We’ve rounded up some top news stories from across the Built Environment

National Rail Christmas and New Year engineering works complete

Network Rail have completed hundreds of Christmas and New Year projects across Britain’s railway. Giving you better and more reliable journeys for the long term. Read more…

Leaves on the line: a thing of the past?

Poor adhesion is now in the news following the collision between two trains at Salisbury Tunnel Junction, on the evening of 31 October. Read more…

Construction project starts dip but contract awards soar in mixed picture for sector

The number of construction projects started at the back end of the year has dropped sharply. However, a spike in contract awards indicates that the sector remains on track as it recovers from the Covid-19 hit. Read more…

Kier wins 142 rental home job at BBC TV centre site

Joint venture developer Stanhope, Mitsui Fudosan has picked Kier to build 142 affordable homes at its wider former BBC Television Centre development in West London. Read more…

Anglian Water CEO Peter Simpson says cross-sectoral collaboration crucial to tackle challenges and find solutions

It was a huge breakthrough to see water play a central role for the first time at any COP, with the first ever dedicated Water Pavilion and widespread acknowledgement that water is critical to the climate debate. Read more…

Water UK launches campaign to get the UK winter ready

Industry body Water UK is encouraging customers to take some immediate steps, such as lagging pipes and checking central heating, to ensure they stay safe and warm over the winter months. Read more…

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This weeks news from across the Built Environment

How storms and flooding affect the railway

Floods, high winds and landslips can destroy railway infrastructure and block lines. Network Rail teams repair damage and clear debris to ensure trains can continue to run. Read more…

Rail operator unveils first co-operative energy project on UK rail network

The new initiative is expected to save up to 50 tonnes of carbon a year, generating over 200,000 kW hours of electricity. Read more…

Government ‘collusion’ with construction sector allowed combustibles loophole

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has told that hundreds of high-rise buildings in the UK were clad with combustible materials because the government failed to crack down on a loophole after colluding with the construction industry. Read more…

Glow-in-the-dark concrete used on first commercial scheme

A glow in the dark paving system that absorbs ultraviolet rays during the day and radiates light at night has been used for the first time on a major commercial development in Derbyshire. Read more…

Initiatives boost opportunities for women in water

British Water’s unique Women on Water campaign continues to build momentum, with the renewal of a successful mentoring programme and the announcement of an in-person networking reception. Read more…

Water retailers opt for new United Utilities in-house meter reading service

United Utilities has seen a growing uptake by water retailers of its non-household meter reading service – more than 90 per cent of non-household meters in the North West are now being read by the water company. Read more…

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Recent news from the construction industry

Pandemic detonates workforce age timebomb

The pandemic has triggered an exodus of more than 100,000 skilled workers as they vanish from the industry’s core 45-55 years old age group. Read more…

Construction output shows the fastest rise in four months

HIS Markit and CIPS UK report that UK construction companies have indicated a sharp increase in business activity, and the fastest upturn in commercial work. Read more…

Government ‘collusion’ with construction sector allowed combustibles loophole

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry has told that hundreds of high-rise buildings in the UK were clad with combustible materials because the government failed to crack down on a loophole after colluding with the construction industry. Read more…

Glow-in-the-dark concrete used on first commercial scheme

A glow in the dark paving system that absorbs ultraviolet rays during the day and radiates light at night has been used for the first time on a major commercial development in Derbyshire. Read more…

Regulator vows to increase scrutiny of National Highways investment plans

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has vowed to increase its scrutiny of future road funding for the strategic road network as plans are drawn up for the third road investment strategy (RIS3). Read more…

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The latest news across the built environment

Arcadis, Colas and Costain teams to battle for £500M HS2 power contract

HS2 Ltd has revealed the shortlist of bidders for its £523M high voltage power supply systems contract. Read more…

Crossrail | Another West London station transformed ahead of Elizabeth line opening

The transformation of West Ealing station in West London has been completed ahead of the Elizabeth line opening. Read more…

Common prequal system launches to save £1bn in paperwork

Two of the country’s largest contractor trade bodies have launched a nationally recognised single prequalification system for construction with the promise of saving £1bn in industry paperwork. Read more…

Brownfield housing funding for 500 Manchester new-builds

Manchester has secured nearly £8m from the Brownfield Housing Fund to help deliver around 522 new homes. Read more…

