Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for February 2017
28/02/2017
Lendlease has been chosen to build a new £600 million headquarters (HQ) for Google in London. The new building, designed by Heatherwick Studios and BIG in collaboration with BDP, will be developed at King's Cross. Once completed in 2020, it is expected around 4,000 employees will be based in the b
28/02/2017
Mott MacDonald has been selected to help deliver a new £108 million campus for the Royal College of Art (RCA). The consultancy will work alongside Equals and Herzog & de Meuron to build the new education facility at the University's Battersea South campus in London. Located at the heart of the cam
28/02/2017
A major milestone has been reached on a £900 million residential development in Northamptonshire. Six large bridge beams have been lifted into place as part of the Stanton Cross scheme in Wellinborough. Each 30-tonne structure will sit above the railway line and form part of the railway bridge at
28/02/2017
SES Engineering Services has won a contract to provide mechanical and electrical (M&E) services on a new student accommodation scheme in Coventry. The £9.2 million deal involves designing and delivering full M&E services for five residential towers on the Godiva Place development, including lift sa
28/02/2017
Persimmon Homes has reported a 23% rise in profits following a "strong" financial performance in 2016. With profits increasing to £782.8 million from £637.8m in 2015, and full year revenue up 8% to £3.14 billion (2015: £2.90bn), the Group said its ten-year strategic plan is "well ahead of original
28/02/2017
A new railway station being built by Network Rail in Cambridge has started to take shape. The new Cambridge North station is on schedule to open in late May. Work is continuing on the fit-out of the main station building, with a ticket office and retail units. New road surfaces and the public squa
28/02/2017
The Government faces an "uphill battle" to meets its goal to build one million new homes by 2020, according to the National Federation of Builders (NFB). New figures by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) have revealed 167,700 new homes were completed between Q3 2015 and Q2 2
28/02/2017
Interserve has reported a £94.1 million loss in its annual results for the year ended 31 December 2016. With revenue remaining at £3.2 billion, the major loss is due to the company making a £160m provision as its exits the energy from waste sector. Last year, Interserve was removed from the Glasgo
28/02/2017
A planned increase to Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) could be detrimental to good builders "who play by the rules", according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said the doubling of the tax over the past two years has "troubling implications for constr
28/02/2017
Triark has entered into a distribution agreement with leading motor manufacturer, WEG UK Limited. Founded in 1961, WEG have grown into a market leader in the design and production of electrical rotating machines and automation products, delivering more than 12 million electric motors annually. WE
27/02/2017
Kier has won a £40 million contract to carry out design work for Highways England. The five-year design services deal will see the company prepare technical designs and undertake supporting work for capital projects in the South West region, from initial scheme feasibility phase through to as-build
27/02/2017
A 'Hard Brexit' would cause uncertainty over the future of European Union (EU) construction workers in London, according to Mayor Sadiq Khan. His 'Housing in London' report has revealed almost 100,000 of the capital's 350,000 construction workforce are from the EU. Mayor Khan said if the Governmen
27/02/2017
Amey has unveiled plans to invest more than £12 million in new, safety-equipped vehicles across its UK environmental services accounts. The vehicles have been designed with safety as a top feature, including lower emissions, cycle risk technology and 360 degree cameras and lighting technology for i
27/02/2017
Clugston Construction has been selected to build a new multi-million pound vehicle storage and distribution centre in Immingham. The 6,000m2 facility is being delivered for The Able Group and work is scheduled to start on 06 March. The 30-week project will see Clugston work alongside architect How
27/02/2017
A consultation on proposals to improve the A303 past Stonehenge is set to close next month. The Highways England scheme, which involves moving the A303 road further away from the stones and putting it underground in a 1.8 mile dual carriageway tunnel, is being carried out as part of a major roads p
27/02/2017
A building firm has been prosecuted for breaching work at height safety regulations. Select Quality Homes Ltd of Middleton Road, Chadderton, Oldham pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Section 22 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It
27/02/2017
Specialist drilling contractors have warned the site/ground investigation sector is in danger of overheating. The British Drilling Association (BDA) warned that the sector may not be large enough or have the capacity to accommodate projected demand through 2017. Anne Baxter, Chair of the BDA said
27/02/2017
Property developer Irvine Sellar has passed away age 82. Mr Sellar, the chairman of Sellar Group, died following a short illness on Sunday, 26 February. With a career in property and retailing stretching back over 60 years, veteran tycoon was best known for developing London's Shard tower in 2012.
