Construction News
7 July 2011

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Catalyst retenders £65m housing job after talks break down with Mansell

Catalyst Housing Group has restarted the hunt for a contractor to build a £65 million development in Kensington and Chelsea after failing to agree terms with Mansell who were appointed to the job last year.
£1.5bn PFI savings 'set stage' for new schools plan

Saving £1.5 billion in existing private finance initiatives represents a key stage in delivering the new schools build programme, Lord Sassoon said yesterday.
£200m Scottish housing framework up for grabs

Contractors are being invited to express their interest in a £200 million housing framework in Scotland.
120 jobs saved after HSE Group folds

About 120 employees at HSE Building Services (HSEbs) have kept their jobs after its parent company went into administration, a spokesperson said today.
41-year-old forklift driver dies on Costain site

A forklift truck driver died on a Costain building site in a Berkshire town centre yesterday morning after his vehicle overturned, police said.
550 lose jobs as Kinetics collapse confirmed

Housing maintenance firm the Kinetics Group has entered administration for the second time in a month with 550 job losses expected.
Act payment plans anger all parties

Government amendments to the payment provisions in the Construction Act have angered all quarters of the industry with large and small contractors arguing they have been let down.
Adjudication loophole left open following latest judgement

Galliford Try Infrastructure is facing mounting legal costs in a case that could leave construction firms able to pick their own adjudicators.
Amey secures Network Rail contracts worth £37m

Amey has secured Network Rail contracts worth £37 million to provide rail signalling services in five regions across the UK.
Apollo and Keepmoat reveal merger plan

Apollo and Keepmoat are set to merge in a bid to become a £1 billion market leading social housing and regeneration contractor.
Are you fit for purpose?

New best practice guidelines could help identify medical impairments before they result in accidents.
Back to basics: what is marketing?

Many people associate the term “marketing” with thoughts of advertising, exhibitions and corporate events. But these are just the tools that can be used to achieve a desired outcome - part of a planned programme to achieve specific objectives.
Balfour bags £10.3m Doncaster road job

Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering has been awarded a £10.3 million contract by Doncaster Council for the first phase of the White Rose Way Improvement Scheme, part of the Doncaster Southern Gateway project.
BAM Construct lands Imperial Tobacco headquarters contract

BAM Construction has been appointed to build a new four-storey corporate headquarters for Imperial Tobacco in Bristol.
BAM wins £6m Scottish primary care centre deal

BAM Construction has won a £6 million contract for a primary care centre in Scotland.
Barratt and Peel ink £200m deal for 1,000 homes

Barratt Homes has agreed a £200 million partnership with The Peel Group to develop more than 1,000 homes in the north of England over five years.
Barratt boosted by London and South east

Barratt has reported a return to profit thanks to its London and South east market, it said today.
Bids invited for £1.6bn of R&M work with Circle Housing

Contractors are being invited to bid for repair and maintenance work, with a combined value of £1.6 billion, across Circle Housing Group’s housing and commercial stock in the South east and Midlands.
Boost for EDF nuclear plans as parliament passes policy

EDF has hailed parliament’s decision to ratify National Policy Statements for energy as a major step towards its nuclear power new build programme.
Bourne and Billington target major projects

Steelworks companies Bourne and Billington will focus on projects over £8 million as a joint venture, which was officially launched last night.
Bouygues makes Australian push

Bouygues is establishing a new construction arm in Australia with senior UK director Ian Gunter set to lead the Sydney-based office from September.
Bowmer and Kirkland lands £150m Gateshead regen

The family-owned Bowmer and Kirkland Group has been named preferred bidder for a £150 million regeneration scheme in the North east.
Breedon saves 130 jobs with C&G takeover

Breedon Aggregates Ltd has bought the collapsed C&G Concrete Ltd for £10.15 million, saving 130 jobs in the process.
Builders named in 700-home scheme at £147m Gallions Quarter

A consortium of Galliford Try, United House and Durkan will help deliver 700 new homes at Gallions Quarter, part of the massive Royal Docks regeneration.
Byles: PfS staff exodus risk to school procurement

As the government launched a £2 billion school building programme, former Partnerships for Schools chief executive Tim Byles has warned of the “very real risk” of a damaging exodus of skilled procurement staff.
Cabinet Office minister calls for more sustainable buildings

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has appealed to the construction industry for flexibility when developing buildings to allow for future innovation.
Citybranch awarded £10m hospital build

