Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for November 2013
29/11/2013
The Chrysalis Fund has approved a £4.8 million investment toward the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Watson House on Renshaw Street in Liverpool city centre, according to the Liverpool Express. The Chrysalis Fund was set up to support economic regeneration in the city region. The initiative is
29/11/2013
Construction growth looks steady and sustainable, according to the National Federation of Builders (NFB). Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the economy grew by 1.5 per cent in Q3 2013 when compared with Q3 2012 Construction output grew by 1.7 per cent year-on-year, a
29/11/2013
Carillion has been selected by Sunderland City Council as the preferred bidder to form a strategic partnership to deliver a range of property services to undertake the City's regeneration programme. The innovative contract, which will initially focus on the redevelopment of key sites across the Cit
29/11/2013
Over two days Balfour Beatty's West Midlands office opened its door to more than 100 pupils from Monkspath Junior and Infant School, Mill Lodge Primary School, Marston Green Junior School and Balsall Common Primary School, giving them first-hand experience of the industry through a variety of intera
29/11/2013
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has published its Consumer Regulation Review 2012/13, which sets out its experience of the new consumer regulation regime for social housing that came into effect in April 2012. The HCA still sets consumer standards covering a range of issues including the qua
29/11/2013
A London joinery firm and a company director have been fined for multiple safety breaches that put employees at risk. Park Royal-based Sunbeam Wood Works Ltd and Stephen Morrison were prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an inspection on 10 February this year identified a numbe
29/11/2013
UK independent oil and gas companies will be incentivised to invest and undertake additional exploration, as Government awarded a further 52 oil and gas licences today, bringing the total number of offers of awards in the 27th Round to 219. The offers included licences being awarded to 21 smaller i
29/11/2013
The Binder MKF range of Humidity test chambers can be fitted with an optional water cooling system which allows the chambers to operate on a chilled water supply for greater efficiency and improved operating performance. The benefits to the user of the Binder MKF humidity test chambers are: • Incr
28/11/2013
BDP has secured detail planning consent for its competition winning housing and regeneration project at Tollgate Gardens in Maida Vale, London. The redevelopment of the 1960s estate forms the first step in Westminster City Council’s ambitious Housing Renewal Strategy. The BDP design was selected
28/11/2013
Plans to construct a £1 billion state-of-the-art retail and leisure development that will act as a major catalyst for regeneration in Croydon have been given the green light by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. The project will see the Croydon Partnership, a joint venture between Westfield and de
28/11/2013
Balfour Beatty has announced that it has reached financial close in the £317 million Greater Gabbard offshore transmission project. Balfour Beatty Investments is part of a consortium comprising Equitix and AMP Capital, each holding a one third share of the project. Balfour Beatty will invest one t
28/11/2013
The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) and nine member organisations have backed a joint industry and Government initiative which aims to cut 24 million tonnes of carbon emissions from UK infrastructure projects by 2050. The Infrastructure Carbon Review – which has been developed by the Infrastruct
28/11/2013
Sweett Group the property and infrastructure consultancy has won the mandate to provide cost consultancy services on the £200m new engineering campus development (MECD) for the University of Manchester. The MECD will be the largest project ever undertaken by the University and will feature new buil
28/11/2013
Housing Minister Kris Hopkins hailed the impact of Help to Buy for delivering a surge of business to the construction sector. Visiting the brand new Chesterton brick factory in Newcastle-under-Lyme, which has created 51 jobs, Mr Hopkins said the impact of the scheme was keeping kilns firing over Ch
28/11/2013
More than 500 pupils from 23 schools attended a Costain-supported Engineering Festival designed to engage potential new recruits to the sector. The event was held at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, and organised by STEM Team East, a charity that aims to attract youngsters to sci
28/11/2013
The first ever Timber in Construction Magazine awards, held on 21st November at The Point, Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, celebrated some of the finest construction projects completed recently that used timber to its fullest potential. PEFC, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the
27/11/2013
Crossrail has submitted proposals for major improvements to Ealing Broadway station for approval. When Crossrail fully opens in 2019, up to ten services an hour in each direction will serve Ealing Broadway, allowing passengers to get to a range of destinations more quickly and easily. The journey t
27/11/2013
Greater Gabbard OFTO has been granted a licence to own and operate the transmission link to the Greater Gabbard wind farm. The wind farm has 140 wind turbines generating 500 MW, which is enough clean energy for 530,000 homes. Greater Gabbard OFTO plc is owned by a consortium comprising Balfour Bea
27/11/2013
The regeneration of Coventry City Centre has taken a step forward with the announcement of Queensberry Real Estate as the preferred development partner for the area that covers Bull Yard, Shelton Square and City Arcade. Following an openly marketed developer selection process, managed by Deloitte R
27/11/2013
Sefton Council has announced it is "all systems go" for the £19m Thornton to Switch Island Link Road after the Government re-confirmed its funding contribution. The announcement means the long-awaited bypass has cleared its final hurdle and building work can start in the coming weeks. Councillor P
27/11/2013
Interserve has won the 2013 Premises and Facilities Management (PFM) Partners in FM Secure Facilities award for its partnership with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation's (DIO) PFI Team at MoD Corsham; and was awarded Finalist status for its partnership with Defra in the Partners in Corporate FM
27/11/2013
Playrite has announced its surfaces have benn installed at County Upper School, Bury St Edmunds. The school not only has a great community spirit and outstanding Ofsted report but it also holds the new 'Sport quality mark with distinction'. The sport quality mark celebrates success in the strengt
27/11/2013
A man who saved nearly £30 a month on his gas bills after using a new comparison site is urging other people to follow his lead. Graham Howe from Chorlton made an annual saving of £335 after switching from British Gas via www.betterenergydeals.org.uk, launched by the Greater Manchester authorities
