Construction News
Nick Whitten

Nick focuses on reporting business and finance news, and also writes a regular blog for the business section of the site.

Public purse boosts Tyne & Wear

02 September 2010
The North-east is the most reliant region in England on the public purse.
No plans for a UK water grid

26 August 2010
Earlier this year, Nick Herbert, the former shadow environment secretary for the Conservative Party and now policing minister, backed the UK-wide introduction of a grid enabling water companies to trade treated water and avoid capital intensive projects where necessary.
Skyscraper boom on the cards

19 August 2010
The UK went through a tower building boom in the last decade with nine of the country’s skyscrapers built between 2002 and 2008.
Coal plant divides opinion

12 August 2010
The company behind plans for a £2 billion coal-fired power plant in Scotland has received support from the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) despite a rising tide of opposition from groups worried about pollution, wildlife and tourism.
Drax puts biomass plans on hold

12 August 2010
The chief executive of Drax, Dorothy Thompson, says the Government’s latest biomass subsidy rules make it very hard for her to make the case to investors to fund the company’s £2 billion biomass plans.
Emissions directive welcomed

12 August 2010
The chief executive of the Association of Electricity Producers has welcomed a vote by the European Parliament to extend the deadline for power plants to comply with air pollution targets from 2016 to 2019.
Fossil fuels have UK future

12 August 2010
Fossil fuels can play a role in the UK’s future energy production provided an effective carbon capture and storage system can be developed, says the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne
Turning waste into a resource

05 August 2010
The coalition government has set a target of making the UK a zero waste economy.
EDF to showcase nuclear progress

22 July 2010
EDF Energy’s director of planning and external affairs Richard Mason is preparing to present updated plans to minimise the community impact of building new nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset.
Boom time in Scotland’s big two

22 July 2010
Opportunities continue to exist North of the Border particularly in Scotland’s largest two cities – Edinburgh and Glasgow.
New nuclear steps closer

22 July 2010
The coalition Government’s backing of the £40 billion new nuclear build programme in the UK is the news energy firms had been waiting to hear.
Grounds for hope offered by stadia

08 July 2010
In recent years stadium development in the UK has tended to inspire thoughts of the London 2012 Olympics.
Fewest project holds for two years

17-Jun-2010
The number and value of construction projects put on hold has fallen to its lowest level in almost two years, according to new figures.
Trio record low turnovers for 2009 as recession hits mid-tier firms

17-Jun-2010
Three more mid-tier contractors have revealed the stark effects of the recession on their businesses in recent weeks.
Willmott offers cuts advice to clients

17-Jun-2010
Willmott Dixon has produced an action plan to show public sector clients how to cut costs without having to stop schemes altogether.
Irish construction industry moves into fourth year of decline

14-Jun-2010
The construction industry in the Republic of Ireland has moved into its fourth year of decline after 36 months of contraction, with the pace of the fall increasing in May.
Laing O'Rourke wins £100m Hong Kong rail contract

14-Jun-2010
A Laing O’Rourke and Bachy Soletanche joint venture has been awarded a £100 million contract to build a section of approach tunnels for a station complex on the Hong Kong mass transit rail system.
Sellar agrees deal to buy out TfL's lease at the Shard

14-Jun-2010
London Bridge Quarter has acquired Transport for London’s agreement to lease nearly 200,000 sq ft of office accommodation in the Shard at London Bridge.
Carillion wins BAA contracts worth £50m

14-Jun-2010
Carillion has been awarded contracts worth a total of £50 million for airport operator BAA.
Crucible refurbishment firm Banner Holdings in administration

11-Jun-2010
Crucible Theatre refurbishment firm Banner Holdings has gone into administration.
Willmott Dixon on verge of becoming £1bn firm

11-Jun-2010
Willmott Dixon is on the verge of becoming a £1 billion company after the firm’s latest results revealed a 69 per cent growth in turnover.
Barhale posts loss but looks forward to "healthy future"

11-Jun-2010
Barhale Construction has announced a pre-tax loss of £480,000 on reduced turnover, but said it is “looking forward to a healthy future” thanks to its £700 million order book.
Government to review £1.6bn of transport projects

11-Jun-2010
Transport projects worth a total of £1.6 billion are now under threat after transport secretary Philip Hammond announced he was suspending all schemes not already under contract.
Grant Shapps promises housing boost

10-Jun-2010
Housing minister Grant Shapps this week defended the coalition government’s housing policy amid claims of more schemes being put on hold.
London housing projects decline dramatically as recovery stalls

10-Jun-2010
New residential construction in London is expected to fall sharply over the next two years, according to findings of a report into the capital’s housing market.
Highland Quality Construction goes into administration

9-Jun-2010
Inverness-based Highland Quality Construction has gone into administration with the loss of 77 jobs.
Mears says trading is strong with £500m of wins since March

9-Jun-2010
Mears Group has won £500 million of new contracts in social housing since March and now has a bid pipeline of more than £3 billion.
Government to tackle building of new homes in back gardens

9-Jun-2010
Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark is today giving local councils immediate powers to prevent the building of new homes in back gardens, which has been on the rise in recent years.
First glass panels erected on the Shard of Glass

7-Jun-2010
The first of 11,000 glass panels that will form the façade of the 310m Shard of Glass was put in place today.
LDA looking for development partners for East London site

7-Jun-2010
The London Development Agency (LDA) is looking for development partners for a site in the Albert Basin in east London’s Royal Docks.
Safety products firm Latchways reports 8pc drop in turnover

7-Jun-2010
Safety products firm Latchways has reported an 8 per cent drop in turnover which it said was due to the impact of the recession on the UK commercial construction sector.
Ex-Barratt man launches new £100m London developer

4-Jun-2010
Former Barratt chairman for London & Thames Gateway Adam Lawrence has today launched his own London-based residential development firm with £100 million of funding to build new homes.
Rok wins place on £25m South West social housing framework

4-Jun-2010
Rok has won a place on the £25 million Framework South West to carry out a range of new build social housing work in the South West of England.
One of the world's largest windfarms to be built in Wales

4-Jun-2010
RWE said today that construction work will begin next year on one of the largest offshore windfarms in the world off the coast of Wales after planning permission was granted.
Prime Minister David Cameron indicates BSF will avoid cuts

3-Jun-2010
Prime Minister David Cameron has delivered his strongest statement yet in support of keeping the Building Schools for the Future programme.
Severfield Rowen cautious about steel demand in UK

3-Jun-2010
Severfield Rowen today said it is cautious in its outlook for UK demand, but it has a £247 million order book providing secure workload throughout 2010 and into early 2011.
Haiti rebuilding effort worth £1.8bn

3-Jun-2010
UK construction firms are being urged to help with the £1.86 billion re-building of disaster-struck Haiti over the next 18 months.
Scaffolding firms suffer in recession

3-Jun-2010
Latest accounts for scaffolding contractors show the sector suffered a significant drop in turnover during the recession.
UK trails Asian powers on retrofitting

3-Jun-2010
The UK is lagging behind India and China when it comes to retrofitting commercial buildings with energy efficiency measures, according to a report.
UK construction grows at fastest rate since Northern Rock crash

2-Jun-2010
The UK construction industry expanded at the fastest pace in May since September 2007 when Northern Rock first approached the Bank of England for an emergency loan.
Billington reports drop in turnover but rise in profit

28-May-2010
Steel contractor Billington Structures has reported a 6.3 per cent drop in turnover for 2009 while pre-tax profit increased 13 per cent.
Housing starts up 74pc in three months to April

28-May-2010
Housing starts in the three months to April 2010 increased by 74 per cent compared to the same period a year ago, according to figures from the National Housebuilding Council.
Interserve wins £30m Leeds West Academy job

28-May-2010
Interserve has won a £30 million contract to design and build the new Leeds West Academy for Leeds City Council.
May Gurney wins environmental jobs worth £60m

28-May-2010
May Gurney has won two new long-term front-line environmental services contracts with a combined value of up to £60 million.
Osborne takes axe to industry

27-May-2010
Chancellor George Osborne cut several swathes out of the construction industry this week as he outlined how the coalition government would achieve an extra £6.25 billion of savings this financial year. Construction News assesses the damage.
Tender price fears continue to ease

27-May-2010
The pressure to cut bid prices to win new work is starting to ease, according to the latest Construction News tender price consensus.
Telford Homes turnover rises 49.3pc

26-May-2010
Telford Homes today reported a 49.3 per cent rise in turnover as the firm benefited from a recovering London property market.
BSS Group turnover holds but profit drops

25-May-2010
Turnover at BSS Group edged up to £1.35 billion from £1.34 billion for the year to 31 March 2010, but pre-tax profit fell to £44.2 million from £57.8 million.
Renew turnover drops 19pc

25-May-2010
Renew Holdings has revealed a 19 per cent drop in half year turnover, but said its order book had increased by 31 per cent giving “confidence for future trading”.
UKGBC: Warning over new coalition Government agreement

20-May-2010
The UK Green Building Council has warned the full coalition Government agreement, out today, falls short of the progressive vision necessary to cut carbon from our homes and buildings.
Mace and Sir Robert win tower jobs

20-May-2010
Mace and Sir Robert McAlpine picked up a large commercial project each last week as a major report suggested that now was the right time for developers to build.
McGee turnover hit by shelved jobs

20-May-2010
Shelved commercial projects cost McGee Group almost 40 per cent of its forecast turnover last year, according to chairman Ian Reeves.
Retrofit plan due in Queen’s Speech

20-May-2010
A plan to retrofit the UK’s housing stock is expected next week.
Styles & Wood expecting 40pc of turnover to come from offices

19-May-2010
Fit-out specialist Styles & Wood today has said if current trends continue 40 per cent of the firm’s turnover in 2010 will come from the office and banking sectors.
Land Securities in talks to restart £300m Walkie Talkie tower

19-May-2010
Land Securities is in talks with potential joint venture partners about restarting the Walkie Talkie skyscraper after seeing a “sharp turnaround in the UK commercial property investment market”.
Gleeson: Sustained housing upturn hampered by lack of mortgages

19-May-2010
Gleeson has said a sustained upturn in housing sales is still being hampered by a lack of mortgage availability and low consumer confidence.
North Midland reports increase in Q1 profit and turnover

18-May-2010
North Midland Construction has reported a 32.6 per cent increase in pre-tax profit in the first quarter of 2010 compared to last year.
NFB: Increasing VAT to 20pc helps "cash in hand cowboys"

17-May-2010
The National Federation of Builders said today that increasing VAT to 20 per cent will play into the hands of rogue traders.
Travis Perkins turnover up 2.2pc in first four months of 2010

17-May-2010
Builder’s merchants Travis Perkins today said its turnover for the first four months of 2010 is up 2.2 per cent on last year.
Speedy Hire signs £20m supplier deal with Galliford Try

13-May-2010
Speedy Hire today revealed it has signed a new five year preferred supplier deal with Galliford Try worth up to £20 million.
Mace wins £200m 'Baby Shard' contract

12-May-2010
Mace has won the contract to build the office block neighbouring the 310-metre Shard of Glass dubbed The Gem or alternatively the Baby Shard, Construction News understands.
Barratt forward sales rise 32pc

12-May-2010
Forward sales at Barratt have risen 32 per cent, passing the £1 billion mark, the firm revealed today.
Steel contractor Billington Holdings posts 28.7pc rise in profit

11-May-2010
Structural steel contractor Billington Holdings today reported a 28.7 per cent rise in pre-tax profit on turnover down 4.7 per cent.
Powerminster Gleeson to be sold to Morgan Sindall's Lovell

10-May-2010
MJ Gleeson is to sell its social housing maintenance arm Powerminster Gleeson Services to Morgan Sindall’s social housing division Lovell, Construction News understands.
NFB: 37pc rise in small firms taking advice on redundancies

10-May-2010
The number of small and medium sized contractors seeking advice on redundancies and related issues rose by 37 per cent over the first quarter of 2010 compared to the final three months of 2009.
Interserve secures 90pc of 2010 sales but warns of tough year

10-May-2010
Interserve has said that it has 90 per cent of its anticipated 2010 turnover already secured but warned the rest of the year will challenging.
UK equipment hire firm Hewden Stuart sold for £110.2m

6-May-2010
UK construction equipment firm Hewden Stuart has been sold by its Canadian parent company Finning International to turnaround specialist Sun European Partners for £110.2 million.
Costain to implement next stage of its growth strategy

6-May-2010
Costain said today it is implementing the next stage of its Choosing Costain strategy which will see the firm expand its market position across design and engineering, construction, and the operations and maintenance spectrum.
Morrison eyes bigger role in repairs

6-May-2010
Morrison chief executive Guy Wakeley has set a target of growing the business by two-thirds within three years to become the largest responsive social housing repair firm in the UK.
NHBC: New house starts up 85pc in March

4-May-2010
The house building recovery has gained momentum with new starts in March up 85 per cent to 11,018 compared to 5,954 in March 2009.
Carillion Middle East JV wins £110m of Abu Dhabi work

4-May-2010
Carillion’s Middle East joint venture has won two new contracts worth £110 million in Abu Dhabi.
Gleeson puts its social housing maintenance arm up for sale

29-Apr-2010
Housebuilder Gleeson is understood to have put its social housing maintenance arm Powerminster Gleeson Services up for sale.
Recovery ‘will be sharper than thought’

29-Apr-2010
The Construction Products Association has revised up its forecasts for industry performance on the back of increasing signs of recovery in the commercial sector.
Carillion JV wins £570m Middle East uni campus job

27-Apr-2010
A Carillion joint venture has won a design and build contract for New York University Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island Campus by Mubadala, worth approximately £570 million.
Construction firms with financial difficulties rises by 30pc

27-Apr-2010
Construction was among the worst effected industry in the UK in terms of firms reporting significant or critical financial problems in the first quarter of 2010.
Connaught turnover up 17pc on back of outsourcing

27-Apr-2010
Connaught today reported a 17 per cent rise in half year turnover on the back of what it called a “once in a generation opportunity” for outsourcing.
Construction industry has lost £16bn of work in three years

26-Apr-2010
The construction industry will have lost £16 billion of work over the past three years by the end of 2010, according to the latest forecasts from the Construction Products Association.
Construction firms become increasingly optimistic

26-Apr-2010
Construction firms are becoming increasingly optimistic about the short-term economic outlook, according to a survey by construction credit referencing agency Top Service.
Balfour Beatty receives £65m to develop US Army homes

23-Apr-2010
Balfour Beatty announced today that its Fort Carson military housing PPP project in Colorado has received £65 million from the US Department of the Army for the construction of additional homes and amenities.
Lavendon turnover down 13pc in Q1

22-Apr-2010
Equipment hire firm Lavendon Group has said its turnover since 1 January 2010 is down 13 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier.
Kier consortium wins £40m Gloucestershire fire station scheme

22-Apr-2010
A Kier led consortium has been named preferred bidder for Gloucestershire’s £40 million fire station scheme.
Industry counts the cost of ash cloud

22-Apr-2010
The industry was this week counting the cost of the volcanic ash cloud hanging over Europe, with reports that some contractors have been experiencing problems securing components for machines.
Construction failures fall but business strengths fall also

21-Apr-2010
Construction insolvencies fell in March compared to the same month last year, but the financial strength of firms in the sector also dropped according to new data from Experian.
Mears secures £170m Lambeth council partnership deal

21-Apr-2010
Mears has secured a £170 million housing repair and maintenance contract with the London Borough of Lambeth.
Campaign aims to increase compliance with energy regulations

20-Apr-2010
Non-compliance with the Energy Performance in Buildings and F-Gas Regulations is costing both business and the environment, according to a new industry campaign.
May Gurney announces board room changes

20-Apr-2010
May Gurney has appointed current Speedy Hire director and former Mitie director Ishbel Macpherson as a non-executive director with immediate effect.
Groundworks contractor Bauer sees profit and turnover dip

19-Apr-2010
Groundworks contractor Bauer Technologies saw its turnover drop 39 per cent in 2009 with pre-tax profit down 52 per cent.
Construction insolvencies fall by 4pc in Q1 2010

19-Apr-2010
Insolvencies in the construction sector fell by 4 per cent in the first quarter of 2010, according to new figures from PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Ainscough launches heavy lift projects division

16-Apr-2010
Ainscough Crane Hire has launched a division that specialises in supplying cranes for complex heavy lift contracts.
Highland wins building envelope job on £8.3m Scottish school

16-Apr-2010
Scottish galvanizing and colour powder coating firm Highland has secured a contract as part of a school project in South Lanarkshire.
United House gets funding from Lloyds' investment arm LDC

16-Apr-2010
Housing specialist United House has secured financial backing from Lloyds TSB’s venture capitalist arm LDC to continue its expansion strategy.
Lib Dems to scrap prison building and focus on green projects

14-Apr-2010
The Liberal Democrats will scrap the current Government’s prison building programme according to its election manifesto out today.
ISG wins £7.1m job to build a new university law school

14-Apr-2010
ISG has secured a £7.1 million project to build a new law school at the University of Hertfordshire’s de Havilland campus.
Supply chain strategy is biggest priority for materials firms

13-Apr-2010
Supply chain strategy is the biggest priority for 51 per cent of construction material companies as they battle recession, according to research from DHL.
Laing O'Rourke and Jacobs sign £450m Scottish Water deal

13-Apr-2010
A Laing O’Rourke led consortium has signed a £450 million deal with Scottish Water to deliver infrastructure jobs between 2010 and 2015.
Bam Construction wins £55m Leeds Arena job

8-Apr-2010
Bam Construction has won the £55 million contract to build the Leeds Arena.
OFT fine hits North Midland Construction 9.5pc profit rise

8-Apr-2010
North Midland Construction today reported a 9.5 per cent increase in pre-tax profit for 2009 despite turnover falling to £144.2 million from £202.2 million the prior year.
Kier chief wants to treble civils work

8-Apr-2010
New Kier chief executive Paul Sheffield wants to treble the size of the contractor’s civils business over the next five years - boosting its turnover to £600 million.
Whitbread to ramp up construction

8-Apr-2010
Whitbread is stepping up its hotel building programme and plans to add one more contractor to its preferred contractor list.
One third of small building firms expect workload drops in 2010

7-Apr-2010
Nearly one in three small building companies are expecting their workloads to fall this year according to the latest state of trade survey from the Federation of Master Builders.
Five confirmed as £750m framework winners

7-Apr-2010
Kier, Morgan Ashurst, Laing O’Rourke, Bovis Lend Lease and Wates have won places on the £750 million North-west Construction Hub framework as revealed by Construction News two weeks ago.
Keller announces two board changes

7-Apr-2010
Keller today announced two board room changes with the appointment of Ruth Cairnie coming after the retirement of Dr Kevin Bond.
Balfour Beatty wins preconstruction work at Dallas Airport

7-Apr-2010
Balfour Beatty announced today that it has been selected for preconstruction and construction services for Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s £590 million seven-year terminal development programme.
UK construction industry grows for the first time in 25 months

6-Apr-2010
The UK’s construction industry grew for the first time in 25 months according to the latest construction purchasing managers’ index from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.
Connaught starts work on delayed £125m Norwich services job

6-Apr-2010
Connaught has now started work on the £125 million Norwich City Council integrated services contract after a delay following an injunction brought by the incumbent contractor Morrison.
Up to 1,000 construction jobs may be needed to build power plant

6-Apr-2010
Neath Port Talbot councillors in South Wales will decide on whether to approve planning for a new gas fired power plant on Thursday which would create 1,000 construction jobs.
Balfour Beatty confirmed preferred bidder for £47m fire PPP job

6-Apr-2010
Balfour Beatty has confirmed it has been appointed as the preferred bidder for the £47 million North-west Fire and Rescue Services PPP project, as revealed by Construction News last week.
Derelict toffee factory to be refurbished on Tyneside

1-Apr-2010
Funding has been secured for a £6 million scheme will convert the derelict former Maynard’s toffee factory in Newcastle into a new centre for creative businesses.
New carbon reduction commitment rules come into force today

1-Apr-2010
New rules came into effect today pitching the UK’s largest organisations against each other in a drive to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
Balfour Beatty wins £66m North-west fire stations PFI contract

1-Apr-2010
Balfour Beatty is understood to have beaten a Miller-led consortium to a £66 million PFI contract to build 16 fire stations in the North-west.
Fewer projects shelved in February

1-Apr-2010
Half as many construction projects were put on hold in February 2010 as 12 months earlier, new figures reveal.
Rivals circle the wreckage of Jarvis

1-Apr-2010
Many of the UK’s biggest contractors were this week surveying the wreckage of Jarvis, which became the most high profile victim of the recession when it was placed into administration last Thursday.
Training needed for the expected 30,000 nuclear build jobs

31-Mar-2010
Contractors today welcomed a Cogent report which calls for jobs and skills to be created ahead of Britain’s new nuclear build programme.
Morgan Ashurst named contractor for £130m technology centre

31-Mar-2010
Morgan Ashurst has been appointed lead contractor for the £130 million Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, responsible for the initial £15 million building project.
HCA invests £23m into Kent programme to build 25,000 homes

31-Mar-2010
The Homes and Communities Agency has invested £23 million to the Kent Thameside Strategic Transport Programme to help build an estimated 25,000 new homes and up to 50,000 jobs.
BSS Group expecting turnover in line with last year's £1.34bn

31-Mar-2010
Plumbing and heating supplies firm BSS Group today said it is expecting its turnover for the year to 31 March 2010 to be marginally above last year’s £1.34 billion.
UK economy grows by more than previously thought in Q4 2009

30-Mar-2010
The UK’s economy recovered in Q4 2009 by slightly more than previously thought according to official figures out today.
Amec buys environmental consultant Entec Holdings for £61.2m

30-Mar-2010
Amec has acquired UK-based environmental and engineering consultancy Entec Holdings from its owner-managers and investors, Growth Capital Partners, for an initial cash consideration of £61.2 million.
Mitie trading well but finding some opportunities difficult to spot

30-Mar-2010
Mitie Group said today that it is difficult to estimate the timing of some public sector outsourcing opportunities that are coming through.
Sita UK claim against GMWDA thrown out of court

29-Mar-2010
The High Court has thrown out Sita UK’s claim for “unlimited” sums from Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority after it missed out on securing work on Europe’s largest waste contract.
ABS London set to go into liquidation after ceasing trading

29-Mar-2010
Building services contractor ABS London has ceased trading and will be put into liquidation by its directors.
Capita signs two year deal extension to run Constructionline

29-Mar-2010
The Department of Business Innovation and Skills has awarded a two-year extension to Capita Business Services to run the UK’s largest register of pre-qualified contractors and consultants, Constructionline.
Speedy Hires signs five year £20m deal with Connaught

29-Mar-2010
Plant hire firm Speedy Hire has signed a new five year strategic supply agreement with facilities management firm Connaught.
Wates sees drop in turnover and profit

26-Mar-2010
Wates saw its turnover for 2009 drop back below the £1 billion mark while its pre-tax profit fell 17 per cent.
Administrator Deloitte looking for buyers for Jarvis

26-Mar-2010
Deloitte has been appointed as the administrator for Jarvis and is now looking for buyers for the rail contractor.
Review launched into 'significant' cost of UK civils projects

25-Mar-2010
Infrastructure UK has commissioned an official investigation into the cost of civils projects in the UK which it says costs “significantly more” than on the continent.
Baqus Group: Quantity surveying is "ripe for consolidation"

25-Mar-2010
Consultant Baqus Group has said that the quantity surveying market is “ripe for consolidation”, as the firm reported a half year loss for the six months to 31 December 2009.
Laing O'Rourke finance director Iain Ferguson to leave

25-Mar-2010
Laing O’Rourke finance director Iain Ferguson has decided to leave the contractor with commercial director Anna Stewart gaining an expanded role to cover Mr Ferguson’s duties.
Lorne Stewart aims to double in size

25-Mar-2010
Building services contractor Lorne Stewart is aiming to double in size within the next five years - and is ready to make acquisitions to do so.
Partnering projects boost Bullock

