Category: Industry News

The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

MGJV secures £14.6M pipeline contract with Southern

The joint venture between Galliford Try and Morrison Utility Services (MGJV) has been awarded a £14.6 million contract by framework client Southern Water to lay a 10km pipeline in West Sussex. Read more…

Clancy Docwra, Kier secure leakage detection contract with Anglian

Clancy Docwra and Kier have been awarded a contract to carry out leakage detection services for Anglian Water as part of the IMR Water alliance. Read more…

Ofgem grants price cap derogation extension to three firms

Energy industry regulator Ofgem has extended the derogation it has given to three renewable energy suppliers in relation to the standard variable tariff (SVT) price cap. Read more…

Shell Energy: First Utility rebranded as over 700,000 customers are switched to renewable power

Shell has today further underlined its growing interest in the power and renewables sector, announcing today that First Utility is to rebranded as Shell Energy and will from today provide over 700,000…Read more…

UK’s Largest Waste Wood Gasifier Becomes Operational

Bioenergy Infrastructure Group (“BIG”), an independent power producer specialising in energy-from-waste and biomass, has announced that one of its largest assets in the UK, Ince Bio Power, has become fully operational after successfully completing its testing phase. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Guinness and Stonewater to build 4,500 homes by 2022

Homes England has signed off another major strategic framework agreement with social housing providers Guinness Partnership and Stonewater. Read more…

Morgan Sindall set for £60m St Albans mixed-use scheme

Morgan Sindall Construction has been named preferred bidder for a mixed-use development in the heart of St Albans city centre. Read more…

Business booming for building services giant TClarke

Business is booming at TClarke as the building services specialist posted results ahead of market expectations. Read more…

Vast York Central scheme gains outline approval

Outline planning has been granted to develop over 2,500 homes and a new commercial district next to York railway station. Read more…

McLaren wins £27m North London HQ job

McLaren Construction has secured the £26.7m job to build a headquarters in North London for software giant Metaswitch. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

Week on the Network

You can find Network Rails ‘Week on the Network’ here.

Government gives ‘hugely important’ £208m Belfast Transport Hub the green light

A new £208m Belfast Transport Hub with major rail and bus connections has been granted planning permission by the Department of Infrastructure. Read more…

ScotRail submits £18m improvement plan in response to government improvement notice

Under-fire train operator ScotRail has unveiled an £18m remedial plan to recruit more staff and bring in additional high-speed trains in response to the government’s improvement demands last month. Read more…

Easter engineering work “quietest for many years”

Although some routes will experience significant disruption, Network Rail said its Easter engineering work is “the quietest for many years” and will leave the majority of the country unaffected. Read more…

Major redevelopment plans for Edinburgh Waverley station unveiled

Network Rail has launched a consultation on a multi-million long-term redevelopment plan for Edinburgh’s Waverley Station. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

‘Compelling case’ put forward for £4bn metro network for Cambridgeshire

There is a “compelling case” for a metro scheme for Greater Cambridge after a feasibility report has claimed it could create 100,000 jobs and 60,000 new homes, but could cost £4bn. Read more…

Vinci wins £100m UCL East student blocks deal

University College London has picked Vinci Construction as preferred contractor to deliver two high-rise student blocks for a planned new campus at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London. Read more…

Thames Water launches interactive water calculator

Thames Water has launched an interactive online tool to help customers save money by gaining a better understanding of their water use. Read more…

Nestlé And Veolia Join Forces To Tackle Plastics Leakage

Nestlé and Veolia have announced a collaboration to work on waste collection, sorting and recycling of plastic material, with a particular emphasis on flexible plastic packaging. Read more…

How a no deal Brexit will transform the construction industry

The UK is due to leave the European Union, yet talks between the government and the EU about the withdrawal deal remain deadlocked. Joanne Starkie of the Immigration Advice Service looks at what a “no deal” scenario could mean for the construction industry. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

Spring housing market dampened by Brexit uncertainty

The latest figures from Rightmove have revealed that the usual buoyancy associated with the spring housing market has failed to materialise this time round largely due to Brexit. Read more…

Tolent to build first homes at £400m Leeds scheme

Tolent has won the job to build the first prototype houses at Kirkstall Forge in Leeds, paving the way for the initial 112-homes at the £400m site. Read more…

Placefirst unveils £27.5m build to rent plan for Bolton

Placefirst has unveiled its vision to transform a key site in Bolton Council’s town centre masterplan, the town’s first urban village. Read more…

Build to rent specialist plans Bolton urban village

Build to Rent developer Placefirst has unveiled £27.5m plans for a Bolton town centre site. Read more…

Buyer fees scrapped at Network Auctions

Network Auctions’ has announced that their ‘E’ online property buying platform has been revamped and buyer fees have been scrapped as they adapt to the changing market. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Severn Trent names contractors for £2bn programme

Water company Severn Trent has named the first contractors that it intends to use to deliver its £2bn investment in its construction projects for AMP7. Read more…

Kier names Davies as new chief executive

Kier Group has announced the appointment of Andrew Davies as chief executive with effect from 15 April. Read more…

England may run short of water within 25 years – EA chief exec

Environment Agency chief executive Sir James Bevan has warned that England is on course to run short of water in less than 25 years. Read more…

Nestlé And Veolia Join Forces To Tackle Plastics Leakage

Nestlé and Veolia have announced a collaboration to work on waste collection, sorting and recycling of plastic material, with a particular emphasis on flexible plastic packaging. Read more…

Thames Water launches interactive water calculator

Thames Water has launched an interactive online tool to help customers save money by gaining a better understanding of their water use. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Hi-Vis site wear launched for pregnant women

Pregnant construction workers can now buy a range of hi-vis clothing to wear on site. Read more…

Tolent awarded £400m Kirkstall Forge project in Leeds

Tolent has been awarded the contract to build the first residential stage at Kirkstall Forge, a flagship £400m project in Leeds. Read more…

Interserve £170m prison project to be rebid

The Ministry of Justice is to retender the £170m HMP Glen Parva new build prison project in Leicestershire. Read more…

ENGIE secures £20m Scarborough LIFEstyle scheme

Scarborough Borough Council has approved a planning application by ENGIE, to build a bespoke over 55s housing development in Scarborough. Read more…

Griffiths to restart Dawnus Kingsway transformation project

Swansea Council has revealed that Welsh civil engineering contractor Griffiths will complete work on the £12m Kingsway transformation project. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

 

Network Rail reveals the winner of final track works contract worth £1.5bn

Network Rail has announced Balfour Beatty as the preferred bidder to carry out track upgrades across central England for the next decade in a contract worth an estimated £1.5bn. Read more…

Greater Anglia train drivers taking leap into new technology

New state-of-the-art train simulators are being used to train 768 Greater Anglia drivers that will be driving the new trains due to replace all of the company’s existing fleet from later this year, when it starts to receive 38 bi-mode and 20 all-electric trains from Stadler followed by 111 more electric commuter trains from Bombardier. Read more…v

The Train Drivers Academy

In the months up until 2021, around 7,000 new vehicles are set to be introduced by train companies across the country. Drivers will swap some of the oldest rolling stock on the network for some of the most state- of-the-art in the world as a result of the country’s current multi-billion-pound train-building boom. Read more…

“Radical yet respectful” proposals for Birmingham Moor Street station revealed

Proposals for a “radical yet respectful” transformation to Birmingham Moor Street station have been released. Read more…

New Hitachi 385s to replace ScotRail’s ‘happy trains’

ScotRail has confirmed that it is withdrawing its Class 365 ‘happy trains’ fleet and replacing them with new Hitachi Class 385s. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

 

Brexit uncertainty causes further damage to UK housing, says RICS

Prolonged Brexit uncertainty will likely cause further damage to the UK housing market, according to the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey. Read more…

5 common reasons why your house is not selling

There are many stages that need to be completed before your house finally sells. Some naturally take longer than others and may be out of your control. Read more…

5 small changes to make your home more eco-friendly

Many homeowners are becoming more aware of the impact of their actions on the environment and pride themselves on living sustainably. Whether you are a first timer or a full blown eco-warrior, these five simple home improvement tweaks will make a real difference. Read more…

Torsion to build £65m twin towers in Leeds

Court Collaboration in partnership with Torsion Developments has submitted a planning application for a £65m two-tower block development in Leeds. Read more…

RealPage Energy Summit: The Power of Connecting

The best and brightest in multifamily utility management are convening this spring at the RealPage Energy Summit. At the company’s Richardson, Texas headquarters April 16-18, experts will offer a deep dive into the latest energy trends and regulations, and like-minded professionals will tackle some of the most pressing issues facing the industry. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Interserve to file for administration as rescue rejected

Interserve shareholders have rejected the proposed rescue plan leaving the board to file for administration today. Read more…

Brexit uncertainty causes further damage to UK housing, says RICS

Prolonged Brexit uncertainty will likely cause further damage to the UK housing market, according to the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey. Read more…

Network Rail reveals winner of final track works contract worth £1.5bn

Network Rail has announced Balfour Beatty as the preferred bidder to carry out track upgrades across central England for the next decade in a contract worth an estimated £1.5bn. Read more…

New EnTrade scheme helps farmers protect Poole Harbour

A group of farmers in Dorset have been equally rewarded by Wessex Water for growing cover crops that brought reductions in the levels of nitrates that enter Poole Harbour. Read more…

Asda Removes 6,500 Tonnes Of Own Brand Plastic Packaging

Asda has announced it has removed 6500 tonnes of plastic from its own brand packaging since February 2018. Read more…

 

 

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 The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

IKEA and shipping giant CMA CGM to pilot first sustainable marine biofuel

Swedish furniture retailer teams up with shipping giant CMA CGM, GoodShipping Program and Port of Rotterdam to test marine biofuel made from forest residues and waste cooking oil. Read more…

Proposals To Tackle Non-Compliant Products Sold Online

Defra has published proposals to tackle non-compliant products sold through online marketplaces. Read more…

Mott MacDonald, Microsoft team up on smart infrastructure

Mott MacDonald and Microsoft have announced a strategic partnership to deliver smart infrastructure. Read more…

Biffa Acquires Specialist Waste Recycling Limited

Integrated waste management company Biffa has announced that it has today (12 March) acquired Specialist Waste Recycling Limited (‘SWRNewstar’), from a consortium of investors including Angus MacDonald OBE. Read more…

Tony Juniper appointed chair of Natural England

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has confirmed that Tony Juniper CBE will be the new Chair of Natural England. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

 

A developer wanted for £1.5bn Manchester innovation district

The University of Manchester has unveiled ambitious plans to create a £1.5bn innovation district on the site of its North Campus near the planned HS2 station. Read more…

V&A museum begins search for contractor for £22m centre

The Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum in London has started the tender process to select the main contractor for a £22m scheme to create a research centre and space for its collections. Read more…

Simons Group lands starring role on £20m cinema scheme

Simons Group has been awarded the main contract to build a new £20m  cinema and restaurant complex at East Square in Basildon, Essex. Read more…

Watkin Jones forward funds £90m Wembley scheme

Student rooms and build-to-rent specialist Watkin Jones has forward sold a planned 600-bed student scheme in London near Wembley stadium. Read more…

Balfour Beatty hits 2.4% construction margin

Balfour Beatty has returned to industry standard margins and built up strong cash reserves completing a four-year turnaround plan. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

Network Rail: Week on the Network

Network Rail works hard to improve the network each week, here’s their weekly update, read more…

LNER trains for East Coast Main Line given approval to enter passenger services

New LNER rolling stock for the East Coast Main Line (ECML) has received approval for its Class 800 Azuma trains to enter passenger service. Read more…

We’re investing over £100m in the railway this Easter

This Easter we’ll deliver more than £100m of investment in a better railway. A 13,800-strong workforce will work around the clock to keep the railway open and deliver more reliable infrastructure, improved facilities and services for passengers. Read more…

Rail minister gives boost to Hull-Manchester Airport direct rail link

Rail minister Andrew Jones has pledged to look at the options for a direct train service from Hull to Manchester Airport. Read more…

Midland main line electrification extended

Network Rail has been instructed to design an extension of the Midland main line electrification programme from Kettering to Market Harborough station, rail minister Andrew Jones has confirmed. Read more…

SWR and Porterbrook trial new emission-slashing rail technology

Groundbreaking emission-reducing technology is to be fitted to South Western Railway (SWR) train units as part of a new trial aiming to cut down harmful emissions from diesel trains by 80%. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

 

AquaPea leak system finding success in insurance sector

Innovations company Qinov8 has partnered with Auger, a tech specialist for the insurance industry, on the AquaPea leak repair system for water supply pipes. Read more…

Peabody plans 1,000 homes at former Holloway Prison site

Peabody has today successfully acquired the former Holloway Women’s Prison site in London for around £80. Read more…

New May timetable announced as rail bosses insist ‘lessons learned’ following last year’s chaos

The rail industry has confirmed the new summer 2019 timetable, with 1,000 extra services added to relieve overcrowding as rail bosses say they “learned the lessons” of last year’s chaos.

