News

Building of a planned 170m viewing tower in Brighton will start in the summer after councillors agreed to take out a government loan for the scheme – and pass it onto developers. The ambitious plan to draw in tourists with a new south coast attraction looked set to crash when a private backer withdrew a £15m funding offer last year. But now the council has agreed to provide extra top up lending of £21.4m on top of the £14.8m previously agreed to get the scheme off the ground. The elevating viewing platform project is to be built near the ruined West Pier and is expected to earn the council three times more than it needs to cover its loan repayments. The extra £21m …

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A construction worker was killed in a Crossrail tunnel last Friday morning by a piece of falling concrete. The 43-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering head injuries ten metres below ground in the tunnel at Fisher Street, Holborn. He was spraying concrete onto the floor of the tunnel when a piece fell from the ceiling. Main contractor on the western tunnels section is BAM, Ferrovial, Kier (BFK). Six fire rescue units, three fire engines and over 50 firefighters and officers were called to the scene. A Crossrail statement said: “Sadly, at approximately 5am this morning a contractor working at our site in Fisher Street, London was fatally injured. “Our first and foremost thoughts are with the family and friends affected by this. The …

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Building surveyor Sophie Lydia Smith has been crowned Miss Cheltenham and will now compete in this summer’s Miss England pageant. Lydia Smith works for Stroud District Council after completing a two-year course in construction and civil engineering. She told the Gloucestershire Echo: “I work in building conservation and construction so I don’t always look glamorous at work. “This was my chance to look glamorous.” Her mother Sonia added: “I think she can inspire many other young women and that you don’t have to be a man to work in her industry.”

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Disasters can strike when you least expect them. The recent UK floods show that even the best-prepared areas can face serious infrastructure damage when rising water levels, turbulent winds or serious earthquakes occur. Hindsight is a wonderful thing; it’s tough to prepare for a flood, earthquake or storm after it’s happened, so instead, the best way to fight against the effects of a natural disaster is to be prepared for it in advance. We spoke to neXpower to learn more about how you can prepare for power outages – a common occurrence during floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters. Have first aid and food ready When the power goes out, your oven, microwave, toaster, fridge and freezer will all stop working. Because of this, any perishable …

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It is a well-known truism that in the construction and manufacturing industries, compressed air is the fourth utility.  Costing each business which uses a compressed air system roughly a 10th of its overall bills cost, it is arguably imperative that businesses in construction and manufacturing examine their air compression systems to ensure they are as efficient as they can be.  Alongside this, government regulation states that companies should be doing more to reduce their carbon emissions, and by reducing waste, this will also help to reduce cost. Compressed Air Systems Basic compressed air systems are straightforward enough to understand. In essence, the system delivers a pressurised stream of air to its target at a regulated level. It does this by taking air in and …

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A three-year foundation degree course in kitchen design at Buckinghamshire New University has been given the official go-ahead. Scheduled for the autumn, the bespoke course has been developed in conjunction with a panel of industry experts, primarily for those currently working in the industry. Delivered in partnership with the KBB NTG by kitchen industry experts, students will work on a comprehensive range of modules to cover aspects of materials, technology, sustainability, culture and design in order to develop critical and imaginative responses to kitchen design. Students will also learn about the technical and legislative contexts of kitchen design and will be supported through close contacts with industry partners. “In the UK there are more than 2,000 manufacturers supporting 5,000 kitchen retailers, so as independent kitchen design firms …

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The latest PMI survey reveals jobs creation hits a 33-month record Manufacturers are creating new jobs at the fastest pace since May 2011, according to the latest CIPS/Markit purchasing managers’ index (PMI) survey. February’s reading of 56.9 for the index – where the 50 mark separates growth from contraction – was better than the 56.6 seen a month earlier. Levels of production and new business rose at an above-trend rate, which filtered through to the labour market, with jobs creation at a 33-month record. Despite the impact of flooding on large parts of the UK, the strengthening domestic market was the primary driver of the manufacturing recovery, with an 11th successive monthly rise in production volumes. New export business also posted a solid gain in February, although the …

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A Shrewsbury College student studying Brickwork has just competed in the SkillBuild National Final and has been selected as one of the top seven bricklayers in the country. Ryan Stevens who is completing his Apprenticeship NVQ Level 3 in Brickwork at Shrewsbury College is hoping to represent the UK with his skills, is pictured with some of his work. Ryan Stevens, 19, of Shawbirch, Telford, is just completing his NVQ Level 3 Apprenticeship at Shrewsbury College, having started in the 14-16 programme and completed his Levels 1 and 2. Although he didn’t win any prizes when he competed at the NEC SkillBuild National Final in November, judges were so impressed by Ryan’s expertise that he was chosen as a potential candidate to represent the UK at bricklaying after getting a high enough score …

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Postcard campaign to mark National Apprenticeship Week Sanctuary Group is using a postcard campaign to launch a series of activities for this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, taking place from 3 – 7 March. The leading housing and care provider has long recognised the positive impact that apprenticeships have for the individual apprentice, the organisation employing them and the wider industry, and is supporting more than 600 apprentice placements through its £750m development programme to build 5,000 new homes across the UK. Each apprenticeship offers a vital first step towards a career in construction for the young apprentice, while at the same time ensuring that the building industry has the range of trained people it needs in the future. The postcard campaign has been devised by Sanctuary to highlight these factors during National …

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Court of Appeal ruling gives high street landlords more protection in administrations Computer game retailer Game will have to pay £3m to a collection of Britain’s biggest landlords after it lost a landmark legal case about unpaid rent. The ruling by the Court of Appeal closes a legal loophole that meant companies could avoid paying rent for three months if administrators were appointed shortly after the quarterly rent day. Businesses in administration will now have to pay rent on a “pay as you use” basis, with rent classified as an administration expense. A consortium of property companies including Land Securities, British Land and Hammerson claimed they missed out on millions of pounds in rent when Game called in administrators in March 2012. Landlords have claimed for years …

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