Construction news

• Willmott Dixon wins £24m Leeds council housing scheme

  29-11-2024 09:11 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Leeds City Council is going ahead with plans to build a council housing estate of 82 homes on the site of a former school.
  Willmott Dixon is understood to have secured the contract to build the council houses with a £24m bid.
  The former Hough Side High School site at Hough Top in Swinnow, near Pudsey will be developed with 55 houses and 27 flats in a single block.Main works are expected to start next month for scheme completion in late 2026.
  The proposed two-storey brick houses will be a m
  
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• Groundworks firm Mackoy went under owing suppliers £5.5m

  02-07-2026 15:18 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Groundworks contractor Mackoy Limited went into administration owing subcontractors and suppliers nearly £5.5m.
  The scale of the £23m-turnover firm’s debts across its supply chain was revealed in a Companies House update by administrator Quantuma.
  Mackoy went down last month and was then sold out of administration in a pre-pack deal to Geocore Civils Limited saving 20 jobs.Geocore Civils Limited was established on May 12 by directors Benjamin Bousfield and Michael Mayock.
  
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• Lendlease and The Crown Estate finalise £24bn development JV

  02-07-2026 09:06 via constructionenquirer.com
  Lendlease and The Crown Estate have completed their long-awaited £24bn regeneration joint venture, paving the way for construction to begin on a pipeline of major housing and commercial developments in London and Birmingham.
  The new vehicle, branded the Impact Partnership Joint Venture, will initially take control of the Euston, Silvertown and Stratford Cross regeneration schemes, with a dedicated development management company established to oversee delivery.
  Together the first three proj
  
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• Laing O’Rourke joins bid for 14-reactor UK SMR fleet

  02-07-2026 08:46 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Laing O’Rourke has joined an international consortium bidding to deliver a fleet of 14 small modular nuclear reactors across three UK sites.
  Warsaw-based developer SGE has submitted plans under the Government’s Advanced Nuclear Framework for a 4.2GW programme based on GE Vernova Hitachi’s BWRX-300 reactor technology.
  The privately-funded scheme would be Britain’s largest privately-led nuclear investment and could generate enough electricity to meet around 11% of the count
  
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• Right-to-work checks for self-employed start in October

  02-07-2026 08:43 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  The government has confirmed an October 1 start date for Right to Work checks on the self-employed with construction singled out by a minister as a “high-risk sector” targeted by Home Office activity.
  Home Office minister Alex Norris said: “The reforms introduce, for the first time, an extension of the Right to Work Scheme and the associated civil penalties for non-compliance, to cover companies who contract workers or individual subcontractors to provide services under their c
  
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• Record order book fires Phoenix ME towards £400m turnover

  02-07-2026 08:35 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  London M&E specialist Phoenix ME has set its sights on £400m turnover this year after posting sharply higher profits and securing its biggest-ever forward order book.
  Revenue for the year to 30 September 2025 climbed 8% to £319m, while pre-tax profit surged 55% to £17m as improved project margins and tighter cost control boosted performance.
  This saw operating group margin hit 5% up from 3.5% in the prior year, while revenue expansion saw headcount rise by 12% to 469 during
  
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• Hill plots £2.3bn growth drive after resilient results

  02-07-2026 08:10 via constructionenquirer.com
  South East developer The Hill Group has unveiled a five-year growth plan to more than double turnover to £2.3bn by 2030 after posting another year of resilient trading despite subdued housing market conditions.
  The UK’s second largest privately-owned house builder lifted revenue to £1.16bn in the year to 31 March 2026 from £1.15bn previously, while pre-tax profit increased to £93m from £91m.
  Housing completions jumped 18% to 3,329 homes from 2,811 a year earli
  
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• Construction site deaths fall to 25

  01-07-2026 15:17 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive reveal that 25 construction workers died following accidents during the year to March 31 2026.
  The figure is a significant decrease on the previous year’s total of 35 and the five-year average for fatal injuries in the sector which stands at 37.
  Construction again accounted for the largest number of fatal accidents across all industries with the total death toll standing at 126 during the year.The most common cause of fatal injuries conti
  
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• Vinci wins contract for Liverpool Pall Mall scheme

  01-07-2026 13:28 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Joint developers Liverpool City Council and Kier Property have chosen VINCI Construction as the design and build partner for the first £55m phase of the Pall Mall scheme following a two-stage tender process.
  The development will deliver office space alongside ground-floor retail and a new 0.5 acre greenspace.
  Liverpool City Council is working with Kier Property to bring forward the first phase of the scheme, which forms part of a wider masterplan set to transform the Pall Mall area into a
  
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• 12 roofing firms named in ongoing bid-rigging probe

  01-07-2026 09:08 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  The Competition and Markets Authority has named the dozen businesses under investigation as part of its long-running probe into suspected bid-rigging in the supply of roofing and other construction services.
  The cartel watchdog first launched its probe in December 2024 over suspected anti-competitive arrangements linked to roofing work for schools applying to the Department for Education’s Condition Improvement Fund.
  It has now confirmed the businesses currently under investigation are:AMR
  
