Sales in Q4 of 2016 continued to grow for the UK construction sector – the fifteenth quarter in a row according to the Construction Products Association. On an annual basis, 78% of heavy side firms reported that sales had increased in Q4, whilst on the light side, 75% of firms
The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) has introduced a “radical new approach” to inspiring innovation in the built environment, after launching its first Innovation Lab that will offer workshops and collaborative opportunities to develop new solutions in the construction industry. Announced on Thursday (5 January), UK-GBC’s Innovation Lab brings in
Ministers have given the green light for construction to begin on thousands of discounted homes for first-time buyers. The government chose 30 local authorities to partner with in developing the first wave of Starter Homes, which will be available to buyers aged 23-40 at 20 per cent below market value.
Contractor, Wates Construction, is encouraging women across the region to consider a career in construction in response to data estimating that almost 4,000 new industry jobs will be created annually across the east of England. The call to action follows a report from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) predicting
Councillors are set to be asked to approve the tender from Wilmott Dixon Construction Ltd to build the new schools and community project in Coldside. If approved, work on the project will get under way in February with an expected completion date of June 2018. The facilities will then become
Building work is underway on the new £32 million West Calder High School. The new school will be home to 1,000 pupils and is set to open in 2018. It will include a floodlit 3G sports pitch, a swimming pool and sports facilities to be used by both the school
Sheffield interiors company, Wisewood Interiors, has shut down after being hit hard by a bad debt. The firm was established in 2010 and serviced construction contracts throughout the UK for major supermarkets. Managing Director Andrew Hartley established the company as a provider of drylining, suspended ceilings and partitions and had
Construction buyers are reporting a surge in workloads, with the strongest rise in activity last month since March. The Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI ticked-up from 52.6 in October to 52.8 in November. Any reading above 50 represents a growing market. For the first time in half a year, commercial work
The value of new construction contracts awarded in the UK fell by 24% in November. Data collected by the Builders’ Conference shows that the total value of all new construction contracts awarded last month was £3.36 billion, in comparison with £4.4 billion in October, which is a fall of almost
Construction of a 95,000 sq ft speculative office building in Bristol is set to begin following the appointment of Willmott Dixon to a £20m development contract. The building called Aurora is part of Finzels Reach, the new quarter being created in the heart of Bristol by Bristol-based developer Cubex. Gavin
Sales in Q4 of 2016 continued to grow for the UK construction sector – the fifteenth quarter in a row according to the Construction Products Association. On an annual basis, 78% of heavy side firms reported that sales had increased in Q4, whilst on the light side, 75% of firms reported that sales were higher than a year earlier, which was the highest balance since 2014 Q3. However, as uncertainty intensifies and cost pressures from the fall in Sterling post-Referendum hit this year, the industry may struggle to experience similar growth. Among heavy side manufacturers only 6% on balance anticipate a rise in sales over 2017 Q1, and 29% on balance of light side manufacturers anticipate a rise during the same period. Rebecca Larkin, CPA Senior Economist said: “Unsurprisingly, manufacturers’ expectations for 2017 appear to have been tempered by the uncertainty surrounding the economic and political outlook. Heavy side manufacturers appeared most exposed to the effects of Sterling’s depreciation during the second half of 2016. In Q4, two-thirds of firms reported an increase in costs, the highest in five years, and a further 89% anticipate an increase over the next year. Rising costs of imported raw materials continue to be a primary driver of cost inflation, but there is now an indication that currency weakness is filtering through to higher energy and fuel costs too. “The impact of Brexit on the construction industry is, as yet, unclear, but it is unlikely this year will be as buoyant as last unless government is able to provide greater certainty and the industry is able to manage cost pressures.” Interested in this article? Read more at Builders Merchants Journal.
