Author Archives: Ian Weinfass

Construction in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games was mostly safe and compliant with safety law, despite its tight deadlines, an inspector has said. Earlier this year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ramped up its operations in Birmingham, after the number of construction sites in the city almost doubled…

Cash levels remain central to Morgan Sindall’s strategy, its chief executive has said. The company’s half-year results, released yesterday, showed its net-cash figure at the end of June was down by £63m, the first time in several years that it had fallen. It remained at a healthy £274m, but this…

The government has asked another Morgan Sindall business to sign up to its remediation pledge, in a move that could see it make a provision of up to £50m, although its chief executive insisted it would not have an effect in the long term. Earlier this year, 48 developers agreed…

A consortium including Spanish multinational Sacyr and Kier’s FM arm has landed a new type of contract to design, build, finance and maintain a major Cardiff hospital. Velindre University NHS Trust has appointed the Acorn Consortium to deliver the Velindre Cancer Centre. Construction will be carried out by Sacyr, along with…

Sister specialists went under due to a lack of support from main contractors, according to their directors. As previously reported on Construction News, drylining and fire-protection firm Fireclad and fit-out specialist Harrison Jorge went under in June, blaming material and labour costs. New reports from administrators at Interpath Advisory revealed…

Housebuilders who pledged to remediate faulty buildings are in a standoff with the government over contracts they are being told to sign before the middle of next week. Earlier this year, about 48 developers agreed to remediate all of the fire defects in buildings of more than 11 metres in…

Northumbrian Water is seeking more than £22m from Tilbury Douglas and a joint venture partner, Construction News can reveal. In May, an adjudicator ruled that a Tilbury Douglas/Doosan Enpure JV should pay £22.5m to the client plus interest of £338,518, and further interest of £1,500 per day until it paid…

Groundwork and building contractor Ellicon Construction has collapsed. Some 52 people were made redundant ahead of the appointment of administrators from Quantuma. Established in 2002, Ellicon Construction Ltd was based on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. The firm turned over £12.1m in 2019 and £10.6m in 2020. It made…

Police are braced for anti-HS2 protestors to target the rail megaproject during the Commonwealth Games. Documents obtained by Construction News under the Freedom of Information Act this month show that law enforcement discussed the issue in February. Officials spoke about their assessment of what they felt the risks to HS2…

  Vinci has won a £70m early works contract on a South Yorkshire steel manufacturing plant. Sheffield Forgemasters is planning a £400m overhaul of its facility over the next decade and has appointed the contractor to construct a new service road, carry out demolition work and services diversions. The wider…