New measures to cut water companies’ reliance on storm overflows to discharge sewage into rivers to become law

The government has confirmed that measures to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows will be put into law. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Skanska lifts recycled asphalt use to 50% on motorway

Skanska has successfully piloted the use of high-levels of recycled asphalt for motorway road surfaces. Read more…

Bermondsey industrial site to transform into residential scheme

An industrial site at Hatcham Road, Bermondsey, which has been sold for £9.75m by KALMARs and joint agent Kingsbury, is set to be redeveloped into a new residential scheme. Read more…

Skanska wants to trial graphene asphalt on M25

Skanska is seeking to trial the use of graphene-enhanced asphalt on the M25 in a bid to combat potholes and carbon emissions. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Goldbeck lands £31m Gatwick car park deal

Goldbeck has landed the construction contract to build a new £31m multi-storey car park at Gatwick Airport. Read more…

Weston and Tesco submit plan to turn store site into 1,280 homes

Weston Homes and Tesco have submitted ambitious plans to redevelop a supermarket and car park in east London with a major mixed-use development. Read more…

Plans for £15.1m school campus in Renton gain approval

Planning permission has been given the nod for a new £15.1m campus which will revamp the education of hundreds of pupils in Renton. Read more…

Willmott Dixon secures fourth scheme at University of Warwick

Willmott Dixon has been appointed to provide a fourth scheme at the University of Warwick, the new £33m Warwick Arts Centre. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Caddick Group to deliver £50m Yorkshire logistics scheme

Caddick Group is to build a £50m GDV distribution centre near Wakefield, Yorkshire for global real estate investment manager AEW. Read more…

Rydon secures £100m London council estate rebuild

A west London council has signed up Rydon to deliver a £100m estate rebuild to create over 460 homes. Read more…

Construction to begin on £73m Sandwell Aquatics Centre

Major construction will begin on the £73m Sandwell Aquatics Centre in the New Year, which will host the swimming and diving events at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Read more…

Interserve hires new construction commercial director

Interserve Group has appointed Ben Edwards as commercial director for the UK construction business. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Construction’s most considerate contractors revealed

The country’s highest-performing contractors and suppliers have been honoured at the Considerate Constructors Scheme’s 2019 awards. Read more…

Plans submitted for £1.6bn temporary home for MPs

Plans have been submitted to enhance and modernise Parliament’s Northern Estate to create a temporary home for MPs while the Palace of Westminster is overhauled. Read more…

Green light for major mixed use scheme in south London

Transport for London and Notting Hill Genesis have been given the go-ahead to build more than 600 homes in Kidbrooke, south London. Read more…

Aecom hires BAA technical expert

Aecom has appointed former British Airport Authority director Giles Price to the new role of chief technical officer. Read more…

Bovis Homes agrees £1.1bn deal for Galliford Try housing arm

Bovis Homes has agreed to buy Galliford Try’s housing operations in a share and cash deal that values the business at £1.1bn. Read more…

Bill Hocking to become new Galliford Try CEO

Galliford Try has confirmed that construction chief Bill Hocking will become group chief executive if the sale of housing operations to Bovis Homes goes through. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

BAM wins Port Talbot art deco cinema conversion

BAM Construction has secured a pre-contract deal to restore Port Talbots art deco cinema which has been left derelict for 20 years. Read more…

Willmott Dixon wins £13m Daventry cinema deal

Willmott Dixon has won the starring role to deliver a £13m project to create Daventry’s new Mulberry Place Cinema complex. Read more…

Morgan Sindall and Lovell on hunt for new subcontractors

Morgan Sindall and Lovell are inviting West Wales construction firms and tradespeople to find out about opportunities to work with them at a free networking event next week. Read more…

BAM dives in with £36m Chiltern leisure centre

Chiltern District Council has named BAM Construction as its preferred bidder to deliver a new leisure centre in Amersham. Read more…

Major contractors trial flexible hours for site workers

Bam Construct, Bam Nuttall, Skanska and Willmott Dixon are trialling ways of making working hours more flexible on site. Read more…

McLaren lands £30m Manchester Airport job

Manchester Airports Group has chosen McLaren to build a £30m warehouse and logistics facility on the site of a former WWII aircraft hangar. Read more…