25-Mar-2010
Social housing provider Bullock Construction has revealed a 6 per cent increase in its latest turnover after focusing on working on long-term partnering projects.
BUDGET 2010: RBS and Lloyds will be made to lend £94bn

24-Mar-2010
A number of measures were announced to help small businesses in the Budget, including pushing RBS and Lloyds to lend to small businesses.
BUDGET 2010: 'Package of support' for housebuilding announced

24-Mar-2010
Chancellor Alistair Darling today announced a “package of support” for housebuilding industry including raising the exemption on stamp duty for homes up to £250,000.
VolkerWessels turnover falls by a third in the UK

23-Mar-2010
VolkerWessels saw its UK turnover fall by around a third in 2009 according to its latest results, but the group’s directors are “pleased with the progress in the UK”.
Development Securities reveals loss but says worst has past

22-Mar-2010
Property firm Development Securities today revealed a pre-tax loss of £11.4 million for the year to 31 December 2009 following a loss of £65.6 million in 2008.
Five to share £750m North-west framework

22-Mar-2010
Five firms have won places on a framework, which will earn them a share of up to £750 million worth of public sector construction work in the North West over the next four years, cnplus.co.uk can reveal.
D&S engineering sold to T Clarke for £11.6m

19-Mar-2010
T Clarke has bought Lancashire-based privately owned facilities management business D&S Engineering Facilities for £11.6 million.
T Clarke profit halves after restructuring and bad debts

19-Mar-2010
Pre-tax profits at M&E contractor T Clarke dropped 49 per cent in 2009 against a turnover which fell 19 per cent, the firm revealed.
Penfold Review: "non-planning" streamlining is needed

18-Mar-2010
The landscape of “non-planning” consents - those needed alongside or after planning permission - is overly complex, fragmented and difficult for users to navigate according to a new report published today by the Penfold Review.
Eversheds: contractors should complete work before getting paid

18-Mar-2010
Law firm Eversheds said today that well financed contractors could help get the property market moving by waiting for payment until a project is completely built.
ACE calls for new infrastructure funding methods in Budget

18-Mar-2010
The Association for Consultancy and Engineering is asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, to consider various funding methods for infrastructure in his Budget next week.
Wales to use £34m of EU money to retrofit homes

18-Mar-2010
The Welsh Assembly Government plans to use up to £34 million of European funding to improve energy efficiency in existing homes Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones has announced.
Berkeley sales down 40pc below historical average

18-Mar-2010
Berkeley Group today said its housing sales are 40 per cent below its historical average, but it has adjusted its business to match this supply level.
Stimulus reaches end as public sector work falls

18-Mar-2010
Public sector starts on site have plummeted this year, signalling the end of the government’s stimulus package and the start of a pre-election hiatus.
Builders test parties’ foundations

18-Mar-2010
Housebuilders are understandably anxious. Firms today face demanding sustainability targets, and potentially a huge overhaul in planning if the Tories are elected.
British Land's new Meadowhall to create 1,000 construction jobs

17-Mar-2010
British Land today announced plans for Meadowhall Metropolitan, a 60 acre office development adjacent to Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield which will create 1,000 construction jobs.
AGS Scaffolding secures job at site of major London fire

17-Mar-2010
Scaffolding and Hoarding specialists AGS Scaffolding have responded immediately to a request for support at the site of a major fire that covered the City of London in a cloud of smoke.
Consultancy to be appointed for Morrell's low carbon strategy

17-Mar-2010
A consultant or program manager should be commissioned to prepare an execution plan the construction work to follow guidelines set out in Paul Morrell’s low carbon plan.
Morrell reveals low carbon plan

17-Mar-2010
London is to become a designated low carbon area as part of the emerging findings from the Low Carbon Construction Innovation and Growth Team.
Miller Group turnover down 25pc after refusal to 'chase work'

17-Mar-2010
The Miller Group today revealed a 25 per cent drop in 2009 turnover due to not chasing work at reduced margins.
Balfour Beatty's Parsons Brinckerhoff wins three US rail jobs

16-Mar-2010
Balfour Beatty today announced that Parsons Brinckerhoff has won three US contracts to manage high speed rail projects in Illinois, Ohio and Florida.
CIBSE backs air con inspection log

15-Mar-2010
The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers is backing a Government consultation to make it mandatory to log all air conditioning inspections.
Contracts may need to be renegotiated due to billet price rise

12-Mar-2010
The price of billet, used in many types of steel for construction and new infrastructure developments is increasing rapidly, according to a number of recent reports from Steel Business Briefing.
Former Laing O'Rourke COO Tony Douglas joins Keltbray

12-Mar-2010
Former Laing O’Rourke chief operating officer Tony Douglas has been appointed to the board of demolition contractor Keltbray.
Construction firms putting themselves out of business up 45pc

12-Mar-2010
The number of construction companies voluntarily going out of business last year increased by 45 per cent, according to research by construction risk management firm CR Management.
Bovis boosts staff and supplier numbers as it plans for growth

11-Mar-2010
Bovis Homes is planning to grow both its workforce and supply chain considerably as it looks to “significantly ramp up production”, particularly in the Midlands and the south of England.
Kier and Rok eye £28m retrofit market

11-Mar-2010
Regional giants Kier Group and Rok are taking aim at the emerging £28 billion sector to retrofit the UK’s housing stock.
Interserve wins more than £200m of work in UK and Middle East

10-Mar-2010
Interserve today announced it has won more than £200 million of contracts in recent weeks in the UK and the Middle East.
Interserve turnover up 5.9pc after £2bn of contract wins

10-Mar-2010
Turnover at Interserve was up 5.9 per cent to £1.9 billion for the year ended 31 December 2009 after winning more than £2 billion of contracts in 2009.
Healey unveils three new measures in green planning package

9-Mar-2010
Housing and planning minister John Healey today updated planning rules, granted nearly £10 million to improve green skills and backed the second wave of eco-towns.
RICS: Surveyors report rise in house buyer enquiries

9-Mar-2010
Seven per cent more chartered surveyors reported a rise than fall in new buyer enquiries for housing in February compared with the previous month, according to RICS.
Rok profit jumps 188pc

9-Mar-2010
Rok today reported a 188 per cent increase in pre-tax profit despite a 29 per cent reduction in turnover.
Environment Agency identifies 26,000 locations for hydro power

8-Mar-2010
Almost 26,000 locations have been identified where small-scale hydroelectric turbines could be installed to power 850,000 UK homes.
Bovis Homes makes profit and writes up land value

8-Mar-2010
Bovis Homes today reported a 2009 pre-tax profit of £4.8 million compared to a loss of £78.7 million loss in 2008 after writing up the value of its land bank.
Marshalls completes restructuring after profit falls 46pc

5-Mar-2010
Landscape products group Marshalls saw pre-tax profit fall by 46 per cent in 2009 while turnover dropped by 18 per cent.
Construction firms account for 14pc of 2009 insolvencies

5-Mar-2010
Businesses in the construction sector accounted for 14 per cent of all corporate insolvencies in 2009, with only firms in the business services sector more severely affected, according to RSM Tenon Recovery.
Construction output falls by 1pc in Q4

5-Mar-2010
Construction output fell by 1 per cent in the last three months of 2009 after having risen in the previous quarter by 2.5 per cent.
Cala Group ditches commercial arm after £33.9m loss

5-Mar-2010
Cala Group is ditching its commercial property arm after crashing to a loss for a second year running.
Fairfield Mabey cuts staff despite 83pc rise in profit

5-Mar-2010
Welsh steel contractor Fairfield Mabey boosted its pre-tax profit by 83 per cent in the year to 30 September 2009 but the firm said it had to cut staff to “reflect lower demand in the market”.
Select committee: Government urged to stop changing ministers

4-Mar-2010
A Transport Select Committee has said the Government should “give careful consideration with the frequency with which they change ministers”.
Interest rates held at 0.5pc

4-Mar-2010
The Bank of England today left both aspects of its monetary policy on hold with interest rates remaining at 0.5 per cent and quantitative easing at £200 billion.
Aggreko turnover rises 8pc

4-Mar-2010
Temporary power supplier Aggreko today reported its turnover in 2009 passed through the £1 billion barrier.
British Land announces board room shake up

4-Mar-2010
British Land today announcd a change to the responsibilities within its senior management team.
Balfour Beatty wins first non-military US housing job

4-Mar-2010
Balfour Beatty today announced its first ever non-military PPP housing project in the USA after winning an £82 million job with Florida Atlantic University.
Balfour Beatty sells Scottish PPP stakes to Australian firm

4-Mar-2010
Balfour Beatty has agreed the sale of 23.9 per cent of its interest in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary PPP concession and of its entire 50 per cent interest in the Aberdeen Waste Water PPP concession.
Balfour Beatty turnover passes £10bn

4-Mar-2010
Turnover at Balfour Beatty passed the £10 billion mark for the first time after the contractor’s latest results showed a 9 per cent rise in sales.
Mineral products sales fall

4-Mar-2010
Recent survey data has underlined the depth of the declines in the construction sector, with figures from the Mineral Products Association showing heavy drops in sales volumes.
Tory housing plans labelled ‘high risk’

4-Mar-2010
Housebuilders this week branded Conservative promises to make development too attractive for councils to reject as “radical” and “high-risk”.
Solar panel payback to be slashed from 50 to 15 years

3-Mar-2010
The payback time for installing solar PhotoVoltaic panels will be slashed from around 50 years to just 15 when new government feed-in tariffs come into effect on 1 April, according to new research.
Green light for loans to fund £6bn retrofit work

3-Mar-2010
The Government has moved to unlock finance for the retrofitting of UK housing stock, potentially generating more than £6 billion of work for the industry over the next 10 years.
Lavendon Group crashes to £47.8m loss after asset writedowns

3-Mar-2010
Equipment rental firm Lavendon Group today reported a loss of £47.8 million for 2009 after exceptional costs of more than £50 million.
Carillion profits up 27pc

3-Mar-2010
Carillion has reported recession defying results with its 2009 turnover up 4 per cent against a pre-tax profit rise of 27 per cent.
UK construction decline enters its third year

2-Mar-2010
The UK’s construction activity decline passed passed the two year mark during February, but the rate of contraction held steady from the previous month according to the latest CIPS survey.
Persimmon makes £77.8m profit after landbank write up

2-Mar-2010
Housebuilder Persimmon today reported a £77.8 million pre-tax profit for 2009 compared to a prior year loss of £780 million after writing up the value of its landbank.
Harry Neal in liquidation with debts of £12m

1-Mar-2010
Harry Neal has gone into liquidation causing the loss of 130 jobs after four firms looking to buy the London-based construction firm failed to make an offer.
Kingspan sales drop by a third with profit down £10m

1-Mar-2010
Irish building materials firm Kingspan Group saw a 33 per cent drop in 2009 turnover to £1 billion from £1.5 billion, the firm revealed today.
WSP profit halves in 2009 due to UK, US and Dubai difficulties

1-Mar-2010
Consultant WSP Group today revealed pre-tax profit in 2009 was half that of the prior year due to problems in the UK, USA and Dubai.
CIOB closing in on a definition of construction management

26-Feb-2010
Chartered Institute of Building president Professor Li Shirong said this week that good progress is being made in producing a comprehensive definition of construction management.
BAA to keep Stansted, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports

26-Feb-2010
BAA has won its appeal against the Competition Commission after a tribunal ruled yesterday that it can keep Stansted, Edinbugh and Glasgow airports.
Hydrock wins job to decommission former Cemex works

26-Feb-2010
Hydrock’s Remediation Contracting arm has won a contract with Cemex to decommission, demolish and remediate their former works at Rochester.
Serco profit rises 30pc with turnover up to £4bn

26-Feb-2010
Support services firm Serco has reported a 30 per cent rise in pre-tax profit for 2009 after turnover increased to £4 billion.
WYG emerges from restructuring with pre-tax profit of £1.6m

25-Feb-2010
Consultant WYG today reported a half year pre-tax profit of £1.6 million, just seven weeks after shareholders voted through a refinancing agreement to secure the firm’s future.
Redrow reports £8.7m loss despite 25pc rise in turnover

25-Feb-2010
Redrow today reported a half year loss despite a 25 per cent rise in turnover after selling 224 more homes in the six months to 31 December 2009 than the same period last year.
Bigger projects boost Morgan Sindall

25-Feb-2010
Morgan Sindall currently has nearly £1 billion of major project work at preferred bidder stage after changing its strategy to focus on winning bigger jobs.
Hammerson’s focus turns to France

25-Feb-2010
Hammerson will not begin construction on any major new UK projects this year and has instead turned its focus to France where tenant demand is stronger.
Recession-hit PC Harrington suffers 18pc drop in turnover

25-Feb-2010
PC Harrington is the latest mid tier contractor to show the effects of the recession in its results after new figures revealed its turnover fell 18 per cent last year.
Barratt chief Mark Clare can't decide between Tories and Labour

24-Feb-2010
Barratt chief executive Mark Clare said today that it is still too early to know whether Labour or the Conservatives would be better for housebuilders.
Gleeson reports small profit after big loss last year

24-Feb-2010
Housebuilder Gleeson has reported a £300,000 half year pre-tax profit, significantly up on a loss of £23.7 million the prior year.
Kier profit up 21pc in chief executive John Dodd's last results

24-Feb-2010
Kier today reported a 21 per cent rise in underlying half year pre-tax profit, despite turnover falling 9 per cent, in the last set of results before chief executive John Dodds’ retirement.
Barratt turnover drops after building 27pc less homes

24-Feb-2010
Turnover at housebuilder Barratt fell 33 per cent in the six months to 31 December 2009 after a 27 per cent drop in the number of homes built in that period compared to a year earlier.
Gatwick sale pulls Ferrovial turnover down 8pc

23-Feb-2010
Turnover at Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial fell 8 per cent in the year ended 31 December 2009 partly due to its forced sale of Gatwick Airport by its airports division BAA, the firm announced today.
VAT cut on repair and maintenance work could create 50,000 jobs

23-Feb-2010
More than 50,000 jobs will be created if the Government cut VAT on the labour element of residential repair and maintenance jobs according to a new report.
Fit-out and housing drop pulls Morgan Sindall profit down 28pc

23-Feb-2010
Profits at Morgan Sindall dropped 28 per cent drop in the year ended 31 December 2009, largely due to a decline in its fit-out and affordable housing activities.
Commercial sector woes hit Waterman Group's turnover

22-Feb-2010
Consultant Waterman Group reported a dip in half year turnover after being hit by the problems faced by the private property sector.
BAA to spend £1bn on upgrading UK airports despite big loss

22-Feb-2010
Airport operator BAA said it will be spending £1 billion on upgrading airports this year despite reporting an £821.9 million loss for 2009.
Hammerson reports £451.3m pre-tax loss

22-Feb-2010
Hammerson reported a pre-tax loss of £451.3 million for 2009, largely as a result of a 9 per cent drop in the value of its property portfolio.
Lafarge profit falls 30pc in 2009

19-Feb-2010
Building materials giant Lafarge saw operating profit fall 30 per cent in 2009 but expects 2010 to be ‘more encourging’ the firm said today.
UPP appoints construction director to oversee £1bn of projects

19-Feb-2010
Student accommodation construction firm UPP has appointed Paul Goddard as its new group construction director to oversee £1 billion of projects.
Frank Galliers went into liquidation with £10m debts

18-Feb-2010
Frank Galliers went into liquidation with debts of nearly £10 million, according to reports.
NG Bailey wins King's Cross Station services contract

18-Feb-2010
NG Bailey has won a contract from Vinci Construction UK to deliver the M&E and Information Communication Technology Services, for Network Rail’s redevelopment of King’s Cross Station.
Redrow in talks over land swap deals

18-Feb-2010
Housebuilder Redrow is in talks with three other “like-minded firms” about swapping planning ready land to secure more outlets to build on immediately.
Lancsville owed £15m to 1,000 firms

17-Feb-2010
More than 1,000 unsecured trade creditors are set to lose almost £15 million from Lancsville Construction’s demise, it emerged this week.
London Development Agency scraps 5.3m sq ft Silvertown Quays

17-Feb-2010
The London Development Agency has terminated an agreement to develop 5.3 million sq ft of London’s docklands including 4,900 homes, offices, shops, leisure facilities and an aquarium.
Stewart Milne slumps to first ever loss

17-Feb-2010
Stewart Milne has recorded the first ever loss in the group’s history after being hit by £25 million of exceptional charges.
Atkins performing strongly despite turbulent market

17-Feb-2010
Atkins said it has continued to perform strongly following the good performance in the first half, and the year to date results have been in line with our expectations.
Sisk tops out fire devastated pier in Weston-super-Mare

16-Feb-2010
John Sisk has celebrated topping out the Grand Pier at Weston-super-Mare which was devastated by fire last year.
Snow causes January construction activity to drop 8pc

16-Feb-2010
The January cold snap caused construction activity to drop 8 per cent according to the latest Glenigan Index.
Costain wins five year Highways Agency job worth £115m

16-Feb-2010
Costain today confirmed it has won a Highways Agency five year contract worth £115 million.
Morrison Facilities Services scoops £53m of work so far in 2010

15-Feb-2010
Repair and maintenance firm Morrison Facilities Services has won seven new contract worth over £53 million since the beginning of the year.
Speedy Hire trading well and signs two year deal with Costain

15-Feb-2010
Speedy Hire said it has seen an encouraging upturn in trading since Christmas and has signed a two-year preferred trading agreement with Costain.
Highgrove Homes' companies cease trading with 83 jobs lost

12-Feb-2010
Darren Healey Building Contractors and its residential arm Highgrove Homes (South West) have ceased trading with the loss of 83 jobs.
Rowecord turnover down while Stephenson and CJ O'Shea up

12-Feb-2010
Steel contractor Rowecord saw its turnover fall 17.3 per cent last year while pre-tax profit plummeted 73 per cent.
Steve Morgan: Redrow could provide 2,500 more jobs

12-Feb-2010
Redrow founder and chairman Steve Morgan said he could provide work for 2,500 more housebuilders if the planning system could be streamlined.
RICS: Impending general election is stalling new projects

12-Feb-2010
Construction workloads fell in all sectors towards the end of 2009 amid signs the impending general election is stalling new projects, according to the latest RICS survey of the industry.
BSS trading in line with expectations

11-Feb-2010
Turnover at BSS Group in the 19 weeks to 10 Februray 2010 is in line with expectations at £473.4 million, 0.9 per cent above last year on an equivalent working day basis.
Vp says January adverse weather has added to slowdown

11-Feb-2010
Equipment rental firm Vp said the adverse weather in early January had exacerbated the usual seasonal slowdown for most of its business.
New orders up in December but down 13pc for 2009

11-Feb-2010
New construction orders in December rose by 21 per cent compared to November, but orders for the year dropped 13 per cent on 2008.
Galliford Try buys Bank of Scotland JVs for £4

11-Feb-2010
Galliford Try has acquired Bank of Scotland’s 50 per cent holding of the firm’s residential development joint ventures in the Greater London area for a nominal fee of £4.
2011 recovery for tender prices

11-Feb-2010
Bid prices could be set to rise as soon as next year, according to the latest Construction News tender price consensus.
Skanska’s UK arm returns to profit

11-Feb-2010
Skanska returned to profit in the UK last year on the back of a strong performance with public private partnership projects.
Two remain for Pinnacle concrete job

11-Feb-2010
Just two firms are left in the running for the concrete core package on the 63-storey 288 m Pinnacle skyscraper project in London.
McLaren Construction enjoys 88pc pre-tax profit rise

9-Feb-2010
McLaren Construction has seen an 88 per cent increase in pre-tax profit with the acquisitive Essex contractor continuing to expand into new markets.
Property boost after British Land sees 8.2pc rise in its portfolio

9-Feb-2010
British Land said its entire property portfolio rose 8.2 per cent in value to £7.9 billion in the three months to 31 December.
May Gurney wins £65m Wessex Water framework jobs

9-Feb-2010
May Gurney has won two new long-term framework contracts with Wessex Water, with a combined value of up to £65 million.
Construction declining while wider economy recovers

8-Feb-2010
The UK construction industry continued to decline during the final quarter of 2009 despite the wider economy returning to growth, according to the latest Construction Products Association trade survey.
North's tallest skyscraper nearing go ahead

8-Feb-2010
Designers behind the £130m King Eddy tower in Liverpool said today they are close to gaining planning permission after a redesign.
ISG wins £14m London student accommodation job

8-Feb-2010
ISG has won its second student accommodation job from the Blackstone Group after winning a £14 million contract to build a student residence in Notting Hill in London.
BSS Group acquires UGS for £5.1m

8-Feb-2010
Specialist trades distributor BSS Group has acquired UGS Limited for £5.1 million.
Four parties circling £40m London contractor Harry Neal

4-Feb-2010
Four firms are looking to buy London-based construction firm Harry Neal which is on the verge of going into administration.
Twelve arrested in £2m construction fraud investigation

4-Feb-2010
Twelve people were arrested in dawn raids across the UK today on suspicion of stealing over £2 million in a major VAT repayment fraud linked to the construction industry.
IMAGES: CA Roofing Services begins work on £93m Brighton stadium

4-Feb-2010
CA Roofing Services has begun work on the new 22,500 seater Community Stadium for Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club working alongside the Buckingham Group.
Demolition sector’s suffering exposed

4-Feb-2010
The extent of suffering in the demolition sector has been laid bare in accounts showing significant falls in turnover and headcount.
John Graham chief hails Scottish boost

4-Feb-2010
John Graham executive chairman Michael Graham has singled out the contribution of the firm’s Scottish division towards a positive set of 2009 results.
Payment clause for public contracts

4-Feb-2010
Business minister Ian Lucas has pledged to make prompt payment a contractual obligation for construction firms on Government projects.
BDO: Commercial will not recover in 2010

3-Feb-2010
The commercial property market is not likely to recover in 2010 accountacy firm BDO has warned.
Leadbitter makes five strategic initiatives team appointments

3-Feb-2010
Leadbitter has expanded its strategic initiatives team after a successful first year for the group-wide business development and management unit.
Robertson and 3i Infrastructure form £40m Elgin Infrastructure

3-Feb-2010
Robertson has completed a £40 million deal with 3i Infrastructure that sees the creation of a new firm called Elgin Infrastructure Limited.
WYG is "well placed" to become AIM-listed

3-Feb-2010
WYG has said it is now “well placed to withstand the challenging market conditions” on the eve of entering the Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market.
May Gurney appoints Matt Stevens as finance director

3-Feb-2010
May Gurney has appointed Matt Stevens as its new group finance director.
Carillion announces board room changes

3-Feb-2010
Carillion today announced several changes to its board’s responsibilities which have taken place with immediate effect.
CIPS: construction has now been in decline for two years

2-Feb-2010
The construction industry has now been in decline for two years according to the latest CIPS/Markit construction purchasing managers’ index.
Piling firm Van Elle sees 79.5pc drop in profit

2-Feb-2010
Piling contractor Van Elle has reported a 79.5 drop in pre-tax profit on turnover down 22.5 per cent.
Morgan Sindall kicks off £125m River Clyde Homes framework

2-Feb-2010
Morgan Sindall’s social housing arm Lovell has started work on a £22 million development for Scottish housing association River Clyde Homes.
ISG wins £163m retail work for 2010

2-Feb-2010
Interior Service Group has won 208 retail projects for 2010 worth a total value of £163 million.
Atkins appoints Allan Cook as chairman

1-Feb-2010
Consultant Atkins has appointed Allan Cook as its new chairman.
Construction firms ready to maximise on an upturn

1-Feb-2010
More than half of small and medium sized construction firms are better placed to make the most of an upturn than a year ago, new data from insurance group QBE has revealed.
Mouchel renegotiates bank terms to defend VT Group takeover

1-Feb-2010
Mouchel has renegotiated terms with its banks to provide potential “defence costs” to fight a takeover attempt by VT Group.
Babcock Rail slashes 300 jobs

