Police ban mobile cranes from roads over Easter
Construction Enquirer
by Grant Prior
22h ago
Crane and plant hire companies are up-in-arms after police forces across the country banned them from moving kit on the roads this Easter. Mobile cranes and some larger plant are covered by Special Types General Orders (STGO) which restrict the hours they can be transported mainly during peak traffic times. But a growing number of police forces are extending the travel embargoes with vast swathes of the country facing restrictions across the Easter holiday. Forces banning big machines from the road include Hampshire, Lancashire, South Yorkshire, Thames Valley and West Midlands. One fuming pla ..read more
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Director jailed for exposing workers to asbestos
Construction Enquirer
by Grant Prior
1d ago
A company director has been jailed for eight months after failing to protect workers from exposure to asbestos at a student development project in Winchester. Stephen Davies, 59, had set up Cavendish Winchester Ltd with the sole purpose of refurbishing the Winnall Close commercial unit into student rental accommodation. His co-director Neil Bolton, 56, was spared an immediate spell behind bars when he was handed a four-month suspended sentence at Southampton Crown Court yesterday. The company itself was fined £30,000 – with all three defendants pleading guilty. An HSE investigation revealed t ..read more
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Council finds extra £33m for Buckinghamshire link road
Construction Enquirer
by Aaron Morby
1d ago
Buckinghamshire County Council has agreed to an extra £33m funding for Galliford Try’s South East Aylesbury Link Road project as expected costs soar to £147m for the scheme. When work started on phase 1 of the new mile-long dual carriageway in Aylesbury the project was expected to cost £114m. Being built in stages, the road is set to open at the end of 2026 – with the second phase to be completed by December 2024. Phase 1: B4443 Lower Road to A413 Wendover Road. Phase 2: B4443 Lower Road to the future junction with South West Aylesbury Link Road and Stoke Mandeville Relief Road. Galliford Tr ..read more
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Site labour rates start rising again
Construction Enquirer
by Grant Prior
1d ago
Labour rates on construction sites last month moved closer to the all-time high seen at the end of 2023. Latest figures from the industry’s biggest payroll provider show average earnings for self-employed tradespeople increased to £1,017 per week during February – almost the same as the December peak of £1,044. Hudson Contract said this followed the usual poor month of January when earnings dipped due to bad weather and some sites being slow to reopen after Christmas. Average earnings in February were 2.3%  higher than the same month in 2023, highlighting resilience in demand for highly ..read more
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Quartet win £490m North West & Central railway works deal
Construction Enquirer
by Aaron Morby
1d ago
Network Rail has named the four firms it will use to deliver a planned £490m programme of major projects in its north west and central territory for control period 7. The deal completes the award of a flight of frameworks set up covering the “Backbone of Britain” route over the next five years and sees Skanska and Kier take the biggest project lot. North West & Central Region Cat A framework (Value £690m) Regional Multi-discipline £7m – £200m projects (total up to £310m) Skanska Kier Multi-discipline £7m – £50m projects (total £180m) Octavius Infrastructure Story Contracting The scope ..read more
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Galliford Try names new finance director
Construction Enquirer
by Aaron Morby
1d ago
Galliford Try has appointed Rentokill’s Kris Hampson as new chief financial officer, succeeding Andrew Duxbury who is leaving to join house builder Persimmon. Hampson joins from Rentokil Initial plc where he has worked in finance roles for over 16 years, most recently as group financial controller. Alison Wood, Chair at Galliford Try, said “Kris has considerable financial experience with a FTSE 100 company and is an excellent addition to the board.  Kris will play a key role in delivering the Group’s future growth plans and I look forward to working with him.”   ..read more
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Council boss hits out at bat threat to £274m road job
Construction Enquirer
by Grant Prior
1d ago
The leader of Norfolk County Council has fired a broadside at Natural England after a rule change about protected bats cast doubts over plans to build the £274m Norwich Western Link. The government conservation advisory body has decided to confer “favourable conservation status” on Barbastelle bats in the region. Council leader Kay Mason said the rule change will “make it almost impossible for us to be granted a licence and without that licence, we cannot build the road.” She said: “I fear this is yet another example of an unelected quango introducing new rules to suit their narrow remit with ..read more
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New Knauf rainscreen cavity systems make life easier for specifiers
Construction Enquirer
by Grant Prior
2d ago
Knauf Insulation has launched Rocksilk RainScreen Cavity Systems – a range of complete tested systems designed to simplify specification and support compliance in cladding and masonry façades. The systems consist of sheathing insulation, fixings, and cavity barriers. Luke Davies, Rock Mineral Wool Product Manager at Knauf Insulation said:  “The Building Safety Act places much more scrutiny on everyone working on high-risk buildings. “The ‘gateways’ it introduces, plus the ever-stricter compliance criteria of the Building Regulations, mean it’s never been more important to get your specifi ..read more
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Unite Students plans first major mixed-use scheme
Construction Enquirer
by Aaron Morby
2d ago
Student accommodation developer Unite has unveiled plans to build its first mixed-use student and private flats scheme. The 401-bed Burnet Point project will be built in Edinburgh will have a development cost of nearly £60m The city centre project will also be Unite Students’ lowest carbon new-build and will use low-carbon concrete and timber composite. Its life cycle assessment is currently 702 kgCO2e/m2 (carbon emission equivalent per square metre), the lowest in the group’s new-build portfolio. Burnet Point is set to be completed in September next year, ready for the start of the 2025/26 ac ..read more
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Plans in for £118m Government hub in Darlington
Construction Enquirer
by Aaron Morby
2d ago
The Government Property Agency has submitted plans to build a four-storey government hub in Darlington. The Brunswick Street Hub building would be home to 1,450 civil servants and represents a £118m investment into the town. Construction of the building is timetabled to begin later this year and be completed in early 2027. When completed, Brunswick Street will form part of a government campus of three buildings, including Feethams House and Bishopsgate House, all located within Darlington town centre. Clive Anderson, director of capital projects at the GPA, said: “In submitting our planning a ..read more
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