Renew Boasts ‘Record’ Turnover as Acquisition Trend Drives Diversity
UK civil‑engineering contractor Renew Holdings reported a record half‑year turnover of £589 million ($748 million), up from £569.3 million a year earlier. Pre‑tax profit rose to £25.5 million ($32.4 million) with a 4.3% margin, and cash increased to £10.6 million ($13.5 million) after repaying a £27 million loan. Growth was driven by recent acquisitions, including high‑voltage specialist PWR‑X for £1.1 million ($1.4 million) and marine services firm Edwards Diving Services for up to £13 million ($16.5 million), expanding its reach in power and water sectors. Renew’s order book reached £945 million ($1.2 billion), underscoring an active M&A pipeline and diversified market exposure.
Bridge of Size: Installing HS2’s Tallest Viaduct
The Balfour Beatty‑Vinci joint venture is preparing to launch the 150‑metre Bellingham Bridge, the tallest viaduct on the HS2 route, in late May. The steel Warren‑truss weighs about 4,200 tonnes, with an additional 500 tonnes of temporary steel, and required the diversion...
Has Legislation Made Construction More Adversarial?
The 1996 Construction Act was introduced to curb disputes, improve cash flow and embed fairness in UK building projects. Over the past 25 years, however, a succession of shocks—Brexit, the pandemic, soaring material costs and tighter safety regulations—has turned the...
HSE Warns Against Dry Cutting of Stone in Fightback Against Silicosis
The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued new COSHH guidance prohibiting dry cutting of engineered stone, labeling the practice illegal after two young workers died from silicosis. The guidance mandates water‑suppression methods, low‑silica stone, respiratory protective equipment and...
£1.25bn Housing and Demolition Framework Launched
The LHC Procurement Group has launched the £1.25 bn (≈ $1.6 bn) Housing, Regeneration and Demolition (H3) framework for public‑sector clients across the UK. Running for four years with a possible one‑year extension, the framework is split into 12 lots covering new‑build homes,...
Joint Venture Wins £856m HS2 ‘Nerve Centre’ Job
Taylor Woodrow and Aureos have formed a joint venture that secured a £856 million (≈ $1.09 billion) contract to build HS2’s Network Integrated Control Centre and rolling‑stock depot at Washwood Heath, Birmingham. The 70‑acre brownfield site will host a maintenance depot, test track,...
Administrations Fall in April but Grow Year on Year
Construction‑sector administrations rose 9% year‑on‑year in April 2026, reaching 23 failures – a 77% jump from April 2024 when only 13 firms collapsed. The largest case, Focus Group Logistics, reported a £25.2 m turnover but a £2.2 m pre‑tax loss and owes...
London Council Seeks Contractor Input on £500m Housing Upgrade Programme
Tower Hamlets Council has launched a preliminary market engagement for a £500 million (≈$640 million) housing upgrade programme, part of its 10‑year capital investment plan. The council will procure eight major contracts covering refurbishment, fire‑prevention installations, electrical rewiring and plumbing upgrades across...
Birmingham City Council Engages Market on £1.85bn Framework
Birmingham City Council has launched market engagement for a four‑year works framework valued at roughly $2.4 bn (about £1.85 bn). The framework will cover construction, refurbishment, demolition and specialist projects across a property and infrastructure portfolio worth around $9 bn (≈£7 bn). Excluding VAT,...
Retentions Ban: Has the UK Missed a Kiwi Trick?
In late March the UK government announced a blanket ban on retention payments in construction contracts, ending a practice that typically withholds 3‑5% of contract value until defects are resolved. Proponents such as the Electrical Contractors Association argue the ban...
Latest Acquisition Expands OCU’s Grid and Renewables Capabilities
OCU Group has bought Cumbria‑based Athena Professional Technical Services to broaden its grid‑infrastructure and renewable‑energy capabilities. Athena, which offers power‑systems engineering and grid‑connection consultancy up to 132 kV, brings £1.2 m (~$1.5 m) in net assets, £1.6 m (~$2.0 m) cash and a 56‑person team....
