Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
UK Construction News Archive for March 2018
29/03/2018
Work has started on a £13.1 million building modernisation project at the University of Leicester. Stepnell has been appointed to upgrade the Percy Gee Building by extending and enhancing the East Wing of the multi-purpose facility. Designed by Shepheard Epstein Hunter architects, features includ
29/03/2018
Work is back on track at the multi-million pound Barts Square residential development in London after developer Helical appointed new contractors to the scheme following the collapse of Carillion. The now-defunct industry services firm was the main contractor on the project when it entered into com
29/03/2018
Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey has announced up to £36 million is to be shared between 25 flood schemes across England. The funding, which was announced in the Autumn Statement to improve flood protection, will help protect thousands of homes from flooding, enhance the environment and bolster
29/03/2018
Construction work is underway on a £90 million shopping centre expansion project in Ashford. McLaren Construction is carrying out work at McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Ashford to add a new section onto the existing 185,000 sq ft. centre. The 100,000 sq ft scheme will add 50 new luxury and premium b
29/03/2018
Up to £2 million is being made available by the Government to help rural communities restore historical buildings. The Historic Building Restoration Grant is being piloted in five National Parks; Dartmoor, Lake District, Northumberland, Peak District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. The fund wi
29/03/2018
Amey has strengthened its senior team by appointing David McLoughlin as Interim Managing Director of Utilities. With more than 30 years' client and supplier side experience. Mr McLoughlin is joining the company from Brandes House Consultancy, where he was Managing Director. He has previously worke
29/03/2018
Work has started on a £2.4 million restoration project at the historic White Lion pub building in Stockport. The 15th century Grade II listed building is being transformed into 11 new apartments above a ground floor restaurant premises. The scheme will be delivered over the next 12 months through
29/03/2018
Buy-and-build construction materials group, SigmaRoc, has struck a deal with Tarmac for the manufacture, distribution and installation of its Shuttabloc system. Developed by SigmaRoc's subsidiary Poundfield Products, the Shuttabloc is precast retaining wall with internal reinforcing system. With a
29/03/2018
Maggie's Centre in Oldham has incorporated Allgood's Holt ironmongery to complete its thoughtful and hopeful design. Handcrafted from European oak, the Holt range seamlessly blends with the hardwood cross-laminated timber (CLT) building and reduces the impact of neuropathy for the centre's patient
29/03/2018
BAM Construction Training have unveiled full details of their CPCS Telehandler 360 Slew training courses to coincide with the release of the new category by CPCS. The Wokingham-based construction plant training company have been at the forefront of developments around this new category, which now
28/03/2018
Plans have been unveiled to build more than 1,800 new homes in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Inland Homes has submitted an outline planning application for the £650 million Cheshunt Lakeside regeneration project. Up to 1,853 homes will be delivered across the 30-acre site, as well as over 18,000 sq m
28/03/2018
More than 220 new residential apartments are to be built in Birmingham city centre. Torsion Group has secured a £28 million deal, its largest ever contract award, to deliver the Arden Gate residential scheme in partnership with Court Collaboration and Top Capital Group. Architects Corstorphine and
28/03/2018
Austrian contractor Powerlines, along with its UK subsidiary SPL Powerlines UK, has purchased Carillion's 50% stake in its joint venture (JV) Carillion Powerlines Ltd (CPL). With CPL now under the 100% ownership of Powerlines, the deal has helped ensure work can continue on the L2C (Midland Mainlin
28/03/2018
Construction work is underway on a £47 million regeneration scheme in Leicester. Morgan Sindall is delivering the mixed-use project across a four-and-half-acre area off Vaughan Way. Completion is scheduled by the end of 2019. Features will include two new hotels - one six-storey and one 10-storey
28/03/2018
Balfour Beatty has revealed it is developing its own in house earthworks division. The company has taken delivery of 22 specialist machines, valued at £3.2 million, forming the first part of its wider £9.6m owned plant investment program for 2018. All of the machines are fitted with a wide range of
28/03/2018
Fulcrum Utility Services has completed the acquisition of specialised engineering utility business, CDS Pipe Services. The deal, which is worth £1.4 million, will see Fulcrum bring CDS' engineering capabilities in-house to further strengthen its direct delivery capabilities. Previously, Fulcrum ha
28/03/2018
A 28-year-old woman is in a critical condition after being struck by falling debris from a crane in Tower Hamlets. The victim was crushed by a pallet of bricks that fell from a building site crane at the junction with St Pauls Way on Tuesday morning, 27 March. Emergency services attended the scene
28/03/2018
The Government has introduced new legislation giving councils across England more powers to bring long-term empty properties back into use. With over 200,000 long-term empty dwellings currently in England, the Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill aims to boo
28/03/2018
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) have reiterated their commitment towards collaboration by renewing their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Over the past 20 years, the MoU has maintained and continued its principal aim of
28/03/2018
A worker has been prosecuted for carrying out dangerous and unregistered gas work at a property in Essex. Gary Miller, of Fairfield Road, Ongar, has been handed a 12-month Community Order with 100 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installatio
27/03/2018
Plans have been submitted to build a new multi-million pound mixed-use residential and student development in Sheffield. A total of 247 studios/flats, along with 658 student beds, will be developed on a site on Hoyle Street in the centre of the city. Designed by Jefferson Sheard Architects, the pr
27/03/2018
More than 1,000 new homes are to be built in east London. Weston Homes has struck a deal with Estates & Agency Properties to deliver a £300 million 'urban village' waterfront development in Barking. The housebuilder will acquire two neighbouring land sites, extending to six acres, on the edge of B
27/03/2018
Muse has been selected to deliver a new £75 million regeneration project in Dartford. The company, which was announced as the preferred bidder last year, has signed an agreement with Dartford Borough Council to take forward the scheme in the town's Westgate area. Work is now underway on drawing up
27/03/2018
Union Unite has hit out at a decision to block an open cast coal mining development in Northumberland. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid denied permission for the Highthorn mine near Druridge Bay, citing concerns surrounding climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, despite both the council and
27/03/2018
Billington Holdings has reported a rise in both revenue and profits in its full year results for the year ended 31 December 2017. The structural steel manufacturer revealed revenue has increased by over 16% to £73.5 million (2016: £63.6m) while profit before tax has risen by nearly 16% to £4.4m (20
27/03/2018
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has called for the Government to put in place a delivery plan for skills and immigration policy once the UK leaves the European Union. The organisation made the call in response to an interim update from the Migration Advisory Committee, which revealed over 8
27/03/2018
A new study has revealed the number of UK industry plant operators in the UK could be significantly higher than official figures. In it's Construction Skills Network Forecast, the Construction Industry Training Board stated there were around 40,000 plant operatives across the construction sector.