27/11/2013
Basement & Drainage Systems have launched their patented Woodford freeze-less taps so you don't get caught out this winter. The freeze-less Model 22 hot and cold mixer tap is designed and intended for year-round hot and cold irrigation and cleaning purposes regardless of outside temperature. The t
26/11/2013
The London Borough of Croydon has resolved to grant planning permission to the Croydon Partnership's outline planning application for the redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre, marking a significant step forward in Westfield and Hammerson's plans to regenerate Croydon's retail town centre. At a meet
26/11/2013
MITIE has been awarded an initial £30 million contract to make energy efficiency improvements to over 2,000 council properties in Southampton over the next 18 months. The partnership is part of the Government's Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and is one of the largest ever awarded in
26/11/2013
Housing Minister, Carl Sargeant has announced a new scheme which will help buyers of new homes and provide a major boost to home builders across Wales will open for business in the New Year. From 2 January, the Welsh Government's £170 million Help to Buy – Wales shared equity loan scheme will make
26/11/2013
Graham Construction's work in the Higher Education sector has been further highlighted with the achievement of financial close on The University of Salford and Salford Village Limited - an £81 million project to build and manage new student accommodation, featuring 1367 new bed spaces at the Univer
26/11/2013
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson has announced initial new funding of more than £1 billion to deliver thousands more low cost homes as he warned that London needed at least 42,000 homes a year to meet the demands of the city's ever increasing population. During a keynote speech to launch his new
26/11/2013
Carillion has hosted a visit from Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Transport Stephen Hammond to its hugely complex Canal Tunnels project in London. The scheme near Kings Cross Station forms part of Carillion's £120 million Key Output 2 (KO2) contract with Thameslink. The Minister met wit
26/11/2013
Birkenhead powder coatings have announced their new drive-in and drive-out powder coating service. Leaving your van / car or any vehicle with us means we will repair the vehicle in 24 hours. We will remove tyres, shot blast wheels to repair kerb damage, then we powder coat them put tyres back on a
26/11/2013
With its radically new modular MIG/MAG welding-appliance platform TPS/i, Fronius is leading the welding sector into a new era: users benefit from working with individually customisable and upgradeable appliances that stand out for their high intelligence and extensive communications functions. The
25/11/2013
Interserve has formed a new partnership with the University of Sussex. The partnership – Sussex Estates and Facilities LLP - will deliver a 10 year facilities management contract to the University. Interserve will provide management and administration services to the partnership. The £150 million
25/11/2013
Three of north Manchester's long-term empty residential tower blocks will breathe with a new lease of life as substantial development work gets underway. The blocks in Ancoats - Chippenham, Saltford and Rodney Court – have stood empty for 15 years becoming an eyesore to local people, but now a new
25/11/2013
Lincolnshire County Council has submitted a planning application to build a bridge for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians that would span over the eastern bypass. In June 2013, the proposed Lincoln Eastern Bypass was finally granted planning permission and Lincolnshire County Council published O
25/11/2013
Costain has announced that it has been awarded a contract by Crossrail to construct Paddington New Yard, between Crossrail's tunnels and the Great Western railway. This is the eleventh Crossrail contract with which Costain has been involved and is worth approximately £30m to the Group. The projec
25/11/2013
Many first-time buyers are still relying on financial assistance to fulfil their property ownership aspirations and Which? is encouraging parents thinking of helping their children to consider the full range of options available. While Help to Buy has grabbed the headlines, Which? research found th
25/11/2013
A London landlord has been jailed for endangering his tenants after he illegally installed a boiler that he then repeatedly tried to fix after it developed a leak. Harpal Singh, 53, attempted to repair his faulty handiwork at the Tottenham Hale property on three occasions before a concerned tenant
25/11/2013
People have the chance to find out more about plans for the proposed Gloucestershire College Forest of Dean campus, new £8.6m 'spine road' and other residential, leisure and commercial development in the Cinderford Northern Quarter regeneration. A two-day exhibition and consultation will run at the
25/11/2013
Balfour Beatty has been awarded a £42m contract to design and build new student accommodation of 726 bedrooms for the University of Birmingham. The contract to deliver the 'Chamberlain Halls' halls of residence involves the demolition and re-building of the existing Eden Tower and the build of a ne
22/11/2013
Plans to create a world-leading centre for veterinary education and research at the University of Surrey have been given the green light by Guildford Borough Council. The new School of Veterinary Medicine, one of only eight in the UK, embraces the 'One Health – One Medicine' philosophy to foster in
22/11/2013
Vita Ventures has started work on a new £21 million luxury student accommodation project in Southampton, meaning the ambitious company’s project pipeline is now worth more than £100 million. The 6,048sq metre site, which will be known as Vita Student at Richmond House, has been granted planning per
22/11/2013
New figures show that government action is getting Britain building again, Housing Minister Kris Hopkins confirmed. The latest statistics reveal that the last 3 months have seen the fastest rate of housebuilding since the crash in 2008, and government schemes are helping tens of thousands of hardwo
22/11/2013
The Skanska team joined other leaders and innovators in sustainability to celebrate projects and people at the Edie Sustainability Leaders Awards 2013 at the Grand Connaught Rooms in central London. Skanska's office in Woking, Hollywood House, was the winning project in the Energy Efficiency catego
22/11/2013
Southwark parks have secured funding from the Queen Elizabeth II Field's London Legacy Fund. This brings the total of external funding received for Southwark's parks to £7,518,000 since 2011. Grants of £10,000 for each park will fund projects that help to improve children's playgrounds, parks, re
22/11/2013
Construction unions Ucatt, Unite and GMB have agreed to recommend an improved pay offer to their members operating under the Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) agreement. After a great deal of negotiation an offer of a 3% pay increase from June 2014 with a further 3% increase from June 2015
22/11/2013