27/02/2017
Many imperial thread sizes are now either obsolete or trending towards obsolescence prompted by changes in demand patterns from countries such as the USA who are now drifting towards metric products. This increasing globalisation of metric threaded fasteners does not necessarily mean that all variat
27/02/2017
Building materials supplier CT1 has teamed up with TalkSPORT to give away a once in a lifetime trip for two people to see one of the most famous footballing fixtures in the sports history, El Clasico. The lucky winners will be flown out to Madrid, put up in a four-star hotel within 20 minutes of Re
24/02/2017
A Balfour Beatty joint venture (JV) has won a £185 million contract to install a major electricity cable through the Channel Tunnel. The company will work alongside Prysmian Group to develop a 65km electricity cable between France and Great Britain, enhancing both energy capacity and security. Up t
24/02/2017
Up to 6,500 new homes are to be built on a former airfield and barracks site in Cambridgeshire. Developer Urban&Civic and the Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, have submitted plans to build the development at Waterbeach Barracks to the north of Cambridge. The homes will be spread acr
24/02/2017
The Government has unveiled plans to invest £191 million in the South West region. Announced by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, the cash boost aims to help generate jobs, support businesses and encourage growth. The funding has been awarded from the £12 billion Local Growth Fund, as well as £78
24/02/2017
Union Unite has called on the UK Government to outlaw "highly immoral" umbrella companies. A recent BBC Look North report revealed how workers operating under umbrellas companies in construction and other sectors are seeing large amounts of deductions from their pay. The Government has previously
24/02/2017
A £2.3 million access improvement scheme is to begin at Warwick railway station. The 'Access for All' project is part of Network Rail's Railway Upgrade Plan and aims to make the station more accessible for all train passengers. Plans include installing lifts on either side of the station, giving s
24/02/2017
Apex Airspace has been appointed by Lambeth & Southwark Housing Association (LSHA) to develop 28 new flats in London. The £8 million scheme will see 'airspace' above existing residential and commercial properties developed into new units. Pending consultation with the current residents, plans incl
24/02/2017
Wates is continuing work to build a new £30 million Exhibition and Conference Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. The contractor is creating a new purpose-built exhibition and conference facility at the home of the Farnborough International Airshow. Features include building a 12,480 sq m main hall
24/02/2017
A construction firm has been prosecuted after four workers fell down a ventilation shaft during a warehouse redevelopment project in London. Leyland SDM (LSDM) of Fourth Way, Wembley, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 6 (3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Regulation 4 (1) of the Ma
24/02/2017
Yorkshire Water has unveiled plans to reduce the risk of flooding in the Calder Valley. The Natural Flood Management strategy sets out a number of initiatives to alleviate flooding, including tree planting, reinstating peatland and other environmental enhancements. Over the next couple of years, u
24/02/2017
Engineering consultant Arup has sold its London head office for £98.5 million to Workspace. The building is located at 13-17 Fitzroy Street in the centre of Fitzrovia. The deal is part of Arup's relocation plans and the lease provides for their early exit with effect from September 2020, with a ro
23/02/2017
A major milestone has been achieved on the multi-billion pound HS2 rail link project between London and Birmingham. The HS2 Hybrid Bill has gained Royal Assent, clearing the way for phase one of construction works to begin this spring. Overall, the development will create around 25,000 jobs during
23/02/2017
Dorset County Council has selected Hanson Contracting to deliver its highways maintenance over the next 10 years. The deal is valued at over £100 million and will take effect from 01 April. The agreement sees Hanson re-secure its strategic partnership contract with Dorset Highways, which it has be
23/02/2017
Liverpool Football Club (FC) has unveiled plans to redevelop its Academy site in Kirkby. The £50 million proposal includes building a new combined training centre, the redevelopment of the existing facilities at the Academy and designs to convert the main pitch into an indoor pitch. In addition, K
23/02/2017
New figures have revealed a 5% increase in the amount of new home starts in 2016 compared to the previous year. The latest house building data shows 153,370 new homes were started in the year to December, the highest level seen since 2007. In addition, over 140,500 homes were completed. Strong gro
23/02/2017
The cost of dealing with major defects in schools is set to double by 2021, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). In its new report, 'Capital funding for Schools', the NAO estimates even with current levels of funding costs will spiral due to many buildings nearing the end of their operatio
23/02/2017
Mott MacDonald has strengthened its North East team by appointing Phil Redman as director of its Newcastle office. With 25 years of industry experience, Mr Redman will be responsible for managing the company's business in the North East region. He previously joined the consultancy in 2002 and has
23/02/2017
Architecture practice Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCB Studios) has won a RIBA competition to design a new £33 million building for the University of Warwick's Faculty of Arts. The firm, which beat off competition from Foster + Partners, Grimshaw, White Arkitekter and Wilkinson Eyre, will lead th
23/02/2017
Kier has been appointed to build a new £23 million school in Sheffield. The contractor will deliver the new Woodside School on behalf of the council. Enabling works will start next month, with main construction works to begin in summer. The scheme is the first contract awarded through the new YORb
23/02/2017
Housebuilder Barratt has reported a "very strong" financial performance for the first half of the year. Half year profit before tax was up 8.8% to £312 million (2015: £295m), while revenue also rose 3.2% to £1,816.2m (2015: £1,875.5). In addition, housing completions outside of London were at thei
23/02/2017
Threaded and milled special fasteners manufacturer, Hague Fasteners, has announced plans to expand its business operations in Willenhall. The company completed the purchase of a new manufacturing facility at the end of January and is a short distance from its existing Watery Lane factory. Work to
22/02/2017
Over 400,000 new workers are needed each year until 2021 if Britain is to deliver its construction needs, according to a new report by industry consultant Arcadis. The Arcadis Talent Scale has been developed to measure the extent of the UK's skills crisis across the infrastructure and house buildin
22/02/2017
Student accommodation developer Unite has acquired a new development site in Manchester. The deal, worth £41 million, sees the company take control of a site located close to the University of Manchester, which could potentially accommodate around 450 students. Unite said the acquisition increases
22/02/2017
Graham Construction has started work on the next phase of a school development project in London. The contractor is delivering the £16.7 million North Block building for the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama at its North London campus. The new facility will replace the existing two-storey b
22/02/2017
Work is to begin on a £900,000 rail platform extension project in North Yorkshire. The scheme at Northallerton station is set to begin on Saturday, 25 February. The platform will be extended by 20 metres to allow all carriages of Virgin's new Azuma trains to fit into the station, which are schedul
22/02/2017
Esh Border Construction has completed work on a host of 'affordable' housing schemes across Cumbra. The seven projects total almost £20 million and were delivered in the last year to help meet housing demand in their areas. The schemes include: • Three developments for Two Castles Housing Associa
