Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for March 2015
31/03/2015
Plans have been submitted to transform a former brewery site in Wolverhampton. The multi-million pound proposals, submitted to Wolverhampton City Council, aims to create a hub for construction education. The University of Wolverhampton is currently in negotiations to acquire the former Springfield
31/03/2015
Improvement work is to start on a road interchange in York next month. The Pinch Point scheme, on the A19 south of York, is supported through approximately £2 million Department for Transport funding, which City of York Council secured from a share of a £170 million Government Pinch Point Fund in 2
31/03/2015
£6 million funding has been secured to develop a new primary school on a former hospital site in Peterborough. Peterborough City Council will also be contributing around £500,000 towards the cost of the new school building, which will allow West Town Primary Academy to relocate and expand from its
31/03/2015
Native Land is to acquire a London South Bank site for £308 million. The transaction will result in the creation of the new Bankside Quarter, a 1.4 million sq ft residential, office and retail development, which will further enhance an area undergoing a transformation through a raft of other improv
31/03/2015
Construction firm Galliford Try has reached an agreement with Frasers Property on the next phases of the Riverside Quarter residential development in Wandsworth. Frasers has appointed Galliford Try to build the next three phases of the project, worth £69m in total to the business. Phases 5C and 5D
31/03/2015
A Birmingham firm has been fined £7,000 for safety failings after a worker fell from a ladder. Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard that wood machinist Alan Sweet was working at A Edmonds and Co Ltd’s factory in Constitution Hill when the incident happened on 29 August 2014. He was removing redund
31/03/2015
Soundproofing is simple. In Theory. All you have to do is put several inches of sound resistant material in the floor or wall cavities of adjoining rooms or properties. Simple. In reality, things tend to get a little more complicated. The fact is most cavities are just not big enough to accommodat
30/03/2015
Costain and VINCI have scooped a 50:50 joint venture (JV) for the first stage of the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract for the M4 Corridor to the south of the city of Newport. The new 24 km long section of motorway includes a 2.5 km long cable-stayed viaduct above the river Usk, two key i
30/03/2015
The government is introducing new measures to develop homes across the country. Housebuilding is a key part of the government's long-term economic plan – and is at the heart of 3 bills that have received Royal Assent. A new Urban Development Corporation will help deliver the first Garden City for
30/03/2015
Galliford Try has started building work on a new school to replace the existing buildings at Longbenton Community College in North Tyneside. The layout of the new school will make it easier for students and staff to travel around the campus. Longbenton Community College is one of four schools in N
30/03/2015
Construction firm Balfour Beatty has scooped an £80 million contract to build the National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC) in Coventry for the University of Warwick. The 33,000 square metre development on the existing main campus of the University of Warwick site involves the construction of a
30/03/2015
Willmott Dixon has almost completed a development of twelve apartments and nine townhouses on Upper Richmond Road in Barnes Common. Working for family run developer Ansgate, Hampton Row is a development that enhances the area by replacing what was a large concrete multi-storey car park with new hou
30/03/2015
A project has gone swimmingly for a galvanizing firm following its involvement in the creation of a penguin exhibit in East Yorkshire. Hull-based Humber Galvanizing, one of 14 Wedge Group Galvanizing plants UK-wide, has partnered with Barker and Patterson to galvanise three tonnes of steel as part
27/03/2015
Willmott Dixon has won a £20 million contract. The construction firm has been selected by Trafford Housing Trust to transform Shrewsbury Street in Old Trafford, Manchester. Willmott Dixon will deliver a mixed-use development that includes community centre, bistro café, pharmacy, health care facili
27/03/2015
Construction firm Wates has started work on an £80 million housing development in Hull. The development of 316 apartments at three locations across the city, is a partnership between Hull City Council, housing association Riverside and Wates Living Space. The scheme will enable people with care ne
27/03/2015
ISG has appointed a new Managing Director for its engineering services division. Mr Danny Blakeston has been promoted within the firm and brings a wealth of technical engineering experience to the role. The division he will be managing operates within the research and development (R&D), pharmaceut
27/03/2015
BAM Construction is to build a new three storey ward block development for the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The development also includes a new accessible link to Smith Lane, a new Critical Care Unit, car parking and roadways for the hospital. The three storeys will include ne
27/03/2015
Construction work is to begin next year to develop a new £90 million Arena in Bristol. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has agreed a deal which sees its Arena Island site transferred to Bristol city council. The agreement supports the creation of around 2,700 jobs across the Enterprise Zone,
27/03/2015
A firm based in Southport has been fined £6,000 after an employee fell approximately four metres from a bungalow roof and suffered serious injuries. Instruments & Gauges Electronics Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an investigation found that the employee was not gi
