Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for July 2014
31/07/2014
Balfour Beatty has terminated talks with Carillion regarding a possible merger of the two firms. In a statement Balfour Beatty said: "The termination of discussions follows Carillion's wholly unexpected decision to only progress the possible merger in the event that Parsons Brinckerhoff remained pa
31/07/2014
Vinci Construction has completed a multi-storey car park at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. The car park, for client Vinci Park UK, includes nine-storeys and has created 1,228 parking spaces. The vertical steel frame structure supports aluminium twisted horizontal cladding. The design concept
31/07/2014
A new structure has been completed as part of a scheme to deliver a new £10.8m sports centre at Derby's University. Known as the 'great wall of Derby', the wall is an integral part of the project being delivered by local contractor G F Tomlinson. It has been constructed to allow the new building
31/07/2014
New rules are being proposed to offer Britain's small firms better energy deals. The rules, being devised by Ofgem, will require suppliers to make price comparisons easier by including the price of the customer’s current deal, as well the new rates that their supplier will charge after the end of t
31/07/2014
Consulting giant ARCADIS has acquired Hyder Consulting for £256.2 million. Commenting on the Offer, Neil McArthur, Chief Executive Officer of ARCADIS said: "Hyder is a unique company with a long history of being involved in the leading edge of design and engineering. Through the transaction we see
31/07/2014
Over 600 new homes are to be built in Liverpool over the next four years. £14 million of Government money has been secured to build the 646 properties. Four Housing Associations have secured the funding from the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) . They are: Riverside; Liverpool Housing Trust; Live
31/07/2014
Almost 40,000 households have bought a home through Help to Buy scheme. New figures published show over 32,500 households buying new build homes through the equity loan and NewBuy options, with a further 7,300 sales though the mortgage guarantee. Over 80% of sales have gone to first time buyers an
31/07/2014
A gas fitter from Thetford received a suspended sentence for carrying out illegal gas work at homes and businesses ion Norfolk. Terry Arniold, 49, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for one year, after pleading guilty to seven breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Reg
30/07/2014
Equipment rental specialist, Vp plc, has bought Balfour Beatty's rail plant business, TP&E, for £5.5m. The TP&E rail equipment rental activity operates from a number of locations in the South East of England and will be integrated into Torrent Trackside, Vp's specialist rail business. Jeremy Pil
30/07/2014
Construction firm BAM has been selected as preferred bidder for four schools in Hull and East Riding. The schools, valued at £38 million, includes two secondary schools and two primary schools. The schools are funded through the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and are Withernsea High School, Wolfre
30/07/2014
Building contractor G F Tomlinson has started developing a new pavilion and teaching suite at Nottingham Trent University's Clifton campus. The project, known as the Heart of the Campus development, will also involve the upgrade of the existing refectory and library. Parts of the existing George
30/07/2014
Almost 5,000 homes benefitted from the Welsh Government's fuel poverty scheme last year. The scheme, Nest, also helped households save £475 on average, by giving free energy advice. The latest figures revealed in the last financial year over 20,600 householder benefitted from the support. John Gr
30/07/2014
Work to repair flood defences in the Midlands damaged by high tides during the winter months is underway. The £4.5 million programme will take place across Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire. A number of repair projects have already been completed and others are progres
30/07/2014
A partnership between the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Manchester City Council has been announced. The partnership, Manchester Place, will create a pipeline of development-ready sites to help the city meet its target of creating 55,000 new homes by 2027 as set out in the Manchester Reside
30/07/2014
Engineering design firm Aecom has acquired US company Hunt Construction Group. Michael S. Burke, AECOM President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "The addition of Hunt's people and resources immediately makes AECOM one of the largest US builders. This important expansion of our build expertise re
30/07/2014
McCarthy & Stone has announced it is to launch its first new regional office in Colney Heath in September. The new region will cover North London and the counties of Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex. It is another sign of the returning confidence in the housebuilding sector as
29/07/2014
Southampton Solent University has awarded Interserve a £21.5 million contract to design and build a new teaching development. Interserve will construct a new seven storey building with an internal floor space of 9,250 square metres connected to one of the University’s existing buildings, alter a ve
29/07/2014
Plant, tools and equipment specialist JCB has sold over 1,000 machines in a £35 million deal. A-Plant has bought a huge fleet mainly consisting of mini and midi excavators and JCB Loadalls, as well as rough terrain forklifts, Teletruks and 3CX backhoe loaders. A-Plant has also ordered a number of J
29/07/2014
Building contractor BAM has won a £33m contract to construct a retirement village in Oxfordshire. The 'Richmond Witney' village will include space for approximately 240 residents, as well as a restaurant, a gym, a swimming pool, a library, a shop and an outdoor bowling green. BAM will build a vill
29/07/2014
Skanska has been appointed by Carillion to fit out over 800 new homes as part of Phase 1 of the Battersea Power Station redevelopment in London. Carillion is responsible overall for Phase 1 of the project. The contract, worth over £88m will provide 250 much-needed jobs in the area. The prime resi
29/07/2014
Perenco, an independent oil and gas firm, has appointed Costain to deliver Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) services for the environmental upgrade of the Dimlington gas terminal on Humberside. The contract, worth approximately £30m, will involve the upgrade of Perenco's refrigeration
29/07/2014
Thousands of electricians and labourers have rejected a 5%, two-year pay deal. The members of Unite the union will decide the next steps to be taken at a meeting on 4 August. Unite members are also angry that employers want to introduce a 'new entrant' grade with an 18-month probationary period wi
29/07/2014
Currently a quarter of all 20 to 34 year old working adults in England are living with their parents, according to new research from Shelter. A lack of affordable housing was the main reason and many can't afford the rent prices. Hotspots for the 'clipped wing generation' include Castle Point in E