A £10 million contract for the new Altrincham General Hospital in Trafford has been awarded to Manchester-based firm Citybranch.
Construction faces 'return to recession', report says

The construction industry is expected to “return to recession” in the next two years, according to a new forecast.
Construction Parliamentary Update - 15 July 2011

A round-up of all the construction news from Westminster this week, brought to you by the Madano Partnership
Construction Parliamentary Update - 8 July 2011

A round-up of all the construction news from Westminster this week, brought to you by the Madano Partnership
Construction starts down by almost a quarter

Construction starts were worth almost a quarter less than a year ago, but some sectors are faring more poorly than others, according to new statistics.
Cornish building and civils framework up for grabs

Cornwall Council is inviting firms to bid for a spot on a four year framework covering up to £1 billion worth of building and civils work in the county and the South west region.
Costain awarded carbon capture design contract

The Energy Technologies Institute has awarded Costain a £3.5 million carbon capture contract.
CPA chief: Product manufacturers need to integrate

The chief executive of the Construction Products Association has called for product manufacturers and suppliers to form their own integrated supply chains in response to government changes to procurement models.
Crossrail confirm Costain/Skanska for Paddington Station job

A Costain/Skanska joint venture has won the £250 million contract to build Paddington Station, Crossrail has confirmed.
Crossrail offers up £50m Victoria Dock Portal job

Crossrail is looking for a contractor for the £50m design and construction of the Victoria Dock Portal in East London.
DAC Beachcroft to launch in November after merger approved

DAC Beachcroft will launch on 1 November after members of both Beachcroft and specialist construction law firm Davies Arnold Cooper approved the proposed merger.
Development plan set for Merton

London’s Borough of Merton has started a development consultation following the adoption of the Councils Core Planning Strategy.
Download Contract Leads - 11 July 2011

Download PDFs of the latest contract leads here
Download Contract Leads - 18 July 2011

Download PDFs of the latest contract leads here
Download Contract Leads - 25 July 2011

Download PDFs of the latest contract leads here
EDF seek contractor to build Sizewell B dry fuel store

EDF Energy has been granted planning consent to start construction on a dry fuel store to contain spent fuel from 2015.
Edge Hill University £30m extension planned

A planning application has been submitted for a £30 million extension to Lancashire’s Edge Hill University.
Education secretary announces James Review consultation

The government has announced the recommendations of the Sebastien James review on school building will be “broadly accepted” but that it will embark on a thorough consultation process on its details and implementation.
Electricity reform to kickstart the market across suffering regions

The growing energy market is set to drive a massive overhaul of the UK’s infrastructure map, helping a tier of medium-sized contractors compete for major contracts.
EXCLUSIVE: Olympics, nuclear decommissioning and rail top government spending priorities

The London 2012 Olympics, nuclear decommissioning programme and Network Rail were the government’s top priorities in the October Spending Review, Construction News has learned.
Exports provide vital lifeline as UK remains subdued, says CPA

Exports are proving a “vital lifeline” for construction manufacturers as demand in the UK remains subdued, the Construction Products Association said today.The CPA put out its latest State of Trade Survey this morning, which is conducted quarterly and provides insight into current and expected future industry trends by taking a percentage of firms reporting a rise, less those reporting a decline.It says Q2 2011 has seen the total number of manufacturers exporting goods increase
Fall in house prices stalled by pre-summer sales

House prices remained broadly flat in July after a 20 per cent increase in sales over the past two months lifted a slowdown over spring.
Firm fined almost £50k after TK Maxx concrete pour disaster

A Staffordshire based interior design company has been ordered to pay almost £50,000 after two men were injured while carrying out refurbishment work at a TK Maxx shop in Hounslow.
Firms needed for £60m social housing repairs contract

Contractors are needed for a 10-year social housing repair and maintenance contract worth up to £60 million.
Former Arup chairman joins Crossrail board

Former Arup chairman Terry Hill will join Crossrail’s board in September while Andrew Wolstenholme will begin his role as chief executive next month.
FSB calls for one-year tax cut to 5pc

The Government must cut tax on construction firms to 5 per cent to help restore economic growth, the Federation of Small Businesses has said.
Full list for £81m academy maintenance funding package revealed

The government has released details of an £81.5m funding package for maintenance across the UK’s academies, alongside its launch of a new £2bn school building programme.
Gary Wingrove appointed BCO president

The British Council for Offices has appointed Gary Wingrove as its new president.
GDP grows by 0.2 per cent amid forecasts of slim chance of recovery

