Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for October 2012
31/10/2012
Lovell is set to build new council homes for North Lanarkshire Council on the site of a former primary school in Airdrie. The £1.3 million redevelopment of the former Albert Primary School site in North Biggar Road, east of the town centre, will see Lovell building 14 new two-bedroom flats for soci
31/10/2012
Sandwell's housing boss has spoken of his delight at giving the go-ahead for the external refurbishment of four high-rise blocks in West Bromwich. The project is part of the council's new £490 million investment programme which he recently announced. The blocks - Beaconview, Broome, Stanton and Sh
31/10/2012
The Costain team working on the Dwr Cymru Welsh Water Framework is celebrating after being presented with the 'Highly Commended Award' at the sixth annual Welsh Water Occupational Health and Safety Excellence Awards ceremony held at the Liberty Stadium, in Swansea. As a prize for winning the 'Highl
31/10/2012
Plans to deliver a new £1.4m affordable housing development at a former Cumbria County Council depot in Sedbergh near Kendal have been outlined by a partnership between Two Castles Housing Association and Esh Group. The Hadrian Development Solutions Partnership has had its initial plans accepted to
31/10/2012
Morgan Sindall has been awarded a £31 million contract at Heathrow Airport. The runway rehabilitation project was awarded under a competitive tendering process. Morgan Sindall has worked extensively at Heathrow airport, both on the airfield and terminal works, for over 20 years. The project involv
31/10/2012
Business Minister Edwina Hart has welcomed the multi-million pound transformation and revitalisation of Meritor’s Cwmbran facility that is set to create over 100 jobs over the next 5 years. The £36 million investment in Meritor’s global centre of excellence for disc brakes – which began in 2010 and
31/10/2012
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today announced a fund of up to £60 million to help boost the quality and choice of housing available for older and disabled people in the capital. Delivered in partnership with the Department of Health, the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund will be targe
31/10/2012
A teenage apprentice lost four fingers on a poorly guarded tube-expanding machine while helping a worker who was not trained or authorised to use it, a court has heard. The 18-year-old, who does not want to be named, had been working for only five weeks at engineering firm W P Metals Ltd in Aldridg
31/10/2012
Willmott Dixon has picked up its third major housing project in the London Borough of Camden, where it’s currently building the UK’s biggest Passivhaus residential scheme on Chester Road. Reflecting its growing workload for residential developers, the company has been selected by Taylor Wimpey Cent
31/10/2012
Four East Sussex councils have jointly awarded a ten-year contract to deliver waste and recycling collections, street cleansing and beach cleaning to Kier. The East Sussex Joint Waste Partnership is formed of Eastbourne Borough Council, Hastings Borough Council, Rother District Council and Wealden
30/10/2012
DONG Energy, E.ON and Masdar have announced that the first power had been produced at the London Array Offshore Wind Farm. The 630MW scheme, located in the Thames Estuary, will be the world's largest offshore wind farm. The development has been under construction since March 2011 and 151 of the 175
30/10/2012
A sod-cutting ceremony celebrated the official start of work to build new homes by Sheffield Housing Company (SHC), with more than £1.5 million of investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Councillor Harry Harpham, Eugien Jaruga (Chair of the SHC) and Dave Sheridan (CEO of Keepmoat) c
30/10/2012
E.ON UK and RWE npower have confirmed an agreement has been reached to sell Horizon to Hitachi. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of November. Horizon Chief Operating Officer Alan Raymant said: "This is excellent news and marks the opening of an exciting new chapter for Horizon. Hit
30/10/2012
The UK's first new school to be built using next generation standardized designs, reducing traditional design and build costs by 30%, will open in Rugby after the half-term break. Oakfield Primary School is the first school to have benefited from the suite of innovative new standardized designs ca
30/10/2012
Environment Minister, John Griffiths has announced nearly half a million pounds to help repair the damage caused by floods in Ceredigion earlier this year. The additional money will help restore flood defences that were badly damaged by the unprecedented rainfall that hit the Aberystwyth area in le
30/10/2012
A new £20 million waste treatment plant that will convert household waste into Solid Recovered Fuel has been commissioned and is nearing completion within Wiltshire. Crediton-based South West Galvanizers, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, has galvanized over 500 tonnes of structural steelwork fabric
30/10/2012
A plan which sets out the policies Peterborough City Council will use when determining planning applications has been stamped as 'sound' by the Government's Planning Inspectorate. The Peterborough Planning Policies Development Plan Document (DPD), together with the inspector’s report will be consid
30/10/2012
Independent energy supplier to UK businesses, Northampton and Oxford-based Opus Energy, has awarded £10K from its Opus Energy Gift fund to help power the projects of local charities and community groups. Not-for-profit community groups in Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire were invited to prepare and
30/10/2012
Construction giant Balfour Beatty has been fined for safety failings after an unsupported floor deck collapsed during work at the Plymouth Life Centre. Two workers fell two-and-a-half metres in the incident on 8 July last year, although both escaped with only minor injuries. Plymouth Magistrates'
30/10/2012
At the industry awards ceremony in London, BEW collected the much coveted Best Electrical Wholesaler of the Year Award for 2012 in the "over £20 million turnover category". It was a fantastic reward for a busy year in which we added two new branches, whilst growing the business by 30%, spearheaded
30/10/2012
Bondrite are delighted to announce a new partnership with Aerosol Solutions Ltd which both enhances and diversifies the existing Bondrite product range. As most adhesives are solvent or chemical based, it seems natural to offer a solution to any spillages which may occur. Consequently Bondrite now o
29/10/2012
A £1 billion scheme set to develop a new UCL university quarter, create an estimated 3,300 additional jobs and add an extra £150 m per year to the borough's local economy has been agreed by the Mayor and cabinet of Newham. The decision means the Council will now enter into detailed negotiations wit
29/10/2012
A joint report from the Local Government Association (LGA) and the British Property Federation (BPF) to be published on Tuesday will set out how strong local partnerships could unlock development and speed up economic recovery. With development outside of central London at near standstill, the repo
29/10/2012
A scheme which could see every Peterborough resident save money on their energy bill will be discussed by Peterborough City Council's Cabinet at a meeting on Monday 5 November 2012. The Peterborough Collective Energy Scheme will enable people from across the city, and from other communities in the
29/10/2012
Merseyside MPs Joe Benton and Steve Rotheram have visited Carillion's training centre in Liverpool to see how local apprentices are gaining the skills and qualifications for a career in construction. As former apprentices themselves, they were keen to see what opportunities are available today for
29/10/2012
Interserve and Vision Housing have announced the results of pioneering research, from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). This is the first UK study to establish an evidential link between housing, on-going support and a reduction in re-offending. Some of the key findings are: •11 per cent
29/10/2012
The Government recently announced a number of new measures in the Growth and Infrastructure Bill to reduce confusing and overlapping red tape that delays and discourages business investment, new infrastructure and job creation. Mr Boles said: "New planning measures will put the Planning Inspectorat
29/10/2012
An Essex manufacturing firm has been fined after a contractor suffered multiple fractures to his skull, leg, back and wrist when he fell from an unsecured platform. The 34-year-old from Colchester, who does not wish to be named, was replacing a light fitting from a makeshift work platform derived f
29/10/2012
The future of a training facility for people in Somerset is to be safeguarded by an agreement between the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Frome Town Council. The partners are discussing a proposed deal which would see the HCA sell the former Western Woodcraft site in Saxonvale, Frome, to the
26/10/2012
ISG has secured a major London office regeneration scheme, taking a circa £10.5 million project for DF Real Estate at Summit House in Westminster. The scheme focuses on consolidating two existing buildings into a unified and contemporary styled mixed-use property, which will greatly enhance the We
26/10/2012