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• Steelwork specialist Barretts of Aspley ceases trading

  01-07-2026 08:49 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Steelwork contractor Barretts of Aspley has ceased trading after four consecutive years of operating losses.
  The Milton Keynes-based business employed more than 50 staff and specialised in structural steelwork, architectural metalwork and balcony packages from its 100,000 sq ft fabrication facility on a 12-acre site.
  The firm traced its roots back more than 30 years, supplying steel-framed buildings before expanding into major commercial, regeneration and residential projects, delivering structu
  
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• Eight picked for National Grid’s £640m cable programme

  01-07-2026 08:43 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  National Grid has picked eight contractors for a potential £640m framework to install 66kV and 132kV electricity cables across its transmission and distribution networks.
  The one-year framework, with an option to extend for a further 12 months, will support cable installation work for National Grid Electricity Transmission and its electricity distribution businesses across the East Midlands, West Midlands, South West and South Wales.
  The successful firms are:Balfour Beatty Utility Solution
  
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• Kelly Formwork lands £4m deal from Skanska

  30-06-2026 18:47 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Kelly Formwork has strengthened its position in the UK infrastructure market after securing the A47/A11 Thickthorn Junction upgrade in Norfolk with Skanska.
  The £4m job starts this month and is aimed at improving connectivity and reducing congestion on one of the region’s busiest strategic road networks.
  Skanska’s scope includes a 1.6km free-flow link road connecting the A11 northbound to the A47 eastbound via two new underpasses, together with a further 1km local link roa
  
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• ISG school to be demolished over structural issues

  30-06-2026 15:49 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  A new school building partially completed by ISG company ESS Modular has been condemned after an inspection by Kier.
  The new home for Matford Brook Academy in Exeter was left unfinished when ISG went into administration in September 2024.
  Pupils have been taught since in a  series of temporary building while Kier was called in earlier this year to assess the state of the new permanent building.Kier’s report to the Department for Education found found the building does not meet the req
  
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• Road schemes to be scrapped to pay for better defence

  30-06-2026 14:28 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Transport and energy projects will be scrapped to help pay for a £15bn boost to defence spending unveiled by Kier Starmer on Tuesday.
  The Prime Minister said: “Some capital projects – for example on roads and energy, which are important, but not immediately vital will no longer go ahead as planned.”
  Starmer said the extra defence spending would be funded by “reallocating spending from across government departments – reallocating capital budgets by one penny in
  
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• AJC Group lands £24m Bournemouth scheme

  30-06-2026 12:43 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  AJC Group has been appointed to deliver a £23.9m regeneration scheme in the Boscombe suburb of Bournemouth.
  The Poole-based contractor has been awarded both phases of the landmark Hawkwood Road development on behalf of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council.
  Phase one will include a new two-storey community centre, four retail kiosks and a new pedestrian link alongside associated landscaping, drainage and community space improvements.Phase two will see the construction of 68 res
  
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• M Group storms into UK contractor top four

  30-06-2026 09:05 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  M Group has smashed through the £3bn turnover mark to become the UK’s fourth biggest contractor after a year of strong growth and acquisitions.
  The growth spurt puts the private equity-backed infrastructure services giant behind only Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall and Kier in the UK contractor rankings.
  Revenue climbed 23% to £3.1bn in the year to 31 March while EBITDA before exceptional items surged 40% to £218m from £156m.Across the group, EBITDA margin also impro
  
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• New boss to lead Balfour major projects arm

  30-06-2026 08:44 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Balfour Beatty has announced the appointment of Angus Murray as Managing Director of its UK Major Projects business.
  Murray will start his new role in September overseeing a portfolio of projects including Hinkley Point C and Net Zero Teesside.
  He will also lead Balfour Beatty’s engagement in emerging complex infrastructure markets, including Small Modular Reactors and the UK reservoir programme.Murray most recently served as Chief Executive of Connect Plus, the 30-year consortium that inc
  
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• BAM bags first civils package on giant EGL3 link

  30-06-2026 08:16 via constructionenquirer.com
  BAM has secured the first civils package for the northern converter station on the proposed Eastern Green Link 3 power cable project.
  The contractor has signed an early contractor involvement deal with SSEN Transmission for design and buildability support on the Peterhead site in Aberdeenshire.
  EGL3 is being developed by SSEN Transmission and National Grid Electricity Transmission and is billed as the UK’s biggest ever electricity transmission project.The 2GW, 525kV high-voltage direct cur
  
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• Stepnell builds profit as turnover hits £150m

  30-06-2026 07:57 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Stepnell is forecasting further growth this year after lifting turnover by a third and nearly tripling profit.
  The family-owned Rugby contractor saw turnover rise to £150m in the year to March 2026 from £113m last time.
  Pre-tax profit climbed to £2.8m from £1m, while cash in the business rose sharply to £21m.Chief executive Tom Wakeford said: “We are pleased with our significantly improved performance in difficult market conditions, notably the increase in pro
  
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• Fleet up for sale as plant hire boss retires