Read more…

SWR and Porterbrook trial new emission-slashing rail technology

Groundbreaking emission-reducing technology is to be fitted to South Western Railway (SWR) train units as part of a new trial aiming to cut down harmful emissions from diesel trains by 80%. Read more…

Annual house price growth climbs to 2.8%

The latest data and analysis from Halifax has revealed that house prices in the three months to February were 2.8% higher than in the same three months a year earlier – a rising from 0.8% recorded in January. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

CBRE & RICS announce the launch of new progressive diversity book

Global real estate advisor CBRE together with the RICS are pleased to celebrate the International Women’s day announcing the launch of a new book: Managing Diversity and Inclusion in the Real Estate Sector. The launch will take place at MIPIM 2019 in Cannes. Read more…

Final consent for £1bn Ford Dagenham housing scheme

Plans to build one of only three schemes in London with over 3,000 planned homes have cleared the final planning hurdle. Read more…

Peabody secures former Holloway prison site to build 1,000 homes

Peabody housing association has acquired the former Holloway Women’s Prison site in London for £82m, to build more than 600 social rented and affordable homes. Read more…

 

More encouragement needed for women in the property sector

As it’s International Women’s Day today (8 March 2019), Katy Jordan, Storey Homes’ Managing Director, explains what it’s like, as a woman, to have a career in the housebuilding industry. Read more…

Over a third of landlords set to slash spending

New research by specialist mortgage lender, Kent Reliance, finds that rising running costs and higher taxes are pushing around 36% of UK landlords into cutting their expenditure. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

AquaPea leak system finding success in insurance sector

Innovations company Qinov8 has partnered with Auger, a tech specialist for the insurance industry, on the AquaPea leak repair system for water supply pipes. Read more…

Innovative household leakage technology set to appeal to home insurers

A ‘smart leak defence’ system which protects against water leaks in UK homes and properties is set to launch, with the promise of appealing to home insurers. Read more…

Plastic-Free Paper Cup Inventor Among Female Pioneers Awarded Funding

Pioneering female inventors have been recognised today (8 March) for innovations including a process to make disposable coffee cups waterproof without the need to use plastic. Read more…

Severn Trent begins £6M refurb of 100-year-old boreholes

Severn Trent has started work to refurbish two century-old boreholes in Wolverhampton to ensure customers continue to receive a reliable supply of drinking water in the area. Read more…

Yorkshire Water publishes ethnic pay gap

Yorkshire Water has revealed that its mean ethnic pay gap is 3 per cent and, after becoming one of the first companies in the county to publish, has encouraged others to follow suit. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

Henry Construction bags Croydon tower deals

Henry Construction has landed tower deals worth nearly £55m from the Brick by Brick housing development company set up by Croydon Council. Read more…

£900m Bishopsgate Goodsyard scheme downsized

Hammerson and its development partner Ballymore have dramatically downsized proposals for the £900m Bishopsgate Goodsyard scheme in London. Read more…

O’Keefe forecasts 12% revenue fall due to Brexit

South East groundworks and concrete contractor O’Keefe Construction is predicting that Brexit project delays will hit revenues by around 12% this year. Read more…

UK construction activity drops to 11-month low

UK construction activity fell during February, ending a ten-month period of sustained expansion, as a drop in commercial building and civil engineering activity was heavily to blame. Read more…

Laing O’Rourke to deliver Oxford University Biochemistry Building

Laing O’Rourke has signed a contract with the University of Oxford to complete the construction of their Biochemistry Building, due for completion in December 2020. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

 

Predicting system failures before they occur

One of Network Rail’s key objectives is to improve service – and safety – for users and stakeholders. But it knows only too well that to achieve this, it must reduce the occurrence of system failures. Read more…

Bombardier plans digital takeoff with Heathrow Express fleet

Last month, it was reported that Porterbrook and Bombardier had signed a contract to upgrade a fleet of 12 Class 387 Electrostar units for the prestigious Heathrow Express service. The scope involves fitting the European Train Control System (ETCS) and a number of other passenger-focused upgrades. Read more…

Good Growth: Barking Riverside

Despite recent economic shocks, London’s population continues to grow. By 2041, the city’s population is expected to grow to over 10 million. Read more…

Lord Berkeley: TransPennine freight is being sidelined

Freight has suffered from the lack of capacity across the Pennines, especially for container trains needing W10 or W12 gauge. Read more…

Smart on Rail with Transport for the North

The launch of ‘Smart on Rail’ across the whole of the region marks a major milestone for Transport for the North (TfN). Read more…

 

 

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 The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

 

Llangollen railway: Funding bid to finish steam project

After 45 years of building a railway line between two Denbighshire towns, volunteers say they need £10,000 to finish the last stretch. Read more…

O’Rourke seals £70m Oxford Uni biochem project

Laing O’Rourke has finally signed a contract with the University of Oxford for phase two expansion of its acclaimed biochemistry building. Read more…

Thames Water turns up pressure on water thieves

Thames Water is ramping up the pressure on those who illegally tap into supplies and steal water after four separate offenders were heavily fined in court. Read more…

NatWest lifts DSS restrictions on BTL landlords following campaign

NatWest is lifting restrictions on buy-to-let landlords to allow them to let to tenants in receipt of housing benefit. Read more…

UK Collaboration Awarded £0.8m For Tech To Tackle Black Plastic

A unique project born from a collaboration between recycling compliance scheme Ecosurety, plastic innovations specialist Impact Solutions, recycling specialists Impact Recycling and plastics injection moulder company McLaren Plastics has been awarded £0.8 million by the Government’s Innovate UK grant scheme. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

 

Plan to build 700 homes at York gas works site

Private rental specialist Moda has teamed up with developer North Star to redevelop York’s former gas works site. Read more…

£9.9m funding injection for Liverpool’s Festival Gardens

Up to 1,500 family homes will be built at the Festival Gardens in Liverpool due to a £9.9m funding boost from Homes England. Read more…

Unite to spend up to £500m on student halls to 2022

Student accommodation specialist is pressing ahead with several major scheme shrugging off concerns about Brexit and its impact on EU student numbers. Read more…

Housebuilding rates increase yet doubts remain on meeting target

More than half of housebuilders increased the rate at which they built new homes over the last year and predict a further rise over the next 12 months, according to a new survey. Read more…

New Tools Extend Lead of Commercial Property Management

Not content to rest on their laurels, the design team for RealPage’s Commercial Property Management Suite has rolled out a trio of enhancements intended to streamline business for commercial customers. Read more…

 

 

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 The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

Interserve considers alternative rescue plan

Interserve has said its board is now considering an alternative to the rescue plan announced earlier this month. Read more…

New membrane system promises industrial wastewater breakthrough

A new pilot plant to treat industrial wastewater is being built that could potentially reduce the amount of liquid waste by over 90 per cent. Read more…

Water retailers need to do better on complaints, says CCWater

Water retailers must do more to turn the tide of non-household complaints received by the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), says the water watchdog. Read more…

UU sewer workers praised for tackling Liverpool fire

Two quick-thinking sewer workers have been praised by United Utilities bosses after tackling a blaze at a house in Liverpool. Read more…

Irish Water apologises for activated sludge spill

Irish Water has apologised to the public after a tank failure at Dublin’s Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant caused a significant discharge of activated sludge into the estuary of the River Liffey. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

Laing O’Rourke signs £195m construction contract for Soho Place

Laing O’Rourke and Derwent London plc have exchanged construction contracts worth £195m for the Soho Place, Tottenham Court Road W1 scheme. Read more…

Former Bouygues London boss joins McLaren

Darren Gill is joining McLaren this week as Managing Director for the London business. Read more…

Laing O’Rourke technical director to leave

Laing O’Rourke Group Technical Director Paul Westbury is leaving the business. Read more…

Housebuilding rates increase yet doubts remain on meeting target

More than half of housebuilders increased the rate at which they built new homes over the last year and predict a further rise over the next 12 months, according to a new survey. Read more…

Kier takes over Birmingham Arena Central scheme

Kier Property has struck a deal with Miller Developments to take forward the Arena Central scheme in Birmingham. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

Week on the Network

See what Network Rail have been up to this week, read more…

Liverpool Lime Street station remembers its past with unique display

Liverpool Lime Street station has had a thorough overhaul recently, with new platforms, signalling and track. But its heritage has not been forgotten as three slabs from the original station platforms, dating from 1836, have been included as part of the rebuild. Read more…

Final 100mph speed checks made on electrified Manchester to Preston railway

Final checks have been made on the newly electrified railway between Manchester and Preston as a test train made its last journey over the route for the arrival of 100mph in May. Read more…

New look for West Midlands Trains across Birmingham

Passengers on the Cross City line in the West Midlands (Lichfield – Birmingham – Redditch/Bromsgrove) are starting to experience an improvement in their on-train comfort as the first of West Midlands Trains’ Class 323 units re-enters service after a substantial refit. Read more…

‘Clearer vision’ and improved joined-up working needed to deliver growth in Cambridge-Oxford arc, NIC says

The potential of the highly-anticipated Cambridge-Oxford arc project could be stunted if the government does not provide a “clearer vision and better joined-up working” to maximising the output of the corridor, the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has claimed. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

First-time buyer numbers hit 12-year high during 2018

The latest data and analysis from UK Finance has revealed that despite ‘challenging’ market conditions and the ongoing Brexit and political circus, first-time-buyer numbers reached a 12-year peak during last year. Read more…

Rainwater used for sewer jetting in Northumbrian initiative

Northumbrian Water has started using harvested rainwater in jetting operations to clear sewer blockages, as an alternative to using clean, treated water for the purpose. Read more…

East West Rail makes ‘powerful case’ for direct services from Ipswich and Norwich to Oxford

A direct rail link between Ipswich, Norwich and Oxford could unlock £17.5bn for the East Anglia community, according to a case for investment from the East West Rail Consortium (EWRC). Read more…

SSE becomes last of the big six to raise prices for customers

SSE has become the sixth and final large energy supplier to announce it is raising its standard variable tariff (SVT) to Ofgem’s revised price cap level. Read more…

£200m Port of Tilbury expansion plan approved

The Government has given the green light for the £200m expansion of the Port of Tilbury in Essex. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

 

Intu looks to build housing at Lakeside

The owner of the Lakeside shopping centre is planning construction of around 1,000 build-to-rent flats at the Essex retail park. Read more…

BMHT to build 2,000 homes over the next five years

After completing 10 new homes, Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust (BMHT) is on track to build a further 2,000 new homes over the next five years. Read more…

First-time buyer numbers hit 12-year high during 2018

The latest data and analysis from UK Finance has revealed that despite ‘challenging’ market conditions and the ongoing Brexit and political circus, first-time-buyer numbers reached a 12-year peak during last year. Read more…

£105.5m build to rent London development announced

Telford Homes has announced they will be exchanging contracts for the sale of its Equipment Works build to rent development which comprises 257 units in Walthamstow. Read more…

Top tips for first-time-buyers

According to recent figures, the number of first-time buyers coming to the market has risen from 671,000 during 2016-17, to 785,000 during 2017-181. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

DTL to deliver apprenticeship training for South Staffs Water

Utilities specialist Develop Training Limited (DTL) has won a contract to deliver an apprenticeship in water mains laying for South Staffs Water. Read more…

Pumping station switch-on for Severn Trent’s £60M Newark project

Severn Trent’s £60M water and wastewater project in Newark has reached a new milestone, as the company has now switched on its new Terminal Pumping Station at Crankley Point. Read more…

Scottish Water starts £15M River Kelvin project

Scottish Water’s multi-million pound investment project in Glasgow’s West End to help improve the environment and water quality in the River Kelvin is under way. Read more…

Defra Announces Waste “Smart tracking” Funding Winners

Five companies working across the UK have been awarded up to £80,000 to develop innovative digital solutions to tackle the challenge of tracking waste from its source through its treatment and final disposal. Read more…

Rainwater used for sewer jetting in Northumbrian initiative

Northumbrian Water has started using harvested rainwater in jetting operations to clear sewer blockages, as an alternative to using clean, treated water for the purpose. Read more…

