Millions helped though power disruptions as Powercut105 service turns 10
Today, the free Powercut105 service, that connects people with help and support during power disruptions and provides preparedness advice, marks 10 years of operation. During that time over 1.4 million people have visited the website, whilst the free Powercut105 phoneline service has received over 25 million calls over this period. The service supports one of the most dependable electricity systems in the world with the UK’s power network operating at 99.99% reliability. The phoneline service helps connect people across England, Scotland and Wales directly to their local electricity network operator during a power cut. Over the past decade, Powercut105 has become a trusted part of the UK’s power outage response, supporting households through storms, high winds and unexpected faults. The service experiences peaks in use during these times, when large numbers of customers can briefly lose power before restoration work brings them back onto the grid. Before Powercut105 existed, people didn’t necessarily know who to contact during a power cut, often calling their energy supplier rather than their local network operator, the organisation actually responsible for keeping the lights on. The 105 number and website were created as part of networks’ commitment to continuing improvement in customer services, offering one simple, memorable way to report a power cut, check for updates in an area or sign up for extra help through the Priority Services Register. Lawrence Slade, Chief Executive at Energy Networks Association, which represents the UK’s energy network operators, said: “Powercut105 has established itself as a crucial service for customers over the last 10 years and a cornerstone of the UK’s internationally leading approach to resilience. “As we approach the winter months, our consistent advice to customers is to prepare, care and share. Prepare by going online to PowerCut105.com for advice, care by checking in on friends and neighbours, especially those who might need extra help, and share by letting other people know how they can make a plan too.” To mark the anniversary, network operators are encouraging the public to bookmark the powercut105 website and to sign up to the free Priority Services Register if they or someone they know may need extra support during a power cut. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New Megaflo range gives housing developers and providers more cylinder choice
Baxi has expanded its flagship Megaflo cylinder portfolio with the launch of the Megaflo Essential range of direct and indirect cylinders and the brand’s first air source heat pump (ASHP) cylinder. The launch of Megaflo Essential opens the door for more housing projects to take advantage of Megaflo’s trusted performance. The Essential range has been developed to address common challenges including tightening budgets, growing demand for heat pump-compatible options, and reliable cylinder options that can be trusted long-term to deliver for residents. Designed for use with heat pumps, including Baxi’s HP50 and HP55 ASHPs, the Megaflo Essential ASHP cylinder optimises hot water performance in heat pump applications. A high surface area coil, twin 3kW immersion heaters and a secondary return connection work together to support efficient hot water production and rapid delivery to ensure that occupants are never without hot water. Megaflo pioneered use of an internal expansion system, and the Megaflo Essential direct and indirect range continues that pioneering nature with a new internal expansion mechanism. This removes the need for a separate expansion vessel, reducing installation time, saving space, and simplifying product maintenance. Indirect models feature coil-in-coil design heat exchangers to deliver rapid heat recovery. Alongside the new Essential range, Baxi has optimised its signature Megaflo Eco direct and indirect cylinders with the same enhanced internal expansion system. This range remains the premium offering, featuring 60mm of insulation for excellent energy efficiency, and a 30-year warranty on the stainless-steel inner tank. The expanded portfolio replaces the Baxi Assure cylinder range, giving customers a choice between the value-led Megaflo Essential range and premium Megaflo Eco products. Rob Pearse, Residential Business Director at Baxi, said: “Megaflo has a great reputation in the heating sector. We’ve heard customers say ‘Megaflo’ when they mean ‘cylinder’ – that’s a privilege and a responsibility that we take seriously. “We set out to provide a Megaflo that can cater to all budgets and installation requirements while maintaining and refining the renowned Megaflo quality and reliability. Whether there’s a requirement for a slimline cylinder for a smaller property, a solution for an air source heat pump or compatibility with solar PV, there’s a Megaflo cylinder designed for exactly that application.” For more on the expanded Megaflo range, see here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Heidelberg Materials expands capabilities in Leeds with new CD&E waste recycling facility