Crossrail has marked a major milestone in the construction of London's new rail line with the lowering of a 550 tonne tunnelling machine into a 40 metre deep shaft in east London, ahead of the start of tunnelling for Crossrail’s eastern section of the new rail line. The delicate operation required
26/10/2012
Deputy Minister for Skills, Jeff Cuthbert, has announced a further £5 million funding for additional apprenticeship places for newly recruited young people aged 16 to 24. Speaking at the National Training Federation Wales conference in Llandudno the Deputy Minister also set a challenge for the Work
26/10/2012
Responding to customer requirements and strategic priorities, Balfour Beatty is transforming its Construction Services UK division into a more agile, more efficient and more customer-focused business. From January 2013, the business will integrate its six existing operating companies into one busin
26/10/2012
New housing registration figures from NHBC have revealed a flat housing market across the UK. In total there were 28,151 new homes registered across all sectors for Q3 2012, compared to 30,039 in the previous year, representing a slight drop of 6%. Broken down, the private sector experienced a 7% d
26/10/2012
Brett Loverance of Peterlee has become the latest in a line of locals to secure employment with Wates Living Space as it delivers home improvement works to 1,000 properties in the area for East Durham Homes. The 19-year-old, who has been unemployed since leaving school has joined Wates as a full-ti
26/10/2012
A Dartford scaffolding firm and its director have been prosecuted for failing to provide a safe way of working on a fragile roof after a worker fell and suffered serious injuries. Mr James Froud, 22, from Gillingham, was hospitalised for ten days and had to take several months off work whilst weari
26/10/2012
Bidding is now open for up to £240m of capital funding aiming to widen the housing options for older people and adults with disabilities, by delivering thousands of new affordable and market sale homes. The Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund, launched today by Minister of Care Services Norma
26/10/2012
Construction union UCATT have today launched a postcard campaign in their campaign for justice for blacklisted workers. The postcards are being sent to UCATT members who are asked to send them to their local MP. The postcard requests that MPs sign Steve Rotheram’s EDM 609 on Blacklisted Workers, to
26/10/2012
Accident and Emergency wait times are set to reduce at Maidstone Hospital now that the project to develop a new Urgent Medical and Ambulatory Unit (UMAU) for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is under way. The contract, which was awarded to Kier Construction through the Scape National Minor W
26/10/2012
EDF Energy is increasing its standard variable prices for gas and electricity residential customers by 10.8% from December 7, 2012. For typical customers the company's new standard variable prices will however still be lower than those of all the major suppliers which have announced standard price
26/10/2012
Coppa Gutta is the only manufacturer in the UK supplying copper rainwater systems and we have specialised in copper guttering since 1992. Now to complement the range of guttering we launched a new copper ridge flashing product at Grand Designs Live in October. For a low cost, natural way to reduce
25/10/2012
Kier Construction has been appointed key contractor on a £10m extension to the terminal at London Southend Airport, which will enable 300 new, local jobs to be created. Construction of the extension, which will get under way early in November, will be split into three phases. The first phase is a n
25/10/2012
Pioneer Green Deal Provider Enact Energy has secured a contract with the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) to deliver Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) services under an exclusive white label partnership. The new service will target Britain's 1.4 million private landlords with
25/10/2012
Local authority controlled company Scape has invited expressions of interest from contractors for its National Major Works Framework. The existing arrangement, currently delivered by Willmott Dixon, is nearing capacity in terms of the total value of projects (£350m) procured through it. It is est
25/10/2012
Surrey County Council has won a national award with roads contractor May Gurney for making savings of £6 million in a year. They have been jointly recognised by the Association of Consultant Architects after Surrey’s main contractor saved £4.1m on the previous road maintenance contract covering pot
25/10/2012
The time has now come for the government to deliver on its housebuilding initiatives with construction levels continuing to fall in the three months to September, says the latest RICS Construction Market Survey. Levels of both public and private housebuilding continued to drop during the last quart
25/10/2012
Cambridgeshire County Council is investing more than £500,000 to improve roads and footways in Fenland. Between now and the end of November, contractors will be carrying out work in Whittlesey, Chatteris, Wimblington, March and Wisbech. Work to construct a new footway and repair the existing pedes
25/10/2012
Basildon tenants are being reminded to get approval from the council before carrying out significant alteration works on their homes. In extreme cases tenants can be made to hand in their tenancy and forced to pay back the cost of correcting the work. Councillor Phil Turner, deputy leader and cabi
25/10/2012
Plans to bring more homes, a hotel and jobs to Fareham's former Coldeast Hospital site has been backed by local councillors. Fareham Borough Council’s Planning Committee approved two planning applications to support the next phase of the regeneration of the 46 ha site in Sarisbury Green. Site owne
25/10/2012
Lovell has appointed Visakha Sri Chandrasekera as regional business development manager for London and Sean Broster as commercial manager for London. Visakha who was previously head of new business for Lovell in London will drive business development strategy, key client relationships and business
25/10/2012
A Wimbledon construction firm has been prosecuted for endangering workers and the public with unsafe demolition work. AA Construction (London) Ltd failed to properly plan the work at Quintin Avenue, near Wimbledon Chase tube station, in early February 2011. Local residents raised concerns that asb
25/10/2012
B J Shelving have now been designing, manufacturing and installing fitted furniture for more than 6 years. B J Shelving are a young company, formed in 2006 but with a highly experienced, professional team, who have been designing, manufacturing and installing fitted furniture throughout England, Wa
25/10/2012
AnyScale Ltd are about to release a new version of their QuickScale software. QuickScale is for taking measurements off pdf drawings after plotting the scale of the drawing and one site measurement. You can take measurements and areas and print the drawing to scale on any size printer from A4 to
24/10/2012
Stockport Council and Muse Developments have signed and sealed a Development Agreement, marking an important milestone in the development of a high-specification office quarter, next to the train station in the town centre. The Council bought the site - known as Grand Central - last year to bring f
24/10/2012
The award-winning St Andrew's Healthcare has confirmed it now has the funding package in place to enable a further major investment in brand new facilities at its Northampton base. St Andrew's, the largest charity sector provider of NHS care, has agreed a £52.5m funding package with Lloyds TSB, to
24/10/2012
A tree-lined promenade, interactive fountain and classic carousel will be part of the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Planning permission was unanimously granted for a beautiful new plaza in the south of the Park in the area between ArcelorMittal Orbit, the Aquatics Centre and the Stadium. The S
24/10/2012
Cowbridge, Wales, is one step closer to a new supermarket as contractor Kier Construction celebrated the completion of the shell of the new Waitrose store with site owners R S Bird. The new supermarket is located on Birds Lane, just off Cowbridge’s High Street on the 2.6-acre site of the former gar
24/10/2012
A Dartford Scaffolding firm and its director have been prosecuted for failing to provide a safe way of working on a fragile roof after a worker fell and suffered serious injuries. Mr James Froud, 22, from Gillingham, was hospitalised for ten days and had to take several months off work whilst weari
24/10/2012
GMB, the union for construction workers, is writing to all Birmingham city councillors requesting them to press Carillion Plc, bidding for the forthcoming Birmingham Energy Savers (BES) Scheme contract reportedly worth up to £1.5billion, to follow up their recent apology with compensation for the 22
24/10/2012
More than 4,000 Skanska UK employees are currently taking part in the world's largest health and safety week which began on Monday 22nd October. Although the construction industry only employs 5% of the total UK workforce, it causes 27% of all fatal injuries and 9% of reported major injuries, accor
24/10/2012
Severn Trent Costain (STC) has announced that major UK dairy, First Milk, is to become the first business customer to switch water supplier since the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) altered the regulations to allow more businesses to be able to choose their water supplier.