Arup announces Chisholm appointment

Douglas Chisholm has joined Arup in London, bringing over 30 years of leadership experience and knowledge in consultancy, construction and client-side programme management. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

O’Rourke finally seals UK construction finance deal

Laing O’Rourke has finally completed a refinancing deal for its UK operations after all its contracts were put under the microscope by lenders for months. Read more…

McAleer & Rushe gets go-ahead for two Maldron hotels

Northern Ireland-based developer and contractor McAleer & Rushe has checked-in with planning to build hotels in Birmingham and Glasgow city centres. Read more…

Two Portsmouth ‘Grenfell’ tower blocks to be torn down

Two landmark Portsmouth tower blocks are set to be demolished after work to strengthen them was estimated to cost £86m. Read more…

Telford Homes to start 260 London rental homes scheme

Telford Homes secured another forward funding deal with long-term rental specialist Greystar to deliver a near 260 homes build-to-rent scheme at Walthamstow in East London. Read more…

Amey Rail appoints former Carillion MD as new chief

Former Carillion Rail managing director Andy Joy has been appointed to head Amey’s Rail business. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

 

Stuart Calvert to be new Digital Railway head

Stuart Calvert, director of programme technical services and supply chain at Network Rail’s Group Digital Railway (GDR), has been announced as its new managing director following the retirement of David Waboso. Read more…

Scheme to double train capacity on West Norfolk line awarded funding

The capacity on West Norfolk’s trains is set to double after funding for an extension of trains running between Lynn and Cambridge has been given government approval. Read more…

Battered Dawlish rail line gets £80m for new protective sea wall

A new taller sea wall is to be built at Dawlish as the DfT announced that up to £80m is being made available to build it – five years on from the storms which wreaked havoc on the rail line. Read more…

Urgent safety advice calls for louder horns on Edinburgh trams after pedestrian’s death

The RAIB has issued urgent safety advice calling for louder warning horns to be fitted on Edinburgh’s trams following the death of a pedestrian. Read more…

Rail industry proposes ending peak-tickets in ‘radical’ overhaul of rail fares

Train operators have called for a major reform of the rail fare system which would scrap peak and off-peak ticket pricing and support the rollout of ‘tap-in, tap-out’ travel nationwide. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

 

New TfW director appointed for north Wales

Transport for Wales (TfW) has appointed Lee Robinson as its new development director for North Wales. Read more…

Buckingham confirmed for £120m Swansea arena

Buckingham Group Contracting has been confirmed by Swansea Council as the principal contractor under a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) for the city’s new £120m digital arena. Read more…

Yorkshire Water starts smart analytics trial to help battle leakage

Yorkshire Water is trialling the use of smart analytics to find leaks in its network. Read more…

UK Recycling Rate Edges Up To 45.7%, New Figures Show

The UK recycling rate for waste from households was 45.7% in 2017, increasing slightly from 45.2% in 2016, according to new figures from Defra. Read more…

Where is currently the best place to buy a home in England?

A perfect balance of affordability and low crime rates surely has to be high up on the list of priorities for prospective homebuyers. And, it’s safe to assume that some areas will fare better than others with regards to this. But where are they? Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

 

Go-ahead for 200-home Cardiff build-to-rent scheme

Private rented housing developer PLATFORM_has got the thumbs up to deliver one of Wales’ first big build to rent schemes in Cardiff. Read more…

Stratford receives £78m funding from Homes England

Two new neighbourhoods will be built at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park following funding from Homes England. Read more…

Government signs off £250m for major housing projects

The Government has signed off nearly £250m of funding to clear the way for construction of almost 25,000 more homes. Read more…

Weston and Tesco plan to turn store site into 1,400 homes

Weston Homes and Tesco are preparing plans to redevelop a supermarket and car park in Goodmayes, east London into a new mixed-use development. Read more…

Hamiltonhill set for 600 new homes

Queens Cross Housing Association has now secured £40m funding from M&G Investments for ambitious plans to build 600 new homes and transform Hamiltonhill, Glasgow. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

Yorkshire Water awards AMP7 framework contract to AVK

AVK has been awarded a framework contract by Yorkshire Water for the supply of mechanical fittings including tensile-resistant fittings, under-pressure tees, repair fittings and end caps. Read more…

Waste Firms Sign Up To Energy And Utilities “Inclusion Commitment”

CEOs from 32 of the country’s leading energy and utilities employers have launched a sector “Inclusion Commitment” that is a long-term commitment to attract more “diverse and inclusive talent” into their industry. Read more…

Look beyond five-year plans, MP tells water industry

The water industry needs to move beyond the five-year regulatory price review if it is to deliver for customers and the environment, Angela Smith MP told a gathering of over 200 water industry professionals at a British Water networking event. Read more…

Defra Publishes Waste Export Guide For No Deal Brexit Scenario

Defra has today published guide outlining whatUK waste importers and exporters must do to prepare for changes to rules around waste shipments if the UK leaves the EU with no deal on 29 March 2019. Read more…

Thames Water and Network Rail work together to protect environment

An environmentally friendly herbicide is keeping tracks and taps flowing up and down the country thanks to a partnership between water companies and Network Rail. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

 

Caddick wins £35m Hudson Quarter construction contract

Palace Capital has selected Caddick Construction Ltd to undertake the construction phase of its £35m Hudson Quarter development in York. Read more…

Go-ahead for Manchester Airport beauty group hub

Plans have been approved for a new £31m logistics and global content creation studio next to Manchester Airport. Read more…

McAleer & Rushe to start £82m Paddington hotel

Northern Ireland based developer and contractor McAleer & Rushe has got the thumbs up to start work on a hotel and hybrid aparthotel development in Paddington, London. Read more…

Hamiltonhill set for 600 new homes

Queens Cross Housing Association has now secured £40m funding from M&G Investments for ambitious plans to build 600 new homes and transform Hamiltonhill, Glasgow. Read more…

Bidding starts for £18m Helensburgh leisure centre

Argyll and Bute Council has started the search for a contractor to deliver the Helensburgh Waterfront Development in Scotland. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

Network Rail: Week on the Network

Network Rail works hard to improve the network each week. Every week, we’ll highlight some of those interesting stories. Read more…

Using Data to Improve Fleet Maintenance

Rail Engineer has reported on the use of data analytics before, following attendance at Rolling Stock Maintenance conferences organised by London Business Conferences. Read more…

RMT suspends Northern strike action after “major breakthrough”

Union RMT has suspended its ongoing programme of strike action at Northern over the retention and the role of the guard on its trains. Read more…

Cutting edge technology helping Network Rail to almost double track maintenance capacity

A key part of Network Rail’s ‘predict and prevent’ strategy, Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) is helping to deliver a safer and more reliable railway for the 4.8 million passengers who rely upon it every day. Read more…

Robinson onboard for Wales

Not-for-profit government agency Transport for Wales has appointed Lee Robinson as development director for North Wales. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Proposals for £39bn investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail to be submitted to government

A business case for up to £39bn of investment in Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) are to be submitted to the government, marking “the region’s single biggest transport intervention” since the industrial revolution. Read more…

Kier pulls off contracts league double

A flurry of contract wins took Kier to pole position for greatest value of orders taken in the opening month of 2019, also keeping the firm at the top of the 12 months rolling league. Read more…

Spurs stadium opening delayed again

Spurs have announced further delays to their late-running £1bn stadium. Read more…

Tideway scoops sustainability award

Tideway, the company delivering the Thames Tideway Tunnel, has been rewarded at the Sustainability Leaders Awards 2019 for its green approach to the use of transport in the project. Read more…

Biffa Gets The Green Light For £15m Durham Plastics Recycling Plant

Biffa has announced it has received planning approval from Durham County Council for a £15m plastics recycling plant near Seaham. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

 

Galliford Try wins £50m Assembly Bristol project

Galliford Try has scored a major success, signing contracts with Bell Hammer and AXA IM-Real Assets for the £150m Assembly Bristol mixed-use regeneration scheme. Read more…

London office building to be raised by six floors

Developer London and Regional Properties has submitted plans to reconfigure and extend a major office building, next to London’s Elephant & Castle tube station. Read more…

Tolent wins £12m luxury retirement scheme

Tolent has been confirmed as main contractor for a £12m apartment scheme in Newcastle, on behalf of luxury retirement specialist PegasusLife. Read more…

Regional rental growth battles on despite Brexit

The latest data released by Landbay has shown that since the vote to leave the European Union in June 2016, total rental growth across the English regions has been seven times that of London (3.69% to London’s 0.52%). Read more…

Is virtual reality the future of building construction?

Research from Glen Dimplex Heating and Ventilation shows technologies such as virtual reality, smart technologies, 3D printing and modelling, and robotics will have an impact on the future of building construction. Read more…

 

 

The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

 

Major natural flood management project underway in Yorkshire

Work has started on a two-year, £2.6 million natural flood management project in West Yorkshire led by the National Trust to help protect homes and nurture wildlife devastated by the Boxing Day floods of 2015. Read more…

Thames continues board overhaul with two new directors

Thames Water has appointed David Waboso CBE and John Morea as non-executive directors. Read more…

Grease Contractors Association doubles its membership

The Grease Contractors Association (GCA), which represents best practice in the maintenance of grease traps and management systems in food establishments, has more than doubled its membership over the last year. Read more…

BAM Nuttall renews framework partnership with Lanes Group

BAM Nuttall has renewed a framework partnership that has seen drainage specialist Lanes Group plc deliver services for scores of projects on behalf of the civil engineering contractor. Read more…

Urgent action required on UK engineering skills crisis, report says

UK engineering faces a growing skills crisis that could become substantially worse after Brexit, according to a new report published by E4E and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Read more…

Interserve announces rescue plan agreement

Interserve has agreed a rescue deal that could see it cut its debts from £600 million to around £275 million by issuing new shares. Read more…

 

The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

 

Race starts for record £30bn public works framework

The Government’s Crown Commercial Service has started the mega bid race for a recording-breaking Government works framework. Read more…

The holistic approach to construction’s productivity problem

After 20 years of stagnation, what will it take to kick-start productivity in construction? Martin Feakes, head of buildings London at Ramboll, believes the conditions are right for change. Read more…

Manchester building boom outstrips LA and Chicago

England’s big three regional cities are shrugging off Brexit worries and enjoyed bumper construction growth last year driven by city centre residential and office schemes. Read more…

Winvic Construction to develop 14-storey residential apartments

Winvic Construction Ltd has been appointed by Lionel House Developments Ltd and Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI) to develop a new 14-storey build-to-rent (BTR) complex. Read more…

Galliard Homes plans next major Birmingham scheme

Galliard Homes has pushed forward plans for a residential-led, mixed-use scheme of 756 new homes and more than 10,000 sq ft of commercial space on a site opposite Birmingham City Hospital. Read more…

Kier lined-up for £30m Cheltenham school deal

Gloucestershire County Council has confirmed Kier as preferred contractor for a new £30m school in Leckhampton, south Cheltenham. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

 

Combating health concerns through changes in diet

With 1.7 billion people travelling by rail each year, the health of workers should be a key focus – if not the key focus – of the industry. Read more…

Long-awaited plans to build a sea wall to protect Dawlish rail line unveiled by Network Rail

Plans to build a new sea wall in the first phase of work to protect the coastal railway which connects Devon and Cornwall with the rest of the UK have been unveiled by Network Rail. Read more…

The pioneering project that could allow dozens of aspiring train operators to follow their dreams

When customer service assistant Alex Bulley successfully applied to become a London Underground train operator, it was a dream come true. Read more…

Network Rail announces new track systems contracts that will last for ten years

Network Rail has announced two (shortly to be three) track systems contracts that could cover the next 10 years and be worth around £5 billion to the successful bidders, or over £10 billion of work when the cost of free-issued materials and services is included. Read more…

Great British Bake Off finalist Ruby Bhogal reveals all about her career in rail

When Ruby Bhogal returned to work on August 30, she was greeted with a warmer reception than usual. She’d only had a day’s leave but, in the space of 36 hours, two of her big secrets were finally out. Read more…

Timing of door closure – how critical is it?

Much has been written and said in recent times about efforts to improve the throughput of trains on metro and inner suburban railways. Using CBTC has enabled 36 trains per hour (tph) to be achieved in each direction on London Underground’s Victoria Line. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

 

Young civil engineers see tech as solution to skills shortage

Eight in 10 civil engineers believe that a skills shortage is the main challenge for the future of the industry, and 58 per cent of junior civil engineers believe that this challenge could be overcome by adopting new technology. Read more…

EU Proposal Submitted To Restrict “Intentionally Added” Microplastics

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has submitted a restriction proposal for microplastic particles that are intentionally added to mixtures used by consumers or professionals. Read more…

All Build UK contractors miss 30-day payment target again

No Build UK major contractor members are paying their bills within 30-days. Read more…

Is now the best time to buy a property in London?

