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Galliford Try has signed a deal with Shepherd Group to buy their Yorkshire housing assets. As reported recently, the deal will give Linden Homes’ a springboard to meet its targeted expansion by 2018. The sell-off comprises six current sites and five sites in planning, totalling a landbank of 515 plots. It is not known what will happen to the 60 staff at Shepherd Homes. It is the first disposal by Shepherd Group after the management reviewed its options for its seven main operating businesses. Latest 2014 accounts for the privately-owned group showed it struggled to perform with profit falling 40% to £11m from a turnover of £686m. Within this there were strong performances by Portakabin, Shepherd Engineering Services, Homes and FM, but Shepherd Construction and two businesses within Shepherd …

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Mobile CAD Surveying the Measured Building Surveying specialists have launched a new website this week to show off some of their recent work and surveying services. The Company are well known for carrying out specialist surveying projects and schedules of buildings to all types of premises around the UK and abroad for many blue chip clients and adding to their portfolio of clients and surveying services all the time, though it about time they launch a new website to better compliment their growing business, so mobcad is now launched. If you need any type of building surveying for whatever reason, they will be happy to help. A few reasons to use Mobile CAD Surveying Solutions Ltd:- Short lead in times usually less than 7 days Short drawing turn around …

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The European Commission has opened an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese imports of steel rebar. The investigation will look at the flood of imports of high fatigue performance rebar, which is coming into the UK at below market prices. Imports now account for half of the total steel used in construction and are undermining domestic steel manufacturing. European trade body EUROFER triggered the Commission investigation warning the situation was “no longer sustainable”. UK Steel, the body representing manufacturers, said it hoped the move would see a step-change for European procurement practices, reintroducing a level playing field for suppliers across the UK and Europe. Gareth Stace, Director of UK Steel, said: “UK steel members are encouraged by the Commission’s action to investigate our complaint that rebar from China is being dumped …

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Hundreds of subcontractors hit by the collapse of the GB Group are owed £39m. And administrators at BDO have conceded that trade suppliers are unlikely to see a penny of their cash The Enquirer has seen the administrator’s report in the wake of the firm’s failure in early March. It makes grim reading for subcontractors owed money for work on more than 40 former GB sites across the country. GB Group and GB Building Solutions crashed owing more than £100m in total. That figure includes £30m to unsecured trade creditors and a further £9m held in retentions. The companies also owed £18m to performance bond underwriters with the balance made up of inter-company debts and cross indemnities. BDO experts believe their will …

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The University of Liverpool has gained planning permission for a £90m student accommodation scheme at its Greenbank halls. The job, which will be run by the University of Liverpool Construction Company Special Projects team, involves building new halls of residence, demolishing old ones and refurbishing Derby Hall. Its in-house construction team was formed at the time of the collapse of student accommodation specialist Ocon to finish a major student hall project at the university. The latest student village scheme will deliver 1,370 new or refurbished rooms in total and include a two-storey sports hall. It forms part of a £250m masterplan by the university to build and upgrade accommodation at its city and Mossley Hill base. New housing blocks are to be set around three …

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Local subcontractors from Kent are being invited to meet senior decision-makers from Medway NHS Foundation Trust to find out about winning work on its £5m Emergency Department renovation. Work is due to start in early 2016 and the organisation is looking for contractors who are capable of delivering renovation projects worth over £3m and have previous experience of working in the healthcare sector. Constructionline will be hosting the free event at the Post Graduate Centre at Medway Maritime Hospital, in Gillingham, on May 1. Subcontractors can meet with procurement decision makers at the Trust to find out about securing work on the refurbishment programme . There are a limited number of tickets for the event and they will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. …

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The first rugby match has already been held at the Olympic Stadium after construction workers on the site staged an impromptu match. The workers were spurred into action during a visit by England’s Jason Robinson and New Zealand’s Robbie Hunter-Paul to promote the upcoming autumn international Rugby League series. Balfour Beatty staff persuaded the rugby legends to head-up two teams who battled it out on a makeshift pitch in the middle of the construction site. The first – and winning – try at the stadium was scored by Robinson as England notched-up a rare victory over the Kiwis. Stuart Fraser, Stadium Project Director from Balfour Beatty, said: “We knew Jason and Robbie were coming down to see the Stadium’s progress and as quite a …

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UCATT general secretary Steve Murphy is understood to have offered his resignation as a financial crisis engulfs the union. It is understood that Murphy tendered his resignation yesterday. But members of the UCATT executive council are understood to have persuaded Murphy to take a month off on sick-leave instead. A UCATT spokesperson said: “Steve Murphy is currently on sick leave”. The latest blow comes as the union is facing a major redundancy programme in a bid to save money. One union expert said: “UCATT is in crisis and this is just the latest blow. “It has been spending more money that it has been getting in for some time now and the whole situation is now coming to a head.” We understand that UCATT still …

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Developer Derwent London has selected Brookfield Multiplex as its preferred bidder to deliver its most ambitious London development project later this year. Sources close to the project said that Brookfield Multiplex has beaten rivals Bam Construct and Mace to the 367,000 st ft  mixed-use development at 80 Charlotte Street in Fitzrovia. The building contract is expected to be worth around £125m when finalised before work starts during the second half of the year. Derwent put the project on hold in July 2013, after advertising giant Saatchi & Saatchi, which has occupied the building since 1975, delayed its move away from the property. But it has now set a date to start work on the office, residential and retail project, which has been designed by architects Make. The project will be part …

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Shepherd Construction staff are braced for a major round of redundancies as bosses at the firm prepare to rescale the business. Up to 180 jobs could be at risk with the bulk of the cuts focused on back-office staff. Employees were told of the plans late last week and a redundancy consultation exercise is now underway. Mark Perkins, Shepherd’s CEO, said “The executive board is currently reviewing the Shepherd Construction business, with a view to establishing the right scale and platform for future growth and sustainability. “As part of the review, a formal 45 day collective consultation process with employees within Shepherd Construction and the divisional support teams commenced on 1st April, to assess current resources. “We must ensure that Shepherd Construction operates as efficiently as possible to meet …

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