News

When you have had a long day on the construction site, it’s time to switch out into more comfortable clothes. Depending on the job you’ve been doing, your clothes are all covered in soot. Maybe you’ve been plastering, perhaps you’ve been drywalling, roofing, or even putting up steel girders. No matter what job you have been working on, it’s safe to say you’d appreciate getting out of the job-site clothes and into something more relaxing. If you’ve got a date after a long day on the construction site, you definitely need to change out of your work clothes before meeting with your date. Be sure to check out some of the great outfits available at Boden for some of your options. Plus when you visit Groupon, …

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The UK’s largest contractor trade body, Build UK, has called on members to use British produced steel. The latest guidance to help support the constructional steel and rebar industries comes after the Government extended rules to encourage the use of British steel on all public sector contracts. Local MPs in Cardiff and Redcar are also writing to firms urging them to favour British-made steel in a bid to get the industry up and running again. Build UK, which represents major contractors and more than 30 specialist trade bodies, issued a statement yesterday saying its members were committed to providing opportunities for British-based steel producers to support local economies, create jobs, and reduce carbon emissions from transport. EU procurement rules require fair and open competition between member states and prevent public sector…

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Stansted Airport’s operator is set to lift the wraps on plans for a £600m long term upgrade of its terminal infrastructure. Manchester Airports Group, which owns the airport, is to host a suppliers day next month for the industry’s large contractors turning over more than £100m. Its planned programme of improvements includes expansion of the arrivals infrastructure, additional car park capacity and modifications to the existing departures, landside and airside infrastructure. The latest plans signal a forthcoming boom in airport construction work. MAG is already planning a major £1bn expansion of Manchester Airport, while Luton airport is about to start its own £100m terminal upgrade with plans to build a £200m ligh trail link to speed up journeys from London. Gatwick and Heathrow Airports are also…

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Builder Pochin’s will start work this summer on the final phase of DeTrafford Estates housing scheme in Castlefield, Manchester. Castlefield City Gardens apartment scheme Planners have given the go-ahead to build the 11-storey City Gardens apartment building, which will provide 86 flats and commercial space on the groundfloor City Gardens will sit alongside two other DeTrafford developments, The Sky Gardens and The Roof Gardens, One Ellesmere Street and is part of a wider master plan for the area which could see the provision of 1,300 homes, a public square, courtyards and tree-lined walkways, together with 30,000 sq ft of commercial space. Work is already underway on phase one, The Roof Gardens, One Ellesmere Street, with all apartments and townhouses sold. Communal roof gardens on the eighth floor will include…

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The University of Central Lancashire has submitted plans for the first part of a major campus expansion in Preston. This flagship project will help produce the engineers our advanced manufacturing and aerospace companies in the region A planning application has been lodged for a planned £30m Engineering Innovation Centre that is hoped to reclaim Lancashire’s role as a national centre for advanced manufacturing. The project is backed by a client professional team including architects Simpson Haugh & Partners, project manger AA Projects and BDP as the mechanical and electrical and structural consultant. It is hoped work can start this year for completion in 2018. Rob Wallace, Dean, School of Engineering, said: “UCLan aims to close the skills gap by inspiring and shaping the next generation of engineering leaders, producing an extra 500 locally…

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Contractors involved in the construction blacklisting scandal have settled claims with another 180 workers. Campaigners claimed the latest payouts totalled “in the region of £15-20million plus legal costs.” The settlements come as the full blacklist trial looms at the High Court with the case set to start on May 9 and scheduled to run until July 31. The first tranche of payouts to 71 workers was agreed in February at a cost of £5.6m. Eight contractors – Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Costain, Kier, Laing O’Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Skanska UK and Vinci PLC –  have set up The Construction Workers Compensation Scheme to try and settle with victims out of court. A spokeswoman for the contractors confirmed that 180 new settlements had been reached but declined to discuss payout figures…

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Accidents at Work Unfortunately, accidents at work do happen. Your employer has a responsibility for your health and safety at work. Their duties include: •  providing appropriate training to all staff •  warning of tripping or slipping hazard •  providing adequate lighting •  providing suitable equipment that is well maintained Your employer is responsible for the actions of all of their staff. If you have been injured at work, you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries. Kent Compensation’s personal injury lawyers will guide you through the claims process and answer any questions you may have regarding your claim. Please do not hesitate to contact us.

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An HSE inspector ordered a site worker to immediately get out of a dangerous excavation during a safety visit to a London site. Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how RS Construction UK (London) Limited was working at a site on St Dionis Road, London.The inspector found there was an excavation directly behind the front door, which was the only entrance and exit for the site. The excavation was approximately 3.5 meters deep with no means of shoring to support the sides of the excavation and no edge protection around the top to stop anyone falling in. A worker in the bottom of the excavation was instructed to get out. An investigation by the HSE found that RS Construction had received previous enforcement action on similar risks on other…

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Surveyors acting on behalf of commercial property owners are now allowed to use email when dealing with Party Wall notifications. The first ever amendment of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 came into force yesterday allowing notices and awards to be served to neighbours by email for the first time. Surveyors have still been issuing notices of construction work to neighbours by post or in person. James Audsley, the partner who heads up the Party Wall team at national building surveying firm, Malcolm Hollis LLP, said: “It has been 45 years since the first ever email was sent, but finally we are being trusted to modernise our practices. “It will be sad to see our corporate branded carrier pigeons let go, but times are changing. I am looking forward…

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London’s first timber skyscraper came a step closer to reality this week after researchers presented Mayor of London Boris Johnson with conceptual plans for an 80-storey building. Researchers from Cambridge University have teamed up with engineers and architects to work up plans for a 300m high wooden building integrated within the Barbican. At present, the world’s tallest timber building is a 14-storey apartment block in Bergen, Norway. The proposal presented to the Mayor by Cambridge University working with PLP Architecture and engineers Smith and Wallwork pushes the boundaries to envisage a structure that could be the second tallest building in London after The Shard. Simon Smith of Smith and Wallwork engineers said: “Timber is our only renewable construction material and in its modern engineered form it can work alongside steel and concrete…

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