News

Scottish contracting and civil engineering firm RJ McLeod has reported improved turnover, pre-tax profit and margin, nearly 20 months after its acquisition by OCU Group. The Glasgow-based firm lengthened its accounting period from 30 October 2024 to 29 April 2025 to align with other OCU Group companies. It increased its…

Engineering services specialist SES has appointed Mark Heath as preconstruction director and Luke Boyhan as commercial director for its Engineering South business. Both men joined the Engineering South board as the firm sought to support growth across London and the wider South, including in commercial development, fit out and life…

An extra £40bn of work than originally anticipated could be up for grabs under the next iteration of the UK Government’s flagship construction framework. The Crown Commercial Service yesterday (4 February 2026) released an edited pipeline notice for its Construction Works and Associated Services 3 framework, which is set to…

HG Construction has been awarded a £73m contract to deliver a purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in Wembley for developer YourTRIBE. The project has secured gateway two approval from the Building Safety Regulator and construction has started on the Watkin Road site, the contractor said. It added that completion is…

Tier one contractor McLaren Construction’s annual turnover has exceeded £1bn for the first time and pre-tax profit almost doubled, as it eyes further growth to mark its 25th birthday this year. The firm hired more staff last year and is pursuing opportunities in the healthcare and data centre sectors, but…

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…

British construction demand has fallen for a fourth consecutive year, putting jobs at risk and threatening future supply capacity, according to new data from the Mineral Products Association (MPA). The trade body said sales volumes for key construction materials reached historic lows in 2025, despite limited stabilisation late in the…

A self‑employed contractor has been jailed after a teenager fell to his death during demolition works on a property in Surrey. Jason Hill, 59, hired Tom Neate, 19, to help demolish a garage at an address on Glebe Road in Staines-upon-Thames in preparation for an extension, according to a statement…

The High Court has awarded £35m in damages to the freeholder of a high-end London development after a Laing O’Rourke subsidiary withdrew from the case, leaving the trial to proceed without a defence. In a judgment handed down remotely on 2 February 2026, Mrs Justice Jefford ruled that Laing O’Rourke…

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…