22/02/2017
Britcon has been appointed to build a new £2.1 million 'bulk store' facility at the Port of King's Lynn. Construction on the scheme will start this month and is set to be complete in July. The 85m by 40m, steel-framed, reinforced concrete building will store dry bulk in four separate bays. Feature
22/02/2017
BAM Nuttall has started trialling new technology which monitors the tiredness levels of construction workers. The wearable technology, Life by SmartCap, consists of a LifeBand which can be worn on its own or worn inside a worker's safety helmet. Five of the units are currently being tested on one
22/02/2017
Briggs and Forrester has rebranded its residential mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) business as part of its company expansion plans. The Briggs and Forrester MEP division will now be renamed to Briggs and Forrester Living, Over the last three years, the business has grown from £40 million
22/02/2017
Plans have been approved for a £2 million redevelopment project in Accrington. Designed by IBI Group, the scheme involves transforming the town's historic Town Square to create simple, high quality flexible space. The plans were developed in collaboration with graphic design consultancy Smiling Wo
22/02/2017
Astrak UK, part of the Astrak Group of companies have recently been appointed the UK dealer for Berco S.p.A. for their extensive range of crawler undercarriage parts. The partnership between Berco and Astrak will focus on making available Berco's extensive range of premium quality undercarriage co
22/02/2017
Have you noticed a build up of Dust on your Goods and Racking systems? Has your automated scanning systems stopped functioning? Do your employees complain of respiratory problems? If you answered yes to any of these questions your warehouse could be suffering from poor air quality. These problems c
21/02/2017
A major milestone has been reached on the £85 million Ordsall Chord project in Manchester. The two arches, which weigh 600 tonnes and form the centrepiece of the development, have been successfully lifted into place to form a new bridge The works mark the completion of a major phase on the Great N
21/02/2017
Kier Construction has been appointed with CTP Limited to deliver a £200 million redevelopment scheme in Liverpool. The property developers have been selected by the city council to lead the transformation of Pall Mall Exchange and create up to 400,000 sq ft of Grade A office space over three buildi
21/02/2017
Wates has won a £21.3 million contract to build a new BAE Systems' training facility in Barrow. The new Central Training Facility will provide training facilities for apprentices on the company's Successor Programme and is intended to boost the business' existing submarine trade labour pool. Featu
21/02/2017
Buckingham Group has been selected to build a £22 million transport interchange in Worcestershire. The Worcestershire Parkway Regional Interchange Station will be built east of M5 Junction 7 at Norton. Completion is scheduled for 2018. Buckingham will start site preparation and final design work t
21/02/2017
IBI Group has been selected to draw up plans for a major regeneration project in Medway. The firm will prepare a Development Framework for the transformation of Strood Riverside. IBI will work alongside the council, flood defence engineers and property developers to design plans to regenerate the
21/02/2017
Balfour Beatty has agreed to sell its Middle East Joint Ventures (JV) for £11 million. Under the deal, Dubai Transport Company (Dutco) will assume ownership over half of Dutco Balfour Beatty and BK Gulf. As a result, Dutco will take responsibility for Balfour Beatty’s guarantees of bonding obligat
21/02/2017
Island Gas Limited has submitted two applications for environmental permits at an oil and gas site in Surrey. The company is seeking permission from the Environment Agency to bring the Palmers Wood oil and gas site into line with current regulations for conventional oil and gas sites. An EA spokes
21/02/2017
Galliford Try has reported a 'strong' first half performance in its results for the six months ended 31 December 2016. The Group revealed its revenue has risen to 4% to £1,235 million (H12016: £1,182m) while profit before tax was up 19% to £63m (H12016: £52.9m). Company net debt has also been reduc
21/02/2017
Most people don't think about finding a dependable locksmith until an emergency happens, which is mostly at the very inconvenient time. If you need to replace, repair or rekey your locks or to install a new lock or alarm system, it means that it's time to find a reliable home locksmith. Moreover, if
21/02/2017
Metro Safety has once again demonstrated a commitment to ensuring high levels of competency amongst their fire risk assessors by commissioning Colin Todd of C.S. Todd & Associates Ltd to lead a CPD training event on the new CFOA guidance: Fire Safety for Specialised Housing in England and Wales. Th
20/02/2017
Plans have been submitted for the second phase of a £70 million mixed-use development near Manchester. Developer Nikal is aiming to continue work on the Altair scheme, a new major residential, leisure and lifestyle Quarter in Altrincham town centre designed by architects Stephenson Studio. Eric Wr
20/02/2017
Interserve has revealed the cost of exiting its Energy from Waste (EfW) business has more than doubled from £70 million to £160 million. The Board announced an exceptional provision of £70m in May last year to cover exit costs. However, in a trading update today, 20 February, the Board revealed it
20/02/2017
Bovis Homes has revealed plans to slow its build programme after a "difficult" year. In its final results for the year ended 31 December 2016, the company is making a one-off £7 million customer care provision due to "weaknesses in our production process and a high level of customer service issues"
20/02/2017
The Welsh Government is to build a new £2.5 million manufacturing facility for photonic producer Qioptiq. The purpose-built centre, which will be developed on Qioptiq's premises on St Asaph Business Park, is being delivered after the firm won a £82m contract with the Ministry of Defence (Mod). Und
20/02/2017
Industry consultancy Waterman has appointed Andy King as a director of its structures business in the North of England. With 25 years' industry experience, Mr King has worked with a number of high profile businesses over the course of his career, notably Ramboll and the Halcrow Group. He joins the
20/02/2017
Industry consultant Turner & Townsend (T&T) is to merge with UK-based specialist asset advisory company AMCL. The deal will see the two companies join together to bolster their offering in advisory, programme management, project management and cost and commercial management services. AMCL's global
20/02/2017
Murphy Group has strengthened its design expertise by acquiring AECOM Design Build Ireland (ADBI). The deal will expand the Group's existing presence in the sector by bringing significant design, engineering, commissioning, operations and maintenance skills to its water sector offering, notably in
20/02/2017
Work is continuing on a road bridge repair project in Leicestershire. The structure on Grove Lane in Barrow upon Soar is scheduled to reopen on Monday, 27 March. Pieces of the bridge fell onto the tracks overnight in August last year, resulting in train services bound for London through the East M
20/02/2017
Soteria Asbestos' Managing Director (MD), Suzanne Smith, has been shortlisted for the East Midlands Enterprising Business Woman of the Year award. The nomination follows an amazing first two years for the Retford business; winning Best New Business at the Gainsborough Business Awards and Ms Smith w
20/02/2017
Lite Stone has announced a special deal on Mare sheet orders until the end of March. Customers who use the MARE15 voucher code on the My Cart page of Lite Stone's online store will receive a 15% discount. Just simply click the 'apply voucher' button and type in the code. Mare Slate Veneer is a cla
17/02/2017
SES Engineering Services has won a £9.5 million contract to deliver mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) services on a major mixed-use scheme in London. The engineering specialist will help main contractor Galliford Try deliver the project in the city's Marylebone district on Seymour Street.
