04 February 2011
Building
View all stories from this issue.
-
Academies worth £800m to go to framework contractors
04 February 2011
Cuts of £1bn confirmed but 15 firms will share 75 schemes and be first in line for free schools work
-
Aedas to set up London interiors business after Asian success
04 February 2011
Aedas try to replicate firm’s Asian success in London
-
Anchor to build 1,100 retirement properties
9 Feb 11
Expansion will include ‘true’ villages employing 80-100 people
-
Ardmore bags £23m housing job
7 Feb 11
Housing association Family Mosaic appoints Irish contractor to build 190 homes
-
Aukett turnover halves as Russia and Middle East slump
04 February 2011
Architect expands into Brazil to increase workload after revenues dive in 2010
-
Back on track
04 February 2011
I don’t think that Building gives enough weight to the personal commitment of Lord Coe to provide an athletics venue at the heart of the East End (Building blog, 25 January)
-
Back to clients sharing risk
04 February 2011
?Soaring commodity prices mean contractors must either play safe and miss out or take a dangerous gamble. Is it time for clients to share some of the risk again?
-
Battersea Power Station: The last chance
04 February 2011
As the communities secretary stands poised to decide on the latest plan to restore Battersea Power Station, Emily Wright looks at why, this time, things have to be different
-
Bid-rigging firm GAJ goes under while awaiting fines verdict
04 February 2011
?A firm that was appealing against a £110,000 fine imposed for cover-pricing has gone into administration with the loss of 33 jobs.
-
Bids invited for £1.5bn Defence Estates contract
10 Feb 11
The Ministry of Defence has invited bids for a UK-wide Defence Estates housing contract worth up to £1.5 billion
-
Big freeze delays £100m Co-op head office
1 Feb 11
Bam Construction remains confident on August 2012 completion despite setback
-
BIG to design New York pyramid-style residential scheme
8 Feb 11
Danish architect promises a hybrid of European courtyard and Manhattan skyscraper
-
Building buys a pint for…Trowers & Hamlins
04 February 2011
This week it’s lady’s night at Building buys a pint, and conversation turns to potato ricers, un-attentive boyfriends and furry hats
-
Cala loses latest localism court spat
7 Feb 11
High Court judge rules in favour of government’s planning reforms
-
Capita reveals Leicestershire regeneration plans
20 Jan 11
Consultant presents proposal for the development of Earl Shilton and Barwell
-
Carillion suppliers slash rates by up to 20%
7 Feb 11
Documents show subcontractors have agreed to discount rates
-
China to invest £190bn in megacity
27 Jan 11
Government planning 150 infrastructure projects over the next six years
-
CityWATCH: Mouchel and Costain
04 February 2011
Mouchel and circling suitor Costain upped their PR efforts this week, each playing hard to get and trying to appear nonchalant in the pages of national newspapers
-
Construction activity bounces back in January
2 Feb 11
All three sub-sectors record increase in activity, reveals PMI
-
Contractors warned not to delay Bribery Act policies
04 February 2011
?Despite government postponing new law, legal advisers say firms should comply to win work abroad
-
Controversial Olympic Stadium 'wrap' gets go ahead
8 Feb 11
Locog invites private sector bids despite scrapping the £7 million ’wrap’ last year
-
Costain bags £50m worth of airport contracts
4 Feb 11
Wins include £18.6m contract to refurbish Manchester airport’s main runway
-
Councils call on pension funds to provide social housing
10 Feb 11
London councils say pension funds and insurance companies could help make up housing shortfall
-
Crossrail chief executive explains shock resignation
2 Feb 11
Rob Holden tells MPs he quit because role is changing - not because of frustration
-
CZWG secures planning for Brighton scheme
7 Feb 11
Six-home development for Brick Ltd located in regeneration hotspot
-
Daniel seals £17m Bristol water deal
8 Feb 11
Work will involve nine refurbishment projects over 59km
-
Department for Transport tenders £300m framework
04 February 2011
Sector-wide consultants’ framework will last up to three years but be subject to cost reduction drive
-
Do the maths
04 February 2011
Regarding the suggestion that schools should have a longer day to save space (28 January, page 9), most secondary schools already have to offer sessional lunch breaks in order to accommodate all pupils into the hall
-
EC Harris announces head of programme management
20 Jan 11
Consultant appoints former VT Nuclear Services operations director and engineering boss at British Nuclear Fuels
-
First Impressions: BIG's 8 House
3 Feb 11
Three architecture students on Danish firm BIG’s 8 House scheme, a fresh take on urban living
-
FMB to start inspecting new members
