Civils

Stay ahead of your competitors with the latest news, opinion and analysis of civil engineering projects worked on by UK construction contractors.

Hinkley Point C: how the megaproject can help fix the UK’s skills shortage

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With up to 150 different roles employed on the Somerset site, Greg Pitcher speaks to EDF’s skills lead on how the Hinkley Point C build will set up a pipeline of training that should benefit the construction industry for years to come

How to manage a megaproject after the COVID crisis

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With the government having spent billions on the coronavirus response, the pressure on megaprojects to deliver value has never been greater. Megan Kelly examines the influence of schemes such as HS2 and Crossrail, and asks how best to budget in a post-pandemic world

Case study: high-tech scaffolding inside Hinkley’s nuclear bunkers

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Hinkley Point C is often billed as Europe’s largest building site. The mammoth undertaking to build a pair of nuclear reactors involves an enormous number of key steps along a narrow critical path, with safety and quality paramount throughout. German specialist Kaefer is one of the many tier two contractors…

10 projects to watch in 2021

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Some huge projects are due to hit critical milestones in the new year, as coronavirus, social distancing and Brexit continue to dominate the delivery of construction projects in 2021. Here’s our run-down of the big ones to watch.

Public support for HS2 is falling; will protests rise?

The HS2 Rebellion group on a march

Friday 4 September marked the start of main works on the HS2 rail megaproject – a largely symbolic moment given the scale of endeavours to date. It is not every project where the installation of 2,750-tonne bridge – the first permanent structure, moved into position in early August – might…

Why Balfour’s JV boss won’t be ‘shy or fearful’ over HS2 protests

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When facing HS2 critics, Michael Dyke doesn’t want his staff to hide or be fearful. The Balfour Beatty/Vinci (BBV) HS2 joint venture managing director says he insists on respect and sensitivity, but doesn’t believe in running away. Leading the development of the £5bn central section of the megaproject, between north…

Buckingham Group: HS2 pivot can fuel COVID-proof growth

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Buckingham Group’s rocketing growth has been knocked off course by the coronavirus pandemic. Chief executive Mike Kempley has a plan to get it back on course.

Why post-virus construction needs 3D-printed concrete

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The coronavirus crisis “has opened the eyes of everyone who works in an office that we can work remotely”. And, speaking to Construction News via video conference from his home in Dubai, Paul Mullett observes how commonplace this kind of link has become lately. But the director of engineering and…