Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for June 2010
30/06/2010
Electricity North West Limited which owns the north west's electricity network has announced that it has signed a contract with United Utilities for the purchase of United Utilities Electricity Services Limited (UUES). The purchase of UUES, which is contracted to operate and maintain the network
30/06/2010
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has confirmed that he will take forward legislation allowing the creation of Local Housing Trusts. In a speech to the Community Land Trusts conference in London, the Minister confirmed that plans for Local Housing Trusts will be included in the forthcoming Decentralisa
30/06/2010
House prices rose by 0.1% in June according to the latest report by Nationwide. The annual rate of house price inflation dropped for the second consecutive month from 9.8% to 8.7%, with the average UK home costing £170,111. Martin Gahbauer, Nationwide's Chief Economist said this is "reflective of
30/06/2010
New figures released today reveal that the number of people killed at work in Britain fell last year to a record low. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released the provisional data, which shows that 151 workers were killed between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010 compared to 178 deaths in th
30/06/2010
British Gas today unveiled a £15 million investment in solar technology for the nation's schools. The company will donate and install solar panels - worth between £20,000 and £40,000 per school - in up to 750 schools. Each school will be able to generate its own free, green electricity, cutting as
30/06/2010
Construction has begun on First Base Day Centre, Brighton’s largest homelessness day centre as part of a £600,000 renovation led by Camillin Denny Architects. In partnership with Brighton and Hove City Council the work is funded by the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA) Places of Change Programm
30/06/2010
HSS Hire, the UK's award-winning tool and equipment hire company, has announced an innovative new hire solution that will see them setting up shop at customer's locations to help drive project efficiency as well as cost and environmental benefits. With the new 'HSS Onsite' branded service, in addit
30/06/2010
Ultimate Choice Bathrooms & Kitchens are a friendly, family-run business, which has been established in Stanford-le-Hope since 1987. Ultimate Choice offers the complete design and installation of a bathroom including plumbing, tiling, electrics, under-floor heating, plastering, coving, building al
29/06/2010
Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, announces today that it has been appointed as preferred bidder by Oldham Council for their Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, which is worth up to £175 million. This BSF Programme involves the delivery of new buildings and upgrad
29/06/2010
Centrica has been ranked first in an index of the top performing UK energy companies for carbon management carried out for the FTSE. The FTSE CDP Carbon Strategy Index Series, which aims to support investors in incorporating climate change risks into their investment strategy, scored Centrica in t
29/06/2010
Network Rail has awarded Jacobs Engineering the contract to progress the development of a major rail infrastructure project at Stockley Flyover in west London. The flyover is located in the very busy Heathrow Airport Junction area, servicing trains to and from Heathrow as well as along the Great We
29/06/2010
Two teenagers from the West Midlands are celebrating after being chosen by Lovell for two of the company's top regional awards. Apprentice carpenter Taylor Canavan, who lives in Quinton, Oldbury, has been selected by Lovell as the company’s Apprentice of the Year for the Midlands region. Trainee br
29/06/2010
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) welcomes the government's interest in breaking inter-generational worklessness and dependency, but believes this should be part of a rounded approach to wider reforms of affordable housing. Sarah Webb, Chief Executive of CIH said: "CIH has long argued that t
29/06/2010
Six British companies have won support for carrying out technical feasibility studies in the first phase of a major initiative to develop more energy efficient lighting for our homes. The £1.2 million research fund, from the Technology Strategy Board and the Department for Environment, Food and Rur
29/06/2010
Morayshire-based Spey Bay Salvage Ltd has taken delivery of its seventh bespoke Andover trailer, this one specially designed to carry a 46-tonne screener. The screener requires an extremely sturdy trailer with an extendable bed, meaning Spey Bay Salvage needed a bespoke trailer manufacturer – and
29/06/2010
We are your local authorised distributor of Caribbean Quality Awnings – the quality awning brand you can trust! This means we can offer you the most comprehensive range of solar shading solutions in the area, ensuring you have the right solution for your application and requirements. Choose from a w
28/06/2010
An Oldham developer has been fined £2,000 after he ignored two formal safety warnings, putting the lives of local residents at risk. Mahmood Khokhar, 29, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to make an excavation safe in a residential area. The 1.8 metre deep pit had
28/06/2010
Network Rail has awarded Atkins a contract for a scheme at Acton in west London to improve the reliability of passenger services and deliver increased freight capacity. When Crossrail services begin in 2017, even more trains will travel along the Great Western main line (GWML) so work is needed to
28/06/2010
Construction union UCATT have reacted with disgust to the announcement that the retirement age is set to be increased to 66 by 2016 with the expectation it will soon be increased to 70. The one-size fits all policy ignores the fact that the life expectancy of male manual workers is increasing more
28/06/2010
Tata Steel has announced that with effect from October 1 2010, Kirby Adams will hand over responsibility for the leadership of Tata Steel Europe to Dr Karl-Ulrich Köhler, who will become Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Mr Adams has decided to step down from his executive roles and re
28/06/2010
Galliford Try, the housebuilding and construction Group, has announced that its Water business has, in a joint venture with Imtech, known as GTM, been awarded a five-year special projects framework worth up to £90 million by Anglian Water. The framework will consist of one-off large schemes during
28/06/2010
Work is underway on a £12m project to refurbish Loreto High School in Chorlton. The majority of the remodelling will see an existing three storey teaching and technology block stripped back to the original concrete frame and refurbished with new internal partitions and over cladding. And next Thur
28/06/2010
Housing associations must find new ways of raising money so they can plug gaps caused by cuts in government spending, says the Chief Executive of housing's independent regulator. Peter Marsh, Chief Executive of the Tenant Services Authority (TSA), warned the sector that associations will miss out o