27/03/2018
Building services group T Clarke has reported a "strong" set of results for the year ended 31 December 2017. The Falkirk-based business revealed revenue has risen 12% to £311.2 million (2016; £278.6m), while profit before tax increased from £3.7m to £7.1m. In addition, the Group's order book has r
27/03/2018
A new competition has been launched to create a single, core innovation hub to develop new digital and manufacturing technologies for the construction industry. Up to £72 million is available from Innovate UK for UK-based research and technology organisations that already have substantive existing
27/03/2018
A free workshop is being held by the European Solar Shading Organisation (ES-SO) next month in Northern Ireland. The event will take place from 4.30pm – 6.30pm at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, Co Down on 19 April. The workshop will examine key areas of interest relating to the design of lo
26/03/2018
BAM Construction has been named as the new main contractor to restart work on the One Chamberlain Square development in Birmingham. Work on the building was stopped in January following the collapse of the original contractor, Carillion. However BAM, which is currently delivering the Two Chamberla
26/03/2018
MPs have slammed senior figures at Carillion for focusing more on bonuses rather than the financial health of the failed industry services firm. A joint inquiry by the Work and Pensions and BEIS Committees into the company's collapse has published papers from Carillion's remuneration committee (Rem
26/03/2018
Liverpool City Council has formed a new joint venture (JV) partnership with CTP and Kier Property to deliver a £200 million mixed-use scheme in the city. The Pall Mall 'masterplan' comprises 400,000 sq ft of office space across a 1.6 hectare site to the read of Exchange Station as well as associate
26/03/2018
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has released a further £100 million to help councils repair potholes and protect local roads after severe winter weather. The funding boost will help local authorities repair almost two million potholes, along with roads and other storm damage. The investment is
26/03/2018
Paisley-based Clark Contracts has been appointed to build a new 208-bed hotel in Southampton. The Moxy Hotel facility will be built on the city's Harbour Parade, facing the West Quay Shopping Centre. Work began in January this year and the hotel is scheduled to open in mid-2019. The project follo
26/03/2018
Up to £56 million has been made available to bolster Wales' flood and coastal defences. The Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management programme contains a number of schemes for 2018/19 which are expected to benefit over 6,500 properties during the construction phase alone. Overall the programme ha
26/03/2018
More than 480 former Carillion roles have been safeguarded by the Official Receiver (OR). A spokesperson for the body confirmed 481 employees will transformer to new suppliers who have picked up contracts that the now-collapsed industry services firm had been delivering. However, a further 123 emp
26/03/2018
Police have arrested a 37-year-old man in connection with a stabbing incident on a construction site in Toxteth, Liverpool. A man, aged 30, was reported to have been injured during an incident on a site at the junction of Stanhope Street and Plaza Boulevard at 2pm on Friday, 23 March. The victim s
26/03/2018
A man has been jailed for carrying out gas work at two properties in Milton Keynes without being registered with Gas Safe Register. Mr Cody Stevens was sentenced to 12-months in prison after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 3(7), Regulation 26 (1), and two charges under Regulation 3(3) of th
26/03/2018
Keepmoat Homes is continuing its expansion in the North West by opening a new regional division covering Greater Manchester and parts of East/West Lancashire. Based at Beecham Court in Wigan, the move will see 20 new jobs created and follows recent significant growth in the region, with 615 homes d
23/03/2018
MPs have outlined a number of concerns that need to be addressed before the Government approves the Airports National Policy Statement (NPS). A report by the Transport Select Committee has highlighted a number of additional safeguards that are needed to mitigate the social, environmental and health
23/03/2018
The Metropolitan Police have admitted Special Branch officers officers were involved in passing information to a construction worker blacklisting operation. The confirmation comes following a six-year investigation to discover whether Scotland Yard colluded with the controversial network to supply
23/03/2018
Midas Construction has been selected to build a new £30 million student accommodation scheme in Southampton. A total of 527 beds will be developed within a 12-storey building at Cumberland Place, close to Watts Park in the city centre, on behalf of client Victoria Hall Management. Designed by Arch
23/03/2018
Henry Boot Construction has reported a 40% rise in profits in its results for the year ended 31 December 2017. With profit before tax increasing to £55.4 million (2016: £39.5m), revenue also increased 33% to £408.5m (2016: £306.8m) while the firm stated 2018 "with the healthiest order book seen in
23/03/2018
New figures have revealed a 16% year-on-year rise in the number of new build dwelling completions in 2017. The latest Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data states there were a total of 163,250 new build completions last year. In addition, a total of 162,180 new build starts wer
23/03/2018
More than 140 new homes are to be built at New Bolton Woods in Yorkshire. Keepmoat has started carrying out enabling works to prepare land for 145 new homes, which are being built as part of the second phase of a £150 million regeneration 'masterplan'. The area, based between Bradford and Shipley,
23/03/2018
Work on a £12.8 million office building redevelopment in Woking is now complete. The scheme was delivered by Gilbert-Ash at Victoria Gate on behalf of Aviva Investors. Designed by international design practice Scott Brownrigg, the project involved extending each level of the eight-storey commercia
23/03/2018
More than 350 new homes are to be built by Galliford Try Partnerships in Devon and Somerset. A total of 180 new homes will be developed on partnership with Liverty at Kingfisher Green in Cranbrook, East Devon, while a further 171 new houses will be built on the banks of the River Tone in Taunton.