27/03/2015
Liverpool's Homes for a Pound scheme is to expand and a further 150 empty properties are to be brought back into use, according to the Liverpool Express. It follows the success of a pilot initiative, involving properties around Granby Four Streets and Arnside Road. They are being brought back into
27/03/2015
Timeless Timber has launched a new range of garden buildings and sheds which is now available in the UK. Designed to take centre stage in gardens, Timeless Timber sheds create additional living space without the hassle or expense of traditional home extensions. New homeowner research shows that on
26/03/2015
Bowmer & Kirkland has been chosen to develop 'The Word', a new library and digital media centre in South Shields'. 'The Word' is the first phase of the wider redevelopment of South Shields town centre as part of the 365 Master Plan. The scheme will transform the town; increasing the shopping and
26/03/2015
Helical Bar has selected construction firm Carillion for a £91 million contract to build Phase 1 of it's Bart's Square development in London. The first phase includes residential, offices and mixed use facilities on a 2.3 acre site that includes the area formerly occupied by Barts Hospital. Phase 1
26/03/2015
Wates Construction has handed over the keys to Ernesford Grange Community Academy and Riverbank Academy in Coventry. The academies, which share the same premises, have been rebuilt under the first phase of the Government's Priority School Building Programme (PSBP), worth £2.4 billion, which will ad
26/03/2015
Proposals to build new homes and leisure facilities on derelict gas work sites in Nantwich have been given the green light. The St Anne's Lane Gasworks has stood derelict for a quarter of a century and has been used by the town as a car park for the local community. However, Housing Minister Brand
26/03/2015
A construction firm has been fined £10,000 for unsafe refurbishment work. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) established that safety standards were lacking at a property undergoing an extensive overhaul in Newton Avenue, Acton, between July 2013 to January 2014. A basement was e
26/03/2015
A new initiative to protect thousands of heat customers has been approved. Heat Trust is to launch following two years of industry, Government and consumer group collaboration. Dr Tim Rotheray, Director of the Association for Decentralised Energy, welcomed the announcement: "We are delighted that
26/03/2015
Bath-based architecture, urban design, planning and regeneration consultancy Nash Partnership has expanded its senior management team by promoting Associate Daniel Lugsden to Partner. In a strategic move which reflects a general growth across the practice, Daniel joins Senior Partner Edward Nash an
26/03/2015
Casella, a global provider of occupational and environmental monitoring equipment, announced today that its two CEL-62X and CEL-63X sound level meter series have received regulatory type approval from Germany’s Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). Type approval is mandatory for many officia
25/03/2015
Mears has fulfilled the principles of its Developer and Partner Charter with Crawley Borough Council in just 12 months, the company has announced. Mears began working with the council in 2004 and last year signed the Crawley Developer and Partner Charter, which includes a set of principles to suppo
25/03/2015
Council Tax bills have been cut for over 2,400 homes across the UK since a reduction in charges came into effect last year, the government has announced. Over £1.3m has now been knocked off bills nationwide since the government opted to scrap surcharges on family annexes where two Council Tax bills
25/03/2015
Story Homes has announced it has appointed a new Head of Land. Chartered surveyor David O'Reilly, 33, has been selected to focus on the company's growth targets in Lancaster, Ribble Valley, Fylde, Wyre, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire East and West. Mr O'Reilly said: "I've been in plan
25/03/2015
UK property firm Savills has been instructed as the managing agent, joint retail leasing agent and professional services advisor at Willow Place and Corby Town Shopping Centre in Northamptonshire. The move follows the scheme's acquisition by Europa Capital Partners and Sovereign Land for £71.7m ear
25/03/2015
Construction firm Morgan Sindall is to build the first phase of a £5.5 million livestock market in Melton Mowbray. Appointed by Melton Borough Council, he existing facilities, especially those for auctioning cattle, are in a poor condition and no longer fit for purpose. Replacement pens are require
25/03/2015
Foyles' flagship bookstore on Charing Cross Road in London has won the BREEAM 2015 retail award. The project, which was undertaken by the Mace Group, involved the renovation of the dilapidated Saint Martin’s College into a 37,000 sq. ft. bookshop, the largest to be built in the UK this century. Th
25/03/2015
BAM Construction is seeking contractors in Cornwall and Devon as part of the company's supply chain expansion. The building firm wants to hear from companies across the whole Cornwall and Devon regions providing services such as bricklaying, groundworks, carpentry, metalworks, plastering, drylining
24/03/2015
Construction firm BAM has scooped a £16 million contract to transform Graves Leisure Centre in Sheffield. The contract, awarded by Sheffield City Council, includes developing a 25m swimming pool, a smaller training pool, a gym and fitness suite, trampoline space, dance studios and X-ray and clinica
24/03/2015
Laing O'Rourke and Imtech are to begin a joint venture (JV) multimillion contract to modernise the Davyhulme Waste Water Treatment Works in Manchester . Appointed by United Utilities, the modernisation programme will see the significant remediation of previously abandoned land in advance of the con