28/06/2010
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
28/06/2010
Willmott Dixon was a triple winner at the British Council for School Environments (BCSE) awards, including being named Schools Contractor of the Year. Now in its third year, the BCSE awards are regarded as the most prestigious for the education sector, rewarding the best new ideas and latest thinki
25/06/2010
Developers CPC Group has partially won a High Court trial after a judge ruled in their favour over a housing project on the Chelsea Barracks site in London. Property developer Christain Candy claimed his partner on the project, Qatari withdrew a planning application after the Prince of Wales compla
25/06/2010
Kier has been awarded two contracts for Homes for Islington (HFI), the arms length management organisation (ALMO) for Islington Council. The contracts, to repair and maintain 29,500 properties in the Borough, were won in competitive tender. Contract 1 comprises housing repairs, voids and adaptati
25/06/2010
A Wolverhampton company has been fined £6,600 for putting workers at risk of serious injury or even death, during a roof demolition. Stan Alexander, a director of Alexson Homes, his son Conrad and a fellow director, Dean Mason were dismantling part of the roof of a former children's home in Coalpit
25/06/2010
Housing association Saxon Weald, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, is set to build a development in its home town of Horsham with some of the £20 million-worth of new grants it recently won from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The site, on New Street, near to the town's railw
25/06/2010
Residents helped celebrate the start of building work by Lovell on a regeneration scheme in Netherley, Liverpool, which will create 67 new homes for social rent, shared ownership and open market sale. The new housing, a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses and two-bedroom bungalows, is being
25/06/2010
Work is well underway at the site of the £20 million rebuild of King David High School and King David Primary School in Crumpsall, Manchester. And next Monday (28 June), pupils will mark the successful progress of the building work by planting an English Oak tree on the site of the new schools. Th
25/06/2010
Radical proposals to change the way council housing is funded are a "policy of our times" and in line with the government's localism agenda, according to local government leaders. Martin Wheatley, Programme Director at the Local Government Association (LGA), said plans to allow councils to keep all
25/06/2010
Socomec UPS has announced the new appointment of their UK Sales Manager for Static Transfer Systems, Mark Waters. Having joined Socomec following four years with Schneider Electric as Panel Builder Marketing Manager, Mark Waters brings a great deal of market and commercial knoweldge with him on a
25/06/2010
Family-run business Hazlemere Windows has acquired new premises in High Wycombe after landing a finance package worth £1.3 million through banking partner NatWest. Hazlemere Windows was founded in 1985 by Stuart Braham and his father George, who sadly passed away in 2006 leaving his three sons to r
24/06/2010
Plans to build hundreds of thousands of desperately needed affordable homes over the next decade could be scrapped after the Chancellor announced public spending cuts which imply a reduction of at least 25% to the housing budget over the next four years, the National Housing Federation has warned.
24/06/2010
Plans to regenerate the derelict Fairmile Hospital site in Cholsey, Oxfordshire, have been approved by South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC). The plans by the landowner Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), developer Linden Homes, part of the Galliford Try Group, and Thomas Homes, will transform
24/06/2010
Two of the North East's top architectural firms, Hopper Howe Sadler and Reid Jubb Brown have merged to form a new company. The new business, to be known as Sadler Brown Architecture, combines an impressive, award winning track record of regeneration and development by each firm. Reid Jubb Brown re
24/06/2010
A Carillion Joint Venture, Carillion Secure Solutions, has been selected to design, build, finance and maintain Toronto's Forensic Services and Coroner’s Complex (FSCC). The FSCC will house Ontario's Centre of Forensic Sciences and its Office of the Chief Coroner in a single facility that will incl
24/06/2010
Radical proposals to change the way council housing is funded are a "policy of our times" and in line with the government's localism agenda, according to local government leaders. Martin Wheatley, Programme Director at the Local Government Association, said plans to allow councils to keep all the m
24/06/2010
Laing O'Rourke has been appointed by Barking & Dagenham Council to deliver its £270million Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF). Laing O'Rourke will rebuild or renew every secondary school in the borough, and Trinity Special School, to create inspirational 21st century learning environm
24/06/2010
Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration Jocelyn Davies, has expressed her deep disappointment that the UK Government's agreement to take forward the sustainable homes LCO is now being watered down. Following a meeting with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, David Jones, the Deputy Min
24/06/2010
GeoMEM Ltd, the UK based independent reseller of Earth Science software and borehole data gathering and analysis software and instruments, today announced that it has been appointed as the UK and Ireland representative for Devico's Borehole survey tools. Devico is an established market leader in th
24/06/2010
Apart from our new office in Nottingham, Practical Minds also have storage and assembly within Nottingham & a vast list of suppliers nationwide that can complete all types of work from Timber, Metalwork, Plastic, Vacuum forming through to print work & Installation. In addition to this we have at o
24/06/2010
Price & Myers are very pleased to have worked on 11 of this year's RIBA Award winning projects. These are:
23/06/2010
Construction company Morgan Sindall has been awarded a £16 million contract from Defence Estates to relocate one of the Army's units from St John’s Wood to Woolwich. Working with architectural practice Scott Brownrigg, Buro Happold, RPS Group (Landscape) and Reitanlagen-Stiller equine consultants,
23/06/2010
The latest Construction Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) show that construction industry average productivity per employee increased by 15 per cent in 2009, the sharpest increase seen for five years. However, the increase has come at the cost of over 200,000 jobs and a fall in the median profit ma
23/06/2010
Construction has started on the historic Eton Manor site, the final permanent venue to be built on the Olympic Park. Initial ground work started in the spring and work is now underway on building the permanent sporting facilities, with the foundations due to be completed by the end of the summer.