23/03/2018
Milton Keynes Council is to launch a study into the possibility of establishing a 'new model' university in the heart of the town. With the local authority having chosen Cranfield University as the lead higher education provider, an 18-month feasibility study will be carried out to consider the pla
23/03/2018
Street Works UK has strengthened its senior team by appointing two new Directors. Paula Steer, Director of Operational Services and Transformation at United Utilities, has now joined the organisation as Director of the Board, while Tom Lambert, General Manager of Street Works at Balfour Beatty, joi
22/03/2018
Sunderland City Council has started searching for new contractors to take forward the redevelopment of a former brewery site in the city. The local authority and its development partner, Siglion, had to halt construction at the Vaux site in January following the collapse of industry services firm,
22/03/2018
Interserve has secured a refinancing deal worth almost £300 million with its financial lenders. The company said it has reached an agreement in principle on major commercial terms, which would see lenders and other financial stakeholders take a 20% stake in the Group. However, the terms remain sub
22/03/2018
Plans have been approved to build more than 2,500 new homes in south London. The scheme at Clapham Park represents a major step forward for Metropolitan Housing Association's £1.6 billion regeneration of the park, which will encompass more than 4,000 homes once completed. With more than half (53%)
22/03/2018
More than £22 million is being invested by the Government to ease traffic congestion in and around Milton Keynes. The road upgrade scheme is taking place on the A421 and involves widening 3kms of carriageway, including 2.5kms in Central Bedfordshire and 500 metres in Milton Keynes. In addition, Ju
22/03/2018
Thousands of staff working for SSE have accepted a new pay deal from the Perth-based energy giant. From 01 April, around 1,900 workers will receive a 3% one-year consolidated pay rise, along with a new method to reward career progression. Lower paid staff will receive a 3.6% increase. Unite acting
22/03/2018
Kier is in the running to carry out a classroom expansion project at two schools in Liverpool. A report set to go before the council later this week will recommend investing more than £4 million in new facilities at Monksdown Primary School in Norris Green and Blackmoor Park Primary School in West
22/03/2018
Industry consultant Turner & Townsend has appointed Patricia Moore as its UK Managing Director. Having joined the company in 1999, Ms Moore was appointed as Managing Director of Turner & Townsend’s UK infrastructure business in 2015. In her new role, she will lead a team of 2,000 staff and drive t
22/03/2018
The Royal Town Planning Institute's (RTPI) Chief Executive, Trudi Elliott, has been named as the new independent Chairman of the Planning Inspectorate board. With 20 years' experience in the planning sector, Ms Elliott has been CEO of RTPI since 2011. She has previously worked across numerous rol
22/03/2018
Further funding has been secured for a roads improvement project in Anglesey, Wales. The Welsh Government has awarded £75,000 towards upgrading the A545 in Beaumaris, which has been affected by severe weather conditions in recent years. Beaumaris Town Council are also investing £60,000 in the sche
22/03/2018
UK-based hire company, Mr Plant Hire, has announced its app is now available to download. Features include: • Find what you're looking for straight away, with the app's easy search facility • Access all the information you need instantly while on the move - including spec sheets, operator manuals
21/03/2018
BAM has been appointed to deliver a new £96 million research centre for the University of Leeds. The Sir William Henry Bragg Building is being developed to become a new home for the schools of Computing and Physics & Astronomy, as well as incorporating the Bragg Centre for Materials Research. Feat
21/03/2018
Stepnell has been appointed to deliver a new £7.8 million mixed-use regeneration scheme in Walsall. The Wisemore Central project will comprise of leisure and retail facilities to connect the western quarter of the town as part of a wider ‘community-spirited' hub. Work is anticipated to begin in Apr
21/03/2018
Solecco Solar are returning to the NEC this week to showcase their aesthetic Solar Tiles for the 2018 National Homebuilding Show. Visitors to the event can see the much talked about solar roof tiles on display at stand L122 from the 22nd-25th March and talk to the team about how the solar tiles ca
21/03/2018
A&H Construction has been appointed to build a new industrial unit development in Tipton. The company will develop five industrial units totalling 80,000 sq ft on behalf of developer CEG in Vaughan Park. Work is already underway on the 28-acre site and the first phase of units will offer eight-met
21/03/2018
Residents are being invited to view plans for a £27 million water upgrade project in Beverley, Yorkshire. The scheme, which is being carried out for Yorkshire Water by contract partner Morgan Sindell SWECO, involves upgrading existing equipment and installing new processes at Beverley Waste Water T
21/03/2018
The Welsh Government is calling on listed building owners to apply for funding under the Cadw's Historic Building Grant Scheme. Over recent years, the initiative has helped save at risk buildings as well as contributing towards wider regeneration and delivering a range of community benefits. Cultu
21/03/2018
A new multi-million pound transport hub has officially opened in Portsmouth. The Hard Interchange was formally unveiled by Transport Minister Jesse Norman on Thursday, 15 March. Designed by architects AHR, the facility provides a new gateway to the city as well as a modern facility for the communi
21/03/2018
Work on a new £4 million Royal Mail distribution depot in Middlesex is now complete. The 40,000 sq ft facility has been built by Morgan Sindall in Greenford on behalf of developers Lothbury Property Trust. The warehouse unit will be used as a postal sorting base, with the steel portal-frame buildi
21/03/2018
Industry consultant IBI Group has strengthened its senior team by appointing Maarit Heinonen-Smith as its UK Retirement Living and Senior Care Lead. Ms Heinonen-Smith is joining the company from PRP Architects, where she worked within the Specialist Housing Team as lead architect, designing and del
21/03/2018
UK-based hire company, Mr Plant Hire, has announced its app is now available to download. Features include: • Find what you're looking for straight away, with the app's easy search facility • Access all the information you need instantly while on the move - including spec sheets, operator manuals
20/03/2018
Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd has announced it is to build a new high-volume, high-tech manufacturing facility in Oxford. The firm is to invest £100million in the project and the funds were raised from global investors including GIC (Singapore), CCB International (CCBI, China), Hostplus (Austr