Work is set to get underway at Sanctuary Group's largest care development to date, a £22 million scheme in Worcester that will see investment in the local construction industry and the creation of jobs and training opportunities. This project is part of Sanctuary Group's wider investment in the Wor
22/11/2013
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has slammed the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee's report into the Code for Sustainable Homes and the Housing Standards Review as "one-sided" and called on the Committee to re-examine the evidence. The Committee's report calls on the Department
22/11/2013
Ofgem has sent back plans from five of the six companies that own and operate Britain's local electricity network, as they did not sufficiently demonstrate value for consumers. Western Power Distribution's (WPD) business plans clearly demonstrate that they are good value for consumers and therefor
22/11/2013
A Monmouth construction firm and its managing director have been fined for safety failings after a labourer fell more than four metres through a fragile barn roof, breaking his back on his first day working for the company. D & R Maintenance Solutions Ltd and John Dunmore were prosecuted by the Hea
21/11/2013
Construction work is officially under way on a new Devon & Cornwall Housing (DCH) scheme in the Devon village of Malborough in the South Hams. The £2.2 million development at Alston Gate which will also include a 2-acre biodiversity orchard on adjacent land will see 17 new homes created for afford
21/11/2013
Range Developments, a leading hospitality developer, has appointed Kier Construction for phase one of its Park Hyatt St Kitts project. The project, planned for completion in 2015, will produce a world-class resort hotel at Christophe Harbour, a 2,500 acre resort community being developed on the Car
21/11/2013
Plans to build 187 new homes as part of the next phase of a £155m regeneration scheme in West Ealing have been given the green light. Ealing Council has granted planning permission to A2Dominion and Rydon for Phase Two of the Green Man Lane development, which has been designed by Conran and Partner
21/11/2013
Construction union Ucatt have strongly criticised the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) for providing "misleading and harmful advice" to workers who have just discovered that they have been blacklisted. Over four and a half years after first seizing the Consulting Association blacklist the ICO
21/11/2013
A total of 10,890 new homes were completed in the first six months of the year, while a further 12,569 new homes were started on site according to official housing statistics published by the Homes and Communities Agency today. The statistics – covering the period 1 April to 30 September – show tha
21/11/2013
A roofing company has been fined for safety failings after a worker fell to his death from an unsuitable and badly maintained ladder at a Milton Keynes home. Thomas Rowe, 56, from Crownhill, was undertaking roofline repairs at the two-storey property on 14 January 2012 when he fell almost five metr
21/11/2013
Galliford Try, the housebuilding and construction group, has announced that its Building business has been appointed to build the Forbury Place project in Reading by client M&G Real Estate and Bell Hammer under a £38 million contract. The contract will see the creation of 185,000 sq ft of Category
21/11/2013
Maintenance specialist Lovell is looking for two apprentices to work on its planned works contract with Barnet Homes, an arm's length management organisation which manages and maintains around 15,000 homes in the north London borough. Lovell parent company Morgan Sindall Group will have details of
21/11/2013
The expected decision on the planning application to regenerate the south of Brentford High Street has been delayed until next year. The developers, Ballymore, made the decision to delay the application to allow them to carry out further work on the transport impacts of the proposals. Cllr Steve C
21/11/2013
The Chancellor must prioritise investment in Britain's ageing housing stock by reducing VAT on renovation and repair work and investing public money in improving the homes of the fuel poor in order to secure the economic recovery and protect households from rising energy bills, said the Federation o
20/11/2013
United House has won a contract for the design and build of 63 new homes in Hammersmith Grove, London, for housing provider Notting Hill Housing Group. The £10 million contract includes the demolition of an existing mixed use building and the creation of a six storey building in its place, providin
20/11/2013
A new deal announced will capture waste heat from London Underground tunnels and an electrical substation to help warm homes and cut energy bills. The project, the first of its kind in Europe, is a partnership between Islington Council, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, UK Power Networks and Trans
20/11/2013
Kent and Medway Partnership Trust (KMPT) has named Skanska as its Preferred Bidder to significantly reduce its energy usage. The energy performance contract (EPC) will help the Trust achieve it's commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 25 percent and gas and electricity consumption by 23 percent
20/11/2013
McCarthy & Stone has announced that CEO Mark Elliott, who oversaw the company's successful £527 million refinancing, will leave the company at the end of February 2014. In the latest financial year ending 31 August, Mr Elliott led the company to a 21 per cent growth in revenue to £310.8 million and
20/11/2013
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is playing a pioneering role in the realisation by Interserve of three new facilities for West Yorkshire Police in Wakefield and Leeds. The police service is an enthusiastic advocate of the use of BIM by the international support services and construction group
20/11/2013
Construction on a new tourism, leisure and retail attraction in Liverpool will start within a year after Councillors approved plans for the £150m development of Cains Brewery Village, according to the Liverpool Express. The first phase of the new one million square feet development, which will secu
20/11/2013
An opportunity to create accommodation at the heart of Middlesborough's Middlehaven regeneration area has been unveiled. The prospectus for the Urban Pioneers project was formally launched on by Middlesbrough Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The initiative is aimed at those loo
20/11/2013
Construction union Ucatt has commenced legal proceedings against many of the companies involved in the Consulting Association's blacklist of construction workers. The union has launched the court cases to coincide with the TUC's anti-blacklisting day of action which takes place today, 20th Novembe
20/11/2013
BEW has announced that on the 24th October at The Electrical Industry Awards ceremony in the Kensington Garden Hotel, the prestigious firm scooped Wholesaler of the Year Award for the second successive year in its category (5 branches or more). The judging of awards entries is undertaken by a panel
20/11/2013
Essex is the driest county in the UK and demand for water is expected to rise over the next 25 years. To meet this demand Essex & Suffolk Water, part of Northumbrian Water Group, has increased the capacity of Abberton Reservoir by 58% - an additional 15 billion litres. As part of the project, the na
