Call to Name Living Walls as ‘Green Infrastructure’ in Planning Guidelines
A coalition of designers, consultants and firms has urged the UK government to classify living walls as green infrastructure in the upcoming National Planning Policy Framework. They argue that current guidelines lack a clear basis for vertical greening, causing many proposals to be dropped. The group, led by living‑wall specialist Viritopia, sent an open letter to Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook highlighting air‑quality, runoff and biodiversity benefits. Inclusion would give local authorities a consistent tool without extra funding or regulatory burden.
Insufficient Contingency Funds Risk New Hospital Programme Delays, MPs Warn
The Public Accounts Committee warned that the UK government’s £60 billion (≈$76 billion) New Hospital Programme lacks sufficient contingency funding, allocating only 3% of the £8.9 billion (≈$11.3 billion) budget for projects through 2029/30. This shortfall could trigger cost overruns and push back the...
108mph Train Narrowly Misses Maintenance Van
A passenger train traveling at 108 mph narrowly missed a parked maintenance van by just one to two feet on the fast line near Millbrook, Bedfordshire. The van, occupied by a Network Rail site warden, was positioned after a night‑shift crew...
University Rethinks Final Stage of £500m Campus Amid Cost Concerns
The University of Bristol has put the second phase of its £500 m (≈ $625 m US) Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus on hold, citing construction‑cost volatility and shifting higher‑education space needs. The flagship CM1 building will still open in September, while CM2’s development...
Wates Awarded Strangeways Refurb Job After ISG Collapse
Wates has been awarded a £108.5 million (≈$139 million) design‑and‑build contract to complete the refurbishment of HMP Manchester, known as Strangeways, after ISG collapsed. The Ministry of Justice launched the mini‑competition under the CWAS2 framework, with work starting 24 March 2026 and slated for...
Analysis Cites Sector Pressures From Iran War as Project Starts Nosedive
Glenigan’s Q1 2026 analysis shows project starts plunged 20% year‑on‑year amid heightened pressure from the Iran war, which is stoking inflation and squeezing economic growth. Despite the drop in starts, main contract awards surged 30% quarter‑on‑quarter and were up 3%...
Willmott Dixon Leisure Centre Revamp Soars in Time and Cost
Willmott Dixon’s refurbishment of the Grade II‑listed Seymour Leisure Centre in Marylebone has been delayed by at least six months and its budget has ballooned by roughly £3.5 million (about $4.5 million). The City of Westminster Council approved a £3.9 million increase, pushing...
Fire-Safety Group Warns Against Relaxing Telecoms Installation Regulations
The Fire Protection Association (FPA) warned that easing telecom‑installation rules in higher‑risk buildings could heighten fire danger. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is consulting on relaxing Building Safety Act 2022 requirements for fibre‑optic and mobile‑mast work...
Community Housing Tenders £1.6bn Capital Works Framework
Community Housing, a UK social‑housing cooperative, has issued a £1.6 bn (≈ $2 bn USD) four‑year Planned Works Framework covering capital works, maintenance and compliance services. The framework runs from 21 August 2026 to 20 August 2030 and comprises 43 lots—large £100 m (£127 m USD) programmes for windows,...
Vinci Energies Buys Telecoms Construction Specialist
Vinci Energies has acquired Scottish telecoms construction specialist Novo Technologies, adding 71 employees to its UK operations. Novo reported a £17.5 m (≈$22 m) turnover for the year to 31 August 2025, up 13%, but its pre‑tax profit fell 46% to £832,400 (≈$1.1 m). The...
Tribunal Upholds Worker Dismissal After Alleged Assault
A UK employment tribunal dismissed a worker's claim of unfair dismissal after he was fired for a physical altercation with a colleague. The tribunal found L. Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage acted reasonably, classifying the incident as gross misconduct based...
Monthly Construction Insolvencies Exceed 300
In February 2026, 301 construction firms in England and Wales entered insolvency, a 9% rise from January but a sixth lower than February 2025. Specialist contractors accounted for over half of the cases, with 157 firms, while electrical, plumbing and...