29-Jan-2010
Babcock Rail has announced it is cutting 300 jobs in Scotland and the North of England.
Redworth Construction and Frank Galliers fall victim to recession

29-Jan-2010
Two £30 million turnover contractors are understood to have fallen victim to the recession this week leading to more than 150 job losses.
Tender prices fall for seventh consecutive quarter in Q3 2009

29-Jan-2010
Tender prices fell for the seventh consecutive quarter in Q3 2009 but costs stabilised, slightly easing the pressure for construction firms, according to the latest UK Tender Price Index from the BCIS.
T Clarke trading "slightly ahead of market expectations"

29-Jan-2010
T Clarke has said its markets have remained competitive during 2009, but its trading is still “slightly ahead of market expectations”.
Mitie is yet to see recovery in new build and fit out

29-Jan-2010
Mitie said its new build and fit-out elements “have seen no further deterioration in market conditions but are yet to see sustained evidence of recovery”.
Hitachi nears completion on 213m elevator research tower

28-Jan-2010
Hitachi has announced it will complete the 213m elevator research G1Tower in late April of this year.
Morrell: Contractors must take responsibility

28-Jan-2010
Chief construction adviser places main contractors at the heart of carbon reduction efforts
Shepherd acts in wake of bad debts

28-Jan-2010
Shepherd chairman Alan Fletcher said the contractor’s senior management team had been strengthened to improve its risk awareness after bad debts of £13.3 million led the firm to a loss last year.
Bovis Homes agrees new £150m four year banking deal

27-Jan-2010
Bovis Homes announced today it has signed a new four year banking deal giving the housebuilder a £150 million revolving credit facility expiring in September 2013.
Housebuilder McInerney still in breach of its covenants

27-Jan-2010
Irish housebuilder McInerney Holdings said today it is still in breach of its banking covenants after continuing to experience challenging conditions in the UK and Irish housing markets.
Renew Holdings is debt free with £13m of cash in the bank

27-Jan-2010
Renew Holdings said today it is debt free with a net cash balance of more than £13 million.
Construction redundancies totalled 375,000 during the recession

27-Jan-2010
Construction employment has dropped by 375,000 during the recession and less than 100,000 of those jobs are expected to be recouped by 2014, according to a new survey.
UK out of recession with 0.1pc growth but construction is flat

26-Jan-2010
The construction industry remained flat as the UK economy officially came out of recession today with a 0.1 per cent growth in GDP.
Countryside Properties' Alan Cherry dies aged 76

25-Jan-2010
Countryside Properties founder and chairman Alan Cherry has died at the age of 76 after a six month battle with cancer.
Henry Boot expects 41pc drop in turnover to £115m

25-Jan-2010
Turnover at Henry Boot for the year ended 31 December 2009 is expected to drop 41 per cent to £115 million compared to 2008, the firm revealed today.
Dr Phil Nolan appointed chairman of John Laing

25-Jan-2010
Developer John Laing has appointed Dr Phil Nolan as an independent non-executive chairman.
Morrell: Carbon reduction could see 60s and 70s buildings demolished

25-Jan-2010
Buildings from the sixties and seventies may need to be torn down to help meet carbon emission standards according to chief construction adviser Paul Morrell.
Mark Reynolds named Mace deputy CEO in drive towards £1bn turnover

22-Jan-2010
Mace has appointed Mark Reynolds as its new deputy chief executive with a key role of making the firm achieve a £1 billion turnover within three years.
Skanska: no decisions on jobs

22-Jan-2010
Skanska said today that “no decisions had been made in regard to redundancies” after a memo was sent to staff in the building division warning of concerns over job losses.
New housing starts up 64pc in three months to December 2009

22-Jan-2010
New housing starts in the three month rolling quarter to from October to December 2009 increased 64 per cent on the same period a year earlier.
Drivers Jonas merges with Deloitte

22-Jan-2010
Real estate advisors Drivers Jonas is to merge with business advisory firm Deloitte.
Construction insolvencies up 33pc in 2009

22-Jan-2010
The number of construction firm that collapsed in 2009 increased by one third in 2009 compared with 2008 according to the latest figures from PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Trinity Walk troubles lead Shepherd to a £1.5m pre-tax loss

22-Jan-2010
Shepherd Group has revealed a pre-tax loss of £1.5 million for the year ended 30 June 2009 due to £26 million of exceptional costs.
Atkins' 32-storey Iris Bay tower in Dubai tops out

21-Jan-2010
Atkins 32-storey Iris Bay office and retail tower in Dubai’s Business Bay has topped out.
Turner & Townsend proft flat on reduced turnover

21-Jan-2010
Pre-tax profits at Turner & Townsend for the six months ended 31 October 2009 at the same as the prior year despite a £10 million fall in turnover.
Morgan Est / Vinci JV achieve financial close on £417m Lee Tunnel

21-Jan-2010
A Morgan Est and Vinci Construction Grands Projets joint venture has achieved financial close on the £417 million Lee Tunnel.
Housebuilders to hire up to 10,000

21-Jan-2010
As many as 10,000 workers could be re-recruited by housebuilders this year with several big firms revealing plans to increase their direct labour forces as they ramp up production.
Recession hits firms in Midlands and Northern Ireland hardest

21-Jan-2010
Small to medium-sized construction firms in the Midlands and Northern Ireland are feeling the effects of the recession more than other parts of the UK, according to new figures.
Recession squeezes turnover for medium-sized contractors

21-Jan-2010
The first wave of private independent contractors’ accounts for 2009 have revealed £175 million in lost turnover for four firms alone.
Construction job losses increase 19pc on prior year

20-Jan-2010
Construction job cuts were almost 20 per cent higher in the three months to September 2009 than in the same period a year earlier.
Land Securities well placed to "exploit medium term opportunites"

19-Jan-2010
Land Securities it is now focusing on securing lettings and is well placed to start three new projects in the West End of London in 2010.
Mears takeover offer for Supporta becomes unconditional

18-Jan-2010
Mears Group announced today that its offer for Supporta has become unconditional after the acceptance condition by Mears was lowered from 90 per cent to 50 per cent.
Taylor Wimpey order book up 28pc

18-Jan-2010
Order books at Taylor Wimpey are up 28 per cent with debt down by more than 50 per cent since the end of 2008, the house builder announced today.
Construction administrations total 21pc of all UK failures

15-Jan-2010
The number of construction firms falling into administration in 2009 fell by 5 per cent compared with 2008, but still accounted for a fifth of all failures in the UK, according to accountancy firm Deloitte.
Bellway secures 86pc of 2009/10 sales target

15-Jan-2010
Bellway has now secured 86 per cent of its 2009/10 sales target with average sales prices slightly ahead of expectations.
Bovis Homes forward sales 34pc up on last year

15-Jan-2010
Bovis Homes said today that it has forward sales for 643 homes in 2010 - 34 per cent greater than the same point in 2009.
Balfour Beatty in a 'strong' position with £13.7bn order book

15-Jan-2010
Balfour Beatty has said that trading and its financial position remain strong with a forward order book of around £13.7 billion.
Styles & Wood cautious despite trading in line with expectations

14-Jan-2010
Styles & Wood today said its turnover and pre-tax profit for 2009 are likely to be in line with expectations, but it remains cautious about 2010.
Orders in three months to November up by 4pc on year before

14-Jan-2010
Construction orders in the three months to November increased by 4 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier and by 1 per cent compared with the previous three month period.
Durkan wins £3m London housing development contract

14-Jan-2010
Durkan has won a £3 million contract from Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association to provide a 27 unit development in Hoxton, East London.
Jarvis Rail wins infrastructure work worth up to £91m

14-Jan-2010
Jarvis announced today that its subsidiary Jarvis Rail has been awarded a Network Rail contract worth a potential £91 million.
Barratt cautious over future of the housebuilding market

14-Jan-2010
Barratt said today that it remains cautious about the housebuilding market despite the “measure of recovery over the past six months”.
Multibuild to be wound up after CVA

14-Jan-2010
Construction and fit-out firm Multibuild will be wound up once its recently agreed company voluntary arrangement comes to an end, it has emerged.
Persimmon eyes 10,000 homes in 2010

14-Jan-2010
Persimmon is looking to acquire land that has already secured planning consent as it aims to build 10,000 new homes in 2010.
SIG expecting challenging year ahead

13-Jan-2010
SIG has said the outlook for next 12 months remains challenging with the prospects for recovery in construction “unclear in respect of both timing and degree”.
Miller Group to start work on 10 new housing developments

13-Jan-2010
Miller Group has said that it will step up its housebuilding programme by starting work on 10 new housing developments having built seven in all of 2009.
Interserve trades in line with expectations

12-Jan-2010
Interserve is trading in line with expectations backed by “excellent cash generation”, the firm announced today.
Galliford Try 'cautiously optimistic' for 2010

12-Jan-2010
Galliford Try has said it is making good progress on its strategic plans for the expansion of its housebuilding division and is cautiously optimistic about the year ahead.
Construction output to drop 3pc this year after 12pc fall in 2009

11-Jan-2010
The Construction Products Association is forecasting a 3 per cent decline in construction output in 2010 following a 12 per cent fall last year – the largest fall since records began in 1955.
Wolseley sells Irish arm to private investor for £23.8m

11-Jan-2010
Wolseley has sold its Irish arm Wolseley Ireland Holdings to private investor backed company WIBHM for £23.8 million.
Rok margins steady after new build scale back

11-Jan-2010
Rok today announced that its decision to scale back its new build activities in 2009 has allowed it to hold up its margins through being more selective about projects it takes on.
Heron Tower achieves 'excellent' breaam rating

11-Jan-2010
The Heron Tower has been awarded an ‘excellent’ Breeam rating.
Travelodge to open 26 new hotels

8-Jan-2010
Budget hotel chain Travelodge has unveiled plans to open 26 new hotels in a £115 million expansion programme.
Mears secures 75pc of its forecast 2010 turnover

8-Jan-2010
Mears Group has said it has already secured 75 per cent of its consensus forecast turnover for 2010 and now has a forward order book totalling more than £1.8 billion.
Costain secures £850m of work for 2010

7-Jan-2010
Costain has said that it remains uncertain about market conditions in 2010, but has over £850 million of work secured for the next 12 months.
Persimmon acquires new land after sales rise 20pc

7-Jan-2010
Persimmon said today it acquired land to build 3,000 homes in the latter months of 2009 with its second half sales up 20 per cent on the first six months of the year.
Lancsville leaves £50m of contracts

7-Jan-2010
A high-profile job on Candy & Candy’s One Hyde Park development was among the contracts left by Lancsville Construction when it went into administration on 18 December.
Demand for construction workers increases in December

6-Jan-2010
Demand for permanent and temporary construction workers in December significantly increased compared with the previous month according to new report on jobs.
Redrow's new Scotland boss says growth plans are in motion

6-Jan-2010
Redrow’s new manager of the firm’s Scottish division Sandy McBride has said that the business has begun the process of planning for growth.
Black & Veatch wins £75m wastewater treatment plant upgrade

6-Jan-2010
Black & Veatch has won a £75 million contract to upgrade a wastewater treatment plant to become a source of renewable energy for the National Grid.
Irish builders merchant Grafton sees 'green shoots' in the UK

6-Jan-2010
Irish builders merchants Grafton Group has said it is seeing signs of “green shoots” in its UK businesses.
Battersea Power Station plans win 82pc public support

5-Jan-2010
Developers behind plans to transform Battersea Power Station said they have now got more than 80 per cent public support for their plans.
CIPS: UK construction declines for 22nd month running

5-Jan-2010
The UK construction industry shrunk for the 22nd month in a row in December the latest survey from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply has revealed.
Balfour Beatty's Gammon Construction wins £180m of work

5-Jan-2010
Balfour Beatty’s Hong Kong subsidiary Gammon Construction has won two new contracts worth £180 million.
T Clarke appoints new chief executive

4-Jan-2010
Mechanical and electrical contractor T Clarke has appointed Mark Lawrence as its new chief executive following the retirement of Pat Stanborough.
200 jobs at risk as Vantis appointed Lancsville administrator

18-Dec-2009
Vantis Business Recovery Services has been appointed as the administrators for Lancsville Construction.
Lancsville Construction goes into administration

17-Dec-2009
Lancsville Construction today went into administration following an application to London’s High Court by one of its own investors Agilo.
Kier preferred on two education jobs worth £90m

17-Dec-2009
Kier has announced it has been named preferred bidder for two education schemes with a combined value in excess of £90 million.
Travis Perkins cautious over 2010 prospects

17-Dec-2009
Travis Perkins has said pressure on both trade and consumer spending means it is cautious over prospects for next year.
Social housing firm Forrest boosts turnover and profit

17-Dec-2009
Privately-owned social housing support services group Forrest has announced turnover of £46.8 million for the year to 31 August, up 3 per cent on the previous year.
Morgan Sindall concerned about future public spending

17-Dec-2009
Morgan Sindall said it is well placed to meet the challenges of 2010, but warned of its concerns over future public spending.
Ainscough to work internationally after shift to heavy cranes

17-Dec-2009
Ainscough Crane Hire expects to break into the international market over the next 12 months after shifting the company’s product mix towards larger capacity cranes.
Ray O’Rourke joins board of mining giant Anglo American

17-Dec-2009
Laing O’Rourke founder, chairman and chief executive Ray O’Rourke has been handed his first external board appointment as a non-executive director of Anglo American.
Govt closer to infrastructure vision

17-Dec-2009
The formation of a new body to drive a 50-year strategy for infrastructure development in the UK has been dubbed “one of the biggest wins for the construction industry in a long time”.
NOUGHTIES REVIEW: Focus will move to BRIC economies

17-Dec-2009
Dubai’s plentiful construction market may have been the place to be during the noughties but, as 2010 approaches, eyes are turning to the burgeoning Chinese sector in the hope it will prove the goldmine for the industry in the coming decade.
Aggregate Industries chief executive Bill Bolsover to retire

16-Dec-2009
Aggregate Industries chief executive Bill Bolsover has announced he is retiring from his position in March after 38 years in the construction materials business.
WSP owed £15m by Dubai

15-Dec-2009
Shard engineer WSP Group today said it expected its profit for the year to 31 December 2009 to be in line with expectations - subject to further provisions arising from Dubai.
Connaught boasts £4.5bn order book after £312m contract wins

15-Dec-2009
Connaught today said it had a record £4.5 billion pipeline of orders after performing in line with expectations.
Mouchel rejects "inadequate" takeover attempts from VT Group

14-Dec-2009
Infrastructure consultant Mouchel today said it had rejected two takeover attempts from support services firm VT Group.
Mears Group wins up to £200m of social housing and M&E contracts

14-Dec-2009
Mears Group today announced contract wins with an initial value of £113 million rising to £200m if it wins extensions.
Ray O'Rourke appointed to board of mining group Anglo American

11-Dec-2009
Laing O’Rourke chairman and chief executive Ray O’Rourke was today appointed to the board of mining group Anglo American as a non-executive director.
Abu Dhabi and Oman to offset Dubai problems for Carillion

11-Dec-2009
Carillion said today that growth in Abu Dhabi and a good performance in Oman would more than offset a reduction in work in debt-laden Dubai.
Construction orders fall by 5pc in three months to October

10-Dec-2009
Construction orders in the three months to October 2009 fell by 5 per cent compared with the previous quarter.
Morgan Sindall to be relegated from the FTSE 250

10-Dec-2009
Morgan Sindall will be relegated from the FTSE 250 later this month in the quarterly reshuffle of the UK’s largest stock exchange listed firms.
Carillion named preferred bidder on £450m hospital job

10-Dec-2009
Carillion has been named preferred bidder for the £450 million redevelopment of Southmead Hospital in Bristol by the North Bristol NHS Trust.
Private finance lifeline worth £30bn

10-Dec-2009
A £30.6 billion raft of PPP projects could come to the construction industry’s rescue when the expected curb on public spending hits after next summer’s General Election.
Construction recession ‘ended in June’

10-Dec-2009
Economists have reacted with surprise at Office for National Statistics figures released this week showing the construction industry has been growing since June.
PRE-BUDGET: Government creates infrastructure body to oversee next 50 years

9-Dec-2009
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling has announced the creation of Infrastructure UK to advise the Government on its national infrastructure programmes over the next 50 years.
Carillion to build £150m Abu Dhabi Investment Council HQ

9-Dec-2009
Carillion has announced that its Middle East joint venture Al Futtaim Carillion has won a £150 million contract to build a new headquarters for the Abu Dhabi Investment Council.
Willmott Dixon scoops £95m Birmingham housing R&M job

7-Dec-2009
Willmott Dixon’s housing arm Inspace has secured a five-year contract with Birmingham City Council worth around £95 million to repair and maintain 28,000 council homes in south Birmingham.
Bam lands pre-construction role on £120m Network Rail HQ

7-Dec-2009
Bam Construction has won a pre-construction services contract for Network Rail’s new £120 million national headquarters in Milton Keynes.
Construction industry comes out of recession

4-Dec-2009
The construction industry came out of recession today on the back of a boost in public sector work, according to preliminary Government statistics.
ISG order book drops 8pc due to fall in overseas orders

4-Dec-2009
ISG today said that its order book is 8 per cent down on six months ago due to “some slippage” in its overseas order books.
Bellway buying up land after forecasting 10pc rise in sales

4-Dec-2009
Bellway has forecasted a 10 per cent rise in half year sales after reporting a 51 per cent rise in reservations for new homes over the last four months.
Ashtead half year profit falls 74pc with turnover down a quarter

3-Dec-2009
Equipment hire firm Ashtead has posted a 74 per cent fall in half year pre-tax profit after turnover fell by 24 per cent.
HCA chief seeks more private finance

3-Dec-2009
Homes and Communities Agency chief executive Sir Bob Kerslake has cited encouraging more private finance into the housing sector as a major objective for the agency’s second year.
£1.7bn shortfall prompts fears of water crunch

3-Dec-2009
Water and waste contractors are gearing up for “substantial challenges” after Ofwat’s final budget allowances for capital expenditure fell almost £2 billion short of what the largest clients claimed to need for the next five years.
Contraction of UK construction industry runs into 21st month

2-Dec-2009
Contraction of the UK construction extended into its 21st month in November according to the latest CIPS/Markit Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index.
UK construction exposed to £250m in unpaid Dubai debts

30-Nov-2009
The UK construction industry is owed £250 million in unpaid bills from Dubai as a result of the Middle Eastern country’s debt crisis, according to a report in The Times.
Mansell scoops £16.2m job to build US Air Force housing

30-Nov-2009
Mansell has won a £16.2 million housing job at RAF Feltwell in Norfolk for use by the United States Air Force.
Contract dispute forces SLP into administration

27-Nov-2009
Engineering firm SLP today fell into administration over a long running contractual dispute with a former customer on a previous construction project.
Exclusive Q&A with chief construction adviser Paul Morrell

26-Nov-2009
Construction News caught up with the Government’s first ever chief construction adviser, Paul Morrell, to find out his thoughts and feelings about his new role.
Jarvis reduces its reliance on Network Rail after £3.6m loss

26-Nov-2009
Jarvis has reported a £3.6 half year loss but said the business is in a healthier position after reducing its reliance on Network Rail.
Construction tsar: I’m not here to beg for cash

26-Nov-2009
The Government’s first ever chief construction adviser has warned he is not in Whitehall to “hold a begging bowl out on the industry’s behalf”.
Sheffield to swot up for top Kier job

26-Nov-2009
Kier chief executive-in-waiting Paul Sheffield has told Construction News he will spend the next four months immersing himself in parts of the business he is not currently involved in.
BSS Group pre-tax profit down 23pc with tough 2010 expected

25-Nov-2009
Plumbing supplier BSS Group has reported a 23.4 per cent drop in half year pre-tax profit on the back of a 5.1 per cent drop in turnover.
Atkins profit down 13pc

25-Nov-2009
Atkins has reported a 13 per cent drop in first half pre-tax profit but said it is confident about the second half of the year.
Speedy Hire reports half year loss of £4.8m

25-Nov-2009
Speedy Hire has reported a half year loss of £4.8 million after the firm’s turnover fell by 28 per cent.
Renew Holdings to grow engineering to 50pc of turnover

24-Nov-2009
Renew Holdings is aiming for its specialist engineering business to provide 50 per cent of its turnover by 2012 making up for a drop off in building work after the contractor’s full year turnover fell 19 per cent.
Bovis Homes looks for new FD after Neil Cooper resigns

24-Nov-2009
Bovis Homes is on the look out for a new finance director after Neil Cooper resigned from the board to take up a position as finance director with bookmakers William Hill.
Chief construction adviser Paul Morrell "delighted" to land role

24-Nov-2009
Quantity surveyor Paul Morrell OBE today said he was delighted to be named the Government’s first ever chief construction adviser after the Treasury confirmed the role.
Mitie expecting to gain from public sector spending cuts

23-Nov-2009
Mitie has reported a 5.3 per cent growth in half year turnover and said it is expecting to gain further if the Government enlists the help of the private sector to plug public spending cuts.
OFT sets out reasons behind its £129.2m of cover pricing fines

20-Nov-2009
The Office of Fair Trading has published a full breakdown of the reasons behind its £129.2 million of fines handed out to 103 construction firms following its investigation in cover pricing.
Balfour Beatty division makes two key appointments

20-Nov-2009
Balfour Beatty Construction Scottish and Southern has made two appointments to its business development team.
NHBC figures show October housing starts at 15 month high

20-Nov-2009
The National Housebuilding Council’s latest figures show 9,163 new homes were started in October, the highest number since July 2008.
Mansell appointed by First Base for £29m Highbury Gardens

20-Nov-2009
Mansell has been appointed by developer First Base for its £29 million Highbury Gardens scheme in Islington.
Lavendon Group announces £80.8m rights issue

19-Nov-2009
Equipment hire firm Lavendon Group is launching a rights issue to raise £80.8 million.
Styles & Wood turnover and pre-tax profit meet expectations

19-Nov-2009
Styles & Wood said its turnover and pre-tax profit for 2009 are anticipated to be in line with expectations.
Paul Sheffield to succeed John Dodds as Kier chief executive

19-Nov-2009
Kier has appointed its head of construction Paul Sheffield to succeed John Dodds as group chief executive.
Asda promises opportunities for subcontractors after joining CPA

19-Nov-2009
Asda has become the first client to join the Construction Products Association as it bids to form direct relationships with its building supply chain.
UK growth to surpass Western EU neighbours in decade to come

19-Nov-2009
Growth in the UK’s construction industry over the next decade will be among the strongest in Western Europe, according to a report.
GB Group chief looks to the future as restructured firm posts profit

18-Nov-2009
GB Group chief executive Martin Smout has insisted that the firm has “successfully dealt with the downturn” as it revealed healthy results.
Wolseley reports 50pc drop in Q1 profits

18-Nov-2009
Wolseley has reported a 50 per cent drop in first quarter profits warning that some of its markets had still not hit the bottom.
Construction adminstrations down 5pc over last three months

17-Nov-2009
Construction administrations fell by nearly 5 per cent over the last three months to 106 from 111 in Q2, latest figurse from accountancy firm Grant Thornton have revealed.
Falling aggregates and cement sales points to deeper recession

17-Nov-2009
Falling third quarter sales of aggregates and cement provide further evidence of the depth of the construction recession the Mineral Products Association has said.
Barratt to open new sites after successful refinancing

17-Nov-2009
Barratt Developments has said it is in a strong position to open new sites after completing a successful refinancing of the company.
Balfour Beatty wins £188m of international rail work

17-Nov-2009
Balfour Beatty has won £188 million of international rail contracts with significant wins in China, Sweden and Germany.
Interserve trades well after focus on long-term contracts

16-Nov-2009
Interserve said it is well placed for future growth after continuing to focus on long-term large value contracts.
HCA boss Sir Bob Kerslake turns down £44k bonus

13-Nov-2009
Homes and Communities Agency Sir Bob Kerslake has waived his entitlement to his annual bonus of £44,000, saying he did not wish to accept the sum in the current economic climate.
Global construction to rise 70pc by 2020 driven by India, China and Brazil