Heidelberg Materials UK has expanded its recycling capabilities in Leeds with the opening of a new construction demolition and excavation (CD&E) waste recycling facility. Located alongside the company’s asphalt plant in the city, the facility is open from 06:30 to 15:00 Monday to Friday. It accepts a wide range of material including bricks, concrete and soil, as well as selected wastes from utilities contracts, and has the capacity to process around 250,000 tonnes a year. The materials accepted at the facility will be diverted away from landfill, processed and returned to productive use as recycled construction products. The investment is part of the company’s commitment to conserve natural resources and support the circular economy, and will help meet the increasing demand for more sustainable construction products. Billy Benton, General Manager, said: “Our new recycling facility provides easy access for tipping a range of CD&E wastes responsibly and sustainably. “In addition to being able to collect primary aggregate and asphalt from our Leeds site, builders and contractors can now also buy high quality recycled aggregates for use in their construction projects.” Heidelberg Materials’ new Leeds recycling facility is one of several the company plans to open over the coming months as it continues to increase its capacity to recycle and reuse CD&E wastes. Links for directions: what3words.com/flags.chains.exams maps.app.goo.gl/2VhFbJpnuWscXMpB9 Find out more by emailing: agecroft@uk.heidelbergmaterials.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Partners celebrate transformative £77 million housing scheme in Driffield
Councillors and senior leaders across Yorkshire have gathered at a transformative Keepmoat housing scheme in Driffield. East Riding of Yorkshire Council officers and the cabinet member for housing and infrastructure, alongside representatives from Homes England attended the event to celebrate the transformative scheme The new development, which will deliver 313 new homes, represents a £77 million investment into the area from top 10 housebuilder Keepmoat as it expands its presence in the county. Of the new homes being built, a proportion will be available as affordable housing, through the local council, to create housing options that will meet the needs of people in the area. Land & Partnerships Director at Keepmoat Yorkshire East, Ben Hindley, added: “It is great to welcome members of the council, Homes England and the wider community down to see the fantastic progress taking shape at our Poppy Place site. “At Keepmoat, we are proud to be developing a community situated in Driffield, a location with strong transport links and a wide range of amenities. This development represents a significant investment in the local area, and it has been great to work closely alongside our partners to bring high-quality, energy-efficient homes to the area.” Ciaran Aldridge, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Yorkshire East, said: “It’s fantastic to see the hard work of our site team recognised through developments like Poppy Place. It showcases Keepmoat’s continued commitment to creating thriving communities within the local area. “Seeing the development come together, and knowing these will soon be homes for local families has been great to see and we can’t wait to welcome the first residents in.”The homes at Poppy Place will also be delivered with modern energy-efficient housing standards as 100 per cent of the homes will be gas-free. Councillor Michael Lee, East Riding of Yorkshire Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Infrastructure said: “We’re proud to support communities across the East Riding, including in Driffield, through the expansion of affordable housing provision.” Keepmoat is a leading partnership homebuilder with a track-record of delivering quality new homes across the UK at prices people can afford. To date, almost 70 percent of its current developments are on brownfield sites. To find out more on Poppy Place, please visit: www.keepmoat.com/poppy-place-driffield Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
5,600 more on-street EV chargers installed for households without driveways
More than 5,600 public EV chargers have been installed through completed government-backed on-street charging projects in the past year, expanding access to charging for households without off-street parking. A review of newly published Department for Transport figures by specialist EV charging cable retailer EV Cable Hub found the number of public charging devices installed through completed On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) projects increased by 42.6%, from 13,325 on 1 July 2025 to 19,001 on 1 July 2026. ORCS was introduced specifically to help local authorities provide public charging infrastructure for residents who do not have access to private off-street parking. Separate analysis by EV Cable Hub found that the number of approved charging devices linked to incomplete ORCS projects also fell substantially over the same period, from 7,847 to 1,825. Jake Wardle, Founder at EV Cable Hub, said the figures show significant progress in