20/03/2018
The University of Warwick has selected Kier to develop a £57million Student Village. The firm is to redevelop the university's Cryfield Student Village. The project will see Kier provide 828 new student bedrooms in a mixture of townhouses and cluster blocks, as well as a new 'village hall' buildin
20/03/2018
J3 Limited, a joint venture between Sir Robert McAlpine, Garenne Construction Group and the FES Group, has been chosen as pre-construction partner for the ongoing project to develop Jersey's new hospital. The partnership with the States of Jersey involves the signing of a pre-construction service a
20/03/2018
A £110million regeneration programme has launched in Pontypridd, Wales. Housing and Regeneration Minister Rebecca Evans confirmed £10m of funding for the town's Taff Vale development. Building for the Future will regenerate town centres and surrounding areas by refurbishing or redeveloping derelic
20/03/2018
Medesham Homes has begun work on almost 30 new homes in Peterborough. Construction work is taking place at a site on Midland Road and a £3.9million investment will see 29 new homes completed before the end of this year. Medesham Homes is a Joint Venture partnership between equal partners Peterboro
20/03/2018
A solar panel installation firm has been fined £10,000 for failing to manage and control fall from height risks. Sasie Limited was also ordered to pay costs of £6,300. Its sole director Mr Een Marsden Kelly was also fined £500. Reading Crown Court heard how, after a concern was raised by a member
16/03/2018
Plans have been submitted for a new 1.2 million sq ft mixed-use urban quarter in Norwich. Proposals for Anglia Square include developing 1,200 new homes as well as new commercial/leisure space, new landscaped public realm and hundreds of car parking spaces. The planning application was submitted b
16/03/2018
More than 100 new homes are to be built in Doncaster. Wates Residential is working alongside the local authority to build 106 new houses on Thompson Avenue and Dixon Road in Edlington. The new homes will border a recently completed extra care development, as well as a library, medical centre and s
16/03/2018
Work on a new £27 million teaching and learning centre at the University of York is now complete. The Piazza Learning Centre has been built by Interserve as part of the University's development plan for Campus East. Designed by architects Race Cottam Associates and project managed by Faithful and
16/03/2018
UK housebuilder Berkeley has warned market conditions in London and the South East are obstructing efforts to build new homes. In a trading update, the Group said a number of factors affecting the housebuilding market means Berkeley is "currently unable to increase production beyond the business pl
16/03/2018
New research has revealed almost one third of UK home owners would rather hire a female builder over a male builder. The Federation of Master Builders' (FMB) latest study reveals 30% of home owners would feel more positive about hiring a female builder or tradesperson to complete a task in their ho
16/03/2018
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is to begin searching for a development partner to help deliver a major redevelopment project in Queensway. The Better Queensway regeneration aims to create around 1,300 new homes on the site in central Southend-on-Sea, as well as reconnecting the area with the High
16/03/2018
M Group has completed its fifth acquisition in 15 months by taking over mechanical engineering business, PMP Utilities. The company said the deal will enhance its range of complementary specialist essential infrastructure services that its businesses deliver to clients in the UK and Ireland. PMP o
16/03/2018
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has announced Mark Beard is to become its new Vice President. Mr Beard, who is Chairman of construction group Beard, will take up his new position on 19 June 2018. In 2020, he will become CIOB's 117th President. Speaking about his appointment, Mr Beard sa
16/03/2018
Network Rail has started carrying out repair works on the railway line between Clacton on Sea and Colchester. Engineers are working to repair the line after the track bed at Thorrington was washed away by a landslip on Thursday, 15 March. Meliha Duymaz, Network Rail's route managing director for A
16/03/2018
Founder and Chief Executive of C-Tec Building Solutions, Salim Patel, talks to Business Club about how advertising is keeping the company one step ahead of its competitors. C-Tec Building Solutions is an exclusive distributor of a unique range of specialist building products. It wholesales C-Tec NI
15/03/2018
A consortium of industry consultants has been appointed to help deliver a £52 million capital development programme in Milton Keynes. Perfect Circle, consisting of Pick Everard, Gleeds and AECOM, will oversee four individual projects including the new build Western Expansion Secondary School, a pur
15/03/2018
Western Building Systems (WBS) has been appointed to help deliver a new modular early years hub in Penyrheol, Caerphilly. The facility is being developed as part of the Welsh Government's 'Flying Start' programme to provide support to families with a child under four-years-old. WBS, which was appo
15/03/2018
Kier has reported a rise in both underlying profit and revenue in its results for the six-month period ended 31 December 2017. With Group revenue rising 8% to £2,154 million (2016: £2,001m) and underlying profit up 5% to £60m (2016: £57.3m), net debt rose to £239m (2016: £179m) yet this is expected
15/03/2018
Highways England has unveiled plans to upgrade one of the UK's busiest road junctions. Under the proposals, the interchange between the M25 and the A3 will be redesigned to create four dedicated link roads for all drivers making left turns at the junction, while drivers turning right will use a new
15/03/2018
RSK Group has announced the acquisition of pre-construction services company, Central Alliance. The deal is the latest in a series of acquisitions by RSK and brings the company's total headcount to over 2,100 in 83 offices worldwide. Based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Central Alliance provides gr
15/03/2018
Engineering services group Redhall has issued a profits warning due to delays over signing contracts to work on the multi-billion pound Hinkley Point C project in Somerset. The Group's subsidiary, Jordan Manufacturing Limited (JML), has signed three deals with Balfour Beatty to supply specialist ma
15/03/2018
Anglian Water has agreed to make a donation to an environmental charity after a blocked sewer caused a watercourse to become polluted in Bedfordshire The company will pay £50,000 to the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire after a manhole overflowed with black sludge
15/03/2018