BAM to deliver £35m Glasgow health centre

BAM Construction has been appointed by hub West Scotland to build Scotland’s biggest health centre in Parkhead, Glasgow. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

ISG names new UK construction chief

ISG has promoted Zoe Price to the role of chief operating officer for its UK Construction business. Read more…

Westridge Construction wins Brighton Dome redevelopment

Brighton & Hove City Council has chosen Westridge Construction as the preferred interim contractor to continue essential redevelopment work on Brighton Dome Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre. Read more…

Interserve set for £36m Walsall hospital A&E upgrade

Interserve has been named as the preferred bidder for a £36m redevelopment programme for Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust. Read more…

London council to overhaul £370m housing upkeep

London’s Lambeth council is planning to overhaul its housing repair, cleaning and major works contracts. Read more…

Aecom takes lead design role on Heathrow T2 expansion

Consultant Aecom has secured a multi-million pound contract with Heathrow Airport as lead designer for its Future Terminal 2 Programme. Read more…

B+K wins £42m landmark Sunderland civic hall

Sunderland City Council has awarded Bowmer + Kirkland a £42m contract to build the new city hall. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

New A14 bypass to open a year early

A key section of UK’s biggest road upgrade between Cambridge and Huntingdon is to open a year ahead of schedule. Read more…

Kier/Graham JV wins £17m Bassingbourn Barracks job

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation has awarded a contract worth £17m to Kier Graham Defence joint venture to ready Bassingbourn Barracks for the relocation of the British Army’s Mission Training and Mobilisation Centre. Read more…

Contest for £500m decarbonisation framework

Procurement group Fusion 21 is on the hunt for firms for its latest generation national heating and renewables framework. Read more…

Native Land commits to £1bn London Bankside scheme

Developer Native Land has committed to the first speculative office building at its £1bn Bankside Yards mixed-use development next to Blackfriars Bridge in London. Read more…

Alun Griffiths lands £85m Cornish link road

Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd has been chosen to build a new 3.9 mile road linking St Austell to the A30 in Cornwall. Read more…

Thirteen Group seeks trio for £110m housing upkeep deal

North East housing association Thirteen Group is preparing to invite bids to select three firms to deliver maintenance and upkeep of its stock over the next five years. Read more…

SES wins £42m contract for build to rent scheme in Leeds

SES Engineering Services (SES) has been awarded a £42m contract with Sir Robert McAlpine for a mixed-use build to rent scheme in Leeds. Read more…

William Birch lands York housing scheme from local charity

York based William Birch & Sons has landed a contract for local charity The Wilberforce Trust to build a new specialist extra care housing and Living and Learning centre. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Galliford Try takes first place in Top 50 Contractors league table

Galliford Try has jumped 21 places to steal first place in Barbour ABI’s Top 50 Contractors league table for September 2019. Read more…

McAleer & Rushe starts 17-storey Manchester hotel

Builder McAleer & Rushe starts construction today of a 17-storey Maldron Hotel in central Manchester. Read more…

Final beam lifted into place for Ebbsfleet Garden City’s £16m bridge

The final beam has been lifted into place for the £16m Springhead Bridge that will connect part of Ebbsfleet Garden City with Ebbsfleet International station. Read more…

Macho culture blamed for ‘toxic masculinity’ within engineering sector

Masculinity is a “prison” burdening male engineers with unrealistic expectations and causing a mental health crisis within the industry, a study has concluded. Read more…

NMCN acquires Lintott Control Systems

Construction company, NMCN has acquired Norfolk-based business, Lintott Control Systems (LCS) for up to £3.7m subject to a three-year earn-out. Read more…

Morgan Sindall appointed to Southern construction framework

Morgan Sindall has been appointed to deliver the Stoneham Park Primary Academy, as part of the Southern construction framework. Read more…

Systra UK hires former Galliford Try Infrastructure boss

Former Galliford Try Infrastructure managing director Nick Salt is joining consultant Systra to head its UK business. Read more…

Willmott Dixon headlines another major heritage job

Willmott Dixon has clinched another grade II listed heritage building restoration with a £27m revamp of the Globe Theatre in Stockton-on-Tees. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Infrastructure is the foundation of everything, says chancellor

Chancellor of the exchequer Sajid Javid launched the first wave of an “infrastructure revolution” at the Conservative Party conference, as he announced a range of spending pledges on roads, buses and broadband roll-out. Read more…