It’s a gamble. Do I buy now or wait for a further possible drop in prices? Read more…

‘Light at the end of the tunnel’ as Gatwick Express trains trial due to start

MP Caroline Lucas has revealed that a trial for the Gatwick Express rail link will launch this month following months of reduced services, disruption and the May timetable chaos. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

 

Activity surges in December as buyers return to the market

New data and analysis from haart has shown that buyers returned to the market in increased numbers during the usually quiet final weeks of the year, despite ongoing Brexit drama. Read more…

Start date for twin Glasgow resi towers

Legal & General has exchanged contracts on its first Build To Rent scheme in Scotland with construction set to start by the end of this year on the two 18-storey towers in Glasgow. Read more…

Building Equality: Driving LGBT+ inclusion forward

Building Equality is an alliance of construction organisations and professionals working together to drive LGBT+ inclusion in the construction sector. Read more…

Four win £100m MEP work for Manchester scheme

Developer Allied London and construction partner Lendlease have chosen four firms to deliver the MEP works for the £1.25bn St. John’s development in Manchester. Read more…

Weston opens factory to make “lego homes”

Weston has opened a new “house building factory” where home components will be stored and assembled in a similar way to a car production plant. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

 

£38m funding boost for construction classrooms

Further education providers offering construction T Levels are set to benefit from a £38m funding boost to build new classroms and refurbish existing buildings. Read more…

McAlpine gets green light for next Broadgate rebuild

Sir Robert McAlpine has got the green light to deliver the next major rebuild at Broadgate in the City of London. Read more…

£200m Liverpool scheme enabling works approved

A £4.2m plan to clear land for a £200m office scheme in Liverpool city centre has been given the thumbs up. Read more…

Start date for twin Glasgow resi towers

Legal & General has exchanged contracts on its first Build To Rent scheme in Scotland with construction set to start by the end of this year on the two 18-storey towers in Glasgow. Read more…

Wilmott Dixon wins £23m Salford tower block revamp

Willmott Dixon has landed another large residential project in Greater Manchester following recent work to build nearly 250 homes in Wythenshawe and Old Trafford. Read more…

Morgan Sindall to build £5m modular school in nine months

Morgan Sindall has been appointed to build a new £5m primary school and nursery in Derby in just nine months. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Ofwat focuses on purpose, values and culture in new principles

Ofwat has published its revised board leadership, transparency, and governance principles. Read more…

South West Water backs ‘Year of Green Action’

South West Water is planning to hold a year-long series of environmental events for staff and the public. Read more…

Waitrose Launches £1m Initiative To Tackle UK Plastic Pollution

Waitrose & Partners will today (28 Jan) launch a £1 million grant fund to give money to projects designed to reduce unnecessary plastic and tackle plastic pollution.  Read more…

New environmental scorecards assess PR19 plans

Blueprint for Water, part of the Wildlife and Countryside Link nature coalition, has published new scorecards that analyse how successful water companies’ plans for AMP7 are likely to be in protecting and improving the environment. Read more…

Viridor & Suffolk County Council Agree 10-Year Contract Renewal

Viridor and Suffolk County Council have agreed an £88.75 million renewal of the contact for the council’s mixed dry recyclate. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

Alstom/Siemens merger – new proposals

Siemens and Alstom, two major suppliers to the world’s railways, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 26 September 2017 to combine Siemens’ mobility business including its rail traction drives business with Alstom. Read more…

Mini museum opens at Liverpool Lime Street

Old railway artefacts have been put on display in a newly opened ‘mini museum’ at Liverpool Lime Street station. Read more…

Alstom and Siemens backtrack and submit new concessions for rail merger ahead of European Commission vote

Alstom and Siemens have offered new concessions to try to satisfy antitrust demands from the European Commission over their plans to merge and create a European rail champion, forcing Margrethe Vestager to reassess the merger at the last minute. Read more…

Rail freight deal unveiled by DB Cargo UK and Maritime Transport

DB Cargo UK and Maritime Transport have agreed to launch a joint intermodal division and contract out work to each other in bid to increase rail freight capacity and competition in the intermodal market. Read more…

Plans for tram-trains in Manchester unveiled as Grayling and Burnham mull expansion of Metrolink

Proposals for an expansion of Greater Manchester’s (GM) tram network are in the works, Chris Grayling and Andy Burnham have announced, with plans for greater devolved control for the region and the introduction of tram-trains being considered. Read more…

East West Rail publishes alternative routes for Bedford to Cambridge

The East West Railway Company has just released details of five alternative routes for a new railway between Bedford and Cambridge as part of the East West Rail development. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Partnership aims to secure resilient utility workforce post-Brexit

The Collab Group has announced a new strategic partnership with Energy & Utility Skills that includes access to the latter’s end-point assessment service. Read more…

Construction’s hardest roles to recruit revealed

Industry leaders have drawn-up a list of the construction trades and professions suffering from the severest skills shortages. Read more…

Plans for tram-trains in Manchester unveiled as Grayling and Burnham mull expansion of Metrolink

Proposals for an expansion of Greater Manchester’s (GM) tram network are in the works, Chris Grayling and Andy Burnham have announced, with plans for greater devolved control for the region and the introduction of tram-trains being considered. Read more…

Gross mortgage lending sees steady rise during 2018

The latest figures released by UK Finance have revealed that, against a backdrop of political and economic uncertainty throughout 2018, gross mortgage lending in the UK ended the year on a positive note. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

Plans in for £130m Goole housing development

Regional house-builder Beal Homes has submitted a planning application for its largest development to date. Read more…

Micro-homes will help ease London’s housing crisis, says new report

Micro-homes could be a partial solution for cities like London to expand choice for young professionals and help combat the housing crisis, according to a new report. Read more…

Morgan Sindall in £300m housing alliance

Morgan Sindall has set up a new house-building joint venture with an initial target of delivering 1,500 shared ownership homes with a total value of up to £300m. Read more…

£100m Clydeside build-to-rent development gets green light

One of Scotland’s first major build-to-rent developments on the banks of the Clyde has got the planning green light. Read more…

Work begins on £18m Nottingham student accommodation development

Contractor nmcn has announced that works have commenced on the £18m Nottingham student accommodation development on Talbot Street. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

Works Begin In Edmonton To Replace Energy From Waste Facility

Yesterday (22 January) marked the start of construction for the North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP) in Edmonton. Read more…

Irish Water progresses Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme

The €30.3 million project includes the installation of over 18km of new gravity sewers and rising mains as well as the upgrade of wastewater pumping stations at Clane, Sallins and Monread, which will also see additional storm water storage tanks at all three. Read more…

Sewer project enables hotel opening at Edinburgh’s Holyrood

A new overflow pipe connecting two Victorian brick sewers within the world heritage site of Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park has been completed by Scottish Water Horizons. Read more…

Severn Trent completes innovative sewer upgrade scheme

Severn Trent has completed a unique flood alleviation scheme in Gloucestershire using innovative underground technology. Read more…

UK Leads International Project To Tackle “World’s Biggest Challenges”

The launch of the new UK-led, international project to protect the world’s oceans and develop next-gen “eco-packaging”, the One Ocean Growth hub, is one of a number of new international research collaborations announced by Science and Universities Minister Chris Skidmore. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

Major milestone reached for Glasgow healthcare projects

BAM Construction has closed a deal on two healthcare projects which are being delivered for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde by hub West Scotland. Read more…

Sanctuary and Galliford Try JV to start fourth major scheme

Housing and care provider Sanctuary Group and Galliford Try Partnerships are joining forces for their fourth and biggest scheme. Read more…

Adding value, expertise and service to cost-effective construction solutions

With eight decades of experience behind it, Voestalpine Metsec plc is pioneering offsite framing in the construction industry. Read more…

Bouygues to start work on 26-storey Bristol tower

Construction is set to start this month on a 26-storey resi tower in the centre of Bristol. Read more…

£100m Clydeside build-to-rent development gets green light

One of Scotland’s first major build-to-rent developments on the banks of the Clyde has got the planning green light. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

A week on the network – Network Rail

We cater for 4.5m rail journeys every single day, while simultaneously delivering an ambitious, multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan. We’re renewing and upgrading 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges and viaducts, thousands of signals, level crossings and stations (the largest of which we also run), meaning our works have a wide-reaching impact. Read more…

New automatic braking system for London Trams

London is set to become the first in the UK to have an automatic braking system that will automatically apply the brakes, and bring a moving tram to a controlled stop, if it exceeds the speed limit at designated locations. Read more…

Station sleepout to raise funds for Railway Children

Fundraisers will be joined by Network Rail directors and so far unnamed politicians at a charitable station sleepout on January 31. Read more…

Waterloo and Derby stations heralded as exemplary rail projects

The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Ceca) has championed the remodelling of Derby station and the redevelopment of London Waterloo station as exemplary projects to be learned from, in response to the government’s “root and branch” rail review. Read more…

Union launches campaign to save Glasgow rail depot

Representatives from union Unite are attempting to rally enough political support to save 180 jobs at Springburn rail depot in Glasgow. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

£50m stands approved for Lords cricket ground

The capacity of Lord’s cricket ground is set to increase to 31,000 after planning permission was granted to build new Edrich and Compton stands. Read more…

M&S launches plastic-free fruit and veg trial

Retailer to undertake three month trial to investigate how a switch to plastic-free and loose produce impacts waste levels. Read more…

The Ban on Tenant Fees Will Come Into Effect on 1st June

It feels like it’s been forever since the government announced that it was going to put an end to all the extra fees being charged by landlords and letting agents that somehow, miraculously, make the prospect of renting even more depressing. Read more…

Network Rail & Innovate UK: Ready for the future

As part of its Open for Business programme, Network Rail recently teamed up with Innovate UK to give businesses a chance to win a share of £300,000 for projects that can help automate rail planning. Read more…

Union demands “period dignity” on construction sites

Construction union Unite has launched a campaign to ensure that female workers have period dignity on site. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

Carey wins £16m Stratford Waterfront civils package

The London Legacy Development Corporation has picked P J Carey to deliver the main substructure works for the Stratford Waterfront development at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. Read more…

Ebbsfleet Cross development set for new homes

Bellway Homes has been given the go-ahead by the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation for the development of new homes on Ebbsfleet Cross. Read more…

Homes England announces £70m for new homes in Northamptonshire

Around 8,500 new houses will be built in Northamptonshire following a £70m funding injection from Homes England, the government’s housing delivery agency. Read more…

What would a no-deal Brexit mean for the property market?