29/07/2014
In the pursuit of preserving the environment, many people are finding ways to help in the effort by reducing their carbon footprint, within the home. One of the many ways to do this is by using energy efficient appliances and equipment, which includes cast iron appliances, particularly
28/07/2014
Three of the six 100-metre tall Didcot A cooling towers have been demolished. The closure and demolition of the power station reflects the changing shape of power generation in the UK, with modern, low carbon power generation replacing older, less efficient power stations. Kevin Nix, Head of RWE G
28/07/2014
Willmott Dixon is allegedly the only construction firm to be carbon neutral after once again off-setting its emissions. Since 2012, the company has reduced its carbon intensity by 6.1%. This has resulted from a range of initiatives that include better insulated site cabins, higher fuel efficiency s
28/07/2014
Direct Energy, Centrica's North American subsidiary, is to sell its Ontario home services business to EnerCare for £300m. Direct Energy currently has almost 1.9 million home services contracts in Ontario, to provide a range of plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and other related servi
28/07/2014
The Director of the Planning Inspectorate in Wales has announced he is to retire at the end of September. Richard Poppleton will be replaced by Tony Thickett who will take up his duties this autumn. Having joined the Planning Inspectorate in 1990 after a career in local government, Richard retires
28/07/2014
The Switch Together, Save Together scheme has been launched in Merseyside. More than 4,200 people took part in the last round of the Merseyside Collective Switch scheme, which saved residents a total of £205,000 on their energy bills. The highest saving was £933, and a significant number of people
28/07/2014
Balfour Beatty has been appointed to build new accommodation for Campus Living Villages. The £24m scheme will the replace the existing facilities on Goldhawk Road in Shepherd's Bush. The new build will feature 417 new bedrooms, two self-contained flats and amenities including a gym, laundry, cinem
28/07/2014
The Labour Party's proposed 'Help to Build' scheme, which would provide government guarantees for loans to SME house builders, has been welcomed by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) as a means to help more small house builders enter the housing market. Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
28/07/2014
Developers and local authorities are being offered a new service to access land use planning information and advice from today (28 July). The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is launching the service to cut the amount of red tape involved in the planning process, which should help business take ad
25/07/2014
Contractors Balfour Beatty and Carillion have announced a possible merger. The two firms are currently in preliminary discussions. Both firms believe the merger has the potential to create a market leading services, investments, and construction business of considerable depth and scale. Work is
25/07/2014
Newham council has approved planning permission for the redevelopment of land to the north of the Royal Albert Dock. ABP (London) Investment Lmited made the hybrid application, which received a resolution to grant planning consent by the council's Strategic Development Committee, for a part outline
25/07/2014
Housebuilder Lovell is to begin building new homes in Towcester. The firm is to start constructing the 87 new properties in September. The homes will range from two to five bedrooms and will be in a range of styles to ensure there is a home to suit everyone. The new homes are part of the broader
25/07/2014
A former Severn Trent office building in the heart of Coventry has been demolished to make way for a £2.6m housing scheme. Situated on a brownfield site on the corner of Lockhurst Lane and Drake Street, the scheme is being built by Loughborough-based contractor and developer, William Davis Ltd on b
25/07/2014
Kier is to be the new delivery partner for Semcorp Bournemouth Water (SBW). The firm will deliver SBW's planned and reactive maintenance programme. The contract is for two years and is worth £3.5m annually. Kier's work will include repair and maintenance, mains laying and meter installation. Rog
25/07/2014
Negotiations have ended on a comprehensive package of collective agreements for employees involved in constructing the proposed new Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset. The agreements, which cover supervisors and support service workers as well as construction workers, set the project
25/07/2014
A Kent recycling firm has been fined £7,000 and ordered to pay £3,000 in costs after an employee had his jaw shattered when he was hit by a piece of plastic pipe ejected from a bandsaw. The worker, then 42 from Chatham, who does not wish to be named, was cutting down the old gas pipe for recycling
25/07/2014
Liverpool City Council has rejected an application to demolish Heaps Rice Mill, which lies in the buffer zone of the city's World Heritage site. The planning authority said as no permission has been granted to redevelop the site, there were no detailed proposals for the restoration of the cleared l
24/07/2014
A Carillion/Amey Joint Venture (JV) has signed three contracts with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to maintain and upgrade its facilities. The contracts form a part of the Next Generation Estate Contracts (NGEC), and completes the NGEC facilities management awards programme. The Regional
24/07/2014
Carillion Igloo Genesis has been selected to design and build Britain's first 'floating village' at London's Royal Docks. New jobs are also expected to be created. The scheme includes a custom build approach for each of the 50 residential homes, enabling prospective occupiers to be part fo the des
24/07/2014
Energy firm E.ON has teamed up with local authorities to launch a new £9 million energy scheme, CosyDevon. Devon households will get warmer this winter as nine local authorities and Devon County Council will invest £9m to improve homes across the county. Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County
24/07/2014
Skanska has bagged two regional places on the Education Funding Agency (EFA) Framework. The firm will build and refurbish buildings for two areas of England, the South West and the West Midlands. With a total value of £1.375 billion the four-year frameworks are designed to ensure that buildings, b
24/07/2014
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has elected a new President. Jane Duncan will begin the new post on 1 September and will take over from Steven Hodder. Jane Duncan will be the 75th RIBA President. Jane is director of Jane Duncan Architects, an award winning practice of 16 architec
24/07/2014
A site manager for housebuilding firm, Lovell, has been honoured for his outstanding work on a new housing development in Llanharry, near Pontyclun. Chris King was named a winner in the annual Pride in the Job Award organised by the National House-Building Council (NHBC). The Pride in the Job Qua
24/07/2014