19/11/2013
Crossrail, has unveiled its first completed train tunnel 18 months after tunnelling machine, Phyllis, started her 6.8 kilometre journey from Royal Oak to Farringdon. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, Infrastructure Minister Lord Deighton and Deputy Mayor for Transport Isabel Dedring
19/11/2013
Figures released by construction intelligence providers Glenigan forecast a 4% increase in project starts for 2014, as private sector investment leads a sustained recovery in industry activity. The Construction Prospects for 2014 report, prepared by Glenigan's economics team, indicates that the val
19/11/2013
Thames Water has confirmed AMK JV (AECOM Murphy Kier) as the successful contractor for a £177m rebuild of one of London's largest sewage works. This appointment represents a key milestone in the company's Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) procurement process and an important step towards upgrading
19/11/2013
Housing Minister, Carl Sargeant has published Wales' first Housing Bill which sets out an ambitious programme of action to make Wales a better place to live and ensure that everyone in Wales is able to access a decent home. Mr Sargeant said: "A decent, affordable home is a vital part of everyone's
19/11/2013
A 10-year partnership between Forrest and housing provider Bolton at Home has created more than 20 apprenticeships for young people in the area. So far, 21 full-time apprentices have been recruited in roles including joiners, electricians, plumbers, administrators and customer support officers, wit
19/11/2013
Horizon Nuclear Power has announced that the new nuclear power station it plans to build on Anglesey in Wales will be called 'Wylfa Newydd' - the Welsh for 'New Wylfa' - in recognition of the opportunities and benefits it will bring to the island in the years ahead. The name draws on the heritage o
19/11/2013
Unite the union has urged construction employers to enter into meaningful dialogue to prevent the proposed compensation scheme for blacklisted workers becoming a 'sham scheme' designed by employers to shirk their moral responsibilities. Responding to reports that construction employers will be offe
19/11/2013
A total of 213 affordable homes are set to be built across Sheffield as the Council releases seven plots of land for development. Housing associations will build the homes on sites at Burngreave, Darnall, Jordanthorpe, Parson Cross, Wybourn and Wisewood following successful applications for funding
19/11/2013
Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) has provided more than sixty people with craft apprenticeships since 2010, giving them the opportunity to become leading mechanical and electrical engineers. The scheme, which provides training and development for the next generation of skilled apprentices
19/11/2013
Vale of Aylesbury Housing has marked the start of its new Gatehouse Way scheme. The development will see 48 new affordable homes built in the area: 36 affordable rented homes and 12 shared ownership properties. The site is situated between Gatehouse Way and Griffin Lane, near Aylesbury Vale Distric
18/11/2013
Bam Construction has won a £13 million deal to refurbish a 1970s tower block in the North East. The national contractor, which has offices in Gateshead, will undertake a major transformation of Newcastle College's Parsons Tower. The teaching block will be given a contemporary facade with a variety
18/11/2013
Carillion has been selected by Nomura, the pre-eminent Asia-based investment bank, for a new five-year contract to provide engineering services to its operations in the UK. The new contract will evolve the engineering services at Nomura through the adoption of the principles of ISO55000, a new peo
18/11/2013
Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has won the Best External Pedestrian Area and Street Furniture award at Kimberly-Clark Professional Golden Service Awards 2013, for its work at Paternoster Square in the City of London. The awards recognise and reward service ex
18/11/2013
Balfour Beatty has completed £3.7 million of construction works at Burnley Fire Station, handing the facility over to Lancashire Combined Fire Authority for an official opening by The Duke of Kent this month. The project included the demolition of the existing fire station and construction of a new
18/11/2013
JCB's iconic backhoe loader has celebrated 60 years in production. Company founder Joseph Cyril Bamford invented the concept of the backhoe and the first JCB model was manufactured in 1953 after he combined a lightweight backhoe with a Major Loadall tractor loader. It created, for the first time, a
18/11/2013
Kier Harlow celebrated European Health & Safety Week with the announcement it has attained a zero AIR (Accident Incident Rate), achieving 1.4 million accident-free hours. The results follow a concerted initiative by the repairs and maintenance provider to achieve zero AIR, which has involved robus
18/11/2013
Communities will have a much greater say over wind turbine proposals and siting when early consultation between local people and developers becomes compulsory. Many communities feel forced to consider wind farm and turbine plans they have had no part in shaping, and want early and open discussions
18/11/2013
A recycling firm in Bolton has been fined after an employee was badly injured when he was struck by a steel beam weighing more than 100kg. The 52-year-old from Horwich was standing next to a forklift truck in the yard at J Doyle Ltd on Gaskell Street on 18 July 2012 when the six-metre-long beam sli
15/11/2013
The Minister for Culture and Sport, John Griffiths, has officially opened the new £17.2m Ebbw Vale Sport Centre. Located on the former Ebbw Vale steelworks, the Centre - which was jointly funded by the Welsh Government and Blaenau Gwent County Council - includes a 25m swimming pool, weights room, 3
15/11/2013
Housing group GreenSquare has launched a £42.5 million new homes development programme in West Oxfordshire at an event in Witney with local councillors and other key stakeholders. These schemes will see the development of 269 new homes for rent, sale, and shared ownership, supported by around £6m i
15/11/2013
Building contractor Clegg Construction is celebrating after a landmark development took top honours in prestigious regional industry awards. The Nottingham-based contractor carried out construction work on behalf of developer Lowbridge (Derby) Ltd on the £4.7 million Friar Gate Square office develo
15/11/2013
An investigation by Ucatt has revealed that the number of construction deaths in South West England remained worryingly high. There were a total of 5 construction deaths in the South West in 2012/13 compared to 6 in 2011/12. The marginal reduction in construction deaths in the South West came at a
15/11/2013
Balfour Beatty has been awarded a place on two Frameworks totalling £4 billion in value, to construct and refurbish educational buildings across England for the Education Funding Agency (EFA). The frameworks cover the North and South, and each has an anticipated spend of £2 billion over four years.