8 Feb 11
All builders wishing to join the association must pass inspection
-
Former Connaught employees launch legal action
1 Feb 11
Ucatt union pursuing tribunal cases against Connaught and Lovell
-
Green gurus call for tighter rules on non-domestic buildings
25 Jan 11
UKGBC forms task group of developers, archtiects and engineers to ’sort out’ policy
-
Green light for Staffordshire waste-to energy plant
4 Feb 11
£100m Four Ashes waste incinerator plant granted planning permission
-
Green light for UK’s biggest zero carbon homes site
9 Feb 11
Morris Homes will build 295 Code level 6 homes in Peterborough
-
Greenwich council green lights Thames cable car plan
1 Feb 11
Proposal for 1.1km crossing now goes to Mayor for approval
-
Hansom: Intriguing
04 February 2011
We’re a bit cloak and daggers this week (apologies to the faint-hearted), what with bloodied carpets, ?scribbled warnings and mysterious fires. Thank goodness some people are keeping a cool head
-
How planning can save you money
04 February 2011
We can save costs by advanced organisation and getting those involved in a project to work together, says Greg Verhoef. But alas, we’re missing opportunities to get the best out of each other
-
HSE clampdown on unsafe construction sites
8 Feb 11
Intensive inspections due next month on all British construction sites
-
Humberside wind farm gets green light
9 Feb 11
Energy secretary gives go ahead for E.on to build huge offshore farm
-
Hyder suffers Middle East payment delays
8 Feb 11
Firm says results on track despite “mixed” conditions
-
Image Styles goes into administration
04 February 2011
West Midlands maintenance firm Image Styles has gone into administration, with the loss of 70 jobs. The firm suffered from public sector cutbacks and the lack of work available from local authorities.
-
John Drew: The new power house
04 February 2011
For years, John Drew has been best known as the architect who advised on the masterplan for Battersea Power Station. Now he’s joined forces with Jack Pringle and has a possible £300m worth of schemes on the horizon. Emily Wright finds him in bullish mood
-
Joiner and contractor TWC goes under
7 Feb 11
SFP administrators appointed to £6.4m turnover builder
-
Just cause and impediment
04 February 2011
?Your subcontractor just isn’t up to scratch, so you fire him and hire someone else – but in doing so you stand accused of repudiating the contract. So what are your options?
-
Laing O'Rourke creates Oxford professorship
24 Jan 11
Contractor sets up construction research centre with university
-
Lakehouse turnover ‘boosted by ethical policy’
2 Feb 11
Investment in green policies and community work has boosted Essex-based firm’s turnover
-
Lead times: Oct 2010 - Dec 2010
04 February 2011
The overwhelming stability of lead times continues, and despite reports of busier order books from clients looking to reduce costs, the next six months look equally flat. Brian Moone of Mace reports
-
Local communities to get wind farm business rates
10 Feb 11
Department of energy and climate change hopes money will ease opposition to new farms
-
Localism in Walthamstow: Down at the local
04 February 2011
For an unsettling preview of where the localism agenda may be heading, take a look at our piece on the battle of Walthamstow Stadium. It’s a familiar story of an ambitious developer expertly jumping through all the regulatory hoops to overhaul a popular local landmark.
-
Lovell picks up £25 million Hackney job
7 Feb 11
London borough awards Morgan Sindall subsidiary contract to build 149 homes
-
M&E firm signs up to green retrofitting joint venture
04 February 2011
Brookfield Green aims to capitalise on energy efficiency regulations
-
Mitie delays work; shares drop
04 February 2011
?Outsourcing company, Mitie, saw its share price drop after warning the City of delays in securing work before the end of the financial year.
-
Mitie wins £110m housing contract
20 Jan 11
Facilities management firm wins 10-year deal for 14,000 homes
-
Morgan Sindall bags £11m Edinburgh student halls contract
9 Feb 11
Contractor will build accommodation for 273 students at Heriot-Watt University
-
Morrell: firms should run buildings
04 February 2011
Government’s construction adviser calls for construction companies to operate the buildings they work on
-
Morrison Utility Services lands £750m contract
9 Feb 11
UK Power Networks awards contract to cover groundworks management
-
MPs attack planning changes
27 Jan 11
Committee on energy and climate change also question government assumptions over nuclear and carbon capture and storage
-
New commercial director at WSP
18 Jan 11
Appointment follows 10 years of working at engineering firm
-
ODA investigation into Olympic accidents
8 Feb 11
Accident rate on the Village much higher than the park as a whole
-
Ouch!
