans to put up to £4 million into creating the world's first amusement park of thrilling historic rides at Dreamland in Margate have been agreed by Thanet District Council. The proposals were discussed at a meetung with members agreeing to put £2.2 million of the council's money into the project.
17/05/2010
A white van with a difference will set off on a two-week safety tour of major construction sites in the region today. The White Van Roadshow will highlight the potential dangers in the industry, after five construction workers were killed in the North West last year. The tour will see advisors fro
17/05/2010
A London based housing organisation, Shepherds Bush Housing Group (SBHG), has won a prestigious prize at the UK Housing Heroes Awards in London. The awards were established in 2009 to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the many unsung heroes working in the housing sector. The Group colle
17/05/2010
As the multi-million pound transformation of a derelict industrial site into new homes nears completion, some of the construction and property industry's biggest names gathered together to see the results. One Housing Group's £30 million affordable housing development, which is being created by Wat
17/05/2010
E.ON has teamed up with its customers to change the way we think about energy after four out of five people (80%) said knowing more about their energy use would help get their home consumption into shape and lower bills. Having listened to the people who sit on its 15,000-strong Customer Panel, the
14/05/2010
The National Housing Federation has welcomed the appointment of Grant Shapps as the new Housing Minister. Federation Chief Executive David Orr has already established a close working relationship with Mr Shapps. Last year, the new Housing Minister appointed Mr Orr as chair of a mobility taskforce,
14/05/2010
Fines totalling £7,000 have been issued after part of an office block being built in Kirkham collapsed, seriously injuring one worker. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the building's designer, Peter Wallace of the Wallace Partnership, and the principal contractor, Jack Smith (Builde
14/05/2010
Willmott Dixon's appointment by West Sussex County Council as preferred bidder for the £12.8 million Mid-Sussex Special Educational Needs School in Burgess Hill has pushed work it secured under the Improvement and Efficiency South East (IESE) framework to over £200 million. The school, which is due
14/05/2010
A Keynsham-based site manager working for Lovell is celebrating becoming a winner in the NHBC's first-ever national Health and Safety Awards. Senior site manager Richard Crew has been chosen for a Commended award in the Best Site – Large Builder category for maintaining excellent health and safety
14/05/2010
The British Gas Green Skills Training Centre in Tredegar, South Wales, has been officially opened by Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales. The centre is a first for the UK and aims to train over 1,300 people each year, including local long term unemployed people. The Heads of the Valleys has the l
14/05/2010
As Ofgem's consultation on Advanced Notification of Unilateral Contract Variations closes, Which? has said it is outrageous that energy suppliers are still allowed to keep their customers in the dark over price hikes. Which? Chief Executive, Peter Vicary-Smith, said: "We've lobbied hard to get this
14/05/2010
National Road Planing (NRP), a subsidiary of Tarmac Ltd, has taken delivery of five new drawbars from Andover Trailers to support the operation of its latest cold milling machines throughout the UK. The order comprises two high-specification centre-balance drawbar trailers with beavertails (model
14/05/2010
One of the UK's largest providers of acoustic solutions, CMS Acoustics, has launched the 'Kinetics Wave Hanger', a revolutionary ceiling isolation system for controlling noise at extremely low frequencies. The system, which has a Worldwide Patent Pending, is particularly well-suited to helping tim
14/05/2010
A chilling statement – especially if you are living in a flood risk area, and in particular if it has happened to you in the past. With global warming a given, increasingly tracts of land will become susceptible to flooding. There is now a product on the market, TASK GREEN which provides a unique s
13/05/2010
The number of mortgages in arrears and the number of repossessions both fell in the first quarter of 2010, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders(CML). However, this welcome decline gives no cause for complacency as a large number of households, who are just coping, still remain vulnerable t
13/05/2010
First Minister Carwyn Jones has joined the CEO of Tata Steel Europe, Kirby Adams to launch a new plant which will significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions at Port Talbot steelworks. The £60 million investment will reduce the site's carbon dioxide emissions by some 240,000 tonnes a year and has
13/05/2010
The value of construction projects starts in the three months to April 2010 was up 10.5% on the same period a year ago according to the Glenigan Index for April. The Index, which tracks the value of projects under £100 million, showed a gradual recovery in private sector confidence coupled with a
13/05/2010
