News

Mott Hay Incorporated, the American arm of Mott MacDonald, is the only firm with British connections to show an interest in the US$4,300 million (£2,600 million) Central Artery road project in Boston, Massachusetts. The firm was one of more than 350 consultants and contractors who attended a meeting organised by…

The Department of Transport has drawn up shortlists for two projects together worth around £300 million. Both schemes could be privately funded. The field for the Second Severn Crossing, which the DTp is promoting jointly with the Welsh Office, has narrowed to two: John Laing/GTM Entrepose and Trafalgar House/Balfour Beatty.This…

London and Clydeside Holdings of Glasgow has relodged its 'Dunfermline - The Way Ahead' planning application to transform 430 ha between the M90 and eastern Dunfermline. L and C announced its original proposals for a £200 million redevelopment in May 1988.Following lengthy discussions with Dunfermline District Council and Fife Regional…

Supported by 12 major client, contracting and consulting organisations in the UK, the European Construction Institute is to be launched at a public meeting in London on February 2. This new body, whose principal function will be sponsorship of construction-related research projects, is closely modelled on the Construction Industry Institute…

Comment by Guy Cottam.The transport departments of England, Wales and Scotland between them are responsible for 15,200 km of motorways and trunk roads and spend more than £1,000 million each year. Since 20 per cent of this expenditure is on capital maintenance, it is not surprising that it has attracted…

The Government has put flesh on the bones of Housing figures set out in the Autumn Statement.Housing minister Michael Howard told MPs that the number of new homes completed with funds from the Housing Corporation will reach 38,500 in 1992/93 - double last year's figure. Cash for the Housing Corporation…

Wandsworth councillors were expected to vote last night (Wednesday) to put off taking any legal action yet over debts run up by the developer of the blighted £280 million Battersea power station project. The council's technical services committee was due to consider an officer's recommendation, based on counsel's opinion, that…

Consortium Developments suffered another blow just before Christmas when environment secretary Chris Patten finally rejected its proposals to build a new country town called Foxley Wood in Hampshire. Mr Patten's decision to dismiss the plans for the town near Bramshill drew an angry reaction from CDL's executive director Andrew Bennett.'This…

The collapse of an 18-year-old building which killed nine people during an earthquake in eastern Australia last week may have been avoided if modern building techniques had been properly employed. Dr Alastair Soane of earthquake expert Bingham Cotterell believes that modern building codes in non-seismic areas such as Britain are…

Councils have reacted angrily to former housing minister Michael Howard's claims that the Government has doubled the amount of cash available for housing investment. Mr Howard told MPs before Christmas that new legislation means local authority resources for housing investment allocated by the Government in 1990/91 will be double that…