  29-06-2026 16:49 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Euro Auctions is hosting an online sale of the entire fleet formerly run by Kent-based Skelton Plant Hire following the owners’ decision to retire from the industry.
  The sale will offer contractors, plant hire businesses, builders, groundworkers and equipment buyers the opportunity to acquire a substantial fleet of fresh, low-hour machinery and commercial vehicles direct from one of the South East’s leading operators.
  The online auction takes place on Thursday 2 July. Much of the equ
  
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• Investment giant DWS buys stake in Flannery Plant Hire

  29-06-2026 13:03 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Asset manager DWS has completed the acquisition of an interest in Flannery Plant Hire.
  The Flannery family has retained a significant interest alongside DWS, and Patrick and Martin Flannery will continue to lead the business as joint CEOs.
  The deal will support the next phase of growth for the business as it continues to provide services to major infrastructure projects.Flannery is the largest operated heavy construction plant-hire company in the UK, combining the lease of large-scale specialist
  
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• National Highways axes Skanska’s £300m A46 Newark bypass

  29-06-2026 09:16 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  National Highways has cancelled its contract with Skanska to advance the long-delayed A46 Newark Bypass project in the East Midlands.
  Skanska announced the cancellation of the £297m contract this morning by National Highways, warning it adversely impacted the Swedish group’s order book in the second quarter.
  The scheme to dual 6.5km of the A46 received development consent late last year but no timetable for the project’s start has been released.Subcontractors had been pricing w
  
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• Highways chiefs axe Skanska’s £300m A46 Newark bypass contract

  29-06-2026 09:16 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  National Highways has cancelled its contract with Skanska to advance the long-delayed A46 Newark Bypass project in the East Midlands.
  Skanska announced the cancellation of the £297m contract this morning by National Highways, warning it adversely impacted the Swedish group’s order book in the second quarter.
  The scheme to dual 6.5km of the A46 received development consent late last year but no timetable for the project’s start has been released.Subcontractors had been pricing w
  
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• Skanska gets start date for 55 Old Broad Street

  29-06-2026 08:16 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Skanska will start main construction work at 55 Old Broad Street in the City of London in October under a £282m deal.
  Work is due for completion in 2029 and will create around 270,000 sq ft of high-quality office accommodation across 23 storeys, alongside retail space and public realm at ground level.
  The former Landsec scheme had been on hold but private equity real estate firm AshbyCapital is taking the project forward with Landsec retaining a role as development manager.Skanska’s
  
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• Fusion plans 39-storey Manchester student tower

  29-06-2026 08:11 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Fusion Student has lodged plans to finally develop a long-stalled Manchester city centre tower site.
  The developer wants to build a 39-storey, 818-bed student scheme at 10-12 Whitworth Street West, close to Deansgate Locks.
  Domis Construction is advising the client for planning, drawing up the construction and logistics plan for the job, while Gardiner & Theobald is on board as cost manager. Consultant Amber is MEP engineer with Shear Design providing structural design.
  The vacant plot has a
  
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• HS2 reset hinges on contractor deals and £8bn Euston plan

  29-06-2026 08:01 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Transport chiefs have been warned that HS2’s latest reset will fail unless they get a grip on contractor negotiations and nail down Euston plans.
  A National Audit Office report said the Department for Transport and HS2 Ltd are making progress on the overhaul.
  But the watchdog warned major risks remain around commercial deals, cost control, delivery skills and the unresolved London terminus.
  DfT now estimates HS2 will cost between £88bn and £103bn to complete — around doub
  
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• SCF starts hunt for £2bn+ framework contractors

  26-06-2026 18:10 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  The tender race has started for contractors to join Southern Construction Framework’s (SCF’s) sixth generation (SCF6) deal.
  The current framework delivers around £500m of projects a year across London, the South East and the South West and the new deal will run for an initial four years from May 2027.
  Delivered jointly by Hampshire and Devon County Councils, since its inception in 2006, SCF has supported the delivery of £10bn of public sector construction projects.SCF6 wi
  
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• HS2 contractors fined £400,000 after tipper truck fall

  26-06-2026 14:41 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  A joint venture working on HS2 has been fined £400,000 after the driver of a 20-tonne tipper truck was injured when his vehicle fell off the edge of an excavation ramp.
  The incident happened on 27 July 2021, at a site in Copthall North near Uxbridge, West London.
  The site was being run by SCS Railways, a joint venture of Skanska Construction UK Limited, Costain Limited and Strabag AG.The tipper truck fell approximately two metres and landed on the driver’s side. The man behind the wh
  
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• Scottish ministers halt £2.1bn Laing O’Rourke hospital job

  26-06-2026 09:16 via constructionenquirer.com
  
  Health chiefs have been sent back to the drawing board on plans for Laing O’Rourke to build a £2.1bn replacement for Monklands Hospital after ministers refused to sign off the scheme over affordability concerns.
  Scottish health secretary Angela Constance said the proposed new hospital at Wester Moffat, near Airdrie, failed to represent value for money and ordered a “comprehensive redesign” of the project.
  The decision throws fresh uncertainty over the programme and is lik
  
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