Following the General Election the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has called on the coalition between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to take forward the UK by investing in the construction industry. Chris Blythe Chief Executive of the CIOB said: "After all the rhetoric and with so
13/05/2010
Central Networks, the electricity distribution company for central England, is warning would-be thieves to keep out of substations following two break-ins in Wolverhampton. Two substations on Cox Road and Graiseley Hill had equipment tampered with, leaving hundreds of customers without power overni
13/05/2010
Gareth Bacon, Environment Spokesman for the London Assembly Conservative Group, has hit out at "tokenistic" proposals to build a mini-wind farm in the Olympic Park that will generate only enough energy to power 310 computers. Despite the seven turbines reportedly costing the taxpayer £140,000, an e
13/05/2010
Major figures in the property sector will be attending a conference in Liverpool this week. The Association of Chief Estates Surveyors and property managers (ACES) is holding its Spring Conference today and tomorrow, 13-14 May. The theme of the conference, which is being held at the Holiday Inn, L
13/05/2010
Leading trade paint brand Leyland has once again shown its support to Help for Heroes as it joined forces with professional drivers and celebrities to add a splash of colour to the first ever Race for Heroes endurance karting event. Taking place in a blaze of adrenaline and grease at the Daytona tr
13/05/2010
Cold Control, the award winning air-conditioning and refrigeration specialists, were the preferred contractor to facilitate the air conditioning and refrigeration requirements for the award winning Newlyn Farm shop, North Warnborough, Hampshire. Newlyn Farm Shop is situated within 500 acres of fami
12/05/2010
Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, reports this year it has received a number of good contract wins, which has resulted in the order book moving ahead of the 2009 year-end figure of £14.1 billion. The group stated this in its Interim Management Statement, which covers the perio
12/05/2010
Construction union UCATT are calling for Birmingham Council to urgently intervene to prevent the loss of a third of council housing maintenance workers' jobs in the city. UCATT has learned that two housing contractors Willmott Dixon and Mears who both hold housing maintenance contracts with Birming
12/05/2010
A planning application to build a new wind turbine at the Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate has been withdrawn. The plans had been put in for a 25 metre high turbine, which would be located alongside the school's 400 metre running track. It would produce power for the school, with estimates suggesting th
12/05/2010
Kier and Telford & Wrekin Council have kick-started the region's £200 million Borough Towns Initiative - Sports and Learning Communities scheme with the signing of the contract to build the Abraham Darby Sports and Learning Community. The Abraham Darby Academy is the first secondary school in Telfo
12/05/2010
All the information landlords need to meet their legal duties on domestic gas is now available in one place with the launch of a new website. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), with support from the National Landlords Association (NLA), has launched the new microsite as a one-stop-shop to help
12/05/2010
Sisk was awarded a Gold award for its Bolsover Street site at The Considerate Constructors Scheme Annual National Site Awards 2010, which are given to the highest scoring sites, selected from over 7000. Sisk's Bolsover Street site saw the construction of new residential accommodation over the new w
12/05/2010
Robus Ceramics the tiling manufacturer and supplier have transformed this wonderful Grade I listed building opposite the Cathedral in Canterbury's world famous Butter Market with its trademark buff mathematical tiles. Robus specialises in the manufacture of clay and glazed mathematical tiles, exter
12/05/2010
Specialist cladding and flooring manufacturer Steni UK has won ISO 14001:2004 (1861EMS001) for its environmental management systems. The company produces glass fibre reinforced polyester resin cladding panels and a flooring composite of glass fibre polyester resin and stone from its UK plant near W
11/05/2010
Mansell is to deliver an affordable housing project, valued at approximately £15 million at London Road, Hounslow for Catalyst Housing Group. Following Mansell's purchase of the site, a planning application was made and subsequently granted on behalf of Catalyst Housing Group for the development of
11/05/2010
The National Housing Federation and its members has managed to persuade 85 candidates who were elected on Thursday to sign up to the Federation's affordable housing pledge. This means that, while the main party leaders are still locked in negotiations around the composition of the next government,
11/05/2010
Britain's housing market enjoyed a 'spring bounce' in April, according to research by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The research showed both property prices and sales levels were rising last month. Approximately 17% of surveyors reported a rise in April, up from 9% in March.