The official Brexit deadline is roughly ten weeks away. And yet the terms of the UK’s departure from the EU remain unfixed – an issue that was compounded when a vast majority of MPs rejected Theresa May’s withdrawal plans. Read more…

Top tips for a quick house sale

Nobody wants a lengthy house sale. Aside from the fact that it’s one of life’s great stress tests, the costs will soon begin to mount up and the likelyhood of the whole thing collapsing increases by the day. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

Lush To Open “Naked” Plastic-Free Store In Manchester

Lush will launch a “Naked” store in Manchester this week making it first plastic packaging-free cosmetics shop to open in the country. Read more…

New app eases cover crop verification for farmers

Farmers who have committed to grow environmentally friendly cover crops are now able use a new app to quickly verify their work. Read more…

Waitrose Hits Black Plastic Packaging Reduction Target

Waitrose & Partners has hit its target to remove black plastic from hundreds of products as part of its overall aim to eradicate black plastic from all its own-label products. Read more…

Researchers to investigate wastewater algae use

Water and wastewater environmental consultancy Aqua Enviro is to carry out an Innovate UK-funded project to investigate the beneficial use of algae grown as part of a wastewater tertiary treatment process. Read more…

Transient detection helps Scottish Water prevent bursts

Scottish Water says it has prevented 2,000 bursts from happening in 2018 – saving £2M – thanks to its innovative work in detecting and responding to transients. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

Plant hire giant Hawk falls into administration

The Enquirer understands the news was broken to staff on Monday morning as plant manufacturers started to arrive at the firm’s depots to collect leased kit. Read more…

HS2 forces firms to use least polluting trucks and plant

HS2 is using its scale as the UK’s biggest infrastructure project to set a fresh benchmark in construction vehicle emission standards. Read more…

Watkin Jones hits record profits as pipeline grows

Student rooms and build-to-rent specialist Watkin Jones has delivered record profits and secured a pipeline of 24 project sites for the next three years. Read more…

Carey wins £16m Stratford Waterfront civils package

The London Legacy Development Corporation has picked P J Carey to deliver the main substructure works for the Stratford Waterfront development at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. Read more…

Mace confirmed for £350m Paddington Cube

Great Western Developments and development partner Sellar have confirmed Mace as the main construction partner to deliver the Paddington Cube project in London. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

Waboso to leave Network Rail

David Waboso, the managing director of Network Rail’s Group Digital Railway (DR), is to retire in March. Read more…

London trams to be fitted with automatic braking system in response to Sandilands recommendations

London’s tram network is to be fitted with an automatic braking system in response to safety recommendations following the fatal Croydon tram crash. Read more…

Deutsche Bahn may sell Arriva to plug multi-billion gap in finances

Deutsche Bahn (DB) reportedly wants to sell Arriva in order to plug a £3.6bn gap in its finances, although reports from Berlin say Brexit is making it hard to value the rail business. Read more…

Christmas 2018: Quiet network, busy Network Rail

While many spent the Christmas and New Year break with family and friends, a 25,000-strong workforce laboured through £148 million worth of work for Network Rail. Read more…

HS2 could run fewer and slower trains to keep within budget and schedule, warns chief executive

HS2 could be forced to run fewer trains and at slower speeds in order to keep the high-speed rail project within its £56m budget, its chief executive has said. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

BAM Farrans JV wins £120m Great Yarmouth bridge

Norfolk County Council has awarded the contract for Great Yarmouth’s Third River Crossing to a BAM Farrans joint venture. Read more…

New official wet wipe standard to bolster fatberg fight

The fight against fatbergs has received a boost with the publication of a new official standard identifying which wet wipes can be flushed down toilets safely. Read more…

Engineers able to predict and fix track faults before they develop using new Costain augmented reality tech

Engineers will be able to use augmented reality (AR) to predict failing components and faults on train tracks and in stations after engineering companies, in collaboration with a university, have developed a network of Internet of Things (IoT). Read more…

Abundance closes record £7m investment for Orbital Marine Power project

Green crowd-funding platform Abundance has this week celebrated its largest fund-raise to date, closing a record £7m investment round for Orbital Marine Power. Read more…

Solving the social housing conundrum

David Baybut, head of Real Estate at national law firm Stephensons, discusses the recent plunge in social housing figures and explores how ‘new thinking’ can grow the stock of homes for social rent. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

Plans for five resi towers at Leeds Bridge Street site

Plans have been submitted to build five blocks of flats at the Bridge Street site to the north of Leeds city centre. Read more…

Lendlease picked for £1.5bn Birmingham Smithfield revamp

Birmingham City Council has named Lendlease as its development partner to deliver the £1.5bn transformation of the 17ha Smithfield city centre site. Read more…

Almost half of all house sales failed in Q4 2018

Newly released data from independent home buyer, Quick Move Now, has revealed that almost half of all house sales in England and Wales fell through before completion in the final quarter of 2018. Read more…

Muse unveils £150m Bolton Church Wharf regen plan

Muse Developments has unveiled plans for a new £150m neighbourhood at Church Wharf in Bolton town centre. Read more…

Vinci go-ahead for £91m Exeter student campus

Student infrastructure specialist University Partnerships Programme has reached financial close with Exeter University for a major student accommodation development at East Park. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

Senior management changes announced at the Clancy Group

The Clancy Group PLC has announced a series of senior appointments as part of the wider restructure of its management team. Read more…

81% Of UK SMEs Separate Their Waste For Recycling, Survey Finds

81% of SMEs in the UK separate their waste for recycling, according to a new survey. It also found the cost of goods is still more important than environmental impact when it comes to procuring products for 76% of business owners. Read more…

Government investing millions to develop robots to improve roadworks

The Government has announced that new micro robots will be built to repair the UK’s huge underground pipe network in an effort to significantly cut the disruption caused by the 1.5 million road excavations that take place every year. Read more…

Swindon Plans Advanced Plastics Recycling Facility

Partnering with Recycling Technologies and Public Power Solutions Ltd, a wholly owned company of Swindon Borough Council, the Council is working on plans to deliver a “world-leading” advanced Plastics Recycling Facility in Swindon. Read more…

Devon’s largest ever fatberg discovered in Sidmouth sewer

South West Water has discovered its largest ever fatberg in a Sidmouth sewer under The Esplanade. Read more…

Fly-Tipping Duty Of Care Penalties Come Into Force

New financial penalties have come into force this week with an aim of cracking down on fly-tipping. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

ISG wins five southern school jobs

Contractor ISG has chalked up its first school building projects after securing places last year on the Education Funding Agency’s framework for medium value contracts in London and the South West. Read more…

Graham wins £25m former reggae record HQ revamp

Graham construction has won the £25m Phase 2 redevelopment of the old The Gramophone Works, a new commercial campus in Kensal Rise, London. Read more…

Lendlease scoops Manchester town hall £330m revamp

Lendlease has beaten rival Laing O’Rourke to deliver Manchester’s £330m Town Hall and Albert Square refurbishment programme. Read more…

Pagabo picks 46 firms for £1bn medium projects deal

Procurement specialist Pagabo has selected 46 firms for its new countrywide framework for projects ranging from £250,000 to £10m. Read more…

Robertson hires former Kier construction boss

Kier’s former construction and infrastructure services director Nigel Brook has joined Robertson Construction to expand its southern operations. Read more…

Mace lands £150m Stansted Airport terminal

London Stansted has appointed Mace as the main contractor for the construction of its new £150m arrivals terminal. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

HS2 project part of new East Midlands manufacturing zones scheme

A north Derbyshire HS2 project has been named as one of the locations of the UK’s first manufacturing zones in the East Midlands. Read more…

Meet the rail industry heroes of 2018

Not so long ago, in an enchanted land not so far away, a journey into a magical kingdom led to a fairytale ending for 12 men, three women and five teams. Read more…

Ambitious £10bn plans for Gatwick Heathrow HS4Air rail service rejected

Plans to build a new £10bn high-speed rail service connecting HS1 with HS2 via Gatwick and Heathrow airports have been rejected by the DfT. Read more…

The development of engineering talent is in our hands

James Richards, engineering capability manager at Network Rail, encourages employers to run ‘experience of industry’ programmes to enable young people to gain insights into engineering careers. Read more…

MTR teams up with experienced high-speed operator for West Coast bid

Spanish state-owned operator Renfe has partnered with MTR for its West Coast Partnership bid. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Read the George Stephenson notebook online:

This Christmas, Network Rail is sharing one of the railway’s most historically important artefacts with the world. Read more…

Six tower plans to change City of London skyline by 2026

Skyline views of the main London City tower cluster have been released assuming six more major consented schemes are built. Read more…

HS2 project part of new East Midlands manufacturing zones scheme

A north Derbyshire HS2 project has been named as one of the locations of the UK’s first manufacturing zones in the East Midlands. Read more…

Yorkshire Water begins project to plant a million trees

Yorkshire Water has announced that it has begun work on its scheme to plant one million trees across its land within 10 years. Read more…

House price growth slows to six year low

The latest figures released from Nationwide have revealed that across the UK, annual house price growth has slowed to its weakest pace since February 2013. Read more…

 

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 The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

£196m Barking rail extension awarded

A joint venture between Morgan Sindall and VolkerFitzpatrick has secured the London Overground rail extension from Barking to the planned 10,000 homes Riverside scheme. Read more…

House builders planning for further growth

Builders are continuing to invest in land as they look to deliver further increases in housing supply, according to a report from HBF and Glenigan. Read more…

Go-ahead for £350m Commonwealth Games village

Contractor Lendlease has got the planning green light to start work on Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games athletes village. Read more…

Rail Ombudsman interview: RTM sits down with CEO Kevin Grix

Both passengers and operators in the rail industry are anxious to see how the new ombudsman will improve the railways following a largely chaotic 2018. What are your key priorities going into 2019? Read more…

Office For Environmental Protection Outlined In Draft Environment Bill

Days after the unveiling of the Resources and Waste Strategy for England, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has published draft clauses on environmental principles and governance to be included in an ambitious, broader Environment Bill set for introduction next year. Read more…

South East Water partners with Centrica Hive to cut leakage

South East Water and smart home technology provider Centrica Hive have announced the first domestic household water supplier partnership to reduce leakage and improve water use understanding. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

Scotframe Val-U-Therm PLUS® For PassivHaus: Probably the Best U-Value Wall in the World

Scotframe exclusively offers the Val-U-Therm PLUS® building system, which offers some best-in-class performance for PassivHaus construction. Read more…

Modular village to be built in Corby for London commuters

Groundworks will start this month on a new modular village in Corby, Northants targeted at London commuters. Read more…

Over 40,000 people sign Right to Build register to build their dream homes

New research by the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA) has found that, since 1st April 2016, over 40,000 people have now signed up to Right to Build registers across England. Read more…

Where are the UK’s current fastest and slowest growing rents?

Landbay has released new data that has identified Edinburgh as having the UK’s fastest growing rents with the average annual rent rising by 4.63% in 2018. Read more…

New home registration sees ‘strong growth’ during November

According to new data from NHBC, the number of new homes registered in November totaled 15,155 – the second highest monthly total of 2018 and a 2% increase year-on-year. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

Technology to turn wastewater into energy wins £25K funding

A new type of technology that could turn wastewater into energy for households and local communities has secured one of the two top prizes of £25,000 in seed funding at the Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards 2018. Read more…

England and Wales performing better than Europe – report

Water companies in England and Wales perform better than their main European counterparts, according to a new report. Read more…

Steele named new Balfour Beatty MD for gas and water

Balfour Beatty has announced the appointment of Matthew Steele as managing director of its gas and water business. Read more…

Gove Unveils Long-Awaited Resources & Waste Strategy For England

Businesses and manufacturers will “pay the full cost” of recycling or disposing of their packaging waste, government says, under its long-awaited strategy for England’s resources and waste, which has been unveiled by the Environment Secretary today (18 December). Read more…

20% still put FOG from cooking down drains – study

One in five consumers still put leftover fat, oil and grease (FOG) from cooking down the kitchen sink or drain, according to a new study for the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater).

Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

Balfour Beatty delivers 2-3% construction margin goal

Balfour Beatty chief Leo Quinn has achieved his goal of returning the business to industry standard margins by the end of this year. Read more…

VolkerHighways to replace Skanska on Bath roads

Bath and North East Somerset Council has picked VolkerHighways to deliver its £49m highways maintenance services for the next seven years. Read more…

Modular village to be built in Corby for London commuters

Groundworks will start this month on a new modular village in Corby, Northants targeted at London commuters. Read more…

Big Yellow 20-floor flats and storage scheme approved

Big Yellow Group has gained planning for a 20-storey residential block and separate self storage building in South London. Read more…

RSK buys scaffolding and traffic specialists

Expanding consultant RSK Group has acquired another raft of companies after securing a new financing package. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry:

 

175 years of progress

Electrification of the Great Western main line (GWML) reached a new milestone at the end of October when, following the installation of overhead electrical equipment from Didcot Parkway, the first revenue service operating under electric power pulled into Swindon station. Read more…

Winner Announced in the Network Rail Footbridge Design Ideas  Competition

Network Rail and RIBA Competitions are delighted to announce the winner and highly commended entry in the competition seeking new design ideas for footbridges. Read more…

The past, present and future: A look at electrification of the UK’s railways

Standing here on the platforms of the electrified York station, breathing in a fog of diesel fumes from five diesel trains awaiting departure, it is easy to wonder what went wrong. Read more…

New HQ for Auctus Management Group following significant growth

Specialist infrastructure services provider Auctus Management Group (AMG), as well as its subsidiaries INFRA Skills and RSS Infrastructure (RSSI), have relocated their headquarters to a new 10,000 sq ft premises in the heart of the West Midlands. Read more…

Passengers across London reminded to check before they travel this Christmas and New Year

Rail passengers preparing for their Christmas getaway this week are being issued a final reminder to plan their journeys. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Hitachi and Spencer Group join forces for £500m Tyne and Wear Metro deal bid

Hitachi and Spencer Group have launched a joint bid to win a £500m contract to build new trains and a maintenance depot for the Tyne and Wear Metro. Read more…

Balfour Beatty delivers 2-3% construction margin goal

Balfour Beatty chief Leo Quinn has achieved his goal of returning the business to industry standard margins by the end of this year. Read more…

London millennial exodus fueling rental growth across UK

Across the UK’s regional hubs, rents are continuing to spiral upwards faster than both London and the UK average, driven by workers continuing to relocate from London amid rising living costs. Read more…

Scottish Water trials use of sniffer dogs to find leaks

Sniffer dogs are being used to help find leaking water mains for the first time in Scotland and have scored a big success with two discoveries in the past few days. Read more…

Infrastructure giant Amey to be sold to private equity firm in new year

Infrastructure giant Amey is expected to be sold to a private equity firm in the new year, according to reports. Read more…

Northumbrian Water agrees ‘second life’ energy storage deal

Northumbrian Water is planning to pilot the use of large-scale battery storage at a number of sites across the North East, Essex and Suffolk. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry:

 

Top housing association hires Lendlease resi chief

Lendlease’s head of residential is leaving the firm to join the board of leading housing association Clarion Group.

