Author Archives: Joshua Stein

Robertson has stormed to a double-digit profit after a “concerted effort” to focus on “quality over quantity” reversed its fortunes, it said. The contractor’s executive chairman Bill Robertson (pictured) hailed a “robust” year at the helm of the UK’s 29th biggest contractor, as it tabled a pre-tax profit of £20.2m…

A subcontractor that was owed a six-figure sum after the collapse of offsite firm Merit says it was pushed to the brink after payment dried up last year on an NHS hospital project. The firm’s director, who asked not to be named, spoke out about his experience after Construction News…

A Welsh NHS trust has warned that the construction schedule at £900m cancer centre is at risk of “further slippage” as board members accused the contractor of a lack of transparency. Velindre University NHS Trust said the work programme on the ££321m Velindre Cancer Centre (VCC) in Cardiff could face…

The transport secretary has promised to fully design Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) before tendering for contractors. Heidi Alexander pledged in the House of Commons on Monday (2 February) to finalise the scope of works for the relauched £45bn project first and vowed to avoid “the same mistakes as the previous…

Major parts of the construction sector have secured “a resilient pipeline” in 2026, after higher costs hit performance in 2025. Increases in public and private investment across Belfast, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester have boosted prospects in student accommodation, hotels, offices and homes, according to the latest edition of the Deloitte…

JRL Group has sunk further into the red after inflation took its toll, according to the firm’s latest accounts. The contractor’s chairman John Reddington said JRL had launched a strategic review of the business amid the “stubborn and persistent effects of inflation” in the 16 months to 30 April 2025.…

Building control procedures for some telecoms works could be relaxed, following industry concerns over delays and compliance burdens. Officials from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the higher-risk building (HRB) control regime had created unintended consequences, with routine telecoms tasks now subject to the same oversight as…

Building Safety Regulator (BSR) chairman Andy Roe has played down the prospects of his body taking a hardline approach on legacy gateway two applications. The BSR said in a document released  on Tuesday (27 January) that it would reject projects stuck in the gateway if “achieving an approval within the…

A major Mace job in London is being targetted with industrial action by Wolffkran tower crane operators. Nearly 100 tower crane operators voted to strike earlier this month following a dispute over pay and conditions. Construction News can reveal that striking workers represented by Unite the Union are today (27…

Project delays and “pricing pressures” have squeezed a leading specialist’s profit by more than 60 per cent. Aarsleff Ground Engineering battled “sustained pricing pressures from both customers and suppliers”, which led to a decrease in its profit and margin, managing director Kevin Hague said in the firm’s latest accounts for…