11/05/2010
Wolseley has announced that, following an extensive search of both internal and external candidates, Steve Ashmore has been appointed as UK Managing Director with effect from 10 May 2010. Steve, aged 45, has considerable construction materials distribution sector experience and since 2008, he has b
11/05/2010
City of Bath College construction lecturer Sarah White is gaining industry experience with Lovell on a new housing development being built in Keynsham. Construction lecturer Sarah has been spending a day a week with the Lovell team building 54 affordable homes at Amberley Close and Lulworth Road, K
11/05/2010
Building firms in Greater Manchester are being urged to improve safety standards after nearly 180 formal warnings about work at height were issued last year. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors served 148 enforcement notices in the county in 2009, immediately stopping unsafe work being car
11/05/2010
The sun shone on Barry for the official opening of the Thompson Street Footbridge yesterday, May 10, when local school children helped the Mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan, Cllr Emlyn Williams, with the ribbon cutting ceremony. The Mayor welcomed councillors and representatives of the organisations i
11/05/2010
A chance of winning two tickets to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South AfricaTM on 11 July 2010 is available to all Baxi Commercial Division installer customers who purchase a qualifying product from the Andrews Water Heaters, Potterton Commercial or Baxi-SenerTec UK ranges between 6 April 2010 and 12 noo
10/05/2010
Bechtel and Amey (Ferrovial) have agreed a sale of their equity in Tube Lines to Transport for London (TfL). The deal will allow greater flexibility in the delivery of vital Tube upgrades. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson and Transport for London has set out a revised arrangement that will enable L
10/05/2010
Lovell has scooped a British Safety Council International Safety Award for The Courtyard, its housing development at Bank Street, Irvine, for the second successive year. The accolade recognises organisations that have shown a real commitment to setting and maintaining high health and safety standar
10/05/2010
Two companies and a managing director have been fined a total of £170,000 after a 23-year old worker from Kettering fell more than nine metres, leaving him paralysed from the chest down. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted SDI Group UK Ltd of Main Street, Hardwick, Cambridge, Steel Con
10/05/2010
South Oxfordshire District Council is celebrating a victory, with the news developers JS Bloor Homes and Hallam Land Management have lost their High Court Challenge to develop 210 homes in Crowmarsh Gifford. In June 2009, the council refused planning permission for the development of 210 homes on
10/05/2010
Construction and regeneration group Morgan Sindall has announced a positive start to the year in its Interim Management Statement covering the period 1 January 2010 to date. The Group's forward order book has increased since the start of the year from £3.2 billion to £3.6 billion. In addition to
10/05/2010
Energy company E.ON has revealed one of its wind farm projects had become the first in the UK to receive an award through the Civil Engineering and Environmental Quality Assessment and Award Scheme (CEEQUAL) for its sustainability. The company's proposed seven-turbine wind farm at Winwick in Northa
10/05/2010
Energy saving ideas thought up by students from Hexham have seen them secure first place in a county wide school environmental competition. Pupils from Queen Elizabeth High School formed a pupil working group to introduce environmentally friendly projects around the school. These included: orga
07/05/2010
House prices have risen by 6.6% in the last year according to the latest Halifax house price index. This was the largest increase in the annual rate of change - measured by the average for the latest three months against the same period a year earlier – since October 2007 (8.9%). Commenting, Marti
07/05/2010
Finning has announced that it has sold Hewden, its UK equipment rental business, for gross proceeds of £110.2 million, to Sun European Partners, the European adviser to Sun Capital Partners. The sale was completed today and the consideration comprises cash of £90.2 million, an interest bearing 5-ye
07/05/2010
Derby Homes Ltd and Connaught Partnerships Ltd have announced new contracts potentially worth in excess of £19 million to deliver servicing, maintenance and improvements works across 14,000 properties. Valued at £1.4 million in year one before increasing to £2.8 million the contract to provide gas
07/05/2010
Leading planning consultancy Barton Willmore has secured planning permission - on behalf of Marie Curie Cancer Care - for a new £20m specialist palliative care facility in Solihull in the Green Belt. The new hospice will provide twenty-four en suite bedrooms with associated day facilities, educati
