Construction News
8 January 2009

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Aberdeen £2.8m Commercial

Plans approved
Aberdeen £2m Commercial

Early planning
Airline chiefs air support for new Heathrow runway

Airline chiefs have today joined business leaders and trade unionists in calling for the construction of a third runway at Heathrow.
A-One+ consortium wins £220m Area 7 MAC contract

The A-One+ consortium of Halcrow, Costain and Colas has secured the £220 million managing agent contractor Highways Agency’s Area 7.
Arabian Canal tender extended again

Local developer Limitless has extended for the second time the tender closing date for the second excavation package on the AED40bn ($10.1bn) Arabian Canal project.
Artisan Construction Group North owes creditors £3.5m

Artisan Construction Group North has gone into voluntary liquidation owing more than £3.5 million to over 100 creditors.
Ashton-Under-Lyne £59m Education

Early planning
AUDIO: No quick fix on quick couplers...

Miller International chairman Keith Miller talks about the confusion over the use of quick couplers and how companies need to look at their working practices to avoid further accidents.
Baghdad launches housing projects in northern city of Duhuk

The Iraqi Investment Authority has launched two residential construction projects in the northern city of Duhuk, estimated to cost $40m in total.
Balfour Beatty buys into US military housing

Balfour Beatty has bought the interests of a 50-year military housing privatisation project at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
Balfour Beatty's Hindhead tunnel proving a hit online

The Hindhead tunnel on the A3 in Surrey is slowly becoming an internet phenomenon down to the efforts of one blogger.
Beaworthy £1.7m Commercial

Plans approved
Begbies Traynor warns over construction firms' future

Business rescue specialists Begbies Traynor have warned the UK’s construction industry faces a tough 2009 with hundreds of firms facing winding-up orders.
Bellway set for shareholder clash over £600k bonuses

Bellway looks to be heading for a clash with its investors at its annual meeting next week after £632,500 of bonuses were paid to three directors.
Birmingham £13m Commercial

Plans approved
Bolton £54m Commercial

Early planning
Bootle £30m Education

Early planning
Bovis Homes to cut another 200 jobs

House builder Bovis Homes has warned that sales have slumped by nearly half and announced plans to cut around another 200 jobs.
Bristol £60m Commercial

Plans approved
Brown Government to fund 35,000 extra apprentices

Prime Minister Gordon Brown today announced a £140 million plan to fund an extra 35,000 apprentices next year.
Cambridge £2.3m Residential

Plans approved
Cambridge £6m Commercial

Plans approved
Cambridge hospital job out to tender

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has invited bids for a £4.5 million contract to extend its oncology department.
Cardiff £20m Leisure

Early planning
Cardiff £441 Commercial

Early planning
Carillion in £170m Canadian highways win

Carillion has won a £170 million highways maintenance contract in Canada.
Carillion wins £13m Nottingham school contract

Carillion has clinched a £13 million contract to build a new primary school for Nottingham City Council under the Government's £7 billion Primary Capital Programme.
Carillion wins £13m primary school job

Carillion has won a contract with Nottingham City Council to build a £13 million school as part of the £7 billion Primary Capital Programme.
Caterpillar staff asked to do charity work as production stops

Staff at Caterpillar's Leicestershire plant have been asked to do charity work and training for four weeks as production stops due to a sharp drop in orders.
CECA to leave Construction Confederation

The Civil Engineering Contractors Association is to leave the Construction Confederation, leaving Scottish Building as the sole remaining member of the organisation.
Cemex invests £2m in new Belfast plant

Cemex has announced plans for a £2 million investment in a new plant in Belfast.
Chatham £7.1m Residential

Plans approved
CIPS: UK construction has suffered 'severe retrenchment'

Construction activity in the UK has suffered its 'most severe retrenchment' in at least 11 years, the latest survey by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply said today.
Claims that Stewart Milne bullied contractor thrown out by courts

Allegations of bullying made against the Stewart Milne Group by a small London-based construction firm have been dismissed by the High Court.
Construction Confederation to reformat for 2010

The executive chairman of the Construction Confederation is set to reformat the organisation in 2009, following the news that it would only have one remaining member in 2010.
Construction firms in credit talks with insurers

Senior industry figures have held talks with insurers to get the credit insurance market moving, as construction firms find it increasingly difficult to cover their credit risk.
Contract award for Hail Economic City delayed

A consultant to draw up the masterplan for Hail Economic City is now set to be appointed in the first quarter of 2009, several months later than expected.
Contractor fined after young boy hospitalised