Construction Believes in Collaboration – so Why Isn’t It Practising It?
A OnePoll study commissioned by NEC Contracts surveyed 1,065 construction professionals across the UK, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Peru, revealing that 83% view trust as essential and eight‑in‑ten believe collaboration boosts performance. Respondents with collaborative‑contract experience report faster delivery, fewer...
Mark Robinson on Scape at 20
Scape marks its 20th anniversary after evolving from a post‑war school‑building consortium into a national framework provider serving 675 public‑sector clients across the UK. The group has delivered more than 2,000 projects and 3,500 commissions, and its next construction framework...
Double Whammy Hits April Construction Output
The S&P Global UK construction Purchasing Managers' Index slipped to 39.7 in April, marking the steepest monthly decline since November 2025 and the 16th straight month of contraction. Civil engineering fell to a 35.3 score, the sector’s weakest, while commercial...
Construction Activity Declines as Middle East Conflict Drags On
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' Q1 2026 Construction Monitor shows UK construction workloads fell to a net balance of -12%, deepening from -6% in the previous quarter. Private housing, commercial and industrial sectors posted double‑digit declines, while infrastructure remained the...
Construction ‘Least Prepared’ Industry for Cyber Threats, Poll Finds
A Beazley survey of over 3,500 leaders finds construction firms are the least prepared for cyber threats, with only 74% confident in their defenses and 32% citing security as their top concern. AI‑driven phishing and a 410% YoY rise in...
Brick and Block Deliveries Fall as Material Costs Rise
The UK Department for Business and Trade reported that brick deliveries fell 3.6% year‑on‑year in March 2026, reaching 119 million units, slightly below the 12‑month average. Concrete block shipments declined 3.3% year‑on‑year, though both categories posted a 6% month‑on‑month increase. Ready‑mixed...
Scape Engages Market on £1.2bn Regional Framework
Scape has launched a £1.2 billion (approximately $1.5 billion) regional construction framework that will run from August 2027 to August 2031. The four‑year programme covers four lots across the Midlands, East Anglia, the Home Counties and London, with three suppliers appointed per lot, totalling...
UK Construction Activity March 2026: Infrastructure
UK infrastructure construction activity in March 2026 recorded a dramatic contraction, with project starts slumping 73% year‑on‑year and detailed planning approvals plunging 81% compared with the previous year. Despite the weak pipeline, main contract awards rose 11% YoY, indicating that...
Hire Company Hails Proactive Safety Programme Success
Travis Perkins Hire reports a 71% reduction in plant overturn incidents after launching a proactive safety programme in 2019. The overturn rate fell from 1.75 to 0.4 per 1,000 hires by 2025. Measures include standardising extendable tracks, wider wheels, speed...
Controversial New Scottish School Hit by Cost Hike After Legal Challenge
Councillors on Scotland’s Argyll and Bute have revived plans for a new Mull Community Campus after a judicial review was dismissed. The project’s budget has jumped to £46.8 m (≈$59 m), up from £42.9 m in April 2024, and the earliest opening is...
Near-50% Jump in Construction Companies in ‘Critical’ Financial Distress
The number of UK construction firms in BTG’s ‘critical’ financial distress category surged 49% year‑on‑year to 9,466 in Q1 2026, up from 6,367 a year earlier. The sharpest rises were seen among domestic‑building contractors (55%) and electrical installers (51%). While the...
Osborne Administration Extended for Extra Two Years
Geoffrey Osborne, the Surrey‑based contractor that entered administration in 2024 with roughly $58 million of debt, has received a second High Court extension pushing the wind‑down to 29 April 2028. The extension follows an earlier one granted in 2025 and adds another year...
‘Urgent’ Action Needed to Cut Construction Costs, Says Minerals Body
The Mineral Products Association warned that the Iran‑related Middle‑East crisis is deepening an existing construction slump in the UK. Its Q1 2026 survey shows mortar sales down 5.4% year‑on‑year, London concrete volumes 47% lower than 2022, and modest declines in...