improving access to public charging for households without off-street parking. He said: “For households without a driveway, access to reliable charging close to home can have a major influence on whether switching to an EV feels practical. “The growth in on-street infrastructure over the past year is therefore really encouraging. Thousands more charging devices have been delivered through completed projects, helping make public charging more accessible in residential areas. “There is still work taking place across some longer-running projects, but the overall direction is positive.” The scheme is now closed to new applications, with newer local charging infrastructure in England being supported through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. Three quarters of devices linked to incomplete projects relate to schemes approved by March 2023 EV Cable Hub’s analysis found that 18 of the 30 incomplete projects were approved by the end of March 2023. More than three quarters (76.6%) of the 1,825 approved devices are linked to projects approved by the end of the 2022/23 financial year, accounting for 1,398 devices. The 30 projects account for approximately £12.8 million in approved project awards, around £9.7 million of which relates to projects approved in 2021/22 and 2022/23. Government guidance set a standard completion deadline of March 2025 for ongoing ORCS projects, although extensions could be considered on a case-by-case basis where unforeseen circumstances affected delivery. Jake added: “There are still some longer-running projects in the system, but that shouldn’t overshadow the significant amount of charging infrastructure that has already been delivered. “For drivers who depend on public charging, maintaining that momentum will be important as the UK’s wider charging network continues to grow.” West Sussex has the highest number of devices linked to incomplete projects West Sussex County Council has 410 approved charging devices linked to incomplete projects, the highest total of any area in the UK. The Cardiff Capital Region Regional Transport Authority follows with 291, while Islington and Derry City and Strabane each account for 124. The areas with the highest totals are: DfT only marks an ORCS project as complete once all charging devices have been installed and final funding payments have been claimed, meaning some devices linked to projects still awaiting formal completion may already have been installed. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Winvic appointed by Durham County Council to deliver Witton-le-Wear Bridge scheme under NEPO framework
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and construction of private and public sector works and civil engineering projects has been appointed by Durham County Council to design the Witton Le Wear Bridge scheme on the A68 – the company’s first project awarded under the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) Framework. The scheme will see Winvic act as Design & Build Contractor for essential works to Witton-Le-Wear Bridge, which carries the A68 over the River Wear near the village of Witton-le-Wear in County Durham. Design work is underway with completion of this scheduled for summer 2027, the project is being delivered in partnership with design consultant Mott MacDonald. Originally built around 1970, the bridge comprises two arched, tapered in-situ reinforced concrete beams supporting a reinforced concrete slab deck. Changes in the river alignment, caused by an upstream gravel bank, have led to erosion of the riverbanks and the southern embankment near the bridge pier, resulting in localised undercutting and damage to the paved apron. Additionally, the Northern Pier & embankment is now being assessed. This is being closely monitored by Durham County Council and appointed professionals. Construction works will focus on preventing further embankment erosion, protecting the bridge structure and undertaking refurbishment or replacement works to ensure the long-term resilience of this important transport route. Following completion of survey & design works, Winvic will issue Durham County Council with options for the recommended repairs to the structure and scour protection measures to the southern embankment extending upstream of the bridge. The final design solution will be confirmed following detailed river modelling, durability assessments and cost analysis. Rob Cook, Winvic’s Managing Director for Civils and Infrastructure said: “Securing our first scheme through the NEPO framework with Durham County Council is a significant milestone for our Civils and Infrastructure sector. The Witton-Le-Wear Bridge is a key route on the A68, and we are proud to support Durham County Council in strengthening this vital link for the local community and the region.” “We look forward to working collaboratively with Durham County Council and our design partner Mott MacDonald to deliver a durable, long-term solution that benefits residents, businesses and regional connectivity for years to come.” Join Winvic on social media – LinkedIn, and Instagram. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals