Author Archives: Matthew Davies

The government has set out its plan to improve rail links between cities and towns in the north of England, with a multibillion-pound infrastructure scheme known as Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). The project was first mooted 10 years ago, but now the government has pledged an initial £1.1bn for design…

Higgins Group has seen a 51 per cent rise in turnover to £315m, which translated to its pre-tax profit more than doubling to £1.05m. The Essex-based contractor said in its audited accounts for the year to the end of July 2025, that “robust management of working capital” meant the company’s…

Turnover at CCG (Scotland) fell 12 per cent to £214m in the year to 31 March 2025, with the company blaming political uncertainty and supply chain issues. Glasgow-based CCG, which is one of the largest social housing contractors in Scotland, said political conditions in the run-up and during the aftermath…

Chelmsford-based civils and groundworks contractor EJ Taylor & Sons Ltd has filed a notice of intention (NOI) to appoint administrators as part of a proposed restructuring plan. The NOI is designed to give a degree of financial protection to the family-run business while it markets itself with the view to…

Scaffolders in the top 10 had a strong, steady year. Overall, total turnover reached £1.35bn, passing the billion-pound milestone for the first time. Total pre-tax profit rose 92 per cent to £124.9m. Altrad UK led once again, pulling further away from the pack with turnover rising 38 per cent to…

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has said a record number of gateway two decisions were reached across all types of applications in October. In its November monthly update, the BSR noted that 272 decisions had been made, bringing the total made since the end of August to 578, with 76…

If construction is one of the engines that drives any economy, there was very little in Wednesday’s Budget and the accompanying forecasts from the Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) to provide short term relief to the UK’s building contractors. The OBR now expects gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by…

A government-commissioned taskforce has recommended a “radical reset” for the nuclear sector’s regulatory framework ─ including the creation of a new Commission on Nuclear Regulation ─ to avoid future construction delays. In its final report published today (24 November), the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce set out 47 recommendations for the government…

With the Interserve years behind it, Tilbury Douglas has transformed into a smaller, focused and more flexible company under the leadership of chief executive and former rugby player Craig Tatton

The government has launched an open consultation on how the extension of the Right to Work Scheme should be implemented in practical terms for employers in construction and other industries. An extension of the scheme will mean checks on employees will cover businesses hiring in the ‘gig economy’ and workers…