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The Football Association is preparing to pick a squad of contractors to deliver a £200m building programme of new sports changing rooms across the country. The four-year grass-roots community programme will typically involve projects worth between £300k and £1m depending on size and scope of each facility. Under present plans it will invite tenders in June with the aim of selecting contractors to start the improvement programme next April. Before that the FA, together with The Football Foundation and The English Sports Council,  is undertaking a soft market testing exercise and contractors’ day. This will help to judge the best route for procurement and explore the market appetite for delivering the programme using modular buildings, although it remains open to more traditional methods …

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The distinct joint venture business aims to harness Gentoo’s reach into social housing with Newcastle-based Tolent’s project management and construction expertise. The new company Gentoo Tolent is registered at Gentoo’s Sunderland head quarters and began business yesterday. Steve Lanaghan, Executive Director of Gentoo Group said: “Tolent is a highly respected and experienced construction company, with whom we have enjoyed an excellent working relationship. “The joint venture will enable both organisations to share skills and knowledge in different and complementary areas of work. With a number of synergies between our businesses, this partnership will create a sustainable regional business with an enhanced offer to the market.” John Wood, Chair of Tolent said:“This is a great opportunity to boost the strengths of both companies and develop …

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Researchers at a leading business insurance website have revealed that as many as three quarters of construction workers agree with random drug testing whilst on site. Furthermore, the majority of respondents stated that they would feel a lot safer and more secure if employees operated under rules in which they could be tested and dismissed at any point if they were proved to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A leading business insurance website in the UK has decided to investigate random drug testing on construction sites, following recent reports of a legal case won by a bus driver who lost his job after failing a drugs test, when he’d actually done nothing except handle some banknotes contaminated with cocaine. The team at www.constructaquote….

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A group of five builders have been selected for a new £3bn framework designed to fast-track development of surplus public land. Bouygues, Glasgow builders CCG, Morgan Sindall, Wates and Willmott Dixon have secured places on the four year Social Infrastructure Development  framework, run by contracting authority NPS. The SID framework will be used to deliver projects that span the public sector, from schools and housing through to police stations and care homes. Mike Britch, Managing Director of NPS Group said: “We already have a pipeline of 16 schemes worth around £300m and expect SID to establish itself as the procurement route of choice for both public authorities and charitable bodies.” It will be used to design, finance and construct social infrastructure projects funded through the development …

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The company officially replaces the Highways Agency next week. The improvements over the first five years of operation include: 112 major improvements, including 15 smart motorway projects providing 280 extra miles of capacity, and resurfacing the majority of the network providing a more accessible road system delivering over 150 new cycling facilities and crossings, including 40 by the end of next year, and cycle-proofing new schemes reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the network by 40% from the 2010 baseline Graham Dalton, Chief Executive of Highways England said: “The launch of Highways England is an incredibly significant moment for those who rely on England’s motorways and major A roads. “As well as delivering the biggest investment in major roads since the 1970s, there will be fundamental changes to …

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Sheffield city council has unveiled plans for a £480m retail quarter to transform the city centre. The ambitious plan designed by Leonard Design Architects comprises 900,000 sq ft of mixed-use accommodation. This will predominantly by retail and leisure led, but also includes over 200,000 sq ft of residential and office space. Sheffield City Council has been assessing the best way forward for the retail quarter since ending a partnership with developer Hammerson in 2013. It plans to part fund the scheme from the New Deal with Government to use tax incremental financing. Simon Green, Sheffield City Council’s Executive Director – Place said: “This is the right time for Sheffield. “We sit at the heart of the devolution debate; we have an ambitious plan for growth; and we are delivering …

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Flashing hi-ves vests are being developed to warn workers of potential dangers on sites. The SmartVest contains strips of LED lights which flash different colours to warn workers of particular hazards. The vests have been developed by software specialist 3Squared and link-up to its site management system. Workers will be alerted with flashing lights to dangers like oncoming trains on rail sites. Lights will also warn operatives when they enter a dangerous site zone as mapped out on the 3Squared ‘SmartSafe’ virtual zone management platform. Tim Jones, Managing Director of 3Squared, said: “The SmartVest concept innovatively and creatively takes an established product with existing safety benefits into the 21st Century. “We are very excited about what this could mean for construction and infrastructure workers in …

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Each winter the demand for de-icing products spikes significantly as winter is harsher each year. Two of the most common de-icing products are brown and white gritting rock salt. Both products are effective in managing the buildup of ice on roads and pavements and both can be easily spread. In fact, in a short amount of time these rock salts can cover quite a large area. Also, both are cost efficient and effective. Salt works by lowering the melting point of ice. When salt mixes with any moisture or water, a saline solution is created (salty water). This saline solution will freeze at a lower point than fresh water, making it more difficult for ice to form. Brown Rock Gritting Salt Brown rock salt is …

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It seems that hardly a day goes by without the news featuring a significant proportion of column space to the ongoing housing crises within the UK. Such a crisis in then only emphasised when we consider a few facts and figures. According statistics referenced by the BBC and CBI only 15,698 affordable homes where built between 2011 and 2012 and with the shortfall of homes expected to be around one million, the crisis doesn’t look set for resolution anytime soon. This is then emphasised by there being a growing social housing waiting list with ever more bloated rental prices, with 1.69 million households upon the list to date and a significant jump in affordable housing rent of 7% to £78.78 per week (Gov.uk 2013). With such a political hot potato …

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Auction houses for cheap property is an attractive proposition for those who are looking to build their property portfolio. Transparency is integral and never more so than from your building survey. It seems that this element of purchasing property has long since suffered from a vague and often misunderstood purpose. So what does this then means for the conscientious property developer.   The modern property developer and their legal and financial challenges According to the Home Owners Alliance, only 20% of buyers think they need to get a survey no matter what the condition of age of property they are buying, is this ignorance or experience? As a property developer, you success will be in the finances, but that doesn’t mean you need to purchase a …

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