15/11/2013
Helical Bar has announced that it has committed to forward purchase a new 43,000 sq ft (NIA) office building on Clifton Street, Shoreditch, London EC2 for £21 million. The Company will complete the freehold purchase upon practical completion of the construction, which is anticipated for summer 2015
15/11/2013
A Birmingham academy and a glass company have been fined for failing to properly manage refurbishment works and exposing workers to asbestos. Equitas Academies Trust, the owner and operator of Aston Manor Academy, and Birmingham Glass Services Ltd were jointly prosecuted by the Health and Safety Ex
15/11/2013
Owlsworth IJP Ltd called upon the expertise of Cemplas Waterproofing and Concrete Repairs Ltd who have been Waterproofing both above, and below ground structures since 1969 to carry out the refurbishment of two Grade 1 listed ponds in Stockbridge Hampshire. Cemplas Ltd are approved under the 'Sika
15/11/2013
This award recognises the project considered to be the best overall healthcare development delivered under either the ProCure21 or ProCure21+ frameworks so far. The ProCure21 Award for Best Healthcare Design went to: Project: Tyne Client: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust PSCP
14/11/2013
Plans to breathe new life into the area around Hammersmith Town Hall, on King Street, have been approved. Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council's planning applications committee gave the green light for the £150 million regeneration scheme, from King Street Developments Hammersmith Ltd (KSD) – a joint
14/11/2013
Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has won the Best External Pedestrian Area and Street Furniture award at Kimberly-Clark Professional Golden Service Awards 2013, for its work at Paternoster Square in the City of London. The awards recognise and reward service ex
14/11/2013
iCITY has submitted its planning application to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) in a landmark moment for delivering the legacy from London 2012. Once approved, iCITY will transform the former Press and Broadcast Centres on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park into a world-leading creative
14/11/2013
Eric Wright Construction has broken ground on the site of the new Energy Coast UTC. A ceremony was held at the centre to celebrate the work starting at the college. Guests included Workington MP Sir Tony Cunningham, Alan Smith, Allerdale Council leader, the Eric Wright Construction team and some o
14/11/2013
Galliford Try has announced that it has been appointed to both regional segments of the new four-year Education Funding Agency ('EFA') Contractors Framework. Galliford Try's Building business is one of 10 contractors appointed to the framework nationally, worth a potential £4 billion in aggregate,
14/11/2013
Balfour Beatty and Urbanest have won the 'Best Social or Affordable Housing Development' award for the construction of the Urbanest Tower Bridge student accommodation in London, at prestigious national Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Excellence Awards this week. The LABC represents all loca
14/11/2013
Ahead of its official opening by the Queen, The Co-operative Group's new head office in Manchester has been declared the most environmentally-friendly building in the world. The accolade comes on the day, 14 November, that Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinbur
14/11/2013
Construction union Ucatt will hold an anti-blacklisting demonstration in Newcastle on Wednesday 20th November as part of the TUC's anti-blacklisting Day of Action. Denis Doody Regional Secretary of Ucatt's Northern Region, said: "Blacklisting is a disgusting practice which wrecked the lives of thou
14/11/2013
A Surrey-based building materials firm has been fined after a worker had both legs broken when he was struck by a falling 400kg metal track. Martyn Powell, 41, from Milton Keynes was working at a site belonging to his employers, Cemex UK Materials Ltd, in Saxon Street, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, w
14/11/2013
New from structural repair specialists Helifix, the Concrete Crack Injection Repair Kit is a low viscosity, fast curing epoxy sealing system for repairing cracks in concrete. Easy to use, the kit contains the necessary components, materials and instructions for an efficient and reliable crack repa
13/11/2013
Morgan Sindall has secured a place on the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) design and build framework covering the East Midlands and Eastern England region. The framework governs individual MOD construction projects valued up to £12 million. Overall, the framework is estimated to be worth
13/11/2013
The Mayor's affordable homes programme target will be "challenging", the Greater London Authority (GLA) told the London Assembly's Housing Committee today. It is understood another 5,000 new-build homes will need to be started in the next 4.5 months if it is to be met. In June 2013, the GLA state
13/11/2013
Work is underway on £920,000 public realm improvements at Liverpool's Salthouse Dock, according to the Liverpool Express. The major scheme, which will take four months to complete, will transform the footway area between Salthouse Quay and Gower Street, creating a much more attractive open space, i
13/11/2013
Willmott Dixon has signed an agreement with Nottingham Trent University to explore opportunities to develop a long-term collaborative relationship. The agreement - a memorandum of understanding – will involve the parties exploring opportunities to work together on research, placements and shared le