Fusion21 has launched its new £85 million national Grounds Maintenance Framework. The four-year programme is designed to meet the needs of all public sector members including those working within Education and Housing. In addition to delivering a range of services from grass and hedge cutting, wee
15/03/2018
A concrete product supplier has been prosecuted after a worker lost the top of his finger while using a table saw to cut wood. Llanharan Concrete Co, of Llanharry Road, Llanharan pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and Regulation 3(1) of the Managemen
15/03/2018
Do you use solid wood products such as cross laminated timber or glulam in your construction projects? Have you chosen to specify wood for its many aesthetic, natural and architectural properties? Or simply because it's the world's leading mainstream, low-carbon and renewable building material? Yo
14/03/2018
Network Rail has started searching for firms to help deliver up to £5 billion of track works across the UK over the next 10 years. The company will launch a pre-qualification period for the tender in May to let the next generation of track infrastructure contracts. Three alliances will cover the fo
14/03/2018
Balfour Beatty has reported its UK construction business is back in the black after making major losses last year. In its results for the year ended 31 December 2017, the division recorded a £16 million operating profit compared to a £65m loss in 2016. Across the Group, pre-tax profit rose to £117
14/03/2018
Graham Construction has been selected to deliver a £24 million sports centre at a school in Northamptonshire. The facility will be developed at Oundle School and completion is scheduled in the 2019/20 academic year. Designed by Saunders Boston Architects with landscaping by PRP, the sports centre
14/03/2018
Up to 1,400 new homes are to be built in Horton Heath, Eastleigh. Galliford Try Partnerships has been appointed by Eastleigh Borough Council to act as project manager on the scheme over the next four years. The council recently acquired land which is bordered by Burnetts Lane, Allington Lane, and
14/03/2018
Work is underway on a £2.5 million flood alleviation project in Monkton, South Tyneside. The scheme aims to protect around 100 homes and businesses from flooding. The project includes improved drainage and landscaping next to Toner Avenue School and as part of uncovering the Bede Burn, an attenuat
14/03/2018
UK housebuilder Hill has boosted its financial power by securing a £200 million five-year credit facility with the Royal Bank of Scotland. The company said the deal will help it continue its growth plans, as well as supporting objectives of growing both its partnership and long-term regeneration wo
14/03/2018
A company has been prosecuted for carrying out unsafe excavation and lifting works, as well as not providing suitable welfare facilities for workers, during a refurbishment project in Salford. Toft Construction, of Three Acres Lane, Cheadle Hume, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 15
14/03/2018
ENGIE has been selected to deliver a £20 million housing improvement programme in Northumberland. The scheme is part of a five-year £60m investment by Bernicia to carry out major internal and external upgrades to thousands of homes across the region. ENGIE will deliver internal modernisations such
14/03/2018
Britcon has strengthened its senior team by appointing Heath Williamson as Regional Manager of its Wakefield base. Mr Williamson has over 27 years' experience working in senior management roles for a number of leading regional and national building and civil engineering operators. Recently, he was
14/03/2018
UK sports ground and industrial covers provider, Stuart Canvas, has acquired Sheffield-based company, Mudfords Ltd, for an undisclosed sum. The deal, which is part of Stuart Canvas' plans to increase its production capacity and extend its range of services into new and diverse marketplaces, is in l
13/03/2018
Wates Residential has been chosen as the London Borough of Havering's £1 billion joint venture (JV) partner to deliver a major housebuilding programme over its 12 estates. Around 3,000 new homes will be built in Havering over the next 12 years, including a major overhaul of the council's existing a
13/03/2018
Willmott Dixon has won an £18 million contract to build a next generation emergency services hub in Lincolnshire. Designed by NORR Architects, the 'blue light' facility brings together Lincolnshire’s fire and rescue services, police force and ambulance service under one roof. As part of the develo
13/03/2018
More than 60 trade bodies are backing new legislation to reform the practice of cash retentions. Following the collapse of industry services firm Carillion earlier this year, a coalition of organisations are supporting Peter Aldous MP's 'Aldous Bill', which seeks to ensure payment retentions are pr
13/03/2018
A company has been prosecuted for carrying out dangerous and unsafe asbestos removal work at a primary school in Dursley. R F Gardiner Limited has been fined £28,000 with over £1,141 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Sections 8(1), 11(1) and 16 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
13/03/2018
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has welcomed news a consultation is to be held over late payment for small businesses. In his Spring Statement, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a consultation on the "continuing scourge" of late payments, which is estimated to affect thousands of business
13/03/2018
Arcadis has strengthened its senior team by appointing Michael Putnam to its Supervisory Board for a four-year term. Mr Putnam was previously President and Chief Executive Officer of Skanska UK from 2009 until 2017. Before joining Skanska, he worked for Balfour Beatty as Area Manager and Contracts
13/03/2018
Legal & General (L&G) Group has announced the full ownership acquisition of CALA Homes. The deal, which is worth £605 million, will see the Group pay £315m to Patron Capital Partners to takeover a 52.1% share of CALA it did not own. In 2017, CALA Homes delivered 1,677 total completions, with 1,322
13/03/2018
Industry consultancy Sweco has appointed Daniel Singh as the company's new Executive Structural Engineer. With 13 years' experience, Mr Singh joins from Arup where he helped to deliver a number of projects, including the expansion of the main stand of Anfield stadium for Liverpool FC (adding 8,500
13/03/2018
Founder and Chief Executive of C-Tec Building Solutions, Salim Patel, talks to Business Club about how advertising is keeping the company one step ahead of its competitors. C-Tec Building Solutions is an exclusive distributor of a unique range of specialist building products. It wholesales C-Tec NI
13/03/2018
Bricsys is a Belgium company that offers a real alternative to AutoCAD with their software BricsCAD. It has 100% dwg compatibility with more functionality for Engineering, Architecture and BIM, at a fraction of the price. Many CAD users have found the AutoCAD product mix confusing and expensive, wit
12/03/2018