07/05/2010
Construction and regeneration group, Morgan Sindall, has made a positive start to the year and is in trading line with its expectations. The Group’s forward order book has increased since the start of the year from £3.2 billion to £3.6 billion. In addition to the forward order book, Morgan Sindall
07/05/2010
Based in the town of Shaftesbury Dorset, Melbury Greenstone Ltd specialise in genuine Shaftesbury Greenstone. The town of Shaftesbury and the cobbles of the famous Gold Hill are made from Greenstone. The natural product is used extensively throughout the area and it can also be found in and arou
07/05/2010
Pupils on the Isles of Scilly celebrated a new dawn in their education this week as they helped builders cut the first turf of the Five Islands School base on St Mary's. Twenty-five children joined main contractor Kier Western Construction Manager Steve Rosewell and representatives from the school
07/05/2010
The new University Centre Peterborough has been praised as 'a flagship educational building' by judges at the annual East Anglia Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Building Excellence Awards. The centre – a joint venture between Peterborough Regional College and Anglia Ruskin University constr
07/05/2010
Kubota has underlined its commitment to offering farmers a mid-hp alternative to both high-cost 'big-name' marques and basement 'built to a price' makes with the launch of the M130X, its biggest tractor to date, in the firm's 120th anniversary year. Building on the success of its M125X and M128X pr
07/05/2010
Asbestos surveys are only effective if competent surveyors are employed to do them, that is one of the key messages being promoted at roadshows to help explain new guidance devised for those responsible for managing the risks from asbestos. 'Asbestos: The survey guide' which was published by the He
06/05/2010
Following several years of research, planning and preparation, the $210 million redevelopment of Caneland Central has officially started with the turning of the first sod by Mayor Col Meng and Lend Lease CEO of Retail, Mr Rhon Levin. Caneland Central's expansion will see the centre grow from 39,000
06/05/2010
Sainsbury's is launching the Sainsbury's Supplier Trainee Partnerships, an innovative programme that will help over 100 people find work in the coming year. The Partnerships will be operated in conjunction with 60 of Sainsbury's top construction, engineering, facilities management and retail suppli
06/05/2010
To celebrate ten years of showcasing the very best in construction, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) will be working with celebrity property guru Phil Spencer, to launch a nationwide search for Britain’s best builder. The competition aims to raise the standard of British building, in innovat
06/05/2010
Planning permission has been granted for Sunderland City Council to build the country's tallest bridge. The planning application for the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor Phase 2 project and the landmark bridge over the River Wear between Pallion and Castletown was lodged in December 2009. S
06/05/2010
Centrica, the owner of British Gas, is on track to regain its leadership position as the generator of electricity with the lowest carbon emissions of all major UK energy suppliers. The Group is setting an ambitious target to cut carbon intensity from its UK electricity generation by over a quarter,
06/05/2010
Developer Morbaine has submitted plans for a new neighbourhood centre in Gainsborough's Corringham Road to West Lindsey District Council. The proposals would see a new 12,000 sq ft convenience food store, a row of smaller retail units, a new nursery and a restaurant built on the former Environment
06/05/2010
Central Networks, the electricity distribution company for central England, is taking to the skies and using hi-tech photography to keep a close eye on its overhead network during helicopter patrols this month. The work is just one of the ways Central Networks maintains its network to help keep the
06/05/2010
North West based specialist housing software company, Mobysoft, has signed with South East based affordable housing provider, Moat, following a highly successful eight week trial of its Rent Arrears Module. Moat owns and manages over 20,000 homes and during the trial, £37,000 of rent in arrears was
06/05/2010
The search begins for an architects' firm, this week, to bring Norwich one step closer to its first new council homes for more than two decades. Ten affordable houses are planned for a former council owned garage site in Bowers Avenue, Mile Cross. The homes – three two-bed, five three-bed and two
06/05/2010
Jewson, exclusive sponsors of Jonjo O'Neill Racing, are delighted with the stable's Grand National win which is being credited as a real team effort. "Don’t Push It" owner JP McManus, trainer Jonjo O'Neill and jockey AP McCoy have all won just about every honour in racing yet the Grand National el