Kent-based contractor Supaglazing has been ordered to pay £9,000 in fines and costs after it failed to appoint a registered gas fitter on one of its residential schemes in late 2007.
Costain order book hits record £2bn

Costain has reported that its forward order book was a record £2 billion on 31 December, a 25 per cent increase on a year ago - with over £700 million of work secured for 2009.
Costain/Halcrow JV wins £220m Highways deal

A Costain, Halcrow and Colas joint venture has secured a £220 million Managing Agent Contractor contract for the Highways Agency.
Council secures final funding for Leeds hall revamp

The Heritage Lottery Fund will inject more than £2.7 million into a scheme to renovate one of the oldest music halls in the country, the Leeds City Varieties.
Coventry £90.6m Commercial

Early planning
Crewe £4.8m Leisure

Plans approved
Crossrail to follow Olympic logistics plan

Crossrail has appointed logistics specialist DHL to undertake a study on how to minimise the impact of Crossrail’s construction on central London.
Croydon £75m Residential

Early planning
Donington Park Formula One venue approved for revamp

A proposal to upgrade the future home of the British Formula One Grand Prix was given the green light last night.
Dunblane £750k Commercial

Early planning
ECA to open North Wales branch

The Electrical Contractors’ Association will open a new regional branch in North Wales this Spring after its membership in the area has grown over 50 per cent in the last five years.
EDF completes £12.5bn British Energy purchase

EDF has completed its £12.5 billion purchase of nuclear operator British Energy paving the way for a new fleet of low carbon nuclear reactors in the UK.
Edinburgh £8.9m Residential

Early planning
Ennstone appoints executive chairman

Aggregates firm Ennstone has appointed Julian Cooper as its new executive chairman.
Firm fined £5k after worker suffers partial paralysis

A Hampshire company has been fined £5,000 after a worker suffered partial paralysis when he was hit by a scaffolding pole on a site in the South-east two years ago.
Fleming uses modular construction for student accommodation

Irish construction group Fleming Developments is using modular units for delivery of a £24 million student accommodation scheme in Wolverhampton.
Forth Bridge could delay other projects

The Scottish Government has suggested that it could delay a host of transport projects in favour of funding the new Forth Bridge.
French to design Jebel al-Akhdar hotel

France's AW2 Design has has been appointed as the lead consultant and architect for the Jabal al-Akhdar hotel in the Nizwa area of Oman.
Galliford Try introduces 4-day week for housebuilding division

Galliford Try today revealed it has introduced a four-day working week for staff at its struggling housebuilding businesses.
Galliford Try secures £29m Yorkshire Water work

Galliford Try has won three contracts worth a total of £29 million under Yorkshire Water’s large schemes programme.
Galliford Try wins £60m Scottish Water work

A Galliford Try-led joint venture with Black & Veatch has been named preferred bidder on a £60 million Scottish Water contract.
Gateshead £10m Residential & Commercial

Plans approved
Gentoo Construction wins £27m social housing job

Gentoo Construction has won a £27 million job to take charge of 1,900 social houses in Berwick-upon-Tweed in the North-east.
George Wimpey Bristol calls on subcontractors to cut costs

House builder George Wimpey Bristol has written to its subcontractors calling for them to cut costs on all current orders by 20 per cent.
George Wimpey cost reduction letter to sub contractors

George Wimpey has written to sub contractors asking them to cut costs in 'survival of the fittest' measure to stop the house builder facing further difficulties.
Glasgow £11m Industrial

Plans approved
Glasgow £8.1m Industrial

Plans approved
Govt reveals £18m deal to buy house builders unsold stock

The Government has announced an £18 million deal which enables house builders to sell its unsold stock to housing associations to provide more affordable housing and help support industry.
Grafton issues profits warning as trading conditions worsen

Irish building supplies group Grafton has issued a profits warning as difficult trading condition continue across its markets in the UK and Ireland.
Grimsby £90m Commercial

Plans approved
HeidelbergCement tycoon Merckle commits suicide

The head of the HeidelbergCement empire Adolf Merckle has killed himself following the declining fortunes of his businesses.
House prices fall 16.2pc for 2008

House prices fell by 16.2 per cent last year, according to Britain's biggest mortgage lender.
HSE to crackdown on asbestos breaches in February blitz

The Health and Safety Executive will conduct a blitz on firms in Kent next month to ensure they are conforming to asbestos regulations.
HSE to hold string of workshops on 5 year strategy

