Author Archives: Greg Pitcher

The construction industry saw more companies go bust than any other sector last year, with a record 4,371 building firms collapsing in England and Wales. New data published by the Insolvency Service shows that construction accounted for almost one in five business failures where a firm’s sector was known. Construction…

Kier is to build a £60m mental health hospital in the South East. The contractor was appointed by the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to deliver the 54-bed acute inpatient and outpatient facility in Bexhill. The 5,200 square metre facility will provide services for adults, replacing those currently provided at…

Offsite specialist MTX is to deliver a £49m health facility in Surrey. The Cheshire-based firm has been awarded the contract for the diagnostic and imaging centre at Frimley Park Hospital. The three-storey building will hold 74 inpatient beds ranging from single rooms to four-bed bays. Linked to the main hospital…

Environment secretary Steve Barclay has outlined specific zones in which water companies will be tied to stricter standards in a bid to boost housebuilding. The minister published a list of 16 catchment areas that will be subject to the tighter nutrient-removal rules by April 2030. The move is the latest…

Seven in 10 housebuilders want a Labour government, research has revealed. A poll of 50 residential developers by property consultancy Knight Frank found that more than two-thirds would like sir Keir Starmer’s party to win the forthcoming general election. Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak has indicated that he is likely…

The Environment Agency is looking for a contractor for up to £500m of flood-defence works on strategic sites in the South East. The sustainability and habitats watchdog launched its hunt for a construction partner for its River Thames Scheme. Works will include building 8km of flood channels, improving flow at…

Luxury-house builder Kenham Building has called in administrators, with all staff made redundant. The west London firm appointed ReSolve partners Cameron Gunn and Chris Farrington as administrators after encountering cashflow problems. Kenham operated for 25 years but hit technical challenges related to groundworks on a large residential refurbishment scheme. After…

Countryside Partnerships is set to build more than 700 homes in north London after striking a deal with mayor Sadiq Khan. The housebuilder, part of the Vistry Group, was selected by the Greater London Authority to deliver the £276m scheme in Colindale, Barnet. Under the agreement, Countryside will build 427…

Laing O’Rourke will use modern methods of construction to create a training hub for the Army in Surrey. The contractor will deliver facilities for a non-infantry centre of excellence at Alexander Barracks in Pirbright. Laing O’Rourke is one of seven firms on the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Strategic Alliance framework,…

Crest Nicholson has announced the departure of its chief executive Peter Truscott, as it also reported a 70 per cent slump in pre-tax profit. The housebuilder said Martyn Clark, currently chief commercial officer at Persimmon, would replace Truscott, who will retire after a handover period starting later this year. Crest…