24/03/2015
Skanska has become part of a team of contractors delivering a substantial investment on the UK's busiest railway. An agreement has been reached between the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, Skanska, Colas Rail, AECOM and Mott MacDonald. The consortium has been appointed to plan and carry out
24/03/2015
Balfour Beatty has been appointed to the new £800m Southern Construction Framework. The public sector framework has been administered by Devon County Council in the south west and is open to any public body in southern England. The project is OJEU compliant, removing the need for individual procur
24/03/2015
Ground engineering contractor Keller has appointed Mr Alain Michaelis as its Chief Executive. Mr Michaelis will take up the post on 14 May. The current Chief Executive, Mr Justin Atkinson, is to retire by the end of 2015. Mr Michaelis has spent his career leading operational and engineering teams
24/03/2015
Kier has begun work on the construction of 41 new affordable homes for North Tyneside Council in Wallsend town. Located on the site of the former Wallsend Police Station and family centre on High Street East, the development is anticipated to be finished in spring next year. It includes 12 two-bed
24/03/2015
28 councils in England are to benefit from £275m of funding for local roads maintenance, the Department for Transport has revealed today. The Challenge Fund has been opened for one-off major infrastructure schemes by local authorities. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "Good quality loc
24/03/2015
An industrial doors firm is preparing to celebrate 30 successful years in business. Bolton Industrial Doors, based in Wingates, has grown from a one man band into a thriving operation with more than a hundred employees and premises in Glasgow and Stoke. The firm services and repairs high speed doo
23/03/2015
Work has begun on a £56m A30 road scheme near Truro. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin took part in a turf-cutting ceremony to mark the start of the development, which will upgrade the A30 from Temple to Higher Carblake. The scheme is being implemented by Cornwall Council in partnership with t
23/03/2015
Construction is currently underway on a new road scheme to increase the capacity along the Chelmer Viaduct in Chelmsford. The £28m investment on the A138 involves the building of a new viaduct and the demolition of the existing viaduct. In total, three lanes of carriageway will be laid down, as wel
23/03/2015
The Bay Retreat Villas in north Cornwall have been sold to a private investor from a guide price of £2m. The site includes 26 properties, each comprising an open plan living room and kitchen, two double bedrooms, rear garden and front patio. They are set within the St Merryn Holiday Village located
23/03/2015
UK steel firm Severfield has recruited a number of staff from the infrastructure division of Mabey Bridge in Chepstow. The move follows an announcement from Mabey Bridge last year that it was winding down its infrastructure division. The new Severfield bridge team will continue to operate from Che
23/03/2015
Costain and Vinci have joined forces to scoop a deal to deliver the M4 Corridor upgrade around Newport. Costain has managed to secure a 50% stake in a three-way joint venture with Vinci Construction Grands Projects and Taylor Woodrow. The partners were ahead of an international line-up of bidders
20/03/2015
Wates Construction has started the building work on the second phase on Roydhouse Properties and Marrico LLP's Central Square in Leeds. The work is on the building's steel frame and has started two weeks ahead of schedule. Wates started work on site at the 11-storey mixed-use scheme in June last y
20/03/2015
Construction firm Interserve and its joint venture partner Kajima have been appointed to design and build seven secondary schools across Hertfordshire, Luton and Reading. This is one of the first batch of schools to be funded using the Government’s new PF2 private finance model. The scheme, which
20/03/2015
British Land has completed a £733 million property exchange with retailer, Tesco. British Land has sold its 50% interest in a joint venture portfolio of 21 stand-alone foodstores to Tesco and acquired Tesco's 50% interest in two joint venture portfolios predominately comprising Tesco-anchored shopp
20/03/2015
The Department for Transport has launched a new travel strategy to connect cities in the north of England. The plans, which include a new 'TransNorth' rail system and new road investments, will today be set out by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Transpo
20/03/2015
ISG has begun work on the site of a new education project with staff and pupils from Essa Primary School in Bolton. The £2.4m scheme will create a permanent home for the new Bolton Free School. It was awarded to ISG by the North West Construction Hub (NWCH) for the Education Funding Authority (EFA)
20/03/2015
Galliford Try has been appointed to two major public sector construction frameworks in the south and north west of England. The company is confirmed as one of 11 contractors on the Medium Value lot (projects from £2m to £9m) of the North West Construction Hub worth up to £400m over four years. Gall
20/03/2015
BAM has been awarded places on all three lots of one of the largest regional construction frameworks in the UK. The four-year Southern Construction Framework, with an estimated value of more than £4bn, will include a pipeline of multiple public sector contracts. The Framework brings together three
20/03/2015
A galvanizing company has anchored its role in a recent project which saw a classic yacht refurbished back to its former glory. B.E Wedge, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, teamed up with Southampton Yacht Services, classic yacht builders and refitters, to galvanize steel components used in the reno
19/03/2015
