Manchester 18-storey top-heavy tower approvedDeveloper Soller has got the planning thumbs up for a distinctive 18-storey tech office project in Manchester that incorporates several buildings at street level.
Designs by architect Howells for the NXQ scheme retain and restore 19th-century buildings on the site while respecting the neighbouring grade II-listed Daily Express Building.
The main tower…
Plan approved for Oxford homes and life sciences quarterPlans for a major mixed-use scheme in Oxford on a 15-acre brownfield site have gained outline planning paving the way for a major package of enabling works.
A joint venture between Nuffield College and Oxford City Council – OXWED – aims to transform Oxford’s West End with a new quarter next to Oxpens meadow.
The plans include 234…
Slow spending by Network Rail hits Renew profitsSlower than expected spending by Network Rail in the current £45bn CP7 investment round has prompted a profit warning at infrastructure specialist Renew.
In a trading update to the City today it said: “Trading within the rail sector has been impacted by the slow start to the Control Period (“CP7”), which commenced in April 2024.
“This…
Cartel watchdog drops probe into cement admixturesWatchdogs at the Competition and Markets Authority have closed their probe into suspected anti-competitive conduct in the supply of chemical admixtures for cement, mortars and concrete.
The CMA was working closely with the European Commission, which had also launched an investigation into the sector back in October 2023.
Today the cartel watchdog…
Bid race begins for £1bn concrete road replacement dealNational Highways has opened the bidding for a new six-year framework to deliver a major programme of concrete road replacement.
The new £1bn Legacy Concrete Roads Reconstruction Framework replaces the existing arrangement, which was more focused on repairs than reconstruction.
Under the present £400m five-year framework, Morgan Sinda…
“Cynical” legal bids to block infrastructure neuteredThe Government is stopping “cyncial” bids to block major infrastructure schemes with multiple legal challenges.
Current rules mean unarguable cases can be dragged through the courts three times – causing years of delay and hundreds of millions of cost to project.
Primary legislation will be changed so that where a judge in an ora…
Groundworks specialist Kaybridge faces liquidationMiddlesex based groundworks contractor Kaybridge Construction (Barnet) Ltd is due to be placed into liquidation today.
A deemed consent notice in The Gazette this week confirmed that Redmans Insolvency Services is set to be appointed once confirmed by creditors.
Kaybridge has been in business since 1972 providing groundworks, substructures and…
Watkin Jones returns to trading profitMulti-storey contractor Watkin Jones has returned an operating profit after last year’s plunge to a £38m trading loss.
But £7m of further provisions for building safety works scope changes eroded the £3.6m trading profit to a reported pre-tax loss of £300,000 in the year to September 2024.
Alex Pease, chief executive officer of Watkin Jones, said t…
Social housing firm Fortem targets £300m turnoverSocial housing contractor Fortem has set ambitious growth goals for the next three years.
Willmott Dixon-owned Fortem aims to drive up turnover from £205m to £300m by 2028, with a sharp focus on three distinct business streams: repairs and maintenance, capital works and retrofit programmes.
As part of the strategy, Fortem has made significant…
£150m Bristol student scheme approvedDeveloper Cubex Land has got the planning thumbs up for a 22-storey purpose-built student accommodation scheme in the Temple Quarter of Bristol.
The £150m student living project will provide 530-beds in the Corstorphine & Wright designed building on Albert Road.
Builder Bowmer & Kirkland is tipped to take the project.
The development will include a mix of…