24/10/2012
A resident-led organisation in Derby has secured almost £1.1 million of government money to build much needed homes on their estate. Osmaston Community Association of Residents (OSCAR) was formed by local residents in January 2011 to help regenerate their neighbourhood following the closure and dem
24/10/2012
Through our Engineering expertise, Nu-phalt have developed a range of heaters to meet defect problems with pot-holes, utility tracks, joint failures and pathways. This is all the more evident with the design and build of a pole heater to deliver a cost efficient solution for BT openreach. The pole
23/10/2012
The University of Bath has awarded a £16m contract to Vinci Construction UK for the design and construction of a new, five-storey teaching building. The General Teaching Accommodation (GTA) will include a range of high quality learning facilities, including group lecture rooms, two 350-space lectur
23/10/2012
HCA Chairman Robert Napier got Kestrel Way in Luton off to a flying start when he officially opened the 51-home scheme accompanied by the real thing - two kestrel birds of prey. Kestrel Way is the latest affordable housing scheme being delivered by Aldwyck Housing Group in partnership with the HCA
23/10/2012
Young engineering apprentices and their employers in Hull are set to be given recognition for their work at an award ceremony this week. The Annual Engineering Centre Awards Ceremony on Friday 26 October is set to see apprentices and their employers awarded for their outstanding achievements in the
23/10/2012
BAM Properties has let nearly 9,000 sq ft of its flagship Midlands office accommodation, FORE, Solihull, to ArcelorMittal, the world’s foremost steel and mining company. The relocation, into the top floor of FORE 2 offices in Solihull, which was also designed and built by BAM, was assisted by KWB,
23/10/2012
The Government today welcomed a Parliamentary Bill that will seek to offer additional protections for residents of park homes against unscrupulous or dishonest operators. Peter Aldous' Private Members' Bill is fully supported by the Government, led by the Housing Minister Mark Prisk, and has its s
23/10/2012
The Government's newly announced £125 million worth of cash back payments for households who take early advantage of the Green Deal is a welcome incentive for helping the scheme get under way according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). However, with a cap of £1,000 cash back per household
23/10/2012
The UK's first urban community-owned solar energy project in Brixton, Lambeth, has scooped an award in the Sustainable Housing Finance category, which celebrates projects that are at the vanguard of housing sustainability best practice. Brixton Energy Solar 1 is co-produced by Lambeth Council and R
23/10/2012
Construction union UCATT are demanding that Caerphilly Council retract and apologise for providing misleading advice about the dangers of exposure to asbestos. Following the closure of Cwmcarn High School due to discovering high levels of brown asbestos, the council has issued highly misleading inf
23/10/2012
E.ON has opened the doors of its flagship high street store, 'Open House', in the heart of Nottingham, providing face-to-face customer service, help and advice. Visitors to E.ON's Open House can manage their bills, resolve queries or simply learn how to save energy and money at home. A trial proje
23/10/2012
Environment Minister, John Griffiths has announced an additional £13m to help keep Welsh homes warm. The money will be divided between the Welsh Government's two flagship fuel poverty schemes, Nest and Arbed, both of which target investment at those people most in need of help. Speaking at the lau
23/10/2012
A Cwmbran builder has been fined after an employee was seriously injured in a 2.3-metre fall from the roof of a property near Llandegfedd Reservoir. Andrew Hosking, 34, broke his left femur and had to be airlifted to hospital following the incident at Glascoed Lane, Glascoed, on 17 October 2011. He
22/10/2012
A major milestone in the construction of the Costain project Harbour Way has taken place with the demolition of Cefn Gwrgan Bridge, in Port Talbot. The old bridge, which had been the main entrance into the Tata Steelworks for over 60 years, was demolished to make way for a new 150m long road-over-
22/10/2012
The decision by the Environment Agency to issue a full environmental permit to the Barton Renewable Energy Plant proposal is welcomed by Peel Energy. Jon England, Peel Energy project manager, said: "The Environment Agency has reached its decision after consulting widely with the local community, ke
22/10/2012
A Government review of planning practice guidance is being undertaken by former MP Lord Taylor, Planning Minister Nick Boles announced today. Lord Taylor of Goss Moor will lead an external group that will look to streamline some 6,000 pages of practice guidance that explains statutory provisions, p
22/10/2012
Construction union UCATT have renewed their call for a major increase in the building of social housing for rent after new figures showed a dramatic increase in working households claiming housing benefit. A report by the National Housing Federation has found that the number of working households c
22/10/2012
Kier has reached a major milestone in the construction of the Continuing Professional Development building for the University of Bedfordshire. A topping out ceremony, attended by University vice chancellor Bill Rammell and Kier Construction finance director John Davies, marked the roof being comple
22/10/2012
Council bosses say the project to complete the leisure, health and social care complex is on track, despite downpours over the summer. Contractor Thomas Vale Construction has erected the building's steel frame and is now preparing to start on the brickwork. Due to open by late summer next year, the
22/10/2012
The Radiator Gallery showroom in South Woodford is pleased to announce the arrival of the new Hotech range of designer radiators by Aestus. Their new range is the talking point of the heating industry. The Bernini G@ut radiator designed by Luca Bolognese is shown in a gold leaf finish adding a co
22/10/2012
Pupils from The Trinity Primary School, on Titchfield Street, Liverpool, welcomed E.ON's Insulation Challenge when they took time out of the classroom to learn about energy efficiency. Tasked with insulating playhouses, teams of year five and six pupils got creative with materials such as cotton wo
22/10/2012
Interior Services Group plc, the international construction services group, has announced that it has secured in the last four weeks new contract awards totalling £100m for key private sector clients. Within the UK, ISG has been awarded four contracts totalling £70m, including a major new warehousi
22/10/2012
Bauder has just completed a huge refurbishment project on a 640,000 sq ft distribution centre in Thrapston for clothing retailer, Primark. Working with the contractor Asphaltic Ltd, together they took full responsibility for every element of this extensive roofing project, from design and wind-lift
19/10/2012
Ofgem is consulting on plans for a package of simpler, clearer, fairer measures to improve radically the competitiveness of the household energy market. This follows a commitment to tackle problems of tariff complexity, poor supplier behaviour and lack of transparency identified in its review of t
19/10/2012
BAM Construct UK Limited has appointed Andrew Pryke as the new Managing Director of its design business. Mr Pryke joins BAM from Capita Symonds where he was an architecture board member and oversaw the work of 275 staff in ten UK studios. Mr Pryke said: "I will be exploring new opportunities to ap
19/10/2012
Cheshire West and Chester Council Leader Mike Jones is to be a member of an independent group appointed by the Government to review planning practice guidance in England. Chaired by Lord Matthew Taylor of Goss Moor, Chairman of the National Housing Federation, the group will scrutinise 6,000 pages
19/10/2012
Energy firm npower has announced it will increase its prices on average by 8.8% for gas and 9.1% for electricity on Monday 26th November. Paul Massara, chief commercial officer said: "There is never a good time to increase energy bills, particularly when so many people are working hard to make ends
19/10/2012
Owners of long-term empty homes in Peterborough are being urged to sign up to a community scheme to bring vacant houses back into use. Peterborough City Council is working with Cross Keys Homes and the Homes and Communities Agency to help owners of empty homes improve their property, generate incom
19/10/2012
A builder from Cheltenham has been awarded honorary membership of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in recognition of the commitment he has shown to the FMB and the construction industry. Trevor Hole of L & H Surveying Services entered the construction industry over 55 years ago. During his t
19/10/2012
Five Balfour Beatty Construction projects earned 2012 Excellence in Construction awards from the Carolinas Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). The winning buildings are high-profile new construction and renovation projects in North Carolina's higher education, multifamily and
19/10/2012
The Bristol Green Capital Partnership has submitted Bristol’s application to win the European Green Capital Award for 2015. Having been shortlisted for 2010, and narrowly come runner up to Copenhagen for the 2014 award, it's now third time lucky. Bristol is still the only UK city to have been shor
19/10/2012
A South Yorkshire waste management firm has admitted neglecting the safety of its workforce after two men were injured within just a week at its site in Barnsley. One worker fell ten feet into a skip as he clung to a conveyor belt that began to operate. The other suffered serious injuries to his ar
19/10/2012
Visual Building Ltd has now released 40+ tutorial videos containing over 4 hours of tutorials and demonstrations on how to use a 3D CAD product. You can download both the Visual Building design evaluation software and the videos FREE. The tutorials and software cover all aspects of using the 3D vi
19/10/2012
Blyko Paving Products is pleased to announce the appointment of Dave Glover as a new Business Development Manager. Dave will be responsible for all aspects of the sales of the range of Blyko paving that includes Novostones®, Rumblestones®, Quadrastones®, permeable paving and the new Ligna-design®.