13/11/2013
Aspiring self-builders will have the chance to realise their ambitions thanks to 4 new sites which are being released by the Homes and Communities Agency, Kris Hopkins has announced. The sites form part of a wider government programme to support the growth of the custom build housing sector and giv
13/11/2013
Greater Manchester residents who are worried about their energy bills rising this winter are being urged to switch to better deals using a new comparison website. The
13/11/2013
A concrete firm is celebrating a successful partnership after it provided a fast solution to a collapsed embankment on a historic railway track. North Yorkshire Moors Railway called upon the services of Telford-based Elite Precast Concrete to provide its V-Interlocking Blocks as a form of protectio
13/11/2013
Changes to the way Harrogate Borough Council carries out repairs to its vacated council homes is set to create a huge boost to the local economy and job prospects. The proposals to create 11 new jobs by transferring this work to the in-house maintenance team, which also include opportunities for an
13/11/2013
Connect Plus has been supporting its customer, the Highways Agency, to urge drivers to prepare themselves and their vehicles to help keep the roads running smoothly this winter. Connect Plus, a partnership between Balfour Beatty, Skanska UK, Atkins and Egis Projects SA, supported a briefing held fo
12/11/2013
Lambeth Council's plan to reduce the number of office buildings it runs and to redevelop Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton have been given the go-ahead. The decision was made at Lambeth Council's Cabinet meeting at the town hall. Cllr Paul McGlone, Cabinet Member for Finance, said: "This is a good deal
12/11/2013
1,000 new homes a year for Plymouth, affordable housing loans and the sale of more Council owned land are all being unveiled as part of the ambitious Plan for Homes that will put a roof over the head of more city residents. Plymouth City Council's Cabinet will consider the draft plan of initiatives
12/11/2013
After the recent round of inflation busting price rises, new Which? research reveals that consumer trust in the energy industry has plummeted to a new low, while record numbers of people say they are very worried about rising energy prices. The latest findings from the Which? Consumer Insight Track
12/11/2013
Economy Minister Edwina Hart has officially opened the new construction hall for Mustang Marine (Wales) Ltd at Pembroke Port as part of the planned expansion for the Company. The new £1.5 million boat building construction hall, is the first major investment in the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone.
12/11/2013
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has announced the appointment of Alasdair Reisner as its new Chief Executive. Mr Reisner is currently Director of External Affairs at CECA, and has worked for the organisation since 2008. He will take up the role on 1st April 2014. During his ti
12/11/2013
A local company has emerged against tough national competition as the preferred bidder for a major contract worth around £100 million. Kier Services tendered for the contract to provide the repairs and maintenance service to Sheffield City Council tenants and leaseholders for the next three years.
12/11/2013
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has launched the capital's official 'Cleaner Air' website,
12/11/2013
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show steady growth for the construction industry with output rising 4.1 per cent over the year to Q3 2013. Much of the growth continues to be fuelled by housebuilding – private housebuilding increased by 15.6 per cent in the same period. This ri
12/11/2013
Construction union Ucatt has learned that construction deaths in London have doubled. A total of 8 construction workers were killed in London in 2012/13 compared to 4 in 2011/12. In total there were 39 construction fatalities in the UK in 2012/13. In November 2012 Jerry Swain UCATT's Regional Secr
12/11/2013
A Sellafield worker and Unite member has received a seven figure settlement after he suffered serious amputation injuries at work while employed by Johnson Controls as a mechanical fitter. Kenneth Brown, a 64 year old father and grandfather who lives in Workington, was working as a mechanical fitte
11/11/2013
The official launch of Blackburn's £30 million Cathedral Quarter development has been marked with a ground breaking ceremony. All the partners involved in the ambitious scheme - the Cathedral, Blackburn with Darwen Council, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the developer Maple Grove Develo
11/11/2013
North Bristol NHS Trust has appointed Vinci Construction UK to design and construct a new pathology building at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. The project forms one section of a £25m investment programme and is part of the trust's plan to consolidate its pathology services with Public Health Englan
11/11/2013
Major planned investment in Royal Brompton Hospital, which will enable expert clinicians to continue providing world-class healthcare from new state-of-the-art facilities, has been announced by Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust. The proposal, to invest in new and modern hospital facil
11/11/2013
GI Energy is now extending its portfolio to offer customers complete energy solutions. The company which pioneered the use of Ground Source Energy Systems in the UK will utilise a range of extra technologies to offer customers bespoke energy solutions in order to maximise cost and carbon savings.