12-Nov-2009
Global construction output is predicted to rise by 70 per cent over the next decade driven by the emerging markets of China, India and Brazil.
Keller order intake down 22pc in the first half

12-Nov-2009
Keller has said its order intake in the first half of this year is 22 per cent down as reduced global construction spending continued to weigh on its margins.
Balfour Beatty and Osborne win £300m Midlands roads packages

12-Nov-2009
Balfour Beatty and Geoffrey Osborne will share the main civils package on the £300 million Highways Agency construction management framework for the Midlands and North-west.
HCA changes focus to regeneration

12-Nov-2009
The Homes and Communities Agency is planning to focus on kick-starting stalled regeneration projects this year, particularly in the Midlands.
North Midland Construction turnover is 30pc below budget

11-Nov-2009
Turnover at North Midland Construction is currently 30 per cent below budget, but year end profit is expected to be on target, the firm said today.
Rand Group administration costs 150 jobs

11-Nov-2009
The £40 million-turnover Rand Group has ceased trading, with the loss of up to 150 jobs.
Balfour Beatty reports strong performance in both UK and US

11-Nov-2009
Balfour Beatty today reported it has enjoyed a strong overall performance in the building sector in both the UK and US over the past three months.
Morgan Est starts piling work on £217m Wigan Life Centre

11-Nov-2009
Morgan Est has begun piling works on Wigan Council’s £217 million Wigan Life Centre, a public services hub which is being constructed by Morgan Est’s sister company Morgan Ashurst.
BAA construction director Rob Stewart steps down for MoD job

10-Nov-2009
BAA construction director Rob Stewart is to step down from the airport operator at the end of November to oversee the construction of the Ministry of Defence’s new technical college in South Wales.
Grafton turnover falls 28pc in first 10 months of 2009

10-Nov-2009
Irish builders merchants and DIY firm Grafton Group said its turnover for the 10 months to the end of October is 28 per cent down on the same period a year ago.
Sisk wins Rugby Police Station refurbishment job worth £3.5m

10-Nov-2009
John Sisk has won the contract from Warwickshire Police to renovate and refurbish Rugby Police Station.
Morgan Est scoops £7m National Grid substation job

10-Nov-2009
Morgan Est has been awarded a £7 million contract from National Grid to extend an existing substation in Cottam, Nottinghamshire.
HCA achieves key year one targets including 53,000 new homes

10-Nov-2009
The Homes and Communities Agency has met its key targets in its first year of operation including delivering 53,000 new homes.
Multibuild avoids administration after successful CVA

10-Nov-2009
Multibuild has successfully avoided administration after creditors allowed the firm to enter into a Company Voluntary Arrangement in a bid to reduce its debts.
Morgan Sindall on target but remaining mindful of year ahead

10-Nov-2009
Morgan Sindall is on target to achieve expectations but remains mindful of the challenges facing the industry and is shaping its business accordingly, the firm revealed today.
Tony Douglas leaves Laing O'Rourke

9-Nov-2009
Laing O’Rourke chief operating officer Tony Douglas is to step down from the board and will now leave the contractor.
Willmott Dixon unveils revamp plans to simplify its brand

9-Nov-2009
Willmott Dixon has unveiled plans to reshape its group structure and simplify its trading brands following its re-acquisition of Inspace in 2008.
Balfour Beatty/Carillion/Kier and Willmott Dixon fight for academy job

9-Nov-2009
Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Kier and Willmott Dixon are in the running for two South coast academy jobs after Southampton City Council received government approval to appoint a contractor.
Kier trading in line with expectations

9-Nov-2009
Kier has made a good start to the financial year with first quarter trading in line with its expectations with cash balances at healthy levels, the firm announced today.
Costain/Lafarge JV win share of £250m Highways Agency work

9-Nov-2009
Costain has been appointed to a £250 million Highways Agency maintenance framework in the Midlands.
Grant Shapps tells 500 lunch guests Tories are pro-development

5-Nov-2009
Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps today declared the Conservatives will be a “pro-development Government” if they are elected next summer.
Orders to September hold firm on previous quarter

5-Nov-2009
New construction orders for the three months to September totalled £8.5 billion, exactly the same as the previous three months, according to figures out today.
Rok trading on target after winning 48 jobs this year worth £700m

5-Nov-2009
Rok has secured £700 million so far this year after securing 48 new contracts since January, the firm revealed today.
CBI Construction Council chairman hails successes of body’s first year

5-Nov-2009
The CBI Construction Council’s chairman has named pressuring the Government to bring forward £3 billion of work and fund a £2bn PFI bailout as its top achievements in its inaugural year.
Morrison eyes up acquisition targets

5-Nov-2009
Morrison Utility Services is targeting a significant acquisition after a year in which its turnover passed the £500 million mark.
Thurston Building Systems buys Ultra Secure Products' assets

4-Nov-2009
Wakefield-based modular building manufacturer Thurston Building Systems has secured a deal to purchase the assets and intellectual property of rival company Ultra Secure Products, which fell into administration.
Johnson Controls wins Barclays facilities management job

4-Nov-2009
Facilities management business Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions (GWS) has signed a contract with Barclays to manage 1,800 retail sites and 50 corporate buildings in the UK.
Marks & Spencer eco-Plan A continues to progress

4-Nov-2009
Marks & Spencer has presented its half-yearly update on its five year eco-plan, Plan A, with “significant progress” reported in all of the plan’s five areas.
Laing O'Rourke consortium sues Department of Health

4-Nov-2009
A Laing O’Rourke-led consortium has launched a £20 million law suit against the Department of Health and the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust over a cancelled £921 million hospital project.
WSP Group says conditions "remain very challenging"

4-Nov-2009
Consulting engineer WSP Group today said market conditions “remain very challenging” and have not changed since the firm’s half year results in July.
Redrow housing sales return to "historic norms"

4-Nov-2009
Redrow said today that its private housing sales for the first 18 weeks of the financial year are 47 per cent up on the same period last year, having returned to “historic norms”.
Taylor Wimpey hits 2009 target and focuses on 2010 order book

4-Nov-2009
Taylor Wimpey has reached its 2009 sales target and is now focused on building its 2010 order book.
Morgan Sindall confirms £400m Hull BSF win

4-Nov-2009
Morgan Sindall today confirmed that it has been appointed preferred bidder by Hull City Council for its £400 million Building Schools for the Future programme.
Barratt reveals 92.3pc take up of its £720m rights issue

4-Nov-2009
Barratt has sold 92.3 per cent of its new shares created for the house builder’s £720 million rights issue, the firm announced today.
CIPS: Construction contracts for 20th month running

3-Nov-2009
The construction industry contracted for the 20th month running, the latest monthly index from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply has revealed.
Construction clients increase contractor lists by 15pc

3-Nov-2009
The number of construction clients creating lists of suppliers for forthcoming tenders increased by 15 per cent during the three months to September, figures from pre-qualification register Constructionline reveal.
Construction Products Association writes Pre-Budget wishlist

3-Nov-2009
The Construction Products Association has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling urging him not to cut capital spending on construction projects.
GB Building Solutions wins sixth St Andrew's hospital job

3-Nov-2009
GB Building Solutions has been awarded its sixth hospital job by St Andrew’s Healthcare in the past four years now totalling more than £76 million.
Consultant Gleeds appointed to £20m O2 store refit scheme

2-Nov-2009
Consultant Gleeds has been appointed to provide a raft of services including cost and project management, on phase two of a £20 million store refit for O2 Telefonica.
Carillion completes £27m sale of Enviros

2-Nov-2009
Carillion has completed the £26.8 million sale of its environmental consultancy business, Enviros.
Flowcrete reports 72pc rise in pre-tax profit

2-Nov-2009
Flooring manufacturer Flowcrete Group has revealed a recession beating 72 per cent rise in pre-tax profit.
White Young Green restructures after £129m loss

30-Oct-2009
White Young Green today announced it has restructured the business after reporting a pre-tax loss of £129 million for the year ended 30 June 2009.
Sheffield United to extend Bramall Lane to 44,500 capacity

29-Oct-2009
Sheffield United is hoping to increase the capacity of Bramall Lane by 10,000 to 44,500 when plans go before local councillors next week.
HCA: 91 schemes approved for £207m of Kickstart funding

29-Oct-2009
The Homes and Communities Agency today confirmed it has finished its assessment of the 270 stalled housing schemes shortlisted to receive funding under the Kickstart Programme.
Ucatt "reluctantly" accepts government craftworkers pay deal

29-Oct-2009
Ucatt said it has reluctantly accepted the tabled pay offer for 2009/2010 local government craftworkers to ensure workers receive backdated pay increases in time for Christmas.
EXPERIAN: Big improvement in business payment times

29-Oct-2009
September saw the biggest month-on-month improvement in business payment trends since December 2007, according to the latest Late Payment Index from Experian.
SES scoops £11.2m services contract for Greenwich Council

29-Oct-2009
SES has been awarded an £11.2 million contract to complete the services installation at Greenwich Council’s new civic headquarters in Woolwich.
The real picture of stimulus ‘spending’

29-Oct-2009
Analysis of the Government’s £26 billion construction stimulus measures in the past year has revealed that only £1bn of new money was offered.
Mace Plus aim to grow to £200m by 2012

29-Oct-2009
The directors of Mace’s contracting arm are aiming to grow the business by a third over the next three years through securing larger projects.
Tender price forecast up for 2010

29-Oct-2009
The bidding price war may not get as bad as previously feared, according to the latest Construction News tender price consensus – although tenders will still not start to rise until 2012.
Official statistics show 21,580 housing starts in last quarter

28-Oct-2009
England saw an estimated 21,580 housing starts in the three months to June 2009 revealed new housing figures from the UK Statistics Authority published today.
Morgan Sindall beats Balfour Beatty to £390m Hull BSF

28-Oct-2009
A Morgan Sindall led consortium is understood to have won the £390 million Hull Building Schools for the Future contract.
FMB: Tory housing plans are an "act of faith"

28-Oct-2009
Conservative plans to increase the number of new homes whilst simultaneously giving local people more say as to where and if these homes are to be built are an act of faith, the Federation of Master Builders has warned.
Liverpool council gives go-ahead to £70m office complex

28-Oct-2009
Liverpool City Council has given the go-ahead for a £70 million office complex in the city’s Commercial Quarter.
Boris Johnson unveils Battersea Power Station revamp plans

27-Oct-2009
Plans have been unveiled by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson to transform 200 ha of land around Battersea Power Station.
Balfour Beatty completes Parsons Brinckerhoff takeover

27-Oct-2009
Balfour Beatty has finalised the takeover of US consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Mears trading in line with expectations after £450m of job wins

27-Oct-2009
Mears Group has won new contracts in excess of £450 million since it announced its annual results in March.
Barratt issues postal strike warning over £720m rights issue

27-Oct-2009
Barratt has urged shareholders who want to buy up new shares from its £720 million rights issue to act fast because of the proposed postal strike.
Plans submitted for £125m Birmingham skyscraper

26-Oct-2009
Plans have been submitted to build a 200m skyscraper in Birmingham City Centre - the tallest building outside of London.
Calsafe secures £3.5m of extra Bank of Scotland funding

26-Oct-2009
Modular building firm Calsafe Group has secured a £3.5 million increase in its working capital facility with the Bank of Scotland.
BPF and major property firms back Tory localism plans

26-Oct-2009
The British Property Federation has backed plans put forward by the Conservatives to improve the planning system, kickstart housebuilding and promote local community development.
Mace wins key role on £36m potential Olympic training site

23-Oct-2009
Mace has won a leading role on a £36 million job to build a sporting village in Basildon, Essex which is expected to be used as a training facility in the Olympics.
Investors buy up 97pc of Balfour Beatty rights issue shares

23-Oct-2009
Investors have snapped up 97 per cent of the new shares issued by Balfour Beatty in order to buy Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Pay freeze for 20,000 heating and ventilation workers

23-Oct-2009
An agreement has been reached that will see the pay of 20,000 heating and ventilation workers frozen for a year.
Three in four construction firms confident about prospects

22-Oct-2009
Three in four businesses are confident about their prospects in the next six months, according to new research from Santander Corporate Banking.
Bam Construct wins £50m mental health hospital contract

22-Oct-2009
Bam Construct has won a £50 million contract from South Staffs and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to build mental health facilities in Shelton.
Balfour Beatty takeover of Parsons Brinckerhoff approved

21-Oct-2009
Shareholders of Parsons Brinckerhoff have voted in favour of Balfour Beatty’s proposed £380 million takeover of the consultant.
Cuddy boss launches new housebuilding firm Primrose Homes

21-Oct-2009
Cuddy Group boss Mike Cuddy has launched a new housebuilding business that is expected to create at least 30 jobs in Wales.
Decline in project starts stabilises at 4pc below a year ago

21-Oct-2009
The flow of construction projects starting on site over the past three months has stabilised at just 4 per cent below levels a year ago.
Gordon Ramsay's plumber blasts plans to extend paternity leave

21-Oct-2009
Plumber to the stars Charlie Mullins has branded Government plans to extend paternity leave as “ludicrous” saying the proposals will damage struggling businesses.
Heywood Williams refinancing saves more than 1,000 jobs

21-Oct-2009
More than 1,000 jobs have been secured worldwide at Heywood Williams after the building products firm secured an eleventh hour refinancing deal.
Ringway to scale back Beach Communications division

20-Oct-2009
Highway maintenance contractor Ringway said today that it was making redundancies in its Beach Communications division which suffered significant losses in 2008.
Balfour Beatty secures £274m of US work

20-Oct-2009
Balfour Beatty has won £274 million ($449 million) of new contracts in the US states of Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Texas and North Carolina.
Ashtead to provide rental equipment depot at £1bn Stratford City

9-Oct-2009
Ashtead’s UK subsidiary A-Plant has won a contract to provide an on-site rental depot on the £1.1 billion Bovis Lend Lease Stratford City Project.
Mace bosses help school children build insect houses

8-Oct-2009
Mace bosses volunteered for a day at a Bracknell school to help build some environmentally friendly insect houses.
Carillion on track to deliver strong 2009 turnover growth

8-Oct-2009
Carillion has said it is on track to deliver a strong growth in turnover in the second half of this year.
Big names in £1bn Forth Bridge duel

8-Oct-2009
Two heavyweight consortiums will compete for the main construction package for Scotland’s largest infrastructure project: the £2.3 billion Forth Replacement Crossing.
Five to fight over two Crossrail tunnels

8-Oct-2009
Five teams are in the running for the first two major Crossrail tunnelling jobs, estimated to be worth more than £1.5 billion.
Lee Tunnel may not start on site until April 2010

8-Oct-2009
Construction of the £400 million Lee Tunnel could not start for another six months after Thames Water said it was not likely to choose a contractor this year.
Osborne boss is happy in mid-table

8-Oct-2009
Osborne chief executive David Fison has insisted the firm has no ambition to move up the league table of contractors – despite winning more than a quarter of its annual turnover in just five weeks.
Laing O'Rourke job cut email in full

7-Oct-2009
Ray O’Rourke has told Laing O’Rourke staff there will be “significant” job cuts in the firm’s UK and European business.
A third of construction marketers confident sales set to rise

7-Oct-2009
A third of construction companies are expecting an increase in sales in the second half of 2009.
Laing O'Rourke to slash a "significant" number of UK jobs

7-Oct-2009
Laing O’Rourke staff have today been told that the contractor is making a “significant” amount of redundancies.
Morrison wins £18m Southern Gas Networks deal

7-Oct-2009
Morrison Utility Services has secured an £18 million contract to provide first call emergency response services to Southern Gas Networks.
Work underway on an £18m multi-storey car park in Sheffield

7-Oct-2009
Work has started on an £18 million multi-storey car park on the edge of Sheffield city centre.
Wates appoints chief operating officer Dave Smith to the board

7-Oct-2009
Wates has appointed group chief operating officer Dave Smith to the group board.
Mouchel posts £13.5m loss after Middle East and rail issues

6-Oct-2009
Mouchel has reported a £13.5 million loss for the year ended 31 July 2009 and confirmed its withdrawal from the UK rail market.
Construction output will not return to 2007 levels until 2021

5-Oct-2009
The Construction Products Association is forecasting it will take until 2021 for the construction industry to return to the output levels of 2007.
ISG wins Kent leisure centre refurbishment job

5-Oct-2009
ISG has been awarded a £2.9 million project with Maidstone Borough Council and the operators The Maidstone Leisure Trust and their managing agent, Serco, to refurbish and upgrade facilities at Maidstone Leisure Centre.
Balfour Beatty scoops two education jobs worth £134m

5-Oct-2009
Balfour Beatty has won two education contracts worth a total of £134 million.
Robertson reports £2m loss and forms new group structure

2-Oct-2009
Robertson has a pre-tax loss of £2 million on turnover down 4 per cent at £157.1 million.
CIPS: Construction industry contracts at fastest pace since June

2-Oct-2009
The construction industry declined at a faster pace in September than in July and August according to the latest Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply/Markit construction PMI index.
Kier preferred bidder on £200m council sports job

1-Oct-2009
Kier has been named preferred bidder on a £200 million contract to build sports and learning facilities across the borough for Telford & Wrekin Council.
Renew Holdings trading satisfactorily over past six months

1-Oct-2009
Contractor Renew Holdings today said it has “traded satisfactorily” during the second half of its financial year ahead of its annual results to be announced in November.
BCIS: Tender prices wont rise until at least 2011

1-Oct-2009
Tender prices for new construction work may not start rising until 2011 and will not return to pre-recession levels in the next five years the Building Cost Information Service has claimed.
Police look into £11m Wrekin ruby worth just £100

1-Oct-2009
The £11 million ruby used to prop up the balance sheet of failed construction company Wrekin Construction could be worth as little as £100, according to reports in the Financial Times.
New construction orders in August fall 4pc

1-Oct-2009
New construction orders for the three months to the end of August 2009 totalled £8.1 billion, down 4 per cent on the previous three months £8.4 billion.
Cover pricing still exists, CN poll suggests

1-Oct-2009
Contractors express anger over level of fines from OFT, while poll suggests practice still goes on
Homes and Communities Agency sets out £14bn housing bonanza

1-Oct-2009
Analysts have urged house builders to cash in on the Homes and Communities Agency’s £14 billion plans before public spending is cut.
Durkan insists it is innocent of cover pricing

1-Oct-2009
One of the firms hit hardest by last week’s Office of Fair Trading fines has protested its innocence of the charges, vowing it has never participated in any cover pricing activities.
Shard project chief: above ground by Xmas

1-Oct-2009
The project managing director on the Shard has insisted that the iconic skyscraper will be visible bove the ground by Christmas – quashing rumours it could fall victim to the recession.
Lovetts reports 114pc increase in late payment interest charges

30-Sep-2009
Huge pressures on cash flow this year have driven more businesses than ever before to exercise their right to charge late payment interest on bad debt according to Lovetts.
Commercial property activity growing for first time in 18 months

30-Sep-2009
Activity in the commercial property sector has returned to positive territory for the first time in over 18 months in August, suggesting that investor sentiment in the sector is continuing to grow.
Recession over but construction firms least confident

30-Sep-2009
The recession may have ended today but construction companies are the least confident of any sector about the next six months.
Travis Perkins turnover down 11pc on last year

30-Sep-2009
Turnover at Travis Perkins for the nine months to the end of September 2009 is down 11 per cent compared with the equivalent period last year.
May Gurney secures contract extensions worth £46m

30-Sep-2009
May Gurney has secured two significant contract extensions worth up to £46 million.
Mitie expecting turnover to grow strongly in second half

29-Sep-2009
Mitie expects its turnover to grow strongly in the second half of the year due to its contracts and project work, the firm said today.
Balfour Beatty preferred for £120m academies job

28-Sep-2009
Balfour Beatty has been named preferred bidder for the £120 million West Sussex national academies framework.
Kier missed the boat to plead leniency in OFT investigation

25-Sep-2009
Kier has today claimed that it was unaware of the Office of Fair Trading’s investigation into contractor price fixing meaning it missed the boat to plead leniency.
Sir Bob Kerslake: HCA up to Tory scrutiny challenge

25-Sep-2009
The Homes and Communities Agency is up to the challenge of Conservative scrutiny should the Tories win power at the next election HCA chief executive Sir Bob Kerslake has said.
BSS Group turnover drops 4pc in first half

25-Sep-2009
Plumbing, heating and industrial equipment merchants BSS Group said its turnover has held firm despite tough trading conditions over the past six months.
Morgan Est and Vinci JV to represent UK in Euro green awards

25-Sep-2009
Morgan Est and Vinci Construction Grands Projets will represent the UK at the European Business Awards for its work on the £120 million Clackmannashire Bridge in Scotland.
Buyer found for division of collapsed Welconstruct Group

24-Sep-2009
Administrators have successfully sold a division of the collapsed Welconstruct Group and are actively seeking a buyer for another.
Bullock and Mears win £65m housing refurb job

24-Sep-2009
Bullock and Mears Group have won a £65 million housing refurbishment contract for Sedgefield Borough Homes.
More than £4bn of work to cover fines

24-Sep-2009
Contractors fined £129.5 million by the Office of Fair Trading have reacted angrily to the punishment which they need to secure more than £4 billion of work to earn back.
Gleeson makes loss for second year running

24-Sep-2009
Gleeson today reported a £54.3 million loss on turnover of £55 million.
Balfour Beatty expands its empire with £380m Parsons acquisition

24-Sep-2009
The £380 million takeover of US consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff will allow Balfour Beatty to get involved with projects at a much earlier stage, according to an industry analyst.
Barratt reports £679m loss on turnover down 36pc

23-Sep-2009
Barratt today reported a full year loss of £679 million with turnover down 36 per cent.
OFT FINES: Six found guilty of bid rigging after accepting payments

22-Sep-2009
Six firms were found guilty of bid rigging by OFT after paying and receiving compensation payments.
OFT REACTION: Kier considering options after being worst hit

22-Sep-2009
Kier has said it is considering its options after receiving the heaviest fine of all the 103 contractors hit by the OFT.
OFT REACTION: Unions offer stinging verdict of fined contractors

22-Sep-2009
Unions have issued a stinging assessment of the construction firms fined £130 million by the Office of Fair Trading today.
OFT REACTION: Morgan Sindall carried out review after inquiry launched

22-Sep-2009
Morgan Sindall has carried out a comprehensive review of its activities since the OFT investigation was launched, the firm said today.
OFT REACTION: FMB calls on clients not to issue further punishments

22-Sep-2009
The Federation of Master Builders has called on clients not to further punish contractors fined by the OFT by refusing to do business with them.
OFT FINES: Contractors to consider appeals

22-Sep-2009
Contractors are now looking at whether there are grounds for them to appeal against the OFT’s fines issued today against 103 firms for price fixing.
OFT FINES: Contractors fined 1.14pc of their global turnover

22-Sep-2009
The 103 contractors punished by the Office of Fair Trading today were hit with an average fine of £1.26 million.
OFT FINES: Six firms out of 103 have fines halved or more by OFT

22-Sep-2009
Six out the 103 firms fined by the OFT today had their fines halved or more due to their co-operation in the investigation.
OFT REACTION: Carillion responds to its £5.4m fine from OFT

22-Sep-2009
Carillion has responded to its £5.4 million fine from the OFT this morning by saying the fine related to activities carried out by Mowlem before it was acquired by Carillion.
OFT FINES: Kier takes biggest hit in OFT inquiry with £18m fine

22-Sep-2009
Kier was today hit with the largest fine by the OFT in its sting on cover pricing after the UK’s fifth largest contractor was fined £18 million.
Pay problems dominate concerns for small businesses

18-Sep-2009
Cash flow worries as a result of increasing late payments are causing small businesses the most headaches, according to the latest Economic Downturn Panel survey carried out by the Forum of Private Business.
Galliford Try opens new Qatar business