The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) has introduced a “radical new approach” to inspiring innovation in the built environment, after launching its first Innovation Lab that will offer workshops and collaborative opportunities to develop new solutions in the construction industry. Announced on Thursday (5 January), UK-GBC’s Innovation Lab brings in Canary Wharf Group, Land Securities and Marks & Spencer (M&S) as lead partners in the initiative’s overall aim to foster innovative sustainability solutions and explore future trends of the built environment. UK-GBC’s head of leadership and innovation Cat Hirst said: “Research and Development levels across our industry are painfully low; the UK currently only spends £43m on construction R&D. The risks to a single company of investing in developing a solution for such a high-cost industry is often seen as prohibitive. But we desperately need to find ways of working together to achieve radical change if we are to challenge business as usual and transition to a sustainable way of working. “At UK-GBC we’re seeking to catalyse this change by using our unique position to convene our member organisations to work together to address the issues our industry faces. We want to ensure there is the time, space, and structure for open innovation to occur for the built environment.” The Innovation Lab officially began last month with a workshop aimed at identifying “breakthrough challenges” that will form the basis for the next nine-months of workshops and programmes; Thursday marks the official announcement from UK-GBC. The initial workshop highlighted the key challenges that the industry will face in regards to climate resilience, resource efficiency and technological advancements. The next workshop will be held on 1 February and the open format allows members to collaborate to share both risks and rewards. Land Securities head of sustainability Caroline Hill said: “The Innovation Lab will provide us with an exciting opportunity to work and collaborate with businesses in the property industry, to explore innovative sustainable solutions. Most importantly we want to see how sustainability can help to break through some of the challenges our sector is currently facing.” Read more here.
Ministers have given the green light for construction to begin on thousands of discounted homes for first-time buyers. The government chose 30 local authorities to partner with in developing the first wave of Starter Homes, which will be available to buyers aged 23-40 at 20 per cent below market value. The homes will be built on brownfield sites across the UK, with the councils being chosen on availability of land and ability to deliver homes quickly. The partnerships between the Homes and Communities Agency and the local authorities have been established under the government’s £1.2bn Starter Homes Land Fund, which was launched last April. The fund supports the acquisition, remediation and de-risking of brownfield land for Starter Home developments. Construction of the first Starter Homes will begin later this year. Housing and planning minister Gavin Barwell said: “This government is committed to building Starter Homes to help young first-time buyers get on the housing ladder. “This first wave of partnerships shows the strong local interest to build thousands of Starter Homes on hundreds of brownfield sites in the coming years. One in three councils has expressed an interest to work with us so far.” Read more at https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/markets/sectors/housing/government-kick-starts-starter-homes-construction/10016061.article
Contractor, Wates Construction, is encouraging women across the region to consider a career in construction in response to data estimating that almost 4,000 new industry jobs will be created annually across the east of England. The call to action follows a report from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) predicting an annual growth of 2.3pc for the region’s construction industry, which should see roughly 3,910 new jobs created each year between 2016 and 2020. Louise Reeve, who has worked as a Framework Assistant and Community Investment Advisor for Wates Construction since 2015 said: “The diversity of the roles in construction is one of the industry’s biggest draws, something many people perhaps don’t realise when they are choosing their career and I think this is particularly true for women. “In addition to the hands-on trade roles available, there are so many more elements to construction. For example, a key part of my role is ensuring that our work in the region is used to create training, apprenticeship and work experience opportunities for local people.” Louise is currently based at the Quadram Institute at Norwich Research Park, which is expected to have an on-site team of approximately 380 operatives during peak periods. She added: “My advice to anyone currently reviewing their career choices would be not to discount construction. More and more women are opening their minds to the industry, which is very encouraging, and with a rise in constructions jobs predicted by the CITB, I personally hope to see the sector’s gender gap in the east of England become even smaller.” Currently there are 96 available positions being advertised in the construction industry across Norfolk on recruitment website Jobs24. These vacancies include site technicians, contracts managers, carpenters and surveyor roles. Article taken from http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/women_in_norfolk_urged_to_consider_careers_in_construction_1_4817739
Councillors are set to be asked to approve the tender from Wilmott Dixon Construction Ltd to build the new schools and community project in Coldside. If approved, work on the project will get under way in February with an expected completion date of June 2018. The facilities will then become operational for the Autumn term in August of that year. Bill Campbell, depute convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, said: “With work completed or well underway on similar projects in other neighbourhoods across the city it is good to see progress being made on the Coldside scheme. “This will bring two new single stream primary schools designed over two storeys, a separate nursery area and a dedicated facility for community use to Coldside that will provide services for people who will live in the adjacent new houses being built in this part of the city.” Stewart Hunter, convener of the city council’s children and families service committee, said: “This new build will replace Our Lady’s RC and Rosebank primary schools and the Frances Wright pre-school centre with modern custom designed facilities. “As well as the schools there will be four additional flexible classrooms, nursery facilities and a dedicated area for community use of 500m² which together will create buildings in which staff will be able deliver a 21st curriculum and local people enjoy leisure and culture.” Vehicles will gain access to the main school, community facility, pupil drop-off and service yard car park from Alexander Street, while the nursery school car park and pupil drop-off facility will be in Ann Street. New social housing is currently being built on another part of the site, which was formerly home to the Alexander Street multis. Labour’s education spokesman Laurie Bidwell could not be reached for comment. The city development committee meets on Monday December 12.