GDP has grown by just 0.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2011, according to latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics.
Glasgow plans £18m of social housing new build

Three social housing new build projects worth £18 million are up for grabs in Glasgow.
Gove announces £2bn private finance BSF replacement

The government will set up a new privately financed school building programme, worth up to £2 billion, to improve as many as 300 schools in poor condition across the country.
Government planning framework sparks reaction

The Government’s bid to simplify planning policy while putting sustainable development at its heart has been widely welcomed by the industry.
Government pledges to spend £22bn on construction

The Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude has said that the Government will invest £22 billion in public construction projects over the next three years.
Government to find £1.5bn of savings from PFI deals

The Government intends to “get tough” to deliver £1.5 billion of savings across the 495 operational Private Finance Initiative projects in England, it said this afternoon.
Government unveils planning policy of the future

A commitment to place sustainability at the heart of planning policy was affirmed today with the release of the draft National Planning Police Framework.
Green light for £50m Northampton mental health facility

A £50 million mental health facility has been given the green light for development in Northampton.
Green light for Salford's £115m PFI project

The Government has given the green light to a £115 million private finance initiative which will create 1,600 new homes in Salford.
HCA awards £1.8bn via Affordable Homes Programme

The Homes and Communities Agency has allocated more £1.8 billion of funding to 150 housing associations, local authorities, house builders and other providers via its Affordable Homes Programme.
Highways JV A-One+ seeks damages over manager's contracts scam

Highways maintenance joint venture A-One+ has lodged a claim against a former senior project manager over allegations he received bribes from a subcontractor in exchange for contract awards.
House prices face slow road to recovery, says PwC

Housing is facing a slow road to recovery with UK prices not expected to reach past peaks until 2020, according to new research.
Housing market suffers a sluggish June, says RICS

Sluggish demand and a drop in supply led to a stagnant housing market in June, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Housing, retail and commercial plan approved in Westminster

Westminster City Council is promising more than 400 new homes as part of redevelopment plans for a school site.
HS2 sale could deliver £7bn to public purse, report says

High Speed 2 could deliver a £7 billion return on the Government’s £13.9bn investment, according to a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
IESE's £4.5bn deal arrives as other partnerships signal mixed future

Local government’s drive to create a multibillion-pound regional construction frameworks and generate efficiency savings worth millions saw eight more firms land £4.5 billion of work last week.
Industry Reaction: Construction strategy, £22bn pipeline and BIM

Industry leaders have hailed the government’s new construction strategy and forward pipeline but warned that greater clarity of government policy is needed to allow the industry to plan with confidence.
Industry urged to act now on diversity

The construction industry is doing too little to ensure equality for older staff, female workers and ethnic minority employees, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has warned.
Inquiry to unlock £250bn of council land

An all-party group of MPs and peers has launched an inquiry into how development can be unlocked across £250 billion worth of local government property assets.
Interserve and SSE win £21m defence job

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation has awarded a £21.6 million contract to Interserve and SSE Contracting JV PriDE, to design and build a new facility at RAF Brize Norton.
ISG wins fit out and removal contract for all Olympic venues

ISG will manage infrastructure for the opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympic Stadium, along with the fit out and removal of temporary facilities at all the other venues, the company revealed today.
Judge forces Carillion to pay Hyder £3.7m in unpaid bills

Carillion will have to pay at least £3.7 million in unpaid bills to consultant Hyder after a high court judge enforced an adjudicators decision today.
June mortgage lending down 3pc on last year

Mortgage lending – the major obstacle for house builders – was down 3 per cent in June compared to a year ago.
Keepmoat inks £330m Sheffield housing deal

Keepmoat has signed a contract worth £330 million to build 2,300 new homes Sheffield.
Kinetics collapse sparks jobs carve-up

Contracts from the building services firm Kinetics Group, now in administration, are being offered to competing suppliers, while clients have taken other work in-house.
Laing consortium out of £150m Papworth hospital bid

The consortium of Laing O’Rourke, John Laing and Interserve has fallen away from the £150 million New Papworth Hospital private finance initiative.
Laing O’Rourke join government scheme to save UK jobs

Laing O’Rourke has become one of the first firms to sign up for a new online system launched to retain highly skilled advanced manufacturing and engineering employees losing their jobs in the defence sector.
Land Sec reports pick up in retail demand

Retail demand across the UK has picked up while London continues to be an attractive prospect, Land Securities said today.
Leadbitter secures £30m of social housing work

Leadbitter has secured £30 million worth of work with housing association Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association.
Liverpool hospital narrows field for £470m new build

Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust has selected Carillion and Horizon as the final bidders for the contract to build a new facility, estimated at £470 million.
Local authority mortgage scheme to be extended to new build

A major mortgage scheme offering 95 per cent loan to value is to be extended to new build property, Construction News has learned.
London faces student digs shortage despite building spike

Student accommodation is running low in the capital despite a 90 per cent rise in construction, a new survey has said.
M&S and two contractors found guilty of asbestos violations

Marks and Spencer and two of its contractors have been convicted of putting members of the public, staff and construction workers at risk of exposure to asbestos.
Mcalpine wins backing for £50m longest ski slope in UK

A £50m leisure complex which will boast the longest ski slope in the country and will be built by Sir Robert McAlpine has won the full support of North Somerset Council.
Miller wins place on £4.5bn IESE framework

Miller Construction has become the first contractor to win a place on the Improvement and Efficiency South East and London Construction Framework for major projects, worth up to £4.5 billion.
Morgan Sindall and BAM Nuttall scoop £136m roads deal

A Morgan Sindall/ BAM Nuttall joint venture has been awarded a £136 million contract to upgrade the M62 motorway.
Morgan Sindall cements place on £100m MK framework

Morgan Sindall has been reappointed by Milton Keynes Council to its £100 million three-year framework for major building works.
Morgan Sindall lands London schools deals worth £5.5m

Morgan Sindall has won two school contracts worth a combined £5.5 million in the London borough of Brent.
Morgan Sindall wins £65m schools deal

Morgan Sindall has been awarded three school-building contracts worth £65 million by Hull City Council.
Morgan Sindall wins £8m East London sports centre job

Morgan Sindall has won an £8.1 million contract with Ebbsfleet Community Sports Centre Limited to build Mayesbrook Park Sports Arena in East London.
New £12m Dorset biomass plant moves closer to construction

A £12 million Dorset biomass plant has been given the green light after a four-year planning delay.
New chief executive for Infrastructure UK

The man who headed up the Labour Government’s private finance initiative (PFI) policy for two years has been appointed chief executive of Infrastructure UK.
Nuclear and wind development boosted by electricity reform

The government has unveiled its UK electricity market reform package in an effort to boost investment in nuclear and offshore wind developments.
ODA announces £16m Olympic savings

The Olympic Delivery Authority has reduced its costs by a further £16 million with 88 per cent of the construction programme now completed.
Olympic cladding specialist Wood Newton enters liquidation

Fit-out and cladding specialist Wood Newton has gone into liquidation with 54 jobs lost in the process.
Olympic delivery chief is 'proud' of the industry

John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, has praised the construction industry for building the Games’ stadia and infrastructure on time and in budget.
Olympics' three set for £50m bonus

Laing O’Rourke, CH2M Hill and Mace look set for a £50 million bonus for their work on the 2012 Games, the Olympic Delivery Authority has revealed in its annual accounts.
Osborne predicts order book growth despite fall in turnover

Osborne has recorded a drop in turnover but is boosted by a £3.5 million increase in pre-tax profits to 31 March.
Peabody appoints Breyer to provide £18m solar panels

Peabody has appointed building contractor Breyer Group to provide £18.5 million worth of solar panels on London housing stock.
PfS tenders for up to £3 billion school building work

Following education secretary Michael Gove’s announcement of a £2 billion school building programme, the capital body responsible has launched the tender process.
Planning granted for £250m Croydon regen scheme

Croydon Council has granted regeneration specialist Menta planning consent for its £250m Cherry Orchard Road project, which includes a 55 storey residential tower.
Planning policy set to allay localism fears

The new national planning framework set to be released this week could signal a move to temper the localism agenda.
Profits set to soar for housebuilders

Housebuilders’ profit margins are expected to return to double digits next year, analysts said this week.
Pub and hotel firms join forces to build on Newquay site

Hotel chain Travelodge and pub company Marston’s have announced plans to co-locate in Newquay as they look to expand further in Cornwall.
Public sector costs WSP 400 jobs and half its profits

Weaknesses in the public sector has meant 400 job cuts and profit before tax diving by nearly half, the design and engineering consultancy said today.
Race for Hounslow roads deal down to two

The race for Hounslow Borough Council’s £1.4 billion highways maintenance PFI contract is now down to two, with Skanska/Jacobs understood to have been knocked out of competitive dialogue.
Saint-Gobain acquires the Build Center Network and Brossette for £145 million

