Vistry saved by second half margin rebound to 8.4%Partnership homes specialist Vistry has delivered a resilient full-year performance after a strong second half margin rebound helped offset weaker housing volumes and flat revenues.
In a trading update this morning, the firm said adjusted pre-tax profit for the year to December 2025 was expected to come in at around £270m, up from £264m last…
Treasury unlocks £1.1bn to revive Northern Powerhouse RailThe government has finally moved to drag the Northern Powerhouse Rail mega-scheme out of limbo, committing fresh cash and promising tighter cost control after years of drift and delay.
Ministers will today pledge to keep the Northern east–west rail programme within a hard £45bn funding envelope, in a bid to avoid the spiralling…
McLaren takes 256-bed Leeds student tower jobLocal developer Pullans has secured planning approval and appointed McLaren Construction as main contractor for a 14-storey student tower at Joseph’s Well former factory site in Leeds city centre.
Full consent has been granted for the major new purpose-built student accommodation scheme, marking the biggest transformation of the Joseph’s W…
Tower crane drivers set to strikeTower crane drivers are planning a series of strikes starting with a one-day stoppage later this month.
The action could halt major sites across the country with London hardest hit.
Drivers at leading crane rental company Wolffkran, represented by Unite, have voted to start a series of 24-hour strikes on Tuesday January 27 then every fortnight after that.
T…
Trade body BESA boots out five more firms in standards purgeThe Building Engineering Services Association has suspended five more member firms as it tightens the screws on technical and professional standards across the heating and ventilating sector.
The competency crackdown takes the total number of firms suspended by the trade body in the past eight months to 19.
BESA’s council said it was…
Winvic wins £340m M&S mega shed at DIRFTWinvic has landed the job to build a vast 1.3m sq ft national distribution centre for Marks & Spencer at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal.
Appointed by Prologis, the £340m scheme will become a flagship hub in M&S’s food supply chain as the retailer targets major growth.
The 52-week build will see Winvic deliver two low-carbon warehouses wit…
Bidders day set for £4.5bn Southern Construction FrameworkContractors are being called to a bidders day in London as councils move to re-procure the £4.5bn Southern Construction Framework.
Devon County Council and Hampshire County Council are preparing to launch the sixth generation of the framework, with around 20 firms expected to battle to retain their places.
Tendering is due to go live in…
Facade specialist Permasteelisa (UK) hit by third year of lossesFacade specialist Permasteelisa (UK) slipped to a deeper loss as legacy projects, inflation and fixed-price contract pressures continued to bite.
The façade specialist grew revenue 24% to £182m in the year to 31 March 2025, driven by strong order intake and the UK emerging as the group’s largest regional contributor.
But…
“Future of construction” firm in administrationPioneering graphene firm Versarien is now in administration.
The firm’s products included Cementene – a concrete admixture hailed as the “future of construction” which boosts strength and cuts carbon.
Versarien has trialled its products on HS2 and signed a deal with Balfour Beatty to work on new products.
Andrew Knowles and Andrew Poxon…
Balfour secures £900m Midlands highways upkeep dealBalfour Beatty has landed a huge Midlands highways maintenance term contract worth £900m after three local authorities joined forces to bundle their long-term road upkeep programmes.
The seven-year deal has been awarded to Balfour Beatty Living Places following a joint procurement by Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council and…