11/11/2013
Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, has announced it has entered into a four-and-a-half LNG supply agreement with Qatargas for the purchase of up to three million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The £4.4 billion deal builds on Centrica’s existing agreement with Qatargas, s
11/11/2013
Energy company E.ON is launching a second round of funding to support worthwhile causes and is calling on members of the public to submit nominations. Local community centres that need to improve their energy efficiency and schools or charities looking to add a spark to the area through energy educ
11/11/2013
Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne came to see how Willmott Dixon is using its project to build a free school in Norwich to give work opportunities for unemployed people in the town. The company is taking the opportunity on its Scape procured scheme to convert a former fire station into a n
11/11/2013
Construction union Ucatt have signed a national recognition agreement with Norse Commercial Services. Ucatt General Secretary Steve Murphy visited Norse's Norwich head office recently, to sign the agreement with the company’s Human Resources Director Tricia Fuller. The agreement covers employment
08/11/2013
First Minister, Carwyn Jones, has unveiled the first new timber eco-home from a Pembrokeshire company in a new project that will create ten new jobs. The new Ty Solar factory built, modular home, generates its own zero-cost solar energy and is also capable of producing excess energy revenues. The
08/11/2013
Lovell has appointed Mark Lewis as its finance director. Mark joins Lovell from distribution and industrial buildings provider Prologis where he was finance director. Lovell Managing Director Stewart Davenport said: "Mark is an exceptionally strong addition to our senior management team. Working a
08/11/2013
Southwark Council has signed a £110m housing repairs contract with Mears Ltd. The repairs and maintenance contract for the south of the borough was awarded to Mears Ltd for five years, with the option to extend for a further five years, subject to performance. Mears had previously been appointed a
08/11/2013
A team from Kier Construction donned their 'scruffs' and took up rollers and paint brushes to help Parkfield School in Bournemouth carry out some much-needed refurbishments. With paint donated by Dulux, the team, which was also made up of volunteers from Mace and Stride Treglown as well as the head
08/11/2013
An apprentice on one of Rydon's regeneration sites has won a Star Apprentice award from the Building Lives training academy and also received £100 worth of new tools from Travis Perkins. Ben Hicks, who works at the regeneration of the Durand Estate in Sutton, was one of three Star Apprentices selec
08/11/2013
Hadlow College has, with the support of its partners and Government, unveiled the Betteshanger Sustainable Parks development. The development, of which this is the first phase, is an outstanding £40m economic and social regeneration project for finding future global solutions in green technologies
08/11/2013
Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter today announced nearly 70 schemes across the country which will reduce the NHS energy bill by up to £13.7m per year. As well as helping to cut carbon emissions and save the environment, all the money saved in energy bills will be redirected to front line patient care
08/11/2013
An investigation by construction union UCATT has revealed that the number of construction deaths in Yorkshire doubled in 2012/13. There were a total of six construction deaths in Yorkshire in 2012/13 compared to just three in 2011/12. The rise in construction deaths in Yorkshire came at a time whe
07/11/2013
Willmott Dixon's pipeline of Midlands housing work continues to expand with new schemes in Evesham, Worcester and Rugby that will sustain over 100 jobs in the West Midlands. The company has been appointed by Rooftop Housing Group, Worcester Community Housing and Housing 21 to deliver a total of 160
07/11/2013
Lovell has secured work on six new-build housing schemes across Birmingham with Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust. The schemes are worth £18.7 million and will see 187 homes being built. The homes will be a mix of affordable homes to rent and to buy, as well as others for sale on the open market.
07/11/2013
Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, officially opened The Keep, a new £19m historical resource centre located near Falmer in East Sussex. At the opening event, the royal party met with staff and volunteer groups before The Queen unveiled a plaque to mark
07/11/2013
Preston is set for an economic boost after a new sustainable development was been given the go ahead by the city council. Outline planning permission has been granted after an application from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to create 300 new homes, neighbourhood facilities and a major link
07/11/2013
Balfour Beatty has laid the first track for the £18.6 million extension to the Midland Metro in Birmingham City Centre for its customer Centro this week. They are the first of 1.5 kilometres of track that will soon provide a surface light rail link between Snow Hill and New Street stations, serving
07/11/2013
Carillion, which was selected as preferred bidder by the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals Trust to deliver the new £335 million hospital, is holding a 'Meet the Buyer' event on Tuesday November 12, from 4.30pm. Local companies, suppliers and sub-contractors, who want to be involv
07/11/2013
C J Pryor (Plant) Ltd has taken delivery of additional excavators as part of the continued expansion and upgrading of the Plant Hire side of the operations. Two new Komatsu PC360 NLC 10 machines join the fleet. The machines have all been supplied direct from Komatsu. The 360 machines are factory f
06/11/2013
Officials, developers and guests joined Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) at the official opening of Olympian Homes at Olympian Way, Darley Dale, Derbyshire, a scheme that has transformed a derelict factory site. Winter Olympian Ellie Koyander was on hand to assist with a tree plantin
06/11/2013
A refurbishment project carried out by Mansell on the UK's tallest folly, has received a prestigious Angel Award from English Heritage. The craftsmanship on the Hadlow Castle Tower in Kent was recognised as the 'best employed on a heritage project' at the awards which were established by Lord Lloyd
06/11/2013
Plans by Crossrail and development partner Grosvenor for a major office development at 65 Davies Street in Mayfair have moved ahead after the scheme was approved by Westminster City Council. The 65,000 sq ft (net) development will be located above the western ticket hall for Crossrail's new Bond St
06/11/2013
Construction union UCATT have welcomed recent decisions that could significantly increase the holiday pay of construction workers. Previously variable payments such as non contractual overtime, out of hours' payments and bonus payments were not included in holiday pay for those with normal contract
06/11/2013
Baroness Verma has confirmed plans to develop an 'Offtaker of Last Resort' mechanism to help independent renewable generators use innovative routes into the electricity market. The announcement was made during the latest Report Stage of the Energy Bill. Baroness Verma said: "As part of the Lords
06/11/2013
A North Yorkshire-based construction company has admitted safety failings that led to one of its employees suffering a fractured skull and eight broken ribs in a four-metre fall. The 50 year-old construction worker, from Masham, was using a saw to cut through steel sheets of a mezzanine floor when
06/11/2013
Bells have just secured the Land Securities contract to upgrade the PLC Load shedding to the iconic Land Securities St Katharines Dock site. Following on from numerous successful new build and refurbishment projects on Land Securities project side (You could refer to Park House/62 Buckingham Gate/1