The Health and Safety Executive will be holding seven consultation nights for its new five-year strategy this month.
HSE: 'One-man bands' should be more aware of silicosis

Many small contractors are still unaware of the dangers of silica dust, the Health and Safety Executive has warned.
IC Roofing boss failed to carry out risk assessment, court told

The boss of a young worker who was killed when he fell through a skylight three years ago allegedly failed to carry out the necessary risk assessment procedures, a court has heard.
Interest rates down to 1.5pc

The Bank of England has cut interest rates by half a percentage point.
Ipswich £52m Education

Early planning
Isle of Dogs housing job advertised

London’s One Housing Group has advertised its £18 million Island Homes capital works programme.
Kettering £3.8m Residential

Early planning
Kier wins £60m police facilities work

A Kier-led team has been named preferred bidder on a £60 million Private Finance Initiative scheme for police authorities in East Anglia.
Kilmarnock £10m Residential

Early planning
Laing O'Rourke fined £90k after worker injured on Liverpool One

Laing O'Rourke has been hit with £90,000 in fines and costs after a worker was seriously injured in a fall on the £1 billion Liverpool One scheme in August, 2007.
Land Securities sells Trillium for £750m

Land Securities has today announced it will sell its Trillium outsourcing arm to property investment group Telereal for £750 million.
Larbert £3m Commercial

Early planning
Leeds £30m Education

Plans approved
Leicester £9m Commercial

Plans approved
Leicester Tigers unveil £100m regeneration plans

Plans for the £100 million regeneration of the area around Leicester Tigers Rugby Club have been submitted by the Frank Whittle Partnership.
Local tunnelling firm creates jobs

An extra 22 jobs are being created at a Northern Irish tunnelling company, it was revealed today.
London £1.3m Commercial

Early planning
London £1.8m Residential

Early planning
Lord Adonis backs Heathrow rail hub

Transport minister Lord Adonis has backed proposals for a £4.5 billion international rail hub at Heathrow Airport.
March £9.3m Residential

Plans approved
Marshalls to cut costs threatening 135 jobs

Landscape products firm Marshalls is cutting costs putting 135 jobs at risk.
May Gurney appoints new director

May Gurney Integrated Services has announced the appointment of Andrew Walker as a non-executive director with immediate effect.
May Gurney cuts housing and engineering jobs

May Gurney has made more than 50 redundancies due to the slowdown in the housing market.
Mears Group trading in line with expectations

Social housing repair and maintenance firm Mears said its results for 2008 will meet expectations in what was 'a difficult year for the British economy'.
Middlesbrough £8.6m Commercial

Plans approved
Modon signs five contracts for second industrial city in Dammam

Modon, Saudi Arabia's industrial development arm has signed five contracts valued at SR420m ($112m) for the development of industrial sites within Dammam's second industrial city.
Nakheel awards $1bn contract for Village Centre on Palm Jumeirah

Local developer Nakheel has awarded South Korea's Samsung Corporation an estimated $1.1bn contract to build the Village Centre development on the Palm Jumeirah.
New York rigging contractor charged with manslaughter

The rigging contractor on a New York construction site where seven people were killed in crane collapse last March has been charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault and reckless endangerment.
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne £30m Commercial

Plans approved
Newport £2m Commercial

Early planning
Newport £6.3m Residential

Plans approved
Newton Abbot £22.3m Residential

Plans approved
Next: We'll still refit, but not at same levels

Fashion chain Next today revealed it would pull back on its development programme after suffering a 7 per cent fall in like-for-like sales between the end of July and Christmas Eve.
NFB to leave Construction Confederation

The National Federation of Builders is set to leave the Construction Confederation at the end of the year, Construction News can reveal.
North Midland Construction wins £2.5m in Virgin contracts

Nottinghamshire-based civil engineering and building specialist North Midland Construction has secured two contracts with Virgin Media worth a total of £2.5 million.
Northampton £7.8m Commercial

Plans approved
Onet buys UK engineering firm to spearhead nuclear expansion

European services provider Onet Group has acquired the British-based nuclear engineering company Gravatom for an undisclosed sum.
Orpington £3.9m Commercial

Plans approved
Overhead line damage causes rail delays

Delays on the West Coast Main Line this week have been partly caused by contractors damaging overhead cables.
Persimmon cuts debt by £306m

House builder Persimmon today announced that it has reduced its debt by £306 million since June 2008.
PHOTOS: Foundations laid for Olympic Village