Skanska trials recycled plastic highways kerbs

Skanska is trialling the use of recycled plastic highways kerbing instead of concrete to reduce carbon by 40%. Read more…

IGMI lands role on Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park

Scarborough International has confirmed GMI Construction as part of its team to expand the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. Read more…

Green light for ISG’s £280m London neurology centre job

University College London has got the green light to redevelop the Eastman Dental Hospital in the capital into a world-leading hub for dementia and neurological disease research. Read more…

Amey/McAlpine green light for M6 junction 19 job

A joint venture between Amey and Sir Robert McAlpine has got the green light to transform a key motorway junction in Cheshire. Read more…

Canada Water Masterplan gets the green light

Southwark Council planning committee has given the Canada Water Masterplan the go-ahead, which will see the creation of 3,000 new homes. Read more…

McLaren boosts board with raft of internal promotions

McLaren has looked to talent within the company for a raft of promotions at main board level and the London Region. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

London developer commits to zero carbon buildings by 2030

Property developer Great Portland Estates has committed to constructing net zero carbon buildings by 2030. Read more…

BAM wins £20m Leeds business school block

The University of Leeds has awarded BAM Construction the contract to design and construct a six-storey teaching block. Read more…

Caddick lands £10.7m first phase of Cheshire business park

Caddick Construction has been awarded a £10.7m contract to build phase one of Novus business park in Knutsford, Cheshire by developer Chancerygate. Read more…

Yorkshire Water awards £1bn civils frameworks

Yorkshire Water has handed out £1bn Civils Frameworks for 2020-2025 to 18 partners following a 12-month procurement process. Read more…

Galliford Try signs two major road deals worth £435m

Galliford Try has signed contracts worth £435m to deliver two major road upgrades on the A47 around Norwich and Peterborough and along the A303 corridor in Somerset. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Kier wins £35m School of Digital Arts contract

Kier is to deliver Manchester Metropolitan University’s brand new £35m School of Digital Arts (SODA), a project funded by MMU and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Read more…

Interserve wins £7.6m contract for special needs school

Interserve has been selected by the Department for Education (DfE) to design and build Glendinning House, special education needs school for children in Newton Abbot, Devon. Read more…

Lendlease names new chief for Europe

Lendlease has promoted Neil Martin to take over as new chief executive of European operations. Read more…

McLaren confirms £190m luxury London resi deal

McLaren has been awarded the construction contract for a £190m residential development in London’s Fitzrovia. Read more…

RICS member firm joins the Northern Powerhouse

RICS member firm, Vantage Building Consultancy is the first independent building consultancy to have become a member of the Government’s Northern Powerhouse Programme. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Keepmoat moves up 18 places to top contractors league table

Keepmoat has moved up 18 places to top the contractors league table for August, thanks to seven contracts worth a total of £203m. Read more…

Kier Highways chief steps down

Kier Highways director Dave Wright is retiring from the business after heading the firm since 2015. Wright joined Kier when it bought Mouchel in 2015, where Wright spent over 10 years at the EnterpriseMouchel Highway Services business. Read more…

Vinci gets nod for £300m Chester shopping centre

Cheshire West and Chester Council have given the green light to the first phase plans for a £300m retail-led, mixed-use scheme in the Northgate area of the city. Read more…

Morgan Sindall wins £19m Basingstoke pharma HQ

Morgan Sindall Construction has won a £19m contract to build a new Basingstoke headquarters for international pharmaceutical blue chip, Eli Lilly and Company. Read more…

Aecom names new head of UK rail

Consulting giant Aecom has appointed Susan Evans as the new head of rail for UK and Ireland. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Systra snaps up TSP Projects following British Steel demise

French engineering giant Systra has snapped up engineering firm TSP Projects following its release from British Steel’s portfolio. The acquisition of TSP Projects, whose recent works include the revamp of Leeds train station roof, will allow Systra to double the size of its operations in the UK and Ireland and see the firm target work on projects such as Heathrow. Read more…

VolkerFitzpatrick wins £75M RAF base contract

VolkerFitzpatrick has won the £75M contract to undertake resurfacing works at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has appointed the contractor to the work, which comes alongside other improvements at the base including new accommodation for personnel, a new air traffic control tower, upgrades to drainage and electrical supplies, and faciliites for IX (Bomber) squadron. Read more…