Fore Business Park near Solihull has been sold for £21 million. BAM Properties sold the business park to IM Properties. Located on junction 4 of the M42, Fore Business Park features 66,000 sq ft of existing office accommodation in two buildings, Fore 1 and Fore 2. The site includes six acres of d
24/07/2014
Renewable energy projects are to compete over a £200 million budget as part of the government's reforms to the electricity sector. The funding is for the first allocation round for the new Contracts for Difference, which provide long-term certainty and reduce risk for investors. The government’s re
23/07/2014
Balfour Beatty is to upgrade a 13.4 mile stretch of the M3 through Hampshire and Surrey to a 'smart motorway' for the Highways Agency. The £129m project will increase capacity, reduce congestion and shorten journey times for motorists. The M3 between Junction 2 (interchange with the M25) and Junct
23/07/2014
Wiltshire College has awarded Willmott Dixon a £21m contract to develop a new building at one of the college's campuses. The 9,100m2 building, which will be constructed at the Chippenham campus, will accommodate 1,000 full-time students and provide construction, engineering and motor vehicle worksh
23/07/2014
Wates Construction has started work on Development Securities and SWIP Property Trust's final phase of its office-led regeneration project in London. Work on the new 167,000 sq ft 11-storey building, on the site of 12 Hammersmith Grove, includes speculative Grade A office provision, retail space an
23/07/2014
A total of £404m has been allocated to more than 50 housing providers to build thousands of homes in London. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, intends to deliver 45,000 homes in London boroughs by 2018. The allocations will see almost half of London's boroughs run their own development programme
23/07/2014
Plans have been given the go-ahead for a new development at Quebec Park in East Hampshire. The council approved 100 new zero carbon homes as part of the Whitehill & Bordon's regeneration. 100 new jobs will also be created. The next stage is to agree the necessary legal agreements so planning permi
23/07/2014
Costain has been fined more than £600,000 when a telehandler overturned and killed a worker in Newbury. The incident happened during the construction of the Parkway development on 20 July 2011. Mark Williams, 41, was killed when he was using the vehicle to lift a pallet of tiles to a fourth storey
23/07/2014
The National Federation of Builders has appointed Rosewood Keen Management Services (RKMS) to its national associate panel. RKMS are experts at enabling businesses to meet ISO standards and gain certification whilst developing integrated management systems and delivering measureable business improv
23/07/2014
A total of 13 construction sites have been forced to close after Health & Safety inspections revealed they were "too dangerous" to work on. Over a two-week period, Health & Safety inspectors visited 560 sites, and in total prohibition notices or improvement notices were issued on 85 sites. On 201
22/07/2014
Mitie has scooped a three year maintenance and repairs contract worth £15 million for Heathrow Airport. Mitie will be required to deliver mechanical and electrical maintenance and repairs to Heathrow terminals 3, 4 and 5. Mitie will also provide mechanical and electrical maintenance services, incl
22/07/2014
A new £2.9 million development in Knowsley has officially opened. The 26 rental properties at Kipling Avenue in Huyton were built by housing developer Lovell, and are owned by Knowsley Housing Trust (KHT). Following 14 months of work, the finished site comprises 10 two-bed and 12 three-bed houses,
22/07/2014
165,000 new homes are to be built across England over the next three years according to the UK government. £23 billion is to be invested in the first phase of the government's Affordable Homes Programme which will create 165,000 jobs. A fifth of the homes will be built with cutting edge "advanced
22/07/2014
JPG has finished works on a £5 million highways project to serve the £100 million Flaxby Country Resort and a new gateway business park near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. 'The Flaxby' is a luxury hotel and leisure development situated on the site of the existing 27-hole Flaxby Park Golf course. S
22/07/2014
Tower Hamlet's Council has approved planning permission for a mixed use development at Wood Wharf, the continuation to the existing Canary Wharf district. The scheme will expand the Canary Wharf with the addition of 30 new buildings and extend its appeal as a mixed use working and living urban dist
22/07/2014
Balfour Beatty has been selected by Chesire West and Chester Council to transform a brownfield site into a commercial centre. The contract is due to begin on 1 September, which enables Balfour Beatty to start pre-site work this autumn. The development takes full advantage of the river frontage whi
22/07/2014
Over £43 million in vouchers has been given out for the Green Deal Home Improvement fund since it was introduced six weeks ago. 12,200 applications have been received and 7,925 households in England and Wales have received vouchers under the scheme, which offers people money back for making energy
22/07/2014
Crossrail has set its final 250,000 concrete segments, used to line the tunnels of Europe's largest infrastructure project. The final piece was cast at a specially built Crossrail factory in Chatham, Kent. The factory has produced 110,000 tunnel segments to line Crossrail's 12km long eastern twin t
21/07/2014
Network Rail is to redevelop Euston Station. The £12.5m development is to begin this month and the scheme will create more space both inside and outside the station while giving passengers, local residents and people working in the area a better selection of shops as well as places to eat and drink
21/07/2014
Housing developer HUB is to build 213 new houses on the former Cathedral Group (Holdings) Ltd and Development Securities' Old Vinyl Factory development in London. HUB will take forward the development of two sites known as the Boiler House and Material Store. Detailed planning consent was also gran
21/07/2014
Further regeneration work has been announced for Barry in Wales. The Minister for Housing and Regeneration, Mark Sargeant, said funding in the area has already led to an events area, play area improvements, new footways, a car park, street improvements and landscaping work. He said: "Barry Island
21/07/2014
Proposals have been outlined to build a new development in west Hampstead. The proposals by Camden Council are part of the re-development of Liddell Road, which include expanding Kingsgate Primary School. The new building for the school will create 420 additional places and offer much needed prima
21/07/2014
New designs for AstraZeneca's Global R&D Centre and Corporate Headquarters in Cambridge have been unveiled. The plans for the new development, which will be located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC), include designs for the Global Centre, an R&D Enabling Building and an Energy Centre. Astra
21/07/2014