23/06/2010
Willmott Dixon has been appointed preferred contractor by Croydon Council for a £18.5 million project to remodel and extend the new Harris Academy Purley on Kendra Hall Road. The academy opened in September 2009 and Willmott Dixon will team up with Aedas architects to transform its current facility
23/06/2010
Manchester City Council bosses are writing to the coalition government following the scrapping of a scheme intended to stop communities becoming aversely affected by the spread of shared houses. The government has announced it is to scrap recently introduced rules stating that developers must apply
23/06/2010
The Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement that VAT will rise to 20 percent in the emergency Budget will boost the informal economy and cowboy builders as consumers resort to 'cash-in-hand' to avoid paying VAT on building work, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Richard Diment, Dire
23/06/2010
One of the hardest materials, porcelain tiles, has presented many hirers' with drilling problems. The solution formerly lay in very expensive TCT tipped cutters and elaborate water feed systems. Today it is solved by a gem of nature, in the form of an electroplated, mini diamond core, porcelain dr
22/06/2010
Two Gloucestershire companies have been fined after a roofing contractor fell through a skylight and suffered serious head injuries. Woodgate Sawmills Limited, and Stanley John Frederick Stephens of The Longhope Welding Company (a partnership) were prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE
22/06/2010
Gatwick Airport has revealed its new brand identity, heralding the start of a £1 billion plan to transform the airport. The new Gatwick will put passengers at the heart of its drive to provide the best possible service. The £1 billion development plan will be rolled out over the next two years, d
22/06/2010
Construction company Morgan Sindall has been awarded the design and build contract for the £95.4 million Tayside Acute Adult Mental Health Developments scheme in Scotland. Working jointly for sister company Morgan Sindall Investments Limited and Robertson Capital Projects, on behalf of NHS Tayside
22/06/2010
The world's largest quarry show is taking place this week in Derbyshire. Ten companies from Northern Ireland travelled to Buxton, to take part on the Hillhead Exhibition with Invest NI. The exhibition, hosted at Hillhead Quarry from 22-24 June, is the biggest working quarry show in the world. The
22/06/2010
Around 150 colleges who have yet to significantly benefit from the capital programme will each receive approximately £225,000 under a £30 million Renewal Grant - bringing real benefits to the learning and training of young people. A further £20 million will be made available to colleges through an
22/06/2010
A new London Assembly investigation into what funding cuts could mean for the future of affordable housing in the capital kicks off today with a public hearing at City Hall. The Assembly's Planning and Housing Committee is reviewing the role of the Mayor and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) i
22/06/2010
An increase in the rate of VAT for repairs and maintenance work of buildings will be a charter for cowboys, warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) ahead of the Government's Emergency Budget. Richard Diment, Director General of the FMB said: "Any increase in the current rate of VAT for buildi
22/06/2010
GQA's inaugural Conference, to be held at the Schuco Network Centre in Milton Keynes on the 28th July 2010 is proving to be much anticipated throughout the sector. GQA CPD events have been running at Schuco for the last 2 years and they and the venue have been well received, so it was a natural ch
22/06/2010
New Directives call for a national effort to assure the security of the increasingly vulnerable and interconnected infrastructure of Europe.The Directives stress the critical importance of co-operation between the government and the private sector. The nation's critical infrastructure sectors such
21/06/2010
Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, announces today that it has been appointed as preferred bidder by Derby City Council for their £231 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. This BSF Programme involves the design and new build or refurbishment of 14 schools in
21/06/2010
A construction company delivering a new multi-million pound primary health centre for NHS Doncaster hopes to reduce the environmental impact of the scheme by recycling building materials. Morgan Sindall is recycling the materials from the recently demolished Doncaster Trades and Labour Club at Sepu
21/06/2010
Work is now underway to build 115 new affordable quality homes in Southampton. As part of the Gantry development at the Mayflower Theatre, a new 'get in' and scene dock facility on the western side of the theatre is being created. This will open up access to the much loved theatre, tailoring it for
21/06/2010
The Leader of Barnet Council, Councillor Lynne Hillan has welcomed The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government's decision not to call in the Brent Cross Cricklewood scheme. Councillor Lynne Hillan said: "I am obviously delighted that Barnet’s biggest regeneration project has been gi
21/06/2010
More than 200,000 construction industry jobs could be lost or not created, and 350,000 people added to housing waiting lists under government spending cuts, a campaign group warned today. The National Housing Federation also believes that, under the cuts, £45bn could be lost to the economy. The Fe
21/06/2010
The housing shortage in the UK is so acute that 63 per cent of adults who have children living at home believe their children will not be able to afford to live in their community when they leave home. The risk is a hollowing out of communities and families being forced to live farther apart. Th
21/06/2010
A workman whose illegal gas fitting work led to an elderly Edgware couple being poisoned by carbon monoxide in their home, has been fined £500. The Heath and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Dermot Healy, trading as D Healy Plumbing and Heating, of Ashfield Avenue, Bushey, Hertfordshire, for not b
21/06/2010
The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally decided that Bristol Water can make a small increase in the prices it charges its customers above the five-year price limits previously set by Ofwat. Ofwat referred an appeal from Bristol Water plc to the CC in February 2010, following the water sup
21/06/2010
How much valuable water is lost each year through water leaks, both for the individual and companies? A surprisingly high amount. What can be done to quickly deal with problems of unexplainable increased water consumption and subsequent higher water bills? Simple. Call in an expert for leak de
18/06/2010
Over 900 jobs to be created in a new 500,000 sq ft regional distribution and processing facility. The transaction confirms Beam Reach as a key east London regeneration and investment location for business and jobs. The London Development Agency (LDA) has exchanged contracts to sell the freehold of
18/06/2010
Gross mortgage lending totalled an estimated £11.3 billion in May, a 7% increase from £10.5 billion in April and up 10% from £10.2 billion in May 2009, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The market remains subdued and, while more buoyant than a year ago, turnover is a