05/05/2010
A Carillion-led Local Education Partnership (LEP) has achieved financial close on the £370 million Wolverhampton Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, part of the UK Government's £65 billion BSF programme. This latest success means that Carillion has now been chosen to deliver BSF and Ac
05/05/2010
Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, has announced that it has been awarded contracts by Network Rail totalling up to £248 million. The contracts include:
05/05/2010
Skanska, in a consortium with the UK investment fund Innisfree, has been chosen, through an allocation decision by Stockholm County Council, to develop and construct the new university hospital, New Karolinska Solna (NKS) in Solna. The project is the first in health and medical care in Sweden to
05/05/2010
Work is due to begin on a scheme to transform one of the most important gateways into Leicester city centre. A major project will involve replacing the underpass between the top of Granby Street and the station with a ground-level 10-metre wide crossing for pedestrians and cyclists. The scheme wil
05/05/2010
Surrey County Council has approved a plan to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 20% and save an estimated £11,000,000 on its energy bills over the next four years. At a meeting of the Cabinet, Dr Andrew Povey and his leadership team approved the Carbon and Energy Policy which sets out a series of
05/05/2010
The roof and part of a listed building in Dale Street in Liverpool are being removed to stabilise it after it was found to be in an unsafe condition and in danger of collapsing. No 87 Dale Street is part of Georgian terrace dating from about 1819, which has a Grade 11 listing. It has been empty for
05/05/2010
A helpline which offers advice to people facing repossession or eviction has received a £58,000 boost from the Welsh Assembly Government. The Housing Debt helpline provides free telephone based counselling to anyone at risk of losing their home, helping them find long term solutions to their proble
05/05/2010
The Hunter Fan Company is happy to announce they have introduced some new modern finishes on selected models. We have now got an extensive range of finishes to select from. We are proud to offer the new selection as fashions change so with the range there is something to suit everyone’s décor and c
05/05/2010
Coverdale Specialist Contracting have been operating since 1993 and has a management team with over 50 years experience in the flooring industry. Specialising in applying bespoke decorative flooring solutions, from stone carpet and quartz systems to seamless self-levelling resins, Coverdale's incorp
05/05/2010
A GB Building Solutions' site has just been listed as one of the top 18 developments in the UK in 2009 at the recent Considerate Constructor awards having been shortlisted as 'The UK's Most Considerate Site'. The development was the Willowmere Extra Care Village in Cheshire, for which GB also won a
04/05/2010
Successful energy policy will be one of the defining issues for the next Parliament according to the Construction Products Association, which has called on all parties to address this critical concern in the lead up to the general election. Speaking at the launch of the Association’s Key Prioritie
04/05/2010
The Government is being urged to consider compulsory lighting control in all non-domestic buildings to achieve immediate - and significant - cuts in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. David Kidney MP, the Minister at the Department of Energy responsible for Energy Innovation and Technology, vis
04/05/2010
Warwickshire based specialist contractor Alumet has received CHAS accreditation. CHAS is the Contractors Health & Safety Assessment Scheme and benchmarks the company’s high standards of H&S across the business. This is the first time the company has achieved this standard and compliments the com
04/05/2010
The opening of a health and leisure complex at Praa Sands Holiday Park, designed and built by Pinelog, completes the owner’s commitment to provide residents and visitors with additional leisure facilities. As a further investment in its holiday locations, residential and holiday park specialist, th
04/05/2010
The body delivering jobs, homes and investment in one of the UK’s most important growth areas has made a new senior appointment. West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) has appointed Chris Garden as director of regeneration and development. Working with local councils, he will be resp
04/05/2010
The race was on to complete a function room as part of a £1.5 million extension at a top Shropshire hotel in time for the Mayor’s Ball on April 23rd. Bad wintry weather delayed the construction of a 5,300 sq ft extension at Telford’s prestigious Hadley Park House hotel which will turn it into one