Housing developer Lovell has appointed a new Southern area manager. Mr Bob Birch was previously commercial leader on residential and mixed use developments at Mansell. Based at Lovell's new office at the Solent Business Park, Whiteley, Fareham, Mr Birch will lead the company's new-build open marke
21/07/2014
Construction firm Interserve has been named Contractor of the Year at the Construction News Awards held last week. The firms' CEO Adrian Ringrose also won the Roll of Honour award. Interserve was commended for its project delivery and innovation, while Mr Ringrose, who became the youngest CEO of a
21/07/2014
Willmott Dixon's commercial team has been selected for a £12m refurbishment contract in London. The project will see the 1960s Maple House on 37-45 City Road undergo a total revamp. The work includes extending the north elevation and adding a 4th storey to create a more prominent frontage on City
18/07/2014
The Grimsby River Terminal Project has been awarded the Project of the Year award by Construction News. Graham Construction were behind the terminal, which took the award in the £10m to £50m category at a recent ceremony held in London. The terminal, commissioned by Associated British Ports, is on
18/07/2014
Apprenticeships are "essential to the future wellbeing of the construction industry," the Government's Chief Construction Advisor has told a Parliamentary Reception. Speaking at the reception, Peter Hansford said: "If we are to transform construction, we must focus on attracting and retaining the p
18/07/2014
Rosewood Keen Management Services (RKMS), an industry standards consultancy, has joined the National Federation of Builder’s (NFB) national associate panel, offering a range of exclusive ISO related benefits to members. RKMS enable businesses to meet ISO standards and gain certification, whilst dev
18/07/2014
The 2014 winners of the Construction News Awards have been announced. With the highest number of entries since the awards began, the panel of 60 judges are said to have had an "extremely challenging" decision. Finalists were invited to conduct face-to-face interviews with members of the esteemed j
18/07/2014
A number of industry groups have come together in an effort to raise awareness and understanding of safety within the construction industry. CITB have teamed up with HSE and Working Well Together to produce a film focusing on fragile roof work. The film which highlights the consequences of failing
18/07/2014
Savills has received an appointment on behalf of a private client to market Windwhistle Golf Club in Cricket St. Thomas, Somerset. Originally opened in 1932, the par 70 course is set within 107 acres (43 hectares) and is located in south Somerset between Chard and Crewkerne. The site includes an o
18/07/2014
Figures released by Barratt, Bovis, Taylor Wimpey and Galliford Try have revealed an upward trend in project completions and a rise in sales during the first half of 2014, with the average increase ranging from between nine and 15%, compared to 2013 figures. The figures have been analysed by the Bu
18/07/2014
The Kier Group has launched a new unified housing division, Kier Living, which will bring together three existing Kier housing businesses to provide the Group with housing skills including contracting, affordable housing partnerships and private market housing. Kier Living intends to triple its out
17/07/2014
Balfour Beatty's Hong Kong-based joint venture Gammon Construction has won two building contracts with a combined value of HK$3.91bn (£300m). Gammon Construction is a 50/50 joint venture with Jardine Matheson. The project has been awarded a HK$2.82bn (£216m) deal by the Hong Kong Housing Authority
17/07/2014
Goldtrowel Construction Training have announced the opening a new training centre in Manchester. Alongside the centre, Goldtrowel have also announced that their new polished plaster shop is to go live soon
17/07/2014
The development of new workplaces, shopping centres and industrial facilities is playing an increasingly important role in the UK’s economic recovery, according to JLL and Glenigan’s inaugural Commercial Construction Index. The quarterly index highlights that work began on £22.7bn of commercial pro
17/07/2014
The senior directors of three of the UK's largest construction companies have apologised for the "blacklisting" of employees. Balfour Beatty, Laing O' Rourke and Vinci Construction issued the apology while appearing before the Scottish Affairs committee, which is investigating the blacklisting con
17/07/2014
BAM Properties has sold a speculatively developed office blocks - the A3 building at Glory Park in High Wycombe in the South of England - to F&C, via its subsidiary IRP Holdings. IRP purchased the 19,428 sq ft building for £6.97m, at an initial yield of 7%. BAM recently leased the ground and first
17/07/2014
Kier Construction has been awarded the title of Contractor of the Year at the 2014 North West Regional Construction Awards. It marks the third consecutive year that Kier was awarded the accolade. Joint head judge Roy Stewart commented: "Congratulations to Kier. It was a tightly contested category
17/07/2014
The latest edition of the Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin has been published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) Within the report the Construction Output Statistics provide a general measure of change in real terms in the output of the construction industry in Nor
17/07/2014
One of the north of England's most prominent exhibitions for engineering and manufacturing technology, Northern Manufacturing & Electronics 2014, returns to Manchester's EventCity on October 1 and 2. EventCity is one of the UK's newest exhibition facilities. Manufacturing in the north west of Engla
16/07/2014
The UK construction industry is facing significant skills shortages, as levels now stand at their highest since 2008, according to the latest Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) UK Construction Market Survey (Q2 2014). 54% of respondents said there are insufficient numbers of quantity sur
16/07/2014
Greenworks Training Academy and Stroma Certification have announced a new series of training and software-led projects to improve the qualifications and skills held by assessors and installers in the construction and energy industries. The announcement follows the recent launch of government initia
16/07/2014
Powrmatic Ltd has announced that it has acquired the assets of SHEV Co Ltd. SHEV supplies smoke and heat exhaust ventilation products, with Powrmatic saying that the acquisition "reinforces" its position "as a UK leader in the manufacture of smoke and natural ventilation products." "The SHEV produ
16/07/2014
A special edition white paper on construction site security has been published by VPS, market leaders in protecting vacant properties. It is claimed that almost 500 pieces of machinery, equipment and plant are stolen each month from construction and rural sites, with development, housing and regene
16/07/2014
A new wind farm off the coast of Sussex has been given the go-ahead by the government. Developed by E.ON Climate and Renewables UK Rampion Offshore Wind Ltd., the project is expected to support more than 750 jobs and bring over £2bn investment into the UK economy. It is thought the wind farm will