British Land has confirmed that a shopping centre in Yorkshire is to receive a £50 million internal refurbishment. The refurbishment of Meadowhall is to begin autumn 2015 and is expected to be complete by the end of 2017. The works will create distinct districts within the centre, each with a dif
19/03/2015
Liverpool Mutual Homes has selected Willmott Dixon for an £8 million contract to transform a tower block into apartments in Liverpool. The construction firm will overhaul the 15 storey Marwood Tower into apartments for over 55s. The landmark is situated between Great Homer Street and Kirkdale Road
19/03/2015
Over 31,000 homes and businesses are to receive protection from flooding as part of terms agreed under Chancellor George Osborne's budget. The government has announced it will bring forward over £140m of a £2.3bn six-year flood defence programme announced in December. 47 new schemes are to go ahea
19/03/2015
Planning applications in England rose 2% from 108,400 to 111,100 during the last quarter of 2014, when compared to the same period the previous year. The amount of permissions granted amounted to 88,900, up 4% on Q4 in 2013. The statistics have been released today by the Department for Communities
19/03/2015
Construction Union UCATT has delivered a damning reaction to Chancellor George Osborne's budget announcement yesterday. The Chancellor's budget speech yesterday was criticised by many for promising more restrictions on public spending and continued austerity, while not addressing mounting problem
19/03/2015
Industry supplier website Screwfix has called on more government support for apprenticeships, following a new report that shows overwhelming concurrence within UK construction. Screwfix’s national tradesman manifesto shows 89% of tradesmen intend to vote in the next general election, 80% want th
19/03/2015
Construction firm Wates has completed a new senior living community development in Hertford. The keys have been handed over to keys to Signature Senior Lifestyle. Work on Bentley House on Pegs Lane began in 2013 and has seen Wates create a five-storey, 5,000 sq m registered care home featuring 85
19/03/2015
London Underground (LU) has announced it has extended its contract with Interserve, to deliver facilities services across 12 depots and 168 stations. The contract, which has been extended for two years, includes specialist cleaning of stations and trains, waste management, pest control, station sec
18/03/2015
Average house prices in England and Wales are £34,000 higher than at the height of the housing boom in February 2008. Prices are currently standing at £273,528, some £34,192 higher than the 2008 peak, according to a report released by property firm Your Move. The report said over half of the £34,0
18/03/2015
The contract to design, manufacture and deliver two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) that will build the Northern line extension for the London Underground (LU) has been awarded to NFM Technologies. Ferrovial Agroman Laing O'Rourke Joint Venture (FLO), who LU has contracted to design and build the Nort
18/03/2015
Construction work has started on a new £16m redevelopment at Graves tennis and leisure centre in the south of Sheffield. Two new leisure venues are now under construction both at Graves and also at Thorncliffe in High Green. The two new facilities in the north and south of the city are the first n
18/03/2015
Development Securities has bought its 50:50 joint venture partner, McLaren Property's stake in the £100 million 'Circus Street' regeneration project in Brighton. It was purchased for a total consideration of £4 million. Resolution to grant planning consent was secured in September 2014 to transfor
18/03/2015
A new UK Urban Innovation Centre that will support architecture, engineering and infrastructure development in British cities has been opened by Business Secretary Vince Cable. The new centre was created by the Future Cities Catapult, an initiative supporting urban innovation. It will now serve as
18/03/2015
A £37m project to build Coventry University’s flagship new Science and Health Building is underway following the ground breaking ceremony. The two-year project will consolidate the Faculty of Health and Life Science’s existing teaching and research facilities into a new building in Coventry city ce
18/03/2015
The Construction Industry Trading Board (CITB) and the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) have announced a new industry-wide survey to assess card scheme fraud and card checking procedures on UK construction sites. The production of fake cards across the industry was recently highlight
18/03/2015
Property programmes such as Grand Designs or Restoration Man frequently show scenes of building owners or their contractors taking sledgehammers to demolish the internal walls and floors of old properties, but the reasoning behind such drastic action is normally due to their being in the wrong place
16/03/2015
Hillingdon Council has approved plans for a major overhaul of Hayes & Harlington station. The new glass and steel structure will create a landmark station that will be much more visible and prominent than the existing station. A ticket hall will provide a more welcoming environment and a range of
16/03/2015
Construction work has started on the new A5-M1 Link Road in the East of England. The £162.1m investment in the A5-M1 Link Road Dunstable Northern Bypass will improve the east-west connection between the A5 and M1. A new 2.8-mile two-lane dual carriageway and three new junctions will be built. Onc
16/03/2015
Interserve and Babcock & Wilcox Vølund have scooped a £150m contract by the Brite Partnership North East to build a biomass-fired power plant in Rotherham. The 'Brite' power plant will be fired with locally sourced waste wood and have a capacity of 45 MW. The power output generated from the plant w
16/03/2015