Read more…

Law Commission consults on commonhold

The 13th Law Commission has published its Consultation Paper on commonhold reform, “Reinvigorating commonhold: the alternative to leasehold ownership”. Read more…

Modular building specialist goes into administration

Timber modular building specialist Carbon Dynamic has fallen into administration with the loss of 40 jobs. Read more…

280,000 homes could be built above rail tracks in London, says WSP

Engineering firm WSP found that space above train, overground and tube lines could result in an additional 2,470 hectares of land available for residential buildings across London, the equivalent of 280,000 homes. Read more…

Which property type produces the best yields?

New data from specialist online buy-to-let agency, yieldit, has revealed some interesting insight into which properties might produce the highest yields for landlords looking to invest in the UK’s residential property market. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry:

 

Severn Trent saves £750K using drone inspections

Severn Trent has made savings of £750,000 in the last year through the use of drones for more efficient asset inspections, it has been reported. Read more…

England’s 2017 Recycling Figures Show 0.3% Increase

The official England waste from households recycling rate for 2017 was 45.2%, up 0.3 percentage points from 44.9% in 2016, according to the latest figures. Read more…

Yorkshire Water to open up water resources data

With the summer’s unusually dry weather continuing into the winter months, Yorkshire Water has announced it is to become the first water company to regularly publish its full data on the region’s water resources to allow customers to see for themselves how dry weather and increased demand are having an impact. Read more…

LondonEnergy Awarded NLWA Energy Recovery Facility Contract

North London Waste Authority (NLWA) members announced it has awarded LondonEnergy Ltd with a contract to manage the waste collected by the seven north London Boroughs and to operate the replacement Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) at Edmonton EcoPark. Read more…

Thames deploys hundreds of night-time leak detectors

Hundreds of Thames Water engineers are walking the streets at night to pinpoint leakage from the company’s 20,000-mile water pipe network. Read more…

Thames to help fund £60M green surface water management schemes

Thames Water will partner with stakeholders and local authorities to fund £60 million of surface water management (SWM) schemes including green spaces, removing hard, impermeable surfaces such as concrete and asphalt in areas most at risk of flooding. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

Kier selected to deliver £45m Northstowe Education Campus

Kier has been chosen by Cambridgeshire County Council to carry out the first phase of the design and construction of its brand new £45m Northstowe Education Campus. Read more…

£300m Blackpool leisure development plans announced

The Blackpool Central development is set to bring world-class attractions to the Golden Mile. Read more…

Kier scores November contracts league double

Kier has come top of the monthly contracts league for work won in November and continued to hold pole position in the 12-month rolling league table. Read more…

Forrest falls into administration

Contractor Herbert T Forrest Limited has lost its fight for survival after administrators were appointed to the company. Read more…

£2bn Elephant & Castle shopping centre scheme final go-ahead

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has rubber-stamped £2bn plans for the redevelopment of the Elephant & Castle shopping centre in South London. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry

 

Trial service to help staff manage mental health conditions at work

RSSB has secured funding to trial an independent service on behalf of the industry to support staff whose employment is made more challenging due to mental health problems. Read more…

Consultation confirms public support for new rail link between Heathrow and the west

Plans for a new rail link between Heathrow and the west have been overwhelmingly supported in a new consultation published by Network Rail. Read more…

London mayor criticised after appointing former auditor and advisor to investigate Crossrail delays

Sadiq Khan has come under fire over a Crossrail probe after he appointed a former auditor and adviser for the Elizabeth Line project to investigate the delays and spiralling costs. Read more…

How a revised standard will change the way fatigue is managed

Being tired was never really considered a cause of safety incidents – at best its role was underestimated. Read more…

Rail Sector Deal: Three new Midlands pilots launched to help SMEs and share data

Given its position in the “heart of the rail industry,” the Midlands will play host to pilots on a new rail data platform, a scheme supporting high-potential SMEs, and a skills programme to stimulate apprenticeships. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Coca-Cola Invests In Supply Of 100% Recycled PET Plastic

Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) is making a new strategic investment from Loop Industries to purchase a supply of 100% recycled PET (rPET) plastic to accelerate the increased use of recycled materials in the creation of its bottles. Read more…

ISG lands £70m refurb deal for Canary Wharf tower

ISG has been awarded a £70m contract to refurbish the former Canary Wharf offices of the Financial Conduct Authority. Read more…

Severn Trent creates machine learning to help tackle leakage

Severn Trent has started to use machine learning to help transform the way it approaches leaks. Read more…

Network Rail awards first CP6 contracts

Railway specialists Story Contracting and AmcoGiffen have bagged the first major contracts to be let by Network Rail for the CP6 control period from 2019 to 2024. Read more…

Cheaper digital signalling, more exports and better data-sharing: DfT launches the Rail Sector Deal

The government has today announced the new Rail Sector Deal in order to help the government work better with the rail industry, reduce the cost of infrastructure, encourage greater use of digital technologies, and double the UK’s rail industry exports by 2025. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry

 

TfL and Barratt get the green light for Blackhorse Point development

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it has been given the go-ahead to start building hundreds of new homes working with Barratt London as part of its Property Partnership Framework. Read more…

Lendlease tops sustainability index

An analysis of the sustainability performance of the UK’s 25 largest house-builders has put Lendlease on top. Read more…

VolkerFitzpatrick wins £20m National Maritime Systems Centre contract

VolkerFitzpatrick has been awarded a £20m contract to construct a new National Maritime Systems Centre in Portsdown Technology Park. Read more…

Overcoming the Hurdles of Payments in the Affordable Housing Industry

Online payment adoption is rising steadily in conventional multifamily and leading to the expectation of more self-service opportunities for renters. Read more…

UK’s most sustainable homebuilders revealed

NextGeneration, the benchmark which assesses and ranks the UK’s 25 largest homebuilders on their sustainability performance has released its annual report which names Lendlease, Barratt Developments Plc and Redrow as the UK’s most sustainable homebuilders. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

 

Wastewater upgrade for Northumberland

Northumbrian Water is investing nearly £4 million to upgrade its wastewater treatment works in Northumberland. Read more…

£60m Funding For “Environmentally-Friendly” Plastic Alternatives

Household food scraps could be transformed into “environmentally-friendly” plastic bags and cups, thanks to up to £60m of new government funding, it has been announced today (5 December). Read more…

Severn Trent creates machine learning to help tackle leakage

Severn Trent has started to use machine learning to help transform the way it approaches leaks. Read more…

Gove Sets Out Proposals For Greener Developments

The government is consulting on mandating biodiversity net gain in development to ensure habitats are protected and enhanced for the future. Read more…

Scottish Water tests innovative wastewater treatment process

Scottish Water experts are testing a new technology that the company believes could “transform the way wastewater is treated”. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry

 

Half-way point for UK’s biggest road upgrade scheme

The £1.5bn project to upgrade 21 miles of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon has reached the half-way point. Read more…

£150m Bournemouth Winter Gardens scheme gets go-ahead

Plans by Bournemouth Development Company for the Winter Gardens scheme in Bournemouth have been approved by Bournemouth Council Planning Board. Read more…

Engie to buy Forrest housing and energy arms

French energy services giant Engie is set to buy the social housing refurbishment and energy operations of stricken North West contractor Forrest Group. Read more…

Bouygues wins £100m London Royal Mail scheme

House builder Taylor Wimpey has awarded Bouygues a £100m-plus contract to deliver the first phase of its redevelopment of an old Royal Mail and Post Office site in London. Read more…

Researchers at Cambridge Uni to develop self-healing concrete

Researchers at the University of Cambridge are using microencapsulation technologies developed by Dolomite Microfluidics to develop self-healing building materials. Read more…

Go-ahead for £270m Swindon ski and cinema centre

Plans to build a 500,000 sq ft regional leisure scheme in Swindon featuring a big snow centre have been given the thumbs up. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry

 

Shadow transport secretary McDonald considers extending control periods to 7 years

The shadow transport secretary has suggested increasing the current spending period length by an extra two years to give the supply industry greater time for planning. Read more…

Tree felling review: ‘Passenger safety is as vital as wildlife’

Review chair John Varley has called on Network Rail to be not only the safety railway in Europe but also the greenest as a report into the infrastructure manager’s tree-felling practices has been released. Read more…

HS2 work on injunction site halted by overnight protesters

Four environmental protestors managed to stop work on part of the HS2 rail link at a construction site, which was protected by an injunction ordered by Chris Grayling, chaining themselves to part of the site. Read more…

Colas Rail: Sense of identity

From rail grinding to freight, on-track plant to train maintenance, it’s difficult to know where to start with Colas Rail. A series of acquisitions and mergers over the last decade have given the UK subsidiary of the French construction giant Bouygues its own distinct identity. Read more…

‘Another kick in the teeth’: Rail fares to rise by 3.1% in New Year

Rail fares will rise by an average of 3.1% in January, the Rail Delivery Group has confirmed today. Read more…

Bombardier and Hitachi commit to high-speed rail learning programme if HS2 bid is successful

Hitachi and Bombardier are to work closely together in developing a high-speed rail learning programme as part of their joint bid to build trains for HS2. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

New prompt payment initiative to crackdown on slow paying contractors

A new prompt payment initiative to ensure all Government suppliers and subcontractors benefit from being paid on time has been announced. Read more…

Assurances Needed for a “World Leading” Environment Bill

Stakeholders from business sectors, environmental groups, academics and professional bodies have come together to establish common ground in shaping a world leading Environment Act. Read more…

Experts to discuss optimising networks with smart technology

How can water companies embrace the disruptive transformation of smart technology to revolutionise networks? Senior leaders from Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, FCC Aqualia, Yorkshire Water, and other leading organisations, are meeting to share strategic expertise at this year’s Smart Water Networks Conference, taking place on 21st March 2019 at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre. Read more…

Go-ahead for £270m Swindon ski and cinema centre

Plans to build a 500,000 sq ft regional leisure scheme in Swindon featuring a big snow centre have been given the thumbs up. Read more…

Bombardier and Hitachi commit to high-speed rail learning programme if HS2 bid is successful

Hitachi and Bombardier are to work closely together in developing a high-speed rail learning programme as part of their joint bid to build trains for HS2. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry

 

RICS Proud to be a leader: Helping to shape the future of our profession and lead RICS into the future.