16/07/2014
Government Ministers have taken the first steps towards selling the UK's largest online construction supplier database, Constructionline. "Commercial ownership will allow Constructionline to grow and achieve its full potential, including offering new additional services for the benefit of businesse
16/07/2014
New designs commissioned by Transport for London for 'Heathrow City' have been unveiled. Accommodating almost 200,000 homes, parkland and a factory, the newly designed 'city' is a proposed redevelopment of the site should Heathrow Airport close. The proposed 'Heathrow City' has been backed by Lond
16/07/2014
Former Senior Director for Project Management for Sweett Group, Colin Bartlett has been appointed as Director of mixed-use & residential projects at Leadership and Management Limited (L+M). With over 30 years in the construction industry, both in the UK and mainland Europe, Mr Bartlett is described
15/07/2014
New figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed that annual house price inflation in the UK rose to 10.5% in May, up from 9.9% on the previous month and its highest rate in four years. The market was driven again by London where house prices rose by 20.1% in the year to May, a new
15/07/2014
A new skills academy has been launched in South Gloucestershire to "cater for the growing need for trained construction workers." Established by plumbing and trades tutor, Shane McCallum and wife Nikki, the South West Construction Academy will focus on quality training, small class sizes and one-to
15/07/2014
In just 12 days, Powered Now reached its crowdfunding target of £350,000 and is now in overfunding – additional money it says will be used to further market and develop its app for tradesmen and field trade companies, simplifying administration and eliminating paperwork. 63 people invested in the p
15/07/2014
Government approval has been granted for a new 58,000 capacity stadium on a site next to Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane home. The team, which has played at White Hart Lane since 1899, have said they hope to be in the new grounds by 2017. It is understood that the new stadium design has been r
15/07/2014
Many schools in the UK are looking to promote healthy lifestyles for their students by improving the sports facilities that they have available. However these projects can be costly and a lot of schools struggle to find the budget to have a new sports surface installed. Soft Surfaces Ltd are offeri
15/07/2014
Over £500,000 is being invested in boosting renewable energy community projects across England, according to the Department for Environment. Thirty local renewable energy projects have become the first recipients of the government’s Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) this year. The projects "repres
15/07/2014
Laing O’Rourke and Imtech and Atkins have been appointed to United Utilities' AMP6 framework. The company today announced LiMA, a partnership of Laing O’Rourke, Imtech and Atkins, as one of four construction delivery partners for the next capital investment period (2015 to 2020). Laing O’Rourke ma
15/07/2014
The first glimpse of a new, joint town centre development in Catterick Garrison by Kier Property and Lingfield Securities has been revealed. A new cinema is to be the focal point of the £25m North Yorkshire town centre scheme. Empire Cinemas will operate the seven-screen development, which will be
11/07/2014
Turnover has increased by 30% for the second year running at metal forming and spinning specialist Shaw Metal Solutions, a trend they attribute to investing in the latest state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. The company, which supplies metal forming services to the construction and heavy equip
11/07/2014
The construction industry has suffered in biggest fall in output since October 2012, falling 0.8% in the three months to May. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics highlight a sharp slowdown in output – in May alone output fell by 1.1% on the previous month. The full ONS repor
11/07/2014
Wolverhampton-based company Global Metal Finishers has been fined £55,000 for making illegal discharges into the Severn Trent Water's sewer network. The fine was issued by Wolverhampton magistrates, alongside an order for costs of nearly £9,000. It was found that the company had made the discharge
11/07/2014
An innovative eco-house built by Caplin Homes has won the top accolade at the LABC East Midlands Building Excellence Awards. The Solar House in Leicestershire saw off strong competition from buildings across the region to be named Best Individual New Home, before securing the evening’s overall priz
11/07/2014
A £300m investment has been earmarked for the construction of a new defence rehabilitation centre near Loughborough. The project will see the services currently delivered at Headley Court move to a new purpose-built location at Stanford Hall, near Loughborough. The MoD said the new facility will b
11/07/2014
Barratt Developments PLC has posted a 13% average selling price growth to £220k for the year ending 30 June 2014. The rise was driven by increased delivery of larger homes in attractive locations and house price inflation, the group said. Profit before tax for the financial year is expected to be
11/07/2014
£64m is to be spent by the government on 44 new sustainable transport schemes after the projects got the green light. Transport Minister Baroness Kramer announced the schemes, which the government says will "bring environmental, health and economic benefits to communities across England". Schemes
11/07/2014
Hundreds of millions of pounds are "up for grabs" for councils to build more affordable homes in their area, according to the government. Housing Minister Kris Hopkins has announced that 15 councils will be able to borrow £60m additional funds over the next two years to build over 1,000 homes in th
10/07/2014
Housebuilding firm Galliford Try has acquired Miller Construction for £16.57 million. Miller Construction delivers building and infrastructure projects to both the public and private sectors. Greg Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Galliford Try, said: "We are delighted to announce the acquisition of
10/07/2014
The Lakesmere Group is working with main contractor Kier to redevelop the Grade II listed Midland Goods Shed and East and West Handyside Canopies. Lakesmere is in charge of the design and installation of approximately 4,500m² of Kalzip aluminium acoustic roof to the Midland Goods Shed and adjacent
10/07/2014
Construction union UCATT has received an award for 'Best Trade Union Website' At the TUC Communication Awards ,which were hosted on 9th July, Steve Murphy, General Secretary, said: "This is a great achievement for UCATT and the our thanks go to everyone involved in re-designing and updating the new
10/07/2014
Green Highland Renewables has appointed Morgan Sindall to develop part of a 1MW hydro scheme near Achnasheen, Wester Ross. Morgan Sindall has started work on delivering the £1.2 million contract on the Allt Gharagain hydro scheme which will create sustainable electricity in the area. The team is wo
10/07/2014