L&G’s Guild Living acquires site for later living scheme in Walton

Guild Living, Legal & General’s new operator and developer of urban later living accommodation, has announced the acquisition of a 2.5-acre town centre site in Walton-on-Thames. Read more…

JJ Rhatigan bags £280m Luton scheme main build

London-based building contractor JJ Rhatigan has won the main contract to deliver phase one of the £280m Lu2on residential-led mixed-use scheme. Read more…

Interserve confirms new chairman for RMD Kwikform

Interserve has confirmed that Ken Hanna will join the board as a non-executive director and chairman of its equipment services business RMD Kwikform next month. Read more…

Kier to deliver £13.9m framework at Barnsley blood centre

Kier has been appointed to deliver a £13.9m full internal fit-out at Barnsley blood centre in Capitol Park, Dodworth by NHS and Blood Transplant. The Barnsley blood centre will be 6,750m² with three labs on the ground floor and an additional lab, open plan office space, meeting rooms and catering facilities housed on the first floor. The centre will also house environmentally controlled laboratories to be used to research advanced cell therapies. Read more

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Lendlease Construction margin tops 5%

Lendlease Construction Europe has delivered its fifth year of profit growth on the back of a selective bidding strategy introduced in 2014. Read More…

Willmott Dixon recycles single-use plastic into roads

Residents at Bristol City Council’s Ashton Rise development are set to drive on some of the UK’s greenest roads when they move in next year. Read More…

Galliard Homes secures planning for £83m Newhams Yard scheme

Galliard Homes has received planning permission from Southwark Council for Newhams Yard, a new £83m mixed-used development in Bermondsey. Read More…

Galliford Try lands £36m Hexham schools scheme

Galliford Try has been chosen to design and build two new schools in Hexham. Construction work is scheduled to begin early next year and the new schools will open in September 2021. Read More…

Skanska and innogy Innovation Hub partner for office building innovation

Skanska and innogy Innovation Hub have entered into an agreement on strategic cooperation regarding technology development in commercial real estate.

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Construction Buyers Report Biggest Output Drop In A Decade

Construction buyers reported the sharpest fall in output in June for more than ten years. The bellwether IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Total Activity Index dropped to 43.1 in June, down sharply from 48.6 in May and below the 50.0 no-change mark for the fourth time in the past five months.Read More…

Kier Transfers 120 Maintenance Staff To Highways England

Kier has transferred around 120 staff to highways england as the road agency starts to take phased control of maintenance in the midlands and the south east.Read More…

Slow MMC Housing Uptake Risks 300,000 Homes Target

Government must ramp up efforts to promote modern methods of construction in housing supply or it will fall far short of its target to build 300,000 homes a year by mid-2020s. That is the warning from its housing committee, which is calling for a host of fresh measures to promote faster construction. Read More…

£229M Crest Nicholson And Sovereign Housing Jv Announced

A new £229m joint venture between Crest Nicholson and Sovereign Housing Association is to deliver 920 affordable and intermediate homes at Harry Stoke, Bristol. Crest Nicholson and Sovereign Housing Association announced the formation of a partnership to deliver 920 new homes within the next phase of the 2,700 home residential community at Harry Stoke. Read More…

Lower Thames Crossing boss quits project

Lower Thames Crossing project director Tim Jones is set to leave his post. Jones has served as the £6.8bn project’s director for the last two years, taking it through design and public consultation phases. However, he has decided to hand over the reins as Highways England begins thorough ground investigations on either side of the river Thames. 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Galliford Try Partnerships buys northern builder

Galliford Try Partnerships has struck a deal to buy north of England contracting and land-led developer Strategic Team Group. Based in Yorkshire and the North West, Strategic Team Group employs 120 staff and currently has 23 live sites. Last year the firm reported revenues of £62m and delivered over 500 new homes. The management team and staff at STG will remain in place, working within Partnerships to accelerate both businesses growth plans. It will begin to trade as Galliford Try Partnerships Yorkshire from 1 July 2019. Read more…

Buckingham bags relief road for HS2 village

Buckingham Group has won a package of traffic improvement schemes for one of HS2’s main construction site traffic routes. Work in Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire includes the completion of Chipping Warden relief road. The A361, which runs through Chipping Warden, is the approved route for construction traffic to access one of HS2’s main construction sites in Northamptonshire. The relief road will remove the need for construction traffic and through traffic to travel through Chipping Warden. Read more…