Multiplex Selected as Preferred Bidder for £300m Imperial Scheme
Multiplex has been named the preferred bidder for Imperial College London’s £300 million (approximately $384 million) academic and research building at its White City Campus. The 42,489 sqm, ground‑plus‑12‑storey scheme will consolidate data science, AI, computing, mathematics and business programmes under one roof....
Mergers in Construction: Consider Net Profit Before Tax Ahead of EBITDA
Bradley Lay argues that construction SMEs should be valued using net profit before tax rather than EBITDA, a metric suited to large‑scale deals. He notes that big transactions like Barratt’s £2.5 bn (≈$3.1 bn) acquisition of Redrow rely on 6‑9× EBITDA, while...
Graham Wins £100m Bath University Student Accommodation Job
Graham has secured a £100 million (≈ $125 million) contract to design a 960‑bedroom student accommodation scheme at the University of Bath’s Claverton Down campus. The two‑stage pre‑construction services agreement, procured via the Southern Construction Framework, pits Graham against rivals such as BAM,...
GMI Scoops £40m Manchester Student Housing Contract
GMI Construction has secured a £40 million (≈$52 million) contract to build a purpose‑built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in Manchester’s Ardwick district for Tiger Developments. The project, called Carmoor Road, will deliver 172 studios and cluster apartments near the University of Manchester,...
Contractors Seek Tender Uplifts over War Impact Fears
Contractors are seeking to uplift tenders agreed earlier this year as inflation fears mount from the US‑Israel war’s spill‑over into Iran and a potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Gleeds’ Q1 2026 report shows 85% of contractors declined at...
MJ Church Wins Early Involvement on £31m Wiltshire Motorway Scheme
Civils contractor MJ Church has been appointed to an early contractor involvement (ECI) role for the £31 million (≈ $38.8 million) M4 junction 17 improvement scheme in Wiltshire. The project is 85% funded by the UK Department for Transport and 15% by the council,...
Administrators Chase Project Bank Account Funds to Pay Fees
Administrators of the collapsed modular specialist ESS Modular have asked a Northern Ireland court to allow the £1.3 million (≈ $1.65 million) Project Bank Account (PBA) to cover their £154,000 (≈ $195,000) fee claim. The PBA, set up for four Ministry of Justice prison projects,...
Skanska’s Margin Narrows Despite Turnover Hike
Skanska UK reported an 8% rise in turnover to £1.37 bn ($1.71 bn) for the year ended 31 December 2025, but pre‑tax profit slipped 9% to £71.4 m ($89 m), shrinking the margin to 5.7% from 6.1%. The contractor booked £1.36 bn ($1.70 bn) of new orders and...
HMRC’s Labour Crackdown Calls for Action to Ensure Compliance
HMRC has stepped up scrutiny of the Construction Industry Scheme, focusing on how contractors classify and pay subcontractors. Recent enquiries demand detailed evidence of employment status, including contracts, payment histories and timesheets. The tax authority’s forensic approach means firms risk...
Concrete Specialist Sees Profit Dip but Broadens Margin
MPB Structures posted a pre‑tax profit of £4.1 million ($5.2 million) for the year to 30 Sept 2025, down from £4.3 million a year earlier, while turnover slipped 8.9% to £105.5 million ($134 million). Despite lower revenue, the firm lifted its net profit margin to 3.9% and...
Sefton Council Launches £54m Highways Maintenance Tender
Sefton Council has issued a £54 million (approximately $68 million) open‑procedure tender for reactive highways and footway maintenance, slated to begin on 1 October 2026. The contract runs for an initial five‑year term with the option to extend up to three additional one‑year periods,...
Tax Hikes Inhibit Growth Prospects, Materials Body Warns
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) warns that its members are now paying roughly 26% more in taxes than five years ago, a rise driven by higher NIC, corporation tax, business rates, fuel duty and the aggregates levy. At the same...