17/02/2017
Mott MacDonald has been appointed to help deliver a proposed £8 billion tidal power project in north west England. The company is an advisor for the Northern Tidal Power Gateways scheme across Morecambe Bay and the Duddon Estuary, analysing how the wider economic benefits of the scheme can be captu
17/02/2017
A joint venture (JV) between Balfour Beatty/ Morgan Sindall/Vinci has agreed to pay Crossrail workers £867 each month as part of a finishing bonus. Electricians, mechanical engineers and plumbers working on the new Whitechapel Crossrail station will receive nearly £900 every four weeks as productiv
17/02/2017
Morgan Sindall has been selected to deliver three school expansion projects in Devon. The schemes are worth £3.5 million and aim to alleviate the pressure on school places in the region. The first project will see the firm replace temporary classroom blocks with a new school building at Withycombe
17/02/2017
Interserve has been prosecuted after committing an environmental offence in East Sussex. The company admitted to a single incident of discharging silt-laden water into a tributary of the River Rother in Burwash on 01 October 2014. It was fined £54,000 with £5,955 in costs. The company was contract
17/02/2017
Work is continuing on a £23 million land slip repair project in Cumbria. Network Rail said the scheme to reinstate the Settle to Carlisle railway is progressing well, with the route planned to be reopened on 31 March. Major flooding in the area last year caused around 500,000 tonnes of earth to gi
17/02/2017
Gleeds has appointed Mark Syrett as Director of its infrastructure team in London. With over 25 years' experience in the construction industry, Mr Syrett formerly worked as a Commercial Executive Director and a Programme Director with Transport for London. Gleeds said he will be "instrumental" in
17/02/2017
Kier has announced plans to open a new office in Manchester. A total of 250 new jobs will be created once the new national Finance Shared Service Centre (FSSC) is built on Fountain Street. The site, currently being refurbished by Kier Property, will feature around 25,000 sq ft of space over five f
17/02/2017
Housing Minister Gavin Barwell has opened a new 'affordable' housing development in Gillingham. A total of 32 bungalows for social rent have been built on the former site of Gillingham Community College, as part of an £8.5 million housing development project. The scheme, which has been designed wi
17/02/2017
An industry equipment supplier has been prosecuted after a worker died while carrying out tests on a hydraulic cylinder. AGD Equipment Limited of Masons Road, Stratford Enterprise Park, Stratford-Upon-Avon pleaded guilty of breaching regulation 12 (1) of the Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regula
16/02/2017
Wates has won a £19.2 million contract to build a new senior living facility in Hertfordshire. The contractor will deliver 95 care home units on behalf of Signature Senior Lifestyle in Bushy. Designed by PRP Architects, the new Bushy development comprises of 38 studio apartments, 40 one-bedroom ap
16/02/2017
Work is underway on a £100 million office development in Bristol. ISG has started demolition and site clearance works for 'The Approach', a major new corporate office scheme off Hunts Ground Road, east of Bristol Parkway Station. The five-storey 160,000 sq ft building will be one of the best-conne
16/02/2017
A major milestone has been reached on the £1.2 billion Northern Line Extension project in London. Two tunnel boring machines (Helen and Amy) have been lowered 20 metres below ground in Battersea. The machines will create two 3.2km underground tunnels to extend the Charing Cross branch of the North
16/02/2017
Plans have been approved for a new luxury hotel to be created in Westminster. The historic Old War Office building is set to be redeveloped into a new £1 billion five-star facility by The Hinduja Group and OHL Developments. The 1,000-room Edwardian building will be transformed with a double-height
16/02/2017
Thousands of steelworkers have voted in favour of new proposals on pensions, jobs, investment and production. Union members of sites in Wales, Scotland, South Yorkshire and Teesside all supported Tata Steel's new proposals, which included major investment plans and job security. Tony Brady, nation
16/02/2017
Bowmer and Kirkland (B&K) has completed a £4.2 million school refurbishment project in London. The scheme, delivered in partnership with Pick Everard, was carried out at The Queen's Church of England Primary School in Richmond. The project formed part of the Government's £4.4 billion Priority Schoo
16/02/2017
Work is to begin on a £10 million electricity network modernisation project across mid-Cheshire. Around 4km of new 33,000 volt cables will be installed by SP Energy Networks across Winsford, Northwich and the surrounding areas. Plans include installing 3km of new cable along School Lane and into C
16/02/2017
Manchester City Council has awarded a five-year property management contract to Jacobs Engineering Group. The deal, which has an option for a two-year extension, will see Jacobs support the council's growth strategy for the city. Under the contract, the Group will; manage the council's investment
16/02/2017
Network Rail has completed a £6 million flood alleviation project in London. A new drainage system has been installed at Fulwell station in Richmond-upon-Thames. The new pumping system will take excess rain water into a newly built storage lagoon, before being released gradually into existing drai
16/02/2017
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has joined the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC). As the latest organisation to join the NHIC, the FMB's Director of External Affairs Sarah McMonagle will sit on the Leaders Council. The FMB will work alongside companies, trade associations and accred
15/02/2017
Outline planning consent has been approved for a £175 million mixed-use development in Sheffield. Plans for the West Bar Square scheme comprises of a mix of office space, PRS apartment blocks, a four-star hotel, restaurants, and retail units on a city centre site. With permission granted by the c
15/02/2017
BAM has been selected to help deliver the £500 million Paradise development in Birmingham. The contractor will build Two Chamberlain Square, the second building in the first phase of the scheme. Completion is scheduled for 2019. Designed by Glenn Howells Architects, the 183,000 sq ft building will
15/02/2017
Russells Construction has been selected to deliver a £34 million refurbishment scheme at a historic warehouse building in Manchester. The contractor will strip back and remodel the 109,000 sq ft Hanover House building in Corporation Street to create new office space. Wates was originally appointed
15/02/2017
Plans have been submitted to redevelop Sheffield United's football stadium. The club is aiming to develop the Cherry Street/Shoreham Street Corner at Bramall Lane stadium into a new four-storey largely residential building called 'Boundary Corner'. Designed by architects WCEC, the project features