Lend Lease has completed the foundations of several buildings for the Olympic Village in East London, with work now underway on the ground-floor level of the first residential buildings.
Planning decisions in Scotland speed up

There has been a sharp rise in the number of planning appeals processed by the Scottish Government within 12 weeks.
Pontefract £5.7m Residential

Plans approved
Reading £23.1m Residential & Commercial

Early planning
Redrow appoints new South Wales management team

Redrow has appointed a new managing director, sales director and commercial director for its operations in South Wales.
Roofing boss to face court for manslaughter

Roofing company owner and director Colin Cooper will today go on trial for the manslaughter of a worker who was killed after falling 6m through a skylight in November 2005.
Row breaks out after NI's tallest building refused planning permission

A battle has erupted over plans to construct what would be Northern Ireland's tallest building.
Royal Mail to refurb Old Street offices

The Royal Mail Group is seeking bidders for the £5 million overhaul of its London Old Street offices.
Sagia: Oil price drop will not hinder Saudi development

A declining oil price will have little impact on development plans for Saudi Arabia this year, according to a senior executive at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (Sagia).
SAVILLS: Commercial activity continues to fall

Commercial developers saw a further sharp drop in activity last month as poor business confidence and tight credit conditions continued to impact demand.
Scott Wilson chair Geoff French named ACE chairman

Scott Wilson chairman Geoff French is the new chairman of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering.
Seven die in blaze on Moscow construction site

Seven people have died after a fire tore through an underground car park under construction in the South-east of Moscow earlier today.
SHARE WATCH: Construction shares mixed ahead of interest rate cut

Construction shares had a mixed morning ahead of an anticipated interest rate cut by the Bank of England today.
SHARE WATCH: Construction shares rise after big return to work

Construction shares enjoyed a good morning on the stock market after the majority of companies returned to work today after the festive break.
SHARE WATCH: Construction shares rise thanks to positive retailers

Construction shares enjoyed another good morning on the back of a number of positive trading updates from high street retailers easing fears of a drop in consumer spending.
SHARE WATCH: Wait for US data sees UK construction shares fall

Construction shares struggled this morning as traders awaited key jobs data from the United States.
SHAREWATCH: Construction shares drop for first time in 2009

Construction shares saw their first dip of 2009 after Britain’s second largest energy supplier dragged shares down.
Southampton £50m Leisure

Plans approved
Stamford £30m Education

Plans approved
Stoke-On-Trent £3.1m Residential

Early planning
Styles & Wood appoints new non-executive chairman

Fit-out specialist Styles & Wood has appointed Jim Martin as non-executive chairman of the group.
Ten things to cut in the recession, before you cut your marketing – no. 4

Well, the New Year doesn’t seem to have made things any better out there. In fact, not only is the economic outlook just as bleak with Big Al now saying we’re in a ‘prolonged recession’, it’s even got colder.
TfL: Govt needs to ensure future of Tube

Transport for London has called on the Government to ensure the future of the Tube following the collapse of Metronet in 2007.
Thames Gateway job up for grabs

The London Thames Gateway Development Corporation is inviting bids for a £60 million developer partner contract for the Creative Industries Quarter in Barking.
Three firms, one director charged over fatal scaffold collapse

Three firms and one company director are facing charges over a fatal scaffolding collapse in Milton Keynes in April 2006.
Tolent chairman steps down

Tolent chairman Mike Speakman has stepped down as chairman of the building and civil engineering company today.
Tring £3.3m Residential

Early planning
Trowbridge £30m Commercial

Early planning
US firms to manage Barwa schemes

A joint venture of two US-based project management firms has been awarded a contract to manage projects for Doha-based Barwa Real Estate Company throughout the Middle East and Europe.
VIDEO: Timelapse of the building of Bradford Royal Infirmary

Video of a modular build at Bradford Royal Infirmary, completed in under five months, that has been hailed as the fastest building of its scale in the NHS.
Wallsend £20.6m Commercial

Plans approved
White Young Green chief leaves by 'mutual agreement'

Chief executive of Leeds-based building consultant White Young Green Lawrie Haynes has left the firm.
Willmott Dixon wins £8m academy extension work

Willmott Dixon has secured an £8 million contract to extend the Mossbourne Community Academy in the London borough of Hackney.
Worchester £6m Commercial

Early planning
York £55m Education

Plans approved
Young worker dies after suffering burns

A young construction worker has died after an incident at a site in central London last month.

Construction News8 January 2009

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Construction News
8 January 2009