We Can’t Ignore Hydrogen’s Potential in Construction
The UK construction sector burns over 1 billion litres of diesel each year, with heavy non‑road machinery responsible for a disproportionate share of emissions. Full electrification of large excavators and dump trucks is hampered by battery weight, charging downtime, and limited...
‘Disciplined Work Selection’ Drives 50% Profit Boost at Sir Robert McAlpine
Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM) lifted pre‑tax profit 50% to £15.7 m (~$20 m) in the year to 31 Oct 2025, driven by a disciplined work‑selection strategy that prioritized margin over volume. Turnover rose modestly to £945.7 m (~$1.2 bn), and the contractor secured roughly £1 bn (~$1.27 bn) of...
Development Partner Sought for County Hall Hotel Transformation
Derbyshire County Council has launched a £138.4 million (≈ $176 million) tender to find a single development partner for the Smedley’s Hydro Project in Matlock. The scheme will convert the listed South Block of County Hall into a hotel with up to 100...
Digital Foundations: Building the Connected Construction Site
Construction sites are hampered by unreliable digital connectivity, driving costly delays and safety risks. A recent webinar highlighted that UK connectivity outages cost roughly $23 bn a year in lost output, underscoring the financial stakes. Speakers from UK Connect, Cambium Networks,...
Ministers Agree to Address Steel Tariff Threat
The UK government will slash steel import quotas by 60% and raise the tariff on imported steel to 50% starting 1 July, a move that could double material costs for construction firms. After industry backlash, the Construction Leadership Council and the...
Transparency Needed over Rising Material Costs, Say Industry Bodies
Industry bodies including the Construction Leadership Council’s Supply Chain Group warned that material price inflation in the UK construction sector is set to intensify, citing energy costs and opaque price hikes. Builders' merchants reported a 2.2% rise in January costs,...
Blacklisting Expert Loses Bid to Appear Before Spycops Inquiry
A High Court ruling denied blacklisting expert Dave Smith the chance to give oral evidence in the third phase of the Spycops inquiry, limiting his participation to written submissions. Unite and more than 100 trade‑union signatories have protested the decision,...
Watkin Jones Forward-Buying Materials to Mitigate Against Cost Inflation
Watkin Jones announced it is forward‑buying construction materials and securing subcontractors early to shield against potential cost spikes linked to the Middle East conflict. The London‑based contractor, the UK’s 54th‑largest by turnover, also flagged heightened interest‑rate uncertainty but expects half‑year...
Marlborough Scoops £200m Southend Roads Maintenance Deal
Southend City Council awarded a £200 million (≈$256 million) highways maintenance contract to Marlborough Highways for up to 14 years. The deal, initially seven years with a possible seven‑year extension, covers road upkeep, flood and coastal protection, lighting, drainage and professional design...
National Highways Engages Market on £166m Construction Pipeline
National Highways, the government‑owned road authority, has opened market engagement for an estates and facilities construction pipeline valued at up to £199.2 m (≈$255 m), with the core programme estimated at £166 m (≈$212 m) excluding VAT. The programme comprises 21 schemes slated to...
DfT Chiefs Defend Using HS2 Team for Liverpool-to-Manchester Line
The Department for Transport has placed the development of the £12 bn (≈$15 bn) Liverpool‑to‑Manchester Northern Powerhouse Rail line under a dedicated unit carved out of the troubled HS2 Ltd. The move, defended by senior officials Jo Shanmugalingam and Nick Bisson, aims...
Calls for HSE Funding Boost After Years of Cuts
Politicians and the All‑Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health are urging the government to restore the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) budget to pre‑2010 levels after a decade of cuts that have halved funding and reduced inspector numbers...
Middle East Conflict: Nearly 70% of Construction Firms Fear ‘Severe’ Impact
Almost seven in ten UK construction firms anticipate severe repercussions from the Middle East conflict over the next six months, according to Pick Everard’s Q1 2026 Construction Market Intelligence Survey. Forty‑five percent of respondents described their outlook as concerned or very...