18/06/2010
Chesterfield Borough Council has given the go ahead for seven existing community rooms to be converted into eight new bungalows. The agreement comes after an extensive public consultation revealed overall support for the planned conversions. Of the Council’s tenants that responded to the consultat
18/06/2010
Members of the UK Housing Panel address the major risk to the sector of funding cuts with proposals for new ways to deliver affordable housing in the latest report published today. The panel of 280 members of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) in the UK, which reports quarterly on key housing
18/06/2010
News that OVO Energy will be the first energy supplier to offer consumers monthly interest on credit balances is very welcome, says uSwitch.com. The move will encourage more consumers to pay by direct debit, which will help them manage their energy bills better, plus will allay customer concerns o
18/06/2010
The Welsh are Britain's most eco conscious people, according to a new study by Imperial College London commissioned by EDF Energy to celebrate Green Britain Day. 30% of respondents in Wales state that they are very concerned about climate change, compared to the West Midlands where that figure fal
18/06/2010
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has announced that councils will have greater flexibility to manage concentrations of shared housing in their area, without tying landlords in red tape. A high concentration of shared homes can sometimes cause problems, especially if too many properties in one area are
18/06/2010
As the World Cup kicks off, HSS Hire, the UK's award-winning tool and equipment hire company, has teamed up with the world's oldest football club, Sheffield FC, to collect used football boots for children in Africa. As a key sponsor of the 'Boots for Africa' campaign, HSS will be acting as a drop-o
17/06/2010
Huge steel beams providing the main building structure for Plymouth’s new Life Centre will start to be delivered to the construction site and lifted into place by a mobile crane this week. Nine lorries will carry the building materials which will be used to make up the skeleton of the leisure facil
17/06/2010
Iain Coucher has informed Network Rail's Board of his intention to step down following eight years with the company, including three years as Chief Executive. He will remain in his post over the coming months and will be involved in the search and recruitment of a successor to allow for a smooth a
17/06/2010
The first affordable houses being built as part of a £31 million development in Stanmore, North West London, have now been completed. The site of the former DVLA offices, a 15 acre site in Honeypot Lane, is being transformed through the creation of hundreds of new homes and commercial space. A2Dom
17/06/2010
The 29,000sq m Main Press Centre (MPC) is on track to be finished in summer 2011, with its concrete structure complete and windows already in place on three sides. Olympic Delivery Authority Chairman John Armitt said: "The Main Press Centre will provide ample space and quality provision for regiona
17/06/2010
Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, has announced that it has been selected, as part of the Denver Transit Partners (DTP) team, to construct the Eagle P3 commuter rail project in the Denver metropolitan area of the United States. As well as Balfour Beatty Rail and Parsons Brinck
17/06/2010
Costain has launched a new training programme in partnership with the National Construction College (NCC) to ensure technical excellence across the whole company and supply chain. Costain identified that ensuring a consistently high quality of workmanship is key for the ongoing success of the compa
17/06/2010
Thieves targeting vital safety equipment inside a Central Networks substation in Wolverhampton have caused an explosion and loss of power to customers. Engineers arrived at the Hordern Road substation to find most of the earthing stolen from the site, a theft that was directly responsible for the e
17/06/2010
Szerelmey, the stonework and restoration specialist, has recently been awarded an external stone cleaning and restoration contract worth £470,000 and an internal flooring and wall lining contract worth £850,000. Externally, Szerelmey is cleaning and restoring the existing façades. New Portland ston
16/06/2010
Morgan Sindall has been selected by Suffolk County Council for an £18.5 million scheme to design and build East Anglia's first purpose-built sixth form college in Lowestoft. Morgan Sindall will construct the new Lowestoft Sixth Form College at the Lowestoft College campus in St Peter's Street. The
16/06/2010
Any government cuts to housing investment will lead to widespread job loss and plunge the country into an even deeper housing crisis, Shelter has warned. New analysis by Shelter shows that for every pound cut from public investment in housing, the wider economy will take a hit of at least £3.50. A
16/06/2010
AMEC, the international engineering and project management company, has been appointed by South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited to undertake a three-year term services contract for one of the largest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals in Europe, the South Hook Terminal in South Wales. AMEC wil
16/06/2010
Architectural technology students from Liverpool John Moores University had their presentation skills tested by Birkenhead-based Lovell. The company teamed up with the university's School of the Built Environment to support a study module focused on housing design and technology. Lovell challenged
16/06/2010
Surrey County Council has shortlisted five companies bidding to win a £200 million contract to maintain Surrey's roads over the next decade. The current deal, held jointly by Ringway and Carillion, ends in April 2011. The five shortlisted companies bidding for the core highways maintenance contract
16/06/2010
Housing minister Grant Shapps has welcomed a new report from an independent industry body showing that the abolition of Home Information Packs (HIPs) is giving a boost to the house market. The report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said: "Government announcements are already showi
16/06/2010
Transport Secretary Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP has visited what will be the first station of the Crossrail project at Canary Wharf. The Transport Secretary saw for himself visible evidence of the progress made in construction work over the last year. He was impressed at the approach to the work so fa
16/06/2010
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has exceeded its end of year housing targets, despite the economic downturn and challenging operating conditions. The government's national housing and regeneration body today published its second set of official six-monthly statistics in relation to housing s
16/06/2010
Richmond Hydro-Chem are a family run, customer orientated business that have been providing Water Treatment solutions to a large number of industries for more than 20 years. They understand that to their customers, time is money and that a prompt, reliable and professional service is vital at all t
16/06/2010