18-Sep-2009
Galliford Try has registered a new business in Qatar to focus on infrastructure projects in the public and regulated sectors.
Balfour Beatty to buy Parsons Brinckerhoff for £380m

17-Sep-2009
Balfour Beatty has announced it is to buy US professional services firm Parsons Brinckerhoff for £380 million ($626 million).
Kier pre-tax profit drops 61pc

17-Sep-2009
Profits at Kier dropped 61 per cent in the year ended 30 June 2009 after being hit by writedowns of £49.8 million, the firm revealed today.
Summer lull leads to lack of new deals

16-Sep-2009
Costain topped the August table with nearly a quarter of total work value in what turned out to be the leanest month so far in 2009 for the top 50
Welcome to the CN100 2009

10-Sep-2009
This time last year the construction industry was staring down the barrel of a gun.
ISG looks East as London falls away

10-Sep-2009
Interior Services Group is targeting growth in Eastern Europe, as its work in the London fit-out market drops below half of its total turnover for the first time ever.
Chief construction adviser role already filled, industry fears

10-Sep-2009
The industry has two weeks left to nominate candidates for the Government’s new chief construction adviser role – amid rumours a candidate may already have been chosen.
NG Bailey makes £10.8m loss despite turnover hitting £600m

9-Sep-2009
NG Bailey has announced a record turnover of £600 million for the year to 27th February 2009 – an increase of 14.3 per cent compared to the previous year.
Opposition to Berkeley appointment of Tony Pidgley as chairman

9-Sep-2009
Angry shareholders were expected to oppose the re-election of Berkeley Group executive chairman Tony Pidgley at its the AGM today.
Miller Group reports half year pre-tax loss of £33.8m

9-Sep-2009
The Miller Group has reported a half year pre-tax loss of £33.8 million with turnover falling 19 per cent due to the recession.
Green light given for 2,000 new homes creating 5,000 jobs

9-Sep-2009
Housing minister John Healey today gave the green light for over 2,000 new council homes that will create over 5,000 construction jobs.
One in four of all corporate collapses are in construction sector

8-Sep-2009
Around 17 construction and property businesses are going bust in the UK every day accounting for one in four of all corporate insolvencies.
Plans for super sustainable skyscraper unveiled

8-Sep-2009
Plans for a new 200m high super sustainable skyscraper in Shenzhen, China have been unveiled.
ISG turnover dips led by fall in London fit-out work

8-Sep-2009
Interior Services Group saw turnover dip 4 per cent in the 12 months to 30 June 2009, due by a 33 per cent drop in workload in its core London Fit Out business.
Thomas Vale enjoys record month winning £52m of new work

7-Sep-2009
Thomas Vale Construction is celebrating a record month with over £52 million of new projects secured, bringing the company’s forward order book to more than £550 million.
MPG Group profit grows 21pc

7-Sep-2009
Cladding and fit out firm MPG has revealed its turnover increased 9.4 per cent with pre-tax profit up 21 per cent in 2008.
Kier signs £600m North Tyneside property repair contract

7-Sep-2009
Kier has signed a £600 million contract with North Tyneside to repair and maintain its social housing stock and other council-owned property for an initial 10 year term.
Planning applications for private housing schemes stabilising

7-Sep-2009
An estimated 459 planning applications to build new private housing schemes were submitted in July according to new figures from business intelligence unit Glenigan.
Mears appoints new boss for its largest social housing division

7-Sep-2009
Mears has appointed Graham Eden as managing director of its largest social housing division – the London region.
Balfour Beatty wins six framework jobs worth £250m

7-Sep-2009
Balfour Beatty has secured a position on six construction frameworks through its contractor Mansell, with a total value of more than £250 million.
Galliford Try wins four hotel and residential jobs worth £83m

7-Sep-2009
Galliford Try has clinched four contracts in the hotel and residential sectors valued at a total of £82.8 million.
ONS: Construction output falls at slowest rate in a year

4-Sep-2009
The total volume of construction work fell in the second quarter of 2009, but at the slowest rate for a year according to Government figures out today.
Commercial property market starting to bottom out

4-Sep-2009
The total property return in the commercial real estate market returned to positive territory for the first time in two years during July.
A lack of work is the construction industry's biggest concern

3-Sep-2009
Private construction and property businesses have commended the financial support given to the industry by banks according to a report from accountants Grant Thornton.
Galliford Try secures £49m of health contracts

3-Sep-2009
Galliford Try today announced it has secured several contracts in the health sector worth a total of £48.6 million.
Drop in order books at big contractors

3-Sep-2009
Signs of falling order books have started to emerge at the top of the contracting food chain.
Carillion plans first Qatar job for 2010

3-Sep-2009
Carillion is in talks about a move into Qatar as its Middle East operation continues to go from strength to strength.
Vinci acquires Cegelec from Qatari Diar in £1bn deal

2-Sep-2009
French construction giant Vinci has announced it is acquiring electrical engineering company Cegelec from Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company in a £1 billion share deal.
CIPS: Construction declines at slowest rate since April 2008

2-Sep-2009
UK construction activity is falling at its slowest rate for 17 months according to the latest purchasing managers index from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.
Hanson boss Patrick O'Shea appointed MPA chairman

1-Sep-2009
Hanson UK chief executive Patrick O’Shea has today become chairman of the Mineral Products Association.
Mortgage approvals in the UK reach 18 month high

1-Sep-2009
Mortgage approvals in the UK have risen to their highest level since April 2008 after banks granted 50,123 home loans in July.
White Young Green further extends covenant test deadline

1-Sep-2009
White Young Green has bought itself more time to renegotiate the terms of its debts.
Lavendon growth plans despite turnover dip

28-Aug-2009
Plant hire firm Lavendon Group has said it is in a position to grow its market share despite turnover for the last six months dropping 7 per cent.
Styles & Wood reports £1.1m half year loss

27-Aug-2009
Retail construction firm Styles & Wood has reported a half year loss of £1.1 million with turnover having fallen 39 per cent.
Henry Boot reveals £20.3m half year loss

27-Aug-2009
Henry Boot reported a half year loss of £20.3 million after being hit by £23.6 million in property writedowns and a 44 per cent drop in turnover.
Six eye starring role in Guildhall job

27-Aug-2009
Six firms are in the running to build the £150 million new home for the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Costain on course to break the £1bn mark

26-Aug-2009
Costain is on course to break the £1 billion turnover mark after boosting half year turnover by 9 per cent.
Industry to nominate candidates for Chief Construction Adviser role

26-Aug-2009
Industry chiefs are being asked to nominate candidates for the new Government Chief Construction Adviser role.
Govt to recruit Chief Construction Adviser

25-Aug-2009
The Government is now on the look out for a chief construction adviser to be in place by November.
Laing O'Rourke pushes turnover past £4bn

25-Aug-2009
Laing O’Rourke has pushed its turnover past the £4 billion mark with chairman and chief executive Ray O’Rourke saying the firm is “strong and resilient”.
Persimmon reports half year profit boosted by landbank write up

25-Aug-2009
Persimmon reported pre-tax profits of £9.8 million in the six months to 30 June 2009 after writing up the value of its landbank by £27.9 million.
Recession is at an end according to survey findings

24-Aug-2009
The recession is at an end according to a new survey which has revealed that confidence among business professions has surged.
ISG wins £13.5m Imperial College London refurb

24-Aug-2009
ISG has won a £13.5 million contract with Imperial College London to refurbish and modernise the mechanical engineering building.
New housing starts up 63pc in the three months to June

20-Aug-2009
New housing starts increased by 63 per cent in the three months to the end of June compared to the previous quarter according to figures from the Communities and Local Government.
John Sisk to build £3.9m Battersea Dogs & Cats Home facility

20-Aug-2009
John Sisk has won a contract to build a new cattery for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
Redrow announces three new boardroom appointments

20-Aug-2009
House builder Redrow has announced a board room shake up with three new directors joining the company.
Rok scales back in fears over low bids

20-Aug-2009
Rok is to scale back its involvement in contracting for the next three years to avoid falling victim to the suicidal bidding going on in the industry.
Civils contractors expect gloom to deepen

20-Aug-2009
Insolvency fears as desperate firms turn to below-cost bidding with workloads deteriorating
Sheffield Wednesday to increase Hillsborough capacity to 45,000

19-Aug-2009
Sheffield Wednesday FC have unveiled plans for a £22 million redevelopment of its Hillsborough Stadium increasing capacity by 6,000.
Hugh Grant's plumber blasts Alan Sugar's apprenticeship scheme

19-Aug-2009
Hugh Grant’s plumber has slated the Government’s apprenticeship scheme fronted by Sir Alan Sugar.
C Spencer replaces insolvent Ashford on £15m Birmingham job

19-Aug-2009
Work has started again on the regeneration of Birmingham’s coach station after a new contractor was appointed to replace the insolvent Ashford Construction.
United House Group posts recession-beating results

19-Aug-2009
Specialist housing contractor and developer United House Group has recession-beating results with turnover up 61 per cent to £190 million.
Mears turnover up 14pc but profit falls after acquisition

18-Aug-2009
Housing repair firm Mears reported a 14 per cent rise in turnover in the first half of 2009, but pre-tax profits dipped due to the impact of an acquisition.
Rok turnover drops 33pc with pre-tax profit down 47pc

18-Aug-2009
Turnover at Rok dropped 33 per cent drop in the first half of the year with pre-tax profit down by 47 per cent.
Strong public and utilities sectors steady construction work flow

17-Aug-2009
A strong performance in the public and utilities sectors has helped steady the flow of construction work, according to the July Glenigan Index.
Ceca warns of firms tendering below cost trend

17-Aug-2009
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has warned of an emerging trend of firms pricing below cost.
Top 50 firms pen more than 300 July deals

17-Aug-2009
More projects signed off in July than any other month so far in 2009 worth a total of £5.53 billion with Balfour Beatty again topping the league
Morgan Sindall appointed to £35m regen scheme

17-Aug-2009
Morgan Sindall has been named preferred partner for a £35 million regeneration scheme in Skipton, North Yorkshire.
RICS: Construction workloads fall for fifth quarter in a row

14-Aug-2009
Workloads continued to fall in all parts of the construction industry bar public sector non-housing works according to the latest RICS construction market survey.
More than 900 Scottish construction trainees made redundant

13-Aug-2009
The Scottish Building Federation has revealed that more than 900 construction trainees and apprentices will have been made redundant by the end of August since the same time last year.
Interserve looks east after posting recession-defying half-year results

13-Aug-2009
Interserve is targeting further international expansion to build on recession-busting half-year results this week.
Healthcare developer Medicx to tender six new facilities

13-Aug-2009
Specialist primary care developer Medicx Group is to put six new projects out to tender in the coming months worth up to nearly £20 million in total.
Few groundwork firms expect growth

13-Aug-2009
Just a quarter of groundwork firms are confident of achieving growth this financial year, according to a survey.
Mitie acquires British arm of Dalkia for £130m

12-Aug-2009
Mitie has acquired Dalkia Technical Facilities Management for £130 million.
Balfour Beatty to grow US operations to same size as UK business

12-Aug-2009
Balfour Beatty chief executive Ian Tyler said that the firm’s US operations will evolve to an equivalent size of the UK business.
Balfour Beatty reports 14pc rise in profit thanks to US growth

12-Aug-2009
Balfour Beatty saw a 14 per cent rise in pre-tax profit for the first half of the year, boosted by a strong UK civils market and growth in the firm’s US operations.
Jarvis incurs £3m restructuring costs after Q1 loss

11-Aug-2009
Jarvis will incur a further £3 million in restructuring costs after making a small operating loss over the last three months.
Interserve boosts profit by 19pc in recession-defying results

11-Aug-2009
Interserve today delivered recession defying half year results with pre-tax profit up by 18.7 per cent for the six months to 30 June 2009.
Over half of civil workloads fall over last three months

10-Aug-2009
Promised Government construction spending is failing to boost civil contractors workloads with 57 per cent reporting a fall in Q2 according to new figures.
4ps to become Local Partnerships

7-Aug-2009
The Government’s local public private project delivery arm 4ps will merge with the Local Government Association and Partnerships UK to form Local Partnerships from 18 August.
Bellway to acquire land with £45m rights issue funds

7-Aug-2009
Bellway will use the £45 million it has raised through a rights issue to acquire new land.
Industry decline continues but at slower rate amid talk of upturn

6-Aug-2009
Latest figures for construction and manufacturing output from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply have led to talk of a potential upturn surfacing.
More gloom expected from big names

6-Aug-2009
Contractors are expected to report falling profit and turnover along with reduced order books in the upcoming results season, according to industry experts.
EDF bidders could win French reactor

6-Aug-2009
Construction firms that make it through the EDF Energy procurement process will be eligible to win work on a new nuclear reactor in France, on top of the four planned new builds in the UK.
Atkins sheds more jobs after flat turnover

5-Aug-2009
Atkins today said that turnover for the three months since 1 April 2009 were flat so it had cut more jobs during the period.
Taylor Wimpey appoints American boss to group board

5-Aug-2009
Taylor Wimpey today appointed the chief executive of the American arm of the business Sheryl Palmer to the group board.
CIPS: Construction declines at slowest rate for 16 months

4-Aug-2009
The UK construction industry contracted at its slowest rate in sixteen months according to the latest figures from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.
Three in the running for £200m Tyneside housing project

4-Aug-2009
Three consortia are left in the running for North Tyneside Council’s £200 million Older People, Homes for the Future housing PFI project.
Leadbitter turnover jumps 22pc

3-Aug-2009
Turnover at Leadbitter jumped 22 per cent in the 12 months to 31 December 2008, the firm revealed today.
Interserve closes deal on £280m Sandwell BSF

3-Aug-2009
An Interserve-led consortium has reached financial close on the Sandwell Building Schools for the Future scheme worth more than £280 million.
Keller chairman retires with firm reporting 24pc drop in profit

31-Jul-2009
Keller chairman Dr Michael West retired from the business today after the firm reported a 24 per cent drop in first-half profit.
Balfour Beatty's Hong Kong business wins £300m sewer job

31-Jul-2009
Balfour Beatty’s jointly owned Hong Kong business has won a £300 million contract to build a new sewage conveyance system.
Interserve wins preferred bidder role on £200m HSBC job

31-Jul-2009
Interserve has been named preferred bidder by HSBC for a £200 million contract to provide facilities management (FM) services across its UK property portfolio.
Travis Perkins' profit falls 27pc but stability returning

30-Jul-2009
Travis Perkins’ profit has fallen 27 per cent in the first six months of the year, but bosses said today there were signs of stability in its markets.
Tender price forecasts revised down

30-Jul-2009
The price of construction work is set for even greater falls than previously thought over the next two years, according to the inaugural Construction News tender price consensus.
Call for sub-contractors to work on £2.4bn Birmingham BSF job

30-Jul-2009
Catalyst Lend Lease and Birmingham City Council have issued a plea for a wide range of sub-contractors to help with one of the largest education construction programmes in Europe.
Wrekin Construction's parent company goes under

29-Jul-2009
Wrekin Construction’s parent company the Tamar Group has gone into liquidation.
Enabling works for £23m school of music goes out to tender

28-Jul-2009
Enabling works for a new £23 million school of music in Manchester have gone out to tender after the city council granted detailed planning permission.
HCA shortlists 270 housing schemes for £925m funding

28-Jul-2009
The Homes and Communities Agency has shortlisted 270 stalled housing schemes for a share of a £925 million cash pot to kick start building again.
WSP chief says no further plans for redundancies

27-Jul-2009
WSP chief executive Chris Cole has said there are no further plans for more redundancies after more than 1,000 job cuts have been made over the last six months.
Survey finds Govt's credit insurance scheme is failing

27-Jul-2009
The Government’s trade credit insurance top-up scheme is not working according to the results of a survey from the Construction Products Association.
Tender prices remain depressed with workload still falling

27-Jul-2009
Tender prices remain depressed as construction workloads continue to fall, according to the latest Tender Price Index from the Building Cost Information Service.
WSP cuts 1,000 jobs over past six months as profit tumbles

27-Jul-2009
Consultant WSP has cut 1,000 jobs over the past six months after restructuring the business to cope with a fall in profits during the downturn.
Wolseley profits fall 60pc

27-Jul-2009
Pre-tax profits at building supplies giant Wolseley dropped 60 per cent for the 11 months to the end of June 2009, the firm revealed today.
Howard Holdings is wound up, but its "business as usual"

23-Jul-2009
The UK arm of Irish property development firm Howard Holdings PLC was wound up in the High Court on Wednesday.
Construction £350m PAYE crackdown dubbed "stealth tax"

23-Jul-2009
The largest contract and payroll service provider for self employed construction workers Hudson Contract has described the Government’s attempts to crack down on bogus self employment as a “stealth tax in waiting”.
Cyril Sweett commits to halving landfill waste by 2012

23-Jul-2009
Cyril Sweett has committed to halving the amount of construction, demolition and excavation waste going to landfill by 2012.
Strategic Team reports 20pc rise in turnover to £34.5m

23-Jul-2009
Yorkshire based contractor Strategic Team Group today reported a 20 per cent increase in turnover to £34.5 million for the year ended 31 March 2009.
NHBC: New home starts continued to rise in June

23-Jul-2009
New home starts increased further in June, up 95 per cent on the low in December 2008 and the highest number since July 2008.
Laing O'Rourke wins £100m hospital redevelopment job

23-Jul-2009
Laing O’Rourke has won a £100 million contract to redevelop West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.
Chancellor in £350m PAYE crackdown

23-Jul-2009
The Treasury is proposing plans to tackle what it calls “false self-employment”, which could land the construction industry with a bill of up to £350 million through an increased cost of labour.
Councils overpay by £300m-plus

23-Jul-2009
Contractors face tighter scrutiny of charges for local authority contracts after it was revealed they are overpaid by at least £300 million a year.
Company collapses easing but PwC still warns of ‘difficult times ahead’

23-Jul-2009
The number of construction firms running into difficulties is starting to fall
Low haul in June despite more deals

22-Jul-2009
The top 50 contractors signed the second highest number of deals last month but the value was the lowest since the start of 2009
Development Securities wins consent for 155-bed hotel

22-Jul-2009
Plans for a new 155-bed hotel and office building at West Quay in Southampton by Development Securities have been given the green-light.
Planning granted for 300,000 sq ft central London development

22-Jul-2009
Planning approval has been granted for a 300,000 sq ft mixed used development in the heart of London.
RLB report says UK construction cost pressure remains

22-Jul-2009
The latest international cost commentary report from Rider Levett Bucknall concludes that European construction markets remain depressed with some stabilisation evident in the UK although at significantly recessed levels.
HCA unveils flagship schemes on £12m low carbon initiative

22-Jul-2009
The first schemes for the Homes and Communities Agency’s £11.85 million low carbon infrastructure initiative have been announced.
Connaught makes two acquisitions for £15.9m

22-Jul-2009
Support services firm Connaught is driving the expansion of its health, safety and environmental division after acquiring two businesses for £15.9 million.
Speedy Hire cautious despite Carillion Middle East deal

21-Jul-2009
Speedy Hire today announced a tie up with Carillion’s Middle East business, but said that overall it remains very cautious about the short term prospects of the business.
Hydrock wins groundwork job on new E.ON nuclear plant

20-Jul-2009
Construction services group Hydrock has been appointed by E.ON to carry out the preliminary ground investigation for the proposed new nuclear power station at Oldbury in Gloucestershire.
Construction business failures fall 4.1 per cent in Q2

20-Jul-2009
The number of construction firms collapsing in the three months to 30 June dropped 4.1 per cent compared to the previous three months, new figures have revealed.
John Healey unveils £1.7bn PFI funds to build 11,200 homes

17-Jul-2009
Housing minister John Healey today announced a £1.7 billion cash boost for 10 local authorities to build 11,200 new homes, which he claimed would create 20,000 jobs in the building industry.
Briggs & Forrester win £10m college job

17-Jul-2009
Building services contractor Briggs & Forrester has won a £10 million contract for Booth Lane College in Northampton.
Highways Agency CEO Graham Dalton outearned by colleagues

17-Jul-2009
The Highways Agency’s director of information Denise Plumpton and network operations director Derek Turner were the agency’s biggest earners over the past year according to the latest accounts.
T Clarke to close two regional offices as boss leaves

17-Jul-2009
Electrical engineering contractor T Clarke today announced it is closing two regional offices and results will not meet its expectations for the year.
UK sticks to 2016 pledge for all new homes to be zero carbon

16-Jul-2009
The UK Government has stuck to its guns by reiterating its pledge for all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016.
EDF assures design issues won’t delay nuclear plans

16-Jul-2009
EDF Energy has moved to reassure contractors that questions over the safety of the nuclear reactor it plans to roll out in the UK have been addressed.
Crossrail hopefuls band together

16-Jul-2009
Balfour Beatty, Morgan Est and Vinci Construction Grands Projets team up for major construction package
Seven million UK homes to be given energy makeovers

15-Jul-2009
The Government today revealed seven million homes will be given pay-as-you-save energy makeovers as part of “comprehensive changes” to slash UK carbon emissions.
ONS figures show 49,000 construction job losses in Q1

15-Jul-2009
New Government figures show 49,000 construction workers were made redundant in the first three months of 2009.
Construction sees biggest fall in firms with financial problems

15-Jul-2009
The construction industry has seen the biggest decline of all UK industries in companies facing significant problems according to new figures.
St Modwen to take on £35m college job after Ashford collapse

14-Jul-2009
Developer St Modwen has taken over direct responsibility for the construction of the new £35 million Warwickshire College in Rugby after main contractor Ashford Construction went into receivership.
Mace wins role on £85m Edinburgh Conference Centre job

14-Jul-2009
Mace has been named project manager on the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
John Sisk wins £6.1m Piccadilly Circus job

14-Jul-2009
John Sisk & Son has won a £6.1 million development job near Piccadilly Circus in London.
Jarvis profit falls 32pc after hit from Network Rail work delays

14-Jul-2009
Rail network services company Jarvis said that Network Rail’s decision to delay works had created a difficult trading environment as the firm’s profit fell 32 per cent.
Mears Group wins £200m Brighton council homes job

13-Jul-2009
Social housing repair firm Mears has won a £200 million ten year contract with Brighton & Hove City Council.
Mitie wins £100m Santander deal after steady start to year

10-Jul-2009
Mitie has won a £100 million contract with Spanish banking giant Santander as the firm reported a steady start to the year.
Speedy receives 92.4pc take up of £100m rights issue

10-Jul-2009
Speedy Hire has revealed a 92.4 per cent take up of its £100 million rights issue announced at the end of May.
Bovis joins Barratt and Persimmon in positive housing message

10-Jul-2009
Bovis Homes today joined Barratt and Persimmon in reporting signs of stabilisation in the housing market.
Interserve secures 60pc of 2010 turnover target

10-Jul-2009
Interserve has already secured 60 per cent of its targeted turnover for 2010, the firm revealed today.
Interserve/Kier/Mouchel JV wins £250m United Utilities contract

10-Jul-2009
A joint venture between Interserve, Kier, J Murphy and Mouchel has clinched the £250 million Non-Infrastructure Capital Delivery Framework for United Utilities.
Steelmaker Corus announces 366 more job cuts

9-Jul-2009
Steelmaker Corus is planning to cut another 366 jobs at its Scunthorpe plant in North Lincolnshire, just a week after revealing 2,000 UK job losses.
Babcock expecting another "excellent" year

9-Jul-2009
Babcock International is expecting another year of “excellent progress”, the firm revealed today.
Falling demand for construction workers eases slightly

8-Jul-2009
The fall in demand for both permanent and temporary construction workers eased slightly in June, but still remains among the lowest of all UK industries.
Costain wins £297m Sellafield contract

8-Jul-2009
Costain has clinched a £297 million nuclear contract at Sellafield.
Carillion to deliver improved results driven by outsourcing

8-Jul-2009
Carillion said it expects to deliver improved half year earnings boosted by an outsourcing drive among public and private sector organisations.
Willmott Dixon reports 56pc increase in turnover