15/02/2017
Loxam has completed its acquisition of Leicestershire-based power accessed specialist Lavendon. The French firm, which has secured a 75% ownership stake in the company, said it will delist Lavendon from the London Stock Exchange, which is expected to take place next month. Loxam had previously bee
15/02/2017
Graham has begun work to refurbish an office block for Legal & General (L&G) in London. The contractor is delivering 111,000 sq ft of new workspace at Senator House on Queen Victoria Street. Designed by Ben Adams architects, features include a new seventh floor roof terrace as well as a café, new
15/02/2017
Work is continuing on a new £3.8 million flood alleviation scheme in Staffordshire. The Rugeley Flood Risk Management Scheme aims to reduce flood risk for over 114 homes and 159 businesses in the town. Preparations for the construction of the embankment on Hagley playing fields have now started, w
15/02/2017
LNT Care Developments is continuing work to build a new 66-bed care home in Northamptonshire. The construction of Timken Grange in Duston is due to finish in December 2017. Once complete, features will include a cinema, library, garden room and tea shop, surrounded by landscaped gardens. LNT also
15/02/2017
A roofing contractor has been prosecuted after one of his employees was killed when he fell from a flat roof during repair work in Manchester. Roy Hardaker, who traded as 9 to 5 Roofing, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was sentenced to nin
15/02/2017
Project Management and Design at Glasgow City Council has utilised Allgood ironmongery and doorsets to ensure durable, clean design products were used within a residential building designed for Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Health and Social Care Local Partnership. Allgood ironmongery had previousl
14/02/2017
Demolition works have started on £500 million residential scheme in London. The Westferry Printworks scheme will see 700 new private and affordable homes built on a 15-acre site in London's Docklands. The project owner, Northern & Shell, commenced demolition works with development manager Mace on
14/02/2017
A consultation has been launched on plans for a £170 million road dualling project in Somerset. The scheme involves upgrading the route between Sparkford and Ilchester to relieve the over-congested road and create 30 miles of dual carriageway between Mere and South Petherton. With over 26,000 vehi
14/02/2017
Willmott Dixon has won a £32 million contract to build a new secondary school academy in southern Hertfordshire. The contractor will deliver the new Hertswood Academy in Borehamwood and work is scheduled to be complete in 2019. Designed by Bond Bryan Architects, the new facility will be built in C
14/02/2017
A major industry consultation is underway over plans to reform Levy proposals for 2018. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is planning to reduce the Levy from 0.5% to 0.35%, with CIS payments for subcontracted workers remaining at 1.25%. Up to 70,000 in scope employers will be invited
14/02/2017
Laing O'Rourke's has announced its Managing Director (MD), Paul Sheffield, is stepping down from his position. Having joined the business in 2014, the company said Mr Sheffield's appointment was based on a "relatively short horizon". He previously spent 31 years at Kier, including four as Chief Ex
14/02/2017
Mott MacDonald has expanded its international skillbase by purchasing Wideurope Engineering. Established in 2002, Wideurope operates primarily in the energy sector providing expert technical support and professional services in civil, structural and electro-mechanical design. With more than 50 peo
14/02/2017
A major milestone has been reached on a £9.1 million retirement living scheme in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. The final roof tiles have been installed to mark the completion of external works on the 54-apartment scheme in Orton Brimbles. The over-55's Lapwing Apartments facility is being built by
14/02/2017
An engineering firm has been prosecuted after an overhead crane crushed a workers leg. F. Brazil Reinforcements Ltd of Romainville Way, Charfleets Industrial Estate, Canvey Island pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and to two separate breaches of
13/02/2017
A major milestone has been reached on the £117 million New Wear Crossing project in Sunderland. The 100-metre A-frame structure, which is the focus point of the new crossing, was raised into position on Saturday, 11 February. The 1,550-tonne pylon was gradually installed during a 15-and-a-half hou
13/02/2017
ISG has won a £22 million contract to build nearly 200 new apartments in Norwich. The contractor will deliver the first phase of 437 new homes at the St Anne's Quarter development in the city centre. The scheme, which is being carried out for developer Orbit, will see 190 apartments built at the s
13/02/2017
Plans have been approved to build a new £60 million Life Sciences building at the University of Sussex. Around 600 new jobs are expected to be created by the scheme across Brighton, Hove and the region. The scheme has been backed by leading scientists, such as Nobel Prize-winner Sir Paul Nurse, an
13/02/2017
Work is continuing on a trio of developments on the Oxford Road Corridor in Manchester. Following the completion of the former BBC site redevelopment on Brook Street, Oxford Road will close for five weeks to allow further major development projects to be carried out. Manchester Metropolitan Univer
13/02/2017
Plans have been unveiled to create a new £45 million junction on the M49 near Bristol. As part of a £15 billion investment programme by the Government, Highways England has announced its preferred option for a new road junction at Avonmouth. Featuring a two-bridge junction design, the proposal use
13/02/2017
Lite Stone has released Slate Lite's new 2017 Slate Veneer catalogue, with new technical data and fixing guides. Slate Lite is a stone veneer with a real stone surface and a fibreglass or flexible cotton based backing. Slate Veneer is suitable for nearly all internal wall applications including sh
10/02/2017
Contractors have started lifting into place the 100-metre centrepiece pylon on the new £117 million New Wear Crossing. The Farrans Victor Buyck Joint Venture (FVB) is working alongside Sarens to complete the lifting operation, which began at 8am today, 10 January. The two-day process is the first
10/02/2017
Kier has been appointed to build a new £15.5 million hospice in Chichester. Work on the new St. Wilfrid's Hospice in Bosham is scheduled for completion in late 2018. Features include 18 ensuite rooms, over 100 sq ft larger than the current rooms, with piped oxygen available in each. In addition, f
10/02/2017
Rydon has been selected to develop a new £10 million community hub in Bath. The contractor will build the new facility for Curo Homes at its Mulberry Park development. Construction will start this Spring, with completion scheduled for September 2018. Designed by architects BDP, the hub will sit in
10/02/2017