19/10/2012
Cembrit's Cemwood cladding has been installed on a community centre in Neath. Part of a mixed use development, the new building has replaced the old temporary site for Melin Advice Centre. The Cemwood cladding, specified in bright Sand Yellow, has helped create an eye-catching and attractive new
18/10/2012
The Welsh Government has awarded a total of £285,000 to two projects in Swansea through the city’s Regeneration Area Programme. Both projects are led by the City and County of Swansea Council. £250,000 has been awarded to the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery redevelopment project, while £35,000 of funding
18/10/2012
British Gas has announced a nationwide recruitment drive of 1,000 new roles. The new recruits will initially join British Gas’s apprenticeship training programme. The 1,000 jobs are part of the significant investment British Gas is making in ‘Smart’ technologies to help homes and businesses reduce
18/10/2012
With the news this week that fuel bills are set to rise this winter, Nottinghamshire County Council is reminding residents that there's still time to get their homes insulated for free, helping to keep costs down. Until the end of the year, households in many areas of Nottinghamshire can take advan
18/10/2012
Willmott Dixon has joined a select list of major brands in being awarded the Carbon Trust Standard in recognition of a 6 per cent reduction in carbon emissions between 2009 and 2011. The company joins a very small number of others in the construction and property sector in achieving the standard af
18/10/2012
BAM Construction is to use a hyper-local template for a £4.6 million free school building project in north London. The contractor will deliver the Kingfisher Hall primary school and nursery in Enfield Highway. Project manager Leo Amatino lives in Enfield, and aims to use as many suppliers, subcont
18/10/2012
Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have officially opened Cheltenham West Community Fire Station in Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham. The distinguished guests were treated to an escorted tour of the state-of-the-art facility by Deputy Chief Fire Officer Geoff Sallis and Station Co
18/10/2012
A ceremony took place in Blackpool to mark the start of construction on the Talbot Gateway Central Business District (CBD) scheme in Blackpool that will be delivered by Muse Developments in partnership with Blackpool Council. Work has begun on site for a new council building that has been designed
18/10/2012
Government must provide certainty to help investors boost growth and provide secure, low-carbon power, according to the CBI. In a speech on Thursday, to business leaders in central London, Dr Neil Bentley, CBI Deputy Director-General, set out the business view on the UK energy policy debate. Speak
18/10/2012
Construction union UCATT are demanding an urgent meeting with the Information Commissioners Office after the true extent of construction blacklisting was revealed at a select committee hearing. The Scottish Affairs Select Committee heard that in 2009 when the ICO raided the Consulting Association i
18/10/2012
A Costain-Skanska JV recently opened its doors to give members of the general public a rare view of Europe's largest infrastructure project, Crossrail. Almost 350 people attended the 'Open House' event with 14 tours conducted by Crossrail, Costain Skanska JV, Bechtel and BFK. Crossrail Bond Stree
18/10/2012
Having already completed a very successful Rail Carriage cleaning system for a leading Rail Passenger Transport company, Defuma where tasked with designing supplying and installing a similar system but on a much larger scale. The £300k project was to provide 6 cleaning platforms, each 120metres lon
18/10/2012
Terraco has opened a dedicated training centre for its innovative Exterior Insulation Finishing System (EIFS) at its UK headquarters in Uckfield. The specially designed centre includes training bays and classroom facilities, with a capacity for up to ten people at a time. Terraco, which was found
17/10/2012
Enfield Council is urging residents to have their say on a multi-million pound school expansion programme launched in response to the borough's rapidly increasing primary age population. The consultation on the project which aims to provide an extra 2,400 primary school places in 11 schools over th
17/10/2012
Crossrail could help create £5.5 billion in added value to residential and commercial real estate along its route between 2012 and 2021 according to new research for Crossrail by GVA, the UK's largest independent commercial property consultant. The report illustrates how Crossrail will have a marke
17/10/2012
The Earl of Wessex officially opened Exeter's greenest school yesterday, Tuesday 17th October. His Royal Highness visited Montgomery Primary in St Thomas which has been formally certified as England's first zero-carbon school. He spent over an hour touring the building and chatting to pupils, staf
17/10/2012
Wates Living Space is supporting the Homes for Britain campaign. Acting as a united voice for housing, it brings together organisations from every part of the sector to put housing where it belongs, at the top of the political agenda. Homes for Britain, launched by the National Housing Federation
17/10/2012
NG Bailey has signed an exclusive partnership deal with US company, Elutions, to launch an innovative energy solution that guarantees cost reductions for customers through a reduction in their energy usage. The partnership with Elutions, a global leader in smart buildings and operational business i
17/10/2012
Plans to replace a home for older people with purpose-built modern 'extra care' apartments have been agreed by Derbyshire County Council. The county council's Cabinet agreed to the proposal to close The Dales home for older people in Fisher Close, Repton, and replace it with approximately 50 one a
17/10/2012
Housing Minister Mark Prisk has said he was delighted that the first applications for a slice of a new £30 million self-build investment fund have been earmarked for approval. Speaking at a special self-build workshop for local authority Leaders in London, Mr Prisk said that the first projects woul
17/10/2012
Kier Property has let a further 3,700sq ft of office accommodation at Compass House in Southampton, on the former Ordnance Survey (OS) headquarters. Radio Tactics, a high-tech digital intelligence and evidence gathering equipment company, has signed a five-year deal that will see it join other tena
17/10/2012
Figures obtained by construction union UCATT show that there was a large increase in construction fatalities involving self-employed workers last year. In total there were 49 construction deaths in 2011/12 of which the Health and Safety Executive have recorded that 22 involved self-employed workers
17/10/2012
Leader of Peterborough City Council Councillor Marco Cereste attended a meeting of Newborough Parish Council to discuss a 25-year plan to deliver renewable energy which could generate in excess of £120 million for taxpayers and reduce the city's carbon footprint. Councillor Cereste was asked to att
17/10/2012
An excavator driver has been prosecuted for safety failings after an unsecure bucket fell from the machine he was using and badly injured a worker on a Gloucester building site. Dominic Dalton, 36, from Erdington, Birmingham, suffered head injuries, a broken lower leg, broken pelvis and badly bruis
17/10/2012
Fibre cement Cedral Weatherboard from Marley Eternit has been specified as an overclad solution on over 800 social housing properties in South Tyneside. Built in the 1940's, the Myton concrete panel homes lacked insulation and the exterior concrete faces had begun to deteriorate. The properties
16/10/2012
Steven Gerrard says it is 'fantastic' news that the Reds have announced their preference to redevelop Anfield rather than move to a new stadium. The club, alongside Liverpool City Council and Your Housing, revealed their hope that regeneration of the Anfield area could be achieved and discussed the
16/10/2012
Businesses and residents in Exeter are being asked for their views on proposals for two new railway stations in the city. The new stations being planned by Devon County Council for Newcourt and Marsh Barton have been identified within the Local Transport Plan and Exeter City's Local Development Fra
16/10/2012
The NFB has called for urgent government action to help construction SMEs to rebuild the economy, following the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics on construction output. The total volume of construction output in August 2012 is estimated to have been 11.6 per cent lower than in
