News

The construction sector needs to collaborate with training providers to help close the skills gap, according to an educator at MidKent College. Richard Wilde, project manager at MidKent College in Maidstone, said that contractors and subcontractors should assist training providers with the provision of materials and informing trainers about the…

Collapsing concrete at a four-year-old school building in Scotland was an “isolated issue”, according to the contractor that built it. Earlier this month, concrete fell from the ceiling of a fitness suite at Jedburgh Grammar Campus, which was completed by Bam Construction for the Scottish Borders Council in 2020. Now…

Balfour Beatty delivered a “solid performance” last year with revenue growth of 7.8 per cent to £9.6bn, chief executive Leo Quinn has announced. In an update published via the London Stock Exchange this morning (13 March), the UK’s biggest construction company stated that pre-tax profit for the year ending 31…

The construction industry has started 2024 strongly, with an increase in housing work seeing the sector bounce back into growth. Construction output expanded by 1.1 per cent in January compared with December, with a total output value of £15.42bn compared with £15.25bn, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).…

A lack of construction-sector capacity means a proposed legal deadline to remove gas boilers in buildings north of the border is unachievable, Scottish ministers have been warned by advisers. The Regulatory Review Group (RRG), which advises Scottish ministers on new legislation, has voiced “significant concerns” about the 2045 target in…

Costain’s chief executive has called for the next UK government to appoint a cabinet-level minister to get a grip of infrastructure delivery. In an interview with Construction News, Costain chief executive Alex Vaughan outlined a set of priorities for the upcoming general election, aimed at delivering improved performance in the…

A third of construction managers wouldn’t hire candidates they knew had a criminal record, according to a survey. A report published by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) on Tuesday (12 March) found that people with past criminal convictions often face discrimination and poor training opportunities. In a survey of…

Costain has reported a fall in profit after spending £8m on restructuring. The contractor made a pre-tax profit of £30.9m in the year to 31 December 2023, in comparison with £32.8m the year before. Turnover at the contractor was also down, to £1.33bn from £1.42bn in 2022. Costain said the…

JJ Rhatigan has been selected for a £49m London scheme containing a co-living homes and women-only housing. The UK arm of the Ireland-headquartered contractor was appointed by developer HUB to deliver Yardhouse, the redevelopment of two buildings in White City, west London, for housing association Women’s Pioneer Housing (WPH). The…

Persimmon’s turnover dropped by £1.05bn last year amid torrid economic conditions for the housing market. The FTSE 100 housebuilder saw turnover drop 23 per cent to £2.77bn in 2023, while its pre-tax profit dropped by 52 per cent to £351.8m, according to annual results published via the London Stock Exchange…