Five road schemes worth £1.3bn axedThe Chancellor revealed in the Budget that five major roads schemes costing over £1.3bn have been scrapped after failing a further value for money test.
The latest clutch of projects to be cancelled deals another blow to civil engineering contractors following the cancellation of the £1.7bn A303 Stonehenge tunnel and £350m A27 Arundel bypass in West…
Chancellor to fund HS2 tunnel to EustonChancellor Rachel Reeve has confirmed funding to kickstart HS2 tunnelling from Old Oak Common to Euston in a package of measures to invest in infrastructure.
The Chancellor also committed an extra £700m for school building next year and £1bn to tackle the backlog of repairs and upgrades at the country’s hospitals.
Reeves also said committed to…
Wates hires former ISG fit-out chief to lead new teamWates has appointed Lee Phillips to head up a new team for Wates, focusing on commercial fit-out in London.
The appointment expands Wates’ service offer in fit-out and refurbishment and positions the company for growth in this market.
Phillips joins as a managing director and is building a specialist team with the expertise to deliver…
VINCI Construction swoops for FM ConwayFrench construction giant Vinci Construction has struck a deal to buy civil engineering contractor FM Conway.
The Kent-based £580m turnover business employs around 2,000 staff specialising in roadworks, civil engineering, asphalt and binders’ production as well as a range of specialist businesses covering water and drainage management, lighting, cabling…
Nexus buys Coleman Construction & Utilities for £5.4mAim-listed Nexus has bought East Sussex-based Coleman Construction & Utilities for £5.4m.
Nexus, which owns concrete contractor Tamdown, said the deal would take the business into key civil engineering sectors of water, rail, highways and marine.
Established in 2000 by Barry Coleman, the business turned over £8.3m last year.
Charles Sweeney,…
Sheffield facade specialist bought by Swedish firmCladding contractor Clear Line has been acquired by Swedish building envelope giant Fasadgruppen.
Sheffield-based Clear Line has been in business since 1977 and has a current turnover of £49m employing 60 staff.
Fasadgruppen is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and consists of more than 55 businesses in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
The Grou…
Councils get £68m to clear brownfield sitesCouncils across the country have been promised £68m to clear brownfield sites for new housing.
The cash will allow 54 councils to clear empty buildings, former car parks and industrial land to make way for 5,200 new homes.
Funding through the Brownfield Land Release Fund will cover the cost of decontamination, clearing disused buildings or improving…
Private investor buys Midlands contractor MCSMidlands-based building contractor MCS Group has sold a majority stake to a London-based private investor in a deal valuing the business at £22m.
RD Capital Partners has bought an 80% stake in the Warwick-based construction firm founded in 2003.
The deal will see founder and CEO Keir Edmonds and the firm’s senior management team remain with t…
Willmott Dixon to build Oxford net zero council HQOxfordshire Country Council has picked Willmott Dixon to extend and net zero upgrade an existing building in Oxford to become its new headquarters.
The council is relocating from its current premises at County Hall in Oxford which will be sold off to fund the big office upgrade project at Speedwell Street.
These Speedwell offices have for many…
Phoenix subbies get pay less notices after ISG failureSubcontractors to building services specialist Phoenix ME are being hit with pay less notices in the wake of ISG’s collapse.
London based Phoenix is a major creditor of ISG with the firm owed £20m by the defunct contractor’s fit-out arm alone.
Phoenix issued a message to “valued members of our supply chain” last month assuring them…