Author Archives: Ian Weinfass

The government has said it will consider building another large nuclear power station if sufficient funds are raised for Sizewell C. The proposed new facility would be the same size as Hinkley Point C, which is under construction, and Sizewell C, which has been granted permission but is awaiting external…

HG Construction has landed a £75m student scheme in Bristol. The high-rise specialist contractor will deliver a 706-room development comprised of four blocks ranging from five to 15 storeys. The project, for client Studio Hive, is on Silverthorne Lane, at the centre of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, which is…

Kier, Wates and Morgan Sindall’s housing arm Lovell have been named alongside dozens of SMEs on a £346m building-improvements framework. The four-year Fusion21 framework can be used by public sector organisations including housing, education and healthcare providers across the country. Works that can be procured include the installation of kitchens,…

Stewart Milne Group has gone into administration after attempts to sell the business failed, with more than 200 people made redundant. The Aberdeen-headquartered housebuilder and developer appointed consultants to help find a buyer in several rounds since April 2022 as chair and founder Stewart Milne planned his retirement. According to…

Mechanical and electrical (M&E) specialist Gratte Brothers doubled its turnover in the year to 31 March 2023, newly released accounts show. The King’s Cross-headquartered company saw revenue reach £250.2m in the period, up from £124.6m the year before. However, pre-tax profit increased far less, rising to £2m from £1.6m, giving…

Downing Construction is chasing the insurers of a collapsed former subcontractor for payment relating to cladding defects. In January last year, Wrexham-headquartered European Sheeting Ltd was found liable for defects on three high-rise blocks at Parkway Gate in Manchester, where Downing Construction subsidiary George Downing Construction was the main contractor…

The government wants to increase the amount of construction training on traditional building methods and materials to help retrofit old homes. In a review of the barriers to improving energy efficiency in listed and conservation-area homes, three departments jointly highlight workforce shortages as a major issue for carrying out retrospective…

A £250m scheme to upgrade road junctions around Derby is facing a legal challenge, less than three years after earlier plans were quashed in the High Court. The A38 project aims to improve journeys by upgrading roundabouts at Kingsway, Markeaton and Little Eaton using flyovers and underpasses, as well as…

Kier, ISG and Galliford Try are among the firms to have landed slots on a £1bn framework for public-sector projects in the North West of England. The contractors are among 11 to win places on the North West Construction Hub’s Medium Value Construction Framework, which runs until 2026. The agreement…

CJ O’Shea Group has reported an increased margin, as income from its development work outweighed a steep decline in construction profit. Newly released accounts for the north London-headquartered contractor, developer and plant-hire company show revenue fell to £133.5m in the 12 months to 31 March 2023, from £167m the year…