The government has announced cathedrals across England will receive almost £5 million for urgent repair work on the buildings. 22 cathedrals will fix leaking roofs, repair stained glass, and replace stonework after being awarded grants from the First World War Centenary Cathedral Repairs Fund. Vis
10/07/2014
A group of young people have completed a programme of 'Get Into' events, supported by Balfour Beatty. The 'Get Into' programme is a series of short vocational courses to help develop young people's skills in a specific sector. Last year, around 50% of young people completing a course moved on to pe
10/07/2014
Oldham Town Hall, built in 1841 but left unused since the 1980s, is to be given a new lease of life as a fully-modernised leisure complex featuring shops, bars, restaurants and a cinema. The Georgian neo-classical style building has suffered severe decay and damage to its interior despite its hist
10/07/2014
Cyngor Cymyned Llanelli Community council has recently welcomed the Hendry Park multi-use games area as a great asset to their community. Installed using Playrite’s Matchplay 2 material with inlaid lines for tennis, netball, basketball and 5-a-side football, the multi-use area will see some high foo
10/07/2014
A leading firm is celebrating a hugely successful first five years in their new £5 million purpose-built site, during which they've seen enviable growth across all areas of the organisation. East Anglian Galvanizing, one of 14 plants owned by Wedge Group Galvanizing, has achieved impressive growth
10/07/2014
Minister for Housing and Local Growth Kris Hopkins MP has visited the Solent Enterprise Zone's developments. He toured Fareham College's new Centre of Excellence CEMAST, spoke to people working on the project and viewed plans for Fareham Borough Council's new Innovation Centre. During his visit th
09/07/2014
5,500 new homes are to be built in East Kettering, North Hamptonshire. The Local Infrastructure Fund (LIF) has awarded £15 million which will be used to deliver 5,500 new homes, three new schools, a health centre, supermarket, shops, hotel and leisure facilities all set within a system of parks, op
09/07/2014
Cofely has acquired Lend Lease Group's UK Facilities management firm (LLFM). LLFM currently provides a range of FM services across the UK and Ireland. Cofely will take over the contracts currently held by LLFM. This is expected to provide Cofely with a revenue stream of £2.5 billion. Commenting on
09/07/2014
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has appointed a new Chair of the CIC Adjudicator Nominating Body (AMB) Management Board. Mr Niall Lawless is to work on the board for three years. Mr Lawless is a member of a number of important industry Adjudicator Nominating Body panels, and a member of th
09/07/2014
The Crown Estate has announced it will support the development of a marine renewable energy industry in Wales. Wave Hub has been announced as the successful manager of the South Pembrokeshire wave site, while Menter Môn will manage the West Anglesey tidal site. Minesto have successfully gained the
09/07/2014
Over 80% of UK property owners find hiring a tradesman a frustrating experience, according to a new Home Owner Survey commissioned by Powered Now. Trades men are losing work by failing to provide professional looking quotes, and over half of the people surveyed said they would pay quicker if a debi
09/07/2014
Waltham Forest Council is hosting its first National Skills Academy Programme To Give Young People opportunities to gain experience to work in the construction industry. Balfour Beatty is supporting the programme and will work longside its customers to deliver high-quality, accredited training to t
09/07/2014
SD Launchbury has been fined £12,000 after a worker was run over by an excavator. 27-year-old Thomas Plumb from Evesham was hit by the reversing vehicle on a site in Gretton on 10 May last year. His right leg was shattered and he was in a coma for 10 days following the incident. He has since unde
09/07/2014
Housebuilder Lovell has scooped a Gold Medal award in the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2014. The Gold Medal was awarded to the Lovell Midlands, South Wales and Southern region for the eighth consecutive year. David Gough, Lovell regional director, commented: "This award is testamen
09/07/2014
One of the UK's leading hot dip galvanizing companies has played its part in a major construction project to refurbish an iconic railway bridge in Hull. Heywood-based Manchester Galvanizing, one of 14 Wedge Group Galvanizing plants UK-wide, has teamed up with Harrisons Engineering to provide its ho
09/07/2014
Award winning electrical wholesaler and member of the Fegime buying group BEW, has announced its appointment as the first independent UK distributor for Electrak, part of the Legrand UK group. Electrak is a leading manufacturer in providing power distribution throughout the workplace with its modul
08/07/2014
The new A43 Corby Link Road for Northamptonshire County Council is now complete. Construction firm Interserve finished the £24 million project within the two year time scale. The road has officially been opened by Transport Minister and MP for Scarborough and Whitby, Robert Goodwill. The project
08/07/2014
The European Commission has given €300m funding to support a carbon storage project in the UK. The White Rose project based at the Drax plant in Yorkshire is expected to maintain up to 2,000 jobs and provide clean electricity to more than 630,000 homes. When the clean coal power plant is construct
08/07/2014
40 Power Technicians for The London Underground (LUL) are expected to strike until Tuesday 22 July. The employees, based at the power control room in Blackfriars Road, have been on strike from 1 July over unfair pay and worsening conditions. Unite the union is urging LUL management to return to di
08/07/2014
Wandsworth Council has approved plans to build a new £40m bridge across the Thames in London. An international competition is expected to launch to design the new bridge. The new pedestrian and cycle crossing would connect the developing Nine Elms on the South Bank district with the historic Pimli
08/07/2014
Housebuilding firm Galliford Try has been chosen to refurbish and rebuild school buildings as part the Education Funding Agency (EFA) Framework. The Framework exists for smaller value individual capital projects and is intended to complement the existing Contractors Framework of which Galliford Try
08/07/2014
Midas Construction has started work to refurbish Narrow Quay House in Bristol. The currently empty commercial building is being expanded and modernised with a new glazed atrium to be created and the front façade given a facelift. The 58,000 sq ft waterfront building on Floating Harbour is owned by
08/07/2014
QS Supplies added yet another showcase facility to its line-up of showrooms. Located in Leicester, the 12,000 square foot showroom is the ideal setting for interior designers, architects, builders, homeowners, and custom installers to experience cutting-edge developments in bathroom accessories an
08/07/2014