7-Jul-2009
Willmott Dixon has revealed a 56 per cent increase in turnover for 2008 of £592.5 million compared with £380.4 million the previous year.
Construction starts to stabilise over next six months

7-Jul-2009
Construction project starts are forecast to stabilise in second half of 2009 according to the latest Glenigan Index.
Kier announces £250m United Utilities contract extension

7-Jul-2009
Kier today announced an extension of a water framework contract with United Utilities until 2015 worth £250 million.
Ucatt welcomes consultation on outlawing blacklisting

7-Jul-2009
Construction union Ucatt has welcomed today’s publication of a Government consultation to potentially outlaw the blacklisting of workers.
Commercial property showing first signs of recovery

7-Jul-2009
New figures have revealed that the commercial property market is starting to see the first signs of recovery.
Four-way JV lines up bid for £1.2bn Forth Bridge

7-Jul-2009
Balfour Beatty, Morgan Est, Vinci Construction Grands Projets and Bam Nuttall are to join forces to bid for the £1.2 billion contract to build the new Forth Bridge in Scotland.
Persimmon turnover and sales volumes up on last year

7-Jul-2009
Persimmon said today that its turnover and volume of sales have continued to improve since April compared with the same period last year.
Work starts on £1bn Barnsley BSF scheme

7-Jul-2009
Work has started on the first phase of the £1 billion Barnsley Building Schools for the Future programme.
UK behind in construction stimulus spend

1-Jul-2009
New figures reveal that the UK government is lagging behind many other major nations in spending on construction stimulus packages
Housing minister to unveil HRA review findings next week

25-Jun-2009
Housing minister John Healey will unveil long awaited plans to reform the Housing Revenue Account at the Local Government Association annual conference next week.
BAA appoints director of treasury

25-Jun-2009
Fred Maroudas has been appointed as director of treasury at the Competition Commission beset UK-based airport operator BAA.
Lavendon Group's resilience against recession is growing

25-Jun-2009
Equipment hire firm Lavendon Group has said its resilience against the recession has improved over the past six months.
Styles & Wood rights issue oversubscribed by 43pc

25-Jun-2009
Styles & Wood has revealed its rights issue attracted significant attention with applications to buy new shares oversubscribed by 43 per cent.
Costain focus on blue chip customers helps boost trading

25-Jun-2009
Costain’s focus on targeting blue chip customers is continuing to see the firm perform in line with management expectations.
Graham and Sisk lead Irish invasion

25-Jun-2009
Construction firms from recession-battered Ireland turn to England and Scotland for work
Small contractors slash tender prices

25-Jun-2009
A two-tier construction economy is emerging in which smaller firms are reducing tenders to dangerously low levels, according to a new report.
Exclusive look at progress on World Trade Center site

24-Jun-2009
On a recent trip to New York Construction News visited the World Trade Center building site to check on progress.
Development Securities launches £100m rights issue

24-Jun-2009
Office developer Development Securities has launched a rights issue to raise nearly £100 million.
Ucatt: Government is stalling on compensating asbestos victims

24-Jun-2009
Construction union Ucatt has raised concerns over whether the Government is intending to deny compensation to thousands of construction asbestos victims.
Mace to host charity cricket at the Oval featuring Mark Ramprakash

23-Jun-2009
Mace Group’s utilities sector is to host the Mace Group Celebrity Cricket Challenge, in aid of WaterAid at the BritOval on Friday 24 July.
Marston's to build 25 new pubs a year after rights issue

23-Jun-2009
Brewing firm Marston’s is planning to accelerate its new building programme to deliver around 20 to 25 new pub openings a year.
MP tables motion calling for more construction apprentices

23-Jun-2009
A former apprentice turned MP for Blaydon, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, has tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons calling for more construction apprenticeships.
Tenders to be invited for £11m university leisure facility

23-Jun-2009
Contractors will be invited to bid on an £11 million leisure facility at the University of Central Lancashire now Drivers Jonas has been appointed as project manager.
Aggreko's overseas division grows while local business suffers

23-Jun-2009
Aggreko has said it expects first-half profit to rise as its international power division continues to grow.
Mace fit-out arm wins £13.2m KPMG contract

22-Jun-2009
Mace’s fit-out arm Como has secured its first commission in Birmingham under a £13.2 million contract for new client KPMG.
Insurance deal completed for Connect Plus £6.2bn M25 project

22-Jun-2009
The largest project insurance policy has been completed for the £6.2 billion M25 widening scheme covering all parties involved up to a policy limit of £25 million.
Balfour Beatty division wins £1m retail job

22-Jun-2009
Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering has secured a £1 million contract for Union Square Developments at its Guild Street project, Aberdeen.
Mansell wins £5.7m London housing project

22-Jun-2009
Mansell has won a £5.7 million contract for the design and construction of 36 new homes at Lyme Grove in Hackney, London.
Unions and employers groups adjourn CIJC pay talks

22-Jun-2009
Talks between employers and unions over a new pay agreement for workers employed under the CIJC Working Rule Agreement have concluded without agreement.
Quality and safety at risk as firms slash costs to win work

22-Jun-2009
Construction quality and safety standards are at risk as firms are being forced to cut costs to win competitive tenders, a leading industry body has warned.
Construction continues in Birmingham but at reduced level

19-Jun-2009
Six new construction starts in Birmingham over the past 12 months signal development is still happening in the city, albeit at a reduced level.
May Gurney to slash CO2 by 50pc in next three years

19-Jun-2009
May Gurney is aiming to slash its carbon dioxide emissions by 50 per cent over the next three years as part of a commitment to ultimately be carbon neutral by 2014.
HCA forms group to secure new private funding for housing

19-Jun-2009
A new advisory group with a wide ranging remit to look at future sources of private finance for housing has been established by the Homes and Communities Agency.
CBI: BSF improving after shaky start

18-Jun-2009
The Government’s £55 billion Building Schools for the Future programme is improving after a shaky start and is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils, a new report published by the CBI revealed today.
EDF to invite tenders for nuclear job

18-Jun-2009
Tenders will be invited this summer for two major jobs on the new £4 billion Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station, despite the controversial scheme not having planning approval.
Credit insurance move will be huge boost to construction firms

18-Jun-2009
A Government decision to back date its credit insurance top-up cover has significantly increased the number of construction firms eligible for the scheme.
Bidders face frustration as £200m Manchester road job is delayed

18-Jun-2009
The procurement process for a £200m bypass near Manchester has been delayed after it emerged the project may have to go back out to public consultation.
Kickstart funding starts to create work

18-Jun-2009
Data shows an increase in the value of public sector work while private sector continues to suffer.
Mace man scoops Midlands young professional award

17-Jun-2009
Chris Hill has been named Birmingham Young Professional of the Year 2009 in the property and construction sector for his work on the new LG Arena project.
Contractors put together petition against glass price hikes

17-Jun-2009
Contractors and sub-contractors are gathering together a petition against glass manufacturers they believe are trying to raise glass prices by 50 per cent.
Bumper M25 deal flatters firm’s books

17-Jun-2009
The top 50 scooped £7.82 billion of job wins in May boosted heavily by the awarding of the M25 widening deal worth more than £5bn alone
HCA and Norwich City Council team up to build 1,300 homes

17-Jun-2009
Around 1,300 homes will be built in Norwich following the formation of a partnership between the city council and the Homes and Communities Agency.
NHBC reveals third successive rise in new home starts

17-Jun-2009
New home starts in the UK rose for a third successive quarter on quarter in May, latest statistics from the National House-Building Council have revealed.
Unite unveils social housing building plan

17-Jun-2009
Trade union Unite has today revealed an action plan to kick-start the social housing building programme.
Atkins 'well prepared' after 12pc profit jump

17-Jun-2009
Atkins saw pre-tax profits rise 12 per cent rise in the 12 months to 31 March 2009 and said it was “well prepared to respond to fluctuations, both positive and negative, in all markets”.
Government set to miss social housing targets

16-Jun-2009
Despite social housing being a key priority, the Government is unlikely to meet its national target according to the Construction Products Association’s annual Achievable Targets report.
Holcim snaps up Cemex's Australian operations for £988m

15-Jun-2009
Holcim today announced it is buying the Australian operations of Cemex for £988 million.
New online calculator for contractors to tax liability

12-Jun-2009
Contract services firm Hudson Contract has launched an online calculator that enables contractors to weigh the risks of an HMRC status inspection going against them.
Flats to go in fire sale after bank pressure

12-Jun-2009
A new build block of 167 flats is to be offloaded this weekend in a half price fire sale.
AECOM appointed engineer on 7-star Abu Dhabi hospital

12-Jun-2009
Engineers AECOM have been appointed to provide multi-disciplinary engineering and specialist services for the new Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
Report: 61pc of housing associations cutting costs

12-Jun-2009
Nearly two thirds of housing associations are still actively reducing their overheads according to new findings.
New Bill to crack down on construction gangmasters

12-Jun-2009
Construction union Ucatt has warmly welcomed the tabling of a new Bill which if passed will crackdown on illegal gangmasters who exploit vulnerable construction workers.
Signs of life emerging in flow of new projects

12-Jun-2009
Tentative signs are emerging that the flow of new construction projects is steadying, according to the latest Glenigan Index, after the sharp declines seen since the middle of last year.
Three firms connected to Wrekin go into liquidation

12-Jun-2009
Three companies connected to collapsed construction firm Wrekin have gone into liquidation, including one which owed the Shropshire firm more than £500,000.
Rok's FD Ashley Martin takes on Rightmove role

12-Jun-2009
Rok’s finance director Ashley Martin was today unveiled as a non-executive director and audit committee chairman for Rightmove.
Ian Lucas named ninth construction minister since 2001

11-Jun-2009
Ian Lucas has been formally appointed as the new construction minister.
Forth Bridge tender due “this month”

11-Jun-2009
The main construction package for Scotland’s biggest infrastructure project, the £2 billion Forth replacement crossing, will go out to tender later this month.
Developers to start building in 12 months

10-Jun-2009
Savvy larger developers could take advantage of commercial development opportunities set to arise later on this year as market evolves
Ucatt welcomes £2,000 adopt a redundant apprentice scheme

10-Jun-2009
Construction union Ucatt today welcomed the Scot Action “Adopt an Apprentice” project that will see employers paid £2,000 to recruit a redundant apprentice.
Four teams invited for talks on £1bn Herts BSF scheme

10-Jun-2009
Four teams have qualified for the next stage of the £1 billion Hertfordshire Building Schools for the Future programme.
ISG secures £40m of new work in Asia and Middle East

10-Jun-2009
Interior Services Group announced today it has won £40 million of new orders in Asia and the Middle East.
Interserve wins on £400m Highways Agency framework

10-Jun-2009
Interserve revealed today that it has also been named as a partner in the Highways Agency’s £400 million managed works framework contract.
YouGov: More than half of contractors could cut costs further

9-Jun-2009
More than 53 per cent of construction firms responding to a survey carried out by YouGov feel they could achieve cost savings of 6 per cent or more.
RICS: House buyer enquiries and sales continue to rise

9-Jun-2009
New house buyer enquiries and sales are continuing to rise with available housing stocks reducing according to the RICS’ UK housing market survey.
Rok secures £90m after eight framework wins

9-Jun-2009
Rok has won eight new contracts under framework agreements worth a combined total of £90 million over the next four years.
Construction output figures show record fall

8-Jun-2009
Government construction output figures for the first three months of 2009 highlight the biggest falls on record, the Construction Products Association has warned.
Michaela Strachan to front skip hire ad campaign

8-Jun-2009
Michaela Strachan of Wacaday and Really Wild Show fame has become the voice of an East of England skip hire firm’s latest advertising campaign.
Construction debt collection cases up by 32pc

5-Jun-2009
Leading debt collector LPL, which has more than 200 construction firms on its books, said there has been a 32 per cent rise in builders calling upon its services in the last two months.
British Precast joins Mineral Products Association

5-Jun-2009
Concrete trade federation British Precast has become the latest materials body to affiliate with the recently formed Mineral Products Association.
Bellway switches focus from debt reduction to building again

5-Jun-2009
Bellway will change its focus away from reducing debt to building new homes once again in areas of the country where demand is strongest.
Revised Battersea Power Station plans revealed

5-Jun-2009
Revised plans to regenerate London’s Battersea Power Station have been unveiled.
Major investors look to fund UK private rented housing

4-Jun-2009
ING Real Estate, Schroders, Legal and General and Wellcome Trust all express interest in funding the formation of a private rental sector in the UK.
Bidding hots up for £320m Kickstart Housing programme

4-Jun-2009
Bids have flooded in from housing associations and private house builders for a slice of a £320 million package to kick-start stalled housing projects.
Six firms tender for Pinnacle skyscraper concrete job

4-Jun-2009
Six firms have been invited to tender this week for the concrete core package on the 63-storey 288m Pinnacle skyscraper.
Banks accused as construction firm Harry Lynch is forced under

4-Jun-2009
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has accused banks of being short-sighted after one of its founding members went under last week.
Archaelogical team to return to Pinnacle site

4-Jun-2009
The Museum of London Archaeology is expected to return to the site of the 63-storey 288m Pinnacle this month to complete its investigatory works.
Jarvis secures £20m extension to E.ON coal contract

3-Jun-2009
Jarvis has secured a £20 million extension of its E.ON coal haul contract.
US financing points way to regeneration

3-Jun-2009
A change in UK law is needed if innovative US financing methods are to be used to kickstart regeneration projects that have been delayed
Developers can win extra two years planning approval

3-Jun-2009
Developers in Central London are being granted an extra two years to start work after winning planning permission.
Demand for construction workers is lowest of all industries

3-Jun-2009
Demand for both permanent and temporary construction workers remains among the lowest of all UK industries.
Mortgage lending 57pc up on six months ago

3-Jun-2009
Mortgage lending in May was 57 per cent up on six months ago, latest mortgage lending data from the Bank of England has revealed.
Mears Group wins £100m of work over past two months

3-Jun-2009
Social housing and maintenance firm Mears Group today announced its trading continues to be strong with over £100 million of new work in two months.
Mansell wins £6.4m London commercial job

2-Jun-2009
Mansell has won a £6.4 million commercial project with Frogmore Real Estate Partners.
British arm of Pierse Group to be wound up

2-Jun-2009
The British arm of Irish construction firm Pierse Group has gone into administration and is in the process of being wound up.
UK construction contracts at slowest rate in over a year

2-Jun-2009
The UK construction sector contracted at its slowest rate in more than a year the latest Purchasing Managers Index for construction has revealed.
Heron Tower steelmaker among missing on Air France flight

2-Jun-2009
A board member of German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp was on the Air France flight from Brazil to Paris that has disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean.
May Gurney on acquisition trail after profit boost

2-Jun-2009
Pre-tax profits at May Gurney jumped 16 per cent in the year to 31 March 2009 and said it would be looking to make acquisitions.
Recession hits western world's share of global GDP

1-Jun-2009
The western world’s GDP will drop below 50 per cent of the entire world’s GDP this year as a result of the recession.
Wates buys stake in renewable energy contractor

1-Jun-2009
Wates’ renewable investment arm Cape Verde has bought 50 per cent of renewable energy specialist contractor Econic.
Powerminster Gleeson wins £7.4m maintenance extension

1-Jun-2009
Powerminster Gleeson Services has renewed its contract with the former Bradford Community Housing Trust Incommunities for a further four years.
McCarthy & Stone completes first land purchase in over a year

29-May-2009
Retirement home builder McCarthy & Stone has bought its first piece of new land in over a year.
Lack of new homes nudges up house prices

29-May-2009
House prices have continued a tentative recovery with the average cost of a UK home rising 1.2 per cent in May driven by a lack of supply of new homes coming onto the market.
Business confidence improving in London

29-May-2009
The mood among businesses in London is now brighter than at any other time this year.
Cladding work starts on the Heron Tower

29-May-2009
Cladding work has begun on the Heron Tower which will become the tallest building in the City of London.
Equipment specialist Vp enjoys profit rise due to diverse work

29-May-2009
Equipment rental specialist Vp today said its diverse market spread helped it record an 8 per cent rise in pre-tax profit.
Persimmon appoints north division boss to group board

29-May-2009
Persimmon has announced a board change with Jeffrey Fairburn being promoted as executive director.
Scottish house builder Applecross is put into receivership

28-May-2009
House builder Applecross has been placed into receivership after being hit by a downturn in sales and restriction on development activity.
Speedy Hire to raise £100m through a rights issue

28-May-2009
Speedy Hire aims to raise £100 million through a full rights issue, the firm announced today.
Subcontractors eye £6.2bn M25 job

28-May-2009
Earthworks and design deals handed out as 30 more massive contracts go out for tender on £6.2 billion widening project
Barratt goes back to houses over flats

28-May-2009
Recession-battered builders scale back flatted developments in favour of traditional housing
Available tenders begin to increase

28-May-2009
Economists note upturn in work available – but competition and timeframes are up as well
Mann’s creditors left with little hope

28-May-2009
Mann Construction’s trade creditors could be paid as little as a penny for every pound that they are owed, it has emerged.
ICO ordered to prove how Ian Kerr profited from blacklist

27-May-2009
The Information Commissioner’s Office has been ordered to prove how Ian Kerr profited from his database of blacklisted construction workers.
Blacklister Ian Kerr pleads guilty and now faces Crown Court

27-May-2009
Blacklister Ian Kerr will be sentenced in a Crown Court after pleading guilty to offences under the Data Protection Act.
BSS Group sales rise but profits dip

27-May-2009
Plumbing, heating and industrial products supply firm BSS Group has reported a slight dip in pre-tax profit despite a 4 per cent rise in turnover.
Telford Homes sees a sales rise due to affordable housing

27-May-2009
House builder Telford Homes has seen a 34 per cent fall in pre-tax profit over the last year but said sales were picking up thanks to a focus on affordable housing.
Blacklist boss goes on trial today

27-May-2009
The firm behind the blacklist of construction firms is to go on trial today.
Heidelberg-Cement puts Hanson UK up for sale for £1bn

26-May-2009
German firm Heidelberg has put its UK cement division Hanson up for sale for a reported £1 billion.
Tesco, John Lewis and HCA back BPF regeneration plans

26-May-2009
Retail giants are backing the British Property Federation’s five point plan to kickstart the construction industry through closer public and private sector working.
Applications to build new homes up 10pc

25-May-2009
The housebuilding industray has received a boost with applications to build new homes up 10 per cent in the three months to April, figures from the National Housebuilding Council have revealed.
Work on £200m Baby Shard is put on hold

22-May-2009
Plans for £200 million Baby Shard next to the construction site of Europe’s tallest skyscraper, the Shard, have been put on hold.
Shepherd Construction restructure brings job losses

22-May-2009
Shepherd Construction is restructuring its business leading to job losses across its head office and regional operating divisions.
IMAGE: Baby swans hatch at construction accessories site

22-May-2009
Four cygnets are now swanning around a SIG accessories site on one of the largest industrial estates in Europe.
More than 5,000 jobs up for grabs on M25 widening

22-May-2009
Up to 5,000 jobs will be created during the peak of the £6.2 billion M25 widening project with scores of mega subcontract packages up for grabs.
Collapsed Mann Construction's creditors revealed

22-May-2009
Mann Construction’s 10 biggest creditors are owed £3 million between them after the firm collapsed with nearly £17 million of debt.
Work already underway on Junctions 16 to 18 of M25

21-May-2009
Work is already underway on the widening of the M25 between junctions 16 and 23 just after a day after the £6.2 billion project reached financial close.
Interiors firm MG merges with Linear Electrical

21-May-2009
Liverpool-based Interiors firm MG has merged with Southampton-based electrical services firm Linear Electrical.
British Land slumps to £3.9bn loss after property writedowns

21-May-2009
British Land has reported a loss of £3.9 billion for the 12 months to March 2009 after £3.2 billion of writedowns in property values.
Balfour Beatty scoops £373m US work

21-May-2009
Balfour Beatty’s American building arm won work totalling up to $560 million (£373 million).
Civils workloads begin tentative recovery

21-May-2009
Fewer firms saw their civils workloads deteriorate in the first quarter of 2009 than did at the end of 2008, according to research.
Costain joins top table after bumper month

20-May-2009
Three major job wins take Costain to the top of April’s league table and into the top five for the year, as top 50 win £12 billion of work in last quarter
Connect Plus reaches financial close on £6.2bn M25 widening

20-May-2009
Connect Plus - the consortium made up of Balfour Beatty, Skanska and Atkins - has today reached financial close for the £6.2 billion M25 widening contract.
Olympic athletes village shortlist announced

20-May-2009
Ardmore Construction, Galliford Try and Wates have made the shortlist to build 300 apartments at the £1.1 billion London 2012 Athletes village for Bovis Lend Lease.
Shard observation deck to be Europe's highest

20-May-2009
Pictures have been released of the Shard Viewing Galleries which will become the highest publicly accessible observation point in Europe.
Tentative signs of improvement as less work is put on hold in April

20-May-2009
About 38 per cent less construction work was put on hold last month than in the first month of the year, figures have revealed.
IMAGES: Dallas Cowboys stadium nears completion

19-May-2009
The new 100,000-seater Dallas Cowboys Stadium is nearing completion.
HCA funds boost £29m development

19-May-2009
The Homes and Communities Agency is to provide funding support for a £29 million mixed-use development on Holloway Road in Islington, north London.
Cash rich Renew Holdings looks at acquisitions

19-May-2009
Engineering and construction services group Renew Holdings is looking at potential acquisitions despite pre-tax profit and turnover both dropping 10 per cent.
Interserve wins £110m prison job

19-May-2009
Interserve has won a £110 million contract to design and build a new prison for the Ministry of Justice.
Job losses at North Midland Construction as profit drops

18-May-2009
North Midland Construction has suffered job losses during a review of the organisation in a bid to cut costs.
Mitie confident as profit rises 11pc

18-May-2009
Profits at Mitie jumped 11 per cent over the last 12 months and the firm said its prospects for the year ahead are good as private companies continue to farm out work to cut costs.
Mansell scoops £7m Middlesex housing job

15-May-2009
Mansell has been awarded a £7 million contract to build 52 homes for Catalyst Housing Group in Feltham, Middlesex.
Gleeson expects further writedowns with turnover falling

15-May-2009
Housebuilder M J Gleeson expects turnover in the second half of its financial year to be below first half levels, and flagged that it expects to make further writedowns this year.
MPs offered ray of light in expenses controversy

14-May-2009
Electrical parts firm RS Components has shed light on how MPs can illuminate their homes without billing taxpayers.
Mace to grow globally to achieve £1bn turnover aim by 2012

14-May-2009
Mace is aiming to be a £1 billion company by 2012 and will continue to spread its global footprint to achieve its aim.
Shard builder Mace sets sights on two more major contracts

14-May-2009
Mace has set its sights on securing two more major contracts in a bid to become Europe’s leading tall building construction firm.
Mace boosts profit 38pc in recession defying results

14-May-2009
Mace enjoyed a 38 per cent rise in pre-tax profit helped by a diversification strategy implemented five years ago.
Strong cash and order book keeps Kier in line

14-May-2009
Kier today said its cash position and order books are healthy putting the firm on course for trading in line with management expectations.
Housing restart adds 6,000 to home forecasts

14-May-2009
Fewer than 70,000 extra new homes will be built this year despite housebuilders announcing they are looking to start building again.
Consumer fears hit ‘fun’ sector

13-May-2009
Despite investment by budget hoteliers, the sector has been hit by consumer confidence and falls in tourism
M25 deal "set to close on 20 May"

13-May-2009
The M25 widening scheme is set to close on 20 May, Construction News’ sister magazine Infrastructure Journal has this morning reported.
Horbury Group scoops three university expansion jobs

13-May-2009
Rotherham-based construction firm The Horbury Group has secured new contracts at universities in Leeds, York and Birmingham worth £8.5 million.
Marshalls to launch £34m rights issue after sales slump

