News

Materials suppliers are struggling to protect themselves against bad debts as the insurance market shows signs of losing nerve in the wake of high-profile contractor failures. A survey of members of the British Merchants Federation (BMF) has revealed that almost a third (31.2 per cent) had been unable to access…

A senior Mace executive is looking to swap construction for legislation by standing as a Labour candidate in the forthcoming general election. Mike Reader, global lead for winning work in Mace’s consulting arm, is hoping to get elected in the key battleground of Northampton South. Reader has worked at Mace…

Digital sign-ins for workers have been blamed for a doubling in cyber attacks on construction companies over the past year, according to a report. Financial advisory specialist Kroll said the sector accounted for 6 per cent of its incident responses in the first quarter of this year. That was double…

HG Construction has been selected to build a £69m build-to-rent scheme on a former car park in Leeds. The contractor will deliver 375 homes for McLaren Living, McClaren Group’s build-to-rent development arm. Construction is expected to complete in early 2027. Designed by architects Carey Jones Chapman Tolcher, the BeckYard scheme…

HS2 Ltd has launched a £600m framework designed to put the finishing touches on the London-to-Birmingham high-speed rail project. The £600m framework will give HS2 “flexibility and options towards the end of the [build] programme” so that it can finish work on the line, a source close to the programme…

The University of Cumbria has advertised a fresh deal to build its new campus in Carlisle city centre after Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM) walked away from the delayed scheme. The Hertfordshire-headquartered contractor said in March 2022 that it had been named as sole contractor on the £78m Citadels project (pictured)…

The final report of the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire will be released in just over three months’ time, more than seven years after the tragedy that killed 72 people. The inquiry team announced today (23 May) that publication of its phase two report, which has been delayed three…

Major contractors have called for a clear focus on construction during the campaign period that began with yesterday’s announcement of a general election on 4 July. Prime minister Rishi Sunak caught many political commentators by surprise by calling voters to the ballot box six months before the end of the…

Civils contractors have welcomed reports that a future Labour administration would merge the government’s two main infrastructure delivery bodies. In an interview with the Financial Times, Darren Jones, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said his party plans to bring the functions of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and the…

Contractor Galliford Try is returning to the affordable housing market as a key part of its new sustainable growth strategy to 2030. Following a market announcement to investors and shareholders today (23 May), chief executive Bill Hocking told Construction News that the new 2030 plan involved re-entering the affordable homes…