Building work is underway on the new £32 million West Calder High School. The new school will be home to 1,000 pupils and is set to open in 2018. It will include a floodlit 3G sports pitch, a swimming pool and sports facilities to be used by both the school and wider community. Pupils joined Cathy Muldoon, the council deputy leader, along with education executive vice chairman David Dodds at the site to mark the occasion. Representatives from Hub South East, West Lothian Council and builders Morrison Construction were also in attendance. Cllr Muldoon commented: “It’s fantastic to see work start on the new West Calder High School, with a good deal of activity now taking place to get the site ready for construction. “We are investing over £100 million in education infrastructure projects to ensure West Lothian children have the best possible learning environment. West Lothian already has one of the best school estates in the country and our ongoing investment will build on this.” Plans for the £32 million school were officially approved in June, which is West Lothian Council’s largest ever single investment in education. It was developed through Hub South East Scotland, with Morrison Construction appointed to build the new school. Councillor Fitzpatrick said: “I’m delighted to see the project to deliver the new £32 million West Calder High School, the council’s largest ever investment in education, is progressing well. “The modern, high-quality school will be a fantastic resource for local young people, providing an ideal learning environment for them to achieve their full potential. “This investment will help ensure that West Lothian continues to have one of the best school estates in Scotland. “The construction work phase will also provide valuable training and job opportunities for local residents. “At its peak, 70-100 people will be employed on site, with up to an additional 10 full-time positions being created.”
Sheffield interiors company, Wisewood Interiors, has shut down after being hit hard by a bad debt. The firm was established in 2010 and serviced construction contracts throughout the UK for major supermarkets. Managing Director Andrew Hartley established the company as a provider of drylining, suspended ceilings and partitions and had enjoyed success in securing contracts with national retailers such as The Co-Op, Tesco, Lidl and Aldi. However, Lisa Hogg and Kelly Burton of Sheffield business turnaround experts Wilson Field, were appointed as joint administrators on November 21. They advised that the best course of action was to close down the six year old business, based on Wisewood Road in Sheffield, with all seven jobs set to be lost. Director and Insolvency Practitioner at Wilson Field, Kelly Burton commented: “Historically, the company offered its services to a range of retailers but suffered from a sizeable bad debt. “The director took advice from Wilson Field with the business being forced to close.” Operating on a national basis and based in Sheffield, Wisewood Interiors was established to provide a competitive suspended ceiling service to private customers and main contractors, with an emphasis on reliability and quality. The company soon expanded to cover extra core activities. Among these were all interior drywall systems, together with traditional hand applied and machine applied projection plaster and render systems. Meanwhile, a campaign to save Sheffield’s derelict Old Town Hall and Courtrooms has been given a funding boost. Friends of the Old Town Hall campaigned for two years to save and restore the Grade II-listed Waingate building, which has been on and off the property market. The group has been awarded £7,700 Lottery funding to set up a charitable trust and help preserve the building. Chairperson Valerie Bayliss said Sheffield’s origins were on that site. Ms Bayliss said: “The original settlement was down by the confluence of the Rivers Don and Sheaf, with the castle from the 13th to the 17th centuries. “Old maps show Sheffield began in this patch and spread out over the centuries.”