16/10/2012
Classic Roofing overcame a series of practical challenges to install a stunning circular Sika Sarnafil roof as part of a newly-constructed school project. The Walsall-based roofing contractor installed 2,600sq m of Sika Sarnafil G410-12ELF membrane in Lead Grey atop the new £5.5million Christ Churc
16/10/2012
Leading independent timber importer and distributor James Latham, has become one of only two preferred suppliers of non-core sheet materials to national builders’ merchant, Travis Perkins. With over 600 branches nationwide, Travis Perkins is one of the UK's biggest suppliers to the building and con
16/10/2012
Peterborough City Council has started the process to appoint a development partner to regenerate the city's Riverside Opportunity Area, part of which was formally known as the city’s South Bank. There will be an open day for potential partners on Monday 29 October 2012. Riverside will be one of t
16/10/2012
Nottinghamshire County Council's has announced a multi-million pound, ten-year Library Strategy to enhance the library provision across the county. Council Committee Chairman Councillor John Cottee announced the strategy earlier this year, saying that libraries are the very 'heartbeat' of local co
16/10/2012
Taunton Third Way bridge built by Galliford Try picked up the prize for 'civil engineering project of the year up to £3m' at the 25th anniversary British Construction Industry Awards. The judges commented: "This was a great example of how architects and engineers can work together to design an eleg
16/10/2012
London's South Bank has undergone a major transformation in recent years and in the middle of this vibrant, bustling neighbourhood is Moonraker Point, Mansell's latest student accommodation development for the UNITE Group. Completed by London Major Works, the £34 million development provides 674 hi
16/10/2012
Hundreds of ageing litter bins across the borough will be getting replaced to provide more space for people throwing rubbish away. To help keep the streets clean of litter Chorley Council is going to be installing 300 new metal litter bins from Eccleston to Euxton and Withnell to Wheelton. Work ha
16/10/2012
A Buckinghamshire farm machinery manufacturer has been fined after an employee sustained multiple fractures when a trailer crushed his leg. Waldemar Makowski, of St Annes Road, Aylesbury, was building a farm vehicle trailer chassis at K Two Sales Limited in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire when the incid
16/10/2012
Costain's Matt Blackwell has picked up an award from COMIT Projects Ltd for the Company’s contribution to utilising mobile information technology in the UK construction workplace. Matt accepted the Investment in New Solutions Award in recognition of Costain's use of Augmented Reality (AR) technolog
15/10/2012
Detailed plans for the first phase of Rafael Viñoly’s Battersea Power Station masterplan have now been submitted to Wandsworth Council. The new application provides a detailed specification for the first stage of the development. Leader of Wandsworth Council and co-chair of the Nine Elms Vauxhall
15/10/2012
The energy-efficient insulation producer Paroc Group was elected the Global Insulation Company of the Year at the Global Insulation Conference, the number one annual event for the insulation business. The event gathered together international insulation manufacturers as well as construction experts
15/10/2012
ISG has been appointed by Your Homes, the Arm's Length Management Organisation (ALMO) responsible for managing council homes on behalf of Newcastle City Council, to carry out improvement works on three multi-storey high rise properties in the north west of the city. The £1.2 million project sees IS
15/10/2012
The University of Manchester is to invest £1 billion over the next ten years to create a world-class campus for our staff and students. The Estates Master Plan, which was approved by the University’s Board of Governors, will create a single campus and will involve the construction of new teaching
15/10/2012
Galliford Try, the housebuilding and construction group, has announced that it has reached financial close with Genting UK to build a major new leisure and retail development at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. The Resorts World project, valued at £89 million, includes a new casino, a
15/10/2012
Small house builders' workloads have slumped as the recession for small to medium sized enterprises (SME) in the construction sector continues according to the latest State of Trade Survey from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The FMB's State of Trade Survey, the only one of its kind lookin
15/10/2012
A Kier-built project has been awarded the most prestigious accolade in British architecture. The multi-award winning Sainsbury Laboratory won the 2012 RIBA Stirling Prize on 13 October. The building, designed by architects Stanton Williams for client the University of Cambridge, is situated on the
15/10/2012
Lovell has just opened a new show home at its fast-selling development of stunning mews housing in the historic centre of Monmouth. Home hunters can see why by visiting the two-bedroom show home which is a great advertisement for the development’s superb build quality and attention to detail. The
15/10/2012
Experts have warned that increasing power outages will continue to leave homeowners and businesses without electricity. A leading generator hire firm has issued a stark warning after thousands of people up and down the country suffered major disruptions due to numerous power failures. Residents and
15/10/2012
Independent energy supplier to UK businesses, Northampton and Oxford-based Opus Energy, has today announced the creation of 100 new jobs as it celebrates making The Sunday Times Top Track 250 league table for the second year running. Published on 14th October, the Top Track 250 league table ranks B
15/10/2012
As the HSE starts to charge companies for non-compliance from 1st October 2012, we can help you demonstrate effective site risk assessment. For our construction sector clients we have developed a unique online safety audit and management solution that provides a rapid assessment of your compliance
15/10/2012
The consultation on proposals for a domestic scheme sets out our proposals for longer term support to householders who install renewable heating kit such as biomass boilers, heat pumps and solar thermal into homes. The RHI for householders is aimed at any householder looking to replace their current
12/10/2012
The final designs for the Welsh Government's new £6 million centre for the creative industries in the heart of Cardiff Bay have been approved and the letting of the construction contract is imminent. The 40,000 sq ft centre, to be built to BREEAM Excellent standards, is set to become a flagship dev
12/10/2012
Wates Construction’s delivery of the new £20m Doncaster Civic Offices has outshone projects in South Yorkshire to be named ‘Project of the Year’ by The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The honor, which is reserved for the scheme that stands out in constructing excellence, innovation and qua
12/10/2012
Sellafield Ltd has selected Morgan Sindall and Arup in joint venture as its preferred delivery partner for a potential £1.1 billion contract to provide a range of essential infrastructure asset services to the Sellafield site. The Infrastructure Strategic Alliance (ISA) is designed to augment the c
12/10/2012
Two apprentices helped residents in the Shiregreen neighbourhood of Sheffield mark the official opening of their brand new homes. The new Sicey Pavilion Apartments for the over-55s, built by the Sanctuary Group, with £1.2 million investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), were opened b
12/10/2012
Hundreds of households across Teesside are set to benefit from lower energy bills this winter thanks to a sustainability drive to make homes warmer and more affordable to heat. Under the initiative, support services company Carillion is working in partnership with social housing providers and devel
12/10/2012
British Gas is to hike its domestic gas and electricity prices by an average of 6% on 16 November 2012. As a result, annual dual fuel bills for British Gas customers with average consumption will increase by around £80. British Gas knows that this £1.50 per week average increase will be unwelcome
12/10/2012
