Both client-side bodies running the programme to repair the Palace of Westminster are losing their chief executives simultaneously, Construction News has learnt. David Goldstone, chief executive of the UK Parliament Restoration and Renewal (R&R) Delivery Authority, submitted his resignation at the end of March, although a leaving date has not…
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is to launch four more sector-specific skills partnerships, including one for repairs and maintenance. The new sector plans, announced today (22 April) in its 2024/25 business plan, are designed to support employers’ training needs and will cover repairs and maintenance and the commercial, public…
Work to repair parliament’s tallest structure, the Victoria Tower, faces a year’s delay due to a botched procurement process, Construction News can reveal. Last May, parliamentary authorities launched a tender for a £95m job to repair the tower’s crumbling masonry, windows, cast-iron roof, rainwater drainage and flagpole. However, bidders for…
Contracting firm Geoffrey Osborne has filed for administration, but says it is in talks to sell the business to new owners. A notice announcing the company’s intention to appoint adminstrators was filed with the High Court shortly before 4pm yesterday (18 April) by legal representative Macfarlanes. In a statement (see…
Sir Robert McAlpine has been appointed to deliver a dual-tower high rise in the City of London in a deal reported as being worth £500m. The tier one contractor today announced it had won the job at 2 Finsbury Avenue from client Broadgate, a joint venture between British Land and…
The High Court has issued instructions to close down Readie Construction’s employee ownership trust (EOT). Logistics and warehouse contractor Readie Construction appointed administrators from insolvency manager Begbies Traynor in February. Earlier today (17 April), Insolvency and Companies Court judge Catherine Burton issued a winding-up order against Readie Management Ltd (RML),…
Larger contractors must shoulder a bigger share of efforts to solve the construction industry’s skills gap, according to the boss of the sector’s training board. Speaking at a parliamentary reception yesterday, Tim Balcon, chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), said that it was time to end a…
The final report into the Grenfell Tower fire has been delayed for a third time – with its expected publication now pushed later into the summer. It was initially hoped that the report would be published last autumn, before being moved to early this year. In its last progress update…
Balfour Beatty has signed a £119m deal to build a flagship net-zero Scottish prison – with the total scheme cost now four times the original estimated price. The tier one contractor was appointed to a preconstruction contract for the 18,500 square metres HMP Highland in Inverness in 2022. Balfour Beatty…
HS2’s land and property director has left the project to take up a newly-created role in charge of defence at Sir Robert McAlpine. Mike Hickson has joined the tier one contractor as managing director of defence, as part of the firm’s strategy to grow its infrastructure business unit. Hickson has…
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