Construction buyers are reporting a surge in workloads, with the strongest rise in activity last month since March. The Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI ticked-up from 52.6 in October to 52.8 in November. Any reading above 50 represents a growing market. For the first time in half a year, commercial work improved, though input cost inflation raced ahead to a five and a half year high. Group Chief Executive Officer at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, David Noble, commented: “The sector was on a firmer footing this month, as a slight uptick in overall activity and the strongest level of new business growth since March, resulted in more stability after a summer of uncertainty at the time of the EU vote. “Purchasing activity grew at its fastest pace since the beginning of the year as stronger workflows and tenders materialising into actual projects prompted increased levels of stock building. “This resulted in a sluggish response from suppliers, with the fastest lengthening of delivery times since June, as pressure on capacity and low stocks impacted on demand. “The impact of the weaker pound was widely felt in November, with cost inflation the strongest since early 2011. “Higher prices were reported for a number of materials including bricks, blocks and slate, as businesses struggled with managing costs. “Yet, in spite of this grip on precious margins, headcounts were increased and demand for subcontractors was also sustained.” However, manufacturing activity in the UK registered an unexpected decline in November due to a weak pound that is driving price pressures, industry data showed on Thursday. In a report, market research group Markit said that its UK manufacturing PMI fell to a seasonally adjusted 53.4 last month from a reading of 54.2 in October. Analysts had expected the index to increase to 54.5 in November. On the index, a reading above 50.0 indicates industry expansion, below indicates contraction.
The value of new construction contracts awarded in the UK fell by 24% in November. Data collected by the Builders’ Conference shows that the total value of all new construction contracts awarded last month was £3.36 billion, in comparison with £4.4 billion in October, which is a fall of almost a quarter. A similar rate of decline is seen when compared with the number of contracts awarded in the previous year, with the total value of new construction contracts signed in November last year standing at £4.37 billion. The slowdown in November has had an impact on the rolling year total for the BCLive league table, which at this time last year stood at a record-breaking £57 billion. Today, it is down by 23% to £43.8 billion. Graham Construction topped the league for November, with a £192.5 million total haul. The biggest of these was a £150 million order for the refurbishment and construction of several civic buildings for the London Borough of Barnet. However, the table was close at the top. Sir Robert McAlpine came in a close second with a combined £184m of orders, including a £100m order from Nikal for the construction of five blocks of flats at Birmingham’s Exchange Square. Galliford Try came in third place with £180.2 million. Neil Edwards, Chief Executive of Builders Conference, said: “The industry now enters the Christmas season and a month shortened by festive holidays and slowed by the usual round of office parties. So there is unlikely to be any last minute rally that will allow a gloomy year to end on anything other than a gloomy note. “And sadly, that gloom looks set to stick around like the hangover and expanded waistline that is part and parcel of the Christmas festivities. In 2015, the BCLive league table identified – on average – 850 new tenders each month. In 2016, that average has plummeted to 650. Projecting forward, that threatens to throw up a very tough start to the New Year.”
Construction of a 95,000 sq ft speculative office building in Bristol is set to begin following the appointment of Willmott Dixon to a £20m development contract. The building called Aurora is part of Finzels Reach, the new quarter being created in the heart of Bristol by Bristol-based developer Cubex. Gavin Bridge, director at Cubex, said: “This is a fantastic milestone for Aurora. With cranes arriving on site now and construction activity moving on apace, it won’t be long before we see a new addition to Bristol’s skyline.” Aurora will consist of six storeys, with each floor measuring 15,500 sq ft. There will also be 51 car parking spaces, electric car charging points and secure motorcycle and bicycle storage. Neal Stephens, managing director of Willmott Dixon Construction in Wales and the West, said: “With a local office in Bristol, we’re delighted to have the opportunity to build such an important office for the city’s economy, one that will attract new investment and set the standard for BREEAM Outstanding in a city that was 2015’s European Green Capital. “We will work hard to ensure this project benefits the Bristol economy, partnering with local companies and sustaining jobs for local people.” Cubex expects the building to be ready for fit out by the end of next year. Willmott Dixon, the construction and property services group, has posted a multimillion-pound rise in half-year profits and unveiled a new corporate structure to create three distinct companies. Under the revised structure, both the residential development and support services companies will move from under Willmott Dixon’s umbrella to become sister businesses. The group said the move will give each business “greater operational, financial and strategic independence” to pursue their individual growth plans. Willmott Dixon generated a profit before tax and amortisation of £12m for the six months to 30 June 2016, an increase of 48 per cent from £8.1m a year earlier, on turnover of £598m. The group’s secured and probably forward order book stood at £1.15bn at the end of the period.