Residents across the UK are being offered an exclusive opportunity to have a look behind the scenes at some of the country's most exciting building sites. On Friday 9 November and Saturday 10 November, Kier Construction is participating in Open Doors Weekend, a nationwide pilot project from the con
12/10/2012
Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has sold interests in two subsidiaries to the Dalmore Capital Fund for a total of £89.5 million. The interests sold represent 49.9% of the equity and 62.0% of the debt instruments of the two subsidiaries which between them own 1
12/10/2012
The Met Office has issued Yellow Alerts for a number of areas across the country to warn that localised flooding is predicted over the next couple of days; and a roofing company is advising all homeowners to check that their roofs are in good working order. Strong winds and heavy rainfall are expe
12/10/2012
Whilst the debate rages over whether Britain and Europe are in single or double dip depression, one thing is certain: businesses in general and builders in particular are facing very uncertain times. With banks lending less and the prospect of even tougher austerity measures on the horizon, confid
12/10/2012
Building contractors and home improvers alike can now witness at first hand the ease of installation of a range of Ariel Plastics' trusted roofing brands thanks to a suite of informative online installation guides. Available to view at the website of the leading plastic building products distributo
12/10/2012
The government's drive towards carbon neutral new home construction by 2016 will heighten the profile of emerging renewable technologies within new build domestic developments. To help satisfy the higher levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes, housing builders and developers are becoming increa
11/10/2012
BAM Construct UK is to build a £40 million extension to Morriston Hospital in Swansea. The contractor, which has offices in Cardiff, will deliver the 13,000 sq m new building for Abertawe Bro Mogannwg University Health Board. The three-storey extension will house renal dialysis, dental and x-ray d
11/10/2012
Bristol City Council is to launch a second local mortgage initiative aimed at helping more first-time buyers to get on the housing ladder in Bristol. It follows the success of a similar scheme, started in February with LloydsTSB, which has so far enabled a total of 23 households, who are able to af
11/10/2012
ISG has won two major refurbishment projects with a total value of £7.3 million as part of Aspire Defence’s contract to deliver the MoD's strategically important 35-year PFI infrastructure project - Allenby/Connaught. The refurbishment projects, at Tidworth and Aldershot garrisons, add to the 3,50
11/10/2012
Kier has announced the appointment of two new senior bid managers in its maintenance business as part of its growth strategy. As part of their role, Tony Gough and Andy Selby will have responsibility for the development of an integrated repairs and maintenance service offer for customers, both regi
11/10/2012
A special ground breaking ceremony took place in Blackpool to mark the start of construction on the Talbot Gateway Central Business District (CBD) scheme, which is being delivered by Muse Developments in partnership with Blackpool Council. Muse Developments regional director, Mike Horner was joined
11/10/2012
Mill Meadows is a family-friendly development of 300 new homes, being built by Coast & Country Developments, on the edge of the coastal town of Filey with investment of £2.23m from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to help provide 120 affordable homes. To mark the official launch and opening o
11/10/2012
First time buyers will from today benefit from a multi-million pound boost to help them onto the housing ladder said Housing Minister Mark Prisk. The Minister announced the first allocations from a £280 million pot to help a further 16,500 first time buyers benefit from the FirstBuy scheme. Mr Pri
11/10/2012
The Equality Act 2010 made it unlawful for service providers to discriminate against people using Education or Transport Facilities, in respect of their disabilities. In light of this legal obligation, Aluminium fabrication specialists Contour Casings has developed a pioneering column casing system
11/10/2012
Contracts which deliver road maintenance projects, street lighting, gulley cleansing and technical support are being renegotiated by Peterborough City Council to ensure they are providing best value for money. Currently the city council contracts four organisations to provide transport and engineer
11/10/2012
Willmott Dixon is eyeing future growth in the house building and interiors markets by appointing Chief Operating Officers (COO) at the two companies responsible for work in these areas. Charlie Scherer joins as COO at Willmott Dixon Housing, while Mike Hart switches from his current role as directo
11/10/2012
The lack of finance needed to build homes and buy homes is at the heart of the housing crisis. This was the consensus that emerged from a meeting at the Conservative Party Conference, hosted by the National Federation of Builders (NFB) and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). In a discussion on
11/10/2012
A Bournemouth company has been fined after two workers were crushed by granite slabs they were trying to move. Chris Thurston, 34, from Poole, cut his neck, broke his leg and damaged veins in the incident at Modular Granite Ltd, on Durrant Road, on 12 April last year. Gary Avery, 24, also from Pool
10/10/2012
The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has joined more than 50 businesses in signing a letter to the Chancellor George Osborne calling for the government to put in place a 2030 target on decarbonising the power sector. The letter, co-ordinated by the Aldersgate Group, argues that the move will stimu
10/10/2012
Orbit has formally appointed Wates Living Space as the contractor to deliver the £128m 620-home regeneration of Larner Road in Erith in London Borough of Bexley. Orbit will replace six high-rise blocks with 620 family homes for around 2,000 people, with work due to start on site from March 2013. T
10/10/2012
Grants of up to £5,000 to make community groups in Nottingham more energy efficient are now available, through the E.ON Sustainable Energy Community Fund. E.ON and Nottingham City Council are making a total of £20,000 available to schools, not for profit and voluntary sector organisations that are
10/10/2012
A purpose-built library is planned for Talbot Street, on a site currently occupied by our adult care service. The building will be demolished to make way for the new library which will provide improved services for customers including more books, a new children's and teenager's library and more com
10/10/2012
The Welsh Government is determined to learn lessons from this summer's flood events and is increasing its investment in flood defences by a further £10m. Environment Minister, John Griffiths made a statement in Plenary about the events that had led to the summer's severe flooding in Ceredigion and
10/10/2012
A building company has been hauled to court and ordered to pay thousands for flouting planning regulations. Hillingdon Council's planning enforcement team took court action against Hodson Developments Ltd, a Northwood based company, for failing to carry out necessary works at a development in High
10/10/2012
Construction union UCATT are warning that savage cuts to the highways management contract in Greater Manchester will risk the lives of commuters and workers, whilst increasing delays on the network. The Area 10 highways management contract which is the second largest in the country and covers the M
10/10/2012
MITIE has announced that it has acquired Enara Group Limited (Enara), from August Equity LLP and Enara's senior management team, for a total consideration of £110.8m on a cash and debt free basis. Enara is the fourth largest provider of home care services in the UK and will give MITIE a scalable p
10/10/2012
A Wokingham business has been fined for safety failings after two subcontractors were unwittingly exposed to asbestos fibres at Reading University. Gardner Mechanical Services Ltd had been contracted to undertake a mechanical services upgrade in a room at the university. They subcontracted the proj
10/10/2012
When the continual movement of goods is challenged by a change in floor levels of up to 1.5 metres the NEW Stannah LEVELMASTER provides the solution. This NEW addition to the Stannah goods lift range is already busy saving time and ensuring safety for several leading retailers and their staff.