06/11/2013
Following the overwhelming success of LightRabbit’s extensive range of LED light bulbs for the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, LightRabbit.co.uk is proud to announce the latest addition to its sparkling commercial product range: Sky Tile®. True to its name, Sky Tile® provides any co
05/11/2013
Interserve, the international support services and construction group, has successfully handed over to Leeds City Council a £28 million fitness and wellbeing centre called Holt Park Active. The project, which has been funded through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and built through the Leeds E
05/11/2013
Finance schemes designed to help construction SMEs need to be simplified if they are to aid the economic recovery, warned the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to a National Audit Office (NAO) report that criticises the Government for its confused approach towards business funding. Br
05/11/2013
More than 900 developers across the country will be at the forefront of getting Britain building in direct response to demand for Help to Buy. Housing Minister Kris Hopkins praised the response to this renewed confidence in the housing market, and urged more builders to get on board to offer the sc
05/11/2013
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has called on water companies to ensure that customers get a fair deal today. In a letter that has gone to all of the major water companies, Owen Paterson stressed the tough times that households are facing and the crucial role that the industry can play to bring
05/11/2013
EDF Energy, the GMB and Unite trade unions have reached a major new labour agreement for workers who will build the proposed new Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset. The agreement applies to electrical and mechanical workers who will work on the project. It confirms their pay and cond
05/11/2013
Balfour Beatty has recently given 40 aspiring construction project managers hands-on experience on its Aloft Hotel project where it is delivering an £18 million refurbishment of Liverpool's landmark Royal Insurance building for Ashall Property Limited, transforming the Grade II listed building into
05/11/2013
Mitie, the FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing company, has been awarded a ten year £177m contract with Hammersmith & Fulham Council to carry out housing repairs and maintenance. As part of the contract Mitie will provide reactive repairs and planned maintenance works to over 17,000 properties across th
05/11/2013
Work has started on the first affordable homes in Scotswood's £265m redevelopment. A group of local residents were joined by representatives from the public/private partnership driving the regeneration project – New Tyne West Development Company (NTWDC) - to lay the first bricks of the 58 affordab
04/11/2013
Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) has been awarded the £11.8 million mechanical and electrical contract to design, build and install services for the refurbishment of the Alphabeta Building in Finsbury Square, with works to commence next month. The refurbished building is set to become a n
04/11/2013
Amec, the international engineering and project management company, has announced that it has agreed to acquire Automated Engineering Services Corp. (AES), a 175-person professional design engineering nuclear services firm based in Naperville, Illinois, US, with annual revenues in excess of $30 mill
04/11/2013
Following his recent appointment as the new chair of HS2 Ltd, Sir David Higgins has been tasked with reviewing the £42.6 billion cost of the scheme. He will report to the Transport Secretary in March, before the second reading of the Hybrid Bill. The review will consider how, through better planni
04/11/2013
Housebuilder and regeneration specialist Lovell has been shortlisted in the Residential Developer of the Year category of the Insider West Midlands Property Awards 2013. Lovell won this category of the region’s premier property awards when it entered for the first time last year. Lovell focused o
04/11/2013
Costain is currently in the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) phase of a £70 million project to strengthen and refurbish the Hammersmith Flyover in West London on behalf of Transport for London (Tfl). The project is one of the first tranches of work to be awarded by Tfl as part of the Structures a
04/11/2013
Construction union UCATT have described the proposed Compensation Scheme for victims of blacklisting as a blatant attempt to gag blacklisted workers. UCATT believes that if created the scheme would represent a complete travesty of justice. UCATT made their comments after seeing the key features a
04/11/2013
A Lancaster timber firm has been fined for serious safety breaches after a guillotine severed the hand of one of its employees. Charlesworth Tree Care and Fencing Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident at the Old Railway Yard in Middleton, near Carnforth,
04/11/2013
Specialist Contractors continue to enjoy improved trading conditions according to the latest National Specialist Contractors Council (NSCC) State of Trade Survey, which shows an increase in orders for a fourth successive quarter. The recent seasonal trend of a decline in orders in the third quarte
01/11/2013
Construction firms appointed to the £1 billion Circle framework will build new homes and carry out housing refurbishment and regeneration work for Circle Housing Group over the next four years. Lovell has been chosen to work across all eight regions of the framework it applied for, including in Bir
01/11/2013
BAM Construction is to create new buildings for Penrose School in Somerset, working in collaboration with Penrose School, Somerset County Council and Futures for Somerset. The contractor will demolish the existing single-storey school buildings in Bridgwater and replace them with modern facilities
01/11/2013
Following 8 years of service at the NFB, Julia Evans is relinquishing her role as chief executive to become chief executive of The Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA), a test, instruments, research and consultancy organisation providing specialist services in construction
01/11/2013
North Warwickshire Borough Council and a Birmingham decorating firm have been fined after workers were exposed to potentially-deadly asbestos fibres. Leamington Spa Magistrates' Court was told that the council was refurbishing its community centre in Eastlang Road, Fillongley, on 13 March 2012 when
01/11/2013
Balfour Beatty is celebrating the success of five of its employees, following recognition at the annual Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Construction Manager of the Year Awards in London last night, Thursday 31 October. Peter Finegan won Gold in the 'New Build & Refurbishment below £4 million
01/11/2013
Carillion had been awarded a £70 million contract to transform another section of the M6 into a smart motorway. The contract, together with other contracts for maintenance and improvement projects, brings the total value of highway contracts won by Carillion in recent weeks to some £180 million. T
01/11/2013
More local people will be able to stay local, thanks to the completion of 22 new homes in the Cornish village of Kilkhampton, near Bude. The site off Jubilee Close, now known as Atlantic View Road and Sea View Close, has been developed by leading housing and care provider Sanctuary Group. It includ
01/11/2013
Research by construction union UCATT has revealed that construction deaths in 2012/13 were highest in London. In total 39 construction workers were killed in 2012/13 a decrease on the 49 fatal injuries suffered by construction workers in 2011/12. Of the 39 deaths, 8 were suffered by workers in Lon