04 February 2011
?It’s never good to lose a case, but it must really hurt to then be told you have to pay your opponent’s legal fees, and at double the usual rate
-
Pickles gives Battersea go-ahead
9 Feb 11
Work can now begin on £5.5bn scheme next year
-
Planning secured for 51,500ft2 office in Shoreditch
10 Feb 11
Buckley Gray Yeoman designed headquarters building in Shoreditch received planning approval from Hackney Council this week
-
Pochin profit warning
04 February 2011
Construction and property group Pochin has warned project delays would hit profits in the second half of the year.
-
Promises, promises
04 February 2011
?Indemnities should oblige another party to take responsibility for your loss, but not if the wording gives them room to wriggle out of paying up
-
Protect our assets
04 February 2011
There is much comment and debate at present about the actions and spending of state-owned banks but should our attention now turn to the councils who are selling off their property assets to balance their books?
-
Public Procurement: Mears vs Leeds city council
2 Feb 11
This case illustrates the full meaning of the term, “the date when grounds for the bringing of the proceedings first arose”, and serves as a warning to parties within a public tendering process who wish to bring infringmement proceedings.
-
Quentin Shears: Working women
04 February 2011
Quentin Shears, 48, is a quantity surveyor at Newt UK, the Hertfordshire outpost of US multinational Gator Corp. Quentin rarely watches Sky Sports
-
Research reveals average pay delay of three weeks
04 February 2011
Experian says client payments overdue by 21 days as government promotes project bank accounts
-
RICS creates 'executive director' position
19 Jan 11
Mark Walley appointed to build RICS’ status and grow membership
-
RICS: House prices fall further
8 Feb 11
Rate of decline slows but all regions suffer
-
Simmons to leave Cabe as merger nears
3 Feb 11
Cabe to become part of Design Council as quango closes following funding loss
-
Skanska profits flat as revenue falls
10 Feb 11
Skanska UK revenues fell 17% in 2010 but profits were down just 1.8%.
-
Skanska seals £30m school deal
4 Feb 11
Swedish giant reaches financial close on design and build academy contract
-
Spotlight: When contractors fail
04 February 2011
The downturn has put many contractors out of business, says Brian Moone. What impact is this likely to have on project lead times?
-
Standardised schools: Here’s one we made earlier
04 February 2011
Thanks to a streamlined procurement and design process, councils can now choose a school from a brochure and get it delivered in just 13 months. Is this a revolution in the classroom
-
Steel price goes up
04 February 2011
?Indian multinational materials giant Tata is to raise the price of structural steel by £95 per tonne in March because of concerns over rising coal prices. The new price will take effect on all deliveries from Sunday 6 March 2011.
-
Strong demand for engineering and construction staff in January
8 Feb 11
Report on Jobs highlights significant increase in both permanent and temporary placements
-
Tottenham Hotspur releases Olympic Stadium images
8 Feb 11
Club hits back at claims it would ’demolish’ existing site
-
Tube upgrade 'saved by public takeover'
4 Feb 11
Mayor says London underground work back on track thanks to Tfl takeover of Tube Lines
-
UK engineers venture into Sudan to improve infrastructure
04 February 2011
There are opportunities in the oil-rich south but fears about the politically unstable north
-
UK firms missing out on Euro research funding, says CIOB
25 Jan 11
Construction body launches new database to help companies apply for cash
-
Up to £1bn wasted on M25 widening
8 Feb 11
The Highways Agency mishandled the M25 widening programme, potentially leading to a waste of £1bn, according to the Public Accounts Committee.
-
Video: Birmingham Library fly-through
04 February 2011
Exterior and interior features highlighted in £188m development
-
Walthamstow stadium: A dog’s chance
04 February 2011
The famous greyhound track has been mothballed for three years while housing association L&Q wrestles with local opposition to its plans to build 300 homes on the site. After a crunch meeting last week the two sides seem as far apart as ever. Is this a foretaste of the new localism?
-
West Ham tipped to win 2012 Stadium bid
10 Feb 11
Reports say Olympic legacy bosses will choose West Ham over Spurs and retain athletics track
-
Willmott Dixon to build pioneering zero carbon school
25 Jan 11
School will share energy centre with housing development to negate carbon footprint
-
Winners announced for ‘A Room for London’
8 Feb 11
David Kohn and Fiona Banner will create temporary installation on Southbank Centre