Skills card scheme shuts safety test loophole

The CSCS skills card scheme is ending an exemption to the CITB health, safety and environment test. Applicants are normally required to achieve a recognised construction related qualification (usually an NVQ or SVQ) as well as pass the CITB safety test within the last two years. But if an applicant has achieved an SVQ or NVQ within the last two years they currently do not have to sit the CITB Health, safety and environment test. Read more…

UK construction forecast lowered for 2020 due to Brexit delay

Mace’s latest UK tender cost update reveals how the extension of Brexit has resulted in continued uncertainty among construction firms and developers. The latest research from Mace’s cost consultancy experts explains how – following minimal output growth of 0.1% in the first quarter 2019 and a 1.9% decline in new orders numbers in the final quarter of 2018 – construction firms have been hoping for a Brexit outcome and a subsequent improvement in conditions over the summer. Read more…

Aecom, Balfour and Morgan Sindall bag spots on a public-private framework

Scape Group has unveiled the winners on its next generation of “Venture” frameworks, set up to deliver support public-private partnerships. Aecom, Balfour Beatty and Morgan Sindall are among 10 contractors to have been named as delivery partners on the frameworks which cover consultancy, civil engineering and construction (see table below for full breakdown). Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Kier axes plan to charge subcontractors to work with them

Kier has shelved controversial plans to charge subcontractors 1.5% of their package turnovers to become closer strategic partners. Read more…

Former BHS warehouse makes way for new HS2 station

HS2 has released a set of new images showing progress at London Euston where the team this week completed the demolition of the former BHS warehouse on Hampstead Road, close to the new station’s proposed Camden Town entrance. Read more…

Gender equality in construction “will take nearly 200 years”

Gender equality in construction will take nearly 200 years to achieve according to latest analysis from the GMB union. Read more…

B&K signs off £60m Preston UCLan student centre

The  University of Central Lancashire has signed off a contract with Bowmer & Kirkland for its £60m flagship student centre and new civic square at its Preston campus. Read more…

Government invests £142m to boost housing infrastructure

The government is to invest £142m on widening bridges, building roads and connecting utilities to boost the construction of up to 8,500 properties across the UK. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

Welsh Water to restore reservoir to natural state

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has begun a project to return a decommissioned reservoir to its natural state, in a move that will create walking opportunities and enhance the environment. Read more…

Reading between the lines

Today we might take the ability to read and write for granted – but not so long ago that wasn’t a given. In an industry like rail, so dependent on the written word, via rules, regulations and more, difficulties with reading, in particular, might have had real safety implications. Read more…

Plan for UK’s biggest plastics recycling plant

Waste specialist Viridor has unveiled plans to build what will be the UK’s biggest plastics recycling plant at Avonmouth. Read more…

Property transactions up in April – despite fall in demand

In April, the number of property sales agreed per estate agency branch increased to the highest level seen since October, according to the latest data from the NAEA. Read more…

Staffordshire Uni £40m skills hub approved

Staffordshire University has got the planning green light for its £40m Catalyst building. Read more…


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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Urban Land Institute launches Urban Technology Framework

The Urban Land Institute, creators of sustainable communities, has launched an Urban Technology Framework to help cities advance into the next generation. Read more…

New consulting outfit lands first major contracts

A new consultancy business has picked up a string of wins with major contractors just months after setting-up. Read more…

TfL secures 12 major developments on Crossrail infrastructure sites

Transport for London (TfL) has secured a deal with Aviva Investors to build a mixed-use scheme, above Crossrail infrastructure and opposite the new Liverpool Street Elizabeth line station. Read more…

Plans in for £125m Birmingham build to rent scheme

Developer Taylor Grange has submitted plans to clear an old factory site in Birmingham’s Digbeth area for a 500-home build to rent scheme. Read more…

Major contractors warned again over late payment work ban

Cabinet minister Oliver Dowden has fired another warning at major contractors over late payment. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Newcastle firm targets £50bn London rooftop homes sector

Newcastle developer, The High Street Group of Companies, has bought London rooftop homes specialist First Penthouse. Read more…