Grenfell Inquiry Expert Witness Appointed as Building Advisory Committee Chair
The Building Safety Regulator appointed Grenfell Inquiry expert witness Barbara Lane as the first independent chair of its Building Advisory Committee (BAC), with Dr Hywel Davies named deputy chair. Lane, a senior engineering executive with three decades of experience, previously testified...
Sector Bodies Welcome ‘Bold’ Plan to Accelerate East West Rail Build
East West Rail (EWR) announced a revised design that will open each completed segment of the £6.6 billion line as soon as construction finishes, rather than waiting for the entire route. The phased approach is intended to accelerate public value, boost...
Energy, Construction and Sustainable Aggregates Firm Collapses
Hive Energy Ltd, a renewable‑energy group with construction and aggregates subsidiaries, entered administration in March after reporting a modest £7.2 m (≈$9 m) turnover. Its flagship construction arm, Ethical Power, saw its high‑voltage transmission unit Gunning Transmission & Distribution Services Ltd sold...
Retrofit Jobs Referred to Serious Fraud Office
UK authorities have referred suspected fraud in two major government retrofit programmes—the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) and the Great British Insulation Scheme—to the Serious Fraud Office. Ofgem estimates fraudulent claims could total between £56 million and £165 million (approximately $72‑$211 million). More than...
Willmott Dixon Wins £61m Contract to Rebuild Wallasey Secondary School
Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £61 million (≈ $77.5 million) contract to demolish and rebuild The Mosslands School in Wallasey for the Department for Education. The three‑storey, net‑zero campus will accommodate up to 1,500 pupils on a 7.7‑hectare site and is slated...
Building Safety Provisions Deepen Loss at Liverpool Contractor
Downing Construction reported a pre‑tax loss of $11.1 million for the year to 31 March 2025, a 50% decline from the previous year’s $7.4 million loss. The deeper deficit was driven by a surge in building‑safety provisions, which rose to $22.1 million as the firm...
Developer Collapses After Losing Bid to Evade £50m of Kent Infra Projects
London‑based Hodson Developments, the developer of the 5,750‑home Chilmington Green garden town in Kent, entered administration on 24 March after losing a bid to shed £50 million (≈$63.5 million) of section 106 infrastructure commitments. The firm had sought to alter 122 obligations, including a £30 million...
Demand for AI Data Centres Is Soaring – Is Construction Ready?
Global demand for AI‑focused data centres is accelerating, with JLL forecasting the market to double to roughly 200 GW of capacity by 2030, driving a $3 trillion investment cycle. The UK government is courting developers by designating data centres as Critical National...
Vinci Formally Appointed to £100m Derby Regeneration Scheme
Derby City Council has appointed a joint venture of Vinci UK Developments and Ion Developments as its strategic partner to deliver a £100 million (≈$125 million) city‑centre regeneration. The scheme will replace the former Assembly Rooms with three new buildings—DerbyMADE cultural hub, a...
CCS Announces Checklist Overhaul
The Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) has overhauled its assessment process, moving to a percentage‑based scoring system that equally weights community, environment and workforce themes. The new checklist adds safety, social value, inclusivity, UV‑protection and mental‑health criteria while aligning with BREEAM’s...
Scottish Public Buildings Framework Extended
LHC Procurement Group has prolonged the £750 million (≈$960 million) Scottish Public Buildings and Infrastructure Framework (PB3) by 19 months, keeping it active until 30 April 2027. The extension bridges the gap while the successor framework, PB4, is finalized, and no new projects will...
Glasgow Hospital Loses Multiplex Cladding Challenge Appeal
The Greater Glasgow Health Board’s appeal to bring a £16.3 million (≈$20 million) damages claim against construction firm Multiplex over unsafe cladding at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital was rejected by Scotland’s Inner House of Court. Judges ruled the board missed the...