Building materials firm Saint-Gobain is set to buy the British Build Center network and its French subsidiary Brossette from materials distributor Wolseley for £145 million.
Salford Uni offers up £38m of work

The University of Salford has £38 million of work available under a masterplan to create a more “vibrant and successful campus”.
Shapps supports £77m Wiltshire housing PFI scheme

Proposals for the construction of 340 homes in west Wiltshire have been given approval following a government value for money review.
Shepherd faces £900k payout

A high court judge has ordered Shepherd Homes to pay almost £900,000 in damages to 10 homeowners whose houses suffered cracks and subsidence.
Skanska order book hit by public sector cuts

Skanska UK has achieved a 2.9 per cent operating margin in the first six months of 2011, but is faced with a smaller order book than expected.
Slough council serves CPO for £450m regeneration

A compulsory purchase order has been served by Slough Borough Council as it pushes on with its £450 million Heart of Slough regeneration project.
Speedy Hire target waste and energy to boost revenue

Energy and waste are among the areas being targeted by Speedy Hire as it recovers from what its chief executive called the most tumultuous period in its history.
Speedy hires new finance chief

Speedy Hire has announced the appointment of former John Laing finance director Lynn Krige as its new group FD.
Supermarket construction beats recession blues

The rate of supermarket development has enjoyed 42 per cent growth since the first half of 2008, research has revealed.
Taylor Wimpey sign up Carbon Trust to develop business plan

One of the UK’s largest housebuilders Taylor Wimpey has announced it will work with the Carbon Trust Advisory Services to “manage risks and develop opportunities arising from carbon”.
Ten reach £1.2bn Gatwick framework

Ten major contractors have secured slots on a £1.2 billion improvement and upgrades framework at Gatwick Airport.
Thomas Vale turnover jumps 28pc as it looks to win work through BIM

Thomas Vale has revealed a 28 per cent increase in turnover in its annual results to March 2011 and is gearing up to win public sector work through its building information modelling strategy.
United House profits drop 23pc

United House saw a 23 per cent fall in profit in 2010 despite another year of record revenue, the housing specialist has revealed.
Vinci wins £90 million Tesco Streatham job

Construction giant Vinci has been awarded a £90 million mixed use job in Streatham, on behalf of Tesco subsidiary Spenhill Regeneration and the London Borough of Lambeth.
VolkerStevin Marine nets £18m ammunition depot job

VolkerStevin Marine has won an £18 million contract with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation covering the design and construction of a warship ammunition depot in Portsmouth.
Waste services contract for £4bn London project down to two

A SITA/ Lend Lease joint venture has withdrawn from the race for a waste services contract on a £4 billion north London project.
Wates dazzles at the CN Awards

On Tuesday evening the great and the good of the construction world dusted off their dinner suits and dresses to gather for the annual Construction News Awards 2011. In a night of celebrations that saw several new awards and three company heads honoured for their contribution to the industry, Wates Group stood out winning three top awards.
Wates seeks more detail on £2bn school building plans

Wates has hailed the government’s response to the James review of school building as a positive step but the contractor is urging the government to provide more detail on its new investment plans.
Wates wins £11m Merseyside school contract

Wates Construction has been awarded an £11m contract to bring together two Wirral schools in a new educational facility in Merseyside.
Welsh school building programme review to delay projects

A £4.4 billion Welsh school building programme has been plunged into doubt after the government announced a review of the scheme.
Willmott Dixon to lead Green Deal pilot programme

Willmott Dixon will retrofit 13 homes in a government-sponsored pilot to test the amount of energy that can be saved on homes built more than 40 years ago.
Willmott Dixon wins £45m Notting Hill housing repairs job

Willmott Dixon has won a five year contract worth £45 million to provide repair and maintenance services to Notting Hill Housing Trust.
Winners named in Affordable Homes Programme

The Homes and Communities Agency has announced the winning house builders on its £1.8 billion Affordable Homes Programme.
Winners revealed for £1.2bn Gatwick framework

Ten firms have now secured places on Gatwick airport’s £1.2 billion framework programme for upgrades and improvement works, CN understands.
Winners revealed for £4.5bn IESE framework

Hampshire County Council has selected the eight contractors for the Improvement and Efficiency South East framework for major projects, worth up to £4.5 billion.
Wolves launches £50 million mixed development scheme

Plans for a £50 million investment in housing, education and sports facilities in Wolverhampton were announced yesterday.

Construction News7 July 2011

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Construction News
7 July 2011