10/10/2012
Using the latest 3D laser scanning technology, supplied by specialist surveying firm Greenhatch Group Ltd, based in Derbyshire, an English Heritage analysis of Stonehenge has found new evidence of the importance of the two solstices to its creators, including that of the midwinter sunset. The las
10/10/2012
MAM Software is pleased to announce it has partnered with Claranet, one of Europe's leading managed service providers, to deliver a range of network connectivity solutions to its customers. Promoted under the brand 'MAM Network Solutions (MNS)', the service provides a reliable and secure infrastruc
09/10/2012
This is the latest picture of the £18m Portway Lifestyle Centre taking shape on the site of the old Oldbury Leisure Centre. Work is moving ahead at the state-of-the-art centre despite the downpours over the summer. Contractor Thomas Vale has erected the building's steel frame and is set to start o
09/10/2012
Shadow housing minister Jack Dromey today pledged to hold a roundtable with small and medium sized (SME) housebuilders to help address the growing housing crisis. The offer was made in response to a ‘call to arms’ made by the National Federation of Builders (NFB) and the Federation of Master Build
09/10/2012
Network Rail has announced it is building a new logistics centre in the West Midlands. The 300,000 sq ft national road haulage distribution centre will be built on the site of the former Peugeot plant at Ryton. The £25m centre will be a significant hub for our National Delivery Service (NDS), posi
09/10/2012
Another major step has been taken in the construction of a new £19m historical resource centre for East Sussex and Brighton & Hove as the Kier Construction site team and project partners gathered at the site of 'The Keep' in Falmer, East Sussex to mark the completion of the roof of the building. Ea
09/10/2012
A huge step forward has been made in Doncaster Council's £300m Civic and Cultural Quarter (CCQ) with Wates Construction's completion of the new £20m Civic Offices. To mark the milestone, lead developer Muse Developments and Wates presented the keys for the striking five-storey building to Mayor of
09/10/2012
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge officially opened St. George's Park today. Football Association Chairman David Bernstein, St. George’s Park Chairman David Sheepshanks and Managing Director Julie Harrington gave the Royal Party a tour of the new national football centre. Set in 330 acres of Staff
09/10/2012
BAM Construct UK is to build a £40 million extension to Morriston Hospital in Swansea. The contractor, which has offices in Cardiff, will deliver the 13,000 sq m new building for Abertawe Bro Mogannwg University Health Board. The three-storey extension will house renal dialysis, dental and x-ray d
09/10/2012
Experts have warned that increasing power outages will continue to leave homeowners and businesses without electricity. A leading generator hire firm has issued a stark warning after thousands of people up and down the country suffered major disruptions due to numerous power failures. Residents and
09/10/2012
Carillion has announced it has been named as the preferred bidder for the Birmingham Energy Savers (BES) scheme. This contract is a major milestone in establishing the Green Deal programme and in Birmingham's ambition to drive the low carbon economy and create green jobs. The eight-year BES contra
09/10/2012
Energy suppliers, E.ON, has announced it has completed the first 12 months of a partnership with GreenWave Reality to offer residents the opportunity to stop wasting energy, improve their comfort, and even live a more convenient life while reducing their carbon footprint. Developed with GreenWave R
09/10/2012
A leading galvanizing firm has been involved a major construction project which has seen a student hub receive a huge revamp. Bradford-based Metaltreat Limited, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, was called upon to galvanize 162 steel nodes and a number of flitch plates used by engineering firm SH St
09/10/2012
Bedford-based Casella CEL (
08/10/2012
A Welsh builder has been sentenced to two years in prison after a three-year-old girl was killed by the collapse of a substandard wall. George Collier was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter at Mold Crown Court in a case brought forward by the Crown Prosecution Service. Collier had been und
08/10/2012
A building contractor has been forced to pay out £548,000 following the death of a worker who fell through a roof in Wales. Thomas Whitmarsh, 21 from West Yorkshire, was working on the construction of Bangor’s Menai Centre for the principal contractor, Watkin Jones & Son Ltd. on 29 May 2007. Mr Wh
08/10/2012
UK businesses have united to urge the government into setting a specific target for restricting carbon emissions from power generation. An open letter to Chancellor George Osborne detailing the demands was signed by 50 businesses and organisations. The letter asks for a concrete explanation on how
08/10/2012
A rehabilitation centre for injured armed forces personnel is to be provided with an extra £5m by the Ministry of Defence. Headley Court rehab unit in Leatherhead, Surrey is to be given the funding injection to refurbish wards and improve accommodation. The news follows the opening of a new £16.9m
08/10/2012
The Highways Agency has announced plans to deliver 10 road improvements, including on the M1 and M62, at a cost of £32.4m. The regional schemes, which are intended to boost the economy, reduce congestion and improve safety in Yorkshire, Humber and the North East, were announced by Transport Secreta
08/10/2012
The UK’s biggest business lobby group has called on the government to privatise motorways and bring in new tolls. The announcement sees the private sector’s latest attempt to encourage action over Britain's infrastructure. If the Confederation of British Industry gets its way, the repair and maint
05/10/2012
Excavation work for the new Crossrail network may have uncovered evidence of a 3,500-year-old Bronze Age transport route through London. In what has been described as a "very significant find", archaeologists at the Plumstead site have found wooden stakes which, they say, could have been used in th
05/10/2012
Up to £2m of taxpayers’ money could be used to fund a controversial development in Dorchester. If the Charles Street project is to continue, West Dorset District Council will have to decide between the current scheme or an amended version at a substantial extra cost. Council officers said in a rep
05/10/2012
Council planners in Cornwall have received a new, detailed proposal to build a multimillion pound sports stadium. Cornwall Community Stadium Ltd. (CCSL) had requested £10m of funding from Cornwall Council for the £24m development in Langarth, near Truro, but it was rejected. Now, the Stadium 4 Cor
05/10/2012
Work has begun on Daventry’s new specialist technical college. Construction of the new £10m University Technical College (UTC) in Northamptonshire is already underway and is being undertaken by Shepherd Construction. Shepherd have confirmed they will be building the new facility according to high
05/10/2012
£12m of funding has been pledged by the government to preserve a monumental piece of construction from the era of the Industrial Revolution. The Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is under threat from subsidence, slippage and landslides. The grant has been welcomed by Te
05/10/2012
Boris Johnson has hit out at the government’s aviation strategy, describing as "glacial" the government’s approach to current challenges. The London mayor warned the government was heading for "economic catastrophe." Addressing business leaders at City Hall on Thursday, Mr Johnson told his audienc
04/10/2012
Over forty organisations will come together today with the aim of maximising the potential of offshore wind energy in the northern seas. The new network, called Norstec, was announced by David Cameron at the Clean Energy Ministerial in April. The organisations which have joined the network include
04/10/2012
Complaints about landlords in England have risen by 27%, a housing charity has revealed. Shelter, who made the announcement, have also revealed 62% of complaints in the last year were related to "serious and life-threatening hazards", including those involving gas, electrics and severe damp. The s
04/10/2012
One of the UK’s biggest supermarkets continues space reduction schemes as the focus turns on refurbishment and smaller store space. Tesco has confirmed a 40% reduction in new space growth following the company’s first profit fall in 20 years for the half year. The supermarket giant said it expects