Mace has been chosen to take forward the £500 million redevelopment of One Crown Place in London. AlloyMtd Group has signed a main contract with the company following on from its successful delivery of the pre-construction stage. Work will begin on site in April this year, with completion set for t
12/03/2018
More than 300 former Carillion employees have had their jobs saved, according to the Official Receiver. A spokesperson for the body revealed 305 employees working on facilities management, defence and construction contracts will transfer to new suppliers. However, a further 78 staff have been made
12/03/2018
Southern Housing Group has reached an agreement with the Hyde Group to purchase 524 homes across eight council areas. The £45 million deal will see the Group acquire new homes in Woking, Rushmoor, Thurrock, Southend, Hastings, Rother, Wealden, and Sevenoaks. The portfolio, spanning across a range
12/03/2018
Willmott Dixon has been selected to build a new £9 million purpose-built dementia home in Kingston. The 80-bed facility will be developed on the current Newent Home site in Surbiton. The centre will provide care for the increasing number of older people in the borough living with dementia, as well
12/03/2018
More than 350 new homes are to be built by Inland Homes in Ashford. The company has exchanged contracts to acquire its joint venture partner's 80% interest in Brooklands Helix Developments Limited (BHDL), the organisation which owns the £120 million Brooklands College site. The 10-acre town centre
12/03/2018
Work on a new £1 million flood alleviation project in Lincoln is now complete. The Stamp End Flood Alleviation Scheme is designed to protect up to 119 homes from the River Witham. The scheme provides flood resistance to the residential area at Stamp End with a low flood barrier, while a new pump s
12/03/2018
Two companies have been prosecuted after a telehandler ran over a employee during work on a construction site. A D Bly Construction Ltd has been fined £26,000 with over £5,271 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 15(2) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. Bel
12/03/2018
The Government has unveiled plans to switch up planning rules so that more options are available when converting agricultural buildings into family homes. Currently, several hundred new homes are created through the conversions of agricultural buildings each year. However, under changes announced
09/03/2018
New figures have revealed output in the UK's construction industry fell by 3.4% between December and January. The latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) states output has fallen despite growth in the final two months of 2017. Compared with January last year, output has fallen by
09/03/2018
Canadian facility management services provider, Brookfield Global Integrated Solutions (BGIS), has pulled out of a deal to purchase a number of public sector contracts from collapsed industry services firm, Carillion. BGIS had originally brokered a deal last month with the Special Manager for the O
09/03/2018
Galliford Try has been selected to build a new £19 million train station in Wolverhampton. The company has secured financial close with Wolverhampton Interchange Partnership to deliver the new station and completion is scheduled for 2020. Enabling works are already underway on the development, whi
09/03/2018
Work on a new £7 million sports and leisure centre in Stockport is now complete. The new Brinnington Park Leisure Complex was built by Willmott Dixon and will replace the old Lapwing facility which closed for the last time in late February. Features include a new gym equipped with cutting edge f
09/03/2018
Robertson has replaced Carillion as the sub-contractor to deliver the £36 million college project in Tameside. The collapsed industry services firm had previously been appointed by the local authority to build the Vision Tameside scheme, which comprises of a new 7,000 m2 Advanced Skills Centre for
09/03/2018
The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has announced its Chief Executive Officer, Peter Bonfield, is to leave the organisation after six years in charge. Mr Bonfield is stepping down this summer to take up a new position as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Westminster. Having
09/03/2018
JCB has announced plans to create 600 new jobs over the next three months. The construction equipment supplier will create over 200 roles immediately after global growth in the sector led to record demand for many products manufactured at JCB's Rocester, Cheadle, Rugeley and Foston, Derbyshire plan
09/03/2018
SOCOTEC has completed the purchase of Calyx Investments, the holding company for geotechnical and structural monitoring specialist ITM Monitoring. ITM Monitoring is a leader in the supply, installation and monitoring of small to large scale projects which involve the movement of earth, rock and con
08/03/2018
Balfour Beatty has been appointed to build a new £33 million Health and Life Sciences building for the University of Reading. The company will start work later this month to deliver the 2,500 sq m teaching and research facility as part of the University's 10-year campus regeneration programme. The
08/03/2018
The Chief Executive of Crossrail, Andrew Wolstenholme OBE, is to step down from his position. Mr Wolstenholme is leaving after seven years at the helm and will be replaced by Programme Director Simon Wright OBE, who will lead in a combined role as Chief Executive & Programme Director. Sir Terry Mo
08/03/2018
Kier has been selected to build a new £7.2 million centre for immersive technologies in Devonport, Plymouth. The facility, which will feature Europe's first 360 degree cinema, will be built in Devonport and construction is scheduled to start this spring. Real Ideals Organisation (RIO) have chosen
08/03/2018
Residents are being invited to two reorganised consultation events over plans to upgrade the A303 in the South West. Two public information exhibitions concerning the project were scheduled to take place at Mere and Salisbury last week, however they were affected by the severe weather which gripped
08/03/2018
Sewer investigation works are to be carried out in the Bell Lane area of Ackworth, Wakefield. Yorkshire Water is carrying out the survey in order to help reduce the risk of sewer flooding in the area. The works involve the digging of several trial holes in the highway. For safety reasons, the road
08/03/2018
A 78-year-old builder has died after falling at a retail park in South Gloucestershire. The incident occurred at Centaurus Business Park sometime between 8am and 8.30am on Monday, 05 March. Police said the man, who was from Birmingham, who was working on the refurbishment of a retail unit at the p
08/03/2018
Urban&Civic has struck a deal with to acquire 785-acres of greenfield land in Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire. The property developer has exchanged contracts with Claydon Estate for the site near Calvert, stating the land offers the potential for "significant" residential development in an area.