Morgan Sindall has reached a major milestone on a student accommodation scheme in Plymouth. The contractor held a topping out ceremony for the £7.5 million four-storey development located next to the historic Royal Eye Infirmary Hospital. Representatives from Maple Grove Developments, Yorvale and
10/02/2017
Beard has selected Darren Miller as its new Commercial Director. Having joined the company's Board in 2006, Mr Miller will be responsible for managing all commercial activity and central procurement of Beard's £137 million turnover company which operates across the South of England. Previously, he
10/02/2017
McLaren Construction has reported 'strong' financial growth in its results for the year ending 31 July 2016. With turnover rising to £481 million from £378m, as well as recording a profit of £4.1m, the company anticipates turnover for this year to be over £600m. At the same time as unveiling its r
10/02/2017
A major milestone has been reached at the £300 million Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 facility in West Yorkshire. The energy-from-waste scheme has successfully processed one million tonnes of fuel since beginning operations in July 2015. Jointly owned by SSE and Wheelabrator Technologies, the plant uses
10/02/2017
Unite Students has purchased a major student village for £227 million in Birmingham. The Aston Student Village (ASV) site comprises of over 3,000 beds spread across five large, detached properties on Aston University's campus in the centre of the city. The acquisition has been carried out in a 50:
09/02/2017
HS2 has awarded four design contracts for the second phase of the multi-billion high speed rail project. CH2M, Arup, an AECOM/Capita/INECO joint venture and a Mott MacDonald/WSP joint venture have each been selected to take forward four packages of work worth £520 million. The contracts are Phase
09/02/2017
A joint venture (JV) between Jackson Civil Engineering and Hyder Consulting (JacksonHyder) has started work on a new £18 million flood defence project in Newhaven. The Newhaven Flood Alleviation Scheme aims to reduce the flood risk to around 431 homes and 387 commercial properties by upgrading tida
09/02/2017
Keepmoat has acquired land to deliver the first phase of a 560-home residential scheme in West Yorkshire. The contractor has paid £3.65 million for nearly 10 acres of Harworth's Flass Lane scheme in Castleford. Plans include building 157 plots over the next 18 months once primary infrastructure wor
09/02/2017
Thousands of new homes are set to be delivered via a £3 billion extension to the Bakerloo line in London. The extension project to Lewisham via Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate will support growth through new housing, improved connectivity, increased transport network capacity and reduced journey t
09/02/2017
Plans have been approved to build new student halls in Middlesborough. A mix of 160 individual studios and cluster apartments will be developed on the site of the former Douglas House building. Castel Student will deliver a five-storey facility featuring community-focused amenities and underground
09/02/2017
Barnwood Construction has won a £13 million contract to build a new office and laboratory facility at Oxford Science Park. The Gloucestershire-based company will develop over 60,000 sq ft of Category A office facilities, along with laboratories and a roof terrace, on Plot 12 of the Park. Work is sc
09/02/2017
Surgo Construction has started work on a new £1.3 million mixed-use scheme in Northumberland. The company is delivering a number of retail units and apartments in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea as part of an ongoing regeneration of the town. Plans include developing a 9,380 sq ft three-storey building on th
09/02/2017
A building contractor has been sentenced after a worker was killed during work to repair a warehouse roof in Manchester. Saleem Hussain of Birchfields Road, Manchester pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was sentenced to eight months in pris
08/02/2017
Lovell has started groundwork on a new £100 million urban village project in Cardiff. The contractor is delivering 800 homes on a 53-acre brownfield site close to the city centre, previously the Arjo Wiggins Paper Mill. The Mill, Canton scheme is being developed by Lovell in partnership with Tirio
08/02/2017
A major milestone has been reached on the £58 Ipswich Flood Barrier Scheme. A joint venture (JV) between VolkerStevin, Boskalis Westminster and Atkins has completed the £21m first phase of the scheme, which involved installing a cofferdam. The structure has now been pumped dry and river silt/grave
08/02/2017
Galliford Try has been appointed to deliver a new multi-million pound railway station in Wolverhampton. The contractor is now underway with pre-construction services on the scheme, which will see a new city station built as part of the £132m Wolverhampton Interchange Partnership. Plans include dem
08/02/2017
Thousands of homes are set to be upgraded via a £38 million improvement programme in Manchester. Salix Homes is making the investment to improve more than 4,000 homes across the city as part of a £75m pledge to improve its homes and communities. Upgrades include external and internal works as well
08/02/2017
The Welsh Government has revealed plans to invest an extra £15.5 million to create 100,000 high quality apprenticeship places. The funding boost will be used to address skills shortages by developing apprenticeships growth and emerging sectors such as the ICT, Engineering, Construction and Financia
08/02/2017
A new method to conserve great crested newts is to be rolled out across the UK to speed up house building timescales. Natural England will implement the new approach after it was piloted in partnership with Woking borough council in Surrey. The method focuses on bringing the the greatest benefits
08/02/2017
A company director has been jailed for serious safety failings which left a young worker with substantial burns to his arms and legs. David Gordon Stead of Mildred Street, Beddau, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and also pled guilty to breaching Sect
08/02/2017
Network Rail is continuing work to replace a 116-year-old bridge in Derbyshire. Work to rebuild the Awsworth Road bridge in Ilkeston got underway in September last year. Time-lapse footage of the scheme shows wooden decking being laid over the tracks before the old bridge is carefully lifted out a
07/02/2017
Quintain has unveiled plans to deliver 5,000 private-rental-sector (PRS) at Wembley Park in London. With £800 million in funding secured, as well as planning, 3,000 homes are set to be under construction by the end of 2017. The development, which will be delivered in phases over the next seven yea
07/02/2017
The UK Government has revealed its plans to reform the housing market and increase the number of homes across England. Unveiling the Housing White Paper today, 07 February, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said current "broken" market can be solved by "building more houses in the places that peopl
07/02/2017