Defect Claims Plague Former Parent Company of Defunct Tier One
Shepherd Building Group (SBG) remains burdened by defect claims tied to its former subsidiary Shepherd Construction (SCL), which was dissolved after its last job in 2021. In the 18‑month period to 30 June 2025, SBG recorded $23.6 million in contract provisions, down from...
How to Really Make Circularity Work in Construction
The UK government’s circular economy strategy provides a clear roadmap for the construction sector, urging a shift from linear to circular material use. Matt Tallon highlights that recycled road materials now match new‑product performance, dispelling long‑standing durability myths. New standards...
How Farrans Is Doubling the Size of Leeds Bradford Airport – While It Remains Operational
Farrans Construction is overseeing a £100 million (£127 million) refurbishment of Leeds Bradford Airport that will nearly double its size. Phase 1, a £35 million (£44.5 million) three‑storey extension, was completed on schedule and opened to passengers in summer 2025. Phase 2, a £65 million (£82.5 million) expansion, is...
Cambridgeshire Trails £200m Pipeline of Transport Works
Cambridgeshire County Council unveiled a transport and active‑travel pipeline exceeding £200 million (≈$250 million). The flagship is a £120 million (≈$150 million) design‑and‑build Cambourne‑to‑Cambridge busway slated for 2026‑2028. Additional schemes include a £44 million park‑and‑ride hub, a £20 million Newmarket Road replacement, and several cycling and...
Fair Work Agency Urged to Act on ‘Exploitative Labour’ Report
The UK’s newly‑launched Fair Work Agency (FWA) has been urged to act on the 74‑page Decent Work report, which flags systemic labour exploitation across multiple sectors. Construction, social care and the gig economy are identified as high‑risk, with nearly 500...
Fire Safety Fears Raised After DfE Drops Schools Sprinkler Guidance
The Department for Education has removed the Building Bulletin 100 guidance that recommended sprinklers for most new schools, limiting the requirement to buildings over four storeys, taller than 11 metres, residential campuses, and special schools. The change was made without consulting...
Two Scottish Contractors Liable in Asbestos Claim
A Scottish judge has held MCM Building & Civil Engineering Construction Ltd and Pyramid Joinery & Construction Ltd jointly and severally liable for exposing former labourer John Reid to asbestos, leading to pleural mesothelioma. The exposure occurred during roof removal...
Renew Holdings Warns of Ongoing Sellafield Strike Impact
Renew Holdings said the protracted industrial action at the former Sellafield nuclear site continues to weigh on its performance, even six months after the strike began. Despite the disruption, the firm highlighted a healthy medium‑term pipeline in its civil nuclear...
Domis Dominates March with Mammoth Trafford Mixed-Use Job
Domis leapt to the top of the March contract‑wins table after clinching a £200 million mixed‑use scheme in Trafford, Greater Manchester. The development will deliver 382 homes, 412 student‑accommodation bedrooms and over 2,300 sq m of office space. The win lifts Domis’s revenue...
Steel Tariffs: Saving One Key Industry Need Not Cause Pain for Another
The UK government has introduced steel import tariffs of up to 50%, coupled with a £70 million trade deal with Nigeria and a pledge to prioritize domestic steel in AI, energy and shipbuilding projects. These measures aim to revive a steel...
DP World Seeks Contractors for Automated Container Storage Job
DP World has issued a £36 million contract to build Boxbay, an automated high‑bay storage system for empty containers at the London Gateway terminal. The project involves installing over 5,000 precast piles, 15,000 t of structural steel, and 3 km of rail for storage‑retrieval...
Severn Trent Launches Water £1.2bn Tunnelling Tender
Severn Trent Water has launched a £1.2 billion tender framework for tunnelling, drilling and shaft works across England and Wales. The programme runs from September 2026 to September 2038, with an optional three‑year extension to 2041, and is split into build‑only...
Batching Process Boosts Gateway Two Approvals
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has rolled out an outsourced “batching” model that groups building‑control applications for specialised external suppliers. Early pilot data show gateway‑two approval rates climbing to 67 percent and median assessment times falling to four weeks. The approach...