04/10/2012
Network Rail has advertised the position to tender for the design and construction of new stations on the Crossrail route. The company is inviting applicants to work on 13 new stations on the western section from Acton Main Line to Maidenhead. The suppliers which have been invited to tender are Ki
04/10/2012
Plans some 14 years in the pipeline have been approved to build 2,000 homes near Winchester, much to many residents' dismay. Property Developer Cala Homes has been pushing to build the new development on the 230 acre site at Barton Farm for 14 years. The plans have now been approved by Communities
04/10/2012
A British lift company has been involved in the reopening of one of London’s most famous, landmark buildings. The London Hippodrome has reopened its doors to the public; this time as a casino, theatre and dining venue. British lift company Stannah were tasked with installing fourteen lifts into th
03/10/2012
Labour has pledged an extra £3bn to build 100,000 affordable homes from the sale of the 4G mobile phone spectrum. Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has announced the homes would be built as an alternative to reducing debt, should Labour win the next election. He said it was time to "cut through the dithe
03/10/2012
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has criticised Education Secretary Michael Gove’s flat pack approach to designing schools. RIBA have slammed the Education Funding Agency’s plans for a standardisation of the design and construction of schools in the future. The Institute claims the
03/10/2012
Almost 90% of British subcontractors are experiencing delays in payments beyond their contracted terms. The statistics are part of a new survey by StreetwiseSubbie, which claimed that: "never in the field of construction was so much owed by so few to so many." The survey of nearly 300 specialists
03/10/2012
An independent school has been forced to undo a recent construction project following revelations it had not asked for planning permission. Brockhurst School near Bucklebury in Berkshire was forced to demolish a home built in its grounds. The school had initially built two bungalows as staff accomm
03/10/2012
Plans to build a new football training academy near an airport have been approved. Brighton and Hove Albion proposed the building of a new training academy with 12 pitches. Adur District Council have given the project the go ahead. The new facility will be built on a site near Shoreham Airport in
03/10/2012
A tunnel boring machine (TBM) has been suspended following problems with machinery. The incident happened on Crossrail; the new high frequency railway for London and the South East. Crossrail bosses halted two TBMs last week following an incident in which a waste hopper fell against a rail wagon a
02/10/2012
Work has begun on what is believed to be the first retirement village of zero carbon bungalows in the UK. Phase one of the £9m scheme at Middleton Hall Retirement Village is getting underway at the 100 acre site at Middleton St George in County Durham. Work on the gatehouse has already been comple
02/10/2012
Construction in Britain contracted for a second straight month in September, according to a survey of industry managers. The Markit/CIPS construction purchasing managers' index rose to 49.5 from 49.0 in August. This was a smaller improvement than predicted and leaves the index below the 50 line tha
02/10/2012
Unemployed construction workers in Northern Ireland may find their job related woes eased by news that a Canadian firm is looking to Belfast for skills and workforce. The British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) will be making its first visit to Belfast on Thursday, October 4. BCCA is a no
02/10/2012
UK House Prices are due to stay flat or decline over the coming year, despite an encouraging, gradual climb in the UK economy. A report by building society Nationwide has shown that prices fell by 1.4% in the year to the end of September. A 0.4% drop compared to August left the average UK home val
02/10/2012
A site dubbed the 'Wikipedia of steel construction' has been launched this week as a forum and free encyclopedia for those in the industry. The website, steelconstruction.info, has been designed to bring together information and news on the steel design and construction industry, using information
02/10/2012
Activists have been protesting at the Labour Party conference in Manchester to highlight what they see as illegal blacklisting by more than 40 UK construction firms. Attendees at yesterday’s conference may have been surprised to see campaigners, including one dressed as a Grim Reaper, campaigning a
02/10/2012
First Wessex is trialling a new Handyperson Service which offers subsidised home repairs exclusively for First Wessex residents in Aldershot Park, Aldershot. Residents can access the service from as little as £4.80 per hour. First Wessex carries out a majority of property repairs without cost, but
02/10/2012
Oxwich House in Corringham is officially opened. Thurrock Council's first new build council housing for more than 20 years providing 16 one and two bedroom flats for tenants. The Mayor of Thurrock, cut the ribbon and was later joined by the Leader and Cllr Morris-Cook where they visited some of th
02/10/2012
Right to buy applications are set to increase by almost 400 per cent from last year. The scheme which enables Basildon Council tenants to buy their properties by taking advantage of discounts of up to £75,000 has seen a sharp rise in applications. The scheme received 43 applications from April 201
02/10/2012
Leazes Homes has secured funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to launch a new scheme which enables them to work closely with property owners to tackle the issue of empty homes in Newcastle upon Tyne. Through the Empty Homes Scheme, Leazes Homes enters into a lease agreement with the
01/10/2012
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has launched a £100m fund as part of a new housing deal to help thousands of working Londoners, giving a huge boost to the construction industry and ensuring that London retains its competitiveness. To help the capital maintain its economic vitality and to meet L
01/10/2012
A builder has been fined for implying he was a registered 'Trusted Trader' in the first prosecution of its kind. Matthew Lambert, 38, of Newhaven Road, Chaddesden, pleaded guilty to three charges under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 at Derby and South Derbyshire Magist
01/10/2012
Almost 1,200 jobs will be created in South Hampshire when plans to invest more than £25m in the Solent Enterprise Zone at Daedalus are finalised. The investment plans were revealed by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles, who visited Enterprise Zone-based company Mar
01/10/2012
Linden Homes has been honoured in the prestigious Sunday Times British Homes Awards 2012 for bringing to life a riverside site in Wiltshire containing a derelict Grade I listed building. Judges awarded the Best Mixed Use title to Kingston Mills in Bradford-on-Avon town centre, on the banks of the R
01/10/2012
Residents in south Bristol can look forward to getting back into the swim at Jubilee Swimming Pool when it reopens its doors today, 1st October. The reopening follows a £300,000 council investment and makeover. Jubilee Swimming Pool boasts a new Expressions Gym featuring a 15-station gym suite wit
01/10/2012
EDF Energy has launched Blue +Price Promise May 2014 which will give customers the chance to fix their energy prices for the next two winters at a competitive rate, with the freedom to leave at anytime without paying an exit fee. EDF Energy said householders concerned about their energy bills could
01/10/2012
Skanska is taking part in a weekend of Open Door events, inviting members of the public to visit working construction sites. These are being organised by the UK Contractors Group (UKCG), the Industry Training Board and Sector Skills Council, CITB-Construction Skills, the Chartered Institute of Buil
01/10/2012
Time is running out to win yourself £3,000 and to see your Builder named the best in the UK, as the closing date for the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Master Builder of the Year Awards is fast approaching. Nominations must be received by October 31st for your chance to win a fabulous cash pr
01/10/2012
The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded £1.55 million to Manchester City Council to create a state-of-the-art archive centre at Manchester Central Library. Manchester City Council is investing £48 million in extensively refurbishing the Grade II listed Central Library. The additional £1.55m from HLF