Plans have been approved for a new £100 million residential development in Kent. Proposals by property regeneration developer U+I involve building more than 310 new homes on brownfield land on Royal Engineers Road in Maidstone. Designed by architects Guy Hollaway, the scheme includes a range of bu
07/02/2017
Lendlease is set to be chosen as a development partner for Haringey Council, it has been revealed. The local authority will decide whether the contractor is to become its preferred partner for the £2 billion Haringey Development Vehicle (HDV) on 14 February. If approved, at least 5,000 new homes a
07/02/2017
Willmott Dixon Interiors has won a £4.5 million contract to create a new campus for Coventry University. The contractor will deliver a new London campus at the Grade II listed Civic Centre in Dagenham. The building will be transformed into a modern learning environment for students undertaking a r
07/02/2017
New figures have revealed turnover in the UK Oilfield services (OFS) sector declined by nearly £5 billion in 2015. The 'Review of the UK oilfield services industry' report by EY states the overall annual turnover of UK OFS fell from £40.6bn in 2014 to £35.7bn in 2015. In addition, export activity
07/02/2017
Network Rail is to begin work to upgrade a road bridge in Cardiff. The redevelopment of Splott Road Bridge forms part of the company's electrification of the South Wales Mainline. The existing 117-year-old structure will be demolished and replaced with a new and improved structure, heightened to g
07/02/2017
Student accommodation developer GSA has strengthened its senior team by appointing Struan Robertson as Global Head of Investment Management. In addition, Mr Robertson has been selected as an executive of the Group Board and Chairman of GSA's Investment Committee. Struan has joined the business as
06/02/2017
Walsall Council and Highways England have selected a design for a new £64.5 million road junction on the M6. The new M6 junction 10 is being developed to reduce congestion, increase safety and improve links for businesses in the area. Features include building two new bridges, increasing the junct
06/02/2017
Interserve has secured a new £65 million facilities management (FM) contract with Network Rail. The five-year deal builds upon the Group's existing relationship with Network Rail, which has included providing cleaning services across the organisation's estate for the last five years. Features of t
06/02/2017
Work to rebuild the historic Tadcaster Bridge in North Yorkshire is now complete. Balfour Beatty repaired the structure after the bridge partially collapsed due to flood water during heavy rains in Christmas 2015. The 12-month scheme involved the company utilising its knowledge of coastal protecti
06/02/2017
Skanska has completed building a new Catering, Retail and Leisure (CRL) facility at a British Army barracks in Hampshire. The contractor worked alongside the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to deliver the new building, which forms part of the new £250 million Defence College of Logistics,
06/02/2017
Plans to build a new student hall of residence have been revealed Imperial College London. The college has purchased a 1.8-acre site on Wales Farm Road in North Acton to build the 700-bed undergraduate facility. The new hall will increase bed space for students and will add to the existing Imperia
06/02/2017
Leeds City Council is to discuss plans to invest £6.5 million in the CityConnect Cycle Superhighway. Proposals for the 23km cycle superhighway includes adding an additional 10km of segregated cycle lanes, 'CityConnect 2', from the city centre to Elland Road and on to south Leeds and Morley. In add
06/02/2017
A demolition contractor has been jailed after ignoring an asbestos survey and illegally removing the material from a building he was working on in Greater Manchester. David William Briggs of Wellington Street, Bury, was charged with failing to protect the safety of his employees, failing to protect
06/02/2017
The Welsh Government has unveiled a new £10 million fund to help regenerate town centres across the country. The funding forms the third phase of the Vibrant and Viable Places Town Centre Loans Fund, which will support town centre redevelopment in 12 areas. Councils who have secured funding are; D
06/02/2017
Renew Holdings has announced its Group Finance Director, John Samuel, is to step down from his position. Having worked with the Group for 10 years, Mr Samuel is leaving the company "in order to pursue new opportunities". In a statement, the Group said Mr Samuel is expected to remain in his post ov
06/02/2017
Work is underway to explore the potential of building a third Menai Strait crossing to improve access to and from Anglesey. Welsh Economy and Infrastructure Secretary Ken Skates has met with interested parties today, 06 February, to discuss developing a preferred option for a new bridge. The multi
03/02/2017
North Midland Construction (NM Group) has won a £24 million contract to build a new student accommodation project in Sheffield. The company will develop a seven-storey apartment block on Denby Street. Work is underway on ground remediation work and completion is scheduled for June 2018. The scheme
03/02/2017
New figures have revealed over 150,000 new UK homes were registered by the National House Building Council (NHBC) last year. A total of 151,687 new homes were registered, a 2% decline compared to 2015 (155,504). However, the figures are a 70% increase compared to levels from the 2008 crash. Overal
03/02/2017
Plans have been approved for a new graduate accommodation scheme in Cambridge. A joint venture (JV) between Howard Property Group and Osborne is proposing to deliver four new blocks comprising of purpose-built accommodation on the site of Mount Pleasant House. It is anticipated demolition work on
03/02/2017
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) has welcomed the publication of a strategy paper to build a third £18.6 billion runway at Heathrow. The draft National Policy Statement (NPS) outlines a number of proposals on the expansion, including noise mitigation measures, paying home owners
03/02/2017
L&Q Housing Association (HA) has purchased Gallagher Estates for approximately £505 million. The deal follows L&Q's merger with East Thames Limited, which plans to deliver 100,000 new homes. Under the acquisition, Gallagher Estates will become a wholly owned subsidiary of L&Q, and will continue to
03/02/2017
Work is continuing on a £23 million railway line reinstatement project between Settle and Carlisle. Network Rail engineers are working to repair the historic railway after around half a-million tonnes of earth gave way beneath the ground in February 2016. Workers have now started driving two rows
03/02/2017
Highways England is to begin a £8.3 million junction upgrade project on the M1 in Leeds. The 30-week scheme will see approaches to the M1 roundabout widened, while an extra lane will be added increasing it from two lanes to three. In addition, new traffic signal crossings and improved cycle and pe
03/02/2017