Galliford Try has reached financial close on a £103m contract in north east England and north Wales. The contracts are held with the Education Funding Agency (EFA) over the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) batch for north east England and with Flintshire Council for the Holywell Learning C
16/03/2015
A new privately-funded body has been appointed by the government to support the delivery of local authority housing. The government has announced it will work with Natalie Elphicke, Chairman of Million Homes, Million Lives and Councillor Keith House, Leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, to implemen
16/03/2015
Kier Living, part of the Kier Group, has secured a five-star rating in the annual Home Builders Federation (HBF) customer satisfaction survey. The company was awarded the rating in the 'would you recommend your builder to a friend?' category and achieved a 'yes' rating of more than 90%. John Ander
16/03/2015
Lagan Construction International has secured two contracts, worth around £10m, at Heathrow Airport. One contract is with Ferrovial Agroman and will involve works on Alpha Bravo Taxiway. The other contract is with Morgan Sindall and will involve works on the Sierra Taxiway. The contracts are part of
16/03/2015
Construction union UCATT has called for the abolition of umbrella companies, following the collapse of a sub-contractor on the Alder Hey hospital site. Last month subcontractor One Four Four (UK Limited) went into receivership. The firm employed over 100 workers, but only two directly by the compan
13/03/2015
Skanska has signed the contract to deliver new 300 bed world-class healthcare facility in Cambridge. The firm will deliver the New Papworth Hospital, featuring 300 hospital beds, seven operating theatres and five catheterisation labs. Skanska have said that they will use the latest business inform
13/03/2015
Construction output dropped 2.6% in January this year when compared with the previous month, following a 0.6% rise in December. New work fell by 4.2%. The figures have been released as part of the Office for National Statistics' latest report on the construction industry. The statistics show that
13/03/2015
Students from Doncaster visited the Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme (FARRRS) site this week as part of an apprenticeship showcasing event held by Carillion. Students aged 13 to 16 from Rossington All Saints Academy visited the FARRRS site on March 11 during National Apprenticesh
13/03/2015
£60m is being provided by the government to improve rail stations around the UK. The funding boost will enable train operators to bid for a share of the money towards improvements such as car parks, ticket gates and better facilities. An initial round of funding worth nearly £100m has already gone
13/03/2015
Housing Minister Minister Brandon Lewis has said he will end the so-called "tenants' tax" under new rules that will enable councils to licence landlords in neighbourhoods blighted by poor quality accommodation. The Minister said he wants councils to work more closely with government on larger licen
13/03/2015
The government has pledged to end the so-called "tenants' tax", that is responsible for pushing up rents and imposing "unnecessary red tape on decent landlords". Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has published new rules that will enable councils to licence landlords in neighbourhoods blighted by poor
12/03/2015
ISG has begun a new £11 million project to construct a National Speedway Stadium and National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester. The Belle Vue Sports Village development will deliver high-spec facilities for the community, including the partial refurbishment of the existing leisure centre
12/03/2015
Financial close has been achieved on a £270m project to deliver a new acute district general hospital for Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland. NHS Dumfries and Galloway and High Wood Health, a consortium including construction company Laing O’Rourke, is undertaking the construction of a new facility
12/03/2015
One hundred new apprenticeships are to be created alongside the construction of a new prison in Wrexham, North Wales. Lend Lease, the company award the construction project, will create the new apprenticeship places over the next two years. 18-year-old Daniel Davies, who has already begun an appre
12/03/2015
The way England's motorways and A-roads are built and managed is due to change substantially next month, following a green light for the 'Highways England' initiative. Highways England is a new "arms-length" government company that will take over the running of motorways and major trunk roads on 1
12/03/2015
Support for new housebuilding has nearly doubled over the past four years, according to new figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The latest results of the British Social Attitude survey found 56% of respondents indicated support for new housebuilding in their are
12/03/2015
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has completed "substantial improvement work" at three army bases, giving soldiers and their families "sustainably warm homes and significantly lower bills". DIO used external cladding to make the houses more energy efficient, while also improving the ap
12/03/2015
During the development of a new detached property by Vascroft Ltd, specialist contractor Cemplas Waterproofing and Concrete Repairs Ltd were appointed the £38,000 contract to undertake the application of a Delta cavity membrane system to the basement/lower ground floor walls and floor, together with
11/03/2015
The Mayor of London has announced plans to "fast track" around 2,000 new homes in east London. The homes are to be built on the site of a former Parcelforce depot on Stephenson Street at West Ham in Newham. It is the latest site in the Mayor's ownership to have been released for housing. A number
11/03/2015
The Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment (IDBE) has announced a new £10,000 Scholarship competition. The IDBE competition offers a £10,000 scholarship for a place on the September 2015 Built Environment Masters programme. The interdisciplinary Masters course, seeks to bring together
11/03/2015
The Environmental Audit Committee has produced its analysis of the government's National Adaption Programme (NAP), finding that "priority risks" are not be addressed. The report highlights that the Environment Agency does not consult on property developments of fewer than 10 houses, claiming that t
11/03/2015
Crowberry Consulting Ltd has been nominated in the Red Rose Awards in the Category of Green Business of the Year. Based in Chorley, Lancashire the business provides environmental, energy and ethics training, auditing and consultancy. The annual Red Rose Awards is run by Lancashire Business View an
11/03/2015
Construction union UCATT has contacted every council in the Yorkshire region to step up its campaign opposing umbrella companies. UCATT Yorkshire Regional Secretary, Rob Morris, has written to all council leaders in Yorkshire asking them to ban umbrella companies from all of their contracts. If a c
11/03/2015
Solar panels have been installed on the roofs of buildings owned by Dorset County Council. The Dorset History Centre and a number of schools have been fitted with the panels to help save on energy bills. Cllr Peter Finney, the county council’s Cabinet member for environment, said: "Harnessing rene
11/03/2015
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has given development consent for the Knottingley Power Project. The Knottingley Power Project includes a 1500 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power station and an associated infrastructure will be located at the site of the former Oxiris Che
10/03/2015
Camden Town Council has approved plans for a new Centre for Research to be developed between Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), University College London (UCL) and the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. The new Centre for Research into Rare Disease has been designed by architects St
10/03/2015
Construction firm The Midas Group has expanded its Southern division into new premises. Midas is continuing to grow across the South East region with a projected turnover of £50 million. Midas' Southern division, which covers Southampton, Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, East & West Sussex
10/03/2015
The London Borough of Bexley council has approved the development of a new Customer Fulfilment Centre (CFC) for online supermarket Ocado. £185 million is to be invested in the Erith centre and 3,500 new jobs are expected to be created. Recruitment for roles including operational managers, warehous
10/03/2015
Six new apprentices have been hired by Merseylink to work on the Mersey Gateway Project. The new recruits have all secured paid apprenticeships with the construction consortium, which is building Halton's new cable-stayed bridge and the associated 9.2km road network. Construction apprentices, Kyle
10/03/2015
Social housing provider Harbur Construction has announced it has appointed three senior staff. Technical manager Lee Kindon joins the firm, based at Longstone Road near Manchester Airport, from MCI Developments where he worked as an engineering manager. Lee, who is originally from Wigan, has over
10/03/2015
A roofing company has been fined £10,000 after one of its workers died after falling through a roof light. JBS Roofing Ltd, based in Northamptonshire, was also ordered to pay costs of £4,987. Mark Cooper, 46, from Kettering, died three days after the incident at a commercial unit on the Earlstrees
10/03/2015
Corporate Risk Systems Ltd (CRS) one of the UK's largest HSE accredited training providers are proud to announce that we have gained NEBOSH approval for a new "2 qualifications in one" course. The NEBOSH General and Construction certificates can be gained in only 18 days saving 6 days and around
09/03/2015
Energy efficiency solutions company Anesco has appointed Delvin Lane as its new Commercial Director. Mr Delvin will oversee all aspects of the day to day running of Anesco, with particular focus on the ECO, ESCO, and the biomass businesses. Of his new role Delvin said: "This is an excellent opport
09/03/2015
Miller Developments has completed a further sale of land at its site in Paisley in Scotland to national housebuilder Persimmon Homes. The move marks the third sale of residential land on the site off Linwood Road to Persimmon. The brownfield site is expected to deliver almost 150 new homes. It has
09/03/2015
Balfour Beatty has been appointed civil contractor to deliver the 10-year Thames Estuary Asset Management Programme for CH2M Hill, on behalf of the Environment Agency The £300m programme is the largest single flood risk asset management programme ever awarded in the UK and is designed to deliver ca
09/03/2015
Rail Minister Claire Perry has opened a £280m project to transform a key Lincolnshire rail line during a visit to the region today. The Great Northern Great Eastern (GNGE) line is an 86-mile route connecting Peterborough to Lincoln and Doncaster. This latest government-funded upgrade aims to improv
09/03/2015
Two UK construction bodies have called on parents, teachers and careers advisers to encourage children to pursue a career in construction, following a prediction that over 220,000 workers will be needed by 2019 to meet demand. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has released a report 'E
09/03/2015
Fronius UK has announced its 'Open House' event at its Technology Centre in Milton Keynes will take place this year on 15 April. The company, a subsidiary of Fronius International GmbH, officially opened its first facility in the UK in 2012. "The Fronius UK Open House will provide engineers with a
09/03/2015