See results for the vote on the Special Resolution to amend the RICS Royal Charter and Bye-Laws and WATCH the 2018 AGM. Read and watch more…

New RICS president takes office, focuses on the future

Chris Brooke FRICS has officially been inaugurated as RICS President at a ceremony in Hong Kong on 27 November 2018, beginning his term for the 2018-2019 year. Read more…

West Midlands sees massive increase in affordable home completions

The West Midlands saw a 33% rise in affordable homes completed during the last year, making it nearly three times ahead of the national average increase. Read more…

35% of UK landlords rely on brokers to guide their financial choices

The latest research by Market Financial Solutions, in which over 2000 UK adults who own three or more residential properties were quizzed, found that over a third are reliant on the advice of brokers when it comes to securing finance for their property purchases. Read more…

RICS 150th anniversary

2018 marks the 150th anniversary of RICS. In order to celebrate this milestone, we have two initiatives highlighting the achievements of the profession and demonstrating its importance to society, both in the past and in the future: Pride in the Profession and Cities of our Future. Read more…

New builds are driving the UK prime property market

New data and analysis from Investec Private Bank has revealed that prime new build developments contributed £5 billion (16%) to UK prime property sales in 2017. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

 

Wessex Water to pay record £975k after sewage spills

Wessex Water has offered to pay £975,000 to achieve equivalent environmental benefits following a series of sewage spills in Swanage Bay, Dorset. Read more…

Householders Face £400 Fine For Waste Duty Of Care Failure

Householders face new financial penalties of up to £400 in cases of fly-tipping where they have failed to properly exercise their duty of care, Defra has announced. Read more…

Water Plus and Waterwise partner to improve water efficiency

Water Plus, the UK’s largest water retailer business, has partnered with Waterwise a national independent advisory group to boost water efficiency for consumers and innovation across the UK market. Read more…

Ocean Pollution Campaign Receives £24,000 Boost From Enforcement Undertaking

A campaign aimed at reducing waste pollution in our oceans and on beaches has been given a boost of more than £24,000 after the Environment Agency accepted an enforcement undertaking from a group of companies for failing to comply with waste and recycling regulations. Read more…

WRAS names Hogan as new chairman

The Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS) has appointed Sean Hogan as its new chairman, replacing Stephen Kay. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry

Cheshire West Council invest millions into building new affordable homes

The Cheshire West and Chester Council has received grant funding of £14.68 million to produce 700 new affordable homes across the borough. Read more…

Lendlease wins Birmingham Commonwealth Games village

Birmingham City Council has appointed Lendlease to deliver the £350m Commonwealth Games athletes village. Read more…

Kier to deliver £56m flagship building at The Royal College of Art

The Royal College of Art (RCA) has appointed Kier to construct a £56 million new academic studio and research building at its South Campus. Read more…

Four shortlisted for 725 homes at £6bn Meridian Water

Four major developers and housing associations have been shortlisted for the first housing site at the vast Meridian Water scheme in North London. Read more…

Crest to start £85m Gloucester Quays canal-side homes

Developer Crest Nicholson has purchased a 4.7-hectare site on the western bank of the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal for redevelopment in an £85m project. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry

 

Andrew Haines and the future of UK rail

Andrew Haines recently joined Network Rail as its new chief executive, replacing Mark Carne who had held the post since January 2014. Read more…

My life in rail: Caitlin Gent

For the first in a new series meeting rail staff at different stages of their careers, we sat down with rising rail apprentice Caitlin Gent. Read more…

Industry welcomes Rail Ombudsman

THE new Rail Ombudsman starts work today, with the aim of providing an independent judge of whether rail passengers’ complaints are justified. Read more…

Thameslink director appointed as East West Rail’s first CEO

East West Rail has announced its first chief executive as Simon Blanchflower, the programme director for Thameslink. Read more…

Major overhaul of one of country’s longest tunnels sees delays fall by a fifth

A major refurbishment of Sevenoaks tunnel has seen a 20% reduction in delays and halved journey times for passengers, even as the £21m infrastructure renewal nears completion. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Thameslink director appointed as East West Rail’s first CEO

East West Rail has announced its first chief executive as Simon Blanchflower, the programme director for Thameslink. Read more…

Interserve to roll-out £650m debt reduction plan

Interserve chief Debbie White has pledged to unveil plans to tackle the group’s mountain of debt early next year. Read more…

Rail parliamentary roundup: Grayling denies ‘tin ear’ jibes on northern investment, investigation launched into SWR’s ‘Mayhem Monday’

The transport secretary has hit back against claims that the government has underinvested in transport in the north following new analysis from the IPPR this week. Read more…

Yorkshire Water announces £30M Saltend WWTW investment

Yorkshire Water is to invest £30M in its wastewater treatment works in Saltend, Hull to improve the site’s operation. Read more…

My life in rail: Caitlin Gent

For the first in a new series meeting rail staff at different stages of their careers, we sat down with rising rail apprentice Caitlin Gent. Read more…

Major Brands Sign “Waste To Wealth” Commitment

Business in the Community – The Prince’s Responsible Business Network will challenge business to reduce waste or turn “waste into wealth” to prevent catastrophic climate change during at the Waste to Wealth Summit, held today (22 November). Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry

 

Expanding Weston Homes invests in logistics division

South east volume house builder Weston Group is ramping up its fledgeling logistics arm as part of a big expansion drive. Read more…

Mears buys Mitie housing upkeep arm for £35m

Mears has agreed to pay £35m for Mitie’s social housing repairs and maintenance business. Read more…

Countryside completions up 27% against 2017

Housebuilder, Countryside, has announced that it has enjoyed “another year of strong growth” with total completions up 27% against 2017. Read more…

HUB gets go-ahead for 424-flats in Maidenhead

Developer HUB and landowner Smedvig have got the green light to redevelop The Landing site in Maidenhead town centre. Read more…

The state of the FM recruitment market in 2018

The FM industry certainly had a sobering start to 2018 with the collapse of Carillion, yet it remains a highly buoyant sector to be working in – and one that will always be a critical part to any business. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

 

MUS gets water network alliance deal with Welsh Water

Morrison Utility Services (MUS), the UK’s largest dedicated utility service provider and part of M Group Services, has been awarded a new four-year water network alliance contract with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water. Read more…

Tesco And WWF Join Forces To Make Food More Sustainable

Tesco and WWF today announced a ground-breaking, long-term partnership2 with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of the average UK shopping basket by 50%, improving the sustainability of food while ensuring it remains affordable for all. Read more…

South Staffs and Cambridge Water make new board appointments

South Staffs Water has welcomed three new independent non-executive directors to its board. Read more…

Co-op Rolls Out Compostable Carrier Bags In 1,000 Stores

The Co-op has this week rolled out its scheme to offer compostable carrier bags to customers from 1,000 stores across the country, replacing an estimated 60m single-use plastic bags. Read more…

Yorkshire Water announces £30M Saltend WWTW investment

Yorkshire Water is to invest £30M in its wastewater treatment works in Saltend, Hull to improve the site’s operation. Read more…

“Refundable” Levy On All Packaging Recommended In New Report

Policy measures to deliver increased use of post-consumer recycled materials (PCR) in the UK economy are outlined in a new report from Eunomia Research and Consulting, released today (20 November). Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry

 

UK and Ireland’s most considerate construction companies revealed

The highest-performing construction companies and suppliers in the UK and Ireland have been announced at the 2018 National Considerate Constructors Scheme Company and Supplier Awards. Read more…

Plans go in for tallest tower in the City of London

The team behind the Gherkin at 30 St Mary Axe in the City of London have lodged a planning application for a new tower next door. Read more…

Union demands “toilet dignity” for construction workers

Unite leaders are demanding that construction employers take action to ensure that workers are granted “toilet dignity in the workplace.” Read more…

Bid race starts for £435m HS2 Birmingham station

HS2 has given the signal for bid prequalification to start for Birmingham Curzon Street station. Read more…

GRAHAM completes £35m student accommodation in Surrey

GRAHAM has completed the design and build of Magna Carta Park, a new build student accommodation scheme in Runnymede. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry

 

Jones in as rail minister following Johnson’s resignation over Brexit plans

Andrew Jones has been announced as the new rail minister following Jo Johnson’s resignation. Read more…

Grayling ‘sees no reason’ to follow European standards in post-Brexit rolling stock regulation

The transport secretary has categorically opposed the following of European Union rail standards when Britain leaves the EU, arguing he can see ‘absolutely no reason’ to follow the regulations. Read more…

Branson exports Virgin Trains brand to US

Last year Richard Branson visited Brightline, the USA’s first privately-owned passenger train service since the 1980s, and following discussions, is set to make a minority investment in the company. Read more…

HS2 kicks off the bid race to build Curzon Street station

HS2 has announced the start of its search for contractors to build its new £435m Curzon Street station. Around four contractors will be shortlisted for the design and build deal ahead of the arrival of HS2 in Birmingham in 2026. Read more…

Network Rail: Preventing suicides on the railway

Gillian, from Hertfordshire, intervened when she saw a man in distress while walking her dog with her husband. Read more…

Commute times surge by five minutes in past 10 years, with Wales and North East suffering most

Travel times to and from work now take an extra five minutes longer, with rail commuters facing the longest journeys, new analysis shows. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Building new city-centre lines instead of using existing network inflates HS2 cost by 15%

HS2’s second phase will cost more compared to similar overseas schemes because it relies on new dedicated high-speed lines into city-centre terminal stations at Manchester and Leeds rather than using the existing conventional railway. Read more…

Nearly 98% of bathing waters pass EA quality standards

The Environment Agency has announced that 97.9 per cent of England’s bathing waters passed standards following tests this year. Read more…

A6 Manchester Airport relief road creates thousands of jobs

Greater Manchester is set to benefit from 5,000 more jobs thanks to a new road improving connections in and around the city to Manchester Airport. Read more…

Industry set to ‘smash’ government target after new build completions see 6.4% year-on-year rise

According to the latest government statistics, new build completions accounted for 195,290 of supply in 2017-18 in the year to April – a rise of 6.4%. Read more…

Wates wins £82m London Haringey tower job

Wates Construction has been appointed by London residential developer Anthology to build a 32-storey tower in Tottenham Hale. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry

 

Housing market in limbo due to Brexit uncertainties

The latest statistics released by ONS on the UK housing market continue to paint a picture of a stagnant market that is feeling the impact of uncertainties surrounding Brexit, a disappointing budget and a continuing lack of stock. Read more…

Bristol housing project to provide affordable housing for young homeless

Bristol City Council has approved plans to restore an empty property into much-needed affordable housing for young homeless people. Read more…

Robot bricklayer builds house in under three days

A construction robot has built a house in less than three days. Australian tech company FBR hailed the achievement as a “quantum leap for the construction industry.” Read more…

Future Generation to build luxury student accommodation in Guildford

Future Generation, a Southern Grove company, has secured planning permission for a state-of-the-art luxury student accommodation scheme in Guildford. Read more…

Green light for 335 PRS flats in Sheffield

Sheffield City Council has granted planning consent for a new mixed-use development that will create 335 new build-to-rent homes in the south west of the city centre. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

 

Severn Trent launches education experience for children

Severn Trent has officially launched its ‘Wonderful Water Tour’, a new innovative educational roadshow created to inspire and educate children across the Midlands all about the world of water. Read more…

Northumbrian launches interactive online leakage map

Northumbrian Water has launched a new interactive online map that gives customers the power to report leaks and track repairs at the touch of a button. Read more…

Council’s Decision To Stop Recycling Plastic “Regressive”, Says Coffey

Minister for Resources, Dr. Therese Coffey has written to Swindon Borough Council to ask it to “reflect carefully” on its recently-announced plan to temporarily stop recycling plastic. Read more…

South East Water’s £22M WTW expansion hits first milestone

South East Water’s £22 million expansion to a water treatment site near Maidenhead has hit its first major milestone. Read more…

59% Don’t Support Proposed Disposable Wipe Ban

The majority of Britons (59%) would not support the proposed government ban on disposable wipes, despite 93% of people agreeing that the British public needs more education on the dangers of “fatbergs”, according to new research from Lanes Group Plc. Read more…

Amey launches Lean apprenticeship programme

Amey has launched a Lean apprenticeship programme on its Severn Trent account to encourage innovation and promote continuous improvement in the services it delivers in the water sector. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry

 

Galliford Try appoints new highways ops director

Former Carillion director Nick Culshaw is to replace Bryan Kennedy as highways operations director at Galliford Try Infrastructure. Read more…

Mace hits £2bn turnover two years early

Mace has revealed it is now a £2bn turnover company with chief executive Mark Reynolds planning to deliver a more balanced return from consultancy and construction projects in the future. Read more…

Landsec grows London pipeline of work to £2bn

Developer Land Securities has boosted its pipeline of office-led work in London to 2m sq ft. Read more…

Plans for 32-storey skyscraper in Sheffield approved

Property owner Turner Investments has gained outline planning for a new 32-storey skyscraper in Sheffield city centre. Read more…

£384m North London community scheme approved

Planners at the London Borough of Hackney have approved plans for a new swimming pool, school and housing scheme next to Shoreditch Park. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry

Week on the Network

See what Network Rail has been up to this week in their Week on the Network video, click here…

Transport minister Jo Johnson resigns over Brexit

In a video on Twitter, Johnson said the UK was “barrelling” towards an incoherent Brexit, leaving the nation “trapped” in a subordinate relationship to the European Union. Read more…

Porterbrook secures £250m financing to sustain investment in passenger trains

Porterbrook, the UK’s largest owner of passenger trains, has announced the refinancing of a £250m public bond to support and sustain its investment in its rolling stock. Read more…

First female yard controller at Crown Point depot

Greater Anglia has appointed its first-ever female yard controller at Crown Point depot, Norwich. Read more…