08/03/2018
Highways England has appointed former Carillion director David Picton as interim Executive Director for Commercial and Procurement. Mr Picton, who joins the company on 13 March, will take over from David Poole who is moving to HS2 as procurement and supply chain director. He previously led safety
07/03/2018
Up to 70 jobs are to be axed at UK structural steel specialist, Severfield. The roles will be cut from the company's site in Lostock as part of its plans to restructure its UK manufacturing capacity. A consultation on the redundancies began on 26 February. Stephen Boden, Organiser at the GMB Unio
07/03/2018
Breedon has reported a solid set of financial results for 2017 with strong growth in both revenue and profits. In its annual results for the year ended 31 December 2017, the construction materials group recorded revenue rising 43% to £652.4 million (2016; £454.7m) while profit before tax increased
07/03/2018
Residents in Liverpool are being invited to view the latest designs for a multi-million pound regeneration programme near Lime Street. The scheme aims to create a new event space outside St George's Hall, as well as expand the current plateau into Lime Street, as part of the £45 million Liverpool C
07/03/2018
A project milestone has been reached on the University of Warwick's new £27 million Mathematical Sciences Building development. Contractor Morgan Sindall has reached the topping out stage of the scheme and the building is on schedule to open at the start of the 2018 academic year. The site team is
07/03/2018
ISG has appointed Lee Hutchinson as Managing Director of its UK Engineering Services business. With more than 20 years' industry experience, Mr Hutchinson spent seven years at Mace and won the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Construction Manager of the Year title in 2014. As MD of the Engin
07/03/2018
Construction work is continuing on a £28 million project to protect around 1,400 properties from flooding in Birmingham. Access preparation work on Phase 2 of the Perry Barr and Witton Flood Risk Management Scheme started late in January. Main construction works are scheduled to start in late sprin
07/03/2018
Practical Land Remediation Limited has been awarded accreditation from Alcumus SafeContractor for achieving excellence in health and safety in the workplace. The company's application for SafeContractor accreditation was driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business. SafeContractor
07/03/2018
Leading national road surfacing contractor THB (Thames Hydroblasting) has unveiled the UK's first Safe Steps for School road crossing in Croydon, south London. The Safe Steps for School programme aims to encourage children and parents to use road crossings provided during school pick-up and drop-of
06/03/2018
Transport for London (TfL) has chosen Native Land as its joint venture (JV) development partner as part of the South Kensington Tube station transformation project. The property developer is tasked with creating a new mixed-use scheme around the station, which is also being upgraded to deliver step
06/03/2018
BAM Construction has started work to deliver a £39.6 million student accommodation scheme in Oxford. The 220-bed facility will be built for Balliol College in the area between the Master's Field, Jowett Walk and St Cross Road, adjacent to Balliol's sports ground. Completion is scheduled for summer
06/03/2018
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has confirmed it will retain its Head Office at Bircham Newton until December 2019. Following a meeting of the organisation's Board last week, bosses decided to remain on site until Christmas next year in order to support the training college's sale,
06/03/2018
Avant Homes has won £642 million worth of work across a number of sites in Scotland and England. The house builder has revealed that over the past 15 months, it has secured 22 new development opportunities to provide a further 2,485 new homes across its operating regions of central Scotland, north
06/03/2018
Switching the industry's focus to smaller sites will help speed up the delivering of new housing, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Chief Executive, Brian Berry. Mr Berry made his comments in response to Prime Minister Theresa May's speech at a national planning conference on Mon
06/03/2018
Brick manufacturer Ibstock has announced a 3.9% rise in revenue in its results for the year ended 31 December 2017. With revenue increasing from £434.7 million in 2016 to £451.6m in 2017, profit before tax also rose 24.7% from £78.8m to £88.3m. The company also continues to invest in additional UK
06/03/2018
Manchester City Council is to consult a draft regeneration framework and masterplan for the Northern Gateway programme over the summer. The project will deliver around 15,000 homes across North Manchester with the first phase of mixed-tenure homes transforming the Collyhurst community. A full publ
06/03/2018
Laing O'Rourke has reported a loss of £60.6 million in its annual accounts to the year to 31 March 2017. The delayed results announcement reveals despite underlying profit of £35m, up from an £82m loss in 2016, the company incurred £86.2m of continuing losses from joint ventures. Of which £83.2m wa
06/03/2018
Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB) is to begin a £400,000 spillway improvement scheme at Fewston Reservoir, Yorkshire. The engineering specialists will start carrying out upgrade work on behalf of Yorkshire Water later this month. Features include improvements to parts of the reservoir's spillway, the o
06/03/2018
DAF Dealer Group Imperial Commercials has selected Matt Lawrenson as its Managing Director. Mr Lawrenson, 47, joined Imperial Commercials in 2002 and has enjoyed successive roles with the company's truck brands before his most recent appointment at the beginning of January. He will step down from
05/03/2018
Prime Minister Theresa May has announced a major overhaul of the National Planning Policy Framework in order to speed up housebuilding across the country. Speaking at a national planning conference in London today, 05 March, the Prime Minister set out new objectives that aim to maximise the use of
05/03/2018
New research has revealed how construction apprentices are set to earn thousands of pounds more every year than many university graduate roles. The Federation of Master Builders' (FMB) latest study asked small building firms across the UK how much they pay their tradespeople each year. The highest
05/03/2018