AI in the Construction Industry: Security First, Then Innovation
AI is proliferating across sectors, but in construction the focus must be on security before innovation. Alex Richards, IT and Digital Director at BAM UK & Ireland, argues that thin margins demand pragmatic, ROI‑driven AI pilots that start with secure...
Planning Complex: Why Housing Targets Will Never Be Met
The article argues that the UK’s chronic failure to meet housing targets is rooted primarily in the planning system, not land banking, building regulations, or a skills shortage. It highlights how cumbersome approval processes and under‑resourced local authorities create bottlenecks...
Construction Pay Falls Against the Grain
Office for National Statistics data show construction average weekly earnings slipped to £789 (about $1,010) in February, a 2 % drop year‑over‑year and 4 % lower than December. The decline contrasts sharply with wage gains in manufacturing, engineering and real‑estate sectors, which...
Housebuilding ‘Will Fall Further’ as Big Builders Deliver Gloomy Updates
The UK housebuilding sector is under severe strain as soaring construction costs, higher taxes and dwindling buyer confidence force major builders to slash forecasts. Crest Nicholson cut its 2026 sales target to 1,500 homes and reduced expected land sales to...
Galliford Try Completes Third Share Buyback
Galliford Try has completed its third £10 million (≈$12.8 million) share‑buy‑back, cancelling 1,957,703 shares at an average price of about £5.11 (≈$6.54). The programme follows two earlier buy‑backs – a £10 million repurchase in late 2024/early 2025 and a £15 million buy‑back in 2023...
Deal Ends Year-Long Engineering Construction Pay Dispute
A year‑long pay dispute between the Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA) and the Unite and GMB unions under the NAECI framework has been resolved. Employers offered a 4.5% hourly wage increase, roughly £2,000 per worker, along with higher radius, accommodation...
Trial Date Set for Balfour Beatty After Nuclear Site Death
Balfour Beatty, a tier‑one contractor, will face a health and safety trial at Reading Crown Court on 22 May 2028 for the death of construction worker Stuart Cook at AWE’s Aldermaston nuclear site on 6 July 2023. The company entered a not‑guilty plea to...
Skills Mission Board Outlines Regional Model to Tackle Training Gap
The Construction Skills Mission Board (CSMB) is rolling out a regional “hub‑and‑spoke” model to align construction training with employer demand. The plan builds on the £600 million government skills package that created 12 new Construction Technical Colleges and will use a...
Valve-Manufacturer Workers Vote to Strike over Pay
More than 100 employees at Crane Building Services & Utilities in Hitchin voted for strike action after pay negotiations stalled. The GMB union demanded a 10% wage increase, while the company offered a 4.5% rise starting March 2026 and 4%...
Reds10 Bags Hinckley School Science Job
Reds10 has been awarded a £22.5 million (≈$29 million) contract by the UK Department for Education to replace four aging blocks at The Hinckley School with a 3,610‑square‑metre, three‑storey STEAM facility. The 103‑module building will be fabricated primarily off‑site – about 87%...
Hill to Deliver Almost £600m-Worth of Brent Schemes
Hill Group, in a joint venture with Pinnacle Investments, will deliver 1,934 homes across two mixed‑use sites in Brent, north‑west London. The Wembley development will feature two towers—18 and 30 storeys—offering 307 homes, including 85 social‑rent units, while the Dudden...
Framework Providers Agree 10-Year Strategic Partnership
Pagabo has entered a 10‑year strategic delivery partnership with YPO to create public‑sector construction and infrastructure frameworks. YPO will serve as the central procurement authority while Pagabo handles design, delivery and ongoing management. The first framework agreements are set to...
Graham Lands £74m Didcot Bypass Job
Graham has secured a £74 million (≈$95 million) contract to build the Clifton Hampden Bypass in Oxfordshire. The new single‑carriageway will reroute A415 traffic around the village, adding segregated walking and cycling routes and a roundabout serving Culham Science Centre. Funding comes...