News

Kier to start ample house refurbishment programme in Stoke-on-Trent


Kier Construction, one the UK’s biggest players in this segment, will be in charge of carrying out £1m of internal and external renovations, including chimney works, roof repairs, replacement doors and windows and floor and stair repairs on 33 empty properties in Stoke-on-Trent, as part of a partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Former Press and Broadcast Centres to become new digital cluster


The former Press and Broadcast Centres on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park are set to undergo a very serious redevelopment programme, following which they will be transformed into a world-leading creative and digital cluster, a media news report on this topic has recently revealed.

The development will be called Here East and iCITY will be the company in charge of overseeing the works, after managing to win the tender put out by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC).

Britain is building again, official figures reveal


The latest statistical figures released by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles suggest that the British construction industry is marching ahead in an attempt to cope with the very high demand for new housing and commercial buildings, a news report in the local media informs us.

The statistics reveal starts on new homes in 2013 totalled 122,590, up by 23% on the previous year, while work on new homes in the last 3 months of 2013 was also up by 23% compared to the same period in 2012.

UK productivity drops to 20-year low


The output per hour worked in the UK fell 21 per cent bellow the average value for G7 economies, the lowest level since 1992, figures released by the Office for National Statistics would suggest.

According to a news report on the matter, the productivity of UK workers is lowest when compared to that of their counterparts from the US, France and Germany. Nevertheless, British workers managed to produce 11 per cent more per hour than their Japanese counterparts.

Wage growth is directly related to UK worker’s productivity, research suggests


Employees will only get some visible, substantial pay rises should their productivity levels increase substantially, research published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) suggests.

According to a media report on the matter, ever since January 20089, weekly earnings (excluding bonuses) have fallen by 8% when pegged against the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as a measure of inflation, and by 10.2% if the Retail Price Index (RPI) was used.

Major boost in construction activity over Q4, 2013


The construction industry has recorded a very solid growth over the course of Q4, 2013, with companies of all sizes and operating across all areas, including building contractors, SMEs, specialist contractors, civil engineers and product manufacturers, reporting increased output, the latest Construction Trade Survey has revealed.

As a news source in the business media reports, this is the first time in the past five years when three consecutive quarters of growth are recorded.

Building work to start on £4.8 million housing development in Wombwell


Construction firm Lovell is set to start construction work on a £4.8 million development comprising 50 affordable apartments for older residents in Wombwell, near Barnsley, a brand new media report has recently revealed.

All of these new apartments are meant to be used by people aged over 55 and are are being developed by South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA).

£30m funding agreed for Community Facilities In Northstowe


Gallagher Estates, the promoters of the first 1,500 homes at the planned new town of Northstowe, set to be created to the north-west of Cambridge, have agreed to a £30m investment plan with the local councils for developing community facilities, a news report in the local media has revealed.