Work is to begin this month on a £47 million regeneration project in Leicester. Morgan Sindall has been appointed to deliver the mixed-use scheme across a four-and-half-acre site located off Vaughan Way. Plans include building two new hotels – one six storey and one ten storey; 35,000 sq ft of of
05/03/2018
Up to £14 million is being released by the Welsh Government for small scale school repairs and maintenance projects. Under plans announced by Education Secretary Kirsty Williams, the funding will be spent on areas such as boilers and plumbing works to school toilets, caretaker costs, painting and d
05/03/2018
Highways England is to showcase its updated plans for a 1.9-mile road tunnel project near Stonehenge to international heritage experts. A delegation from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) are embar
05/03/2018
Engineering solutions provider Aspin has secured funding for its future growth programme. The Group is being backed by the London office of private equity firm Sandton Capital Partners, which has acquired the business for an undisclosed sum from Aspin's former owners. In addition, as the company l
05/03/2018
Contractors are being invited to a Yorkshire Water supply chain event later this month in Leeds. The exhibition will showcase opportunities for interested firms within the utility's Yorkshire Alliance framework, which has an anticipated 11-year spend of around £1.1 billion from 2019. The bidders d
05/03/2018
A further 150 former Carillion employees have had their jobs saved, according to the Official Receiver. A spokesperson for the body has confirmed the staff will transfer to new suppliers who have picked up contracts that the now-defunct industry services firm had been delivering. However, 87 emplo
05/03/2018
Unite has called for the rights of workers and access for unions to be respected as Laing O'Rourke is tipped to takeover on the stalled Royal Liverpool Hospital project. The firm is thought to be the favourite to replace Carillion as the main contractor on the £335 million scheme, with work having
05/03/2018
Artificial football pitch installers Synthetic Turf Management (STM) have installed the world's first purpose-built 3G walking football pitch at Solihull Football Centre in the West Midlands. A British manufactured 3G product was used to create a playing space to optimise performance and offer the
02/03/2018
New figures have revealed a marginal rise in business activity for the UK's construction sector in February. The latest Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) posted 51.4 for last month, slightly higher than January's four-month low of 50.2 yet weaker than last year's figure o
02/03/2018
Siemens has revealed plans to build a new £200 million rail manufacturing factory in Goole. The facility will be developed on a 67-acre site at the Goole 36 development adjacent to junction 36 of the M62 motorway. Phased work is scheduled to start later this year, subject to conditions. Plans for
02/03/2018
Morgan Sindall has been selected to deliver a £3.3 million upgrade project at South Molton Medical Centre in Devon. Expansion and refurbishment work is now underway at the facility. Completion is scheduled for early 2019. The scheme is being carried out for South Molton Health Centre & East Street
02/03/2018
A scaffolding company has been prosecuted after a 16-year-old apprentice joiner was badly injured when he fell from a platform. Bland Scaffolding Ltd of Old Ship House, Wath Road, Elsecar has been fined £100,000 with £918 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 8(a) of the Work at He
02/03/2018
Torsion Group has appointed Gary Walton as its new Managing Director. Mr Walton joins the Leeds-based company from Shepherd Construction, where he spent 31 years working as Executive Commercial Director and Commercial Director. Torsion's former MD, Dan Spencer, will step up and become Chief Execut
02/03/2018
New proposals have been unveiled to introduce a new Aggregates Levy Community Fund (ALCF) for England. The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has set out its plans for scheme and wants the ALCF to come into effect in April 2020. Under the proposals, the ALCF will build on the legacy of the previou
01/03/2018
McLaughlin & Harvey (McL&H has been appointed to develop a new £50 million cruise terminal facility in Liverpool. The cruise passenger terminal will be built on a suspended deck structure at the Princes Jetty site on the River Mersey. Work is expected to start in October. A design team led by Ramb
01/03/2018
More than 40 former Carillion employees have had their jobs safeguarded after being taken on by building materials business, Tarmac. A total of 45 staff, including two apprentices, were previously working on Carillion/Tarmac joint venture (JV) highways projects including the Finningley & Rossington
01/03/2018
Work is underway on a £5 million flood alleviation project on the Isle of Wight. Environment Agency (EA) contractors have started building new flood defences in Ryde to protect more than 300 properties in the town. The first stage involves building a new outfall pipe from the sea wall in front of
01/03/2018
Fusion21 has announced its five-year £150 million dynamic purchasing system (DPS) for Fire Suppression Systems and Associated Works is now live. Suppliers including Aquamatic Fire UK Ltd, Fortem Solutions Ltd and Morgan Sindall Property Services have secured a place on the DPS. In addition to acce
01/03/2018
Costain has reported a rise in both revenue and profits in its results for the year ended 31 December 2017. With Group revenue increasing 4% to £1,728.9 million (2016: £1,658m), underlying operating profit is also up 18% to £48.7m (2016: £41.1m). Reported profit before tax was up 26% to £38.9m (201
01/03/2018
Up to 55 new 'affordable' homes are to be built in Leeds. Yorkshire Housing has awarded Esh Group a £6.7 million deal to deliver the scheme in the suburb of Allerton Bywater. Linda Gray, Development Project Manager at Yorkshire Housing, said: "The new development will help to meet high demand in
01/03/2018
North Midland Construction has strengthened its senior team by appointing Robert Walsh as Plant and Transport Director. Mr Walsh joins NM Group from Travis Perkins where he was Regional Director. He has extensive experience within the construction and engineering sectors, having also previously wo
01/03/2018
Highways England has appointed Jacobs Engineering to come up with transport improvement solutions for motorways around the north west of Manchester. The Manchester North-West Quadrant project aims to improve capacity and reliability of east-west road connections, boost the local and regional econom