DeSeM Lifts have been manufacturing lifts since our formation in 2004, we are the preferred supplier of lifts into the self storage sector. Our customer base includes many major players in this sector as well as many of the smaller independent operators. Our product range includes the Bespoke Lift
16/06/2010
West Pennine Storage Equipment has the largest selection of dedicated storage and handling solutions available from one source, many manufactured here in the UK. We now have even more choice across ten product sections. We are adding to our product range all the time and the website is an ideal wa
15/06/2010
The Interserve-led consortium Environments for Learning (E4L) has been named preferred bidder to undertake a major schools development programme for St Helens Council worth provisionally £150 million. The programme will operate under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative. Interserve
15/06/2010
Construction union UCATT are demanding that the Government does not remove previously committed funding from the council housebuilding programme. The previous Labour Government announced two rounds of council housebuilding, in September 2009 and January 2010, which would result in the building of 6
15/06/2010
MTR Corporation, the operator of the mass transit rail system in Hong Kong, has awarded a £100 million contract to a Laing O’Rourke/Bachy Soletanche joint venture, for the underground construction of a section of the approach tunnels for the station complex in West Kowloon. The award, Contract 811a
15/06/2010
Housing minister Grant Shapps has scrapped a residential landlord register planned by the previous government, in a move welcomed by the British Property Federation. Responding to parliamentary question this morning from Sunderland MP Julie Elliott about plans for future regulation of the private r
15/06/2010
The Apollo Group has acquired responsive maintenance company, FWA West Ltd, in its latest move to offer integrated property services across the UK. The acquisition follows the appointment of Duncan Forbes, previously Chief Operating Officer within the Willmott Dixon Group, who will to head up the n
15/06/2010
Speedy has extended its five year Strategic Partnering Agreement with Carillion in 2008 to include the provision of plant training. Under the agreement Speedy will be Carillion's first choice to supply plant and equipment (safety and operator) training on a nationwide basis. Training will be deli
15/06/2010
Sarah Webb, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), has been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours for services to the housing sector. At CIH she has been at the forefront of shaping the direction of the housing sector, in particular developing arms length management or
15/06/2010
Richardson's Shelving is encouraging England fans to show their support during this year's World Cup with this patriotic Locker range. Company Director Liam Richardson commented: "We hope that England fans will show their support this year during the World Cup and get something out of the ordinary
14/06/2010
Carillion has been awarded a 10-year framework contract to provide facilities management services at Heathrow Airport. The first two contracts awarded to Carillion under the framework are for the provision of bundled service solutions for Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. At Terminal 1, the contract is wo
14/06/2010
The value of construction projects starting on site in the three months to May 2010 fell back to below 2006 levels as fewer public sector project started on site following the General Election. The Glenigan Index for May was 10 per cent up on a year ago, but lower than the Index for March and Apri
14/06/2010
Affordable house building is in danger of grinding to a halt this year – as money already pledged for new projects is threatened with withdrawal, budgets are cut, and sweeping changes to the planning system make it increasingly difficult to get homes built, a campaign group has warned. The National
14/06/2010
Interserve, the international services, maintenance and building group, has been given a Major Commendation in the BCE Environmental Leadership Awards 2010. The award recognises the success of Interserve’s RENEWABLES sustainable development strategy in driving internal behaviour and in helping cli
14/06/2010
The Government's decision to give councils in England greater powers to stop developers building homes on gardens doesn't address the more serious and fundamental issue of tackling the current housing crisis and the urgent need to provide more affordable homes, says the Federation of Master Builders
14/06/2010
With World Cup fever sweeping the country, specialist equipment hire firm Hewden, is bringing the feel-good factor of the tournament to the construction site by introducing an exclusive range of England branded equipment available for hire throughout the UK. The range of 'World Cup' themed equipm
14/06/2010
High levels of deadly carbon monoxide gas were potentially endangering lives as a result of an illegal gas fitter's work, a court has heard. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Chris Bradshaw of Tywyn at Pwllheli Magistrates Court, leading to a total fine of £38,000 and costs of £15,71
14/06/2010
After weeks of anticipation and plenty of long nights, A1 Air Testing has announced the re launch of its website. On the website users will find detailed information about the services the firm provides and contact details. A1 Air Testing provides a nationwide seven days a week service completing
11/06/2010
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has promised England's one million landlords that the Government has no plans to introduce new regulations on the private rented sector. New regulations were proposed by the previous administration in response to the Rugg Review of the Private Rented Sector, but have b
11/06/2010
Victoria Tube station is set for a radical £700 million transformation as Transport for London (TfL) announced that a contract has been awarded for its redevelopment. As part of TfL's multi-billion pound Investment Programme to improve and expand the transport network, VINCI BAM Nuttall Limited joi
11/06/2010
The manager of a diving company has been fined £2,500 for health and safety breaches that led to a teenage trainee fracturing his ankle at work. Andrew William Steel Baillie, General Manager of Sub Surface Engineering Ltd in Salterns Lane, Fareham, pleaded guilty to the charges brought by the Healt
11/06/2010
Telford & Wrekin Council is seeking to regenerate Telford Ice Rink as part of the future plans for Southwater within Telford Town Centre. The Council is inviting operators with a successful track record of managing and improving ice rinks to submit proposals that will deliver a multi million pound
11/06/2010
Cabinet members at Chesterfield Borough Council have given the green light to a multi-million pound boost to ensure that more Council tenants get their homes brought up to the Decent Homes Standard more quickly. The £35 million improvement programme will be delivered over the next three years to
11/06/2010
Goldthorpe in Barnsley is an emerging Renaissance Market Town. Funding from Yorkshire Forward and Barnsley Council's Strategic Housing has enabled the further development of the village centre to its next stage. Plans for central Goldthorpe are to go public at a series of exhibitions to be held in t
11/06/2010