London office construction hits three-year high

The construction of new offices in London is at its highest level in three years, according to Deloitte Real Estate’s latest London Office Crane Survey. Read more…

BAM Nuttall profit hits 10-year high

Operating margins at BAM Nuttall recovered to 3% last year after the UK civil engineering contractor delivered strong growth. Read more…

Interserve wins £8m specialist education construction contract

Interserve Group Limited has been selected by the Department for Education to design and build Prospect House to deliver specialist education for children in Blackley, Manchester. Read more…

VolkerFitzpatrick wins £27m rail station upgrade

VolkerFitzpatrick will upgrade East Anglian railway stations at Waterbeach and Littleport as part of a significant enhancement scheme to tackle congestion between Cambridge and King’s Lynn. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

5G: An opportunity to revolutionise on-train connectivity

FirstGroup and its partners are excited to be close to delivering a viable 5G millimetre Wave (mmWave) solution to the global rail market; one that can offer connectivity which until now, seemed unattainable. Read more…

Environment Minister launches major Hull flood alleviation scheme

Construction of one of the biggest flood defence schemes in the country was officially launched by the Environment Minister in Hull yesterday (Thursday 16 May). Read more…

Affordable and build to rent homes lift Countryside

Housebuilder Countryside lifted completions by 43% to 2,362 homes in the first half of the year, after strong growth in affordable and build to rent homes. Read more…

Making the railways safer and more reliable with Ze-Power

Professor Meiling Zhu, chair of mechanical engineering and head of the Energy Harvesting Research Group (EHRG) at the University of Exeter, introduces us to Ze-Power (Zero Power, Large Area Rail Track Monitoring): an innovative Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded project aiming to make the railway tracks safer and more reliable. Read more…

Waitrose & Partners reveals winners of £1million fund to fight plastic pollution

Waitrose & Partners has revealed the projects it will be supporting with its unique £1 million grant fund designed to tackle plastic pollution. Read more…

1,000 new homes for Cardiff by 2020

The authority’s Capital Ambition targets at least 1,000 new council homes to be completed by May 2022. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Galliford Try tops April contracts league

Galliford Try booked the highest value of industry orders in April despite putting its whole construction arm under review following big losses on the Queensferry Crossing and Aberdeen Bypass. Read more…

Construction industry suppliers ‘prepared for Brexit’

Construction industry suppliers say they expect a slight dip in the market following Brexit, but reveal they are prepared thanks to contingency plans, according to a survey by MRA Research. Read more…

Most expensive cities for construction in 2019 revealed

New York, San Francisco and Hong Kong are the world’s most expensive cities to build in, according to the latest International Construction Cost Comparison published by Arcadis. Read more…

Hunt starts for Commonwealth Games stadium contractor

Birmingham City Council has started the hunt for a contractor to deliver the 2022 Commonwealth Games stadium. Read more…

Digitalisation in construction: The path ahead

If the construction industry wants to unlock its full potential through digital transformation, the next five years are essential, says Steve Radley, strategy and policy director of the Construction Industry Training Board. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Wates confirms £60m Commonwealth Games pool win

Wates Construction is set to make a splash in the West Midlands after winning the design and build contract for the £60m aquatic centre to host events for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Read more…

Jacobs appointed to design new private terminal at Manchester Airport

Jacobs has been selected by Manchester Airports Group (MAG) to design its new PremiAir terminal, offering a unique private terminal for passengers flying on commercial airlines. Read more…

Balfour Beatty set for Midland Met finishing deal

Balfour Beatty looks set to seal the deal to complete Carillion’s Midlands Metropolitan Hospital within the £267m finishing budget. Read more…

Network Rail awards signalling contracts worth £750m

Network Rail has awarded six framework contracts worth £750m to deliver signalling and telecoms across the UK. Read more…

Industry giants shamed over late payment

Seven major contracting firms have been removed or suspended from the Government’s Prompt Payment Code for failing to pay suppliers on time. Read more…

Efficiency boost for local housebuilders

Spantherm is an innovative ground floor system from Creagh Concrete that is being adopted by a growing number of local housebuilders. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Morrison takes on refurb job from failed contractor

Morrison Construction has been confirmed as replacement contractor on a restoration job in Aberdeenshire where the original builder went bust. Read more…

Race starts for £2bn YORcivil framework places

Sheffield Council has started the hunt for contractors to join the YORcivil major works framework. Read more…

