Author Archives: Charlotte Banks

It’s official: after 14 years, the Conservative Party’s time in government has ended. Five prime ministers, 16 construction ministers and 16 housing ministers on, what will we remember as the party’s biggest legacy for construction? Austerity The coalition government led by David Cameron (pictured on the right) first took the…

Mace senior executive Mike Reader has been elected to parliament as a Labour MP. Reader won his Northampton South constituency by 4,071 votes over the incumbent Conservative candidate, in a swing of 7.6 per cent. In his victory speech, he said: “We are realistic about the scale of the challenges…

A manager at the National Federation of Builders (NFB) is vying to become a member of parliament in today’s general election. Sean Houlston, who manages membership services at the trade body, is standing for the Conservative Party in the newly-created constituency of Widnes and Halewood in Cheshire. Houlston describes himself…

A “one-of-a kind” City of London skyscraper has taken Multiplex to the top of the monthly contracts league for the second time in a year. The £480m Fifty Fenchurch Street contract makes the Australian multinational the highest-winning contractor in June, according to data provider Glenigan. Standing 36-storeys high, the tower…

A local housebuilder is set to take over an affordable housing scheme that stalled after modular housebuilder Ilke Homes went into administration. Midlands-based Morro Partnerships was appointed by Jigsaw Homes on the £20.6m Birch Fields scheme in Nottingham and will start work this month, a year after the project was…

Inclusion experts have hailed a “sea change” as the construction industry took to the streets to celebrate its 10th year at London Pride. Around 200 people marched for LGBTQ+ equality on Saturday as part of a coalition of six built environment organisations, including the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and…

Mace has promoted two staff to lead some of its fastest growing areas: life sciences, data centres and the public sector. Rob Lemming becomes the contractor’s managing director for public sector and life sciences, while Alister Grey takes up the role of managing director for technology and manufacturing. Lemming took…

Life sciences construction could create transformative economic growth for the country, a leading voice in urban regeneration has said. The UK has an opportunity to “tap into [its] roots” and deliver a “second industrial revolution” if it builds enough science infrastructure, Jackie Sadek told the Life Sciences and Research Clusters…

A coroner has warned about the safety of remote-controlled loader cranes after a father of two was crushed to death. Bolton-born driver Michael Harrison died in February 2021, aged 42, after the crane arm he was using to unload scaffolding came down on him. Harrison had been operating the loader…

A third contractor has been appointed to finish a residential scheme, after the previous two contractors went bust in the space of two years. Wokingham Borough Council announced today (25 June) it has picked local firm Feltham Construction to finish building 55 apartments at its Carnival Place development. Original contractor…