The owners of a fencing contractor has been prosecuted after a worker was seriously injured by falling timber posts and frames. Maurice James Blackford of Minster Road, Stourport, Kidderminster, pled guilty to breaching section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Susan Hawthorne of
03/02/2017
Construction work has started on a new 2.5MW solar park project in Swindon. The Barnfield Solar Park scheme, developed by Public Power Solutions (PPS), will see a new solar farm built on a council-owned former landfill site adjacent to the recycling centre at Cheney Manor. The facility will help p
03/02/2017
Frimstone has unveiled its new Quarry and Railhead located near the bustling Cambridge Market. The plant has a capacity of 200,000 tonnes per annum and puts the business in prime place to capture the growth in the Cambridge Market. Having opened in September, it has already delivered 20 trains of
02/02/2017
Balfour Beatty has won a £150 million contract to build a new residential tower in London. The contractor will develop the 53-storey 'The Madison Tower' featuring 423 apartments, a residents' lounge and business facilities at Canary Wharf. Balfour Beatty signed a £1m pre-construction services agre
02/02/2017
A public consultation has been launched over plans to build a £17.6 billion runway at Heathrow Airport. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling confirmed Government plans for a new north-west runway at Heathrow in October 2016. The runway is likely to be optional by 2025. A draft national policy statem
02/02/2017
BAM has been selected to deliver a new £18 million care unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Wales. Preparatory work on the Sub-Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Centre is already underway, which will result in a new unit to care for very sick and premature babies. The Welsh Government is providing £1.4m
02/02/2017
A joint venture (JV) between Carillion and telecom company Telent has won a contract extension with Openreach, a division of BT. Under the new framework agreement, the three-year extension is potentially worth up to £1.5 billion and runs until the end of 2021. Features include the maintenance, ext
02/02/2017
Cheetham Hill Construction (CHH) has appointed Adrian Taylor as its new Managing Director (MD). With over 25 years' industry experience, Mr Taylor is a former director at Eric Wright Civil Engineering. He is also a Chartered Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Fellow of the Chartere
02/02/2017
Construction workloads in the UK have now started to bounce back after a period of decline following the EU referendum. According to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Construction Market Survey, workloads expectations rose to a reading of 57%, up from 49% and 23% in Q3 and
02/02/2017
A Nigerian national has been prosecuted for using a fake skills card to work on constructions sites in the UK. Gideon Emeka Okafor, 23, was charged with using a fake French national identification card in order to obtain a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card in August 2015. He was
02/02/2017
Britcon has been selected to deliver an extension to ReFood (UK)'s £24 million waste recycling plant in Widnes. The company will build a new £1.2m digester tank on the site, which processes 120,000 tonnes of waste per year to produce 5MWh of renewable energy. The new 18-metre-high and 16-metre-dia
02/02/2017
An engineering firm has been prosecuted for safety failings after a worker was seriously injured at the company's premises in Blaydon-on-Tyne. H E Realisations Ltd (now in liquidation, formerly Hogg Engineering Ltd) of pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 19
02/02/2017
The largest UK fines for health and safety incidents have increased substantially in the past year, with some of the biggest brands in business having to pay millions of pounds for failing to control serious risks to employees and the public. There were 19 fines of £1 million or more in 2016 - the
01/02/2017
Midas Construction has started work to build a £6.2 million hub for the National College for Nuclear (NCfN) in Somerset. The Southern NCfN Hub is being developed at Bridgwater & Taunton College's Cannington Centre and is due to welcome its first students in 2017. A northern hub is also being deve
01/02/2017
SES Engineering Services has been selected to provide mechanical and electrical (M&E) services for a major student village project in York. Wates Construction has appointed the company to help deliver the Vita Student Village York scheme on the site of the former St Joseph's convent on St Lawrence
01/02/2017
Highways England has selected Mott MacDonald's joint venture with Sweco (MMS JV) to design elements of two smart motorways in southern England. The MMS JV will develop plans for the schemes between junctions 4-11 of the M27 and junctions 9-14 of the M3. Features include designing a range of innova
01/02/2017
Telford Homes has purchased a development site for £30.2 million in London. The 0.94-acre site on Cambridge Heath Road, Bethal Green was formerly home to the London Electricity Board (LEB). Telford Homes is now proposing to redevelop the site, creating 'affordable' homes as well as an element of c
01/02/2017
Gleeds has been selected to help deliver almost £275 million worth of residential developments across Greater London. The industry consultant will provide cost and project management services for developer Danescroft Land on the projects. The first phase of works involves the production of feasibi
01/02/2017
The UK Government has been urged to scrap its decision on treating remote island wind projects the same as mainland onshore wind. A consultation on the subject by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy came to close on Tuesday, 31 January. However, the Civil Engineering Contract
01/02/2017
An industry-wide skills cards audit is scheduled to take place across UK construction sites next week. The audit, led by Build UK and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), will be held on Wednesday, 08 February. The organisation's members will check for skills cards carrying the CSC
01/02/2017
BAM Nuttall has helped deliver a new road bridge in Newbury, West Berkshire. The contractor worked alongside Network Rail to redevelop the structure on Boundary Road. The bridge has been widened to create a new two-lane bridge. However, it will operate as a single-lane crossing with temporary traf
01/02/2017
Lite Stone has unveiled four new slate veneer colours for 2017. All of Lite Stone's Slate Veneers are available from its UK warehouse in 122 x 61cm sheet size and from Germany in 240 x 120cm sheet size. Jumbo size sheets and translucent sheets are available. Delivery is 5 - 10 working days from wh
01/02/2017
The building materials sector is a demanding one, moving its diverse products quickly, effectively and without damage can be challenging. Material handling experts B&B Attachments are the market leaders in the supply of forklift attachments to this industry. B&B manufacture and supply specialist att