Green light for £150m Bolton Church Wharf regen plan

Muse Development’s £150m proposals to transform the Church Wharf area of Bolton have got the planning thumbs up. Read more…

VINCI starts work on new £100m Birmingham hospital

VINCI Construction UK has started work on a new £100m specialist hospital facility in Birmingham. Read more…

New £3m fund to improve construction procurement

Contractors are being offered the chance to grab a slice of a £3m funding put for initiatives designed to improve construction procurement performance. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

Galliford Try to review construction business

The regeneration and construction group, Galliford Try, has announced that is beginning a strategic review of its construction business. Read more…

Morgan Sindall boosts north west leadership team

Morgan Sindall Construction has strengthened its North West leadership team with new area directors for Liverpool and Manchester. Read more…

Walter Lilly wins £55m London medical HQ project

The specialist building arm of the Renew Group, Walter Lilly has secured a pre-construction services agreement for a £55m headquarters project for the London Institute of Medical Sciences. Read more…

Residential construction output increased by 5% in 2018

Preliminary data indicates that total residential construction output increased by 5% in 2018 to £74.2bn, according to the latest Construction and Housing Forecast Bulletin from AMA Research. Read more…

Autumn start for Mount Anvil’s largest ever scheme

London developer Mount Anvil, in partnership with ExCeL London, has secured planning for phases two and three of its Royal Docks development in East London. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

Brexit impasse continues to challenge the market – RICS

The housing market remained subdued in March, a picture that has been evident in the sales market for several months now, according to our latest UK Residential Market Survey. Read more…

Green light for £60m Commonwealth Games pool

A £60m aquatic centre which will host events for the 2022 Commonwealth Games has been given the final go-ahead. Read more…

Water companies launch World Water Innovation Fund

Water companies including Severn Trent and United Utilities are joining forces to form the World Water Innovation Fund, which aims to find, develop and accelerate the ground- breaking technologies that will make a real difference to peoples’ lives across the world. Read more…

Branson says Virgin Trains could be gone by November after ‘baffling’ DfT franchise decision

Virgin Trains could disappear from Britain’s railways by the end of the year, Sir Richard Branson has announced after the government disqualified its joint franchise bid with Stagecoach. Read more…

Every second counts – new measures of train punctuality

Train operators and Network Rail are set to publish new measures for train punctuality as part of plans to reduce delays across the network and boost customer satisfaction. From April, up to the minute train performance data will be used as the primary method for measuring punctuality. Read more…

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

£100m deal to deliver 785 additional homes in Greater Manchester

Savills Financial Consultants has supported Bolton at Home to secure a £100m funding deal, enabling the construction of 785 additional homes across Greater Manchester. Read more…

Swansea seeks developer for £750m city revamp

Swansea Council is to start the hunt for a development partner for its proposed £750m redevelopment of major city sites. Read more…

Clarion buys Merrielands Cresent site off Inland for £78m

Inland Homes has exchanged contracts for the sale of its Merrielands Crescent site in Dagenham, East London with housing association, Clarion Housing Group. Read more…

Bouygues starts £161m Brighton student scheme

The University of Brighton has awarded a contract to Bouygues Construction for financing, designing and constructing a new student residence on the Moulsecoomb campus. Read more…

HS2 Euston demolition milestone as workforce tops 1,000

HS2 has completed two major demolition projects at Euston to clear the way for the new platforms and concourse. Read more…

 

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

ISG lands new £281m London neurology centre for UCL

ISG has been appointed as UCL’s main contractor to begin pre-construction work on a new neurology centre in central London. Read more…

City planners give green light to “The Tulip” tower

The City of London Corporation has approved a planning application from Foster + Partners for the tallest tower in the Square Mile. Read more…

Henry wins £115m Guinness East London scheme

Henry Construction Projects has been confirmed as preferred main builder for the first phase of a major housing scheme planned by Guinness Partnership in East London. Read more…

Kier wins £13m Bradford Academy

Kier has been named by the Department for Education to design and construct an 880-place academy in a grade II listed mill in Bradford. Read more…

L&Q to buy north-west rival and spend £4bn on homes

South east housing association L&Q is in talks to take over the North West’s Trafford Housing Trust with ambitious plans to boost house building in the region. 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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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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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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