Rail companies want more women drivers

Southeastern, which serves London, Kent and East Sussex, said fewer than 5% of its drivers were women and it wants 40% of applicants to be women by 2021. Read more…

Christmas upgrades: spotlight on the Midland Main Line

We’re preparing significant upgrades on the railway stretching from London to Yorkshire for passengers and freight operators. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Go-ahead for £100m Cardiff Interchange

Plans for a new bus station, 22-storey apartment block, offices and shop units in Cardiff have been approved. Read more…

British Water names Thompson as new chief executive

Lila Thompson has been appointed as the new chief executive of British Water. Read more…

Finding positives in negative short-circuiting devices

Anything that brings about safety and time-saving benefits is a valued improvement for the rail industry, which is why the introduction of Negative Short-Circuiting Devices (NSCDs) to make isolations safer and faster is being embraced by the industry. Read more…

MoD sets out new procurement plan for major projects

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is seeking to modernise its estate and establish a broader and more diverse range of suppliers, with smaller contractors set to get a larger share of its construction budget. Read more…

Irish Water opens EUR30M water treatment plant in Kerry

Irish Water and Kerry County Council have officially opened the Kerry Central Regional Water Treatment Plant. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry

 

Architect appointed for Western Village in Ebbsfleet Garden City

PRP Architects has been appointed as lead architect and masterplanner on The Western Village in North Kent, by joint venture development partners, Clarion Housing Group and Countryside. Read more…

Stamp duty reforms prompt FTB mortgage uptake

The latest research by MoneySuperMarket has shown that first-time buyers are taking full advantage of the changes made to stamp duty laws in the 2017 Budget. Read more…

Grainger teams up with Lewisham council for 300-home scheme

Residential property business Grainger is teaming up with Lewisham Council to build a 300 private rented homes scheme at New Cross Gate. Read more…

Chinese contractor starts first Liverpool major project

Chinese builder Beijing Construction & Engineering Group International has started work on a 34-storey build-to-rent project for developer Moda on the Liverpool Waterfront. Read more…

Brexit continues to dominate top property industry concerns

As Brexit looms, a new survey commissioned by Crowe UK identifies the biggest concerns facing the UK property industry and provides a unique snapshot of views across the sector. Read more…

Contractor hunt starts for £50m Leicester mixed-use scheme

Developer LCL has launched plans for a £50m mixed-use scheme to transform the St George’s North area of Leicester city centre. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

 

Northumbrian to invest £21M in two new WTWs

Two new water treatment works will be built in north Northumberland to help improve tap water quality for more than 25,000 people. Read more…

Southern invests £22M in new filters for Hastings WTWs

Southern Water has invested £22 million in installing new filters at the two water treatment works that serve Hastings. Read more…

Survey Shows 90% Want All Packaging To Be Recyclable

A survey conducted by Cardiff University shows three-quarters of people want the government to ensure products are recyclable and repairable and almost 90% want all packaging to be recyclable. Read more…

Northumbrian and O2 team up to develop app to support workers

Northumbrian Water and O2 are working together to develop an app that will support employees’ physical, social and financial wellbeing. Read more…

UK High Street Brands Working With Viridor To “Close The Loop”

Viridor is working with the majority of the big brands on the high street to ensure product packaging can survive the sortability process and go full-loop at its network of UK specialist polymer recycling facilitates. Read more…

Anglian Water awards £40 million leakage framework

Anglian Water has jointly awarded a £40 million agreement for leak detection products to 10 suppliers. Read more…

 

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry

 

Why is the construction industry behind on technological changes?

Leading building materials suppliers MIDFIX explore the importance of technological changes in the construction industry. Read more…

Steven A. Hunt Associates to build cancer care centre in Liverpool

The mechanical and electrical engineering specialists have secured a six figure contract to build an advanced medical diagnostics centre in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter next year. Read more…

Telford Homes snaps up 270-home site near Wembley

Telford Homes has bought part of a resi-led mixed-use development site near Wembley in London for £28m. Read more…

Willmott Dixon launches pre-design facilities for healthcare

Willmott Dixon is bringing its pre-design concepts to the healthcare market following the success of Sunesis and CODE which have secured the company over £200m in orders in the last five years. Read more…

New chairman named for Sir Robert McAlpine

Sir Robert McAlpine has announced that Edward McAlpine will take over as new chairman of the construction group from January next year. Read more…

Winvic bags £50m Leicester build to rent scheme

Winvic Construction is preparing to start work on a £50m project to build rental flats at the Waterside regeneration area in Leicester. Read more…

M&E specialist VVB bought out of administration by owners

Tunnel M&E specialist VVB Engineering has been bought out of administration by its existing investment fund owners in a pre-pack deal. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry

 

ORR approves Network Rail’s £35bn CP6 plans

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has set out its final determination on Network Rail’s plans for CP6. Read more…

Eye on safety

Eye protection worn by Network Rail staff must conform to the EN 166 standard. It is the basic requirement all safety glasses must meet and the first thing you should check before carrying out any work. Read more…

Network Rail urge businesses to join innovation project to improve passenger journeys

Network Rail has launched a project with Transport Systems Catapult (TSC) to build live demonstrators of innovative technologies which could improve passenger journeys, and are seeking partners to help. Read more…

Network Rail warn of Christmas upgrade disruption to one of UK’s busiest rail junctions

Network Rail has announced winter plans for an £8.2m upgrade to Battersea Pier, one of the UK’s busiest railway junctions, which will cause disruption to passengers across Sussex, Surrey and South London this Christmas. Read more…

Heathrow Express recruits new director and head of operations

Airport rail link Heathrow Express (HEx) has made two key senior appointments. Read more…

London Underground MD joins Crossrail

Mark Wild is set to become the new chief executive of Crossrail Ltd. Since June 2016, Mark has been the managing director of London Underground, a role he will return to once the Elizabeth line has opened through central London. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Crossrail chief executive stands down as London Underground boss takes up role

Transport for London announced today that Simon Wright, the chief executive of the £15.4bn project, will step down from the role “as planned,” and on 19 November will be replaced by Mark Wild, who is currently the managing director of London Underground. Read more…

ISG appointed to deliver £200m Waterloo development

ISG is set to transform 135,000 sq ft at the former Waterloo International Eurostar Terminal into a new retail, leisure and cultural development. Read more…

Civils skills shortage worst on record

Civils contractors are warning they now face a serious skills gap with dissatisfaction about finding sufficiently skilled staff in England running at record levels. Read more…

Travertine pavements could cut flooding by 50% – study

Changing the material used in pavements could reduce flooding by 50 percent and purify stormwater at the same time, according to researchers from Xi’an Jiaotong- Liverpool University (XJTLU). Read more…

Colgate Launches Oral Care Products Recycling Solution

Dental hygiene brand Colgate is partnering with TerraCycle to launch the Colgate Oral Care Recycling Programme, a free Nationwide recycling solution for oral care products and packaging in the UK. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry

 

Stamp duty reduction for first time buyers now covers shared ownership options

Stamp duty reductions are being introduced for people in England and Northern Ireland buying their first home through a shared ownership scheme. Read more…

Homes England reveals strategic plan to tackle housing challenges

Homes England has outlined how it will improve housing affordability through a new five-year Strategic Plan, in the hopes of helping more people access better homes in areas where they are needed most. Read more…

New home registrations reach highest levels since 2007

The latest figures released by NHBC have revealed that new home registrations for Q3 have resulted in the strongest quarter in 11 years. Read more…

Wates JV 1,500-home Bicester plan gets green light

Joint developers Wates Developments and Redrow Homes have gained revised planning for a  1,500-home scheme at Wretchwick Green in Bicester. Read more…

Annual house price growth crashes to 5 year low

The latest data and analysis from Nationwide has revealed that during October annual house price growth slowed to 1.6% – a drop of 0.4% on the month and the lowest level since May 2013. Read more…

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 The latest news this week in the Water & Utilities Industry

Irish Water to upgrade nine water treatment plants in Mayo

Irish Water has announced that it will spend €8.75 million on upgrading nine water treatment plants across County Mayo. Read more…

Unilever & Veolia Sign Collaboration Agreement On Sustainable Packaging

Unilever and Veolia have announced that they have signed a collaboration agreement to jointly work on emerging technologies that will help create a circular economy on plastics across various geographies, starting in India and Indonesia. Read more…

Severn Trent customers offered video calling service to report leaks

Severn Trent is now offering a video calling service that allows its customers to speak ‘face-to-face’ with an engineer when they report a leak. Read more…

United Utilities signs AI deal in UK first

United Utilities has become the first water company in the UK to introduce large-scale artificial intelligence into its operational systems. Read more…

Work begins on Glasgow’s groundbreaking ‘smart canal’

Construction of Europe’s first ever ‘smart canal’ scheme, which will use the 250-year-old Forth & Clyde Canal and 21st century technology to mitigate flood risk as well as enable significant regeneration, is now underway in Glasgow. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry

 

Wates site leader is Construction Manager of the Year

Neil Lock of Wates was named Construction Manager of the Year last night at the CIOB’s annual celebration of industry professionals. Read more…

BAM Nuttall wins first stage of £60m Lowestoft bridge

BAM Nuttall has won the contract for the first stage of completing the £60m Lake Lothing Third Crossing in Lowestoft. Read more…

Colmore Tang wins £18m Slough resi scheme

Colmore Tang has won the contract to convert the former Intel Security office building in Slough into a luxury apartment complex for developer SevenCapital. Read more…

Wates JV 1,500-home Bicester plan gets green light

Joint developers Wates Developments and Redrow Homes have gained revised planning for a  1,500-home scheme at Wretchwick Green in Bicester. Read more…

Government abolishes PFI and PF2 for future projects

Chancellor Philip Hammond has called time on the private finance initiative vowing in his Budget speech today to never sign another deal. Read more…

ISG wins lead role on £200m Waterloo Eurostar station revival

Developer LCR has appointed ISG as lead contractor on its £200m retail, leisure and cultural development at Waterloo. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Rail Industry

Testing, testing

A new exhibition at the National Railway Museum (NRM) promises to bring visitors face-to-face with advanced technologies from major projects such as Crossrail and HS2. Read more…

Age of UK’s rolling stock decreasing thanks to a range of new fleets

The average age of trains in the UK has decreased following the introduction of new fleets, figures from the ORR show. Read more…

PPE of yesterday, today and tomorrow

Records have shown that rail workers have equipped themselves with personal protective equipment (PPE) since the 19th century. As industry safety practices have been developed, so has the look and quality of protective clothing. Read more…

London Assembly transport chair: Sadiq Khan may want ‘fresh management’ to restore confidence in Crossrail

Crossrail management are using their hearts rather than their heads when making decisions for the project, and the London mayor may bring in “fresh management” to restore confidence, the chair of the London Assembly’s transport committee has said. Read more…

Archaeologists begin UK’s biggest ever excavation work at HS2 London Euston site

Archaeological work on the HS2 rail link between London and Birmingham to remove 45,000 skeletons from a burial site has begun. Read more…

TfN CEO on Crossrail 2 competition: ‘London can flourish, but we want to turbocharge investment’

The chief executive of Transport for the North (TfN) has quelled concerns that funding for the programme would be in conflict with Crossrail 2, claiming that the raising of funds through general taxation will help to finance both projects. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Colmore Tang has won the contract to convert the former Intel Security office building in Slough into a luxury apartment complex for developer SevenCapital.

Work will see the building converted into 58 one and two-bedroom boutique apartments. Read more…

Network Rail supplier spend table revealed

Network’s Rail’s investment in signalling and train control systems saw Siemens Rail Automation unseat Costain as the infrastructure group’s biggest supplier by spend. Read more…

London council picks Countryside for big estate rebuild

The London Borough of Kingston has selected Countryside Properties to redevelop a major housing estate. Read more…

BAM Nuttall wins first stage of £60m Lowestoft bridge

BAM Nuttall has won the contract for the first stage of completing the £60m Lake Lothing Third Crossing in Lowestoft. Read more…

New framework announced for measuring the impact UK rail has on society and sustainability

The RSSB has developed a new framework which can measure the social value of the UK’s railway. Read more…

DERAGGER demonstrates benefits in independent trial

Clearwater Controls’ DERAGGER device cuts energy consumption by up to 80 per cent, significantly reduces maintenance requirements and helps to extend asset life, according to a new independent trial. Read more…

Thames Water publishes environmental, social and governance statement

Thames Water has published its first Environmental, Social and Governance Statement today (25 October) and been recognised for its commitment to sustainability in a global review. Read more…

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