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Employers must positively discriminate in favour of women, Chartered Institute of Building president Ian Dixon said this week.Speaking to a careers forum at Leicester Polytechnic Mr Dixon said: 'Our industry cannot continue to ignore half the population if it is to attract the skilled workers it needs for the industry…

Major investment by European railways in large-scale marshalling and transshipment facilities are likely during the '90s, as facilities are developed with the backing of the EC to cope with a boom in combined transport operations.In the UK, BR's Railfreight will be making an announcement before the end of the year…

Civil engineering workers at Sizewell B have voted narrowly against industrial action in a secret ballot.Two thirds of the 1,350 workers employed by Laing on the main civils contract took part in the ballot on three issues: bonus, severance pay and weekend working arrangements. All three grievances have been running…

An eleventh-hour deal to save the Channel Tunnel project from collapse was signed late on Tuesday night by client Eurotunnel and contractor Transmanche Link.The deal means the banks will release the next tranche of funds to Eurotunnel - this was expected to happen yesterday, after Construction News went to press…

The Department of Transport has added 20 schemes to the trunk road construction programme worth a combined £233 million. But there are doubts whether all of the schemes will be started in the next 10 years. The expanded programme was announced in the DTp document 'Trunk Roads, England into the…

The regime, known as ERM (Exchange Rate Mechanism) clearly induces greater stability; it also induces the anti-inflationary discipline mentioned above, with the sole difference that the Government has the use of the combined reserves of the Community central banks in its intervention efforts.The other Community countries all claim that ERM…

Progress on the north-running tunnel of the Channel Tunnel last week exceeded all records.A total of 390 m was bored under the sea during the seven-day period, with 260 m dug on the French side.Modifications were made to the English-running tunnel boring machines at the end of last year, and…

Confined spaces on sites are potential killers if contractors do not take proper precautions.The warning from the Health and Safety Executive was prompted by the death of a worker in a disused well shaft at Dulwich Hospital, south London, last week.Foreman Norman Lloyd collapsed in the 6 m deep shaft…

Site at former Ochil Hills Hospital, 20 ha.PLANNING AUTHORITY: Perth and Kinross District Council.JOB: Planning application for conversion of former hospital to 72-bed home and 36-bed care hotel; erection of 72-bed residential home, 54 close care apartments, 18 sheltered apartments, 36 sheltered bungalows, two-storey community centre and 18 mixed bungalows.CLIENT:…

Former Anglian Water Authority land, Eastern Avenue.PLANNING AUTHORITY: Southend-on-Sea Borough Council.JOB: Outline planning permission for the erection of seven, two-storey blocks of class B1 business use and parking, totalling 4,725 sq m.CLIENT: Martin Dawn.AGENT: KGS Associates, 72-75 Marylebone High Street, W1.Victoria Circus Shopping Centre, former Municipal College site, and parts…