Power cable strikes have spiked since lockdown prompting the supply industry’s trade body to raise the alert in construction. Underground powerline strikes from July to September alarmingly jumped 20% to 475 incidents compared compared with the same time last year. The figures for Q3 are running 46% above the previous quarter (April – June 2020) total of 325. It is not clear whether the surge has come from a rise in utility and roadworks or whether workers returning from furl

Developer Caloner Street Developments aims to redevelop the former scrap metal site with three towers ranging in height from 17 and 27 storeys. Manchester-based architect Modern City Architecture and Urbanism has drawn up the mixed-use scheme for a mix of tenure from build to rent, market sale, and co-living apartments. The Norton Point scheme between Chaloner Street and Flint street will also contain a 200-bed hotel, office and art gallery space. Norton Point Building plans

HS2 is reporting mounting cost pressure from overrunning enabling works and higher building cost estimates for the London terminus at Euston. Rising cost pressures on the £40.3bn first phase were revealed in the first report to Government by HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson. While the latest projections have risen at an early stage, the forecast is still within the Government’s extended funding envelope of £44.6bn. HS2 has still to factor in the cost impact of Covid-19, which w

Surrey County Council is seeking a contractor to take on a £2.5bn long-term highways contract. The deal will see one contractor picked to take over its highways maintenance contract, worth around £80m per year. On top of this, the council hopes the firm will take on other types of projects. In a contract notice setting out its plans, the council said: “It is anticipated that the appointed supplier will not only deliver day-to-day maintenance services, but may also assist with

Although employment has continued to fall, the latest PMI data signals a sharp increase in UK construction activity at the end of the third quarter The headline seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Total Activity Index registered 56.8 in September, up from 54.6 in August. The strongest performing category was housebuilding, where firms registered sharp expansion inactivity for the fourth month running. Work undertaken on commercial projects also rose strongly,

Scape Group has unveiled the timeline for its £14bn public sector construction frameworks Scape Group has extended the value of its construction frameworks by £1bn for principal works. The new suite of construction frameworks includes the £12bn framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and a £2bn framework for Scotland. Contractors from across the UK will have until Friday 13 November to respond to the Pre- Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) for each framework followi

Homes, schools and hospitals across England are set to be greener and cheaper to run thanks to a £3bn plan to upgrade the nation’s buildings. The Government has launched its funding schemes to help retrofit buildings, expected to support 120,000 construction jobs. Around £1bn will be channelled into boosting the energy efficiency of public buildings, including schools and hospitals through a Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund. This will help an array of public sector organisa