The devolved government in Northern Ireland must do more to prevent construction workers leaving for the UK mainland, the Federation or Master Builders (FMB) has said. The Northern Ireland Executive has been urged by the FMB to commit to "greater levels of capital spending and ensuring announced pr
09/03/2015
A government-led event showcasing security equipment and solutions for programmes dedicated to security and civil protection begins tomorrow at the FIVE events venue in Farnborough. Security & Policing is aimed at police, law enforcement and security professionals and showcases products and service
06/03/2015
DTZ Investors, represented by real estate group Savills, has acquired an industrial site on Longbridge Road at Trafford Park, Manchester from GPC Media. The development site extends to roughly 3.1 acres (1.2 hectares) and is situated in a prime position within Trafford Park, in close proximity to t
06/03/2015
£250,000 is being spent by the Scottish government to unlock the country's "geothermal potential," it has been announced. A fund to support research into exploring Scotland’s geothermal capacity has been launched by Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing. The Challenge Fund is open to organisations
06/03/2015
The government has sold off enough publicly-owned land to build over 103,000 new homes, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has announced. He said: "House building is at the heart of the government’s long-term economic plan. That’s why, rather than leaving surplus public sector land idle, we are put
06/03/2015
Over 4,000 armed forces personnel have had applications approved to buy a home under the Forces Help to Buy scheme. More than £40m has been given to 2,700 applicants to help them buy their first homes or move up the property ladder. A further 1,400 personnel have had their applications approved. T
06/03/2015
The Keller Group has posted a before-tax profit of £85.1m for the year ending 31 December 2014, an increase of 15% on the £74.1m returned during the previous year. Revenue for Keller was £1,599.7m, indicating an 11% increase on 2013, while operating profit rose 18% over the period, from £77.8m to £
06/03/2015
Laing O'Rourke has been appointed as principal contractor for the Westgate Oxford Alliance, a joint venture between Land Securities and The Crown Estate Work. The £440m development in Oxford city centre will develop the existing Westgate shopping development into an 800,000 sq ft retail and leisure
06/03/2015
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has visited Ilkeston in Derbyshire to mark the start of work on a new station serving the town, due to open early next year. The £9.6m development, part-funded by the government's new station fund, will provide direct, hourly connections to Nottingham, Chester
06/03/2015
Carillion Customer Experience Director Jamie McDonald has been awarded the Customer Service Strategic Leadership Award at the UK Customer Satisfaction Awards 2015. Mr McDonald said: "It is a real honour to receive this award and very humbling, but credit has to go to my leadership team who have hel
05/03/2015
The sale of construction products in the UK increased for the seventh successive quarter during the final three months of 2014, according to a new survey released by the Construction Products Association. The Q4 State of Trade survey figures were detailed in a report on the Construction News websit
05/03/2015
Balfour Beatty has signed an agreement with the London Legacy Development Corporation to build the new East Wick and Sweetwater housing development project. Balfour Beatty Investments will provide up to £3m equity over eight years, representing 50% of the equity required. The company's UK branch wi
05/03/2015
British homes are to benefit from £70m funding for energy efficiency through the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund. The Department of Energy & Climate Change has announced a third release from the GDHIF. From midday, Monday 16 March, the scheme will open to new applications regarding the new releas
05/03/2015
The government has announced the appointment of a consultant to review the process on decisions about the future of Manston Airport. The Kent airport closed on 15 May 2014 and Thanet District Council has been seeking a deal to secure its future. Transport Minister John Hayes was at Manston today w
05/03/2015
February saw further acceleration in output by UK construction companies, driven by the fastest increase in new orders since October 2014, according to the latest Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI survey. Higher levels of activity were seen in all three sub categories of construction work. Residentia
05/03/2015
Carillion has been appointed by Scape Group as the sole provider for a new facilities management framework holding a value of up to £1.5bn over a six-year period. Scape is a public sector owned built environment provider. The framework is available to any public sector body in the UK offering a fu
05/03/2015
Redruth, Cornwall-based Highway Plant Hire has announced it has purchased a new short-length plant body from Andover Trailers to help it deliver to sites with restricted access across Cornwall. At 6.15m long, the LPPB18 plant body is mounted to an 18-tonne MAN TGM 4x2 rigid and can carry loads of u
05/03/2015
Over 88,000 people have been helped to buy a new home by the government's Help To Buy housing scheme since its inception. New figures released by the government today show 80% of scheme completions have been made by first-time buyers, while the average house price was £185,000, below the national a
04/03/2015
Housebuilder Persimmon and Land Securities have secured a deal for the sale of 170 residential plots in Ebbsfleet. The 4.2 hectare plot marks the second phase of development at Castle Hill, which is one of three planned villages in the 269 hectare Eastern Quarry development, forms part of the wider
04/03/2015
Refurbishment work has started on the Jesse Hughes Community Centre in Wales. The centre currently provides education and training opportunities for young people in Holyhead, and a new linked Flying Start centre is to be developed on the site in Anglesey. £1.1 million funding has been allocated by
04/03/2015
Bouygues Construction has announced it has appointed a new Chairman and CEO. Philippe Bonnave will succeed Mr Yves Gabriel, who after 13 years at the head of the group, has reached the age limit for a senior management position set by Bouygues Construction. Mr Bonnave is an engineering graduate of
04/03/2015
Wakefield Council has approved plans for a new distribution unit to be developed. The 6-acre development in Normanton, the Tri-Link140 LLP, is a joint venture between Yorvale, Kier Property and Maple Grove Developments, part of the Eric Wright Group. The two-storey, 142,000 sq ft unit comprises 13
04/03/2015
Amey road workers have called off a planned six-day strike after agreeing to a new two-year pay deal, Unite the union has announced. The members working for Amey at four depots in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire supported an improved pay offer from management after t
04/03/2015
The Government has announced the third release of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) worth up to £70 m. From midday on Monday 16 March, the scheme will open to new applications for the new release of funding, with up to £5,600 available to households in England and Wales to help with the
03/03/2015
Construction firm Balfour Beatty has signed a £12m deal to build an onshore substation for DONG Energy. The substation will be used to facilitate the transfer of electricity from the Burbo Bank Extension wind farm in North Wales to the National Grid. It will be located at Bodelwyddan, south of the
03/03/2015
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is calling on the Conservative Party to focus on small builders, following the announcement that the party plans to deliver over 200,000 homes for first-time buyers. Chief Executive of the FMB, Brian Berry, said that while he supports the ambition of the Sta
03/03/2015
Construction work has started to develop 200 new homes in Fazakerley, Liverpool. The homes, at the former Queen Mary School site on Long Lane, are being constructed by Countryside Sigma, Regeneration Liverpool's housing affiliate. The brownfield development, Queen Mary Place, will see an investmen
03/03/2015
Chesire East Council has won three planning appeals against 'unsustainable development in the area. The council hasdefended its decisions to refuse planning permission for 300 homes in Church Lane, Wistaston and 130 new homes on land off Sandbach Road North, in Alsager. Both appeals were brought b
03/03/2015
The first solar panels have been installed in council homes in Kirklees as part of a £9.2m scheme. The investment, by Kirklees Council, will help residents save up to £100 a year, rising to £200 annually. The new solar panels will offer up to an annual carbon saving of 2,000 tonnes and provide an
03/03/2015
Beaver 84 has continued its expansion with the acquisition of Kingswinford near Dudley-based Go Hire Ltd, an independent groundworks rental company. Go Hire ceased trading on 5 January 2015, becoming a specialised groundworks depot for Beaver 84, covering the Midlands and South West. Beaver 84 Man
03/03/2015
A Sika UK flooring system has recently scooped an accolade for providing the filming platform for ITV soap Coronation Street. The Weatherfield wonder has been named 'Large Project of the Year' at the prestigious industry awards, the annual Best Practice Awards hosted by FeRFA (The Resin Flooring As
03/03/2015
If you are a practicing architect, building specialist, energy assessor or built environment practitioner, the new ABBE Level 4 Diploma in Built Environment Infrared Thermography from iRed provides enhanced survey qualification. The new ABBE Level 4 Diploma in Built Environment Infrared Thermograph
02/03/2015
Laing O'Rourke has been named the principal contractor for Westgate Oxford, with work due to start on the site in spring. A joint venture between Land Securities and The Crown Estate, the £440m development in Oxford city centre will transform the existing Westgate shopping centre into an 800,000 sq
02/03/2015
British Land has bought Surrey Quays Leisure Park in Canada Water for £135m. The acquisition completes the firms assembly strategy at Canada Water where it also owns Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and Harmsworth Quays. The combined sites cover almost 50 acres, creating one of the largest mixed use re
02/03/2015
Heathrow Airport has appointed Morgan Sindall to work on its £16 million improvement scheme on phase one of Sierra Taxiway. The project involves the realignment and reconditioning of the Sierra Taxiway off the Southern Runway of Heathrow airport. This includes the widening of the taxiway to make wa
02/03/2015
Willmott Dixon's residential business, Prime Place, is to acquire Tubs Hill House in Sevenoaks, and convert the development into apartments. Tubs Hill House, with a development value approaching £40m, is located 200 metres from Sevenoaks' station. Construction work will start in summer 2015. And
02/03/2015
Council workers have started a week-long strike over bullying and intimidation. Over 100 workers, employed by South Ayrshire Council's Property & Maintenance department, are members of construction union UCATT and Unite and are employed in the council's Property & Maintenance department. The dispu
02/03/2015
Filoform has a launched a brand new product called FENCE-iT which is the lightweight alternative to concrete when installing fence posts. FENCE-it will revolutionise the way fence posts are installed, as it's a quick and environmentally-friendly product to use whilst giving many more benefits comp