13-May-2009
Landscape products firm Marshalls is to raise £34 million through a rights issue after sales in the first four months of 2009 tumbled 19 per cent.
Mace appoints CBUK and Severfield Rowen for Shard steel

12-May-2009
Both Cleveland Bridge UK and Severfield Rowen will work on the £50 million Shard steel package, Mace has today said.
RICS' new home buyer enquiries rise to 10-year high

12-May-2009
New buyer enquiries in the housing market increased for the sixth consecutive month in April to the highest figure for almost a decade.
Babcock International ups profit and boasts £5.7bn order book

12-May-2009
Engineering firm Babcock International today reported recession beating results with pre-tax profit up 26 per cent on turnover up 22 per cent.
Galliford Try praises housing and construction hybrid model

12-May-2009
Galliford Try said today that its housing and construction hybrid model was serving it well and it expects its results this year to be in line with expectations.
Interserve expecting 2009 to be a "year of progress"

12-May-2009
Interserve said today that the firm is well placed to deliver a “year of progress” with 2009 trading had so far been in line with expectations.
Redrow to start building houses once again

12-May-2009
Redrow said today it was restarting construction on certain developments and starting new sites from its existing land bank.
Redrow contemplating a rights issue to pay down £269m debt

11-May-2009
Housebuilder Redrow is understood to be considering a rights issue ahead of a trading update to the stock market tomorrow.
Travis Perkins in £300m rights issue to pay down £1bn debt

11-May-2009
Travis Perkins announced today it is launching a £300 million rights issue to help pay down its £985 million net debt.
Galliford Try buys stricken rival's assets for £7m

11-May-2009
Galliford Try has bought up the residential development assets of Wright (Hull) Ltd for £7 million in cash.
Ashtead warns of profit fall in the next year

11-May-2009
Ashtead today warned that profits for 2009-10 financial year are likely to fall below its expectations due to a slump in private sector construction markets.
Taylor Wimpey to raise £510m in new share sale

8-May-2009
Taylor Wimpey today unveiled plans to raise £510 million via two share sales to pay down its debt and reduce interest payments.
Bank of England to print £50bn more cash

7-May-2009
The Bank of England today announced it will be printing an extra £50 billion of cash in a bid to jump-start the economy.
Construction orders up slightly in March

7-May-2009
Construction orders for March rose slightly compared with January and February after boosts in housing and infrastructure, but orders in the three months overall fell by 20 per cent compared with the previous three month period.
Barratt appoints former GAME man as new finance director

7-May-2009
Barratt Developments has appointed David Thomas from computer gaming firm GAME as its new finance director from 3 August.
Kier scoops £27m Kings Cross Station roof job

7-May-2009
Kier has won a £27 million contract to renew the large barrel-vaulted glazed roof at King’s Cross Station in London for Network Rail.
Rok secures 15 new framework contracts worth £350m

7-May-2009
Rok has secured 15 new framework contracts in the first four months of 2009 worth more than £350 million to the firm.
Bovis Homes trims off more than half its debt

7-May-2009
Bovis Homes expects its year-end debt position to be significantly better than previously indicated having already halved its debt since the beginning of 2009.
Costain boosts order book by 20pc to record £2.4bn

7-May-2009
Costain has secured higher revenue to date in 2009 compared with the same period last year as well as boosting its order book to a record £2.4 billion, the firm revealed today.
Wrekin creditors prepare to have their say over collapsed Midlands firm

7-May-2009
Wrekin Construction creditors will be given an opportunity to have their say this week over the £20.7 million they are owed by the collapsed Midlands firm.
Carillion on track to "materially" boost profits in 2009

6-May-2009
Carillion said today that it is on course to “materially” boost profits in 2009 after a solid start to the year so far.
Construction industry set for sharpest decline on record

6-May-2009
The construction industry is facing its sharpest decline on record with output and employment set to fall even further in 2009 and 2010, according to a new trade survey.
Skanska reports 49pc drop in Q1 profits despite UK boost

6-May-2009
Skanska today reported a 49 per cent drop in profits for the first three months of 2009, but said its UK construction operations were profitable once again.
Styles & Wood shelves takeover talks

5-May-2009
Styles & Wood has revealed it has shelved plans for a potential sale and has ceased all talks with acquirers.
Felton Construction plunges into administration

5-May-2009
Merseyside-based contractor Felton Construction has plunged into administration putting the future of a flagship medical centre in doubt.
Construction contracts at slowest pace for seven months

5-May-2009
The construction industry is contracting at its slowest pace for seven months with job losses reducing according to new figures.
BAA reports 28pc profit rise despite falling passenger numbers

5-May-2009
Airport operator BAA boosted profits by 28 per cent in the first three months of 2009 despite a 10 per cent fall in passengers at London airports, it was announced today.
M&A activity set to boom in late 2010

30-Apr-2009
Construction firms are patching up balance sheets through debt renegotiations and rights issues ahead of an expected flurry of takeovers
Bam set to compete with UK top three

23-Apr-2009
Dutch contractor has big plans for UK market after rebranded subsidiaries post increased turnover and profit
Budget 2009 REACTION: Housing stimulus offers little more

22-Apr-2009
Property specialists CB Richard Ellis today said Chancellor Alistair Darling’s £1 billion housing stimulus package is little more than an extension of the pre-Budget measures in November.
Budget 2009 REACTION: NFB says Govt missed an open goal

22-Apr-2009
The National Federation of Builders said today’s budget branded ‘Building Britain’s Future’ hardly mentioned the people that will actually build that future.
Budget 2009 REACTION: Ceca says budget 'missed opportunity' for transport R&M

22-Apr-2009
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association said today it regretted a “missed opportunity” in today’s Budget after calls were ignored for repair and maintenance work on the transport network.
Budget 2009: Credit insurance £5bn scheme welcomed

22-Apr-2009
The Government has unveiled plans for a £5 billion trade credit insurance guarantee scheme to protect supply chains.
Budget 2009 REACTION: RICS praises housing measures

22-Apr-2009
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has said chancellor Alistair Darling had recognised the need to support the housing market in order to help Britain’s economic recovery.
Budget 2009: £500m to kickstart housebuilding

22-Apr-2009
The UK’s house builders have been given a £500 million boost in today’s Budget.
Budget 2009: Alistair Darling to extend stamp duty holiday

22-Apr-2009
Chancellor Alistair Darling has unveiled measures to stimulate mortgage lending and reduce home repossessions in today’s Budget.
Wolseley receives 98pc shareholder support for rights issue

22-Apr-2009
Building materials group Wolseley has received acceptances from 98.3 per cent of shareholders for its recent rights issue.
Bouygues boosts UK turnover but profit drops

22-Apr-2009
French construction giant Bouygues saw its UK turnover rise 9.7 per cent in 2008 but pre-tax profit fell 7 per cent.
Hugh Grant's plumber reveals 80pc rise in profits

22-Apr-2009
Plumber to the stars Pimlico Plumbers has revealed pre-tax profits for 2008 up 80 per cent on the previous year.
Taylor Wimpey sells Ghana arm for £1 as it begins rights issue talks

21-Apr-2009
Taylor Wimpey has began sounding out potential investors over a £350 million rights issue it hopes to carry out before the summer of 2010.
Brick firm Michelmersh reports £2.9m loss

21-Apr-2009
Specialist brick, land development and landfill company Michelmersh Brick Holdings today announced a pre-tax loss of £2.9 million.
State of trade survey reveals more misery for builders

21-Apr-2009
The recession continues to hit small builders hard according to the latest state of trade survey published by the Federation of Master Builders.
John Sisk wins £14.5m Holiday Inn job

21-Apr-2009
John Sisk & Son has won a £14.5 million contract from Meridian Leisure Hotels to build a Holiday Inn hotel in Reading.
Alistair Darling to unveil £1bn housing rescue package

21-Apr-2009
Chancellor Alistair Darling is set to unveil an emergency £1 billion package in tomorrow’s budget to help revive Britain’s ailing housing market.
Galliford Try wins two education jobs worth £38m

21-Apr-2009
Construction and housebuilding group Galliford Try has won two academy projects totalling £38 million.
Connaught half year pre-tax profit rises 39pc

21-Apr-2009
Support services firm Connaught saw pre-tax profits rise 39 per cent in the six months to 28 February 2009.
Sunday Times top 100: 27 construction firms named

20-Apr-2009
The annual Sunday Times PricewaterhouseCoopers profit track top 100 has named 27 property and construction firms.
Construction workers visit Gordon Brown to call for green jobs

20-Apr-2009
Construction workers today delivered a letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling for “green investment” which they say could create 100,000 construction jobs.
Metal prices level off suggesting construction recovery

20-Apr-2009
A decline in the price of metals in the first three months of 2009 suggests signs of easing in the construction, figures released today have revealed.
Costain and Skanska on £250m Crossrail framework

17-Apr-2009
A Costain and Skanska joint venture has been chosen for a Crossrail framework with the potential for more than £250 million of work over a four year period.
Tolent Construction profit drops 76pc

17-Apr-2009
Tolent Construction reported a 76 per cent drop in pre-tax profit following a 14.5 per cent drop in revenue in the 12 months to 31 December 2008.
Aggreko revenue up 42pc in last three months

16-Apr-2009
Aggreko has made a strong start to 2009 with total revenues in the three months to 31 March 2009 growing by 42 per cent, the firm today revealed.
HCA to set up “mixed-use” framework

16-Apr-2009
The Homes and Communities Agency is hoping to attract private housebuilders and developers onto a “framework” to build mixed-use developments for the new housing bod
Industry urges renewed Budget push

16-Apr-2009
Trade bodies are hoping the Government will tackle the industry’s two biggest headaches in next week’s Budget – funding and workloads.
Crossrail delivery partner Bechtel won £23.3bn of work in 2008

15-Apr-2009
US construction giant Bechtel booked $35 billion (£23.3 billion) in new work in 2008.
Contractors nearly double March job wins

15-Apr-2009
The top 50 contractors won £4.4bn last month compared with £2.2bn in March 2008, as the elite enjoyed their best month for nearly a year
Heron Tower and Landsdowne Road steel firm in administration

15-Apr-2009
The Heron Tower’s steel fabricator Allerton has gone into administration throwing an air of doubt over progress on the £242 million 183m high skyscraper.
Sir Robert McAlpine's parent firm profit drops 28pc

15-Apr-2009
Sir Robert McAlpine’s parent company Newarthill has reported a 28 per cent drop in pre-tax profit as highest paid director scooped a 56 per cent pay rise.
Mace scoops job on £70m regeneration scheme

15-Apr-2009
Mace Group has been appointed to carry out pre-construction advice on a £70 million regeneration scheme in Hampshire.
Report finds Qatar construction industry is beating recession

15-Apr-2009
A new report has found that Qatar is avoiding the Middle East slowdown with only one major project cancelled in 2008.
HCA has built more than 50,000 homes over past year

14-Apr-2009
The Homes and Communities Agency today revealed it has built more than 50,000 new affordable homes over the past 12 months.
Vinci pushes UK turnover past the £1bn mark

9-Apr-2009
Vinci pushed its turnover past the £1 billion mark in the UK to £1.02 billion from £778 million in 2007, the firm has revealed.
Industry faces largest contraction on record

9-Apr-2009
Construction is set for its biggest ever falls in output with the industry shrinking by 15.4 per cent by the end of 2010, according to the Construction Products Association.
CCO role “could cost £750k a year”

9-Apr-2009
A Chief Construction Officer could cost the taxpayer as much as £750,000 a year, according to estimates believed to have been put on the position by the Government.
Administrators pore over Mann contracts

9-Apr-2009
Administrators are working their way through 38 contracts held by collapsed Mann Construction to ascertain what can be put back out to tender.
Viridor Laing scoops £640m Manchester waste job

8-Apr-2009
Viridor Laing has signed a £3.8 billion Private Finance Initiative waste and recycling contract for the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority.
North Midland Construction profit drops due to bad debts

8-Apr-2009
North Midland Construction today revealed a 7.9 per cent drop in pre-tax profit for the year ended 31 December 2008 with bosses blaming bad debts.
Rail spending increased to record levels

8-Apr-2009
Network Rail and Transport for London unveil capital spending plans which will provide £7.6 billion of work over the next financial year alone
PC Harrington reports 64pc rise in pre-tax profits

8-Apr-2009
PC Harrington has reported a 64 per cent rise in pre-tax profit and a 32.5 per cent rise in turnover for the year to 31 May 2008.
Trade questions Tory plans to devolve housing delivery

8-Apr-2009
Trade bodies have questioned Conservative Party plans to devolve power for housing delivery to a local level.
Wrekin Construction's £11m ruby to be revalued this week

7-Apr-2009
The mystery surrounding the value of Wrekin Construction’s £11 million Gem of Tanzania is set to be solved this week.
Taylor Wimpey debt negotiations end on back of £1.97bn loss

7-Apr-2009
Taylor Wimpey today revealed a £1.97 billion loss for 2008 as it confirmed it had agreed a new debt facility bringing an end to its long running renegotiations.
Construction set for biggest ever falls in output

6-Apr-2009
The construction industry is set to suffer a 12 per cent fall in construction output - the worst on record - latest forecasts from the Construction Products Association have revealed.
Tycoon Roger Smee scoops three fit out firms for £50m

3-Apr-2009
Property entrepreneur Roger Smee has bought three design and fit out businesses for £49 million and floated them on the AIM stock market.
Bank loan to help Park Plaza complete London hotel

3-Apr-2009
Hotel group Park Plaza has secured a loan extension to allow it to complete the construction of the 1,021-room Westminster Bridge apartment hotel.
CIPS figures show construction firmly in recession

2-Apr-2009
The UK construction economy remained firmly mired in recessionary territory in March according to the latest CIPS/Market purchasing managers index.
VolkerFitzpatrick wins leisure centre job worth £11m

2-Apr-2009
VolkerFitzpatrick has scooped a contract worth nearly £11 million to refurbish a leisure centre.
Mann Construction wound down making 83 staff jobless

2-Apr-2009
Vantis has been appointed as the administrators of Mann Construction making 83 staff at the firm redundant.
Speedy Hire appoints Costain and Atkins man James Morley

2-Apr-2009
Speedy Hire today announced the appointment of James Morley as a non-executive director, with immediate effect.
Mears Group wins £50m social housing job

2-Apr-2009
Mears Group today announced a £50 million six year contract from Shoreline Housing Partnership to provide repairs and maintenance services.
NHBC stats show private home starts are down 72pc

1-Apr-2009
The NHBC’s latest housebuilding statistics show 14,537 applications to start new homes in the combined private and public sectors in the three months to February.
Mann Construction bosses blame credit crunch for collapse

1-Apr-2009
Mann Construction bosses have blamed the credit crunch for forcing them to put their firm into voluntary administration.
Speedy Hire agrees new £300m debt facility

1-Apr-2009
Speedy Hire has agreed a new £300 million debt facility after a slump in building work pushed the firm towards breaching its covenants.
Bellway is preparing to make land acquisitions

31-Mar-2009
Bellway is preparing to snap up land as the housebuilding market approaches the bottom.
Mouchel signs up RBS, Lloyds and Barclays

31-Mar-2009
Mouchel signed a debt deal with RBS, Lloyds and Barclays on Friday giving the firm a £190 million overdraft facility for the next three years.
Activity barometer predicts further construction job losses

31-Mar-2009
More job losses amoung construction products firms are expected, the latest Ernst and Young and Construction Products Association Activity Barometer has revealed. .
Homeserve said profit will be high end of expectations

31-Mar-2009
Home insurance and repair group Homeserve said full-year pre-tax profit would come in at the top end of market forecasts after it sold more new policies than expected.
Jarvis to cut 450 jobs after reduced Network Rail workload

31-Mar-2009
Rail network services company Jarvis today revealed it is cutting 450 jobs after warning results for the year to the end of March would be below expectations.
Mouchel announces 25pc profit rise and a new chairman

31-Mar-2009
Mouchel today reported a rise in pre-tax profit of 25 per cent as it announced the appointment of new chairman Bo Lerenius.
Bellway makes £48.6m half year loss

31-Mar-2009
Bellway today announced a pre-tax loss of £48.6 million for the six months to 31 January after £66.3 million in write downs.
Mann Construction falls into administration

30-Mar-2009
Mann Construction plunged into administration today, becoming the latest victim of the credit crunch.
Margaret Beckett allows homes to be built on greenbelt land

27-Mar-2009
Housing minister Margaret Beckett has given the go ahead for affordable housing to be built on greenbelt land.
Beetham Tower finally given the go ahead

26-Mar-2009
The final go ahead has at last been given to the 170m tall Beetham Tower on the banks of the Thames.
Battersea Power Station owner posts £265m loss

26-Mar-2009
Battersea Power Station owner Real Estate Opportunities today reported a 2008 loss of £265 million after writing down the value of its property portfolio by 16 per cent.
Wrekin Construction's diggers and dump trucks for sale

25-Mar-2009
More than 40 vehicles belonging to collapsed Wrekin Construction have been put up for sale in an online auction.
Drivers Jonas: Manchester to make quick recession recovery

25-Mar-2009
An extensive survey of Manchester’s property market by consultancy Drivers Jonas LLP has revealed the city’s diversified economy will fuel a quick recovery following the recession.
Severfield Rowen to grow in the UK and overseas

25-Mar-2009
Steel giant Severfield Rowen is looking to grow its UK market share as well as increase the amount it exports after reporting credit crunch busting results.
Chief construction officer must be given power

25-Mar-2009
Contractors are firmly behind the creation of a chief construction officer – as long as the position carries significant power within Whitehall
Bust Wrekin’s contracts out to tender

25-Mar-2009
Millions of pounds of construction work is back up for grabs following the collapse of Wrekin Construction.
Wrekin Construction £11m gem valuer had signature forged

25-Mar-2009
The valuer of Wrekin Construction’s £11 million Gem of Tanzania has claimed his signature was forged in a valuation certificate.
Enterprise breaks £1bn revenue barrier

25-Mar-2009
Revenues at support services firm Enterprise broke the £1 billion mark for the first time in 2008, the firm announced today.
Henry Boot profit drops 59pc after land writedowns

25-Mar-2009
Henry Boot today reported a 59 per cent fall in full year profits due to declining property values.
Severfield Rowen profits rise 11pc

25-Mar-2009
Profits at steel giant Severfield Rowen saw profits rise 11 per cent in the 12 months to 31 December 2008 and said it was confident of achieving satisfactory results this year and beyond.
Construction labour protest at Grain Power Station

24-Mar-2009
Construction workers have staged a protest outside the Grain Power Station in Kent to demand fair access to jobs.
Battersea Power Station regeneration to go to planning

24-Mar-2009
A planning application for the £4 billion transformation of Battersea Power Station creating 2,500 construction jobs will be submitted to Wandsworth Council in the coming months.
Mountgrange collapse threatens £300m Caltongate scheme

24-Mar-2009
A £300 million scheme to rejuvenate Edinburgh’s historic Old Town has been thrown into doubt after the company behind the project, Mountgrange Capital, plunged into administration this week.
Styles & Wood explores possible sale opportunities

24-Mar-2009
Fit-out specialist Styles & Wood is exploring ways to raise money to strengthen its balance sheet, the firm revealed today.
Wrekin £11m gem valuer had history of over valuing

23-Mar-2009
The valuer of Wrekin Construction’s £11 million ruby, the Gem of Tanzania, had a history of supplying over-optimistic valuations.
Baqus profit falls despite sales rise

23-Mar-2009
Consultant Baqus today reported a 23 per cent fall in pre-tax profit despite an 8 per cent rise in sales as the firm cut its margins to win work.
Renew Holdings to cut jobs and miss profit targets

23-Mar-2009
Renew Holdings announced today it will make a second round of job cuts in a gloomy trading update to the stock exchange.
A third of North-east authorities paying within 10 days

23-Mar-2009
A third of local authorities in the North-east are paying their bills within 10 days according to a survey by the Civil Engineering Contractors Council.
Ceca survey: All North-west authorities are paying promptly

20-Mar-2009
All local authorities in the North-west responding to a survey by the Civil Engineering Contractors’ Association are paying their bills promptly.
Ceca: London councils failing to pay promptly

20-Mar-2009
London borough councils are failing to pay promptly a survey published by the Civil Engineering Contractors Council revealed this week.
Half of Midlands authorities paying promptly

20-Mar-2009
Half of the local authorities in the Midlands are paying their bills promptly with 30 per cent paying within 10 days revealed a survey published by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association this week.
Wates' sales pass £1 bn mark as profit up 25pc

20-Mar-2009
Wates’s revenue has passed the £1 billion mark with pre-tax profit up 25 per cent in 2008.
Administrators take hold of Wrekin Construction's £11m ruby

20-Mar-2009
Administrators today took possession of the mysterious £11million Gem of Tanzania from collapsed Wrekin Construction.
Views sought for construction race discrimination inquiry

20-Mar-2009
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is calling for final evidence from construction firms for an investigation into race discrimination in the industry.
BAA to sell Gatwick, Stansted and Glasgow or Edinburgh

19-Mar-2009
BAA has been ordered to sell Gatwick, Stansted and either Edinburgh or Glasgow airports by the Competition Commission.
T Clarke profit up 86pc as sales rise

19-Mar-2009
Electrical contractor T Clarke saw profits rise 86 per cent rise in 2008 with sales up 15 per cent.
Payment bill threat to PFI projects

19-Mar-2009
Government legislation to reform payments between contractors could derail major PFI schemes, just as the Treasury is bidding to rescue the funding method through its £2 billion bail-out.
Rok reveals cost of credit crunch with £125m shortfall in revenue

17-Mar-2009
The credit crunch has cost Rok more than £125 million in revenue and £12 million in profit, according to finance director Ashley Martin.
Wrekin questioned over £11m gem

17-Mar-2009
Collapsed Shropshire construction firm Wrekin is facing questions over its ownership of a precious gemstone, worth £11 million according to its accounting calculations.
Repair and maintenance work to suffer

17-Mar-2009
Private-sector repair and maintenance workloads are set to fall 13 per cent by the end of next year, according to a forecast by the Construction Products Association.
Industry’s top two dominate after big hauls

17-Mar-2009
The top 50 contractors scooped nearly £3.5 billion, but more than a third went to Balfour Beatty and Carillion, which won 15 jobs between them
Steel firm Billington enjoys 9pc profit rise

17-Mar-2009
Structural steel and engineering specialist Billington Holdings saw sales rise 12 per cent and pre-tax profit increase 9 per cent in the 12 months to 31 December 2008.
Taylor Woodrow takeover helps boost Vinci sales

16-Mar-2009
Vinci said its £74 million acquisition of Taylor Woodrow in September last year has helped it become a principle infrastructure, nuclear and PPP player in the UK.
Taylor Wimpey in FTSE promotion as Wolseley is relegated

13-Mar-2009
House builder Taylor Wimpey is returning to the FTSE 250 while Wolseley is dropping out of the FTSE 100 – the index of the UK’s 100 biggest stock market listed firms.
Wembley legal row dents Cleveland Bridge accounts

13-Mar-2009
Cleveland Bridge reported a £2.1 million pre-tax profit in 2008, but the firm is still saddled with debt following its bitter Wembley Stadium legal row with Multiplex.
Rok signs up HSBC and Clydesdale banks

12-Mar-2009
Rok agreed a new £90 million debt facility last night which will last the firm until 2012.
Construction orders drop 12pc

12-Mar-2009
Construction orders in the three months to January 2009 fell by 12 per cent compared with the previous three month period.
Ceca: Wrekin plight highlights Government failure

12-Mar-2009
Wrekin Construction’s plunge into administration highlights that the Government is failing to get banks lending again, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association has warned.
Call for urgent payment of tax rebates

12-Mar-2009
Subcontractors have called for tax refunds owed to them to be paid as soon as possible to ease cash flow problems.
South-east market sees fall in starts

12-Mar-2009
Further decline forecast for first and second quarters of 2009, followed by ‘modest recovery’
Rok profit falls 75pc despite sales rise