BEW Electrical Distributors has scooped the 'Best Electrical Wholesaler' at the Electrical Wholesaler Awards. As in the boxing world, in the electrical wholesaling world there's more than one title up for grabs, in fact there are two, promoted and judged by two separate well respected bodies. The E
07/07/2014
The Royal BAM Group has confirmed it expects losses totalling approximately €75 million. The firm blames a deterioration of a large civil engineering project in Germany. It also said unexpected problems at a mid-sized UK civil engineering project due to a combination of adverse ground conditions an
07/07/2014
Planning has been approved for a £100m development at London Luton Airport. The plans include an expanded and modernised terminal building and improved surface access. Final planning consent was given by Luton Borough Council after the Department for Communities and Local Government ruled in April
07/07/2014
Durham County Council has granted planning permission for a new student housing development at Sheraton Park, Neville's Cross. Specialist student housing developer, Alumno Developments, will transform two large, derelict Edwardian buildings on the Sheraton Park Estate into purpose-built student acc
07/07/2014
Two environmental permits have been revoked from SR Waste Recycling based in Barnsley. The permits allowed the business to operate its waste electrical and electronic (WEEE) recycling facility at Shaw Lane, and a site at Oakwell Business Park, although the latter was not in use. Without an environ
07/07/2014
The Old Admiralty Building is to undergo refurbishment for the Department for Education (DfE). Mace has been appointed as project manager to oversee the design work on the Garde II listed building. The programme of work will see the modernisation of 18,000 sq. metres of office space to provide the
07/07/2014
Caddick Construction has completed a dairy development for Arla Foods Ltd. The main dairy in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, is a steel frame building with specialist high thermal performance camouflage cladding. It incorporates specialised hygienic resin based flooring, hygienic white wall thermal pa
07/07/2014
Anglo American has confirmed it is selling its 50% ownership in Lafarge Tarmac for a minimum of £885 million. An announcement is being made as Lafarge intends to offer a full divestment of the JV to the European Commission as a remedy for the UK market in respect of the proposed merger of Lafarge a
07/07/2014
Stainless UK has supplied through local reinforcement products stockist Hy-Ten, nearly 650 stainless steel dowel bars for use on the extension to the Nottingham Express Transit light-rail tramway. The 20mm smooth round bars were delivered complete with flexible PVC debonding sleeves. This allows f
04/07/2014
Significant process is being made of a new £40 million development in Bristol. Based at Temple Quay, the building's 50-tonne steel frame and glazed façade is taking its place in the city's skyline. Wates Construction began work on the 100,000 sq ft Two Glass Wharf scheme for Salmon Harvester Prope
04/07/2014
A bridge in Surrey has been shortlisted for the British Construction Industry Awards. Walton Bridge carries 35,000 commuter cars a day between Shepperton and Walton, and was the first Thames crossing in 20 years when it opened last year. The bridge was built by contractors Atkins and Costain. (CD
04/07/2014
Carillion has been chosen as the preferred bidder to carry out an expansion on Liverpool Football Club's (LFC) Main Stand. Subject to planning permission work is expected to begin later this year. Construction costs are to cost around £75 million. The proposals would see the capacity of a new Mai
04/07/2014
The Serco Group's rebid for the franchise to manage, operate and maintain the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) has been turned down by Transport for London (TfL). The current franchise, which was due to end on 14 September, has been extended to 7 December 2014, when the service will transfer to the n
04/07/2014
A construction union has slammed the launch of the Construction Workers Compensation Scheme (TCWCS) and branded it "highly cynical". The (TCWCS) was launched today, less than a week before a High Court case into blacklisting is due to begin. Steve Murphy, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "This is
04/07/2014
British people believe they need to view eight properties before choosing the one that suits them, however 8% claim the would be happy to but the first house they saw. According to research by energy firm E.ON. 32% think it will take two to three months to decide on the right home. The survey of o
04/07/2014
The third annual PEFC UK Stakeholder Day took place in central London on the 1 July. The event focussed on the progress of certification in Asia and opportunities for the UK market. Over 100 delegates from a broad range of industry sectors heard from an expert panel including Professor Lu Wenming
04/07/2014
Power Protection Solutions Specialist Harland Simon UPS is launching a range of the World's cleanest, high performance, industrial batteries into the UK, enabling businesses to reduce the environmental, safety and performance impacts of using traditional Lead Acid and Lead Gel Batteries. The launch
03/07/2014
Amey has scooped a new metering contract worth over £35 million with npower. Over the next five years Amey will provide both gas and electricity metering installation and maintenance services for npower across the North West of England, Wales and Scotland. Mel Ewell, Chief Executive of Amey said:
03/07/2014
A £12.6 million school building renovation in Haringey, London, is now complete. As part of the Islington Building Schools for the Future initiative, Balfour Beatty completed the building work at Rhodes Avenue Primary School. The works included structural alterations and refurbishment of an existi
03/07/2014
Building work on a new primary school in Leicestershire is well underway. Rothley Church of England Primary School has been at the heart of the local community for the past 112 years and with the increase in housing within the village, the school has made the difficult decision to move to a bigger
03/07/2014
A London-based housing association has entered into a Primary Authority Partnership (PAP) with the London Fire Brigade (LFB). The Hyde Group is landlord to around 95,000 residents. Hyde has to comply with the fire safety laws and is required to carry out detailed mandatory fire risk assessments to
03/07/2014
Construction union UCATT has slammed the latest figures which showed a rise in construction deaths. The union is warning it "could mark the beginning of a steady rise in fatalities". The number of construction fatalities for 2013/14 increased to 42, however the overall number of workplace deaths r
03/07/2014
The Shepherd Group has appointed a new Chairman. Mr David Williams joined the Shepherd Group Board of Directors in March as part of a planned succession to Alan Fletcher who stepped down from the post. Mr Fletcher joined the Board in 1994 and was appointed Deputy Chairman two years later, becoming
03/07/2014
Matilda's Planet has launched a new internal wall insulation system. The system, called Matilda's Blanket, has been backed by £450,000 business finance from the Welsh Government. The firm, which specialises in developing and manufacturing highly innovative green energy saving products, is to creat