Sir Bob Kerslake, Chief Executive of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), visited the Ocean Estate in London's East End to see the regeneration scheme's progress. The HCA allocated more than £41 million to support the provision of new affordable homes on the estate after Tower Hamlets Council gr
11/06/2010
Helifix has sponsored the Renovation House at BuildStore, the National Self Build & Renovation Centre in Swindon, just off Junction 16 of the M4. The Centre contains everything under one roof required by those planning to build their own homes or undertake major refurbishment of an existing propert
11/06/2010
Architectural glass has never been more alive with colours! Glass specialist company The Villa – Glass Gallery Ltd now offers a unique bespoke glass service, which allows their customers to design a one-off piece of glass. Any pattern can be transferred onto a glass surface. Being one of the few c
11/06/2010
New Charter Housing Trust, a major Housing Association based in the north of England with a stock of over 18000 homes, has specified Metrotile Lightweight Steel Roofing Systems on a number of recently completed and upcoming building projects. This includes a stunning refurbishment of fifty BiSF hom
11/06/2010
Local barn builder Rookery Barns unveiled its new Southdown shepherds' huts range last Saturday at the Surrey Union Point- to- Point. The traditional looking building, on cast-iron wheels and with a curved roof and wood-burning stove, originates from the huts that were used in the past to provide
10/06/2010
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has called upon the new government to protect vital investment in housing as he announced that he is more than halfway towards delivering 50,000 affordable homes, by 2012 despite challenging economic conditions. The Mayor, who is investing over £1 billion a year
10/06/2010
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council has approved plans for the new civic offices at the heart of Muse Developments' Waterdale scheme, a new Civic and Cultural Quarter which will transform the Waterdale area of the town. The five-storey, 157,500 sq ft offices will house most of the council’s town
10/06/2010
Following the successful completion of the first and second phases of the Sanderson Arcade development in Morpeth town centre, Mansell has been awarded the third phase by developers Morpeth II Limited. The £1 million project involves the demolition of the existing Comrades Club, followed by the des
10/06/2010
Barclays, through its mortgage arm Woolwich, has launched a market-leading mortgage offer for up to 90 per cent loan to value (LTV) available for people purchasing a new home with housebuilders, Bovis Homes, as part of efforts to help stimulate the new-build market in a sustainable way and provide a
10/06/2010
Reusing small empty sites of up to two hectares could more than meet the UK's housing demand without building on green field land. This must be coupled with upgrading existing buildings, reclaiming and remodeling empty buildings, converting and upgrading homes to make existing neighbourhoods attra
10/06/2010
Centrica has announced that its North American subsidiary, Direct Energy, has reached an agreement to acquire the assets of the pan-North American home services business, Clockwork Home Services for a cash consideration of £126 million, including assumed debt. Clockwork is one of the largest home s
10/06/2010
The start of the £2.7 billion highways PFI, as Birmingham City Council's long term partner Amey begins the upgrade and maintenance of the city's infrastructure network for the next 25 years. The start of the contract marks a substantial boost for the region by securing a large number of jobs, with
10/06/2010
As part of a plant re-organisation, a number of substantial reinforced concrete plant support plinths at Tarmac's Buxton quarry became redundant, and needed to be removed. Tarmac called upon Ram Services Limited's Diamond Division to remove the plinths with the least disruption to ongoing quarry op
10/06/2010
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
10/06/2010
CMS Vibration Solutions has specified and installed the Kinetics Spring Lift Slab Floor Isolation System, Model LSM, at a new build residential extension in Kent, to prevent low level sound from causing severe disturbance to a long term sufferer of low frequency hearing. Low frequency hearing, or '
09/06/2010
The £250 million transformation of Woking town centre has taken a step forward with Willmott Dixon Developments joining forces with Carisbrooke and Woking Borough Council for the regeneration of Woking Gateway. Carisbrooke signed the development agreement with Woking Borough Council in June 2009 to
09/06/2010
Lovell is set to start work on a £2.17 million development of new council housing for the London Borough of Ealing. The scheme, at a site in High Lane, Hanwell, will create 10 flats and five houses for affordable rent through Ealing Council. Homes will achieve Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable H
09/06/2010
New images released by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) show how work is progressing on the canoe slalom venue for the London 2012 Games. Concrete works on the canoe courses are well underway, with the 160m intermediate/training course nearing completion and the 300m Olympic competition course
09/06/2010
The National Federation of Builders (NFB) has welcomed the OFT's independent evaluation of its recent competition enforcement activities in the construction sector, which finds significant improvements in business behaviour. Julia Evans, Chief Executive of the NFB, said: "The NFB worked with the O
09/06/2010
Updated national planning policy with an increased focus on tackling climate change has been unveiled by Environment Minister Jane Davidson at the Royal Town Planning Institute conference in City Hall, Cardiff. The Minister launched the second edition of Planning Policy Wales which highlights the i
09/06/2010
Farmers are being warned not to use semi-automatic quick hitches if they are missing a retaining pin, following a spate of fatal accidents in other industries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has previously issued a warning to the construction industry after five deaths in less than five year
09/06/2010
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has welcomed the Housing Minister Grant Shapps' call for responsible mortgage lending and borrowing and a move towards more sustainable home ownership. However, CIH cautioned that there is a need for a balanced housing market with affordable options to buy o
09/06/2010
Architectural Visualisation Studio Blink Image has reported a dramatic rise in demand for it's services this year, a clear indicator that it's property industry clients are moving forward with development plans put on hold during last year's slow-down. The demand is across the board, with enquiries
09/06/2010
Chris Davies, Chief Executive of HSS Hire, the UK's award-winning tool and equipment hire company, has been heralded as the 'European Rental Person of the Year' by the European Rental Association. The judges said they wanted to recognise his contribution in making HSS "one of the most modern and in
09/06/2010
From concept to completion, Rock Revelations offer dramatic creations in granite, silestone, marble and limestone for kitchens and bathrooms. Examples of its work can be viewed on the Rock Revelations listing on Build.co.uk