12-Mar-2009
Rok has reported a 76 per cent drop in pre-tax profit for 2008 despite a 16 per cent rise in revenue.
EU paves way for VAT cut to 5pc

11-Mar-2009
European finance ministers have given the green light for EU member states to cut VAT to 5 per cent on all home and maintenance repairs.
Work stops on £200m shopping centre

11-Mar-2009
Work on the £200 million Wakefield Trinity Walk shopping centre in West Yorkshire has been suspended after the developer’s bankers refused further finance for the scheme.
Interserve secures £200m in new contracts

11-Mar-2009
Interserve has secured £200 million of new contracts with two facilities management wins in the UK and two construction projects in Dubai.
Interserve boosts order book after 15pc profit rise

11-Mar-2009
Interserve has reported a 15.3 per cent rise in profit with more than £500 million added to its order book.
Costain 17pc profit rise leaves cash for takeovers

11-Mar-2009
Profits at Costain jumped 17 per cent in the year ended December 2008 leaving the firm with nearly £150 million of cash in the bank.
Ennstone sells divisions after going under

10-Mar-2009
Troubled building materials group Ennstone has sold its UK and Polish businesses and delisted from the stock exchange plunging into administration.
Wrekin Construction plunges into administration

10-Mar-2009
Wrekin Construction fell into administration today blaming a lack of support from its bank the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Teenager completes £7m construction takeover

10-Mar-2009
A 19-year-old construction entrepreneur has agreed a £7 million deal to buy Welsh firm TPT Construction.
Scott Wilson to axe 10pc of staff

10-Mar-2009
Engineering consultancy Scott Wilson Group will cut 10 per cent of its global workforce and freeze salaries of the remaining UK staff to preserve cash amid recession.
Mears Group sales up by more than a third

10-Mar-2009
Social housing and care homes firm Mears Group today reported a 38 per cent surge in 2008 sales to £420.4 million from £304 million the previous year.
IMAGES: Shanghai Tower details revealed

10-Mar-2009
Senior leadership behind China’s tallest building, the Shanghai Tower, have revealed more details of the 128-storey skyscraper.
ISG profit up thanks to diversification

10-Mar-2009
Interior Services Group has announced a small rise in half year profit despite economic pressures faced in its UK and overseas markets.
Carillion changes Middle East focus

9-Mar-2009
Carillion’s focus in the Middle East has shifted from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, the firm’s latest results reveal.
Contractors sign up to public sector work register

9-Mar-2009
A supplier database for the public sector saw the number of registered users grow by 13 per cent to 16,700 last year.
Bovis Homes reports near £80m loss

9-Mar-2009
Bovis Homes today reported a 2008 pre-tax loss of £78.7 million after writedowns and restructuring charges totalling £93.1 million.
Contractor fined after worker knocked out by electric shock

6-Mar-2009
South Eastern Electrical has been fined £70,000 including costs after a ground worker was knocked unconscious by an electric shock in Southend.
Construction output drops £1.5bn over last three months

6-Mar-2009
Construction output in the UK totalled £19.3 billion in the last three months of 2008, more than £1.5 billion down on 2007’s £20.8 billion.
Bam profit down 40pc following £89m write-off

6-Mar-2009
Dutch construction firm Bam recorded a 40 per cent drop in profit for 2008, but said the drop was down to a 100 million euro goodwill write-off.
Marshalls profit drops 46.5pc with clouded 2009 outlook

6-Mar-2009
Building materials firm Marshalls has seen its full year pre-tax profit drop 46.5 per cent to £22.5 million from £42.1 million the previous year.
Wolseley in £1bn rights issue after £880m half year loss

6-Mar-2009
Wolseley said today it will raise £1 billion in a rights issue after the firm announced an £880 million operating loss for the six months to 31 January.
SHARE WATCH: Carillion shares up after bumper profits

5-Mar-2009
Carillion’s credit crunch busting results yesterday helped drag construction shares up despite a drop by the FTSE 100.
Bank of England cuts interest rates to 0.5pc

5-Mar-2009
The Bank of England today cut interest rates from 1 per cent to 0.5 per cent.
Balfour Beatty: 2008 was "a bloody good year"

5-Mar-2009
Balfour Beatty chief executive Ian Tyler said today that 2008 was “a bloody good year” for the firm, but added that the construction giant wasn’t completely recession proof.
Aggreko profit up to record levels

5-Mar-2009
Aggreko today reported record results with a pre-tax profit for 2008 of £190 million, up 53 per cent from the previous year’s £124 million.
Barratt shares up after £600m loss on landbank writedowns

5-Mar-2009
Barratt’s share price rose by more than a third within a day of the house builder reporting a near £600 million loss last week.
Balfour Beatty profit up 24pc

5-Mar-2009
Balfour Beatty today reported a 24 per cent jump in pre-tax profit, boosted by growth in public sector projects and the performance of its acquisitions.
Taylor Wimpey debt resolution pushed back

4-Mar-2009
Taylor Wimpey said today its debt negotiations are continuing well, but the house builder does not expect them to be concluded until April now.
Lavendon profits up a third

4-Mar-2009
Plant hire firm Lavendon Group today reported a 31 per cent boost in pre-tax profits giving a much needed boost to the sector.
Segro in £500m rights issue after £939m loss

4-Mar-2009
Property developer Segro is planning to raise £500.6 million through a rights issue after the firm revealed a pre-tax loss of £939.2 million.
Carillion reports 55pc profit growth

4-Mar-2009
Carillion continues to grow in strength after reporting a 55 per cent in pre-tax profit and an order book of more than £20 billion.
Persimmon records £780m loss

3-Mar-2009
Persimmon has reported losses of £780 million for 2008 after impairments totaling £905 million.
Contractor Cofton seeks administration

3-Mar-2009
Directors at contractor and regeneration developer Cofton have sought to put the firm in administration, in a week that has seen fellow developers Castlemore and KW Linfoot go out of business.
Redrow founder Steve Morgan ups stake

3-Mar-2009
Redrow revealed today that former chairman and founder Steve Morgan is seeking a seat on the board after upping his stake in the firm to 23.5 per cent.
CIPS: Output, orders and optimism fall

3-Mar-2009
Construction output contracted at an accelerated pace with orders falling and optimism at an historical low according to the latest CIPS/Markit construction report published today.
Keller enjoys 10pc profit hike

3-Mar-2009
Keller today reported a 10 per cent hike in pre-tax profits for last year boosted by strong growth in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Australia.
WSP profit and revenue soars

3-Mar-2009
WSP has reported a 36 per cent increase in turnover and 37 per cent rise in pre-tax profit.
Public sector will see WSP through recession

3-Mar-2009
WSP’s move towards more public sector work will see it through the downturn, the firm said today.
VolkerWessels rebrands UK companies

3-Mar-2009
VolkerWessels today announced it is bringing its seven UK companies together under one brand VolkerWessels UK.
Persimmon agrees debt refinance deal

3-Mar-2009
Persimmon has agreed a new refinancing deal of its existing debt as well as adding a new £322 million facility.
Keller taking it "one year at a time"

3-Mar-2009
Keller bosses said today it is a case of “one year at a time”, but the firm’s broad geographic spread and strong balance sheet will see it through the global economic troubles.
SHARE WATCH: Persimmon gains ahead of results

3-Mar-2009
Persimmon’s shares rose ahead of Tuesday’s results following analyst upgrades, but construction shares suffered elsewhere.
UK tender prices to fall by more than 10 per cent

2-Mar-2009
Construction costs to fall by nearly 5 per cent during next 18 months as contractors reduce margins to compete for work
Shard to create 1,000 construction jobs

28-Feb-2009
Around 1,000 construction jobs will be created now that the formal go ahead has been given to build the 310m high Shard.
Laing O'Rourke to create 1,000 apprentice roles

28-Feb-2009
Laing O’Rourke has announced a significant overhaul of its apprenticeship programme creating a further 1,000 positions.
SHARE WATCH: Persimmon gains ahead of results

28-Feb-2009
Persimmon’s shares rose ahead of Tuesday’s results following analyst upgrades, but construction shares suffered elsewhere.
Kier appoints National Grid man

27-Feb-2009
Kier Group today announced the appointment of Nicholas Paul Winser as a non-executive director with effect from 1 March 2009.
Keltbray tells suppliers cut costs or face 'repercussions'

26-Feb-2009
Keltbray has sent a letter to suppliers asking for a 10 per cent discount on all invoices dated from 1 March onwards.
Lend Lease to cut British jobs

26-Feb-2009
Australian property developer Lend Lease is cutting 1,700 jobs worldwide, the majority of which will fall in Britain and the US.
Berkeley to bolster war chest to £300m

26-Feb-2009
Berkeley Group said today that it will raise £50 million to bolster its war chest for land acquisitions, leaving the house builder with a total of £300 million in cash.
Barratt plunges to near £600m loss

25-Feb-2009
Barratt plunged to a near £600 million loss for the last six months of 2008 after making £495 million of landbank writedowns.
Barratt cuts a further 700 jobs

25-Feb-2009
Barratt has cut a further 700 jobs over the last six months in a bid to cope with the recession.
Kier profit drops 41 per cent to £26.4m

25-Feb-2009
Kier today reported a 41 per cent drop in pre-tax profit for the last six months of 2008 as the house builder and contractor was hit by £18.7 million of landbank writedowns.
BAA profits dented by falling passenger numbers

25-Feb-2009
Airports operator BAA said profits had been dented by falling passenger numbers as soaring fuel prices and the economic downturn rocked the aviation sector.
SHARE WATCH: Barratt drags house builders shares up

25-Feb-2009
House builders enjoyed a share price rally this morning as Barratt’s near £600 million loss came in marginally below analysts’ expectations.
Recession hits order books as housebuilding looks up

25-Feb-2009
Contractors revealed the dents in their order books from the recession this week, while signs of optimism emerged from the housebuilding sector.
SHARE WATCH: Only four construction firms see shares rise

24-Feb-2009
Morgan Sindall rose 8.5 per cent in early trading, with ISG, Styles and Wood and White Young Green the only construction industry firms to enjoy gains.
Energy deals help top 50 to bolster books

24-Feb-2009
Two bumper deals for energy firms, worth more than £1bn, make January’s top 50 contractor list the best for six months
Government work sees Morgan Sindall profit up 15pc

24-Feb-2009
Morgan Sindall has reported a 15 per cent rise in annual pre-tax profit thanks to a raft of Government-funded projects.
Mace appointment gives Shard the final go ahead

24-Feb-2009
The final go ahead for the Shard was given today with Mace formally appointed as main contractor in a deal believed to be worth around £425 million.
Regeneration suffering - with worse to come

23-Feb-2009
More than 60 per cent of regeneration organisations have reported a reduction across all sectors in the past year
Waterman turnover up 12pc after redundancy savings

23-Feb-2009
Waterman Group has reported a 12 per cent increase in turnover after recent redundancies helped the firm to a £9 million annual saving.
Redundancy talks at Lafarge cement works

23-Feb-2009
All but four staff at a Lafarge cement works will lose their jobs as the firm looks to cease production at the site.
Carillion wins £145m Canadian hospital job

23-Feb-2009
Carillion has won a contract to build and finance a £145 million expansion of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, Ontario.
Ministers to make BSF contractors take on apprentices

23-Feb-2009
Ministers have pledged that all construction firms involved in the Building Schools for the Future programme will be required to take on apprentices.
Saint Gobain and Lafarge launch £1.3bn rights issue

20-Feb-2009
Building material giants Saint-Gobain and Lafarge have each launched £1.3 billion rights issues to help them battle the worsening economic crisis.
Leeds job worth £700m put on hold in testing conditions

19 February 2009
The £700 million Eastgate Quarters scheme in Leeds was the biggest project to go on hold in January, according to business intelligence unit Glenigan.
McAlpine to run rule over Mace's shard bid

19 February 2009
Mace’s £425 million deal to build the Shard has been delayed further after the Middle Eastern financial backers brought in Sir Robert McAlpine to check costs.
SHARE WATCH: New stock market boss boost construction shares

13-Feb-2009
Construction shares were boosted this morning by news of the London Stock Exchange getting a new chief executive.
Government to bail out PFI building projects

13-Feb-2009
Gordon Brown’s Government are preparing to offer billions of pounds worth of support to private finance initiatives contractors hit by the recession.
Vp reports tough winter as expected

13-Feb-2009
Equipment rental specialist Vp today confirmed that its winter trading has been seasonally quieter.
Vinci fined £715k over illegal share purchase

13-Feb-2009
Vinci has been fined £715,000 by French market authorities after the construction group was found to have illegally bought shares.
Terex slashes 5,000 jobs after Q4 loss of £300m

12-Feb-2009
US-based manufacturer Terex is making 5,000 job cuts after reporting a net loss of almost £300 million in the fourth quarter of 2008.
ONS figures show construction orders highest since April

12-Feb-2009
Construction orders in December rose to their highest level for more than six months up 32 per cent on November.
Construction job losses total 48,000 in three months

11-Feb-2009
Construction job losses totalled 48,000 in the three months to December, according to Government figures released today.
Banks ignore mortgage aid scheme

11-Feb-2009
Just two banks are backing one of the Government’s biggest initiatives to kick-start the house building industry.
SHARE WATCH: bank boss grilling hits construction shares

11-Feb-2009
It was a largely bad morning for construction shares as stocks fell following the grilling of bank bosses from HBOS and Royal Bank of Scotland.
Crest Nicholson hands lenders 90pc equity to cut debt

11-Feb-2009
Crest Nicholson’s lenders today reached a debt-for-equity swap agreement with the housebuilder reducing its debt by £630 million for a 90 per cent stake in the company.
Blow for prompt payment as 98pc face 30-day wait

11-Feb-2009
Only one in 50 subcontractors is being paid within 30 days, research has revealed.
Atkins to cut more than 900 jobs

11-Feb-2009
Atkins will cut more than 900 jobs by March in a bid to cope with the current downturn, the firm announced today.
Refurb closing the gap on new construction

10-Feb-2009
Repair and maintenance work is forecast to rise by 3.5 billion, accounting for 49 per cent of total construction work in 2013
SHARE WATCH: Construction shares fall ahead of US bank plans

10-Feb-2009
Construction shares fell this morning as investors waited on news of President Barack Obama’s plans to shore up the US banking sector and economy.
May Gurney wins £80m canal maintenance work

10-Feb-2009
May Gurney has won an £80 million canal maintenance contract for British Waterways.
Tyneside council to pump £100m into construction work

10-Feb-2009
A Tyneside council is ploughing more than £100 million into construction jobs this year giving a boost to the industry.
White Young Green reveals board shake up

10-Feb-2009
White Young Green today announced a number of board changes with current finance director Bob Hartley assuming the role of services director.
SHARE WATCH: Construction shares boosted by Barclays profits

9-Feb-2009
Construction shares rose this morning after Barclays Bank reported profits of more than £6 billion.
Crosby makes £77m loss after writedowns

9-Feb-2009
House builder Crosby has reported a £77 million loss after writing down £80 million on the value of its land bank and work in progress.
Skanska posts shock Q4 loss

6-Feb-2009
Swedish construction firm Skanska posted a surprise net fourth quarter loss of 44 million kronor (£3.6 million) due to large write downs.
SHARE WATCH: construction shares boosted by interest rate cut

5-Feb-2009
Construction shares enjoyed a good morning after further Bank of England interest rate cuts today.
Bank of England cuts interest rates to 1pc

5-Feb-2009
The Bank of England has lowered the benchmark interest rate closer to zero today making a further 0.5 per cent cut.
Construction employment to fall sharply

5-Feb-2009
Employment levels in construction are expected to fall sharply in 2009 the latest Construction Products Association trade survey has warned.
Industry reacts angrily to CIPS report

5-Feb-2009
CIPS claims construction has seen the worst of the recession – while eight businesses go under each day
Homebuilder fury as HBOS hikes deposit requirements

4-Feb-2009
House builders have reacted angrily to Britain’s biggest mortgage lender doubling the deposit it requires from borrowers.
Contractors in the black while others suffer

3-Feb-2009
Stock market listed contractors have more than £1.5 billion on the books – with housebuilders more than £4 billion in debt
Construction industry contracting at a slower rate

3-Feb-2009
UK construction activity in January contracted for the 11th month running, albeit at the slowest rate for three months, new figures reveal.
Battery maker blames construction for job cuts

3-Feb-2009
Battery maker Axeon has cut 200 jobs, blaming the construction sector for its decision.
Ennstone could be broken up by Barclays

2-Feb-2009
Ennstone is set to be put into pre-pack administration by its lender Barclays this week.
Wildcat construction strikes expected to escalate

2-Feb-2009
Protests at the exclusion of British workers from construction contracts are expected to escalate today.
ISG regional arm wins £80m of work

2-Feb-2009
Interior Services Group’s UK regional construction division today announced it has secured £80 million of new work and has increased its order book.
Cemex posts £494m fourth quarter loss

30-Jan-2009
Cemex has posted its first quarterly loss in more than a decade hurt by a strong US dollar and lower demand worldwide.
Indian new town build ‘looking for UK innovation’

29-Jan-2009
Gleeds believes its appointment as project manager for a £100 billion Indian housing build could pave the way for UK construction firms to win work on the project.
Scottish retail work outstrips rest of the UK

29-Jan-2009
Scotland tops the regional league table for retail development while the North east of England is bringing up the rear
Halcrow appoints new coastal director

29-Jan-2009
Halcrow has appointed Dick Thomas as coastal director to its maritime arm of the business.
Oakdene Homes' assets put up for sale

29-Jan-2009
Administrators of Oakdene Homes have put the house builder’s assets up for sale.
Construction administrations up by 73pc in 2008

29-Jan-2009
The number of construction firms plunging into administration increased by 73 per cent last year compared with 2007.
Materials suppliers reeling as figures reveal 22pc cuts

29-Jan-2009
Figures released by the government have revealed the huge fall in sales of construction materials, as steelmaker Corus announced huge job cuts.
SHARE WATCH: Bank rally drags up construction shares

28-Jan-2009
A bank rally on the stock market helped drag construction shares up this morning.
Construction CEOs less confident than ever

28-Jan-2009
Construction bosses confidence has plunged to a new low according to PricewaterhouseCoopers latest CEO survey.
Renew targets acquisitions with £25m cash pot

28-Jan-2009
Renew Holdings is on the look out for potential acquisitions after revealing it has a £25 million cash pot.
SHARE WATCH: Construction shares hit by job loss news

27-Jan-2009
Construction shares largely struggled this morning dragged down by the FTSE 100 which was hit by news of more than 8,000 UK job losses yesterday.
Defence Estates makes project bank account pledge

27-Jan-2009
Defence Estates has pledged to use project bank accounts on all future contracts at a conference held in the Scottish Parliament.
Caterpillar to cut 20,000 jobs

27-Jan-2009
Caterpillar has announced it is cutting 20,000 jobs worldwide and plans factory closures after profit fell 32 per cent in the final quarter of 2008.
Corus confirms 2,500 UK job cuts

26-Jan-2009
Steelmaker Corus has confirmed it is cutting 3,500 jobs worldwide, including 2,500 in the UK.
CH2M Hill to create 500 jobs in Abu Dhabi

26-Jan-2009
Construction consultant CH2M Hill has created 500 jobs in the Middle East.
Wolseley cuts 7,500 jobs as profits halve

26-Jan-2009
Wolseley said today it continues to focus on generating cash and reducing costs after its profit fell by 52 per cent last year.
Interserve wins £500m waste treatment job

26-Jan-2009
Interserve has won a £500 million waste treatment contract as part of a joint venture with United Utilities.
Corus set to slash 2,000 UK jobs

26-Jan-2009
Corus is set to cut 3,500 jobs worldwide, including more than 2,500 in the UK.
End of an era for Taylor Woodrow

23-Jan-2009
Vinci is reorganising all its UK operations under one name, bringing an end to the companies Taylor Woodrow and Norwest Holst.
SHARE WATCH: Construction shares suffer as UK enters recession

23-Jan-2009
Construction shares fell, the pound took a beating and the FTSE 100 dropped below 4,000 for the first time in nine weeks after the UK officially fell into recession.
Buro Happold adds to civil engineering job losses

23-Jan-2009
Hundreds more job losses are being made in the civil engineering sector after Buro Happold announced 200 cuts.
Heywood Williams warns of losses for 2008

23-Jan-2009
Building products supply firm Heywood Williams has warned it expects to post a pre-tax loss for 2008 compared with the profit it made a year earlier.
Henry Boot makes bigger than expected writedowns

23-Jan-2009
Land developer Henry Boot has been forced to make bigger than expected writedowns in 2008 due to deteriorating property values.
Shard construction to begin in March

22-Jan-2009
Construction of Europe’s tallest building the Shard will begin in March according to developer’s Sellar Property Group.
Oakdene lenders call in debts

22-Jan-2009
Oakdene Homes shares were suspended this afternoon at 9.125 pence after the company said lenders were calling in debts.
Sellar Group in talks over 250 metre residential skycraper

22-Jan-2009
Developers are understood to be holding talks with Mayor of London Boris Johnson over plans for 250 metre high skyscraper nicknamed the Breadsticks.
SHARE WATCH: Construction shares buoyed by banks rally

22-Jan-2009
Construction shares rose for the first time in four days on the back of rallies by the major banks.
Styles and Wood to refurbish Morrisons cafes

22-Jan-2009
Styles and Wood will begin a café refurbishment programme for Morrisons supermarkets.
Insurance repair firm Homeserve expects strong 2009

22-Jan-2009
Emergency cover and repair firm Homeserve has forecast strong growth this year.
Infrastructure work to grow 40 pc by 2011, says Experian

22-Jan-2009
Public sector construction will continue to grow over the next two years in stark contrast to the rapid decline of the commercial sector according to Experian.
SHARE WATCH: Bank shares drag down listed construction firms

21-Jan-2009
Tumbling bank shares caused a mixed morning for stock market listed construction firms.
New starts fall by 25pc on year as housebuilders suffer most

21-Jan-2009
New construction starts were down almost a fifth between the last three months of 2008 and the same period a year earlier, Construction News can reveal.
EU rules stopping UK regeneration warns BPF

21-Jan-2009
EU competition rules are stopping new UK regeneration projects by forcing councils to go through costly procurement processes, the British Property Federation has warned.
Government gives go-ahead to Mace for £70m academy schools

20-Jan-2009
The Government has finally given the green light for Mace Plus to build two new academy schools in south London, worth £70 million to the contractor.
John Nicholls Builders goes under making 80 jobless

20-Jan-2009
Cornish building firm John Nicholls Builders has gone into administration making 80 people redundant.
Speedy Hire issues profit warning after revenue slump

20-Jan-2009
Speedy Hire has issued a profit warning as it expects Q4 pre-tax profits to be significantly down on the same period last year.
Rich construction firms are getting richer despite falling workloads

19-Jan-2009
The top five scoop 200 million more than in 2007, but the top 50 are down by 1.54 billion on the previous year
Donaldson Timber Engineering boss Brian Welsh leaves

19-Jan-2009
Donaldson Timber Engineering group managing director Brian Welsh has left the business after 22 years of service.
Govt announces £200bn second bank bailout

19-Jan-2009
The Government has announced a second bank bailout after announcing £200 billion will be made available to guarantee lending and insure banks' bad debts.
SHARE WATCH: Construction shares boosted by £200bn bank bailout

19-Jan-2009
Construction shares were boosted this morning by news that chancellor Alistair Darling will pour £200 billion of cash into stabilising the banking sector.
Wolseley in talks to raise £500m to reduce debts

19-Jan-2009
Plumbing and heating supplies firm Wolseley is understood to be in talks with investors and private equity firms to raise up to £500 million.
Can tower plans survive the economic crisis?

27-Oct-2008
The downturn is making developers think twice about building skyscrapers, with as many schemes on hold as on site

Construction NewsNick Whitten

Construction News
Nick Whitten