Author Archives: Will Ing

HS2 chair and interim chief executive Sir Jon Thompson has provided MPs with seven reasons that the cost of the mega-project has exponentially increased since it was first mooted in 2009. The Gordon Brown-led government initially estimated HS2 would cost £37.5bn in 2009 prices, with one line stretching between London…

Two companies that form envelope specialist Lindner Prater have posted a combined £39.3m pre-tax loss from a revenue of £105m. Lindner Exterior Holdings, which owns Prater Ltd, made a £30.5m loss from a revenue of £43.3m in 2022, while Linder Prater Ltd made an £8.8m loss from £61.8m turnover, according…

HS2 chair and interim chief executive Sir Jon Thompson has said the true cost of phase one of the mega-project will be around £8bn to £10bn higher than the company’s official estimates, which are in 2019 prices. While the current funding envelope for HS2 phase one is £44.6bn in 2019…

A senior Scottish minister has met with administrators for Stewart Milne Group after 217 employees of the collapsed company were made redundant on Monday (8 January). Neil Gray, cabinet secretary for wellbeing economy, fair work and energy, met with administrators from Teneo on Tuesday morning (9 January) to discuss employment…

The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has expressed “significant concern” over scaffolds collapsing during storms and high winds. Winds of up to 90mph have battered the UK in the past week, with Storm Henk – the eighth storm of the 2023/24 winter period – appearing to cause the collapse…

Morgan Sindall has topped the Construction News annual contractor league table in 2023, after winning 330 jobs worth a combined £2.45bn. The UK’s second-largest contractor beat second-placed Balfour Beatty, which hoovered up 56 contracts worth £2.1bn. Wates and Galliford Try came third and fourth on the list, after landing deals…

United Living has said that each of its key sectors are experiencing “tailwinds” as it reported a 22 per cent growth in revenue. The Kent-headquartered contractor, which builds new homes and provides property services, as well as carrying out telecoms and infrastructure work, saw its turnover increase from £437m to…

A London borough is racing to replace recently collapsed Westridge Construction on the redevelopment of a travellers’ site, while a West Sussex council has picked a substitute builder to finish a housing development. Westridge Construction entered administration in September owing 872 trade creditors a total of £11.3m, according to a…

Somerset Council has signed three contracts worth a combined £140m for road maintenance and improvement works in the county. Kiely Group will deliver surface-treatment services, including road surface dressing, footway crack sealing, ironwork strengthening and support, preparatory drainage, patching and cleaning, and post-surfacing road markings, studs and high-friction surfacing. Heidelberg…

Scottish housebuilder Cruden has said it will reduce its contracting work after “unsustainable risk transfer” led it to an £11.7m loss. The Edinburgh-headquartered builder saw its turnover reduce by 27 per cent in the 12 months to 31 March 2023, from £231m to £167.5m. The group also made an £11.7m…