08/06/2010
Construction union UCATT are "bitterly disappointed" at the news that the level of grants available for construction apprenticeships is to be cut by almost 10 per cent. From August 2010 the level of grant payable over 3 years to a company training a construction apprentice will be reduced from £9,8
08/06/2010
Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it has appointed Andie Harper to be the new Tube Lines Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Although he will officially take up the post following TfL's acquisition of Tube Lines, Andie Harper - who led the smooth and efficient transfer of Metronet from admi
08/06/2010
Two self-employed roofers have been fined at Chippenham Magistrates Courts for failing to take appropriate safety precautions when working on a private building in Wiltshire. Antony Brian Sweet, of Wood Lane, Chippenham, and Christopher Ernest Cole, of Chippenham Road, Langley Burrell, Wiltshire, w
08/06/2010
Tennis in Clapham received a substantial boost today after the new tennis facilities at Clapham Common were unveiled thanks to a major £250,000 grant from Lambeth Council and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), with support from Sport England. To mark the unveiling, local MP Kate Hoey and representa
08/06/2010
The UK's first virtual construction training centre has been officially opened by Sir John Egan in Coventry. The £8.7 million ACT-UK Simulation Centre, which is only the second of its kind in the world, will enable construction site managers to be trained as though on a real site, using pioneering
08/06/2010
Harlow Leisurezone, the £25 million community leisure centre is set to open on Wednesday 23 June 2010. The sports and leisure facility has been built as part of the £50 million Harlow Gateway project which is providing homes, leisure and lifestyle opportunities for Harlow people. Leisurezone will
08/06/2010
Ballast Nedam has signed a contract with Walney (UK) Offshore Windfarms Ltd (a joint venture between DONG Energy of Denmark and Scottish and Southern Energy in the UK) to install 51 foundations for offshore wind turbines as part of the Walney II project. The project is located in the Irish Sea, 20
08/06/2010
A complete home automation system at a private house in Leicestershire has been completed by KNX UK member and building automation specialist Design Innovation. The company was contracted to undertake a complete turnkey solution including electrical installation. KNX technology has been used exten
08/06/2010
Resikom Ltd has created a Customer Resource Centre for its product range on its website
08/06/2010
Paperchasers is an award winning Birmingham based B2B environmental business providing ethical office recycling solutions to companies in Birmingham and the surrounding area. We are the only recycling firm in the West Midlands authorised to use the official WRAP Recycle At Work branding and offe
07/06/2010
Among the latest appointments for Rok is its place on Framework South West (FSW), a consortium of registered providers from the region with a range of new build work planned over four years. Partners on the FSW consortium include Devon & Cornwall Housing Association (DCHA), North Devon Homes, Ocean
07/06/2010
A Teesside engineering firm where two workers were potentially exposed to asbestos fibres was yesterday fined a total of £3,000 for failing to protect their employees. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Darchem Engineering Ltd, which is registered at 6 Queen's Road, Aberdeen. The comp
07/06/2010
Lovell has been awarded a contract to build 16 homes at Hauxton, near Cambridge by Wherry Housing Association which is part of Circle Anglia . The development will create seven two-bedroom and nine three-bedroom homes, all for affordable rent, and is set to be completed in January 2011. The proper
07/06/2010
Mansell has been awarded a £1.9 million contract to refurbish and extend the Lochgelly Centre on behalf of Fife Council. Construction of the centre will involve partial demolition of an existing single storey building. A new single storey extension will house a modern library and reception area. Th
07/06/2010
E.ON's construction and commissioning of a state of the art gas-fired power station on the Isle of Grain in Kent has passed a major milestone following 'first fire' of Unit 6 Gas Turbine. The £500 million, gas-fired Grain power station will not only generate electricity but will also supply heat to
07/06/2010
The National Trust has created a new Apprenticeship Scheme in a bid to tackle the severe building skills shortage in the heritage sector. The programme, which is aimed largely at 16 – 19 year olds, will train young men and women in traditional skills including stone masonry, carpentry, joinery, lea
07/06/2010
A major office development in the centre of Birmingham, One Snowhill, has scooped Kier Build a Built in Quality Award in the Commercial category at the Celebrating Construction Awards 2010. Completed in 2009, One Snowhill is a 260,000sq ft, 13-storey office block comprising three levels of undergro
07/06/2010
After many years of customers interest leaning toward "A white rubber epdm membrane would be in very great demand" Aquaroof have sourced initially from the USA and now in Europe an Acrylic Top Coat which can be applied to new and existing flat roofs. White Top Coat is an Acrylic based paint on sys
04/06/2010
German power company RWE and Siemens have entered into a joint venture to build an offshore wind farm in Wales. RWE will hold a 60% stake in this joint venture, Stadtwerke München 30% and Siemens 10%. The total investment amounts to more than two billion euros, including the grid connection to the
04/06/2010
Unite the union has written to Vince Cable, secretary of state for Business, Innovation and Skills warning that failure to support loans including a crucial loan to an advanced manufacturing company, Sheffield Forgemasters, will cost thousands of jobs and jeopardise Britain's preparations to build a
04/06/2010
A local authority and its contractor have been fined after a worker left a family exposed to dangerous asbestos fibres for three days. City of Lincoln Council and County Waste (Lincs) Ltd were prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after allowing asbestos insulation boards to be incorr
04/06/2010
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has scrapped plans to deliver a wind turbine on the Olympic Park site. The ODA said it remains committed to its sustainability targets and work is now underway to identify alternative options for renewable energy infrastructure across the Olympic Park. A wind t
04/06/2010
Grant Shapps, the new Housing Minister, is to make his first address to the housing sector at the Chartered Institute of Housing's (CIH) Annual UK Conference in Harrogate on Thursday 24 June. Mr Shapps will lay out the coalition government's vision for housing in front of 1,500 housing professional
04/06/2010
A 74 year old man from Mattersey has praised the County Council's trading standards team after a company tried to con him out of £6,000. A roofing company knocked on the man's door and convinced him to sign a contract for work on a small flat roof of an outbuilding. They said the work was worth £6,
04/06/2010
Protectacoat anti-scratch coating is a unique product which can be applied to:
04/06/2010
Never known to shun the spotlight leading trade paint brand Leyland has helped transform a bare exhibition space into a brooding and atmospheric setting at the Royal College of Art in London. The college was hosting a three-week exhibition displaying the work of pioneering artist and filmmaker, Joh
03/06/2010
A County Durham man has been successfully prosecuted after he injured himself and another person when repairing a sign over eight metres from the ground. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Sohail Hussain, 40, trading as Haris Signs based at Seaham, following the incident at the Metro
03/06/2010
House prices continued to rise by 0.5% in May, according to the latest survey by Nationwide. The average house price is £169,162, which is £15,000 higher than this time last year. Commenting on the figures Martin Gahbauer, Nationwide's Chief Economist, said: "Housing market conditions remain chara
03/06/2010
April's figures from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) for construction showed the strongest rate in growth since September 2007, offering renewed hope in a still fragile economy. In summary, new orders rose, jobs were cut at a slower pace and input cost inflation was at its str
03/06/2010
A new scheme to provide new affordable housing in North Devon has officially opened. Granary Court in Bear Street, Barnstaple, is owned and managed by Magna West Somerset Housing Association and supported with a £715,000 investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), with £22,000 provided
03/06/2010
Council housing tenants and leaseholders in East Kent are being asked for their views on new plans to improve their council housing services. A consultation booklet is being sent out this week to all council tenants and leaseholders across the area, which explains the plans and lists local events,
03/06/2010
Worcestershire County Council's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme plans are continuing to rapidly turn into reality following further Cabinet approval granted. The council's Cabinet Members have given the green light to the BSF team starting the initial dialogue phase on Friday, June
03/06/2010
Cold Control, the award winning air-conditioning and refrigeration specialists are setting industry presidents with the certification of their highly skilled engineers in the Safe Handling Qualification in F gases. Cold Control have responded to the new regulation passed in March 2009, the EC Regul
03/06/2010
The MULTIE.ch.O is a 230v actuator which can be used exclusively for opening and closing a wide range of windows for natural ventilation. It's ideal for outward opening windows with a height of at least 50cm. The actuator is fitted with a limit micro switch, a terminal board and a warning light fo
02/06/2010
Premier League football club Aston Villa has been fined after a worker was badly injured by a fall through a roof during the redevelopment of its training ground. Two contractors from Mechanical Cleansing Services Ltd were working at the Bodymoor Heath complex near Sutton Coldfield when one of them
02/06/2010
Mainland UK's first-ever desalination plant was opened today to provide "seriously water-stressed" London with a much-needed back-up supply to use in the event of a drought. Powered by renewable energy, the Thames Gateway Water Treatment Works, at Beckton in east London, will, when required, turn a
02/06/2010
E.ON has submitted a further information update to the existing onshore planning application for its proposed Whitehill gas storage facility to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The move follows a public consultation and information day which gave local communities the opportunities to view the
02/06/2010
House-building in Peterborough has defied the economic recession for a second year, helped primarily by nearly £10.3 million invested in residential developments by local housing associations. Figures just released by Peterborough City Council reveal a total of 1,125 new homes were completed during
02/06/2010
A decision to give the green light to a wind farm development near Milford Haven will add enough green power to the grid to supply just over 5,500 households each year. Renewable energy developers Infinergy have welcomed the decision by Pembrokeshire County councillors to follow their officer's rec
02/06/2010
Martindales Windows Ltd of Shrewsbury manufacture and supply high quality UPVC Swish Windows, Doors and Conservatories in white, light oak or Rosewood. Martindales have been approved Swish fabricators and installers for twenty years and offer a full and complete design service on conservatories and
02/06/2010
May Gurney has announced two new long-term contracts for the delivery of essential front-line environmental services with a combined value of up to £60 million. Under a new contract with North Yorkshire County Council, May Gurney will manage 17 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs). The contr
02/06/2010
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
02/06/2010
General wellbeing has become more important to the British public at large, and this has resulted in an increase in membership to gymnasia. Some people are taking the extra step of creating a gymnasium within their own properties, and the basement is the ideal spot for this. Delta Membrane Syste
01/06/2010
Building work has begun to build an extension to St Peter's RC High School in Gorton - only the second school building in Manchester to use a timber frame design. The £3.1 million project will see a new 513 square metre environmentally friendly timber frame block built, with a grass covered roof. P
01/06/2010
Housing Minister Grant Shapps joined eco-designer and broadcaster Kevin McCloud at his new eco-housing development in Swindon to set out his vision to get the green housing industry back on track. After many years of campaigning for greener standards in housing Mr Shapps announced the new Governmen
01/06/2010
Interserve, the international services, maintenance and building group, has been awarded a £30 million contract to design and build the new Leeds West Academy for Leeds City Council. The project is being undertaken as part of the third phase of developments in the award-winning Leeds Building Scho
01/06/2010
The design of a new bridge over the River Bollin on Hall Lane in Macclesfield is underway. Known locally as Gurnett Bridge, the structure suffered major damage following the adverse weather conditions across Cheshire East in January. Ground investigation works have now been completed, allowing eng
01/06/2010
First Minister Carwyn Jones officially opened a new school in Maesteg, Wales. The new school features specialist classrooms, a communal multi-use 'street' area as well as a floodlit all-weather pitch. Sustainability is a big part of the design and the school's biomass boiler uses carbon neutral wo
01/06/2010
The National Housing Federation has teamed up with Guardian Jobs, one of the country's leading jobsites, to promote a new jobs and careers portal exclusively for housing professionals. The partnership with Guardian Jobs will provide a comprehensive, sector specific jobs page, listing the latest hou
01/06/2010
RonJon Resins Ltd has proudly announced special offers across its entire range of floor protection systems, wall finishes and corrosion resistant cements. Floor Protection Systems
