In April, construction buyers witnessed another upswing in business activity, notably driven by a surge in commercial building projects. According to the latest S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index, the index climbed to 53 from 50.2 in March, indicating a notable acceleration in growth since February 2023.Reports Construction Journal. Commercial building, with an index reaching 53.9, saw its first expansion since August 2023, emerging as the fastest-growing segment within the construction sector for the month. Respondents to the survey attributed this growth to increa ..read more

Michael Gove has waded into another planning row by proposing a major mixed-use scheme for the City of London. This week, the Secretary of State for Equalities, Housing and Communities published the section 31 notice on the development plan for 140 and 150 London Walls, known as Bastion House and the former Museum of London.Reports Construction Journal. While the decision made clear that the City of London planning authority would not be allowed to give full approval to the plan at Wednesday’s meeting, Gove wanted to cancel it. The Committee did its best and approved this plan: “Approxima ..read more

Located at the Knowledge Development and Innovation District, the limited space is located next to the disused York Street subway station. The design of 176-178 York Road was designed by architect Kohn Pedersen Fox and structural engineer Arup to avoid stressing the three railway tunnels and two Piccadilly Line tunnels that run approximately 5 meters underground.Reports Construction Journal. The design of the building allows it to adapt to changes in the market and its occupants, with opportunities to change the scale of laboratories and offices from time to time. Both practical and pract ..read more

Sellar and Japanese developer Obayashi Properties UK are planning a landmark office tower that will connect the city cluster to the capital’s skyline via radios. Reports Construction Journal. The proposed tower at Gracechurch Road in the Square Mile is being planned by Danish architects 3XN, whose projects include 2 Finsbury Avenue in Broadgate. The building is intended to be renovated after it becomes vacant in 2026, subject to planning permission. OPUK, which also owns and redeveloped Bracken House, purchased 60 Gracechurch Road in March last year as part of its ongoing investments in t ..read more

The new Healthy Homes service will see Wates deliver bespoke programmes of work, using both a direct labour force and specialist supply chain. This will help social landlords to address repairs before they become legal disputes, reducing legal fees and resulting in happy and safe residents, reports Contract Journal. Wates said it had already signed six social housing landlords for the new service. David Morgan, executive managing director of Wates Property Services, said: “Issues of disrepair, and damp and mould are a growing challenge for social landlords, which are compounded by equally pres ..read more

The ambitious £ 3 billion project, one of the largest brownfield sites in the UK, is set to redefine the town’s skyline. In collaboration with the City of York Council and the National Railway Museum, the redevelopment plans will bring about a transformation, creating 2,500 new homes and an expansive one million sq ft of commercial, retail, and hospitality space. This project is a testament to the ongoing improvements to York Railway Station and the National Railway Museum, underscoring its significance for the local community. The development of one million square feet of new offices, restaur ..read more

Heidelberg announced the acquisition of Mick George, the £220m company, last year to enhance the circular materials offering and complement the existing aggregates and ready-mixed concrete businesses. Mick George owns four recycling stations, eight waste transfer stations, 11 aggregate quarries, and ten ready-mixed concrete plants. Nevertheless, the CMA expressed issues regarding competition in some building materials markets in East England and East Midlands. Heidelberg Materials shows initiative by agreeing to sell parts of its Essex-based business to Brice Aggregates and P J Thory in Peterb ..read more

The development of new data centre projects for various public and private institutions of the country is the major driver of the construction sector in 2024. Title: With the Rise of the New Data Centre Projects Came the Growth Of New Job Vacancies The sector hit the headlines recently with the go-ahead for the huge £800 million Google Data Centre at Waltham Cross in Herts, including an electricity substation and where work on some 62,000 sqm of space is underway this summer. Notwithstanding, Glenigan data gives clear evidence that development activity is being registered nationwide and constr ..read more

The water regulator has confirmed that Thames Water has been authorised to invest £400m in improving two of its London water treatment works to secure drinking water supplies. Through an agreement with Ofwat, it can effectively implement a number of schemes within the Coppermills and Hampton water treatment plants. Jobs will consist of replacing undersized or inefficient pipes and building treatment plants with increased flow capabilities. The campaign is tentatively scheduled to be completed by January 2032. Esther Sharples, chief operating officer at Thames Water, said: “The vital thing is c ..read more

The £900m scheme, driven by Panattoni, is a project that will see the now defunct 7.2m sq ft of logistics and manufacturing space taking over the place of the old car plant. The demolition process has begun on one of the UK’s largest brownfield sites, which is now ripe for future regeneration and development. Tire Park grounds have obtained detailed planning consent for a single unit of 1.25 m sq ft and outline planning permission for the rest of the site. Winvic will conduct a sitewide contamination soil investigation on behalf of AR Demolition and will manage the demolition of four primary b ..read more