03/07/2014
Cornwall Environmental Consultants (CEC), the trading arm of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, is delighted to announce its involvement with the new design of Bournemouth Pier Approach. Proposals for Pier Approach have been submitted for planning consent, which marks the first phase of Bournemouth's ambiti
03/07/2014
Two Bouygues Construction subsidiaries recently signed a contract worth over €80 million, for the construction of two buildings at Hautepierre Hospital, in Strasbourg. The new buildings will house a regional cancer institute and a medico-technical and locomotor facility. The project, by Pertuy Cons
03/07/2014
Two non-executive board members have been appointed to the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Kevin Parry has had considerable financial experience in his prior roles of finance director of Schroders plc and as a partner of KPMG while Niall Mills is currently a partner in the infrastructure inves
02/07/2014
Kier has appointed a new Chief Executive. Haydn Mursell began his post on Wednesday, 1st July. With over two decades of industry experience and having worked at Kier over the last four years as Group finance director, Haydn brings a wealth of market knowledge combined with a strong understanding o
02/07/2014
A £1.7m extension on Oakdale Junior School in Pool is now complete. Morgan Sindall carried out the work which included a two storey extension, creating six new state-of-the-art classrooms. The team constructed a new pedestrian entrance to the school, and installed a lift at the premises. The exi
02/07/2014
Nuffield Health and Manchester Metropolitan University have announced a partnership which will see a new hospital and wellbeing centre built in central Manchester. Together the two will collaborate on research and development, training for local healthcare professionals and fitness, wellbeing and s
02/07/2014
A £7 million project for Chesire East Council has been completed by Balfour Beatty. The Crewe Railway Exchange project is the first to be delivered under the 20-year 'All Change for Crewe' regeneration programme. The scheme at Crewe Railway Station included he construction of a 244 space car park
02/07/2014
Wilmott Dixon volunteers have helped to refurbish a children's hospital in Birmingham. Teams from the company's Birmingham branches carried out repairs and maintenance at Acorns Children's Hospice, in Selly Oak, as part of the charity's Clean and Clear Week. The volunteers built new shelving, refur
02/07/2014
Tata Steel has confirmed plans to cut 400 jobs at its plant in Port Talbot. The firm said it was restructuring to improve the competitiveness of the business. The company said in statement the job losses would reduce costs and enable it to compete in an era of lower market demand. Mr Koehler said
02/07/2014
A new housing development on the Isle of Turbeck has been officially opened by Raglan Housing. MP for South Dorset, Mr Richard Drax, opened the eight properties at Nine Barrow View which were built in partnership with Purbeck District Council, Langton Matravers Parish Council and contractors C G Fr
02/07/2014
Interserve has finished a major project for Jaguar Land Rover's new Engine Manufacturing Centre near Wolverhampton. Jaguar Land Rover is investing more than £500 million in the facility, which currently comprises two main production halls: a machine hall and a diesel engine assembly hall. Other are
02/07/2014
The Environment Agency (EA) is inviting the public to attend a drop-in event to discover more about a proposed flood defence scheme in County Durham. The Environment Agency is hosting the event at High Clarence Primary School on Thursday 3 July, from 3.30pm to 7pm. Those who attend will be able to
02/07/2014
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have reaffirmed their Partnership Agreement to support growth, jobs and skills across the construction industry. At a Round Table event attended by Employment Minister Esther McVey MP and held in the CITB
01/07/2014
E.ON's Camster Wind Farm has been officially opened. Located between Lybster and Watten, the 25 turbine 50MW site is capable of providing electricity to around 30,000 homes a year. Consent was given to build Camster Wind Farm in 2009 and following this, the energy company has worked hard to appoin
01/07/2014
Monmouthshire County Council has awarded Morgan Sindall a £3.2 million contract to build a new primary school in Wales. The firm has already started work on the Raglan Primary School building. The new school will include state-of-the-art classrooms and a school hall, with space for 210 pupils. Th
01/07/2014
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has appointed its first female president. Louise Brooke-Smith took up her new post on Monday 30th June. She succeeds former RICS President Michael Newey. Louise will also continue to work as Director of Brooke Smith Planning. She said: "Chartered
01/07/2014
Kier has received two new contracts by Sheffield City Council. The new contracts, worth over £13 million, will provide new heating systems and carry out adaption works to properties in Sheffield. The first contract, worth £9.8m over four years, includes installing radiators, boilers, piping and th
01/07/2014
UCATT the union is calling on construction employees to check their wages to make sure employers have a honoured a pay rise. Pay rates for all workers rose by 3% from 30th June, covered by the Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC). The new industry minimum craft rate is now £11.00 an hour an
01/07/2014
A Final Investment Decision has been made by the developers of Dudgeon offshore wind farm in East Anglia. The project will see investment of £1.5bn in offshore wind. The wind farm is expected to support up to 450 jobs and bring hundreds of millions of pounds of investment into the UK's economy. It
01/07/2014
BAM Construction is to build a £50 million research centre for the University of Exeter. The centre, named the Living Systems Institute, will consist of two linked buildings on a split level site. It will have a tower block nine storeys high and a slab block reaching six storeys, three storeys bein
01/07/2014
Lovell has held a consultation event to ensure local people are kept up to date on the building of new homes for Beacon Barracks in Stafford. Over 200 residents were invited to the event as well as two Councillors for the Coton ward, Cllr Sharon Hollinshead and Cllr Jack Kemp. John Leary, Projec
01/07/2014
Toshiba and GDF SUEZ have completed a deal that will boost development of the Moorside new nuclear power project on the West Cumbria coast in northwest England. The agreement sees Toshiba acquiring a 60-percent stake and GDF SUEZ retaining a 40-percent holding in NuGen, the UK-based nuclear energy
01/07/2014
The UK solar sector could be set for a round of audits as part of an enforcement effort of the EU-China price undertaking, according to a senior industry figure. The agreement currently calls on Chinese modules to be sold into the EU for no less than €0.53/W. Stories of various workarounds to the r
